Projects

The pictures above show both ends of my newly revamped workshop. In October 2020, I replaced the old garage door with a wall and window — a simple change that made a big difference. It stopped those cold drafts that used to sneak in around the door and brought in plenty of natural light, which I really appreciate now that my eyesight isn’t quite what it once was.

Most of the projects you’ll see here were built in this space. I’ve documented them mainly with photos, along with brief notes about the methods and processes I used. My hope is that sharing these projects will encourage others to explore the hands-on side of our shared hobby, Amateur Radio.

I can’t claim originality for most of these ideas. Like many of us, I’ve learned a lot from the generous people who share their knowledge and techniques online — I’ve simply added my own twist along the way.

The newest projects appear first, and I’ll keep adding more as time allows. Check back from time to time to see what’s new on the bench.

Signals from the Scrapheap

I sift through boards and rusted wire,
Old circuits, cast-offs, long retired.
Each broken part, a voice half-lost,
Awaiting hands to bridge the frost.

A dial repurposed, coils entwined,
Solder flows and paths align.
The hum of power, a crackling spark,
A beacon born from cast-aside parts.

Through airwaves stretched from sky to sea,
My signal leaps, unseen yet free.
Dots and dashes tap the past,
A ghost in brass that speaks at last.

From scrap and spark, from wave to key,
The world still listens back to me.

The above poem was created using ChatGPT, with the subject matter I provided. (try using ChatGPT today and be amazed)