Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to you make your schematics?
Within limits, schematics are drafted to be as readable and small in file size as possible. They are hand drawn using the Paint Program that ships with all Microsoft Windows(tm) operating systems. The Windows Clipboard is used extensively to copy and paste the desired components from previous schematics so that very few new components are ever drawn; rather they are recycled from schematic to schematic. This format also allows the use of color, 3-D effects and the pasting in of small photographic bitmaps.
The raw 24-bit bitmap drawings are reduced to 8-bit (256 color) using another graphics program and then compressed as GIFs. For editing purposes, they may be converted back to bmp file format or edited directly as GIFs within the Windows Paint Program.
At least 10 people have sent or recommended software for making schematics. Thank you for this kind gesture, but I prefer my current method.
2. How come you don't supply parts lists? Other people do.
The answer is simple; lack of time. It takes considerable time and effort to put up a new web page and also to maintain a large web site. I save time by leaving the parts list up to the builder. In addition, this site is about experimentation and using what parts you have on hand.
3. Why didn't you answer my email?
All legitimate emails are answered as soon as possible. Our POP3 server gets an average of 2406 spam emails per month, however our software removes 99.67% of these and we never see them. Occasionally, legitimate emails are filtered in error and we apologize. Our software tracks and analyzes information about spammers and based upon settings will automatically filter some addresses and ISPs at the router level. Analysis indicates that 90% of our SPAM comes from just 3 countries and if you happen to live in one of these countries, the filtering will be especially sensitive.
While we appreciate that some people might want to email invite us onto their social networks, we do not have time to participate. All email traffic from or involving social networks see this page for a list is deleted automatically by our POP3 server control software.
Another thing we have noticed is that our responses occasionally bounce even though the email address and message appeared to be genuine and legitimate. Thank you for your feedback and contributions.
4. How come you didn't link to my web site - I linked to yours?
First and foremost, we are very grateful to all those who link to this web site. Thank you! The QRP/SWL HomeBuilder site focus is content, not web links. Making a lot of links means spending time testing for and tracking down dead links. Time spent on the web site is time away from the electronics work bench. In addition, it is not logistically possible to reciprocate in kind, as hundreds of web sites and blogs have linked this site.
5. I see the word "popcorn" used a lot on this site- what's this all about?
Popcorn describes the essential theme of the web site; simple, frugal, without
fuss and over use of technical jargon, or complex math and engineering techniques. The QRP/SWL
HomeBuilder web site is
referred to as the popcorn site by many people. The
target audience are hobbyists. The emphasis is fun. The hope is that it will
attract new people to electronic experimentation. With any luck, this site is not
boring or tedious, as there are enough sources of such material already.
Soon
after I began building electronic circuits, there was a big push by my teachers
and the popular electronic-related media of the day to move to etched, printed circuit boards. I did and
this pretty much killed my passion concerning electronics. Later, it was discovered
that people were building guitar and bass amps using point to point wiring techniques
with terminal strips and partial circuit boards. I became heavily interested in building and repairing
guitar amps and this interest continues today. In 1992, the discovery of 2 QST articles changed everything (complete reference provided):
The Ugly Weekender: parts 1 and 2 by Roger Hayward,
KA7EXM and Wes Hayward, W7ZOI; published in QST for August 1981 and June 1992.
This was my first exposure to Ugly
Construction and it was immediately adopted as the defacto standard bread
boarding method in my electronics work shop. In fairness,
etched circuit boards are a great tool, but not essential for the experimenter.
After working with Ugly Construction over time, considerable progress was made in understanding RF circuits
and one output was the launch of this web site in 1998.
Currently, little has
changed, I continue to prefer scratch-homebrew rather than kit-homebrew
electronics. My interest in Short Wave radio and general
electronics has grown considerably. For me, electronic circuits hold a certain mystique which
arouses my curiosity to learn, enjoy and share. As a lay person, this web site
has facilitated meeting some awesome people through email from all continents and it
has been a privilege
to learn from them, my mentors, book and web authors and often enough;
from my mistakes.
5. What do you mean by a 5K1 or 3K3 resistor value?
For E24 or 5% resistors 5K1 = 5.1K, 3K3 = 3.3K and so on. For E96 or 1%
resistors 31.6K is written as 31.6K.
All resistors are 1/4 watt unless otherwise specified.
6. How do you measure audio amp output power?
Please see Figure 4 on this web page. Any amp when cranked, outputs much greater power than when it is providing a clean sine wave. The quoted power for any audio power amp on this web site is the maximum average power it will give before the pure sine wave becomes distorted. Some authors are very generous when quoting their power ratings.
7. I noticed a new web page appears and then it is edited for 1-2 weeks. When is the web page completed?
When a new web page is added, it takes a week or so to find and change some of the grammar and spelling errors. Sometimes new ideas or feedback will cause me to further edit a web page at any point in time. This whole web site is a work in progress. The last date any given web page was edited is posted on the bottom of the web page. The Day/Month/Year format is used, although I realize that this is not the convention used in America.
8. Do you buy or sell parts?
No. We receive countless emails from people asking us to sell them parts. We do not sell anything! We also do not buy parts in commercial-quantity volumes and have no need to make contracts for obtaining our electronic components.
9. Why did you justify your methods online - i.e. Why be an apologist?
A number of supportive people have sent me emails and at least
1 blog has written about
this. Most of these comments arose because of my paragraphs on
this page and
this page , however, in
reality goes back at least 10 years. Electronics is just one of my many hobbies
and the reason I play at electronics and keep this web site is purely for fun.
While I invite constructive criticism and am respectful of other people's
perspectives, certain very angry people have written nasty emails or posted
threads on the Internet or in journals personally attacking me. It is
interesting that some of these "authors" were electronics industry
professionals. One such individual wrote that "my web site is dumbing down
electronics and is regressing HAM radio." Having a web site has been interesting
to say the least!
In 2002, hackers broke into the main web server and destroyed many of the web site files
and the OS.
Out of anger and disgust, the web site
was taken down for several months. After a few letters arrived asking why the
web site was down and when would it return, I reluctantly decided to put it up again. This
time, expensive (at least for me) and robust security was added and continues to require updating. The actual servers are located in the USA
in a secure room, however, like other servers, were vulnerable to Internet hackers.
I never expected any of this negative stuff.
This web site is about hobbyist electronics and not me, but I felt compelled to write some respectful comments in defense of the website mission and purpose. While humility is a virtue, occasionally we must stand up and protest those who are maligning and offensive. The vast majority of positive or negative feedback has been respectful, and I accept that in our world there are some disgruntled people who make noise. To that end, I will cease to be an apologist on any future web site additions. The singular mission of this web site is to have fun. Lets melt some solder and all be friends. Thanks and warm regards!
10. Concerns about printing and printability
Over the years, there have been quite a few complaints that this web site does not print out very well. This is true and I do apologize for this. I am not that skilled at web site authoring and often struggle to publish some of the web content in the current web site format. Some people prefer pdf files for easy printing. I have resisted going to pdf format for 3 main reasons:
- 1. The web site audience is international and many are using web translators. PDF files are 8-bit graphic image files and do not translate.
- 2. More and more readers are using mobile computer devices and pdf files are a pain for them.
- 3. We should all print less often to save resources
As an experimenter, I dislike crammed, small-size schematics. Therefore the schematics presented tend to have a lot of white space and color contrast. I try to make them no wider than 600 pixels, although sometimes it is not possible to do this. The style I use does not make them printer friendly. The only practical solution is to open them in a separate browser window, although admittedly, this is not a great work-around. To allow printing of schematics; when you click on the on any schematic, it will load into a separate browser window for easier sizing and printing.
11. I have noticed in your CMOS logic photographs, you don't always ground unused input gates. Isn't this bad?
Proper CMOS logic practice mandates the grounding of all unused input gates. In prototypes and experiments, I don't always do this as I generally want to re-use the IC in other experiments. This is a cost saving measure. When you build a lot of stuff, it can get expensive and recycling parts makes sense. In keeper circuits or critical prototypes, unused input gates are directly soldered to the copper clad board. This also anchors the IC very well.
12. What is the proper URL of the home page?
http://www.qrp.pops.net
The following pre-2006 URL is also maintained but its use is not encouraged and one day it will be discontinued: http://www.qrp.pops.net/default.htm
