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 allows color, 3-D labels and small photographic bitmaps to be pasted into schematics.
The raw 24-bit bitmap drawings are compressed to 16-bit png files. Prior to May 17, 2010, bitmaps were compressed as 8-bit gif files. An example drafted circuit using the Windows 7 Paint program follows.
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 I appreciate that some people might want to email invite me onto their social networks, I 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.
The number of people selling kits has jumped up by ~4 dB in the past 5 years. Increasingly, builders who need help with kits are emailing me for support. I rarely build kits and my knowledge regarding kit building is nearly 0. Please contact your kit seller for help. You may wish to enquire with the kit seller about their online support polices and promptness prior to purchase. Additionally you might try the "support" email address provided and see if and how promptly they reply. Most of the really popular kit sellers (AADE, Kits and Parts etc.) provide excellent support for their customers. Like anything else online; buyer beware.
4. How come you didn't link to my web site - I linked to yours?
A big thanks to the folks who link to this web site! 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 connotes 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. The site
targets hobbyists. The emphasis is fun. The hope is that it will attract new
people to electronic design and experimentation. Hopefully, this site
stimulates interest in QRP homebrew electronics.
Soon after I began
building electronic circuits, my teachers and the popular electronic-related media of the day pushed me towards etched, printed circuit boards. I complied and this killed my passion for electronics. For me,
habitually stuffing circuit boards lacks creativity and freedom.
Later, I discovered people were building guitar and bass amps using point to point wiring techniques with terminal strips and partial circuit boards. I became interested in building
and repairing guitar amps and this passion continues today. In 1992, the discovery of 2 QST articles changed everything
for me (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% tolerance 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.
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 stuff?
No and no. I receive numerous emails from people asking me to sell them stuff. I do not sell anything - no parts, books, coffee cups, ball caps, tee-shirts, ad space — nothing. I do not buy parts in commercial-quantity volumes and have no need to make contracts for obtaining any electronic components. Every week, Asian companies email to ask about buying their parts — please note, my answer is always the same: no thank you.
9. Why did you justify your methods online - i.e. Why be an apologist?
A number of supportive people have sent 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
opinions, 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 crippled the operating system.
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
Seattle 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. While humility is a virtue, occasionally we must stand up and protest those who are maligning and offensive. The majority of positive or negative emails are respectful and I accept that in our world there are disgruntled people who make noise. As of mid-2009, I am no longer an apologist. Effective non-fiction writing requires you to take a point of view. Supporting an argument is as important as making one. I attempt to show and not tell and to write in a varied and interesting style. This fails to please everyone. It's a hobby.
The singular mission of this web site is to have fun. Lets melt some solder and all be friends.
10. Concerns about printing and printability
Over time, there have been numerous complaints about poor website printability. This is true and I apologize.
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 and feel they should be drawn for maximum clarity. Therefore my schematics tend to have a lot of white space and color contrast. I try to make them no wider than 600 pixels, although sometimes it's impossible to do this. Big schematics are not printer friendly. The only practical solution is to click on and open them in a separate browser window for easier sizing and printing. I also feature big photos which burn up a lot of printer paper.
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
