On Nov 26, 12:51*am, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Originally posted to rec.radio.amateur.misc as advised by guidelines read in
a monthly posting, but got no help there apart from a suggestion to post
here...

This post has more to do with a firm selling radio stuff than the stuff
itself, and their apparent want not to do business even with people who send
on-topic and polite emails at infrequent intervals. That's strange, so I want
help with that from someone who HAS done business with them, or knows
something about why they refuse to answer a normal sales inquiry.

....

Just checked their web site. Their contact info lists "help@..."
instead of "sales@..." as the email address. Have you tried that?

My impression is that it's a pretty small operation. It might
literally have a staff of one. Who knows what might have happened--
vacation, illness, ...

I'd be a bit careful about ordering anything from a company that lists
so few specs on their equipment. I checked the "receiver preamps"
page and found no mention of some pretty important stuff like third
order intercept, noise figure, and some details of the filter
performance for the "single band" preamps.

Cheers,
Tom

K7ITM wrote in news:a01fbd86-ac58-4cb5-a983-
:

On Nov 26, 12:51*am, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Originally posted to rec.radio.amateur.misc as advised by guidelines read
in
a monthly posting, but got no help there apart from a suggestion to post
here...

This post has more to do with a firm selling radio stuff than the stuff
itself, and their apparent want not to do business even with people who s
end
on-topic and polite emails at infrequent intervals. That's strange, so I
want
help with that from someone who HAS done business with them, or knows
something about why they refuse to answer a normal sales inquiry.

...

Just checked their web site. Their contact info lists "help@..."
instead of "sales@..." as the email address. Have you tried that?

My impression is that it's a pretty small operation. It might
literally have a staff of one. Who knows what might have happened--
vacation, illness, ...

I'd be a bit careful about ordering anything from a company that lists
so few specs on their equipment. I checked the "receiver preamps"
page and found no mention of some pretty important stuff like third
order intercept, noise figure, and some details of the filter
performance for the "single band" preamps.

Cheers,
Tom


Thankyou. I think I tried both addresses.. First thing after one failed would
be to try the other.. You might be right, could be small enough that
something went wrong and stopped business for a while. I was assuming that
the amount of fabrication needed to make that transformer implied a small
group of people but that IS just my assumption, as one person can 'farm out'
that work with a good design. I take your point about the lack of data, but
as I'm after a passive device recommended by someone who knows a lot more
than I do (I cited one of his messages in my other post just now, it's old
but that shouldn't invalidate it, SW listening is an old exercise, surely
close to 100 years by now), and as that 180A transformer is clearly good
value and low(ish) cost, I think it's a good starting base, though if I can
find John Doty's plans that is also a good start.

On Nov 26, 8:41*pm, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
K7ITM wrote in news:a01fbd86-ac58-4cb5-a983-
:



On Nov 26, 12:51*am, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Originally posted to rec.radio.amateur.misc as advised by guidelines read
*in
a monthly posting, but got no help there apart from a suggestion to post
here...

This post has more to do with a firm selling radio stuff than the stuff
itself, and their apparent want not to do business even with people who s
end
on-topic and polite emails at infrequent intervals. That's strange, so I
want
help with that from someone who HAS done business with them, or knows
something about why they refuse to answer a normal sales inquiry.

...

Just checked their web site. *Their contact info lists "help@..."
instead of "sales@..." as the email address. *Have you tried that?

My impression is that it's a pretty small operation. *It might
literally have a staff of one. *Who knows what might have happened--
vacation, illness, ...

I'd be a bit careful about ordering anything from a company that lists
so few specs on their equipment. *I checked the "receiver preamps"
page and found no mention of some pretty important stuff like third
order intercept, noise figure, and some details of the filter
performance for the "single band" preamps.

Cheers,
Tom

Thankyou. I think I tried both addresses.. First thing after one failed would
be to try the other.. You might be right, could be small enough that
something went wrong and stopped business for a while. I was assuming that
the amount of fabrication needed to make that transformer implied a small
group of people but that IS just my assumption, as one person can 'farm out'
that work with a good design. I take your point about the lack of data, but
as I'm after a passive device recommended by someone who knows a lot more
than I do (I cited one of his messages in my other post just now, it's old
but that shouldn't invalidate it, SW listening is an old exercise, surely
close to 100 years by now), and as that 180A transformer is clearly good
value and low(ish) cost, I think it's a good starting base, though if I can
find John Doty's plans that is also a good start.

Just gave them (ICE) a call on their US toll-free number and they
answered immediately. The fellow said the 180A is a stock item that
can ship immediately. They don't currently take pay-pal but expect to
in the near future. He said air shipping across the pond would be
about $22 for the 1-lb package. Finally, he gave me another email
that he said should work well: . (Took me way
less time to make the call than to write too many words here... ;-)

Cheers,
Tom

K7ITM wrote in news:158d982c-afaa-4d24-bec7-
:

Just gave them (ICE) a call on their US toll-free number and they
answered immediately. The fellow said the 180A is a stock item that
can ship immediately. They don't currently take pay-pal but expect to
in the near future. He said air shipping across the pond would be
about $22 for the 1-lb package. Finally, he gave me another email
that he said should work well: . (Took me way
less time to make the call than to write too many words here... ;-)

Cheers,
Tom


That's great, thanks for that. I'll also look into a European or ideally UK
source too, but that 180A was recommended by someone whose postings lead me
to think they were right to do so, and unless I find better nearer to me,
I'll buy it. If that thing has been a stock item for at least 14 years I
think I can assume that it's right for a lot of people.

I'm still holding out for a way to reach John Doty (whose posts I read), or
at least a copy of his plans for winding our own matching transformers and
baluns. Got to be good to learn from those...

Lastly, I'm still wondering why Richard was so insistent on the 'grief' that
comes from mentioning a stock commercial item. Surely the whole point of
standardising impedance values is so that it IS reasonable to assume that a
'stock' item, chosen fopr a specific purpose, is acceptable. As this one has
several choices of impedance built into it, even more so, no? Can every buyer
in 14+ years also be wrong? And if so, what should they be doing instead.
I've already said I also want to see John Doty's plans to understand this
better. Is this also wrong?

On Nov 28, 12:20*am, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
K7ITM wrote in news:158d982c-afaa-4d24-bec7-
:

Just gave them (ICE) a call on their US toll-free number and they
answered immediately. *The fellow said the 180A is a stock item that
can ship immediately. *They don't currently take pay-pal but expect to
in the near future. *He said air shipping across the pond would be
about $22 for the 1-lb package. *Finally, he gave me another email
that he said should work well: . *(Took me way
less time to make the call than to write too many words here... *;-)

Cheers,
Tom

That's great, thanks for that. I'll also look into a European or ideally UK
source too, but that 180A was recommended by someone whose postings lead me
to think they were right to do so, and unless I find better nearer to me,
I'll buy it. If that thing has been a stock item for at least 14 years I
think I can assume that it's right for a lot of people.

I'm still holding out for a way to reach John Doty (whose posts I read), or
at least a copy of his plans for winding our own matching transformers and
baluns. Got to be good to learn from those...

Lastly, I'm still wondering why Richard was so insistent on the 'grief' that
comes from mentioning a stock commercial item. Surely the whole point of
standardising impedance values is so that it IS reasonable to assume that a
'stock' item, chosen fopr a specific purpose, is acceptable. As this one has
several choices of impedance built into it, even more so, no? Can every buyer
in 14+ years also be wrong? And if so, what should they be doing instead.
I've already said I also want to see John Doty's plans to understand this
better. Is this also wrong?

As one who designs all sorts of RF filters and then builds one-off
versions (if as an aid for my own bench-testing of things like
distortion in receiver circuits) or specifies parts for ones put into
production, I'd probably elect to wind my own such transformer if I
needed one, but I can certainly see the appeal of buying one.
Considering the packaging alone, it's worth it to go that way. But I
also think it's great that you're looking into postings of folk who
have words of wisdom to offer. I have the strong feeling that you're
plenty bright enough to not simply accept those postings on faith, but
will test what you learn from them against your own experiences, and
thus build your knowledge on a firm foundation.

Technical (and semi-technical) books are generally safer sources than
postings, but even they are not infallible. I'm thinking here in
particular about one popular book about design and winding of RF
transformers on ferrite toroidal cores. You can learn a lot from the
book, but it's not 100% accurate.

Best wishes for success in improving your (RF) reception -- and in
learning!

Cheers,
Tom

Dear Lostgallifreyan - no call sign - somewhere in UK:

Dr. Doty appears not to have published any papers for a few years, so it is
not clear if he is still active. Here is his contact information as
provided by MIT:
name: Doty, John P
email:
phone: (617) 253-3169
phone2: (617) 253-7464
address: 37-538
address2: 37-518
department: Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
title: Research Affiliate
I suggest that you not be anonymous when you contact him. Regards, Mac
N8TT
--
J. McLaughlin; Michigan, USA
Home:

"Lostgallifreyan" wrote in message
. ..



I'm still holding out for a way to reach John Doty (whose posts I read),
or
at least a copy of his plans for winding our own matching transformers and
baluns. Got to be good to learn from those...


I've already said I also want to see John Doty's plans to understand this
better. Is this also wrong?

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in
news
Dear Lostgallifreyan - no call sign - somewhere in UK:

Dr. Doty appears not to have published any papers for a few years, so it
is not clear if he is still active. Here is his contact information as
provided by MIT:
name: Doty, John P
email:
phone: (617) 253-3169
phone2: (617) 253-7464
address: 37-538
address2: 37-518
department: Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
title: Research Affiliate
I suggest that you not be anonymous when you contact him. Regards,
Mac N8TT

Thankyou. I already tried that one though..
Remote host said: 550 5.1.6 ... User is no longer here at
CSR

I might try the phone (not keen on phones though, especially on multi-
thousand mile lines), but it's also possible I've attracted his attention by
now anyway, so if he wants to help he might. If he doesn't I won't push hard
enough to risk annoyance.

K7ITM wrote in news:79a92c5a-d528-46cf-a24f-
:

As one who designs all sorts of RF filters and then builds one-off
versions (if as an aid for my own bench-testing of things like
distortion in receiver circuits) or specifies parts for ones put into
production, I'd probably elect to wind my own such transformer if I
needed one, but I can certainly see the appeal of buying one.
Considering the packaging alone, it's worth it to go that way.

Indeed. I make stuff from acetal and other plastics using a bandsaw and
drilled and threaded holes, it's great for tough enclosures to my own design,
but quickly shows how much saving can be had if I find anything that saves me
a lot of construction work. The cost of that transformer can easily be
recovered elsewhere.

But I
also think it's great that you're looking into postings of folk who
have words of wisdom to offer. I have the strong feeling that you're
plenty bright enough to not simply accept those postings on faith, but
will test what you learn from them against your own experiences, and
thus build your knowledge on a firm foundation.


I hope so. I read several. I chose John Doty's guidance for two reasons:
he didn't conflict with good advice I was taught several years ago, long
before I had (or built) a computer and found the net, and the other is that
many good things have come out of the MIT and I think this could be in the
same vein. (Sam's LaserFAQ being one of the most memorable guides).

Technical (and semi-technical) books are generally safer sources than
postings, but even they are not infallible. I'm thinking here in
particular about one popular book about design and winding of RF
transformers on ferrite toroidal cores. You can learn a lot from the
book, but it's not 100% accurate.


That's certainly true... I found two commercial books on DIY laser building
that were so incomplete that they amounted to little more than commercial
exploiting of stuff the LaserFAQ offers for free. If I hadn't read as much as
I could handle of the great amount of freely available info, I'd not have
realised the extent of weakness in those two books. On my own, I'd only made
a small improvement in a flashlamp circuit at schematic level but flaws
glared once I learned stuff from the LaserFAQ. Another great and mighty
reference tome turned out to be mostly anecdotal and frequently lacking in
basic reference material, but conversely some small books written by RM
Marston turned out to be references I return to several times a year, finding
them more convenient than any web-sited guidance I know. I think there's a
book by Bernard Babani publishing (maybe by the man himself) on the subject
of ferrite cores. Not sure if that's the one you mean but I can find it
easily.

Best wishes for success in improving your (RF) reception -- and in
learning!

Cheers,
Tom

Thankyou. I'm hoping to catch a nice receiver this very day on eBay (been
watching a few pass by recently), if I'm lucky enough with the price, then
I'll work out what to do for an aerial..