Bob Fairbairn

The WB4 project has kicked off. I have the drivers in hand along with the parts for the baffle step filter. I am working on selecting binding posts.

Neil Blanchard and I have tested his cutting settings for the Tang Band drivers and I now have the flat pack cabinets in hand.

I have two videos on my YouTube channel with the unpacking and dry fitting one of the cabinets

youtube.com/@bobonste…

I have decided to build two Transmission Line speakers. The second is the WB-4, which uses a single Wide Band Driver. Neil has a second driver, which performs better but is quite expensive. The Tang Band W4-1879

www.parts-express.com/Tang-Band…

I went to bed last night frustrated with the recent changes on the internet. There used to be places where real people did real work to review things like printers, computer displays and the like. About the only places left are Consumer Reports and RTINGS. The Noise level is exceptionally high, and the signal is almost gone.

Mr. Universe: There is no news. There is only the truth of the signal what I see. And, there’s the puppet theater the Parliament jesters foist on the somnambulant public.

While at Axpona, I had enough time to discuss the speaker design and goals with Neil. I have started to understand the Mass Loaded Transmission Line speakers better. I do not understand the math, so I will not delve too deep into that. The goal and the result are a smaller speaker with better low-bass response and a very smooth and detailed midrange.

Cutting the cabinets on a CNC machine allows for much greater precision in construction, ensuring that the transmission line is “perfect”. The design uses 4in drivers that have very low moving mass to improve mid-range performance.

The series crossover is adaptable to many levels of performance. With the help of Neil and a local expert on crossovers, I have selected and optimized a set of components that should be a “BEST++” with just a bit more expense. I use Duelund bypass capacitors and a Duelund resistor in the tweeter circuit. Goertz flat copper wound inductors are a bit more expensive, but I am sure they will be worth it. My internal wiring will come from Reality Cables.

All of the internal components will be cryo-treated and demagnetized. I was “ordered” to purchase a specific Sn/Cu solder as it sounds the best. Yes solder! As of writing this, I have not found the right binding posts for the speakers. I am also working on selecting the outriggers for the speakers.

Construction will not start for a while due to work and family projects.

Over the last several years, I have been using stand-mounted speakers in my living room system. I have been frustrated by the stands and all the little goodies between the speaker and the floor. While thrilled with the sound, I have been noodling over changing to a floor-standing speaker if there were only something out there I liked. I was not looking, just a tickle in the back of my brain, until Axpona 2025.

While working at the AXPONA 2025 tradeshow, I took some time to look around, and a little birdie told me to visit this one room with Geshelli Labs electronics and Neil Blanchard Designs speakers.

The Neil Blanchard Designs 4t4 debuted at Axpona 2025, triggered me, shot me out of a cannon, and more.

[www.nbdesigns.work/shop/p/to… ](4t4 Speaker)

These little one-meter-tall floor-standing speakers exist in a realm I know little about: DIY speakers.

What in the world is a DIY speaker? I am traveling down one lightly traveled path with few road signs. With some help from several friends, I am building speakers.

Over the last several years I have been working to cost reduce very high quality stereo systems. I have had some great success and I want to share!

Project mini-shack

An interesting trend is occurring in home labs and networking. It is epitomized in Jeff Geerlings’ Project mini-rack, which is mainly built around the 10-inch rack mount “standard.” Between commercial and 3d printed racks and accessories, we have a base for my parallel project:

Project mini-shack!

This was also inspired by my purchase of the zBitx radio, which compresses this into a single box you can take anywhere! This shack-in-my-coat-pocket is the subject of another thread, but I digress slightly.

My first project is a two-radio shack for QRP digital modes on VHF and HF. I have always fussed over station setup and never had what I would consider a core station that I can operate without tweaking. This project combines computing and radios into a compact profile I can access anywhere in the house and beyond.

I chose QRP because I love how we can use HF digital modes to communicate over long distances with low power. It also helps that we have a great solar cycle to play with right now.

For the computing part of the system, I am using two Raspberry Pi 2W SBCs, each with a 1.3-inch display. They run DigiPi software by Craig KM6LYW. DigiPi is the heart and soul of this system. It virtually eliminates the issues of connecting computers to radios. You operate DigiPi from the comfort of an easy chair and virtually any portable computing device with a web browser!

For the VHF packet radio, I am using a Wouxun KG-UV9D handi-talkie. I am re-learning what I can do with APRS, so the combination with an external antenna is a nice balance.

I am using a new XEIGU G90 for HF, and even though the radio is a bit long, it offers more flexibility, an internal tuner, and more features. I am waiting on the right cable for the G90.

The rack does not contain a power source, which is 12 Vdc. There are two 5V buck converters for the Pi computers. The HT is connected to 12V via a battery eliminator. The radio and external tuner are both 12Vdc.

The rack itself is a DeskPi RackMate T0. I 3D-printed a couple of support items: a faceplate for the Pi Zeros and a shelf for the HT and Buck Converters.

I hope that this introduction helps others find ways to build a mini-shack for themselves. If you make one, there is a place to share the build on the project mini-rack GitHub page.

I will follow up with more posts on this project. I am still working on the final Pi setup for HF digital using the DigiRig Mobile.

Some thanks to others who have helped me in many ways:

Jeff Geerling
Craig KM6LYW
Steve KM9G
Frank KG9H
Josh KI6NAZ
Jason KM4ACK

73 KE9A

The zBitx can be used with just the touch screen, but there is so much more. Today, I set up my radio at home while I traveled to visit family. At my brother’s house, I used his Internet service to connect to my Tailscale network and thus directly to my radio. The following video shows the connection process and some playing around on my iPad operating the radio!

With the Tailscale system, I have a DNS name and the IP address on the extended network.

The radio is waiting for a web session to be controlled. So, using Safari, I pasted in the URL for the radio, and it popped up!

No special software, no monthly fees!

Over the past couple of years, a little Amateur Radio miracle has happened right before our eyes. TWICE!

I want you all to slow down and think about what has been built here. A one-man show has had the vision and has merged a computer front end with an SDR-based radio in a single box. The core software and hardware were developed, and the radios are in production and shipped to customers worldwide!

I am standing up and applauding everyone involved!

In some ways, these radios are modern-day tinker toys. Instead of wood parts, we have software modules, computer displays, touch screens, and more.

How many of us toss $ 200 USD on coffee every month? The LDG antenna tuner I use on my 80M horizontal loop costs more than the zBitx.

Anyone can work on the software on GitHub. If you do not like the way the software does something, do not complain; change it. If you are unwilling or unable to learn, hire someone. But give back, please! Anyone can update the Wiki on groups.io and help others through their journey.

The community needs help; provide it! Dale Carnegie training taught me not to criticize, condemn, or complain. So I am diving in,….

I will be documenting how to add Tailscale to the zBitx first, as I have one. I am also going to get JS8Call running on it.

73 KE9A

Hulu, Disney , etc. are changing their rules

We have highlighted some of the changes for your reference:

 

• We're adding information regarding billing and payment processes.

 

• We are clarifying that, as we continue to increase the breadth and depth of the content we make available to you, circumstances may require that certain titles and types of content include ads, even in our 'no ads' or 'ad free' subscription tiers.

 

• We're clarifying that the same arbitration agreement applies to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu."

Yesterday, they changed their policy on “AI that causes harm."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy081nqx2zjo

I have always had a love/hate/love for what Google (and Microsoft) are doing.   My Defcon level has been rising for the last couple of years when I watched the Windows 11 OS as a spyware process that Microsoft seems to be taking. With the end of support for Windows 10 looming, I plan to execute some actions.  But I digress. This is about Google.

At one customer's request, I moved them to Google Workspace a couple of weeks ago.  I am about to migrate another customer to something this week, and we were thinking of Google.  Now I am not sure it is a good idea.

I have multiple customers who use Chromebooks; my family uses some Google hardware and software, including one of the TVs in the house.

My moral compass is spinning like something in a movie.  So, I write this all down to help me think, share it with others, and finally get it out of the back of my brain.

Personally, I think it will be hard to eliminate all things Google. In our world, this may seem like a very small thing.  

No more Gmail, no more Chrome OS, no more Android, no more browsers based on Chromium .  

That is not all; what services are we using that use Google or Microsoft as the cloud back end?  My head hurts.

Over the years, I have been working to find little corners of the world to visit and enjoy. We have traveled to that end, and I have been able to find some digital corners to live in. I can only emotionally afford to invest energy in a few areas. I cannot watch or read mainstream news. I can no longer tolerate the massive systems to see the photos of my grandkids, etc.

I have found a couple of places to put my trust in. First, I write about audio stuff, mainly over at Audiophile Style. I am re-introducing myself to expand my connections in other areas here at MB. I have put a toe in the river of activity pub, and it is just too hot and fast for me. I may learn to narrow down the noise.

I have found two places where I can safely read about the world. The first is at 404media, where four pros help navigate some parts of the information cycle. I also subscribe to “The Verge.” I have a couple of Mac and iOS places to hang out, including MacStories and TidBITS.

@bobfa

The back garden has to be reworked as the tree roots were taking all the water from the garden plants:

1/17/25,…

I remembered that I had stopped blogging. The new micro.one system was the trigger, and I thought, what the heck? I did miss doing this.

Twelve hours later, I reactivated my account, and poof @manton had saved my old blog. Thank you very much.

It’s time to catch up.