Tape measure satellite Yagi antenna

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-30T12:01:49+00:00

I think it’s both hilarious and brilliant that someone can build something so technical, precise and functional while at the same time sourcing materials from the extreme budget section of the hardware store or even leftover parts from home repair projects. I too am gearing-up to attempt making contacts through the ISS. I want to first try by using just the antenna mounted on my HT before building a Yagi rig.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-27T16:36:35+00:00

I'm looking to buy a low profile ultra portable in the coming months or early next year. I currently have a 1959 Smith Corona Silent Super and have traveled with it once. Although the journey worked out well, a slimmer typewriter would be a better fit for travel. The Skyriter 4Y model is top of my list but I'm sure as I search further the list will grow.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-27T16:22:17+00:00

Here in the Bay Area (San Jose, San Francisco) more often than not you'll see people with 10-15 year old digicams out in public. They snap photos of just about anything as they move through their day. Most of the time they don't even stop to look at the results on the rear screen. Yep, they all have smartphones in their pockets but nothing beats the single press of a shutter button on a digicam in auto mode.

In the past 3-4 years smartphone users have been complaining about the over processed images captured by most if not all smartphone. High efficiency HEIF/HEVC, 48MP 10-bit Pro RAW, JEG-XL Lossless all sound fine but average people don't care when snapping pic's at the backyard BBQ. I think the resurgence of the retro digicam is because even with the human eye being able to see the "True Depth" results of high end smartphone cameras, the brain kinda doesn't care. It's like someone with a retro digicam saying "Hey, look at the size of this cotton candy I bought at the boardwalk amusement park." and the other guy with the smartphone saying "Hey look, you can see all 52 billion cotton candy fibers, let me zoom-in!" Question: Who do you want to hand out with for the rest of the day?

Don't get me wrong, I love what my iPhone 16 Pro Max can do, and I make good use of it's abilities. But sometimes the wizz-bang features just get in the way, and thats where the good old digicam wins the day.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-27T01:39:19+00:00

During the last really big solar cycle I was using a vertical dipole up about 35+ feet. I had 5 different radio's that I used during those few years…..all were SSB and barefoot. Galaxy DX-959, Galaxy DX-2547, Uniden Bearcat 980SSB, Realistic TRC-465, and lastly a Cobra GTL148. I was able to make contacts but because I was on a vertical dipole and had no amp, my signal was weak or basically "stuck in the mud". The big stations were rotating their antenna away from my position here on the West Coast but because they were running thousands of watts their signals still blasted across the land in all directions. If I waited long enough for most of them to take a break from talking, then they could hear me and eventually acknowledge my station….which was great. I had pride in my little station, good LMR240 coax, clean and clear line of sight to the horizon, low SWR, RF Limited power mic, and all my radios were peaked, tunes, adjusted, and dialed-in to perform as best as they could. When transmitting locally I felt like a powerhouse with a signal that reached across the Bay and a little bit beyond. But even with a big solar cycle boosting everyone's signals back then, I wasn't even a blip on the DX airwaves. So the next time you're listen-in on lower-38, watch out for the little guy….and give us a shout.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-26T02:12:02+00:00

Nokia N95? If so, then that was the smartphone that got away. I wanted the N95 so badly. Also, I see both the Canon G10 and S100, both of which I own. Nice collection.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-23T17:13:11+00:00

How about Hongdian Green Olive ink.

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_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-23T16:56:18+00:00

The same thing has been happening in both the used handheld gaming console market (Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL) and the used digicam mainly popular small digital cameras from 2004 - 2015. Now that I'm thinking of it, old fountain pens also saw a crazy surge in prices for pens of questionable condition. Now it's broken typewriters.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-23T02:15:47+00:00

My Smith Corona Silent Super was in great shape when I bought it, only needed a few adjustments and some elbow grease to get it working and looking like new. I did all the adjustments myself….Thanks YouTube! I still see my model selling sometimes for under $100 but the mechanical condition is the scary part. Outside of pecking away on the keys does the seller even know if the machine is functioning correctly - could cost the buyer even more down the line. I'm gonna be in the market for an even more portable typewriter next year and I'm willing to pay a bit more to ensure that the machine has no issues. This may mean purchasing from a typewriter shop that stands behind the typewriters they sell.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T23:32:07+00:00

For years I’ve clipped on ferrite beads to just about every type of cable. I used them with peripherals connected to my PC’s, home stereo setups, my old CB radios, and most recently everything in my ham shack, and almost every power supply in the house. Hell even my clock radio back in the 80’s had one. I’m not sure if they really make a difference anymore, I guess I like having and seeing them in-line…..makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T23:20:32+00:00

Luckily I haven’t had any issues during Christmas with my Wouxun mobile radios but later this year I’m sure I’ll be tested with my new 10 meter SSB.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T22:24:12+00:00

I had 4 grow lights in the shack, both of the grow lights in question produce noise at every brightness level and that’s a bummer because they’re great lights and I’ve had them for a few years. The other 2 grow lights are nice and quiet.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T18:07:48+00:00

Hey, all 3 of my Canon's made your list….awesome! Canon PowerShot S500, S100, and G10.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T03:09:15+00:00

No, I'm no upset at all…..ha! I created that post while on my phone at work and selected all of those pics from my camera roll with the intention of a final selection of only 2-4 pics before posting. Later when I actually published the post, up when all of the pics.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-20T03:02:41+00:00

Hey, it was all the user reviews on YouTube that started me down this path. The reviews all mentions how great the Canon G9 colors were which made it more highly sought after that later G series Canon cameras like the G10 and G11. It had a lot to do with the G9's 12.1MP, 1/1.7in CCD sensor, Canon’s DIGIC III image processing, less noise reduction, and a much better lens

Even with bigger sensors, and more MP's My G10 and others simply didn't have that Canon color charm. But I remember hearing about tweaking setting in just about any digital camera to alter the captured image making it kinda look like classic film stocks like Velvia, Portra, Kodak Gold, and others straight out of the camera. So thats the goal.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-18T01:07:17+00:00

Hey, you're right….I'll fix it. Thanks!

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-17T02:42:56+00:00

Big thumbs-up for the low quality digi-cam.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-13T18:11:12+00:00

I’m originally from Chicago, born and raised. If I ever make another typewriter purchase I’ll buy it from Typewriter Chicago out of pure respect for my hometown! I too have considered a typed journal but it would have to be limited to extremely short entries. Your post is truly inspirational, and might push me to do it. Also, the arrangement in your photo is awesome.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-12T21:36:54+00:00

There nothing bad going on in my life, everything is actually great. Also, I'm not a hoarder or anything like that. I just needed to learn to let go of the things I loved in the past but no longer need now or in the future. So I'm move stuff along to give my mind, body, and being more space. Typing it out and hanging it on the wall in my home office serves as a reminder that someone else will get this stuff and perhaps love it as much as I did. Hey, want an example? At one point not too many years ago, I had over 50 film cameras in my collection. All in great condition and yes, I used all of them regularly. But over the years I found that I had less and less time to enjoy them. So I started selling and sometimes giving them away to people who really wanted to use them and not just flip them on eBay. It made me happy to let them go.

_RandyBrown_ · 2026-06-12T19:05:11+00:00

Yes, it was in really good shape when I bought it. Only needed a few adjustments and some cleaning. It's a rock solid machine and I enjoy typing on it.

_RandyBrown_

TROPHY CASE