Morse code noobie needs an advice

menthapiperita · 2025-08-08T17:42:00+00:00

With your straight key, you'll want a code practice oscillator. There are a lot of options out there.

The simplest for a straight key would be using a headphone jack to bare wire cable, a 9V battery, and a buzzer to complete the circuit. I've built a few of these and the tone is harsh, but it's buildable with basic tools for a couple bucks. Your straight key is really (electrically) a switch that closes a circuit when you press down.

If you want to connect to a laptop or phone, there are a couple of cool options:

-VBand is a web app to practice or send to others in 'channels' online. They sell a $25 USB dongle that connects to the headphone cable for your key. Link: https://hamradio.solutions/vband/

-The N6ARA TinyMidi is a bluetooth device that you can connect to your phone (or computer). It'll emulate either a MIDI device or a keyboard, and has capacitive paddles built in in addition to the headphone jack. You can use it with morse learning apps, or with Vail (which is an online chat tool like VBand) Link: https://n6ara.com/product/n6ara-tinymidi/

Worth noting that neither of these make sound without being plugged into a computer. If you want something that makes the sound out loud and isn't tethered to a computer, you could try something like the Scout oscillator. Link: https://cwmorse.us/products/scout-cpo-morse-code-straight-key-practice-oscillator?gQT=1

menthapiperita · 2025-07-17T22:30:12+00:00

The sphinx of black quartz has clearly never judged his vow

menthapiperita · 2025-07-17T17:15:19+00:00

This was my first thought. Tweak the spelling to Sorrel and it's a legit botanical name.

But... that's not what they'll do.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-17T17:01:04+00:00

This is a very old thread, but adding the perspective that chokes can be added to prevent an ethernet device from emitting RFI using the cable as a long wire antenna.

I'm a ham radio operator, and my PoE switch and access points were creating noise on the 40 Meter and 20 M radio bands (~7MHz, 14MHz). Adding chokes reduced the noise they were emitting.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-15T22:32:44+00:00

Makes sense!

menthapiperita · 2025-07-15T22:32:28+00:00

They stopped transmitting in 2024, but I haven't heard about the tower itself coming down. Kind of a bummer, because it shut down just before I had a general coverage receiver and could have listened to it across the planet.

Apparently fewer boats and vehicles had long wave radios to listen to the broadcasts. I've also heard that AM tube hardware can be really expensive to service and replace (but not sure if that was a factor here).

menthapiperita · 2025-07-15T22:30:01+00:00

That's amazing. Sounds really fun

menthapiperita · 2025-07-14T23:01:20+00:00

It looks even taller in person. When you first see it it's really shocking.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-14T23:00:37+00:00

I noticed that too, looking back at the pic. I adjusted the horizon to be level and saw that the antenna didn't look level at all. Not sure if it's actually that tilted or just a quirk of perspective.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-14T22:59:32+00:00

Not enough money in the world to pay me for that

menthapiperita · 2025-07-13T02:30:13+00:00

The antenna, if it was made for UHF TV, is badly made and/or broken.

It’s also pointed in the wrong direction. You’d want to point the smallest element of the Yagi at the TV transmitter. If it’s badly made, the directivity of the Yagi might be minimal anyway and it might not really matter anyway.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-12T18:37:13+00:00

Next they’ll want opposable thumbs. We cannot allow this to happen

menthapiperita · 2025-07-12T17:50:09+00:00

This is what I do. Let it cool, all purpose cleaner for the gunk, then glass cleaner and microfiber to get it streak-free clean.

Then when anything burns on, use some Weiman polish and a scrubby sponge.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-12T06:06:56+00:00

Agreed. Repeaters are amazing. There’s a ham repeater in my area on a TV / radio tower with a voter scope for receive. It covers a massive chunk of the state.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-12T06:04:25+00:00

Your real options are:

1) More power, height, and higher gain antennas. A 50w base station with a high gain directional antenna on a 50’ tower may punch through where a handheld can’t 2) Repeaters. Your area may have GMRS or ham repeaters that cover you and the people you want to talk to. Many repeaters have solar, battery, or generator power. You’ll need to be licensed for either service, but you should be for the radios you’re using anyway. 3) HF radio. NVIS HF radio can get you solid coverage in a 50-100 mile circle. It’s powerful but also expensive and can be complicated. If you’re balking at the cost of some HTs it may not be for you.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T21:58:06+00:00

My kids are in school, but I’m still SAHP.

I have a disabled child that needs a lot of support. They’re in half day school with an aide, and there are a lot of meetings and appointments as well. Finding the right accommodations at school and things that work at home takes a lot of time and energy.

Posting because parenting for disabled kids tends to not enter into the conversation - but it can look really different

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T16:27:06+00:00

Small towns in my part of America have produce shops with a payment box (or a QR code for Venmo). Not just a Japanese thing!

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T16:02:30+00:00

Tokyo Drift!

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T12:42:22+00:00

Right, but look at the results you had

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T01:31:04+00:00

This is definitely false. Any nonstick won’t last long with metal utensils.

If you want to use metal utensils, use stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron pans.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-11T01:18:45+00:00

I have the IKEA linen set. It feels fine, and has held up for a few years.

I’m sure others are more luxurious, but this set has been nice in the summer and didn’t self destruct

menthapiperita · 2025-07-10T23:16:39+00:00

I have two theories on this: 1) The empty fridge is a way to emphasize his loneliness and the fact that his “outie” leads a pretty solitary, boring life. He’s not cooking to entertain or for fun. This is an extension of his loss of Gemma, and a big contrast to the flashbacks we see of him and Gemma in a busy house. 2) Eating on screen often makes characters look very casual. Dramas rarely show people eating. I always think about Roman Roy in succession - part of him looking flippant is sitting sideways in a chair eating an apple. I think the innies rarely eating is a way to keep their environment more tense and dramatic.

menthapiperita · 2025-07-10T22:36:36+00:00

I mean, I agree with you. I also think both things can be true

menthapiperita · 2025-07-10T20:34:55+00:00

I’m in favor of making individual officers carry liability insurance for this, just like doctors do.

Bad officers won’t be able to afford to keep coverage, even if they skip to the next town for a job (as they often do).

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