[Amps] Decline of homebrewing?

[Roger (K8RI)]

My first computer was an OSI running a 6502 @ 1 MHz, 48K of dynamic RAM 
and dual 8" floppies. Cost $4,000 in 1980.  (still have it - museums 
want it) Sorting the 144/440repeater directory for Mi, N Oh, and W 
Ontario, took over night, using file swapping. Next was an Amiga.  Every 
computer since then has been home brew (Currently four of them running 4 
to 5 GHz, with 16 to 32 Gig of Ram. Even water cooled, but those suckers 
are power hungry.), leading, or bleeding edge integrated into the 
stations, but I think I'm only gonna keep one power house and use 
simple, but fast for the stations and bookkeeping.  BTW that 48K was 
over $2,000

Outside of constantly building and rebuilding computers and repairing 
amps, the next build is hoped to be a couple of those new SS boards from 
Israeli into a loafing legal limit.  OTOH as I have mentioned 
previously, I have a number of tubes on the shelf that keep tempting 
me.  I could remote them over by the 80 gallon air compressor.  Running 
water to the shop is iffy as the zoning commission would then consider 
my shop to be habitable and double my taxes which for a 1200 sq ft house 
is more than my whole farm., but I could use the amps to heat the shop.  
OTOH the gas fired IR, hangar heater is a LOT cheaper than electricity.

The SS amp would be quiet and put out a fraction of the heat. The 
filaments on a couple of those tubes take almost as much power as I'd be 
running.  I don't have the coax or antenna setup to run real QRO. 8X is 
pushed to run the legal limit on 40.<:-)

That is, as soon as I can use both hands again.  Building computers is 
about all I can do, until both hands work.

  Degree is CS with a math Minor. Retired 19 years ago.  I got away from 
programming and into project management in just over 3 years.  I always 
considered programming as grunt work. There are those who like it, but 8 
to 12 hours a day was enough!   Prior to college, I had over 26 years of 
building, designing and repairing, but the pay was really good.

73, Roger (K8RI)

On 1/5/2017 9:05 AM, Jeff Breitner wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 6:40 AM, Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> It occurs to me that one could have some fun and make a few bucks
>>> homebrewing coax cable assemblies.
>> That's like the term "homebrewed dipole" an insult to anyone who
>> actually builds a major piece of equipment such as a transmitter.
>>
>> In the days before these manufactured assemblies and dipoles were made
>> and sold, EVERYONE "homebrewed" their feedlines and antennas.   those
>> SKs must be turning over in their graves.
>>
>>
> As I am sure Grace Hopper has had a few spins of her own.  Both amateur
> radio and computing demonstrate that we all sort of stand on the stairs
> built by our predecessors, and while I agree the term "homebuilt dipole"
> shows a lack of technical sophistication, we all have to start somewhere.
> I long ago quit building my own computers, so who am I to judge?
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