User:CFurby/enes100/Ham

Link to project Veteran Bacon team page.

Give instructor top 3 project choice list
I submitted 3 selections from the provided project list and was assigned to the HAM Radio project.

Write problem statement
I will set up an operation HAM radio system.

Assign Task1
Our first task, as a group, was to build general knowledge of HAM radios and brainstorm.

Compare actual work done to Task1
We built a general knowledge of HAM radios and their operation. We found that their operation is regulated by the FCC.

Week1 Narrative
This week we started diving into the parts cabinets a bit deeper. We acquired a Radio JOVE antenna assembly kit, six Elenco AM/FM radio sets, and their accompanying manuals. We tested all of the radio sets and found that four of them were fully operational, while the last two would not operate at all.

Week1 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:32, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Assign Task2
I acquired a a copy of the Radio JOVE Assembly Manual to study it's construction and operation. I want to learn whether or not it is feasible to use the JOVE antenna combined with the Elenco AM/FM-108 to build an operation HAM station. I need to learn how it is set up for use, how I can attach it to the Elenco Radio circuit board, and whether or not I will require any other equipment.

Compare actual work done to Task2
I studied the Radio JOVE assembly manual to find out it's compatibility with the ELENCO AM/FM-108 radio.

Week2 Narrative
After doing some studying on our equipment's operating capabilities, we decided that it wasn't quite possible to combine the Elenco AM/FM - 108 Radio Set with the Radio JOVE Antenna Assembly. So we decided to move in a different direction by attempting to build a World War II Foxhole Radio. The first thing we did was assign each member to collect materials. Nick Delaney was to bring in a toilet paper tube to help construct an inductor as well as a pair of headphones to splice into the circuit. Zach Hill was to acquire another pair of headphones and a coat hanger. I purchased a a pack of razor blades, which I blued, for construction of the radio signal detector.

Week2 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:32, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Assign Task3
We assigned to ourselves the task of studying for the upcoming FCC licensing test.

Compare actual work done to Task3
After collecting a wood board, toilet paper tube, paper clips, 24 AWG wire, metal coat hanger, razor blades, pencils, and thumbtacks, we decided it was time to start the construction of our World War II Foxhole radio.

Week3 Narrative
During this week I started to build the WWII Radio. I clipped with head off of the coat hanger and straightened it out to serve as the radio antenna. Then spooled the 24 AWG wire around the toilet paper tube 101 times to build the inductor. Zach Hill broke apart the pencil as to have access to it's lead to use on the blued razor blade to act as the radio detector. Then I stripped different segments of wire to connect all the components and attached them to the wood board using thumbtacks. I attempted to splice Nick Delaney's headphones into the circuit but, it proved to be too difficult because the headphones used a USB connection thus, having far too many internal contacts to utilize. Our first test of the radio was a complete failure. No noise, no reception, no operation.

Since we did not receive any signal, I decided to measure the connectivity between all the components and use a different pair of headphones with a more simple design. Connectivity between all the radio component was measured using the OHM function of a multi-meter. All connections tested positive for connectivity.

After removing the old pair of headphones, we attached a different set that contained only two contact wires after clipping the attachment plug off. I connected one end to a wire leading to the detector and the other I attached to the inductor/ground paperclip. Rather than using metal piping as a ground, this time we used the ground on an electrical component test bench.

We tested the radio after modifying it and came up short once again, although, we did make progress. During the test we received a small amount of static through the headphones. The small static sound insures us of the radio's proper construction but, still needs some tuning. To tune the radio we will have to add more spools in the inductor. We will use a different tube and smaller wire to build a larger conductor in the coming week.

Week3 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:33, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Assign Task4
Record what you are planning on doing for the team during the weekend between week3 and week4 of the project here.

Compare actual work done to Task4
Rationalize differences

Week4 Narrative
Upload photos to wikimedia. Upload video to youtube. Convert all spreadsheets, documents, and presentations to wiki format and create wiki subpage of your page for each of them. Link to them here in a narrative that tells a story. High light the problems (engineering problems) you had and how you solved them.

Week4 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:33, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Complete Project Page
Follow the "project done" format.

Start Next Project Week0 activities
During this week you will perform the week0 activities of the next project.

0/0/0 .. can not see any work anywhere 1sfoerster 13:50, 17 October 2011 (UTC)