AB2T
04-24-2012, 10:05 PM
Mine is attaching PL-259 connectors. Yours?
73, Jordan
73, Jordan
View Full Version : What is your least favorite shack chore?
W2SU
04-25-2012, 12:03 AM
Mine is re attaching/re-arranging coax to my equipment.
73.......w2su, Fred
73.......w2su, Fred
AF6LJ
04-25-2012, 12:30 AM
Climbing the tree in the back yard to work on the antenna.
I'm getting too fat for that.........
I'm getting too fat for that.........
KJ6LFD
04-25-2012, 12:40 AM
Surface mount anything.
KD0CAC
04-25-2012, 12:51 AM
Not having the space to sort parts :(
WA7PRC
04-25-2012, 03:13 AM
Mine is attaching PL-259 connectors. Yours?
73, Jordan
Attaching UHF connectors is easy. If it's not, you're using the wrong tools and/or technique.
My lease favorite shack chore is trying to stay organized. It's not so tough to stay piano-ized. ;)
73, Jordan
Attaching UHF connectors is easy. If it's not, you're using the wrong tools and/or technique.
My lease favorite shack chore is trying to stay organized. It's not so tough to stay piano-ized. ;)
AB2T
04-25-2012, 04:13 AM
Attaching UHF connectors is easy. If it's not, you're using the wrong tools and/or technique.
My lease favorite shack chore is trying to stay organized. It's not so tough to stay piano-ized. ;)
I use the K3LR method (http://www.k3lr.com/engineering/pl259/) for soldering UHF connectors. This method saves me from having to solder the holes. My eyesight isn't the greatest, so soldering the braid to the end of the connector rather than to the holes is easier for me. Still, soldering connectors is tedious work.
I would buy the crimping tools and gear, but I can't seem to justify the price. Crimping would sure save me the tears, though.
My lease favorite shack chore is trying to stay organized. It's not so tough to stay piano-ized. ;)
I use the K3LR method (http://www.k3lr.com/engineering/pl259/) for soldering UHF connectors. This method saves me from having to solder the holes. My eyesight isn't the greatest, so soldering the braid to the end of the connector rather than to the holes is easier for me. Still, soldering connectors is tedious work.
I would buy the crimping tools and gear, but I can't seem to justify the price. Crimping would sure save me the tears, though.
WA7PRC
04-25-2012, 05:27 AM
Surface mount anything.
In 9 years at a former employer, I must've assembled several hundred thousand itty-bitty SMT parts onto boards that had large copper pours on PCBs with substrates that had low thermal resistance. It's not a big deal if you have good soldering "weapons". I did.
I use the K3LR method for soldering UHF connectors. This method saves me from having to solder the holes. My eyesight isn't the greatest, so soldering the braid to the end of the connector rather than to the holes is easier for me. Still, soldering connectors is tedious work.
I would buy the crimping tools and gear, but I can't seem to justify the price. Crimping would sure save me the tears, though.
Installing UHF connectors is not at all tedious. I've been using my method (similar to Amphenol's) for the past 40 years. I installed six connectors this past Sunday, outside, in-place, with the cable hanging in mid air. It didn't take very long -- a few minutes per connector. I wasn't in a hurry. My eyesight isn't the greatest either - so I use dime store reader glasses.
I never solder UHF connectors on RG-58 cable. I buy 83-58FCP-RFX "Field Crimp Plugs" that can be installed in about minute with only a pair of tapered wire cutters. Perfect for FD! Cost is about the same as 83-1SP + UG-175/U.
In 9 years at a former employer, I must've assembled several hundred thousand itty-bitty SMT parts onto boards that had large copper pours on PCBs with substrates that had low thermal resistance. It's not a big deal if you have good soldering "weapons". I did.
I use the K3LR method for soldering UHF connectors. This method saves me from having to solder the holes. My eyesight isn't the greatest, so soldering the braid to the end of the connector rather than to the holes is easier for me. Still, soldering connectors is tedious work.
I would buy the crimping tools and gear, but I can't seem to justify the price. Crimping would sure save me the tears, though.
Installing UHF connectors is not at all tedious. I've been using my method (similar to Amphenol's) for the past 40 years. I installed six connectors this past Sunday, outside, in-place, with the cable hanging in mid air. It didn't take very long -- a few minutes per connector. I wasn't in a hurry. My eyesight isn't the greatest either - so I use dime store reader glasses.
I never solder UHF connectors on RG-58 cable. I buy 83-58FCP-RFX "Field Crimp Plugs" that can be installed in about minute with only a pair of tapered wire cutters. Perfect for FD! Cost is about the same as 83-1SP + UG-175/U.
N4UM
04-25-2012, 12:22 PM
Just plain finding something in the inevitible mess that occurs. Crap piled on top of equipment and the desk. Half used sheets of paper scattered everywhere with notes and reminders on them. Books, magazines, manuals where they don't belong. Pens that are out of ink, pencils with broken points, bent paper clips,notes taped to the walls and filing cabinet. Miscellaneous tools, hardware, razor blades, QSL cards, flash drives, notepads, logbooks, country lists, keys, trackball, HT's, earphones, microphones etc. etc. As George Carlin would have said...Too damn much disorganized stuff!
W4AFB
04-25-2012, 12:26 PM
Mines dust control. I hate dusty equipment. Second would be cable management.
AF6LJ
04-25-2012, 01:02 PM
Duse is also on my short list of least favorite jobs....
And there always seems to be that small pile of tools and odds and ends that never go away.
And there always seems to be that small pile of tools and odds and ends that never go away.
K8ERV
04-25-2012, 01:05 PM
Climbing the tree in the back yard to work on the antenna.
I'm getting too fat for that.........
I'm sure the tree appreciates that.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
I'm getting too fat for that.........
I'm sure the tree appreciates that.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
AF6LJ
04-25-2012, 01:08 PM
I'm sure the tree appreciates that.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
it moans and groans every time I have to climb up in it.
I have to do it again this year......
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
it moans and groans every time I have to climb up in it.
I have to do it again this year......
WA6MHZ
04-25-2012, 01:08 PM
MY shack looks like someone took the room and SHOOK IT UP! An Earthquake could do no more damage to it than has already been done! Especially the floor, where there are countless papers, debris and Junk making it impossible to see any of the floor tiles. To sit in the shack chair, I hafta kick the debris aside to find a place for my feet.
So my least favorite shack chore is cleaning it up. Sometimes I get a WILD HAIR up my *** and actually spend some time with a garbage sack picking up the debris. But usually that is TOO MUCH WORK and takes away time that I could be spent scanning the bands for rare DX! Anyway, If I try and clean it up, the CATS will just trash it again!
So my least favorite shack chore is cleaning it up. Sometimes I get a WILD HAIR up my *** and actually spend some time with a garbage sack picking up the debris. But usually that is TOO MUCH WORK and takes away time that I could be spent scanning the bands for rare DX! Anyway, If I try and clean it up, the CATS will just trash it again!
K8ERV
04-25-2012, 01:29 PM
Just plain finding something in the inevitible mess that occurs. Crap piled on top of equipment and the desk. Half used sheets of paper scattered everywhere with notes and reminders on them. Books, magazines, manuals where they don't belong. Pens that are out of ink, pencils with broken points, bent paper clips,notes taped to the walls and filing cabinet. Miscellaneous tools, hardware, razor blades, QSL cards, flash drives, notepads, logbooks, country lists, keys, trackball, HT's, earphones, microphones etc. etc. As George Carlin would have said...Too damn much disorganized stuff!
I don't remember you visiting my shack. I musta been asleep.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
I don't remember you visiting my shack. I musta been asleep.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
N0AZZ
04-25-2012, 05:36 PM
Running coax, power cords, interconnections what a rats nest I can't keep it straight always adding and selling equipment. Then like others dust because I like the window open in front of my radios.
K8JD
04-25-2012, 06:04 PM
Mine is typing in my info to reply to E-QSLs. I am not good with computers and keyboards !
Have to flip pages in the logbook to verify I have this QSO logged and then type in a reply.
About all I use the computer for is E-mail, E-QSL and real time lightning map to see if 80 and 160M will be any good.
Have to flip pages in the logbook to verify I have this QSO logged and then type in a reply.
About all I use the computer for is E-mail, E-QSL and real time lightning map to see if 80 and 160M will be any good.
K9ASE
04-25-2012, 06:47 PM
climbing the roof to work on antennas
KL2TC
05-03-2012, 05:12 AM
My shack is over my mechanical shop. The goal is to keep all things "shop" out of the shack. At the top of the stairs coming up is a "decon" station. No shoes past this point. It looks pretty good, but I hate all the vacuuming and dusting that I have to do to keep it where I like. Radio, tower, electrical, I love all of that, it's the dusting and cleaning that gets to me. Right now there is some kind of streak across my computer screen, I have to get rid of that...at least I can hear the Motley Group.
N0WYO
05-03-2012, 12:27 PM
Running coax, power cords, interconnections what a rats nest I can't keep it straight always adding and selling equipment. Then like others dust because I like the window open in front of my radios.
I have similar problems, although I don't have an open window next to the radios. When I clean the shack, it usually entails disassembling everything, clearing off the desk, realigning coax, power cords, etc, and reinstalling the equipment. Before the equipment goes back, it gets dusted off and cleaned. Sometimes inside and out. This usually takes a whole afternoon, and into the evening.
I have similar problems, although I don't have an open window next to the radios. When I clean the shack, it usually entails disassembling everything, clearing off the desk, realigning coax, power cords, etc, and reinstalling the equipment. Before the equipment goes back, it gets dusted off and cleaned. Sometimes inside and out. This usually takes a whole afternoon, and into the evening.
KB3LAZ
05-04-2012, 10:06 AM
Mine is typing in my info to reply to E-QSLs. I am not good with computers and keyboards !
Have to flip pages in the logbook to verify I have this QSO logged and then type in a reply.
About all I use the computer for is E-mail, E-QSL and real time lightning map to see if 80 and 160M will be any good.
I type well. I am however having a hard time adjusting to my new keyboard. Why, you ask? I bought a new PC after my move to Spain. The Spanish keyboard while structured very similar to our own has its quirks. Said quirks throw me off when typing.
I use computers for farm more than Amateur radio. In fact, I do not use my PC for many things pertaining to AR. I log via paper.
Have to flip pages in the logbook to verify I have this QSO logged and then type in a reply.
About all I use the computer for is E-mail, E-QSL and real time lightning map to see if 80 and 160M will be any good.
I type well. I am however having a hard time adjusting to my new keyboard. Why, you ask? I bought a new PC after my move to Spain. The Spanish keyboard while structured very similar to our own has its quirks. Said quirks throw me off when typing.
I use computers for farm more than Amateur radio. In fact, I do not use my PC for many things pertaining to AR. I log via paper.
KA5ROW
05-05-2012, 03:41 AM
Putting in the window air unit every May, and taking it back out in September.
KC9UDX
05-05-2012, 03:50 AM
Putting in the window air unit every May, and taking it back out in September.
Just turn it round backward...
Just turn it round backward...
AE1P
05-05-2012, 04:10 AM
Just plain finding something in the inevitible mess that occurs. Crap piled on top of equipment and the desk. Half used sheets of paper scattered everywhere with notes and reminders on them. Books, magazines, manuals where they don't belong. Pens that are out of ink, pencils with broken points, bent paper clips,notes taped to the walls and filing cabinet. Miscellaneous tools, hardware, razor blades, QSL cards, flash drives, notepads, logbooks, country lists, keys, trackball, HT's, earphones, microphones etc. etc. As George Carlin would have said...Too damn much disorganized stuff!
Wow!! You've seen my shack??? I have a hard time finding myself when I'm in here... :)
Wow!! You've seen my shack??? I have a hard time finding myself when I'm in here... :)
