Hams of Bletchley Park

Two cool items from Boing Boing:

Hams of Bletchley Park

Bletchley Park kicks...

RepRap

Not RF related, but homebrew of the finest kind.

RepRap

The goal of the RepRap project is to build a machine
that can reproduce itself. RepRap has recently selected
the Arduino to be the computer building block of choice.

RepRap on Wikipedia

Sources of parts for home-brew

Sources of Electronic Mechanical and Surplus Parts is an
extensive list of links to suppliers of goodies that
can be used in home-brew projects.

Part of an interesting site on classic electronics kits:
Nostalgic Kits Central

ESR Meter

Some of the first components to go south in your aging electronics
are the electrolytic capacitors. One way to test them in circuit
is with an ESR meter.

Homebrew ESR meter

Kit ESR meters

DIY Triode

Claude Paillard, F2FO, has put together a fantastic video of
making a homebrew triode vacuum tube. See the video at the
bottom of this page.

OK, he has a few pieces of equipment you don't find in every hamshack,
like a simple spot welder and laboratory glass blowing gear.
After you watch this video, you will probably crave the little
spot welder for all sorts of projects.

It seems like making vacuum tubes (valves) might be a lot
simpler (at least possible) compared to a homebrew transistor.

Sprat on CD

Yesterday, I received my copy of "Sprat on CD" from the GQRP.
"Sprat" is the quarterly technical magazine from GQRP.
The current Sprat on CD contains issues 1 - 132 which brings you
right up-to-date. Each issue of Sprat is in a separate PDF file
and the navigation on the CD is via HTML files. Therefore,
the CD can be used on any computer that has a PDF reader and a browser.

To order Sprat on CD
Sprat home page

The Sprat home page contains a link to a PDF with the table of contents
of all the issues of Sprat. Enough projects to last a life-time.

LilyPad Arduino

The LilyPad is an arduino board that is meant to be stitched
into an item of clothing. The little pads are to be connected
to conductive thread that would run to sensors, leds, etc. elsewhere on
the clothing. There must be a ham application jut waiting for this
technology. Perhaps a wearable PSK rig with a wristwatch display.
LilyPad Arduino description from arduino.cc
Sparkfun LilyPad Arduino
Wearable + Arduino