Design and Engineering Projects

End Fed Half Wave Wire Antennas

Updated: 6/29/2023 – A work in progress. End Fed Half Wave wire antennas must be great. Everyone is selling them! Meh. The antenna engineer’s axiom: You can have high gain, […]

Lafayette HE-90 CB: Fun in the 1960’s

Certainly not a “military radio” but a radio nonetheless. Close enough. I bought this Lafayette HE-90 CB transceiver in 1964. After the Heathkit CR-1 Crystal Radio, it started my long […]

“Canteen” Shortwave Radio Receiver

UPDATED 11/15/17  One recent project was building a replica of the “canteen radio” that was used by US Army personnel in the Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan in the Philippines […]

ATX Computer Power Supply repurposed

The PC type desktop computers seem to have a universal type ATX or the newer ATX12V power supply. These are multi-voltage units that are pretty much standardized in various power […]

GRC-109 / GRC-9 Battery Operated Power Supplies

UPDATED 2/9/17 Both the GRC-9 and GRC-109 used the BA-48 battery to power their respective receivers as an option.  When operated from the various dynamotor, vibrator or AC supplies, the […]

AN/GRC-109 / RS-1 Transmitter with VFO

UPDATED 21NOV14 Of course my favorite military Black Radio. The GRC-109 and its immediate predecessor the CIA’s RS-1. I was sitting here thinking about the cost of adding additional FT-243 […]

Field Expedient Antenna Systems

And other simple DIY Antenna Contraptions “If it’s stupid – but works – it isn’t stupid”  Murphy’s Laws of Combat UPDATED 11/6/2023 A good field expedient antenna must first start […]

Ancient Heathkit Oscilloscope

Update:  6/11/2024 Another project: I restored an ancient Heathkit O-8 scope. The design is based upon a 5CP1 CRT as used in various WWII Military radars and IFF sets; the […]

Collins 618F-1A VHF Aircraft Transceiver

UPDATE 9/18/2022 The latest project at N6CC is “reviving” a 1965 Collins 618F-1A VHF aircraft radio.  This radio was designed for light aircraft as an early frequency – synthesized radio […]

Field Power: Honda EX-1000 RF Noise Problems & Other Alternatives

UPDATED 11/1/20 Honda EX-1000 Generator: I have been running several field radio systems from a Honda EX-1000 generator for AC power. (Technically, it’s an Alternator, not a Generator and that […]