The Sinatra Method for DIY Ham Radio Projects

I recently watched G0UPL Hans Summer’s presentation at Hamvention 2024 on YouTube. Hans talked about 10 of his junk box projects. As you probably know, Hans is the owner of QRP Labs, a small company that makes excellent QRP radios and accessories and sells them for an unbelievably low price. I really enjoyed the presentation, especially since I was able to identify with the techniques presented.

Step #1 – accumulate junk. You can make stuff with junk. Roger that, my junk piles fill a closet in my shack. Then there is another junk pile in a room in my basement, and another that occupies several storage shelves in my garage. Then there is another one in my shed. I accumulate scrap electronics from which I salvage parts. I accumulate bits of metal – especially metal poles and tubes. I also accumulate scrap plastic – I especially love plastic, it can be shaped and molded, melted and welded.

Step #2 – use your imagination. I rarely buy anything I can make myself. I get great satisfaction from building stuff I have made myself. And I don’t always follow the rules. Remember, this is ham radio outside the box. I call it the Sinatra method – “I did it my way”.

This little rig of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

A fellow club member always buys everything he uses in his amateur radio activities. He believes that appearance is priority #1. We have discussed our different approaches several times. He has spent thousands of dollars acquiring shiny pukka gear that would win an equipment beauty contest for sure. But, I wonder if his approach would work in a SHTF situation when it simply wasn’t possible to buy commercially available equipment.

Electronic alchemy – turn base metals into ham gold!

There are a number of prerequisites for employing the Sinatra method. First, you have to have accumulated your junk pile. Everything you need should be right where you can reach out and grab it. And you need imagination (see step #2). When you look at a pile of junk you should be able to see possibilities – “I wonder if I could use that widget to make a …”

Money can’t buy me love

Then you need time, tools and – most importantly – aptitude. But aptitude is in the mind. “I can’t …” can be turned around to “I can learn how” with a bit of positive thinking. Eventually you will learn to love being a maker. There is one thing you don’t need – money! Well alright, a little money to raid the charity stores for some secondhand tools. You can save a lot of money by building your own stuff. Hey, enjoy ham radio and get rich in the process!

Here are some of my “Sinatra” projects:

My first ever HF radio, the original pre-ND Yaesu FT-817, did not have a CW memory keyer so I built one. It uses an Arduino nano chip that I got for nothing in a trade. The code for the keyer was written by K3NG. My version uses a rotary encoder to change speed on the fly – useful in POTA activations when responses from hunters vary greatly in speed. Clicking the rotary encoder knob sends my CQ POTA message – a great convenience when things are slow and I need to send CQ repeatedly. It is powered by a Lithium Ion power bank that I bought for a song in a charity store.

That same FT-817 did not have any IF filtering – relying instead on an optional Collins mechanical filter that is now unobtanium. So I built an audio filter from a quad op-amp chip that cost me less than the price of a coffee. The circuit was built inside an Altoids tin. Not as good as an IF filter but it does separate the signals in a crowded band when needed.

The VA3KOT QROp field rig has featured in several posts on this blog. It is an ever-evolving project comprising a Yaesu FT-891 built inside a 50mm steel ammo case. These steel boxes are designed for holding 100 rounds of 50-cal ammo and other ordnance. They are tough. I blunted a step drill bit making vent holes in the top. My radio is safe! This steel box was a major purchase – it cost me 35 bucks, ouch.

Note the use of U-bolts for protecting the head unit. If the rig ever falls on its face this protection keeps all the knobs a few millimeters away from danger. Imagination, see, I looked at those U-bolts in my junk pile and saw an innovative use for them.

My Bioenno LFP battery sits outside the ammo case, in a mil-spec canvas pouch, so it can be used with other radios as needed. I needed a way to get the DC into the ammo case. No problem I thought, I’ll order an Anderson Powerpole panel mount. Then I saw the price of panel mounts and gasped.

Imagination to the rescue. I cleared my workbench and spread out several bits of junk that might be adaptable as a panel mount. One of the junk bits was a plastic ferrule designed to secure steel jacketed AC cable at the entry of a junction box. Yes, that just might do it, I thought.

I grabbed a couple of spare powerpole connectors without the contacts and tried them inside the ferrule. Almost perfect; a little reaming with a Dremel tool and a perfect match was made.

But the connectors had to be secured so that they wouldn’t move as the mating connector from the battery was inserted. Hot melt glue did that job and did it well. I bored out a large hole in the aluminum panel with that same step drill bit that had suffered and died making the vent holes in the steel ammo case. It is only good for making holes in soft plastic now.

The cable ferrule has a tapered end that snapped cleanly into the hole in the front panel. Now I have an Anderson Powerpole panel mount that is entirely functional but is beautiful only in the eyes of a Sinatra method DIY enthusiast.

Incoming … grenade!

There have been numerous other projects over the years. I could have followed the trend and bought genuine arborist throw line kits for launching antennas into trees. But, not me – I did it my way. I bought some party balloons and mason’s twine at the dollar store. The party balloons were filled with sand (free from a local beach). I call them “Sand Grenades”; they do an excellent job of getting wires into trees.

Oh wires? Yes, every antenna is a DIY job. I’ve built – not bought – many of them. Buy wire when its on sale, make end insulators and winders from scrap plastic.

What’s it all about Alfie?

When you choose to build your own gear you learn. Some stuff works and some doesn’t. Brag about what works and bury the failures in the backyard! And don’t call me Alfie.

Money, money, money – it’s a rich man’s world

If I had a million dollars … I would still prefer to make my own gear – my way. So no donations accepted – unless you have some “worthless” junk you need rid of!

Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention …

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