DIY 40dB RF Power Tap for Ham Radio

Folks, in this video we perform a build of a DIY RF Power Tap for Ham Radio, if we build it right we should get about -40dB of attenuation off of the tap. We can use this tap to measure signals from devices like radios with instruments like an oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer without the worry of damage.
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Resistors: www.amazon.com/dp/B01M5I0I3L/...
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Пікірлер: 78

  • @mattdehope7517
    @mattdehope75172 жыл бұрын

    This was terrifying to watch as an RF engineer

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Well thank goodness you made it unscathed. Either way, thanks for watching.

  • @W-733_KWX

    @W-733_KWX

    2 жыл бұрын

    Since you are an RF engineer, what would be better in this video which was so terrifying (to you) ? We are curious of your input for the sake of continuous improvement. Thanks, that'd be appreciated ;)

  • @scottgarvy

    @scottgarvy

    Жыл бұрын

    He comments and just leaves. I guess he's not only an RF engineer but also a crappy Elmer huh?

  • @spencerhochstetler

    @spencerhochstetler

    11 ай бұрын

    I was really hoping the “RF engineer” would have replied with something more helpful other than a hit-and-run comment. Oh well.

  • @a_ham_like_me
    @a_ham_like_me2 жыл бұрын

    I suggest using some 00 steel wool to buff the surface of the brass before soldering. A little buff on the center conductor of the SO239 as well. I find it helps the solder adhere more securely. Edit: Brass often has a light layer of oxidation which can inhibit the soldering process. Also, using steel wool to prep PCB surfaces for soldering helps with kit building.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a really good idea, thanks Robert

  • @HamRadioDX
    @HamRadioDX2 жыл бұрын

    I like the all parts you need in a box before you start... I always spend half my time looking for stuff midway through a build. Nice video Ape and looks/works well great build

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    I have to do that to be "organized"

  • @ShooterReadyStandBy
    @ShooterReadyStandBy2 жыл бұрын

    Nice build. An option for the nut interference problem might be to tap threads in the box. No nutz needed.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, that might be the move.

  • @derk-w9rdy887
    @derk-w9rdy8872 жыл бұрын

    Another good take on the project! Thanks for sharing and showing how you tested it with the NanoVNA.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    You bet. thanks for checking it out Derk!

  • @PowderMill
    @PowderMill10 ай бұрын

    Excellent craftsmanship and a nice project. Thanks!

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    10 ай бұрын

    Thanks PM 👍

  • @rickb.6068
    @rickb.60682 жыл бұрын

    I made one of these for my TinySA a few months ago and it works great.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Nice, thanks for watching Rick.

  • @HamRadioLiveShow
    @HamRadioLiveShow2 жыл бұрын

    Nice video Ape. Nice design, well explained and really educational! Keep ‘em coming pal!

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you liked it Larry, thanks for watching!

  • @FromthehamshackwithNJ4Z
    @FromthehamshackwithNJ4ZАй бұрын

    right tool for the right job... tin snips, and where are your safety glasses with all that brass flying around... lol. great video.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    Ай бұрын

    Hey John, thanks for watching 👍

  • @KK6USYHamRadioAdventures
    @KK6USYHamRadioAdventures2 жыл бұрын

    Cool Build Ape !

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Chuck 👍

  • @gaptastic
    @gaptastic2 жыл бұрын

    I've never seen a better solder!

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Haha, thanks bro 👍

  • @Tump2010
    @Tump20102 жыл бұрын

    great video, I love build videos.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    It was a fun and easy one, thanks for checking it out Thump

  • @jenky1865

    @jenky1865

    2 жыл бұрын

    reply to comment to help out w/ the algorithms!

  • @MartinJDavidson
    @MartinJDavidson2 жыл бұрын

    Nice video! See if that wiggly line was just noise (& putting the cover on reduces or eliminates it).

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, I should have done that. I may do a follow up video as there were a few questions.

  • @lustrup
    @lustrupАй бұрын

    The in & out markings of the 7805 voltage regulator in the schematic are the wrong away around.!!! 73's de LA3EQ -Jan

  • @RobB_VK6ES
    @RobB_VK6ES11 ай бұрын

    The name stomp box comes from their useage as guitar effect boxes. I have noted while the Chinese boxes follow Hammond part numbers they do not always follow the sizings. Specifically the boxes are frequently shallower than the original, which is why the SO239's did not fit well. I took a slightly different tack and cut/filed the 4 hole flange down to a 2 hole flange similar to the 239 found on IC-7300's. Had you sourced the parts from Digikey, Mouser or the like you could have picked the correct components as specified while at the same time helping out local manufactures and suppliers.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    11 ай бұрын

    I was trying to help out port workers and customs officers 👍

  • @RobB_VK6ES

    @RobB_VK6ES

    11 ай бұрын

    @@TheSmokinApe LOL

  • @AA0Z
    @AA0Z2 жыл бұрын

    I never knew that marker was called a chevron. I thought that was a gas station. LOL. Good video Ape. Learned a bit.

  • @temporarilyoffline

    @temporarilyoffline

    2 жыл бұрын

    ^ Chevron - or according to Dan Brown in The Davinci Code, They are Up for male and Down for female... so what does that make a Drill Sergeant?

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for checking it out Kyle

  • @jeffreyyoung4104
    @jeffreyyoung4104 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I was looking for such a power divider for other uses, and this was spot on! I was curious if you had done a sweep of the SWR on the input and output ports? I would do that if I build mine, just to see if there are any 'bumps along the way'...

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    Жыл бұрын

    You know Jeff, I don't think I did and that's a great idea.

  • @DonDegidio
    @DonDegidio2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Ape, Great build and video. As soon as I saw the size of that box, I would have used a two hole chassis connector or a bulkhead connector. I also think a piece of single sided circuit board could be used instead of the brass strip, or even a piece of 14 or 12 gauge wire across the connectors. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the ideas Don, hope all is going well for you.

  • @DonDegidio

    @DonDegidio

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheSmokinApe Hi Ape, You know I've been trying to get a reverse mortgage. Was approved in December, but they are raking me over the coals and now saying I have too much debt. Getting depressed.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DonDegidio ugh, sorry to hear that Don

  • @DonDegidio

    @DonDegidio

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheSmokinApe My sister even started a Gofundme to help.

  • @scottgarvy
    @scottgarvy Жыл бұрын

    I see no one commented on why the boxes are called "stomp boxes". It is because guitar effects pedals are housed in these type of boxes. You have to "stomp" the button on the top to initiate the effect. Hope that helps.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    Жыл бұрын

    Cool, thanks man 👍

  • @scottgarvy

    @scottgarvy

    Жыл бұрын

    You're welcome.

  • @larrygrigar3793
    @larrygrigar37932 жыл бұрын

    Yeah! This video is smok'in! :0

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ha, thanks for watching Larry.

  • @2EOGIY
    @2EOGIY2 жыл бұрын

    12:30 Nibbler is the tool for this works, shears will do too but the nibbler won't bend edges of the sheet.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ah, I think I have seen those in the past. Thanks!

  • @johnwest7993
    @johnwest79932 жыл бұрын

    I'd be interested in seeing a frequency sweep of this to see what frequencies it's useful up to beyond HF.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    I may do a follow up, there was a lot of questions. Thanks for checking it out John

  • @RedNeckSurgeyTech
    @RedNeckSurgeyTech2 жыл бұрын

    It would be nice to see how it works in real life. It's one thing to look good on an analyzer but very different in actual use. Does it make the audio clearer is the true test. 👍

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    I might do a follow up video, there have been a few questions. Thanks for checking it out.

  • @hankosaurus

    @hankosaurus

    Жыл бұрын

    This device will allow the operator to adjust the mic gain up to the point just before the RF signal begins to flat top on the scope. In that sense, audio can be clearer for having used it. 73, kc4i

  • @walteranderson7889
    @walteranderson7889 Жыл бұрын

    I wish you had also measured the input SWR with a 50 ohm dummy load on the output.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    Жыл бұрын

    Fair point, sorry about that 👍

  • @blugoose86
    @blugoose86Ай бұрын

    Good point. I always make sure my solder is "dry" before moving on. LOL You know as a builder myself I gotta rib ya a little. Serious question. With my lack of knowledge with inductors, since the brass plate is the inductor, does thickness of the brass matter and is it part of the calibration? Or is surface area what determines the amount if inductance introduced into the circuit. Hence the measurement of 1X1.5?

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    Ай бұрын

    Hey BlueGoose, I would imagine that both size and thickness play a role 👍

  • @SMShannon55
    @SMShannon552 жыл бұрын

    Why add the brass plate? Does it have a purpose other than as a buss? Wouldn’t a 12 ga. Copper wire running between the center pins of the so-239 sockets, with the resistor leads soldered to it do the same thing?

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    I am under the impression, which may be incorrect that the brass plate acts as an inductor. Without the plate we would need to add a toroid.

  • @SMShannon55

    @SMShannon55

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheSmokinApe - Thanks for the reply. My education is insufficient. I can understand capacitance between the brass plate and the “floor” of the metal box, but I’ll have to research how a flat plate works as an inductor. Thanks again. I enjoy your channel.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching Steve!

  • @SkruxLabs-vq4ho
    @SkruxLabs-vq4ho5 ай бұрын

    How would this resistive RF tap compare to the performance of an inductive tap?

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    5 ай бұрын

    I haven’t compared them but I could add that to the video list 👍

  • @jenky1865
    @jenky18652 жыл бұрын

    auto comment to help out w/ the algorithms!

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @g4lmn-ron401
    @g4lmn-ron4012 жыл бұрын

    You made all the mistakes so I don't have to! Thanks, nice project.

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome, thanks for watching G4LMN

  • @503Nick
    @503Nick2 жыл бұрын

    Take a gander at these 🥜 😂😂😂

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Haha

  • @temporarilyoffline
    @temporarilyoffline2 жыл бұрын

    Jim did it better, #justsayin

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    He’s a talent

  • @Tump2010
    @Tump20102 жыл бұрын

    First. :-D

  • @TheSmokinApe

    @TheSmokinApe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Lol