Personal Home Page

Kevin Ferguson's Home Page

This page has some information on my hobbies.... mostly about some of things I have built.

Last updated 13 May 2001...Added ham radio article

Articles

Ham Radio:

Getting rid of that "underwater" sound from the K2 CW filters

Is it Better to receive CW at higher or lower frequency?

Machine Shop :

Depth stop for a Jet-16 Drill/Mill

Quick-change tool post for the Lathe

Auto Mechaniking:

An Improvement I made to the Tuf-Country axle pivot brackets
I bought for my F-250 Includes drawings.

My Interests

Flying: I am a Sailplane owner/pilot. (a Grob Astir-CS, contest # 1U) I also flew hang gliders for several years, but don't seem to find the time to do much of that nowadays.
Radio/Electronics I am a Ham. (KOÆ B) Not very active, though you might find me on 40M CW sometime. I find I like building radios much more than using them. I also work as an electrical engineer, and so find it is hard to have fun doing the same thing as earns my living. Still, I find many of my projects are enhanced by some electronic widget or other.
Metal working. If you read any of the older do-it-yourself books, they seem to assume that most everyone has a lathe. I've got two (One running, the other a restoration project) and don't know how I ever got by without one. While metalworking is used to support other hobbies, it is a hobby in it's own right. There is something really satisfying about using a tool you have made yourself.
Telescope making: A few years ago I got the bug to build a telescope. Here is what happens when you drop a nicely figured 8" mirror. (photo) One day, I hope to get back on that horse. I think I could make a planetary reflector that would put APOs to shame.
Travel.......NOT! For a number of years I frequently had to travel to Europe for work. Sometimes for months at a time. If I never spend another second inside a commercial airliner, it will be fine with me. I do enjoy camping, however.

Links

It is often said that you can't learn anything just by reading about it. True enough, but I find that reading is often the best place to start, and then it is time to get my hands dirty. The web has been a great help to me, as many of the things I am interested in are far enough from mainstream that the market won't support the traditional publishing models. There are, however, a few publishers around that cater to wierdos like me. I admire their efforts, so here is some free advertising for them:

Village Press Publisher of "Home Shop Machinist", "Machinist's Workshop" and "Live Steam"
Willmann-Bell Publisher of numerous books on telescope making, optics, and like such.
Lindsay Publications A fountain of esoteric knowledge, from the mundane, to the truly fringe.