Create an iphone ringtone

If you have an audio file that iTunes can play, you can create an iPhone ringtone from it.  You don’t need to download or install any new software, there is nothing to buy.  In less than 10 steps which can be done in few short minutes you can create your own iPhone ringtone for free. Follow the procedure below or watch the video at the end.

Create an iphone ringtone -Procedure

1. First, from your iTunes library, select the sound that you want to use as your iPhone ringtone. Play the sound, noting the start and stop times.  The ringtone file must be 30 seconds or less.  I recommend 29 seconds just to be safe.
2. Right click on the song, and click on “Get Info”
• Under the “Options” tab, check on start time and enter the desired start time.
• Do the same for the stop time. Click “OK” button. REMEMBER the total time must be 30 seconds or less or iTunes will not synchronize with your iPhone.
3. Right click on the song again, click on “Create AAC Version”.  If that isn’t a choice (e.g. it says “Create MP3 version” see Note 1 below) You’ll see a new, shorter version, of your song right below the original.  Make sure it says it’s 30 seconds or less. Do a test listen to see if it’s what you expect.  If not, delete and redo.
4. Right click on the original song, and click on “Get Info”. Under “Options” tab, uncheck the Start Time and Stop Time boxes, and click “OK” to make sure that your iPhone will be able to play the complete original song.
5. Drag the new song file onto your computer desktop or into a file folder you’ve created for your custom ringtones.  Now delete the file which was in your iTunes library.
6. On the desktop version of the file, rename the file extension to ‘.m4r’
7. Drag the file from your desktop onto the “LIBRARY” portion of iTunes. If you’ve named it m4r, iTunes will recognize it as a ringtone and put it in the correct place (ringtones folder).
8. Sync your iPhone with iTunes.

Create an iPhone ringtone -Using

1. When the sync is complete, on your iPhone go to:
• Settings » Sounds » Ringtone
• Your ringtone will be in a section just above the default ringtones.
1. These tones can be used for text messages as well. What I’ve done for some of the more common callers and texters is to create morse code tones for each individual. so when I hear the

I hope you found this tutorial on how to create an iphone ringtone simple and useful.  While I demonstrated this for an iPhone 4S it will work for all older models as well.  If you have a different version of iTunes than me (10.5) some of the menus are likely to be different as you create an iphone ringtone. I’ve used this with the following file types: .WAV (standard CD format); .MID (midi file from website); MP3 and AAC.  If iTunes can recognize and play the song it should create the ringtone for you.

Please let me know in the comments below if you found this useful or if you have questions.

If you have difficulty with the sync, it may be related to the sync settings for your iPhone, especially common if you have any “manual” settings.  Also be sure the song is less than 30 seconds in length.  (make sure you didn’t select 30.1 seconds)

Video Tutorial

1. Go to “Edit” “Preferences”
2. Under “General” go down to “When you import a CD;” and click on the button “Import Settings…”
3. In the first pulldown window titled “Import Using:”
• Select “AAC Encoder” click OK (2x)

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Background

Below you will find they how and why of convert D Cell flashlight to C Cells. I’ve owned a 3 D cell Maglite® flashlight for over 25 years. It has served me well. Early on, I converted from the standard incandescent Krypton bulb to a Xenon bulb. I’m not sure what the difference in performance is, I was probably just a “sucker” for the marketing.

Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells -LED

Several years ago, I converted my flashlight from incandescent to LED technology. That made a huge difference, the battery life seemed to jump, almost exponentially. While I know it’s not the case, the batteries seem to last forever…

Since that first flashlight I’ve purchased several other Maglite® brand flashlights and converted them all to LED lamps as well. I have 2 and 3 “C” cell flashlights as well as a couple of “AA” ones and a “AAA” one. The D cell one had to be repaired about two years ago. It was fairly straight forward returning it to the factory for the service with my only cost being outbound postage. They fixed and returned it within about two weeks if memory serves. I have a second “3-D cell” that I purchased a year or two ago. Yes, I like Maglite® brand lights as I know what to expect and how dependable they are. I wore an AA version on my belt for many years of my submarine career.

Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells -Batteries

After switching to an LED lamp I got the idea to convert it to C Cell operation because I could then keep fewer sizes of batteries in the house. I reviewed the technical specification of C & D cells and found that the C cell has about 2/3 of the capacity of a D cell. Since the voltage is the same, I figured it should work fine electrically, all I would need to do is make it fit mechanically. What I actually need to do for a more careful or thorough analysis is to measure the voltage and current discharge for the same loading. Reviewing the ANSI specifications they use a different load for each size of battery to calculate the capacity. e.g. 4.7Ω for a D, 10Ω for a C and 24Ω for an AA.  My guess is that the difference in life is probably closer to 50% based on the volume of the cells.

Procedure to Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells

Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells -Barrel adapter

My first thought was to insert a piece of plastic pipe inside the barrel of the flashlight to keep the smaller diameter batteries centered on the contact. To account for the shorter length of the C cells I would use some type of conducting spacer. I went to the garage and tried various size pieces of pipe to see what would fit inside the barrel of the flashlight and what the smaller C size cell would fit in. It turns out that 1” schedule 40 PVC pipe is a perfect fit. Reviewing information on the Maglite® website shows that different barrel lengths have a larger diameters. What you might have to do then is to place some wraps of duct tape around the ends of the pipe to increase the outer diameter for a better fit. I’m not sure on this since my 3 D cell barrel is a perfect fit to the inside diameter of the flashlight.

Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells -Spacer

To make the spacer, I used standard copper pipe and a pipe cap. I used ¾” pipe because I had some available, ½” would probably work as well. The PVC pipe should be cut to the same length as 3 D Cells. 61.5mm * 3 = 184.5 or just over 7 ¼” long. You can probably get away with a shorter length as long as it’s longer than 3 C Cells or 150mm (~6 inches). The length of the spacer needs to make up for the shorter length of the C cells as compared to the D Cells. Doing the math is 184.5 – 150 = 34.5mm or 1.358”. That works out to a little less than 1-3/8” (1.375”)

I cut a length of 3/4” pipe to fit inside the cap so that the total length, when assembled, is 36mm long. Since the pipe caps may or may not have internal ridges may or may not be “pre-loaded” with solder you’ll have to figure it out based on your cap. I did not solder mine together but that is certainly something you could do if you were so inclined.

Convert D Cell Flashlight to C cells -Using

Open the barrel and remove the D Cells. Insert the PVC pipe. Insert 1 or 2 C Cell batteries. Insert the spacer with the open end against the bottom of the battery that is already in the pipe. The cap (closed end) should be facing you. Insert the remaining C cell(s). Insert the flashlight end cap. Enjoy.

Adapter	Battery 1	Spacer	All Batteries

I have used this conversion with both of my 3 D Cell Maglite flashlights. If you go to their site
http://www.maglite.com you can view the “anatomy” of the flashlights. From a spare part standpoint the version with the “D” in front of the serial number is different from that without (older). I’ve used this in both of my flashlights. The modification saves you about 3 oz of weight. 931 grams (32.8oz) before and 846 grams (29.8oz) after.

Comments Welcome!

I hope you find this useful. Please let me know in the comments below if you found how to convert D cell flashlight to C cells useful or if you have questions.

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LG Washing Machine valve replacement and repair

We have owned a LG washing machine model (WM1812CW) that has served us well since 2006. Recently we were having problems where it was overfilling, sometimes. That was the aggravating because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong or what was right. Was the controller commanding the valve open or was the valve not shutting when told to? I was finally able to prove that the inlet valve was malfunctioning. During one of the fill cycles I unplugged the machine and it continued to fill!!? I recycled the machine and it functioned properly, I unplugged the machine during the fill and it stopped. After repeated cycles the machine was malfunctioning about one sixth of the time.

After dealing with the problem for several months, I was finally able to get it to fail in a measurable, repeatable fashion. This necessitated the LG Washing Machine valve replacement. Looking back, I should have replaced the valve as soon as I saw the valve stay open when the machine was unplugged…

To keep the Machine in use until the replacement valve was received, I needed to see if I could modify the valve. I needed to plug the broken port and re-route the fill line. After reviewing the layout, I decided to move the fill line to the bleach port. The photos below show how I modified the valve and the machine. Basically, I plugged the fill port using a plastic plug from a felt tip marker. I taped it with a couple of wraps of electrical tape to get a watertight seal. Lastly, I wrapped it with duct tape to give it more strength and hold the water pressure. Our pressure is about 80 PSIG.

Plug	plugged	Elec tape	duct tape
Duct tape, complete

LG Washing Machine valve replacement -Temporary repair

Here the fill hose has been moved (from it’s central location) to the bleach line (on the right).

Original	Hose & wires moved	Plug taped

I bought my repair part at http://www.appliancepartspro.com I’ve used them for many years for all my parts needs and have only had to return one part which was my mistake. That was done hassle free.
The valve placed in the washer.

Old valve	New Valve	Hoses installed	Hoses clamped, Wires reinstalled

LG Washing Machine valve replacement -Modification

One of the modifications I made since I had the machine open is visible in the last photo on the right above. I added labels to all of the connectors. Although not really required, it will help be jog my memory when I next open the machine. It would be difficult to put the wires to the wrong locations, or the hoses as they are cut to specific lengths. I was able to use the bleach valve only by stretching the regular fill line.

LG Washing Machine valve replacement -Procedure

The valve replacement itself was very straight forward:

1. Water supply off, power disconnected
2. disconnect fill hose. (be prepared for spilling)
3. disconnect control wires (3x)
4. move hose clamps several inches down the hose (3x)
5. remove the hoses from the valve (3x)
6. remove the two retaining screws holding the valve to the machine
7. remove the valve

Re-installation is the reverse of the removal. The only trick is to make sure you connect everything to the correct locations. I suggest you use a digital camera and/or labels on each of the hoses & wires.

Comments Welcom

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Removing links from a Timex metal watch bracelet is key to adjusting the size.  In this post, I’ll show you how the Timex Metal Watch Band Adjustment is done. This is particular to the T257719J & T271919J series of watches like these.  The bracelet had no markings on it that I could find.   See the photo below:

I’ve used the same process on both of these watches. The only thing that changes is where the arrow is embossed on the metal watch band links. Please review this entire Timex metal watch band adjustment procedure, including the photos, once or twice before starting.  You might want to review my Casio procedure too.

Timex Metal Watch Band Adjustment

Tools:

• 1/32 inch screwdriver or pin punch
• #4 or #6 hex driver (any small, flat ended device) to push the pin in
• Vice
• Thick cloth to protect the Timex metal watch band from the vice jaws; (I used a cotton wash cloth)

Before starting, approximate how many links you need to remove.  In my case I could tell I needed at least 6 and possibly even 7 links out.  You want to take out the links evenly from each of the sides so that the clasp and watch stay centered on the wrist.  So in my wife’s case, that meant removing three metal watch bracelet links from each side of the watch.

Procedure
1.       Remove a pin from the clasp.  Depress either end and then pivot it out of the clasp.  The pin is spring-loaded and will shoot out so be careful.  Set the pin aside so you don’t lose it.  Be careful not to lose it.  It is the leftmost pin in the below picture.  The blue arrows are aligned with arrow on the band and how the pins come out/go in.  The arrows need to be aligned. (The pin is upside down from how it came out of the timex metal watch band link in this photo)

This is necessary to allow you to put the Timex Metal watch band in the jaws of the vice.

2.      Wrap the bracelet in the cloth and carefully clamp it in the vice with the arrow on the bracelet facing down.  The arrow shows the direction to remove the pin.  Each link has two pins.  One pin is under the arrow, the other is parallel and adjacent to the arrow.  Remove the pin under the arrow.  The end of the pin that is aligned with the tip of the arrow appears as if it might be a screw.  It is not a screw.  The pin is more like a cotter pin than anything.  We will be pushing it out.

3.      Put the 1/32” screwdriver or pin punch in the end of the hole facing up.  Using the heel of the palm of your hand tap down to push the pin out.  Once it is free of the end, un-clamp it from the vice and carefully remove the pin and set it aside.  Re-clamp the Timex metal watch band and remove another pin in the same manner.  Set the link and pin aside. Note: you can try to remove the pins by simply using a firm downward pressure. I was able to remove two of four pins that way, but the other two didn’t want to budge and required the “tapping” described. You can see that I broke my 1/32″ screwdriver, but it is still very useful (if not better) for pushing out the watch band pins.

The photo on the right above gives you a size comparison of the timex metal watch bands (outside) and my Casio metal watch band.  This is a top view.

4.      NOTE: if removing links from both sides of the band, write down which end of the clasp goes on which side of the watch BEFORE removing them.  (I wrote down Timex to 12) The clasp comes set up for the watch to be worn on the left wrist.  If you want to wear it on your right wrist, you can swap the clasp ends on the bracelet.

Timex Metal Watch Band Adjustment -Re-assembly

1.      Align the clasp end with the bracelet and carefully insert the pin.  Round, closed end goes into the arrow tip. Gently push the pin in as far as it will go with your finger.  About 1/16” or 1mm will be sticking out.  Use the flat ended device to press it in.  The pin will “snap” into position.

2.      Repeat for the other end of the bracelet.

3.      Re-insert the pin and attach the end of the bracelet to the clasp.

I hope this was helpful to you performing a Timex metal watch band adjustment. Please let me know if it was helpful or not in the comments below. Please let me know if you have any question about doing a Timex metal watch band adjustment.

Here is a link to Timex’s international website.

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Dan Timex Metal Watch Band Adjustment -Do It Yourself

I’ve been following the LightSquared saga for some time now. The below article is music to my ears and peaceful quiet to the ears of my GPS receivers…

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/happy-valentines-day-us-government-breaks-up-with-lightsquared.ars

Happy Valentine’s Day: US government breaks up with LightSquared
By Jon Brodkin | Published 14 February 2012

Dan Happy Valentines Day

Recently, my wife inadvertently got water in her Timex watch. Even though it is supposed to be water-resistant to 50 meters (~165 ft), which would be a pressure of over 65 psi, it got waterlogged with just a quick trip into the shower… Not sure how that works. This required me taking the back off of her watch and then replacing Timex watch back. I heard her go into the shower and not even a minute later say oh shoot (unlike me, she rarely swears), and then set the watch down outside the shower. I could see water under the crystal.

In here, I’ll discuss removing the timex watch back and then, more importantly, replacing timex watch back. I’m not sure how the professional watch repair places do it, but I imagine the have a special tool for replacing timex watch back. Actually, the same tool is probably used for all watches that have the back pressed on as opposed to either being screwed on or held on with screws. Several of my “scuba diver” watches had the screwed on case. The current watch I wear has the back attached with four tiny screws through the back plate into the main plate.

Before you remove the back, I strongly suggest you figure out if you have the necessary tools so that replacing the timex watch back doesn’t mean going to the store and having someone else do it. The trick to this is that you need a “cup” that you can lay the watch in, face down so that the rim of the cup does NOT touch the crystal NOR does it touch the stem. I used the cap off a shampoo or conditioner bottle as my cup. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked, none the less.

Replacing Timex Watch Back – Tools

C-clamp large enough to grasp the watch and your holder
a cup or holder for the watch
I used a hard plastic cap to large bottle
Other ideas a piece of Hard wood (i.e pine won’t work)
PVC pipe cap
metal pipe cap
if you’re using a metal cap you will need a soft cloth or other soft item to protect the surface of the watch from scratching. I got lucky with my hard plastic cap.
if using hardwood or scrap metal, you can drill the correct size hole so that it is a perfect fit.
soft cloth or rubber pad to put the watch on (if using something other than plastic as your holder)

Removal
knife
Safety glasses!

When I removed the back I was concerned about the knife blade potentially shattering and throwing shards into my eyes so I wore safety glasses. (Cheap insurance)

Remove one of the retaining pins from the bracelet so that the watch body is only attached to one end of the bracelet. This is not really essential at this point, but will make re-assembly much easier. Furthermore, you are less likely to damage the watch internals if you get the bracelet out of the way before you open the case. Still, if you prefer when replacing timex watch back, do it later.

Place the knife blade under the tab that is at about 1 to 2 O’clock on the case back as you look at the words in a right side up, readable, fashion. Gently pry the case back up. As it comes up, be sure not to scratch or cut the rubber gasket that surrounds the case. See the attached drawing. The Gasket sits in the groove, and the inner lip of the groove is smaller than the opening of the case, while the outer lip is larger and sits over the watch back. This prevents the back from falling into the watch and protects the soft gasket from damage. Notice that the tab is sitting adjacent to one of the bracelet anchor points that extend from the case. This is great as it give you an anchor to pry against when opening. Remember when you are putting the watch back back on.

You’ll notice that when you remove the back of the watch it doesn’t pop or snap, it is a gentle continuous motion. Nothing Jerkey. No noises, it weill go back on the same way.

After drying the watch (in my case) and replacing the battery it is a 1216 battery 3V lithium, you’re ready to replace the back. First make sure the gasket is completely and properly seated in the groove on the case back. Clean all exposed areas of the case. I used “Q-tips” dipped in IPA to clean the mung from around the back. It’s amazing how much dirt and grime can get under there given how tightly it is closed. Be careful not to push the dirt into the watch.

Place the watch face down on your circular holder. Ensure that the stem of the watch clears the rim too. In my experience while I could place the watch properly clearing all obstacle, as soon as I began to tighten the first clamp onto the back of the watch it would slide enough that the stem would hit the rim. If I continued to apply pressure I was concerned that it would bend the stem. I thought of two ways out of this pickle. the first would be to cut a notch in the rim slightly bigger than the stem so that the stem wouldn’t contact it. A Dremel tool would make short work of it. I decide to try my second idea first as this bottle cap needed to go back on the product. That was to pull the stem out like I was going to set the watch. That was very close, but worked saving me from having to perform surgery on the cap. Put the clamp on the back and gently tighten it. You want to have the clamp off to the side,, close to the edge fo the case.

Two reasons for this:

First it will help ensure the sealing gasket is properly seated and not pinched. Second the edge of the case is stronger against in/out pressure than in the center. I envision the possibility of the clamp dimpling the case back before it is seated and possibly contacting the electronics and damaging it. If you want to try it with only one clamp, then I recommend inserting some type of metal plate under the foot of the C-clamp so you can spread the force out over a larger area and be sure not to damage the case back.

Gently tighten the clamp until the case is seated on that side.

Add the second clamp on the other side of the case and begin tightening it gently. Watch carefully as you tighten the clamp. Make sure the watch doesn’t slip or move and potentially damage the stem or crystal as you continue tightening the clamps to replacing timex watch back.

Again, the back will gently push into the case. Once in place, slowly loosen the clamps, one at a time. As you loosen the clamps, be sure the case doesn’t start to come apart. As long as you’ve properly aligned everything and have not pinched the gasket, you’ll be fine.

Let me know if you’ve found this helpful in the comments below.

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My son the pilot to be. He’s completed phase one of his training which was in Pensacola Florida (Home of the Blue Angels flight Demonstration Team) where he soloed in a Cessna 172 and learned that he never wants to be shot down as he’ll be doing the “Bear Grylls” thing eating bugs, snakes and rodents.

The plane is the Navy’s T-34C Turbo Mentor (Beechcraft). I’ve got about 6 hours of time in a T-34B, a piston version of the T-34C. That plane was a kick to fly, I can only imagine how much fun this one must be. Pretty sure this one will go over 200 KIAS…

Now I need to find a picture of him when he was in Pre-school and had an airplane on his backpack. Flying is something he’s wanted to do forever. We’re proud of him and happy for him as approaches a goal he’s had “forever.”

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That’s a picture and link to the scale I use on an everyday basis in my kitchen. I also use it on projects that require me to figure out or understand weights or masses. For example:

• When I was blowing up the gophers I used both propane and Oxygen. The Oxygen is used at a much higher rate than the propane and there is a much smaller quantity in the bottle than there is propane in its bottle. The bottles are typically 1.4 and 2.1 ounces of Oxygen, (40 and 60 grams respectively) The empty bottles easily weigh several hundred grams. Since the Oxygen is in the bottle in gas form, you can’t hear it sloshing around. Weighing is the only good way to know the quantity in the bottle, especially easy on this portable kitchen scale.
• When I trapped the gophers, it allowed me to size the gopher by weight in addition to its length.
• When I refilled the toothpaste tubes, it’s nice to know how much I was putting into the tubes. Also to approximate how much is used when brushing my teeth, I weighed the tube every time, on the portable kitchen scale, I brushed my teeth to figure it out.
• I did the same thing with Shaving cream, how much do I use every day? I could quantify any of the personal hygiene items like shampoo, hair gel, baby powder, deodorant etc. to figure out how big of a travel size I would need to bring on a particular length trip. Take the average amount used per unity time from the portable kitchen scale and divide that into the quantity in the container.
• When condensing the soap bars it was nice to be weight the shard on the portable kitchen scale and give a quantifiable size of the shard or sliver being joined to the new bar.
• When dehydrating the sourdough starter, this portable kitchen scale gave me quantifiable numbers to put in the article.

Portable Kitchen scale attributes:

• It runs on “AAA” batteries, (they are easy to find and inexpensive to replace, especially when compared to the “coin” style watch batteries)
• It is accurate. I did a comparison using water and measuring cups. I was unable to detect any non-linearities over the entire range of operation.
• This great kitchen scale weighs up to 2 kg (4.5 lbs) and it has a resolution of 0.1g My experience is that it can be difficult to get it to register a change of 0.1g, it is more likely to change by 0.2g. None the less it is both accurate and precise.
• It has a “tare” function making differential weights easy to do.
• It has four different display modes including ounces and grams.
• It is small and portable, usable almost anywhere.

Portable Kitchen Scale detractors

• The auto shut-off feature may seem a bit aggressive or fast.
• The display is easily obscured by a large bowl or container. There are at least two ways around this shortcoming:
• Put another smaller bowl or container on the scale to lift the large bowl above the display. -OR-
• Reach under the bowl and press the tare button. Removing the bowl will then show the negative weight of the item that was on the scale.

Let me know what you think. If you use a different portable kitchen scale I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

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Do You Need Silver Dip Polish?

Is your silver tarnished? Do you dread using it because it is so difficult to get it clean and sparkling? Do you wish you had a butler to take care of it so you didn’t have to? Do you loathe having yet another cleaning compound in the house that has only 1 use? Stick with me and I’ll show you how to polish your silver with common kitchen items, and no elbow grease. We’ll make Silver Dip Polish.

What is silver Tarnish?

Before we make the silver dip polish, a little background. The tarnish on silver is the compound silver sulfide Ag₂S, if it forms at a temperature of less than 173°C it has a specific physical structure and is known as Acanthite. If it forms above 176°C it takes on a different physical structure and is known as Argentite, if the crystal is cooled below 173°C it will deform into the Acanthite crystalline structure. There is second crystalline structure of Argentite that is found above 586°C. Acanthite is the only form that you or I will ever see close up as the other forms are not stable at “normal” temperatures.

Remove Silver Tarnish, the Hard Way

So now that you know what it is, how do you get rid of it? There are any number of silver polishes out there that you can rub onto your silver item with a soft cloth or sponge and remove the tarnish with. Here are several examples that have been rated 4 stars or better by other users:

Remove Silver Tarnish, the Easy Way

Our setup to make silver dip polish is simple, easy and best of all, inexpensive. It uses common household items and is “Green”, otherwise known as environmentally friendly. Any reasonably stocked kitchen will have everything…

Silver Dip Polish Ingredients

Aluminum foil
Baking Soda: Sodium Bicarbonate; (NaHCO3)   -OR-
Washing Soda: Sodium Carbonate; (Na2CO3)
Hot water

Silver dip polish equipment

Glass, Plastic or foil container big enough to fill with water covering the silver item you want to clean
Maybe some tongs
Pan to heat water in

 
Place the foil in the bottom of the container. You will place the item to be cleaned on the foil. NOTE: you can use an aluminum foil pan like I’ve shown above and forgo the foil. Dissolve the soda in the hot water, pour it into the container, covering the foil NOTE: it doesn’t matter what type you use, some people add table salt to the solution too. What you are creating is an electrolyte (an electrically conductive solutions) you could use only salt too. (Perhaps an experiment?)
Place the item you want to remove the tarnish from into the container on top of the foil
it is important that the silver and aluminum contact each other. The reaction that converts the Silver tarnish (silver sulfide) back into silver requires that the two metals exchange electrons. As they exchange electrons, the sulfur is moved from the silver to the aluminum. This is done in the ionic electrolyte solution and is known as a single replacement reaction.

Depending on how thick the layer of tarnish is and how hot your solution, the tarnish can be removed nearly instantaneously. I’ll create and post a video for you to watch.

Once the tarnish is removed remove the item from the bath, rinse in cool fresh water and dry with a soft, lint free cloth.

What’s happening with the Silver dip?

You re witnessing a simple “Oxidation-Reduction” or “Red-Ox” (pronounced REE – Dox) reaction. One component is being reduced simultaneously while another is being oxidized. here is the overall chemical reaction and the “half” reactions: :
(s) means solid
(aq) means aqueous or “in solution”
 

Silver is Reduced (gains electrons):

Aluminum is Oxidized (loses electrons):

 

The arrow indicates that the reaction moves from left to right and the chemical above the arrow is our electrolyte. (Baking Soda)

Preventing Silver Tarnish

A question I’m often asked is “Is there a way to prevent silver tarnish in the first place?” and the answer is an absolute Yes. It requires some work and vigilance. All you need to do is prevent any sulfur from contacting the silver pieces. That can be done in a number of ways. Seal the silver pieces in an airtight container and remove all of the air from the container. You could use one of those food saver devices.

Probably an easier thing to do is to store them in a specially crafted silver storage box. We have a box that we were given as a wedding present. It was lined with a cloth that contains a compound that reacts preferentially with any sulfur compounds that get inside the box. That will wear out eventually as all of the active ingredient combines with the sulfur in the air. When that happens you can either by new cloths or these strips. These strips have the advantage of they can be used inside of larger cabinets. So, for example you want to display a silver coffee service that includes a tray and decanter, you simply lay one or two of these strips on the same shelf with your silver pieces.

These protective strips should be kept in a sealed bag if not being used to protect your silver. They will last longer in a closed environment than when in an open area. Some people report up to a year or more of useful life when sealed.

Please let me know in the comments below when you’ve made your own Silver Dip Polish and how it worked.

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Amateur radio operator numbers are increasing. This video is mostly correct, the reference to “ham to ham” contact is a bit of a stretch…

FROM FOX NEWS:

Radio Days Are Back: Ham Radio Licenses at an All-Time High

By Michelle Macaluso

Published November 22, 2011

The newest trend in American communication isn’t another smartphone from Apple or Google but one of the elder statesmen of communication: Ham radio licenses are at an all time high, with over 700,000 licenses in the United States, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Ham radio first took the nation by storm nearly a hundred years ago. Last month the FCC logged 700,314 licenses, with nearly 40,000 new ones in the last five years. Compare that with 2005 when only 662,600 people hammed it up and you’ll see why the American Radio Relay League — the authority on all things ham — is calling it a “golden age.”

“Over the last five years we’ve had 20-25,000 new hams a year,” Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the group, told FoxNews.com.

The unusual slang term — a “ham” is more properly known as an amateur radio operator — described a poor operator when the first wireless operators started out in the early 1900s. At that time, government and coastal ships would have to compete with amateurs for signal time, because stations all battled for the same radio wavelength. Frustrated commercial operators called the amateurs “hams” and complained that they jammed up the signal.

People like John Pritchett have used the slang term ever since.

“It takes an inquisitive mind that wants the challenge to speak with the rest of the world,” Pritchett told FoxNews.com. “I meet a lot of people as a result amateur radio. It’s a fascinating experience to meet somebody who you’ve talked to for years — when you finally meet them and go, wow, that’s you.”

Pritchett has been a ham for over 35 years. He sits in his ham shack slowly turning the dial on his amateur radio and listening attentively for a voice through the high radio frequency. But he’s not looking for aliens: Pritchett is dialing in to make contact with someone around the world.

“W6JWK, This is John in Fresno, California,” he says.

Pritchett can communicate with people around the globe or even astronauts in space by talking through his microphone or using Morse code.

With more people joining the hobby, local ham radio businesses are growing as well. Amateur Electronics Supply in Las Vegas sells everything to do with ham radios, from transceivers, amplifiers and antennas to handhelds.

“We have clientele from all walks of life,” manager Luke Rohn told FoxNews.com. “We have church groups who are interested in ham radio for a viable source of communication in times of natural disaster. We have young kids that find ham radio interesting. Maybe they’ve heard about it through their father and grandfather and it’s a lot of fun for them.”

According to the American Radio Relay League, retirees and emergency groups are among the main reasons for the nearly 30,000 new hams that pick up the hobby each year.

Ham is a boon for safety as well as a fun pastime: When normal communications methods fail and cellphone towers are jammed, ham radios will still work and can help out in disaster situations, because they don’t require towers to relay the signal.

“Amateur radio came into play very much during the major earthquake in the Bay Area in 1989. The only thing I had was a little handheld radio. Nothing else worked, telephones didn’t work, cellphones didn’t work, amateur radio just kept right on working,” Pritchett said.

Looking to ham it up a bit with some friends? Try a fox hunt — the radio equivalent of ham-to-ham combat. In a fox hunt, local amateur radio clubs search for a transmitter (called the fox) using their homemade antennas.

“The fox hunting is really fun — the thrill of the chase, the competition of being the first to find the transmitter,” said Rob Mavis, president of the Clovis Amateur Radio Pioneers club in Clovis, Calif.

Ham radio is inexpensive fun, as well: All you need is a couple hundred bucks to get started and a FCC license — which is free, but requires a $10 to $12 fee to cover expenses.

So join the latest craze — no iPhone app required.http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/11/17/radio-days-are-back-ham-radio-licenses-at-all-time-high/the original article can be found at the link.

I agree with the AES store owner that there is something magical about talking to someone else around the globe with the same amount of power as a 100W light bulb. I’ve done it with a homemade radio operating on much less power. This is the perfect time to get into the hobby as sunspots are hitting the peak of their 11year cycle.

Dan Increasing Amateur Radio Operators