Solar Cycle 25: Using The Sun's Radiation for HAM Radio

According to NASA, we're now reaching the peak of Solar Cycle 25, meaning our Sun is launching radiation toward Earth at it's highest rate since around 2019. For most of us this doesn't mean much; the radiation is blocked out by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field -sometimes, we get to see the aurora borealis (northern lights) as far south as the Midwest, as high solar radiation means more charged particles in the skies. But, for those of us involved in radio and telecommunications, the peak solar cycle can be an exciting event. Amateur radio clubs like the ARRL even make merchandise commemorating the event! So, it seems I got into HAM radio at the perfect time. 

Monitoring solar conditions for 10 meters

In my last article, I mentioned I wanted to expand beyond my FM (UHF and VHF) radio rig, which is perfect for transmitting clear voice radio signals about 30-40 miles in all directions reliably at all times. This reliability is why FM is the preferred mode for commercial radio these days, and why UHF and VHF are used by civil services, police, and emergency dispatchers. While other modes can broadcast farther, their signal strength may be unreliable during certain hours, or reception can worsen in certain areas. 

However HF radio, with short wave-heights, and longer wave-lengths -10, 40 and 80m etc, instead of 6, 2, and 70cm) can reach extremely far distances with the same or less power than UHF and VHF. One of the main factors impacting how far a radio wave can travel is the solar radiation in the atmosphere. Working on the 10 meter HF band, for example, is usually only possible during daylight hours, since waves on these frequencies rely on bouncing or scattering off of the Ionosphere's free electrons at about 100 to 500 miles above sea level. At night, without the sun's radiation, there are fewer electrons in the Ionosphere, but they gradually increase as the sun rises throughout the day. Typically, the increased layer of charged electrons during the day acts as a mirror or wall for 10 meter radio waves to bounce off of and propagate farther distances around the globe. At night, and during times of low solar radiation, the less-charged ionosphere absorbs these waves like a sponge, and prevents them from traveling far distances. 

Think of hitting a golf ball onto a hard plane, and watching it bounce farther and farther toward the pin, versus hitting into a muddy or water-logged area and seeing the ball stop dead as soon as it hits ground. Just like conditions on a golf course can impact the ball, conditions in the atmosphere can impact the course of a wave. So, while HF radio may be unreliable and unsuitable for critical communications, it's great for amateurs who want to communicate world-wide (when conditions allow), and experiment with different modes and propagation methods. 

While my Technician-class amateur license does not yet allow me to transmit on most of the HF bands, it does allow me to use a small portion of the 10 meter band (frequencies from 28 to 28.5 MHz). Some of those frequencies are restricted to digital modes, and others for single side-band (SSB) voice and continuous wave (CW)/Morse code. Since I don't know Morse code yet, I thought I'd try SSB with my new Yaesu FT-891 HF radio.

While FM uses an entire frequency bandwidth as it's carrier, single side-band transmissions use only one side of each frequency's bandwidth the upper (USB) or lower (LSB). While SSB transmissions can be more difficult to receive than FM, they allow for more transmitters to be heard within the same frequency range, and also propagate farther at lower power outputs. So, when communicating on SSB, it's important to be patient, listen very carefully, and also provide good signal reports back to whoever may be able to listen to you. For example, if you tell someone can hear you, but their response is fuzzy or faint, you'll want to communicate that very clearly so they can increase power, or move and adjust their antenna. 

It took some time, but I did get my very first SSB contact all the way across the pond in the United Kingdom (southern England to be exact)! This was very exciting, and quite gratifying, as I had only previously used SSB at my local radio club, with their pre-configured radios and antennas, and even then I was only able to get contacts in the continental US and Canada. This time, I used my own expertise, and with my very own radio and antenna, sent a signal bouncing off the Ionosphere. I was heard clearly on another continent. My mom always said I was cool!  

A report of radios receiving my signal

That said, it really is a great time to use the 10 meter band, so I'm lucky it's the one HF band available as a Technician-class licensee. As we near the peak of Solar Cycle 25, propagation on 10 meters is as good as it's been in years, and heightened solar activity allows propagation even at night and before dawn. At midday, it's actually possible for me to reach much father than Great Britain, even with a lower power output than I was using when I reached England. 

However, in the next 2-5 years, the solar cycle will begin to go into decline again, and the 10 meter band will become less-and-less reliable. Even during daylight hours it may be difficult to make SSB contacts within my own state, let lone overseas, at the low point of solar activity. I suppose that means I'll want to pass my General-class license exam, so I can use more of the available bands and modes to stay connected when our atmosphere starts to get a bit more "swampy," so to speak.

Beyond FM: Advancing in Amateur Radio

Contesting at the Ohio QSO party

As I type this I'm also speaking, and being heard clearly, across northeast Ohio and possibly parts of southern Ontario on a frequency of 146.82 Mhz thanks to a repeater tower in Seven Hills, Ohio just south of Cleveland. I've just got done checking into a regular "net" hosted by the Cuyahoga Amateur Radio Society (CARS) and will soon give some short comments about my FM rig, give my answer to the CARS weekly trivia question and and hear some announcements for the good of all listening. 

Nets, like the CARS net on Wednesday nights, are a big part of amateur radio on the 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands. They typically occur on posted frequencies at scheduled times and allow regional communication in a range typical of an FM radio station or over-the-air network TV station. Repeaters, large receiving and transmitting beacons, host each radio operator's signal and broadcast it over an output frequency that propagates at higher power for everyone in the region to hear. So, even if you have a small handheld transceiver (like my $25.00 5-watt Baofeng UV-5R) you can be heard as far as the repeater transmits, as long as you are close enough to the repeating tower. Additionally, some nets host EchoLink, which allows individuals with amateur licenses to connect to the repeating tower via the Internet, and then be heard over the air waves; this is particularly helpful for new hams who may not have a device or rig capable of transmitting to the nearest tower, as well as old hams who may have retired to sunny south Florida, but still want to check in with their radio pals in Cleveland.    

My contact history and range on the FM bands

Today, I was pretty happy. Because the CARS net control operator all the way in Parma, 35 miles northwest of my station in Kent, heard me loud and clear before the net even began. So, even without the help of CARS' repeater, my voice was being heard well over a good portion of northern Ohio. So, my big spring project was a success! Once the net began, I could expect even better propagation across the region on 146.82 Mhz, since my signal was then boosted by a commercial transmitter located on Cuyahoga County's high-point of Seven Hills, where most of Cleveland's local broadcast affiliates lease land for radio and TV towers. I've come a long way since watching Dick Goddard do the weather as a kid on WJW FOX 8 Cleveland!

But, what's next for Ham radio? Now that I've got my UHF/VHF rig built, and even made some contacts from my Baofeng at some outdoor sites and parks, where do I go from here? 

The answer is to explore DX'ing (making contact with radio operators in foreign and exotic locations) and Contesting (gathering as many contacts as possible in a competitive setting) on the HF and shortwave bands. And, for that I need a bigger, more expensive radio and more importantly a General Class amateur radio license. So, advancing in my HAM radio journey will take a significant effort and investment as my current Technician Class license will not allow me to use most of the HF bands where it's possible to transmit farther than just this corner of the state.

Luckily, I can begin experiencing the excitement of HF radio already, with help from my local radio club, The Portage County Amateur Radio Service (PCARS). They've got an arsenal of HF radios and equipment, a station to broadcast from, and a wealth of experience from group members at all levels. And, the best part about working with the club, is that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allows me to access all the available HF bands as long as I am under the supervision of the group. The same goes for non-licensed individuals who are interested in the hobby but unsure about testing for a license.  

One of PCARS' ICOM 7300 rigs

So, after attending a few events and joining PCARS, I've already got to use an ICOM IC-7300 HF transceiver at the club site, as well as a Yaesu FT-891 mobile rig out at the park. Both of these machines are excellent transceivers that I may purchase one day, but the units themselves plus any necessary accessories will run well into the thousand-dollar range. So, having the opportunity to use the club's equipment, as well as gauging my interest, is an important first step before I have a thousand-dollar piece of equipment collecting dust in my basement. Plus, being part of the club means that I don't really ever have to spend money on equipment again. If I want, I can contest and DX all I want with the club, and save my own money for something else like...sweet decals for my car.

Some of PCARS awards

Having not yet used the necessary equipment or contested on my own, I've already done both under club supervision. This past July, I made my very first HF contact on 15 meters taking part in Parks On the Air (POTA) from Lake Milton State Park. The following August, I participated in my first contest, The Ohio QSO party, from the PCARS club site. In that afternoon I officially logged my first five QSO's under the club's K8BF callsign: N3FLO (Pennsylvania), KV8P (Ohio), WA9TMU (Indiana), VO3NFM and VE3LFN (both from Ontario, Canada). Soon, I'll be taking part in Washington state's QSO contest known as the "Salmon Run," where I hope to make even more long-range contacts, and rake in points for our little club in Ohio. 

So, regardless of when I choose to test for my next license class or invest in more radio equipment, I'll continue to have fun and advance in amateur radio with help from PCARS. And, even if I choose to take a break from radio or focus on other things, I'll always be able to check-in on the various 2 meter and 70 centimeter FM nets in northeast Ohio. 

And, if anyone reading this heard my check-in on 146.82 Mhz on September 18th, reply in the comments. Especially if you were in Canada. I REALLY WANT to know if my signal can get across lake Erie... 

RETROSPECTIVE: Spurious Signals: Technology, Espionage and Football

As we officially end week one of the college football season, I thought I'd take a look back at an article I wrote about the new rules allowing in-helmet radio communication in games. After hundreds of games played over the past weekend, the system seems to be working quite well. In my observation, there was little noticeable difference visible to the casual fan, and -had TV the announcers not mentioned the change- I would hardly have noticed myself. 

Will Howard with ear-hole blocker in helmet

It seems the only minor issue may be that hearing the speaker in the helmet may be difficult for the Quarterback during offensive possessions, as they would often pause for seconds at a time cupping their hands over the helmets' ear-holes to better hear the audio. But crowd noise has always played a factor, and a Quarterback being unable to interpret the call from the sideline amidst the noise has been a part of the game forever. It's actually one of the more exciting characteristics of the sport; fans can actively impact the game by getting loud and interfering with one team's communication.

Interestingly, The Ohio State University, who plays in the enormous Ohio Stadium, seating 100,000-plus noisy fans, may have already planned for this. Their Quarterback, Will Howard, had a helmet which appeared to have an apparatus on the ear-hole to block the noise. I did not notice any other teams using such a device, and I'll be curious to see if more begin to appear in week two. Or, if ear-hole cover designs for The Riddel SpeedFlex or Schutt F7 helmets start popping up on 3D printing websites? Maybe I should buy a football helmet to craft one of my own for The Fabrication Lab. 

A few final things I noticed were that the hand signals and signs were still very much a factor, though likely not as noticeable to the spectator. NCAA rules currently cut-off in-helmet communication in the final 15 sections of the play clock. Additionally, with only one player selected to wear the radio helmet, other players would no-doubt still benefit from visual cues. So, as I predicted, any advantage or disadvantage brought fourth by the new rules, are very much determined by the humans playing and coaching the games (for now), and not the technology itself. The more talented (and better-prepared) teams take advantage of the new rules, while the rest fall short. So, in many ways, very little has changed. 

If you're interested, please give my old article on in-helmet communication in college football below a read, as well as Katie Lindendoll's intriguing article on ESPN.com, which provides a lot of critical and well-researched info on the subject...

 

Spurious Signals: Technology, Espionage and Football

For anyone who's never paid close attention to a college football sideline, it may look like a troupe of prop comics dancing all at once. The signs, props and posters are all part of a complex coding system intended to relay plays and strategies to the players on the field without tipping off the opponents. But beginning in Autumn of 2024, things will look much different. Prompted by a high-profile scandal involving sign-stealing, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) will adopt in-helmet radio communications between coaches and players.

With a presumably private line of communication between player and coach, there will no longer need to be a system of audible and visual queues to coordinate strategies on the field. Or will there? Will radio communication end sign-stealing, and even the playing field? Or, will it complicate things even more? 

In-helmet coach to player radio transmissions are common place in professional football already, and so far the results appear to be good. The National Football League (NFL) allows one player on offense (typically the quarterback) and one player on defense to hear play calls and advice from the sideline via a small radio in their helmet. Now, college football, often bound by history and sense of old-school tradition, has finally followed suit. 

As both an amateur radio operator and avid football fan, I was immediately curious about how these radio communications would be protected. How sophisticated are these radios? Is a sports team or league well-enough prepared to offer fully encrypted end-to-end communication without the possibility of transmissions being intercepted or blocked by bad actors? That may sound paranoid, but when you consider that the NFL is a close-to 20 billion dollar per-year industry, and that collegiate sports generate hundreds of millions for universities, conferences, coaches and now the players themselves, the financial pressure to cheat must be at an all-time high. Additionally, with recent legalization of online sports gambling, third parties now have another way to potentially cash-in on illicit activities involving sports. Could radio waves be a way to hack the system?

I, as an inexperienced amateur radio operator, can surreptitiously listen in on a lot of seemingly private radio conversations. With a scanner, I can pick up police, public works, commercial and aviation communications very easily. The Uniden BC125AT scanner, which retails at about $105 (USD) not only scans through all available radio frequencies stopping on any "hits" or active/open conversations, it also scans for and prioritizes privacy tone, or DCS/CTCCS, protected calls as well as "Close Call" hits that originate within a certain distance. With the Uniden, I can hear air traffic control, police, emergency services, commercial, GMRS, MURS and family walkie-talkie communications within reception distance. This would include business, event and organization, security, parking and other radio-to-radio communications. When programmed correctly, I don't even need to know there's a conversation happening, the scanner simply searches all frequencies and stops when it gets a hit.

If I take my Uniden to the airport, I can hear the gate attendant talk with the baggage crew on the runway, the pilots or airport security -assuming they are using a commercially radio or walkie-talkie. If I go to a NASCAR or Formula 1 car race, I can hear the drivers talk to their mechanics during the race. With a strong enough antenna (but still small enough to fold and carry in a small bag), I can even hear the astronauts on the International Space Station. So, I thought, what type of radio systems are these football teams going to be using to relay schemes and strategies with the potential to win or lose a game? If, I, an inexperienced amateur, can eavesdrop on police transmissions and air traffic, what protections are in place to stop an advanced user with better equipment from accessing a team's private channel? 

Thankfully, if the NCAA adopts the same security protocols as the NFL next season, players and fans can be relatively confident that no such spy-craft will be happening. A 2012 article by Katie Lindendoll on ESPN.com explains it better than I can. According to Lindendoll's article, and Dan Viglione, former employee of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the NFL's system is quite sophisticated. It involves encryption (which is illegal for amateur use), and both teams' communications are monitored by the league office. Unlike a standard walkie-walkie or GMRS radio, where transmission occurs directly from one user's radio to others, the NFL helmet radios transmit audibly, only to a central hub somewhere in the stadium and then connect the audio to a press box or the sideline. The transmission is digitally encrypted, so even if a person managed to find which frequencies were carrying the message -which is illegal, if done intentionally- all they would hear is fuzz, if anything at all.

The same happens when a coach in the press box or on the sideline talks back to the player wearing the helmet. During this process, the league monitors for any abnormalities such as jamming or spurious interference, which while possible, would likely block both teams radios, as well as other phones and devices in the area. If such a thing were to happen, officials could stop the game, and locate the culprit. 

Essentially, the helmet communications are a slightly more sophisticated version of your cellular or WiFi network. Your phone calls and texts don't go directly to the recipient, they go to an antenna somewhere nearby, forwarded to the intended recipient, and get decoded on the listener's end. And, it is very illegal to look for or attempt to decipher messages on the cellular bands. In this way, your cell provider acts like a hardwired switching board protecting your call each step of the way. (It's why you can be sure I'm not listening in on your private cellphone calls). Your WiFi network works like a mini cell service in your own home with the router acting as the switchboard. If you have your network set-up properly using WPA-type encryption and a strong password (that you don't give away readily!), the data in your home should be just as safe. 

The key factor here is less about the technology and more about the common-sense physical steps we as people take to protect our privacy. A well-secured network is only as good as the password it uses, and how well we protect that password. If our WiFi access info is written on a Post-it note, and someone else sees it, it's not the technology that failed, but the person who put the code out there for any passersby to see. Can we be sure that the staff members working for both the teams and the league are taking the appropriate steps to secure access to helmet radio communications? Who outside of the teams and officials could have the access info, or simply be present while a coach messages a player?  

From instant replay in football to the shot clock in basketball, just about every sport has adopted some sort of technology on the field of play. Whether it's for officiating or strategizing, teams and officials have slowly but surely adopted technologies invented for commerce, science and governing for the purpose of competition. While sports tend to lag behind broader society in adopting technology, the possibility to gain an unfair or illegal advantage, or to cheat, has always been present. It's no surprise, then, that as technology in sport grows so to do the vectors from which bad actors can game the system, including electronic communications.

College football seems to be the latest battlefield in the fight to keep playing field equal for all teams. A high-profile cheating scandal involving this past year's national champion, and nationally popular football powerhouse, The University of Michigan Wolverines, erupted in the mid-2023 season. A paid member of the Michigan coaching staff was caught at multiple opponents' games filming the teams' sidelines, in an apparent attempt to record and break future opponents' vocal and visual signal codes. After the revelation, many of Michigan's opponents expressed that they had long held suspicions that something was afoot, that somehow Michigan knew what plays their competitors intended to run in advance. If this all sounds a bit too outlandish, like something out of a Cold War spy novel, you clearly have a lot to learn about college football in the United States. It is that crazy. 

The Michigan scandal is still being investigated by both the Big Ten conference and the NCAA, and the result remains to be seen. Furthermore, sign-stealing and code breaking have been common place in both professional and amateur football since the invention of the sport itself. It's actually not against the rules to try and de-code a signal system during the game itself. What Michigan is accused of is traveling to future opponents' facilities and filming games where they are not involved, which is illegal. Still the NCAA regulations themselves allow for a considerable "grey area," where the line between breaking and bending the rules is often thin. 

Will radio communication lead to a more well-defined rule book, and put an end to this sort of rule-bending, or will it further complicate ethics surrounding the sport. Worse, could it lead to methods of cheating so clandestine and advanced that they go unnoticed by both fans and officials? Only time will tell, but until the results are clear, lets hope the only interceptions happening in football are those involving throwing and catching the pigskin. 

Lindendoll, Katie, “Are NFL teams hacking helmet headsets,” ESPN.com, ESPN, 2012.  

Fabrication Lab: Designing & Printing HAM Radio Accessories

When I first began printing I was happy to download and print existing 3D models, but my ultimate goal was always to design my own. The problem was, I didn't have any idea what I wanted to design. But that changed this summer when my HAM radio station (KD9ZDY) started growing bigger and more sophisticated. Suddenly, I needed storage for radio equipment, brackets for radios, cable management devices, antenna structures, temperature management devices and other little things all unique to my own set-up. My two seemingly different hobbies began to merge and dovetailed to great effect!

For many HAM radio enthusiasts, part of the fun is designing and building rigs and kits; whether it's a mobile transceiver perfectly tucked under the dash of their car, a weather-proof travel box for POTA (Parks On The Air) excursions or the perfect low-profile antenna for a basement apartment with a stingy landlord, HAM operators are nothing if not creative and resourceful. I discovered my first opportunity for design work while looking for a mounting bracket online for my ICOM-2730 radio. The accessories available online were just too expensive, so I decided to design my own bracket to neatly connect the head and control panel to the radio body, and mount to put the radio neatly in place on my shelf.

Before this past year my only experience was using SelfCad Pro to add detailing to a mostly-created 3D image. The process was difficult and time consuming, and for the most part I didn't have many ideas for what to design on my own. Most of the things I enjoyed printing, ancient landmarks, Star Trek ships, car and aircraft models were already designed and available to print -often for free. So paying for SelfCad Pro at $14.99 per month just wasn't worth investment. Though the free trial was useful in learning a bit more about pre-slice design work. 

My design on Rhino 8

When I ventured back into CAD design, I decided rather than paying a monthly fee for SelfCad Pro, I wanted to go with software I could buy once and use forever. I settled on trying Rhinoceros' Rhino 8 software, since it had good reviews online from 3D print designers and offered a 90 day full trial with all features available. I watched some YouTube videos, and got started making my radio brackets. The multi-part Rhino Essentials videos are particularly helpful. While slow at first, they do a wonderful job explaining basic layout and terminology for someone with absolutely zero experience in CAD. After the end of video 2, I had basically all the knowledge I needed to make the basic shapes of my bracket and shelf, and printed my design. In total, from start to finish, it took about 4-6 hours measuring, watching and re-watching the 15-minute videos, and drafting the design on Rhino 8 to get the hang of the software. While I still had a lot to learn, this experience was enough to convince me to purchase the full license for Rhino 8. The free online learning content, and common CAD terminology offered by Rhino were also selling points. As a novice designer it was good to know I had a wealth of instructions as well as an interface that uses similar logic as other CAD programs. I felt Rhino 8 was worth the investment, should I need to use another program or even go into the design or manufacturing field professionally one day.  

So far, my investment has paid off. Not only do I have a bracket and mount for my ICOM radio, I also have a storage box perfectly sized for my NanoVNA network analyzer, a dummy load, and various coaxial adapters and a mini ARRL logbook -all must-have HAM accessories.  

Custom cooling tray in-use

Most notably, I created a cooling tray for my RTL-SDR USB dongle, featured in this article. This design serves two purposes: 1.) it keeps the dongle plugged into my laptop (because it always fell out), and 2.) I has a fan to cool it down (because it got so darn hot while running). Since the cooling tray design may be useful for others with the RTL-SDR or similar devices, I decided to make it my first publicly available print. You can find it today on Cults 3D or Creality Cloud. It's free, and available to all, to download or adapt as desired.  

As I continue with both my amateur radio and CAD/3D printing hobbies, I should have plenty more opportunities to design new and useful tools and devices. While I can always use more storage and cable management in the HAM shack, I may venture into mobile radio and take part in POTA events as well as field days in future, and I can already think of different shapes and designs that will help in packing equipment, and setting up a mobile HF station/antenna. HAM equipment is expensive as it is, and accessories, even for storage, can be an additional financial burden and may not fit my set-up exactly how I want it. So, I'll absolutely continue working with Rhino 8 and my Creality printers to create and test new equipment as the need arises. I may even create something others will find useful as well!

Fabrication Lab: An Honest Review of the Printers

In my last article, I mentioned that I would review my current and past printers: The Creality K1 Max, The Ender 3 and the Sermoon V1, all Creality brand printers. 3D printing is relatively new and it attracts a user-base of passionate individual hobbyists who spend their own hard-earned dough. So, there's a lot of controversy regarding which brands do what best. So, I wanted to provide the best consumer information based on my experiences. 

I initially got interested in 3D printing in 2021 when I saw some printers running at Kent State University's Design Innovation Hub where students and local residents can access public equipment. Later that year, I looked on Amazon for 3D printer prices and found that they were far less expensive than I thought. I decided, based on my income, I could afford something between 200 and 400 dollars, and with little experience, I settled on two possible options a Flashforge printer and Creality's Sermoon V1. The draw of both of these printers were that they were enclosed, they promoted being able to print multiple materials (beyond PLA plastic) and they promoted some level of "out-of-the-box" printing with auto-leveling, which was said to make the process easier. These two models were also marked down roughly 75 dollars during a temporary promotion. Ultimately, the choice was made for me when the Flashforge arrived either damaged or faulty, and I had it sent back. After I got my refund, I chose the Creality Sermoon V1 because it was still on sale while the Flashforge model was no longer available at the cheaper price. So basically, that's how I started out with a Creality printer. I'm sure, if I were to re-order a working version of the Flashforge, it would have been fine, but I never had the chance. I will say the return process for Flashforge was painless, and I had my refund in less than a week. 

Working with the Sermoon V1, I found that while it worked as well as I could hope, it also lacked in certain areas. First it was not at all a "print out-of-the box" printer, and it did not auto-level. What it do was allow you to micro-step each corner of the printing bed with a button on the controller display. So, it took just as long as hand-turning a tension knob to level the bed. Plus, being totally new to the hobby, I had not yet learned how to download files, slice them and use the appropriate settings to make sure over-hangs were properly supported and and my models were well-adhered to the build plate. For about two months, at least half of my model attempts were failing in some way or another -even the samples pre-programmed onto the operating system. Additionally, my first few attempts at printing in the more stable ABS plastic were not good. First off, the odor of the ABS plastic (at build temperature) easily permeated the Sermoon's enclosure; secondly the printer just didn't seem to handle ABS well at all. Even at the appropriate temperature, ABS caused problems with clogging in the nozzle. Eventually, I got the hang of using my Sermoon V1, but in hindsight it was clear that some some of the "extras" it advertised as a step-up from other printers weren't all that great. I continued to stick with the Sermoon for a good 3 years working mostly with PLA plastic, since I primarily made indoor models and toys, for which a better material was not necessary. With the benefit of experience, I became a lot more successful, but I also knew what to look for in a upgrade when the time came. 

In spite of my early troubles with the Creality Sermoon, I did choose to continue with the Creality brand when I bought a new printer. I was familiar with their slicing software, and they offer not only lots of models, but replacement parts. They also supported more third-party replacement parts than any other brand I was familiar with. So, things like nozzles, extruders, hot-ends and build plates could be replaced if they were to fail in the long-term. Ultimately, this was why I stuck with Creality. In a new industry, I was confident their products would continue to be made, and parts would continue to be made for them, either by Creality themself or a third-party manufacturer.

My next choice was the Creality K1 Max. It was about twice as expensive as my original Sermoon, but it advertised exactly what I wanted in a upgrade. A large 300x300 millimeter build space, true auto-leveling, an internal camera, WiFi-capable over-network printing, one of the highest varieties of supported printing materials, and really fast printing speed. When I purchased it, I was not at all disappointed. If there ever was a print out-of-the-box system, this was it. It came pretty much built; all I needed to do was set it down, add the filament and, boom, it was already printing one of it's pre-programmed models. It look me about 8-16 hours of following instructions, and making adjustments before I got my previous printer going, and the K1 Max was printing in minutes. On average, it prints at least three times faster than than the old one, with no loss in quality. Not to mention, it really does level itself! After about six months, I've had zero issues that were not due to my own mistakes in slicing.   

If there is one area where the K1 Max falls short, it may be its advertised "Artificial Intelligence," LiDAR detection. While I do engage the optional AI settings, I'm still not sure what benefit it brings over modelling without the AI. At best, it does a test pattern, makes the first level of your print, and scans the LiDAR over it to make sure it's not faulty in some way, before moving forward. If an issue is detected the printer pauses, and allows the user to fix and move ahead or cancel the print. But, I don't think that high-tech feature is any more effective than just watching the print and cancelling it, if it's bad for some reason. Honestly, I think Creality may be trying to capitalize a bit on the "Artificial Intelligence" craze, when in reality it's just offering the same machine logic used in manufacturing for decades. 

That said, the speed and build space alone make it worth the effort. Plus all the K1's offer a robust enclosure with 3 ventilation fans, and filtering material in the box fans that genuinely cut down on the odor from ABS plastic builds. For me, the K1 Max has met my expectations for a high-end printer. 

However, perhaps my most interesting diversion was not an upgrade at all but a downgrade, to the Creality Ender 3. At just around 160 bucks, I thought I'd give it a try. Needless to say, having started with a 400 dollar printer and moving to a nearly 1000 dollar printer, I did not have high expectations for the 160 dollar Ender 3. And, it definitely proved to be a demanding and difficult, if not enlightening, process getting started. The neat part about the Ender brand, is that it's parts are all open-source and standardized, meaning that while the starter printer is really in-expensive, you've got endless options to upgrade and customize it with multiple competing third-party vendors. While it's got an introductory price, it's not a printer for the inexperienced, but rather a base-model for experience printers who want to tinker and upgrade their set-up. (At least that's how I see it). The open-source nature of the product ensures cheap replacement parts will always be available as well. 

After making a few successful prints on the Ender 3, it was clear to me that this was more of a learning project than anything. The K1 Max was so dependable and fast that it would be pointless using the Ender 3 as anything other than an experimental unit -something I could use for learning. For my first "experiment" I replaced the stock extruder and filament feeder with a MicroSwiss REVO NG "Direct Drive" extruder, which was about 150 dollars. The MicroSwiss upgrade allows the Ender 3 to print more materials including ABS, replaces the clunky gear-catch filament feeder, and makes switching filaments a breeze. Replacing the existing extruder was a fun challenge, I had to be comfortable with cutting, stripping, soldering and crimping wires (a skill I initially learned setting up my first VHF/UHF radio station), and also be able to dis-assemble and re-assemble the machine. It worked great, and I felt like McGuyver playing with all those tools. Also, the MicroSwiss extruder was a huge benefit as well. My Ender 3 could now print multiple new materials types, but it also made replacing filaments so much easier, cutting out half of the re-loading process from the original set up. It also heats up faster as well, turning five to ten minutes of wait-time into about two. With a 150 dollar investment and some extra work, I turned a 160 dollar Ender 3 into a printer that rivals those in the 400 to 500 dollar range. Also, as an enthusiast in the hobby, I just enjoy seeing it run!

As I mentioned before, the hobby has it's share of controversy, and Creality take it's share of criticism. The major criticism is that their customer support and maintenance service is lacking. I don't disagree, it's a huge company based in China, so getting assistance from a human being in real-time is difficult, if not impossible. You notice this immediately when opening their products. Compared to well-known US-based consumer appliances, and even a lot of foreign brands, who typically provide a good amount of user literature, Creality basically just had a QR code, or instructions to find a website and look up the product you just bought for basic set-up instructions. With so many different product lines and brands, it can be difficult to find the correct model. Did I buy the "Creality CR-10," "CR-10 Smart" or "SR-10 SE," or did I get the "Ender 3" or" Ender 3 Version 3?" yes, those are all different actual printers. I've found that random Youtubers have created better tutorials in their garages, than Creality produces on its own. 

Another criticism is that Creality's quality control is inconsistent at best, allowing flawed broken products to be sent out far more often than established appliance brands would. Fortunately, I haven't had this problem with any of my Creality printers. And my experience with Flashforge suggests it may be an issue with 3D printers in-general, rather than something specific to Creality. However, while customer support may be lacking, you should always be able to send a new product back as Creality offers a 90 day no-questions-asked return policy through Amazon as well as other retailers. So, if you do get a flawed product, or are just unhappy with it, you can re-box it and send it back with no risk. This put my mind at easy after hearing some users reporting critical issues with some K1 Max models. While it may be difficult getting in touch with a person at Creality to ask a question, it is at least easy to send the whole product back if you're not happy with it. So, these are all things to consider if you're looking into one of Creality's printers.

In summary, I'm sure there are some brands to avoid when purchasing 3D printers, but Creality is an industry leader for a reason. In general, the lesson I learned with Creality 3D printers is that you don't pay for the quality of prints necessarily, you pay for faster, easier printing at the same quality level. In other words, a less expensive printer won't necessarily create bad prints, it will just take more time and effort to make the same product that a more expensive printer does. Additionally while Creality may lack in customer service and quality control, they offer a 90-day return policy, so be diligent in your first few weeks with a Creality. If it's not working properly, too much of a hassle to get working properly (or you just decide you don't want it) send it back for a refund.  

For more information on my printers and stories about my hobby, check out the "3D printing"and "Fab Lab" tabs to the right.

Introducing the Cubical Ruins Fabrication Lab!

Now that I'm up and running at my new "home-base," I thought I'd introduce the "Fabrication Lab," a new section for the CR blog. Inspired by the versatile "fabricator" from the Subnautica game, or the "replicators" of Star Trek, the Fabrication Lab will focus on my 3D printing hobby, and other ways to create things... from stuff.

If you've been reading The Ruins lately, you might think I'd put my 3D printing hobby on hold, since I've been focusing exclusively on amateur radio. But, not only have I still been printing, I've made some significant investments in my set-up. Seizing on the opportunity to work from home full time, I finally gave-up the lease on my city apartment of the past nine years -as much as I loved it- and moved to a more spacious home (station, outpost, lair etc). Here, I have a basement workshop to set-up my lab. And, I used the space to replace my old Sermoon V1 with two awesome, but very different, printers: The Creality K1 Max, the high-end workhorse, and The Creality Ender 3, a different thing entirely.

I cannot stress enough how different these two printers, the K1 Max on the higher-end of the newest crop of 3D printers, and the Ender 3 being one of the cheapest printers available, and rapidly becoming outdated. However, working with both of these machines, as well as engaging with the greater 3D printing community online, I've learned a lot and boosted my skill and expertise to the next level.

If you recall from my previous articles on 3D printing, I basically stuck to making toys and cool models, and doing very little with the slicing software other than scaling, splitting and adding details to existing models and .stl files. Yes, I could adjust the supports and adhesion when necessary, but I mostly stuck with the recommended factory settings. After I moved, and my Sermoon V1 broke down, I started browsing the Reddit 3D printing communities, and noticed just what a wide range of print-qualities, and styles, were actually out there. I had assumed things like layer-lines, seams, and bumpy or grainy prints were standard, but even the basic store-brand slicing software has a lot of options to mitigate, or even totally hide some of the tell-tale signs of 3D printing, making a model look like it was cut strait from marble. 

Leveling has always been important, as I first found out, but temperature, print speed, material selection, and even the texture and cleanliness of your build plate can have a drastic impact on the quality of your print. Having two printers, one of which prints up to 10 times faster than my old one, makes it much easier to test new settings. Seeing and tweaking the print settings on my models makes a difference between one test print and the next. Without going into everything, I'll detail the major aspects of what I learned below...

Printer Quality Simply put, the higher the quality of your printer, the better your models will look with less effort. That doesn't mean a less expensive printer won't create beautiful, professional quality models, just that the cheaper models require more work and time from the user to achieve the same result.

The Creality K1 Max, which retails for about $800 USD, is one of Creality's best printers, and it's light years ahead of my other printers. Of course, the trade-off is that it costs twice as much as the other two combined. It supports just about every material type for stereolithography (SLA) printing, and as long as the temperature settings are correct, it will produce quality-looking prints for each. This, compared to the Ender 3, which only supports PLA filament out-of-the-box, and my previous Sermoon V1, which supports PLA and ABS (but seemed to clog and fail repeatedly when using the more robust ABS plastic). Most notably the K1 Max prints way faster, with no loss in quality. It also offers LAN (over-network/WiFi) printing, and a built-in camera so you can monitor larger projects remotely, and easily pause or cancel them if something goes awry.  

Perhaps it's best feature is true auto-leveling. Unlike my other printers, which I level manually, continually making sure each corner of the printing surface is perfectly level -to a paper-thin threshold -with screw knobs, the K1 Max uses a laser beam fixed to the extruder to perfectly re-level itself before each print. 

Adhesion & Support This was obvious even as a novice printer. Without bed adhesion, glue, a textured build-plate or a brim around the bottom edges of your print, you could see corners of your print warping, or even the whole model slide off the surface. And, supports are often necessary with large over-hangs which will collapse if there's not a temporary support structure holding it in place. 

Basic slicing software, such as Creality Print and Cura UltiMaker, will alert you if there's a danger of an over-hang collapsing or an adhesion issue, then add the recommended accommodations, but often these standard recommended support and adhesion tools ruin the quality of the print itself. For example, an adhesive brim may not totally tear away after printing, leaving unsightly plastic burring from the bottom edges of your model, and some supports leave marks after being removed, or worse, are so stuck on the model, they break it when detached. Sometimes these safety features are so over-done, it's worth risking a failed or collapsed print just to go without them. 

However, with more experience on the slicing software, there are details I've become more accustomed to "fine-tuning." For example, you can adjust the spacing and perforation connecting the superfluous support and adhesion structures so they still hold the print safely, but remove easier with minimal scaring to the details of the actual model. After more time printing, I often dispense with the standard settings, and set my own preferences as I know more precisely how well my printers hold certain over-hangs, and how well certain sizes and shapes stick to the build plate. Often, zero or minimal superfluous structures are needed, but it took some time before I became confident abandoning the standard settings which are there for good reason. 

 

Cooling A good cooling fan, and well programed "slice" or .gcode file, which tells the printer how exactly to print your shape or model, are important parts of the process. Just about every SLA printer will have a model fan which cools the model and the extruder nozzle throughout the print. Using the advanced settings, you can choose when, during your print, to employ the fan for the best result. Basic settings will engage the fan once the nozzle gets to a certain temperature. But, when slicing, you can also choose to employ the fan at critical points such as when the print handles overhangs. This way unsupported filament gets "frozen" in place, rather than melting downward when there's nothing beneath it. You can also employ the fan after the first few layers of a print, so it holds in-place steadily before continuing onto subsequent layers.    

Ironing & Z-seam positioning One inescapable reality of 3D printing, is the noticeable texture of prints compared to conventional manufacturing. SLA printing is done in layers, leaving a visible, lined texture throughout most prints, and a seam where the printer stops one stream of filament and adds another. In many cases these tell-tale signs of a 3D print are subtle, and sometimes add character to the print, but when it's important for the product to have a smooth seamless surface, your slicer application has ironing and seam-hiding options to program into your model's gcode. 

Ironing, as the name suggests, is just like a clothing iron. It's essentially a finishing option where the heated nozzle will go over the top or all visible layers of the model one or more times without extruding filament in order to smooth the final product. The quality on the ironing job will depend on the quality of the printer as well as the material and color you're using. For example, a graded, silky color may not look as good flattened as it does printed naturally, and certain types of material, like darker ABS colors are prone to show signs of swirling, melt lines, where the ironing takes place. So like other advanced settings, it's best to try different tests with each print to get the best result.

Additionally, most slicers will allow you to position the Z-seam -the visible line along which the nozzle stops and reverses direction- on the back of a model or even at a natural angled corner so it's not as visible. You can also stagger the reverse positions on each layer, so there is no single seam. However, sometimes this stagger can result in bumps or blemishes as the seam starts and ends at various points along the print, rather than hidden along one edge. 

There is no perfect finish-type for all prints and models, and many people will still sand, paint and polish their models post-print to get it just right. 

Stay tuned for future editions of the Fabrication Lab where I'll cover more topics, including a review of the Creality K1 Max and Ender 3; an article on using third-party upgraded parts for the Ender 3, including an all new MicroSwiss replacement extruder, and a deep dive into CAD modeling on Rhinoceros software and creating a new stl file from scratch. I'll also post some of my very own 3D designs made with Rhino 8.