iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 22/09/2026

This Ultrawarp Apple II accelerator has been waiting to be assembled since before I moved nearly four years ago. Wasn’t feeling good Sunday night, so I tackled this as an easy project to focus on. I’ll test it out some night this week.

Ultrawarp Apple II accelerator board, unassembled.

2131

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 21/09/2026

Picked this broken CRT testing up during the summer when I found that my other CRT tester lacked its full adapter set. Due for a recap, each paper cap is at least 50% out of tolerance. Lacking necessary values, I replaced what I had in stock and waiting on the others.

Inside of the tester showing a leaky bad capacitor

Two capacitors replaced with modern electrolytics.

350

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/09/2026

Added the tube socket test adapters to my collections, then cleaned up the IBM VOM-2A. The back cover is heavily warped and there is battery damage, but it cleaned up well and I expect this meter will work.

Drawer full of assorted tube socket test adapters and related tube tools. There are mostly socket test adapters for various tv tubes, but also receiving tube test adapters.

Side angle view of the IBM VOM in its leather case

Close-up view of the IBM VOM showing the “Property of IBM” label

020

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/09/2026

Took my dog for his morning walk, saw a neighbor, and now I’m the new owner of a dirty and worn IBM VOM-2A, a couple tube socket test adapters, and a small mix of tv and radio tubes.

VOM-2A in its original IBM case on the left, on the right a box of tubes with a couple socket test adapters on top.

VOM-2A in its original IBM case with the case open in front, behind it a box of tubes with a couple socket test adapters on top.

Side view of the VOM-2A showing the adjustment knob

Back panel of VOM-2A showing it was made by National Instruments Inc, New Haven, Connecticut

070

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 18/09/2026

Cassette deck of the vintage Zenith casseiver works and sounds pretty good playing back a tape l recorded off an old record some 30+ years ago.

073

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 18/09/2026

Gift from my fiancée, a super aesthetic 1980s Zenith FM/AM/Cassette stereo. Need to test the cassette deck, but it’s fully functional otherwise and in amazing shape.

1142

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 13/09/2026

Current state of my lab bench. Haven’t had much time to work on it, but I steal some time here and there. Still some organizing to finish, but it’s a functional workbench and I have projects to work on 😁

Wide view of the lab bench and associated shelves. Left of the bench is mostly parts, to the right of the bench is a rolly cart full of more parts, behind that is mostly big test equipment and projects.

Closer view of the lab bench. Most commonly used test equipment on main surface, lesser used on upper surface. Middle surface contains commonly used components for projects.

Even closer view, this is mostly what I see when working

290

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 13/09/2026

Lab workbench is clean, thus it’s time for some early Sunday morning radio work. This KLH was rescued from recycling, reported to work, but very dirty. Took some elbow grease and Deoxit, but it looks good and sounds good 😄

Front panel of a dirty KLH model 18 FM tuner

Case of the KLH model 18 FM tuner being cleaned

1120

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 12/09/2026

Building another custom Apple IIc. Started with a loose untested board, black MacEffects case, new speaker, custom floppy blank, and a Xdrive2c (purchased for a different project). Waiting on a black Xdrive2c sidecar and some screws to finish it.

3d printer printing a floppy drive faceplate blank

Freshly printed floppy drive faceplate blank

The Apple IIc with Xdrive2c Sidecar and floppy drive blank installed.

193

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 29/08/2026

Dusted off the Quicksilver G4 DAW for some side projects and a little fun. This system has a 1.6GHz G4 Sonnet upgrade and a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card with midi support. 1.5GB of RAM and dual hard drives. Had to clean the contacts of the RAM and PCI card, but it seems stable now.

Motherboard of the Quicksilver G4 showing the Sonnet CPU upgrade.

0120

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 25/08/2026

Dusted off a Mac clone so that a friend’s daughter could run BeOS. Troubleshot some bad ram, then pulled ram out of different clone to bring it up to 32MB.

CRT monitor close up showing the system specs, 180MHz 32MB RAM. GLTeapot is also running on the screen.

View of the PowerComputing PowerBase 180 running BeOS.

080

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 04/08/2026

Sickest summer in 15-20 years, but my Audi is back on the road. In between multiple illness I replaced the bad exhaust, fixed multiple electrical and water intrusion issues, and replaced the leaking intercooler intake pipe and hoses. Still some minor issues, but it easily passes inspection now.

2006 Audi A3 sport in Venetian violet during a fresh rain.

Audi under repair while wildfire smoke was hitting us bad.

Old intercooler intake pipe and hoses behind new intercooler pipe.

Underside of the engine with the new intercooler intake pipe and hoses installed.

030

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/06/2026

Really wanted to accomplish one thing today, so I dusted off my Prusa Mini clone, swapped nozzles, then quickly calibrated it. Set it up to print some brackets that I’ll probably need soon.

A purple Prusa Mini clone printing brackets.

130

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/06/2026

CD player in my Audi stopped working at some point. Figured out how to get it playing, might have a fix. Once I’m better I’ll get it all back together and verify.

020

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 10/06/2026

Out walking my dog and notice a rusty vintage tv by my neighbor’s shop. Start talking, $5 later it’s mine and I’m making an offer on vintage Heathkit test equipment.

Rusty General Electric portable TV from the 50s

Surprisingly complete and the CRT doesn’t not appear to be damaged. Good for parts or a challenging restoration

Heathkit Visual Aural signal tracer ontop of a 6/12V battery eliminator. To the left of it is a vacuum tube voltmeter. All dusty, but complete

Visual aural signal tracer with eye tube and original probes.

5345

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 30/05/2026

Fixed my car just in time for my friend’s car to break down. Cold and rainy, will look at it later when the rain subsides.

Car with a front wheel partially dislocated.

030

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 30/05/2026

Driving the Audi and it seems to be running fine. Idling smooth, no error or warning lights, no codes. A few more small repairs then off to the inspection station where it’ll hopefully pass. It’ll be nice having a small economical car back on the road.

My Venetian Violet 2006 Audi A3 Sport, repaired and back on the road after more than a few years.

160

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 28/05/2026

#MeshCore #LoRa repeater antenna installed. Exciting things are being done by Springfield.community 😄

Photo of a mesh core repeater that is powered by a solar panel. This was taken through a screen window.

Mesh core antenna installation on top of old vent pipe

020

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 27/05/2026

Another day another Audi repair. Found a big chunk of intercooler hose missing. Patched it up and suddenly the car idles correctly again. Everything on the list is complete except a vacuuming. Fingers crossed everything is fixed and stays fixed. #carrepair #audi

Front of Audi after a wash. It is sitting up on ramps for service. Behind it is a carriage house with a carriage door ajar. To the left is a VW EOS with a broken roof.

Another angle of the Audi after a wash. To the right of it is my VW bus, behind it a carriage house with one carriage door ajar.

160

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 06/03/2026

Three generations of PowerMac, G3, G4, and G5, some of Apple’s best case designs #MARCHintosh

The Power Macintoshes on stairs. In the forefront i is a PowerMac G5, two stairs up behind it is a graphite G4. In the back on the landing is a blue and white PowerMac G3.

0215

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 05/03/2026

Cracked Mac Website hosted on my ‘cracked’ Macintosh Plus is online at both crackedmac.ddns.net and crackedmac.ddns.net It’s not fast, but it works 😄 #MARCHintosh

Macintosh Plus with a large external hard drive on the side. On the screen is MacHTTP web server showing activity and logs.

Screenshot of the cracked Mac website https://crackedmac.ddns.net:8080

1173

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 05/03/2026

Don’t have my PowerBook 165 on the network yet, thus I pulled out the 3400c to update the website hosted on my Mac Plus #MARCHintosh

1133

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 01/03/2026

Wires found, everything connected, Mac Plus troubleshot and booting, AppleTalk gateway offline … misplaced the drive for it and haven’t found the right image yet 😆 #MARCHintosh

Macintosh Plus with 4 MB of RAM and running MacOS 7.1.

Macintosh 476 used as an AppleTalk gateway, awaiting a microSD card with the correct image on it.

0155

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 01/03/2026

It’s been a few years, it is past time to get this cracked Mac Plus back online. #MARCHintosh

A stack of vintage computers with a NAS and network equipment on top.

A Macintosh Plus with noticeable cracks in the plastics.

0227

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 07/02/2026

My dog took a nap on my subwoofer. He can be a silly boy 😆

A beige and black and grey dog resting his head on the subwoofer of the Harmon-Kardon Soundsticks.

A beige and black and grey dog asleep with his head on the subwoofer of the Harmon-Kardon Soundsticks.

070

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 30/01/2026

Doesn’t look like much now, but after being used as storage for the last couple of years this room is in the beginning stages of becoming a dedicated vintage computer lab. Progress is slow but steady.

Photo of a room with three windows with two small closets in between them. There is a small computer desk on the right side with cleaning and renovation materials on it.

Photo of the same room as other image, showing opposite side of room with shelves with electronics and books, dog cage, boxes of Betamax tapes, and extra stuff from it being used for storage.

090

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 30/01/2026

Not loving the extreme cold weather, but the snow is beautiful and it means plenty of inside time.

Victorian neighborhood streetscape with sidewalks shoveled. There is 1.5 feet of snow burying everything.

Streetscape with sidewalks shoveled. There is 1.5 feet of snow burying everything.

VW bus and pickup truck buried in the snow

2110

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 31/12/2025

Nice thing about resistors is they've followed the same color code charts for nearly 100 years. Most resistors will be 5% or 10% tolerance.

010

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 31/12/2025

This is what I saved from my cabinet and converted to a standalone controller. The Mortal Combat label was found under the SFII overlay when I removed the plexiglass. The usb converter made wiring ‘easy’.

A two person arcade controller panel with a Mortal Combat label. The controller panel has been converted to usb.

010

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 25/12/2025

My Commodore 64 Ultimate also arrived in time for the holidays. Loved the packaging and the manual is great. The machine itself is beautiful and feels well made. Looking forward to hooking it up once I’m better. #C64U #Commodore

Close up of the c64u box showing the starlight edition with its lights.

The Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight edition in front of its box and next to the manual. The box says “Welcome back to the world of friendly computing”

1222

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 25/12/2025

Holiday gifts from my amazing fiancée. A very nice TI-99/4a silver, iBook G4, Commodore 1541 floppy drive, a C64, and a neat old battery/ac portable radio. She knows what I love 😄🎄🎁

1120

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/12/2025

Finally started on this Commodore 64 case replacement, just in time for notification that my new Commodore 64 Ultimate will arrive next week.

170

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 19/12/2025

Now that it is raining and miserable out, it’s time for me to post picts of my neighborhood from when it was covered with snow last week. #victorian #historic #snow

Streetscape of the historic McKnight neighborhood in the snow.

050

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 25/11/2025

After continued foam rot issues with my Paradigm Ultracube 10 subwoofer, I found the right size foam for the sub and a pair of passives that fit with only a little bit of router work. With luck this repair will last another 10-15+ years.

Front of a Paradigm Ultracube 10 subwoofer. The power indicator is on.

Side of the subwoofer showing an Earthquake passive.

Bottom and side showing the subwoofer with its new foam surround, along with one of the passives.

Close up of the speaker showing the replaced foam surround. There is minor marring on the speaker cone from removing the old foam and the patch work I had previously done to hold it together.

0100

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 05/11/2025

I love my house (and neighborhood) in the fall, it’s just the right balance of creepy and beautiful 😄

190

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 21/10/2025

My fiancée is amazing. She randomly gives me radios and vintage computers such as this super cool vintage Zenith clock radio she gifted me as she was departing for work responsibilities. We are insanely busy right now, but it’ll be worth the effort, and these gifts are amazing 🥰

1140

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 14/09/2025

A friend recently acquired a couple trailers of radios and parts, knew my fiancée and I would be interested in some of it. The Hallicrafters Sky Champion is a great addition to the collection and the Magnavox chair side will clean up great. The TRS-80 model 4 is an exciting bonus.

The back of our pickup truck loaded with radios, computers, and parts. The three console radios are a late 40s Magnavox chair side on the left, late 30s/early 40s GE top right, and a 1940 Philco bottom middle. There are also a bunch of parts radios, record players, and some PVM circuit boards.

Front of the Hallicrafters Sky Champion S-20R radio, circa 1939/40.

Operating, alignment, and servicing manual for the Hallicrafters S-20R radio.

190

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 08/07/2025

Quick recap of my home theater subwoofer before work this morning. Picked up this circa 2006 Paradigm UltraCube 10 off neighbors last year, working, but these are prone to electrolytic capacitor failure and it was showing symptoms. With fresh caps it is back up and running in the home theater.

Paradigm UltraCube speaker setup in my living room/home theater.

UltraCube 10 circuit boards, the pre amp in the back and the main power supply and amplifier in front

0120

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 07/07/2025

Cleaned up the cabinet for the Howard 118 and installed new grill cloth. The cabinet was refinished in the past and has some mistakes, but doesn’t detract from the beautiful wood grains. If all goes well I’ll be able to reinstall the chassis by the weekend.

The cabinet for the Howard model 118 radio. There are a variety of antique radios and televisions behind it.

Front view of the Howard model 118, showing the newly installed grill cloth.

Top view of the Howard model 118 radio, showing off the various wood veneers used to create the art deco cabinet.

150

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 07/07/2025

The Howard 118 that had the burned up resistor is coming back to life. Halfway through the circuit, most of the resistors and capacitors in the power supply and audio amp were 100% out of tolerance, plus there were a couple dead tubes, a couple shorts, and one broken wire. #antiqueradio

030

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 01/07/2025

This is why I don’t just plug in antique radios without evaluating them first. This radio exploded one of its audio output power resistors. I’ll replace the blown resistor, power filter caps, and spot check resistors before I think about powering it up.

3170

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 06/06/2025

Neighbor gave me this beautiful GE S-132 radio that he acquired from a neighbor in the 1970s. Spent a couple hours deep cleaning it, and still have some paint to remove, but it’s in fantastic original condition.

Front of a 1931/32 GE model S-132 low boy console radio

Back of the 1931/32 GE model S-132 low boy console radio, showing the chassis and speaker.

Side of the 1931/32 GE model S-132 low boy console radio

Top of the 1931/32 GE model S-132 low boy console radio.

240

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 09/05/2025

Worked on the jukebox a little. Swapped in the random light box, a new needle, then started overdue maintenance. Found this fun disco cover of Don’t Cry for me Argentina while testing it.

160

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 22/03/2025

Powered up the Stromberg-Carlson 250l on my dim bulb tester and variac, slowly brought the voltage up to 70v and saw signs of life, but the radio was near silent. Wired a BT receiver into the phono-in and the radio lives! Tuner isn’t working yet, but the audio amp itself has nice clear audio.

081

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 22/03/2025

Dug into my largest radio, the Stromberg-Carlson 250l. Completely original except for two caps added at some point. Began repair work, replaced the power supply electrolytics, fixed broken wires, checked caps and resistors as I went along, then a new power cord and rectifier tube.

Looking at underside of the SC radio chassis, showing how it was assembled.

Full view of the underside of the SC 250l chassis.

The cabinet for the SC 250l, sitting close to my dinning room table where I’m working on the radio.

Top view of the SC 250l chassis, showing the tubes, tuning capacitors, IF cans, and the original electrolytic capacitors.

0121

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 18/02/2025

It’s nice being able to enjoy my recently reorganized sunroom. I’ve fixed a lot of the drafts and heating system issues that made this part of the house cold 😄

Image of a fancy room with wood paneling on one wall and windows filling the other. There’s a stack of 3 TVs in the corner, bottom TV is 1950s vintage, middle tv is late 90s/early 00s, top tv is a modern flat panel. To the left is a guitar and folding chairs. To the right are stacks of antique radios and plants. Just barely visible from the ceiling is a black chandelier. There is a desk near the bottom of the image with an Apple laptop on it.

View of the other side of the room. In the corner is a jukebox, to the left of it is a wall full of plants, mostly spider. Above it is a wall of short windows, to the left of is a wall of larger windows and more plants, mostly cacti. The desk is visible at the bottom of the photo and a black chandelier is visible in the top of the image.

3100

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 08/02/2025

Getting close. Voltages check out healthy, reception and sound quality is good, controls are cleaned and operating properly. All that remains is to hook it up to my scope and verify alignment, then it goes back in its cabinet.

1940s Philco radio chassis on the bench playing a FM radio station during burn-in testing after an electrical restoration.

062

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 02/02/2025

Almost done working on this 1940s Philco chassis. Most of the original capacitors were no longer in tolerance, some were starting to fail, those are all replaced. Resistors were checked and all are in spec. Next is the power on test, voltage checks, and if all is good, alignment. #antiqueradio

051

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 29/01/2025

The other four of six radios purchased, all chairsides. Two Zeniths, a shutter dial with magazine rack and a Zephyr. Then there are the Stromberg-Carlson and Stewart-Warner half moon style chairsides. All need electrical restoration and are at least some cabinet work.

Zenith shutter dial at front, Stromberg-Carlson in the middle, Stewart-Warner at the end.

Front of the Zenith shutter dial and the side of the Stromberg-Carlson

Front of the Stewart-Warner, Stromberg-Carldon behind it, with the two Zeniths in the back of the photo.

Side of the Zenith Zephyr chair side radio

290

ARadioGurl @aradiogurl.net · 29/01/2025

Two of six radios I purchased from the grandson of a radio collector. The Stromberg-Carlson 250-L is beautiful, but needs electrical restoration and veneer repair. The Zenith 9s262 was restored long ago and is supposed to work great, but I'll want to give it a once over.

On the left a 1937 Stromberg-Carlson 250-L console radio sitting on top of a furniture dolly. To the right of it is a 1937 Zenith 9s262. To the left of the Zenith is a 1947 Emerson television, there are more radios behind it, two 1920s radios stacked and topped with an American Bosch table radio from the roughly 1935 or 1936.

On the right the 1937 Zenith 9s262, to the left of it is the Stromberg-Carlson 250-L

Back of the Stromberg-Carlson 250-L showing the Acoustic Labyrinth speaker enclosure.

2141