Junk box is a term used by

amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communi ...

operators (hams) to describe a collection of

spare part A spare part, spare, service part, repair part, or replacement part, is an interchangeable part that is kept in an inventory and used for the repair or refurbishment of defective equipment/units. Spare parts are an important feature of logist ...

s and old equipment kept to assist in building and repairing their station. Typical items found in a junk box are electronic components such as

resistor A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element. In electronic circuits, resistors are used to reduce current flow, adjust signal levels, to divide voltages, bias activ ...

s and

capacitor A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field by virtue of accumulating electric charges on two close surfaces insulated from each other. It is a passive electronic component with two terminals. The effect of a ...

s as well as small parts such as

screw A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...

nuts Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Com ...

and bolts. A junk box may also contain surplus, cast off or used electronic gear. Radio amateurs who construct their own equipment, known as homebrewers, often have large or well stocked junk boxes.

Description and uses

According to some hams, a well-stocked junk box is a requirement for anyone who likes to build, repair, or tinker with radio equipment and electronic gear. Keeping an ample supply of spare electronic components provides the ham with parts to build a variety of electronic projects, as well as "spares" of components needed for repairs. Resistors, capacitors, transistors, meters, speakers, wire, cable, and even small mechanical parts such as screws, nuts and bolts are typical junk box items.

Cannibalizing Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, bo ...

or removing parts from old equipment is sometimes the only way for an individual to obtain some types of parts, either because they are no longer made, or can only be ordered in large quantities. Cast-off or used electronic equipment make especially good additions to a junk box. What non-hams may see as junk, hams often see as treasure. Hamfests, surplus stores, electronic swapmeets and even

dumpster diving Dumpster diving (also totting, skipping, skip diving or skip salvage) is salvaging from large commercial, residential, industrial and construction containers for unused items discarded by their owners but deemed useful to the picker. It is n ...

are often venues for hams to trade, buy, scrounge, or salvage spare parts and components. Junk boxes can range in size from small cardboard or plastic boxes, to large collections that fill garages and outbuildings. Many hams derive satisfaction from having an especially large junk box full of exotic and hard-to-find components. Others feel that the act of tracking down parts is half the fun.

Use in homebrewing

Homebrewing Homebrewing is the brewing of beer or other alcoholic beverages on a small scale for personal, non-commercial purposes. Supplies, such as kits and fermentation tanks, can be purchased locally at specialty stores or online. Beer was brewed dom ...

is a slang term in amateur radio referring to building an alternative to a commercially available piece of equipment or accessory by hand. "Homebrewers" often naturally maintain a sizeable junk box, and amateur radio publications have often employed the term in

DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...

project articles such as "''The 'Junker' Amplifier''" from QST, Oct 1970, an RF amplifier built from scrounged and junk-box parts.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Boatanchors Directory
Electronics and society Amateur radio

Description and uses

Use in homebrewing

See also

References

External links