Date: Sun, 7 Nov 93 04:30:06 PST From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu Precedence: Bulk Subject: Info-Hams Digest V93 #1317 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Sun, 7 Nov 93 Volume 93 : Issue 1317 Today's Topics: "outdoor antenna" ban From KB7 to KC7 prefix ? Fun with Radio Shack Info needed on Yaesu FT620B Inverting LCD Displays Is the band dead -- or nobody on? Neat Feature on New Motorola Commercial Handheld Problems routing to ARRL.ORG Questions about Yaesu FT-411E Radio Shack HTs Special (vanity) calls We've lost him, Jim! Send Replies or notes for publication to: Send subscription requests to: Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu. Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/info-hams". We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 6 Nov 93 14:22:51 GMT From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!ucivax!gateway@network.ucsd.edu Subject: "outdoor antenna" ban To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi Jim: Just a quick note for you regarding your antenna restrictions. 1. Check to see if the prohibition is in your lease or rental agreement (or is referred to in there as in a general plan down at the courthouse). That is probably what it is. 2. If it is in your lease or is a general plan, DO NOT try to "invoke" PRB-1, this is not correct, and could cause more harm than good. PRB-1 does NOT mandate anything at all, and does NOT affect any contractual agreements anyway (it is meant only to ASK cities and towns who have restrictive ordinances to please cooperate with hams, it does not supercede their authority.... except that a very few sympathetic federal judges have occasionally seen some restrictions as just too much). 2.5 If the restriction is not in your lease, and it is a municipal ordinance, then PRB-1 MIGHT be useful, depending on their receptivity and your committment to going to court (not usually a good idea). PRB-1 gives suggestions to the locals, and explains the Federal interest in having hams free to communicate, and SOME areas listen to this and SOME areas don't. There have been Federal court cases that support PRB-1 affecting the local laws, and some that say PRB-1 has very little effect on local laws. Again, use the best schmoozing and reasoning you have at your disposal, local clubs and emergency groups may be able to help. Threats and court action are a very last resort, if a resort at all. 3. If living where you are living is important to you, and you do not want to give up ham radio, check with your local ARRL Volunteer Counsel. You can get a free half hour consultation, and can go from there on whatever you decide. 4. The argument about having to run more power with an indoor antenna and increasing "radiation" is a dangerous one legally, because the landlord (or tenants) can look to the nuisance provisions of the lease to stop you from using the radio, and just might prevail (and you probably don't want the time and expense to defend such a crazy lawsuit!) My personal advice: try real hard with "reason" and get them to like you and respect ham radio. If this doesn't work, try the modest indoor antenna approach - and be a real good citizen so that they will eventually come around. If there are TVI complaints and stuff, work with them as best you can. Otherwise, not only will you probably suffer (or need to move), but all ham radio suffers from the impression we create. We, as hams, have no "right" to use ham radio. IF the day comes when a lot of folks don't like hams, they could all push their congressfolks to pass laws abolishing ham radio here in the USA (or giving the spectrum over to other uses consistent with international law - well, maybe, if we have a president who cares about international law at the time). It is important not to get too cocky about our hobby. I believe we need to work with it as an important gift, and to nurture the public's ideas about us. Clark WA3JPG ..................... Clark Savage Turner, Graduate Student Researcher Safety Critical Software Group home: Department of Info. and Computer Science 1514 Verano Place Irvine, CA. 92717 Irvine, CA. 92715 (714) 856 4049 (714) 856 2131 WA3JPG, QRP #3526, active on HF, VHF and UHF. ARRL Volunteer Counsel ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 10:07:21 MST From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!overload.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!asuacad!atcgd@network.ucsd.edu Subject: From KB7 to KC7 prefix ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu After KB7ZZZ comes KC7AAA. These are 2x3 call signs. The 2x2 call signs KC7AA and so forth were used up years ago ... on folks like me. Charles Dresser, KC7AN (Advanced class) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 22:18:21 GMT From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hpfcso!wayne@network.ucsd. Subject: Fun with Radio Shack To: info-hams@ucsd.edu > Actually what I enjoy doing is giving them the phone number and > address of the RS store a couple miles away. Use the name R.S. Tandy. > the sales driods just love it. Using I.M. Stiff and the address and phone number of a local mortuary works too. Wayne KD0EA ------------------------------ Date: 6 Nov 93 15:50:08 GMT From: ogicse!cs.uoregon.edu!usenet.ee.pdx.edu!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Info needed on Yaesu FT620B To: info-hams@ucsd.edu First let me tell you that I am very new to ham radio. I recently picked up a rig from a friend who had bought it as a "fixer-upper" The unit is a Yaesu FT620B. I imagine it is rather old, I'm not sure how old though. There really isn't anything wrong with it, however it was missing the power cord. The plug receptical in the rear panel has four prongs on it and I don't have a clue as to what to do with it. I would greatly appreciate any of the following pieces of information: 1) Information on how to contact Yaesu in order to order a power cord for the device. 2) Locations where I might order the cord from if Yaesu no longer makes it. 3) Photocopies of the manual and schematics. If someone out there does have access to the manual and schematics and no longer needs them for some reason I would be happy to purchase them from you. If you do still need them let me know how much it would cost to copy and mail them and I will send the needed amount. 4) A brief description of what the capabilities of this unit might be. 5) Anything else you can think of that someone new to this might not know to ask. Thanks in advance to anyonone who might be able to offer some help to me on this, Rob Mohr P.S. If possible please respond via personal E-mail as my access to USENET is not always reliable. The E-mail address to send responces to is: robertm@uplherc.upl.com Thanks again..... ------------------------------ Date: 4 Nov 1993 22:41:50 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!overload.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!epm52766@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Inverting LCD Displays To: info-hams@ucsd.edu RHAREL@FAB8.INTel.COM (RICHARD HAREL) writes: > when the battery is removed for x amount of time. On SABER models, > the user can program a PASSWORD that is required each time the > radio is turned on. Similar features can be built into ham equipment > that renders it useless until a code is entered. (feature sould be > user selectable) Similarly, (I don't know if this exists yet) if a radio > is stolen, a secret code can be transmited that would cause the radio > to go into transmit mode continuously or on a selected duty cycle. > (providing of course that the radio is on). DF equipment can then be > used for the 'seek and destroy' mission. >73, >Rich >WB2JBS Yes, system sabers can be sent a erase memory code, or a destruct code. I have the destruct code disabled on my sword, but the memory erase active. To transmit one of these codes however, you need a motorola console station-- rather expensive. (I do have access to one if it became neccessary). The erase/destruct codes need to be sent in securenet, so if they don't have the right key, they can't do anything to your radio. 73, de N9KET (Andrew) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 22:13:06 GMT From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hpfcso!hplvec!scott@network Subject: Is the band dead -- or nobody on? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In rec.radio.amateur.misc, rossi@VFL.Paramax.COM (Pete Rossi) writes: > Sometimes I really wonder if the bands are *really* dead. Maybe everyone > is listening and nobody is transmitting ;-) While others have offered logical explainations for localized band openings, I'll also validate Pete's closing statement. I've not been at this for very long, and certainly haven't figured out the wonders of propogation, but sometimes it does seem that everyone is just listening. On numerous occasions I've gone up to 15 meters when it seems absolutely dead, tuned around looking for anything interesting and finally called CQ just before giving up, only to have several booming signals answering my call. When all else fails, don't be afraid to call CQ on a "dead" band. Sure the only thing you're reaching might be your neighbor's TV :-) but it never hurts to try. Scott Turner N0VRF scott@hpisla.LVLD.HP.COM ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 21:51:14 GMT From: news.kpc.com!amd!amdahl!netcomsv!netcom.com!jfh@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Neat Feature on New Motorola Commercial Handheld To: info-hams@ucsd.edu CSLE87@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Karl Beckman) wrote: >WOW - Somebody in this newsgroup NOT bashing the US commercial equipment >manufacturers! Better include a disclaimer that you don't favor Yankees >over any other politically correct baseball team name! > Seriously, thanks for the compliment, remember that the domestic >thinkers did it BEFORE the overseas crowd, and those who purchase such >intellectual ingenuity do contribute to the health of the US economy, >rather than skewing the balance of trade away from financial recovery. When are the domestic thinkers at Motorola going to start paying attention to the ham market? (Taking out threatening ads in QST doesn't count.) -- ---------------------------------------------------- Jack Hamilton POB 281107 SF CA 94128 USA jfh@netcom.com kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na ------------------------------ Date: 5 Nov 93 09:49:28 EST From: usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!eff!news.kei.com!world!ksr!jfw@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Problems routing to ARRL.ORG To: info-hams@ucsd.edu landisj@drager.com (Joe Landis - Systems/Network Mgr. - x2621) writes: >For some reason, every time I try to mail to anyone at arrl.org, my mail gets >bounced by our forwarder (uu.psi.com). I don't have problems with anyone >else on internet that I've sent mail. Fascinatingly enough, psi.com is also the ARRL's MX forwarder: > set q=mx > arrl.org Server: hopscotch.ksr.com Address: 139.167.128.5 Non-authoritative answer: arrl.org preference = 0, mail exchanger = uu2.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu3.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu4.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu5.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu6.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu7.psi.com arrl.org preference = 10, mail exchanger = uu8.psi.com Authoritative answers can be found from: ARRL.ORG nameserver = NS.PSI.NET ARRL.ORG nameserver = NS2.PSI.NET uu2.psi.com internet address = 128.145.228.2 uu3.psi.com internet address = 38.145.250.2 uu4.psi.com internet address = 38.146.21.2 uu5.psi.com internet address = 38.145.226.3 uu6.psi.com internet address = 38.145.155.3 uu7.psi.com internet address = 38.145.204.6 uu8.psi.com internet address = 38.146.10.7 NS.PSI.NET internet address = 192.33.4.10 NS2.PSI.NET internet address = 192.35.82.2 Perhaps this explains why people in another newsgroup, when ranking major Internet providers, rated PSI third out of three by a large margin... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 00:35:09 GMT From: paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.@news.service.uci.edu Subject: Questions about Yaesu FT-411E To: info-hams@ucsd.edu > 1. What's the best way to hook up the unit at home so that I don't > use a battery pack? Buy (for about $12) one of the 6-AA-cell battery packs and wire it for external juice (up to 12V is OK => 5W out on high power, and it gets warm). Use whatever sort of external connector on the wire that you like. (I use 6-pin molex as a standard "12V connector" which lets me run the radio off car, gel-cell, 12V supply, etc.) You'll have to silver-solder to the connectors or just pressure-fit. You'll see what I mean when you look inside one. Or, obtain a dead NiCad pack, tear it open, yank out the guts, and wire it up up similarly. This is cheaper than buying a 6-cell pack for the purpose -- once you have a dead NiCad pack and decide not to reload it. Beware, all this frequent battery switching will break your power contacts on the radio in 2-3 years. Call Yaesu (310-404-2700, main number, press 3 for parts, 8-4 M-F PST) and pre-order some new ones. They're cheap and easy to get. :-) > 2. What's the difference between the FT-411 and the FT-411E? The IF was increased from 17.3 to 21 (?) MHz to solve common intermod problems (ham band is 17.3 away from common business channels). Maybe other enhancements too. ------------------------------ Date: 4 Nov 1993 21:08:23 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!jericho.mc.com!fugu!levine@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Radio Shack HTs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu --> -->Problem is, all the dual-banders/expanded coverage HT's I've run across -->seem to have nasty intermod probs. I haven't had any regrets about buying the -->'202. Now, if somebody would come out with a narrow bandpass filter kit to -->replace the tight front-end that these HTs *should* have, then I might agree -->with what you've got to say about buying a dual-bander... --> -->-- -->__ /| | Douglas J Renze, N0YVW | -->\'o.O' | +1 319 337 4664 | IN GOD WE TRUST -->=(___)= | drenze@icaen.uiowa.edu | All Others Pay Cash --> U | Douglas-Renze@uiowa.edu | Has anyone done any real tests on HT's to see if any are more sensitive to intermod than others? N0YVW (I assume you are a relatively new Ham because there you aren't in the Summer 93 SAM Database) claims that the Korean Radio Shack HT has better intermod rejection than "all the dual-banders/expanded coverage HT's I've run across". Has the ARRL Lab any scientific data to back up the claim that the Radio Shack 2m HT is any better than everything (anything) else? I haven't heard a bit of intermod from my FT530. I can't remember hearing any from my W2A or my 32AT in normal every day use. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 21:59:19 GMT From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hpfcso!hplvec!scott@network Subject: Special (vanity) calls To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In rec.radio.amateur.misc, rdewan@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Rajiv Dewan) writes: > A good rythmic call that has some dit-dah variation but is not too long > is probably the best for really weak signal work. A call such as w9rd > would be pretty nice. :) In Colorado, a statewide linked repeater sytem known as the Colorado Connection uses NN0A's call. What a great CW call! Easy, rythmic, short and difficult to confuse with anything else. Scott Turner N0VRF scott@hpisla.LVLD.HP.COM ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 00:39:46 GMT From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hpfcso!ajs@network.ucsd. Subject: We've lost him, Jim! To: info-hams@ucsd.edu > Maybe we need QRP days on AO21... Hey, what if the next SAREX mission dedicated some passes to QRP contacts? The rules might be: HTs only, maximum 5 watts, dipole antenna only, rubber ducks preferred. Honor system of course. Maybe ask each station to announce transmitter power and antenna type along with their call sign. This would be *fun*. Any chance one of you SAREX coordinator folks could forward the idea? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 22:59:01 GMT From: mentor.cc.purdue.edu!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu!wb9omc@purdue.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <199311041651.IAA14507@ucsd.edu>, , s.u Subject : Re: 10m Mobile djadams@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (david jerome adams) writes: >Greetings! As the 10m band closes people are selling off 10m equipment >dirt cheap. I've been wanting to get a 10m all-mode mobile and can now get >one cheaply. Now, what I want to know is if during this low, 10 m >will be a useful thing to have in the car...not for dx obviously, but >it seems that local communication is still doable (like 2m). Any >comments, criticisms, advice, flaming branding irons? >73 de dave, N9uxu N9UXU from WB9OMC...... :-) *I'm* not selling my 10M stuff at all. What goes down will come back up. How low it will go can be speculated or even SWAGed (Scientific Wild Ass Guess). Oddball short skip opportunities can still occur unless I have been grossly misled. But if you're hoping for local stuff on 10M you may be sorely disappointed. I get the gut feeling that most people would rather do it on 2meters and don't bother with 10. Duane ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1317 ****************************** ******************************