Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 21:04:41 PDT 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 V94 #441 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Thu, 21 Apr 94 Volume 94 : Issue 441 Today's Topics: 10m opening 900 Mhz amateur band transmitter sources ? Deviation Control For Standard 5608A Drake L-4B amp & control cable questions Exam sessions at Dayton hamvention? FTP site for FCC question pool HTX-202 Is this a good starter rig? Illinois anti scanner legislation Luck Hurder ... gone:( Why? Mic for F1T Pet Peeve software for KAM software for PK 232 speech recognition [was: Pet Peeve] (2 msgs) SS Jeremiah O'Brien Normandy voyage WWW-Page for HAMs 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: 21 Apr 94 14:12:12 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!fc.hp.com!jayk@hplabs.hp.com Subject: 10m opening To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Jeffrey R. Luszcz (jrl2@crux1.cit.cornell.edu) wrote: : I heard (on 10m last night) from my home in Ithaca, NY the 10m Crawfish : net coming out of La at 9pm/10pm EST. I was pretty amazed. : -Jeff N2TIQ Summer E skip season is fast approaching. In the late spring and summer months there will be lots of short skip openings on 10 meters. It can open up anytime of the day or night. 73, Jay K0GU jayk@fc.hp.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 13:39:03 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu Subject: 900 Mhz amateur band transmitter sources ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article CSLE87@email.mot.com (Karl Beckman) writes: >In article <2ohffj$ftq@scapa.cs.ualberta.ca>, edward@cs.ualberta.ca (Edward >Mantey) wrote: >> Where can I get a 900 MHz transmitter to experiment with direction >> finding etc. I am considering tearing a cell phone apart if all else >> fails (and a 900 Mhz cordless as well). Interested in all power >> levels (well...almost). > >Cellular phones do NOT operate in the amateur band 905-925 MHz (looks funny >now that the FCC has decided to allocate the top and bottom 3 MHZ ends to >LEO >Satellite-based vehicle location systems). They utilize 832 channels which >run from 825-850 MHz transmit and 870-895 MHz receive. However, the first receiver local oscillator of cellphones *do* cover 915-940 MHz. If you're going to tear into a cellphone, you can use this LO signal as a source. (If you know the service codes, you can lock the phone on any channel you like.) This makes a good cheap signal generator for the 915-925 MHz amateur allocation. Gary -- Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary 534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | | ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 94 13:10:56 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!think.com!parish@hplabs.hp.com Subject: Deviation Control For Standard 5608A To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I need to adjust the deviation in my Standard 5608A. Does anyone have a service manual or know the location of the adjustment? Any information would be useful. Thanks Ed parish@think.com ------------------------------ Date: 22 Apr 94 00:44:29 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!alanb@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Drake L-4B amp & control cable questions To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Sandy Lynch (slay@netcom.com) wrote: : I am looking for a control cable for use with the Drake L-4B linear : amplifier; or ... info on where I may obtain the appropriate : connector(s) for use with same. The L-4B appears to use a rather : unique two-prong connector. If you can't find any, I may have one in my junk box. email if you need it and I'll look. : I acquired the amp a few months ago - but have kept it in storage. : Apparently, it was not powered up for at least 3-4 years. Although : it is cosmetically perfect .... I am somewhat concerned about the : reliability of the filter capacitors. : Suggestions I have received include: : 1) Run the filaments for at least 24 hrs to de-gas the 3-500Zs. Never heard of that one. : 2) Bring up the HV slowly (over many, many hours) using a variac. : Others say that this is NOT good for the 3-500Zs. If you're worried it's bad for the 3-500's, then simply remove them first. I can't think of any reason it would be a problem. The advantage is that it gives the filter capacitors a chance to reform gradually rather than instantaneously (poof!) : 3) Bring up the HV quickly - and hold for 30 seconds. If the : filter caps are gonna let loose - it'll happen then. : This comment came from a frequent author on amplifiers who has : recently appeared in QST as well. Well, I guess that's one philosophy. I would definitely do the gradual method. AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 15:47:57 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!emory!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.umbc.edu!haven.umd.edu!cs.umd.edu!ra!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Exam sessions at Dayton hamvention? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu My brother's going to the Dayton Hamvention with me, and is considering getting licensed. Question: will exam sessions be conducted at the hamvention? If yes, then when and where? -Dave -- David Drumheller, KA3QBQ phone: (202) 767-3524 Acoustics Division, Code 7140 fax: (202) 404-7732 Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 20375-5350 e-mail: drumhell@claudette.nrl.navy.mil ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 15:03:35 GMT From: olivea!charnel!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!eff!news.umbc.edu!cs.umd.edu!ra!usenet@ames.arpa Subject: FTP site for FCC question pool To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Does anybody know which FTP site has the FCC question pool? I know I've downloaded the questions before, but I lost the host name. -Dave -- David Drumheller, KA3QBQ phone: (202) 767-3524 Acoustics Division, Code 7140 fax: (202) 404-7732 Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 20375-5350 e-mail: drumhell@claudette.nrl.navy.mil ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 14:02:41 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu Subject: HTX-202 Is this a good starter rig? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article cslye@netcom.com (Cameron Slye) writes: >I am wondering if the Radio Shack HTX-202 is a good starter unit? All of the >ones I have seen in the swap group have been sold, so it looks like I am >going to buy one brand new. Just want to see if this is what I want before >the end of the month so I can get it on sale. Is there any other 2m >hand-held units out there for about the same price? Yes, the HTX-202 is a good 2 meter HT. The only rig in its price class is the Alinco 2 meter HT, and it isn't as good at rejecting out of band signals. >If I do go with this unit what else should I get? I am >looking at a MFJ 300watt 5/8 wave groung plane 2m base antenna (MFJ-1750) to >use when at home, and mabey a MFJ-1728 5/8Wave 2m mobile antenna for the >auto...And use the ducky that comes with it for handheld usage... Does this >sound like something that will work for me for a few years? And what about >cable? The mobile comes with 12 feet, I will need about 50feet to get from >my room to the top of the antenna tower. Also talking about antenna tower, I >have a old TV antenna that we dont use so I want to cut the top off, and use >that as my mounting tower. Does anyone see a problem with that? (Becides >trying to get up that high :) Is there anything I missed? I am very new the >the ham radio scene, and want to get something that will work for a bit.. >But dont have alot of money :) Any help will be GREAT! Comet base and mobile antennas are *much* better than the MFJ antennas you list. Larsen mobile antennas are also excellent. There should be no problem mounting your base antenna on an old TV mast as long as it can stand the wind load. If you remove the old TV antenna first, it probably will. If the budget is really tight, a copper pipe J-pole will do nicely. You can make this for less than $25. As to cable, the *best* flexible cable is Belden 9913 at about $0.60 per foot. It's worth it if you're only going to be running HT power. (Actually I think good cable is always worth it, but it becomes especially important when you can't afford to lose much power to the cable.) Gary -- Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary 534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | | ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 13:53:44 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Illinois anti scanner legislation To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article hamilton@BIX.com (hamilton on BIX) writes: >ed@fore.com (Ed Bathgate) writes: > >>How can a state contradict a federal law? > >I'm no attorney, but I suspect the answer is they can do anything they >want until someone with enough money to do so decides to challenge them >in court. First of all, the FCC *regulation* in question only waives liability under *FCC regulations* for out of service contacts. It does not offer blanket immunity from prosecution for violation of federal, state, or local laws. As I understand this case, the sheriff charged the ham with interference with an officer because of his transmissions on the sheriff's dispatch channel. The issue of out of band transmission is only tangental to this charge since the *method* used to break state law is irrelevant to the charge. Gary -- Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary 534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | | ------------------------------ Date: 22 Apr 94 02:05:53 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Luck Hurder ... gone:( Why? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu > Subject: Luck Hurder ... gone:( Why? > Luck Hurder - KY1T, Deputy Manager for the ARRL's Field Services > Department, was dismissed, this week, by the ARRL management over a > newly enacted policy issue. Perhaps we should read the "Subject:" line again and ask "why" instead of simply crying "wrong." Typically when someone is "dismissed . . . over a newly enacted policy issue" it is because they refused to abide by the new policy. Why doesn't the writer of this message state what that policy is? > In my view, the handling of this matter by the ARRL was unfortunate for > all amateur radio operators. "This matter"? What matter? What policy? > that the ARRL understands our displeasure with their actions on this > issue, "This issue"? What issue? What matter? What policy? > I personally have known and worked with Luck for many years Perhaps this has something to do with it. > If you believe that this action was not in the best interest of our > hobby, then I encourage you to contact your respective Division > Director, listed on Page 8 of QST or Dave Sumner-K1ZZ, ARRL Executive > Vice President, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Luck Hurder could be a very helpful, hardworking guy. He also had an "attitude" a mile wide that could turn people off. I suggest we find out what the actual issues were before we all rush into the streets to storm the castle. Dick ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 1994 15:48:21 GMT From: koriel!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!scotti@ames.arpa Subject: Mic for F1T To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi, all -- I have an Alinco DJ-F1T for which I bought a headset/boom mic. I need to attach a remote push-to-talk to the headset. Can anyone tell me how to wire it through the speaker/mic connection. Thanks in advance for any help. Scotti N1PUI ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 94 18:38:17 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!alanb@hplabs.hp.com Subject: Pet Peeve To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Andrew Mitz (arm@helix.nih.gov) wrote: : You have hit one of my pet peeves squarely on the head. If I have : asked for information on speech recognition and I get 1) outdated : (thus ill-informed) opinions about speech technology, Well, I'm not an expert on speech-recognition technology, but based on the reading I do in technical publications, I expect you will be disappointed if you depend on it as a way to send Morse code. While there has been remarkable progress in recent years in the field, I believe practical commercial applications are still limited to recognizing specific words or phrases. And even that requires training to a specific speaker's voice characteristics. The most advanced systems are pushing at the problem of general-purpose speech recognition, but the problem is not yet solved, at least using hardware that you could afford. If there's more recent progress that I'm not aware of, I would be glad if someone could give me a reference. By the way, if you ask for advice, please don't get mad if you don't get the answer you want. People tend to get gun-shy about posting when they get flamed for trying to help. AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 94 13:57:57 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!cupnews0.cup.hp.com!genem@hplabs.hp.com Subject: software for KAM To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Since there's lots of take here lately regarding Kantronics software for the MAC, and software for the PK-223, I'll start this one... Does anyone know of any better PC software for the KAM? I have recently upgraded to the 7.0 version of the KAM and revision 3.2 of their HostMaster II+ software. I am getting more interested in it w/PACTOR and G-TOR, but don't really like their software package. So I can have my log open as well, I'm running HostMaster under Windows (which it does just fine). What I don't like about the package is you must always have an HF and VHF window displayed. You can cut these down to 2-lines but I think it's just implemented badly. Function keys are tripled-up with CTRL & ALT. Even though they tried to make it consistent, they're not easy to remember if you jump around modes. I think radio-buttons would do a much nicer job. Anyway, a native windows application that would allow me to open a new window for each connection get my bucks. Anyone know of something? Or something in the works? Thanks, and 73, Gene -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Gene Marshall \-\-\ email: genem@cup.hp.com | |Hewlett Packard Co., MS 42UN | Tel: 408/447-5282 | |Software Svcs & Tech. Division (SST) | ___o Fax: 408/447-5039 | |11000 Wolfe Road L^\<._ AA6IY@N6LDL.CA.USA.NA | |Cupertino, CA 95014 (_)/ (_) CompuServe: 75060,260 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 15:11:17 GMT From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!pineapp@ames.arpa Subject: software for PK 232 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <37195.tmedin@che2.che.umn.edu> tmedin@che2.CHe.umn.EDU writes: >Does anyone know of better software (windows or dos) than Pakrat? I would >like something a little more friendly, and that exhibits fewer freze-ups. >If it could send graphics, that would be a bonus. I've looked in the ham >mags, and can't seem to find anything. I've heard that Pk-gold is good, >but can't locate a source. I need sources for all recomendations. Thanks >to all respondants. > >Tom Medin >tmedin@che2.che.umn.edu >N0UFM Just upgraded my firmware (version 7) and software (version 5.5a) I have seen a much better intefaced. It even supports a mouse. With the mouse I can click on any paramenter ie standby to listen. I also have noticed no more serial line link disable. -- .----------------------------------------------+--------------------------. | INTERNET: pineapp@netcom.com (DC436) | Daniel Curry WB6STW | | AMPRNET : dan@wb6stw.ampr.org [44.4.20.144] | E-:-) Ham Radio Operator | | AX.25 : wb6stw@n0ary.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA | Redwood City, CA USA | '----------------------------------------------+--------------------------' ------------------------------ Date: 22 Apr 94 00:16:46 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!alanb@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: speech recognition [was: Pet Peeve] To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Goh Kawai N6UOK (kawai@Csli.Stanford.EDU) wrote: [Info on the state of the art in speech recognition] Thanks for the info. It's nice to get well-informed commentary. (A rarity on the Internet! :=) AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 94 20:46:00 GMT From: unix.sri.com!headwall.Stanford.EDU!Csli.Stanford.EDU!kawai@hplabs.hp.com Subject: speech recognition [was: Pet Peeve] To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Alan Bloom (N1AL, alanb@sr.hp.com) comments: | ... I'm not an expert on speech-recognition technology, but based on | the reading I do in technical publications ... practical commercial | applications are still limited ... advanced systems are pushing at | the problem ... but the problem is not yet solved, at least using | hardware that you could afford I work at a lab of about thirty people researching and developing speech recognition technology. Maybe I can shed some light on this issue. Alan is correct in many ways, although I imagine many researchers in speech recognition would hasten to correct him. I believe the key notion here is "affordable". You see, on the one hand, there do exist high-end systems that support large vocabularies (25,000 to 50,000 words), continuous speech (you don't have to pause between words), and speaker-independence (any person can talk to the system). On the other hand, these systems are very expensive for oridinary folks off the street, like you and me. We're hams, not Fortune 500 companies! Systems that are affordable -- and we're still looking at $3,000 to $7,000 here for systems with reasonable performance -- are in fact limited in vocabulary size (3,000 to 5,000 words), require isolated words (you - speak - like - this), and are speaker-dependent (works very well for you after you train it for half an hour). Many people find this level of performance adequate. Some are very happy with it. Others find it lacking, or unacceptable. So Al is right. We've still got a ways to go. Good news is that as computers become more powerful and fall in cost, it becomes easier to run high-end speech recognition systems. This is because most high-end speech recognition systems require powerful workstations to run. A significant portion of cost nowadays is hardware. In a few years, most folks can have access to reasonable systems, without the need for specialized DSP boards. Your IBM PC with a SoundBlaster board will be perfectly sufficient. Most current speech recognition systems are being designed completely in software. ** disclaimer ** Please note my opinion is purely my own, and is not necessarily the view of my employer nor my colleagues. The abovementioned performance specifications are typical figures found across various systems, and are not necessarily representative of my employer's products. I have absolutely no intent to market my employer's products or services. | | SRI International | work:(415)859-2231 | | | Speech Technology and Research | fax:(415)859-5984 | | Goh Kawai | Menlo Park, CA 94025-3493 USA | home:(415)323-7214 | | | internet: kawai@speech.sri.com | radio: N6UOK and 7L1FQE | ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 1994 15:58:48 GMT From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!news.claremont.edu!nntp-server.caltech.edu!netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov!sookit!rspear@ames.arpa Subject: SS Jeremiah O'Brien Normandy voyage To: info-hams@ucsd.edu John Wilson (wilsonjh@netcom.com) wrote: : Monday the SS Jeremiah O'Brien left San Francisco for Normandy for the : festivities being held June 6 to comemorate the 25th anniversary of the : Normandy invasion. This is the last operating Liberty Ship, and is crewed : by volunteers. Does anybody know if they have an amateur operation? Any : info about call signs, skeds, etc. would be appreciated. 25th anniversary of the normandy invasion? which invasion was that??? regards, richard kd6lwd rspear@sookit.jpl.nasa.gov all disclaimers apply ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 94 13:46:34 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!cupnews0.cup.hp.com!genem@hplabs.hp.com Subject: WWW-Page for HAMs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Gene Marshall (genem@cup.hp.com) wrote: : Also check out: : : http://server.systemtechnik.tu-ilmenau.de/ham.html Sorry, I ment: http://www.acs.ncsu.edu/HamRadio/ ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 1994 15:36:38 GMT From: agate!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!acpub.duke.edu!thomasr@ames.arpa To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2ouqd3$206@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu>, <2p103h$8c7@clarknet.clark.net>, feed-1.p Subject : Re: Missing: Good HF Propagation Distribution:s tribution: UO Srganization: Duke University; Durham, NC; USA Keywords: I'm new, new, new to 10-meters so take this with a grain of salt!! Yesterday afternoon and evening was the best activity I've heard for the past month. Using a trimmed CB mag mount antenna on a steell filing cabinet, I picked up Venezuela, Argentina, Monserat, California, Mexico, Louisiana, and some others. I wonder how transient this opening is/will be. . ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #441 ******************************