Date: Sat, 21 May 94 21:06:49 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 #555 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Sat, 21 May 94 Volume 94 : Issue 555 Today's Topics: Contest Information via EMAIL Digital Delay Circuit Ideas? FCC 610 "official" color ? (was: 610 Form in PostScript) FT-530/Microphone que Ham Radio few problem (3 msgs) HT speaker-mike question IPS Daily Report - 20 May 94 This Week on Spectrum May 21, 1994 What does HAM mean ? (2 msgs) Why is Northern Ontario Canada left out of the ARRL repeater directory. 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: Sat, 21 May 1994 08:32:45 +0000 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!demon!imcldn.demon.co.uk!mike@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Contest Information via EMAIL To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Can anyone point me to an FTP site, or can lead me t e-mail addresses for contest information. I am looking mainly for the non-UK ones, ie ARRL,CQ Mag etc. Any help appreciated 73 Mike -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael P Simkins | I am Homer....of Borg...Prepare to....oooohhh...Beer..... G7OBS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X400 : /RFC-822=mike(a)imcldn.demon.co.uk/O=mhs-relay/PRMD=uk.ac/ADMD= /C=GB/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 21 May 94 04:37:52 GMT From: agate!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!usenet.ufl.edu!gnv.ifas.ufl.edu!climatol@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Digital Delay Circuit Ideas? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article , jra@lawdept.daytonOH.ncr.com (John Ackermann) writes: > I'm designing a clock to be driven by my local frequency standard. My goal is > to be able to set the second mark to better than 1 millisecond (and I hope > eventually much better than that). > > To do this, I need to build a variable delay that I can use to slew the > seconds marker. Actually, I'll need a couple of delays, starting at a higher > frequency for fine adjustment, and finally running at a lower one for course > adjust. Obviously, for stability reasons I want to do this digitally and not > with some sort of analog delay. > > Any suggestions on CMOS devices (probably a presettable counter?) that > would work well here? The larger the count range in a single chip, the > better. > > Thanks... > You don't give enough detail about your circuit to make a definite choice, but I would be extremely inclined to use a low-end microcontroller here. Depending on the device you select, you should easily be able to set up a selectable delay accurate to anywhere from one microsecond to .1 millisecond. For that matter, why not do the whole thing in a microcontroller? -- Bob Johnson, WB4JCM rejo@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 00:52:23 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!mvb.saic.com!news.cerf.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!news.ysu.edu!malgudi.oar.net!witch!doghouse!jsalemi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: FCC 610 "official" color ? (was: 610 Form in PostScript) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article , William J. Bencze (bencze@elvira.stanford.edu) writes: > > Has anyone seen an FCC-issued new 610 form? If so, what color is it? >("old"/beige/other). I hate to think that my long awaited new callsign >application was circularly-filed because the color of the paper was a bit >off... > The new forms are a brighter version of the old goldenrod forms. Almost yellow-orange. 73...joe ---------- Joe Salemi, KR4CZ Internet: jsalemi@doghouse.win.net Compuserve: 72631,23 FidoNet: 1:109/136 MCI Mail: 433-3961 ------------------------------ Date: 21 May 94 17:33:00 GMT From: agate!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov!nntp-server.caltech.edu!news.claremont.edu!kaiwan.com!ledge!darryl.linkow@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: FT-530/Microphone que To: info-hams@ucsd.edu RA>Jim, RA>That mike has a mike element that is covered by the housing of the RA>mike case. A simple matter of drilling a hole in the mike case is all RA>that is needed to resolve the problem. If you would like I can send RA>you the tech sheet on this mod. If you have a fax machine it would be RA>easy, if not I will post it here. Could you post it here? I would be interested in this mod as well! --- ~ OLX 2.2 ~ Darryl Linkow (818)346-5278 9 am - 5 pm PDT ------------------------------ Date: 21 May 94 18:30:22 GMT From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!slay@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Ham Radio few problem To: info-hams@ucsd.edu : Over 90 percent of repeaters in Southern Cal are closed to virtually all : hams, and this IS unwholesome. Eventually we will do something about it, : however. What about it makes it "unwholesome"? Do these "closed" repeaters also suffer the same or higher level of jamming, obscene/foul language, etc. that the more "wholesome" open repeaters have? There is certainly nothing "illegal" about a closed repeater, right? Or, has there been a new FCC (not ARRL) edict on this? I know we don't "own" the airwaves, but there's nothingin the rules that I've read that says that ALL repeaters are owned by the public. So, would it be better if there were FEWER total repeaters and more simplex channels or, should we have more repeaters and make all of them "open", or what? AND, out of curosity, just exactly who is the "we" that are going to do something about the unwholesomeness of closed repeaters? And just what and when would "we" do it? 73 de Sandy WA6BXH - slay@netcom.com PS: I don't live in California and have only very, very rarely used a repeater - open or closed, during my own 30+ years as a ham; so I admittedly don't know much about the problems which may exist there and don't have much of an opinion - other than to ask what others mean by theirs. ;-) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 13:45:01 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!rogjd@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Ham Radio few problem To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Tom Dengler (denglet1@iia.org) wrote: : MD>I'm glad that amateur radio in your area is healthy. In this area its : MD>in poor health, slowly approaching what amateur radio has become in : MD>southern california. Most of the problems have been with CBers coming : MD>into the hobby and bringing their bad habits with them. 90% of the : MD>callsigns I hear on local 2 meter repeaters are N1xxx no-code calls. : MD>The elmers have fled to the safety of private repeaters or other bands. : It is unfortunate that the elmers are fleeing. Being a newly liscensed : ham since January of this year I sure have appreciated the help that : more experienced hams have given me on the air. : If I make a misteak (spelling not included) then take the time to : correct me, but don't run away in disgust. : I was encouraged to get my code requirements because it was the only way : I was going to be able to use my HF rig, I didn't have a 2m rig at the : time. Having spent the time to learn code did not teach me any operating : skills/etiquitte, I am learning this from patient listening to advice. : If anything, the code requirements only taught me to be patient. : I doubt I'll ever use code again, I prefer digital modes on HF. : And hopefully I'll be able to contribute something to the hobby in the : way of my computer skills and yearn to learn. : Tom KE4IRV (/AG and still waiting) : denglet1@iia.org : * SLMR 2.1a * : I don't know why anyone would say that Southern California amateur radio has been invaded by CBers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Southern California amateur radio has been invaded by ENTHUSIASTIC NEW HAMS virtually all of whom are FB ops! And as far as all the elmers fleeing to the private repeaters, rubbish. We have as nice a cross section of hams on 2 meters as you could ask for, and virtually all of the repeaters on 2M are characterized by courteous, excellent operating practices. Incidentally, scores and scores of the new no-code folks out here are upgrading to advanced and extra! FB! HF bands look out, new blood is on the way. I've been a radio amateur since 1966, and I've never seen our hobby as healthy as it is now. We have a few problem ops, and a few jammers. Mostly they congregate in one or two spots, and the rest of us ignore 'em. What IS true, is that in Southern California, back when coordination of VHF/UHF was new, a bunch of old boys got themselves appointed as coordinators for 440. These chaps then assigned THEMSELVES virtually all of the 440 repeater pairs, which they proceeded to designate as closed or private. This has effectively shut the average ham out of the 440 band in Southern California, which is unfortunate. Over 90 percent of repeaters in Southern Cal are closed to virtually all hams, and this IS unwholesome. Eventually we will do something about it, however. 73 -- rogjd@netcom.com Glendale, CA AB6WR ------------------------------ Date: 22 May 94 00:15:56 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!news.delphi.com!domonkos@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Ham Radio few problem To: info-hams@ucsd.edu >Tom Dengler (denglet1@iia.org) wrote: >: MD>I'm glad that amateur radio in your area is healthy. In this area its >: MD>in poor health, slowly approaching what amateur radio has become in >: MD>southern california. Most of the problems have been with CBers coming >: MD>into the hobby and bringing their bad habits with them. 90% of the >: MD>callsigns I hear on local 2 meter repeaters are N1xxx no-code calls. >: MD>The elmers have fled to the safety of private repeaters or other bands. > The problem is the same it was when I got my ticket 17 years ago, a few bad ops stand out, the good ones are transparent. There have ALWAYS been trouble makers on the bands but as always, they eventually burn out and get replaced w/new ones...just turn the frequency dial and they disappear. The only problem w/some new ops is some of these folks can't even figure out how to measure the SWR on their antennas until it's too late; these few individuals have missed the point of the hobby... Andy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 00:58:59 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!mvb.saic.com!news.cerf.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!news.ysu.edu!malgudi.oar.net!witch!doghouse!jsalemi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: HT speaker-mike question To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2rip2s$jqd@chnews.intel.com>, Cecil A. Moore -FT-~ (cmoore@ilx018.intel.com) writes: >Hi Joe, take a look at the 580 schematic. On the stereo mike jack (JK603) >you have a 100 ohm resistor (R602) to 5v. When you use the RS speaker-mike, >you are wasting 50 mA. Of course, it works... it just runs your battery >down faster. If you're satisfied with that drain, that's fine. I just >wanted to warn everyone who has not bought a speaker-mike yet. > 50mA only when you're transmitting, from what I can see. Like I said, I've used both the RS and the Alinco mikes at all-day ARES events, and haven't noticed any appreciable difference in battery life. 73...joe ---------- Joe Salemi, KR4CZ Internet: jsalemi@doghouse.win.net Compuserve: 72631,23 FidoNet: 1:109/136 MCI Mail: 433-3961 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 20 May 1994 23:25:00 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!gatech!psuvax1!news.cc.swarthmore.edu!netnews.upenn.edu!msuinfo!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.cs.su.oz.au!metro!ipso!rwc@network. Subject: IPS Daily Report - 20 May 94 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu SUBJ: IPS DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT ISSUED AT 20/2330Z MAY 1994 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES FROM THE REGIONAL WARNING CENTRE (RWC), SYDNEY. SUMMARY FOR 20 MAY AND FORECAST UP TO 23 MAY No warning is current. ----------------------------------------------------------- 1A. SOLAR SUMMARY Activity: Very low Flares: None Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number : 90/34 1B. SOLAR FORECAST 21 May 22 May 23 May Activity Low Very low Very low Fadeouts None expected None expected None expected Forecast 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number : 90/34 1C. SOLAR COMMENT None. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY Geomagnetic field at Learmonth: quiet to unsettled Estimated Indices : A K Observed A Index 19 May Learmonth 08 2322 2311 Fredericksburg -- 15 Planetary -- -- Observed Kp for 19 May: 3433 3222 2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST DATE Ap CONDITIONS 21 May 15 Quiet to unsettled. 22 May 10 Quiet. 23 May 10 Quiet. 2C. MAGNETIC COMMENT Ap and Afr indices not available. 3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY LATITUDE BAND DATE LOW MIDDLE HIGH 20 May normal normal normal PCA Event : None. 3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST LATITUDE BAND DATE LOW MIDDLE HIGH 21 May normal normal fair 22 May normal normal fair 23 May normal normal fair 3C. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION COMMENT HF conditions should remain normal-fair until May 27. ----------------------------------------------------------- 4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY MUFs at Sydney were near predicted monthly values Observed T index for 20 May: 44 Predicted Monthly T Index for May is 30. 4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST DATE T-index MUFs 21 May 45 Near predicted monthly values. 22 May 50 About 10% above predicted monthly values. 23 May 50 About 10% above predicted monthly values. 4C. AUSTRALIAN REGION COMMENT Spread F may degrade communications during night hours. -- IPS Regional Warning Centre, Sydney |IPS Radio and Space Services email: rwc@ips.oz.au fax: +61 2 4148331 |PO Box 5606 RWC Duty Forecaster tel: +61 2 4148329 |West Chatswood NSW 2057 Recorded Message tel: +61 2 4148330 |AUSTRALIA ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 08:26:50 GMT From: newsflash.concordia.ca!altitude!nyongwa!cocq@uunet.uu.net Subject: This Week on Spectrum May 21, 1994 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article , John R. Beatty wrote: >> >>On Saturday June 4'th we will take a look at Digital Audio Broadcasting >>or DAB. This high-tech system of broadcasting is in the wings and >>should be here near the end of the century. A few systems have been >>proposed for dab and a standard hasn't been decided as of yet. Our >>guest will be Ted Schober. Ted has been on the leading edge in the >>world of DAB and will give us a look into the radio of the future. >>-- >>Spectrum airs live Sunday at 0200 UTC (2200 EDT Saturday) on: > >> WWCR, 5810 KHz, Nashville, TN (World Wide) >> WIFI, 1460 AM, Florance, NJ (Philadelphia Area) >> KHNC, 1360 AM, Johnstown, CO (Denver Area) >> Omega Radio Network, Galaxy III, X17, 5.8 MHz WIDE audio. (Satellite) >> > >Actually, only the USA has not yet adopted the system accepted worldwide as >the standard for DAB. (Mostly because of intense lobbying by commercial AM >and FM broadcasters who see it as new competition in an already competitive >market.) Yes indeed, there may be other developped countries in the same situation but i don't know wich ones. The WARC (ITU) 1992 has officially adopted the L Band (1452-1492MHz) as the worldwide band for DAB radio. And the americans don't want to use that band but prefer to continue to use MW and FM bands for DAB. Two main arguments for using this new band for DAB is the bandwith available and the ability to receive also from satellites. Hence the actual DAB standard is a data flow of 1.5 million bits/sec compressed to .25 million bits/sec using a bandwith of 1.5MHz per stereo service (6 services per channel). So, that standard is unapplicable to the MW band(0.01MHz bandwith) and the FM band (0.25MHz). That's why americans must develop a different standard. Acording to the Canadian plan all MW and FM broadcasters should have migrated to the L band by 2010 sharing all the same audio quality and extra services(too long to explain here). Extracted from an Industrie Canada leaflet printed in 1993 is a view of the american position on DAB. This was written by the work group on DAB implantation, consisting of representants of broadcaters industries and government. " Why the USA does not adopt the L Band for DAB? Actually the L band is not available for DAB in USA. Besides, many american broadcasters are opposed to it's use because they maintain that DAB in the L band is a menace for existing radio stations. Acording to these broadcasters, the introduction of DAB radio stations working on the L band would create a third band added to to MW and FM. The stations operating in this new band, in wich audio quality would be superior, would grab some publicity revenues to traditional AM and FM stations who already have difficulties to make profits in a saturated american market. To overcome the menace posed by DAB broadcast in the L band some american companies and broadcasters are jointly working on a DAB standard that could be operated in the MW and FM bands. They have yet to proove that the proposed standard, known as IBOC (intraband in the lane (my translation)) could be exploited satisfactorily as well in the MW and the FM band. We cannot dare say there is no solution in this avenue, but many international experts doubt that this american initiative can produce real improvements. Most countries want their future digital services to be coming as well from earth based transmitters as satellites. In view of the propagation caracteristics of the MW and FM bands the IBOC system won't be usable by satellites. The problem is that even if the IBOC system could work well in labs it might not be so in real world. It might not overcome the problems of fading and multipath linked to FM transmission. So it is unlikely that the IBOC system's efficiency would surpass analog FM enough, specially in the case of car reception. For the MW band even with the reduced need in bandwith arising from data compression the band isn't wide enough specially if you have to transmit as well the traditional MW service along with IBOC services. Besides at night there are serious jamming problems due to other stations that could cause an important degradation of DAB broadcasts in this band. Consequently it is likely that any feasable IBOC exploitation would be in the FM band to the detriment of MW stations. Then the actual inequalities between MW and FM stations wich made havoc to MW stations exploitants in the unregulated US radio market, would only increase if such a solution would be retained. IBOC cannot offer real improvements to broadcasters and listeners. And obviously, if the listeners don't beleive taht DAB is realy superior they will buy the radios. " Actually some of the long term tests are going on here in Montreal. If i could tune to 1468.75MHz i would hear the digital broadcast of 6 local stations repeated on the same channel. 10 prototype receivers made by the Eureka 147 consortium(Phillips, RCA-GE, Telefunken and Grundig) are in use somewhere around the town. The first production models should appear in 1995. Other companies: Pionner, Sony, Kenwood, and Delco have asked for licences. It is expected Delco (a GM subsidiary) will be a big player in this field since it is making half the worlds car radios, and the rate of renewals of cars is quite high and the fact that 55% of radio listening is done in cars make the car radio the major port of entry of DAB. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 May 1994 22:51:00 -0800 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!news.cac.psu.edu!psuvm!mcws!FUsenetToss@network.ucsd.edu Subject: What does HAM mean ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu > The best theory I've heard is that there was a popular magazine > at the beginnings of radio called Home Amateur Mechanic that > published popular plans for radio receivers and transmitters. > So people would say that they had one of those HAM radios. Actually (and most folks don't know this) HAM is an acronym for (H)ave (A) lot of (M)oney! 73 de N6YDT, Roger ------------------------------ Date: 22 May 94 02:29:08 GMT From: agate!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!emory!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!atha!aupair.cs.athabascau.ca!rwa@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: What does HAM mean ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Roger.Vargo@f943.n102.z1.fidonet.org (Roger Vargo) writes: >> The best theory I've heard is that there was a popular magazine >> at the beginnings of radio called Home Amateur Mechanic that >> published popular plans for radio receivers and transmitters. >> So people would say that they had one of those HAM radios. >Actually (and most folks don't know this) HAM is an acronym for (H)ave >(A) lot of (M)oney! I would have said hardly any money ;). But it's NOT an acronym. Repeat, NOT an acronym. Ham, hams, but not HAM. The only HAM I know of is an obscure video mode on Amiga computers. Where did this wearisome idea that it has to be an acronym come from, anyway? The theatre's had hams from time immemorial without getting this strange idea into its' collective head! 73, Ross ve6pdq -- Ross Alexander VE6PDQ rwa@cs.athabascau.ca, (403) 675 6311 rwa@auwow.cs.athabascau.ca ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 00:56:55 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!mvb.saic.com!news.cerf.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!news.ysu.edu!malgudi.oar.net!witch!doghouse!jsalemi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Why is Northern Ontario Canada left out of the ARRL repeater directory. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <>, Guy Quenneville (guy@penage.CS.laurentian.CA) writes: > I just wanted to know why is it that Northern Ontario Canada has >left out of the ARRL and other repeater directories? Amature radio is >alive and well in Northern Ontario and provides importaint emergency >communications for the north. Has any other locality been left out of >the repeater directory? Who actually makes the repeater directories, are >they on internet? How can I get Northern Ontario repeaters listed again? > The info in the ARRL repeater directory comes from the repeater coordination groups or the repeater owners; if a group or owner doesn't submit the info, the ARRL can't print it. That's probably why the Northern Ontario info isn't in there. To get them listed in the next edition, you have to get the folks who coordinate or keep some type of list of repeaters in that area to send the list to the ARRL. Or, the individual repeater owners have to submit the info themselves, on the forms found in the back of the repeater directory. 73...joe ---------- Joe Salemi, KR4CZ Internet: jsalemi@doghouse.win.net Compuserve: 72631,23 FidoNet: 1:109/136 MCI Mail: 433-3961 ------------------------------ Date: 21 May 1994 11:27:38 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews!scorpion.intel.com!jbromley@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2ras1j$n4@paperboy.gsfc.nasa.gov>, , <2re5v0$30r@crcnis1.unl.edu> Subject : Re: sacred frequencies In article <2re5v0$30r@crcnis1.unl.edu>, Gary McDuffie Sr wrote: >That's bull! I was going to stay out of this one, but logic like that >really irks me. The man below says it all. KILOCYCLE is far more >descriptive than KILOHERTZ. To me, KILOHERTZ means 1000 copies of a >man named Hertzian. Have you EVER seen a hertz on a scope? Not in this >lifetime. I've seen CYCLES on a scope for several decades. It's really very simple. You can do the conversion in your head: 1 cycle = 1 Hertz-second Jim, W5GYJ ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #555 ******************************