Date: Thu, 30 Jun 94 09:34:45 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 #724 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Thu, 30 Jun 94 Volume 94 : Issue 724 Today's Topics: help Help! What is it? Help with No Scratch mag mount New Amateur Needs Propagation Info... (2 msgs) Repeaters in Nevada & central Ca. SAREX QSL CARDS STS-58 simnplex on two meter Speaking of old callbooks-Need 1960 Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C? (3 msgs) You Know It's Time to Retire 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: 30 Jun 1994 15:17:48 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!usenet.ufl.edu!alpha.ee.ufl.edu!mikel@network.ucsd.edu Subject: help To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi all: I have had a rather destructive weekend for my 2m gear and hoping that someone can give some help / suggestions. In my shack I HAD :-( both an OLD HR2 crystal controlled rig and an ICOM 27A. I usually use the HR2 for local repeater work and the 27A for satellite and packet work. On Friday evening I was chatting with a local friend on our repeater, and after a few minutes into the QSO I began to notice that when I would TX that a TV in the room would RX a lot of interference. A few more transmissions and then the rig would not TX any more but would still RX. At the time I figured no big deal, it was old rig and I had had to repair it before. BUT.....Then on Sunday I was trying to use the IC27 ( albiet in an unusual way ) and this rig died in about the same manner. I must say that I was trying to use the IC27 for CW (its really an FM rig). I had hooked a key to the PTT lines and was communicating with another amateur in order to have him evaluate the signal quality. We had about a 5 minute QSO which consisted of my changing the mic connector back and forth from CW to FM. I changed back over to the CW connector and then nothing! Rig still RX but will not transmit. I called ICOM to see if there would be any problems with working the rig in this manner, and their technical support person felt that it would not harm the rig. My antenna setup is pretty simple, from a single push-up pole I have a 2m 1/4 wave ground plane at the top, and a 2m 4 el. beam about 6 ft below that. One end of a 40m dipole is also connected to the top of the pole with about 2ft of nylon rope. And RECENTLY added a 10m sloper also connected to the top of the pole. So heres my question, did Murphy just get me all at once, or are these things inter-related? Could the addition of the 10m dipole have caused this type of destruction. I havent recently checked the VHF ant SWR but when installed they were both 2:1 or below. Possibly I killed the IC27 because I was changing mic connections with the power still on? Maybe the ICOM couldnt really handle being operated in CW? Anyway the rigs are all under repair, and I want to hear what some of you think BEFORE I set them back up! Thanks for any help, es 73 de Mike n4oly ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 13:11:35 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!at626@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Help! What is it? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I bought this at a thrift store. I'va always wanted one. The only qustion I have is, what is it? Front panel says: Lotus FM Receiver ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 14:55:55 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!gregt@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Help with No Scratch mag mount To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Jeff Kashinsky (jeff@sec.sel.sony.com) wrote: : I have a Larsen NMO mag mount and the plastic on the bottom is ripped. The : magnet has started scratching the car paint. : Suggestions of what to use to replace the plastic would be appreciated. I just rebuilt a mag mount purchased at a swapfest for $2 and ran across the perfect stuff for the bottom: At the local supermarket, I found a package (two 8-1/2x11 sheets) of plastic for laminating cards, pictures, etc. It is reasonably thin, almost too thin for laminating, but has an adhesive backing. Rough out a piece, stick it on and trim with scissors or a sharp knife. Use some of the remainder for laminating a copy of your license! Ignore those replys suggesting trading minor scratches for a permanent advertisement of radio gear in your vehicle. Greg Tarcza ========================================================================== Greg Tarcza WA2OOD / Hewlett-Packard Company Pikes / P.O. Box 2197 Peak /-, /-, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 Soaring / / / / 719-590-2471 Society / / /--/ / gregt@col.hp.com / ========================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 04:40:13 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!kira.cc.uakron.edu!malgudi.oar.net!witch!doghouse!jsalemi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: New Amateur Needs Propagation Info... To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article , Kent Jones (kjones@spookey.eecs.wsu.edu) writes: >I have a strong interest in propagation and am specifically interested in >finding source code/articles/books related to HF propagation prediction. > Well, the formulas are pretty complex, but the best place to start learning about propagation is from the book "The Shortwave Propagation Handbook," put out by CQ magazine. Well workth the money. 73...joe ---------- Joe Salemi, KR4CZ Internet: jsalemi@doghouse.win.net Compuserve: 72631,23 FidoNet: 1:109/136 MCI Mail: 433-3961 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 07:52 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uhog.mit.edu!nntp.club.cc.cmu.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU!CSMSCST@network.ucsd.edu Subject: New Amateur Needs Propagation Info... To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <346@doghouse.win.net>, jsalemi@doghouse.win.net (Joe Salemi) writes: > >In article , Kent Jones (kjones@spookey.eecs.wsu.edu) writes: >>I have a strong interest in propagation and am specifically interested in >>finding source code/articles/books related to HF propagation prediction. >> > >Well, the formulas are pretty complex, but the best place to start >learning about propagation is from the book "The Shortwave Propagation >Handbook," put out by CQ magazine. Well workth the money. > W3ASK's handbook is a good first start, although it's fairly basic, and unfortunately rather dated (1979). I've heard rumors of an updated version being in the works. If you're really interested in the math, I'd recommend: Ionospheric Radio Propagation, Kenneth Davies, National Bureau of Standards Monograph 80, 1965, 470 pages or Ionospheric Radio, Kenneth Davies, Peter Peregrinus Ltd, London, 1990, IBSN 0 86341 186 X, 578 pages The first is almost impossible to find these days, except perhaps in a good library. The second is available, but (like all low-production technical books these days, expensive !!) There is material in the monograph which is not in the 1990 rework, so one should really have both. These are deeply technical, not for the faint hearted. Also, a brand new book: Radio Amateurs Guide to the Ionosphere, Leo McNamara, Kreiger Publishing, Malabar, Florida, 1994, 166 pages. This is a large-format paperback which is a rework of the hardcopy book, The Ionosphere, by the same author, with some additional material of interest to hams. You can purchase it (ca $40) directly from Kreiger. I don't have their phone nr handy, but their address is PO Box 9542, Melbourne FL 32902. It's a little less mathematical that Davies' books, hence an easier read, but still very valuable. I recommend it highly. You want to get and hang onto anything you can find written by Bob Brown, NM7M; the guy's a genius. He has a paper, "Long-Path Propagation" which is well worth reading. (Available from NM7M for the cost of printing, $5 or $10 I think). Lastly, I'd recommend getting a copy of Miniprop Plus 2.0, the canonical propagation program by W6EL, and using it a lot. That will teach you a great deal. Miniprop is (IMHO) by far the best of the prediction pgms available to amateurs. And Shel is a heck of a nice guy. One can sometime run across Bob and Shel chatting on 40m. See Miniprop adds in QST, CQ, etc. I also have several pieces of s/w from the Solar Teresterial Dispatch folk, including their new Skycom. Skycom is gee-whiz, but expensive, and I have yet to see it do anything actually useful (as opposed to merely cute.) Finally, you might consider a periodic prayer to the Sun Gods, for some spots once in a while, so that propgation becomes more than a theoretical subject... Next couple of years are gonna be pretty grim in this regard. See pg 128 in the July CQ for a nice graph on when things might start getting fun again. -- 73 de Chris Thomas, AA6SQ (ex-WA6HTJ) (CSMSCST@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 08:37:20 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news.byu.edu!news.provo.novell.com!novell.com!JMessing@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Repeaters in Nevada & central Ca. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I am taking a trip to Fresno, Ca. From SLC, Utah via I-15 through Las Vegas, Nevada; Barstow and Bakersfield, Ca. I am looking for Repeater frequencies in these areas on 2Meter or 70cm bands. Any information that you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Jeff M. -------------------------------------------------------- Jeff Messinger - KB7VRP Internet: Jmessing@novell.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are solely mine. Besides who else would want to claim them. ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 14:42:31 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!eff!cs.umd.edu!news.coop.net!news.den.mmc.com!iplmail.orl.mmc.com!mccartney!jcarter@network.ucsd.edu Subject: SAREX QSL CARDS STS-58 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu >Subject: ANS-303 BULLETINS >If you heard or worked the STS-58 station of KC5ACR or W5RRR-1 and you >would like to receive a QSL card, then please send your QSL card to the >following address: ARRL, STS-58 QSL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT, 06111. >Plese allow for up to 6-10 Months for the STS-58 SAREX Mission QSL card to >be mailed. One Sunday morning STS-58 came over my house in Orlando, Florida. I had been tracking it on NASA Select TV all morning. I got a great copy of KC5ACR talking to Panama and other stations in the southeast. I tried to contact them but there were too many other HAMs in there. I sent a position and signal report to ARRL for my QSL card about 8 months ago! To this day I have still not received it. Why does it take so long just to send out cards? Has anyone out there had this same problem? ___ _____ _______ /_ /| /____/ \ /______/| James A. Carter | Jcarter@orl.mmc.com __ | | | / __ \/| | ____|/ FCC LIC. KD4PON | These views are my own and /_/|_| | | | (/_) | | | | |___ Martin Mariettia | are in no way connected | |/_| | | | ___ | | | |/__ /| 1-(407)356-5879 | to MARTIN MARIETTIA |______|/ |_|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Orlando, FL 32855 | Thanks Jim ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 06:50:59 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsfeed.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!crcnis1.unl.edu!unlinfo.unl.edu!mcduffie@network.ucsd.edu Subject: simnplex on two meter To: info-hams@ucsd.edu etuggle@auc.trw.com (Eddie D. Tuggle) writes: >raymondd@powertech.no (Raymond Dalen) wrote the following in a previous article: >I read another post that said it is common in other parts of the >U.S. I guess we just don't do it in Colorado. I think it would >be better, however, to say CQ instead of "blah blah blah monitoring." >It just seems more to the point. Don't ya think? To a certain extent, I would agree. However, many times, I come on with "AG0N monitoring", not as a CQ, but as a simple comment that I am back in the vehicle, in case someone had been looking for me while I was away from the radio. Most of the time, this in no way implies that I want to talk to someone, it is just to let them know I'm there. I fully agree that if CQ is what you mean, CQ is what you should use. It just makes good sense. 73, Gary ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 06:45:51 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsfeed.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!crcnis1.unl.edu!unlinfo.unl.edu!mcduffie@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Speaking of old callbooks-Need 1960 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu If anyone has access to a 1960 callbook, I would appreciate and gladly pay all copying costs for the page showing WV6MDL. A good copy would be preferred, but at this stage, I'll take anything. Email me if you have access, please. 73, Gary mcduffie@hannibal.wncc.cc.ne.us <-- preferred account ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 94 13:17:38 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu geez, people make this so complicated. C = 1.8 (F-32). bill wb9ivr rockwell avionics/collins ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 94 14:22:05 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!aries!hawley@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu tomb@lsid.hp.com (Tom Bruhns) writes: >Robin Ludlow (as041@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) wrote: >: In a previous article, awinterb@du.edu (Art Winterbauer) says: >: >Does anyone know of a source for a quick temperature conversion chart >: >between F and C? I can't recall the formula (or where to find it), and >: >would just like a way to rapidly convert between the two scales when >: >in QSO. >: Art...we have been living with this for more than a decade here in >: Canada...a VERY rough quick conversion is double the C and add it to 32 F. >: Example: 10 degrees C x 2 = 20 + 32 =~ 52 degrees F. >: 10 degrees C is actually 50 degrees F but you can see how close it is. >Heh, heh, an even easier way to solve the whole problem would be for >us Americans to just drop F, then there would be no need for conversions. >(Easy for me to say--I was trained as a chemist. What the heck is >degrees F?? ;-) Does anyone in the world besides us use F?? >73, K7ITM Double the C and subtract 10%......then add 32. That's exact, and easy to do. .....NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE..... Chuck Hawley.....KE9UW.....Urbana, Illinois hawley@aries.scs.uiuc.edu School of Chemical Sciences, Electronic Services University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 16:13:04 GMT From: nothing.ucsd.edu!brian@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Why not have your thermometer calibrated in both C and F? You can use it as a nomograph AND get the right temperature. I know the USA is about the only country left that uses degrees F, but even here you can find dual-calibrated thermometers even in the dimestore. - Brian ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 12:56:05 GMT From: newsgw.mentorg.com!srp!jbate@uunet.uu.net Subject: You Know It's Time to Retire To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article 1@woods.uml.edu, martinja@woods.uml.edu (JJ Martin) writes: >You know it's time to retire from the hobby when: > >Shortly after obtaining your callsign "KA5MWD" and using the phonetics >"Mississippi Water Department" or something similar, your XYL gives birth >to twins and every ham for miles around dubbs you "Many Wet Diapers." >P.S. One harmonic was already running loose in the shack - in diapers. I've got 4 harmonics running around. The only time I can get on the air is late in the evening (if I'm not exhausted) or early in the morning when everyone is supposed to be asleep. The morning seems to be a good time until the hamsters turn on Big Bird and Grover. The morning is a bad time if I have to get up more than 3 times during then night (less is OK since I never quite wake up). Good luck, 73's, john, ki7hs/4 ------------------------------ Date: (null) From: (null) All pointers appreciated. Mail me and I'll summarize. Thanks! dave. -- Dave Strout ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 1994 13:14:25 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!news.iastate.edu!wjturner@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References , <2usiq1$gb7@news.iastate.edu>, Subject : Re: License Renewal For all the idiots out there who cannot read: The commentary was separated from the regs. The commentary did not mention anything about submitting an application. (The regs did, but that is a separate issue.) Th commentary was clearly stating an either or situation, with nothing at all about an application being submitted. The original reply was meant as a joke to point out that it *should* have been included. (But, it wasn't.) Don't accuse someone of not being able to read what is not written if you are unable to catch the sarcasm that was virtually leaping of the page (or screen) at you! Some people should quit griping on every little thing someone says as a joke and GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 12:31:35 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!emory!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.ess.harris.com!news@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2uqn3t$32t@tymix.Tymnet.COM>,<2urr63$7jb@news.iastate.edu>, , <2usiq1$gb7@news.iastate.edu> Subject : Re: License Renewal In article <2usiq1$gb7@news.iastate.edu>, wjturner@iastate.edu (William J. Turner) says: > > >In article , pouelle@uoft02.utoledo.edu writes: >|> In article <2urr63$7jb@news.iastate.edu>, wjturner@iastate.edu (William J. Turner) writes: >|> > >|> >In article <2uqn3t$32t@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, flanagan@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Dick Flanagan) writes: >|> >|> In other words, you may continue to operate until you eventually receive >|> >|> your renewed license =OR= until you are notified by the FCC that it was >|> >|> not renewed. >|> > >|> >So, if you never renew and you never *tell* the FCC you didn't renew, >|> >you can operate forever? (Yeah, right!) >|> >|> Don't you read? The first line starts with : WHEN THE LICENSEE HAS SUBMITTED >|> A TIMELY APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL > >Yes, the regs said that, but the commentary did not! *That* is what my >comment is about!!!!!!!!! So in the commentary (where you did not assume that timely submittal of an application was implied), you thought it meant that the FCC might send you a renewed license [the part about "...until you eventually receive your renewed..."] without submitting an application. Why didn't you ding him on that? If I couldn't see your two last names, I'd suspect you were siblings. You sound just like my children. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 13:24:04 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!jobone!ukma!rsg1.er.usgs.gov!dgg.cr.usgs.gov!bodoh@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2uqces$bjk@usenet1.sjc.in.sel.sony.com>, , sg1 Subject : Re: Help with No Scratch mag mount |> >>I have a Larsen NMO mag mount and the plastic on the bottom is ripped. The |> >>magnet has started scratching the car paint. |> >>Suggestions of what to use to replace the plastic would be appreciated. |> |> >3. With either the correct size hole saw or a hole punch (punch |> > requires pulling down the headliner), put a properly sized |> > hole in the middle of your roof (you can use the scratch marks |> > from previous use of mag mount as a guide). |> |> Poor Jeff, he was asking for advice on how not to scratch his car paint and |> ends up with a hole in the roof! |> I thought it was very good advice. Some people use magnetic mounts so they can easily move from car to car - or be able to avoid theft. For those folks magnetic is best. Other folks say they don't want to deface/devalue their cars by making a hole, so they use magnetic mounts. Later, they have scuffing and scratching problems. Sometimes vandals give the cord a yank and really mess things up. I opted to drill a hole. Vandals are more likely to leave it alone if there is not a handy cord to yank. The hole does not devalue the car if you plug it with a cellular antenna when you trade/sell it. If a dealer tries to mark down your trade, find a good dealer. On my van, vandals would have to climb up on the hood or roof so they are likely to look for easier targets. Bye... -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Tom Bodoh - Section Manager, Systems Engineering and Management, Hughes STX + + USGS/EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57198 (605) 594-6830 + + Internet; bodoh@dgg.cr.usgs.gov (152.61.192.66) Amateur radio call; N0YGT + + "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends!" EL&P + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #724 ******************************