Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 04:30:07 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 #976 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Tue, 30 Aug 94 Volume 94 : Issue 976 Today's Topics: 50Mhz control of RC cars? Are ordinary batteris chargeable? Can you 6M U.S. coast to coast? Communications Quarterly , was Qs on no code FCC license and Hardware FCC Processing data point - upgrade Heathkit Catalogs How to Identify Channel Master Control wires Icom 281H or 2GXAT mods? ICOM service center phone #? New Yaesu FT900, any reports (2 msgs) Ragchewing conversational protocol WWW/Mosaic pages for any radio material? You have been a ham too long when you ... 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: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 15:08:56 GMT From: hplntx!hpcc01!brunob@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: 50Mhz control of RC cars? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Yes, if you redesign/retune all resonant circuitery to new xtal. Since QRG is lower you will need new coils etc. from the log of AA6AD ------------------------------ Date: 30 Aug 94 16:48:00 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Are ordinary batteris chargeable? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu All I can tell you is that on TV(here in Europe) there is plenty of ads pushing 'an intelligent battery charger' with a microchip which charges ordinary batteries. Perhaps they have found a way of charging ordinary alcalines through intelligent charging (whatever that may be). Sometime ago I was told that it couldnt be done. One hundred years ago, someone also said we cant get to the moon. Peter, KC1QF/ON9CGV ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 10:48:00 -0800 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!iat.holonet.net!megasys!tim.marek@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Can you 6M U.S. coast to coast? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Yes you can do 6M from Coast to Coast but its very rare. Sporadic E or Es max single hop range is 1400 Miles. In the 3 seasons I've been on 50 Mhz Double hop to the Atlantic has happened 4-5 times. Thats what make 50 Mhz so interesting... You NEVER know what will happen next! 73s... de Tim, NC7K...sk Tim.Marek@Megasystem.Com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 16:51:24 GMT From: hplextra!hplb!hpwin055.uksr!hpqmoea!dstock@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Communications Quarterly , was Qs on no code FCC license and Hardware To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Dave Newkirk (WJ1Z) (dnewkirk@arrl.org) wrote: : What I've seen so far suggests that PINs suitable for front-end use aren't : going to be of much use for switching at MF, be the application at IF, such : as in switching crystal filters, or in a front end. But that's just a : researchless opinion; maybe someone makes PINs with wildly long carrier : lifetimes that will be just peachy for MF use. I should have said, I was thinking of 9MHz region IF filters. If the PINs are good on HF, they ought to be suitable here too. : And how about using JFETs as switches? Some of professional boxes do. 2N4391 30 Ohms max on resistance. Capacitance can be a limit to max isolation. Can also be used as a high IDss grounded-gate amplifier. gate connection to can allows heat sinking the easy way. Still like to get below 30 Ohms, though, and with less capacitance when off. Probably the best choice at LF, where isolation will be better for a given C. : This is a tricky business, as you know. In a narrowband IF, second-order : effects don't matter much because they're way outside the passband and : because filters limit the spectrum applied to the IF input; third-order : becomes all-important. Both orders are important in a front end. : If time allows, I want to go after another favorite radio weakness: : In-passband IMD. I hate it when I listen to a CW radio and hear beats : between two or more signals in the passband, but these effects are common. : Quantifying them is necessary, though, because our hearing is nonlinear and : our ears create beats to a degree that varies with the individual, and with : the frequencies and sound levels involved. Ah, now that's a very interesting (and untrampled) area. Most of the really keen, usually ex-naval, CW operators I know eschew narrow CW filters and use their ears. They complain at great length about the poor sound of most radios and point at older valved units that had very much better in-band linearity. The designers in Japan have learned of the importance of better front ends, but still assume that once past their 9 MHz filter, there is no remaining need for any care. The AGC controlled stages seem the worst culprit. Wondered about doing a very linear IF at 1.4 MHz, where I have a lot of really good filters, probably a long string of push-pull grounded-gate stages with photoresistor gain control. Bought a bag of ORP12 cells, but haven't yet got a supply of bright enough LEDs. I need to run them at the bright=low R end of their range as their response slows a lot at the dark=high R end. Scrounged some samples of a monster LED that will work as an outdoor torch, LEDs are being aimed at the vehicle brake and indicator light market, so there ought to be some along at reasonable prices fairly soon ( is there any prize for wild optimism?) Another one from my personal niggle pile is lousy audio amplifiers that latch short spikes into far longer pulses. Cheers, David GM4 ZNX ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 17:12:00 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!nntp.msstate.edu!Ra.MsState.Edu!mcf2@network.ucsd.edu Subject: FCC Processing data point - upgrade To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Congrats! It took over 3 months for my change of address to go through. But at least my ticket now says Tech Plus! 73 de N0YBC -- Michael C. Fortner "Often the very fact that the words of Science N0YBC/5 28.380 MHz are the same as those of our common life and mcf2@ra.msstate.edu tounge can be more misleading than enlightening" -Robert Oppenheimer Thought for the day: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This .sig protected by the Interlopen Furher 2000 alarm system. You have been warned. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 17:17:33 GMT From: hplextra!news.dtc.hp.com!srgenprp!bsplaine@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Heathkit Catalogs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I have a bunch of Heathkit catalogs dating back to 1972. Is there any value to these? I know people buy all kinds of stuff..... I have: 1972 cat# 810/72; 1972 cat# 800/48; 1973 cat# 810/735; 1978 cat#840 1978 cat# 843; 1979 cat# 845; 1979 cat# 847; 1980 cat#850 1983 cat# 863; 1986-1987 cat# 205 -- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \ Bill Splaine E-MAIL > bsplaine@sr.hp.com / / Hewlett Packard VOICE > (707) 577-2913 \ \ Santa Rosa, CA 95403 FAX > (707) 577-2095 / / ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY PACKET > N6GHG@KC6PJW \ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 12:26:32 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!jobone!fiesta.srl.ford.com!eccdb1.pms.ford.com!eve542.eve.ford.com!greed@network.ucsd.edu Subject: How to Identify Channel Master Control wires To: info-hams@ucsd.edu One of my friends disconnected the control wires from his Channel Master Controller and forgot the correct way to reconnect them. The Rotor is a small TV type mounted with cheap hardware and is rusted in place. Even after the nuts are chiseled or drilled off the rotor the mast will not move up (which it has to be done in oder to release the rotor) because the mast is rusted to the support bearing in the top of the tower. Can I determine the correct order by taking resistance readings or by trial and error ? There are three wires so there are 9 ways the wires could be connected, would trying the different combinations harm the rotor or controller ? One of the combinations we tried would cause the rotor to turn if the beam was disconnected but it was not strong enough to turn the rotor and beam (the beam is easy to turn by hand). Would the rotor turn at all if the wires were connected wrong ? Thanks Gary WB8OFU......... ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 09:38:47 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken.llnl.gov!enews.sgi.com!wdl1!ltis.loral.com!galileo!hlb@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Icom 281H or 2GXAT mods? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I would appreciate pointers to any mods for the Icom 281H or 2GXAT? I've checked several ftp sites but came up empty. At the ARRL convention there was a 281H taht was setup in the demo mode that did some fancy things with the display but the rep wasn't sure about the key sequence so any info on this would also be appreciated. Thanks, hlb@ltis.loral.com -- hlb@ltis.loral.com ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 16:17:34 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!overload.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!duke.edu!jbs@network.ucsd.edu Subject: ICOM service center phone #? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <778020548snx@skyld.grendel.com> jangus@skyld.grendel.com (Jeffrey D. Angus) writes: > > > > Why, gee, we're so awfully impressed with how much money you have to spend > > on your radios. > [ and ] > > I happen to have the service manual already for this rig, so I guess it > > looks like you don't know what you're talking about, now doesn't it? > > It *never* fails to amaze me how people can read something and be > completely incapable of understanding what they have just read. And it never fails to amaze *me* how many people make nasty generalizations and unfounded criticisms of others and drop references to how much money they have to spend in the hopes of impressing everyone, and then back down in record time claiming their posting was "misunderstood" when called onto the carpet. > ...you want Icom to hire extra people full time just so that > when *YOU* call, you might not have to spend a few extra dollars or be > inconvienced by having to wait a few minutes? No, I want ICOM to take my number and call me back when they've got time to talk to me. I'll even foot the bill. I just want the same quality customer service out of ICOM that other companies magically manage to provide while still turning a profit. 'Bye, Jeff. -joe -- "When personal freedom's being abused, | "In Canada we have something called you have to move to limit it." | multiculturalism - you will find the | whole spectrum of races living in - U.S. President Bill Clinton, 1994 | Toronto's slums." -A Canadian ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 16:26:56 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!library.ucla.edu!psgrain!news.tek.com!gv-gate.gvg.tek.com!gvgadg!randyh@network.ucsd.edu Subject: New Yaesu FT900, any reports To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <33sper$ghp@mrnews.mro.dec.com> klimasewski@fccvde.enet.dec.com (My name is...) writes: > >Is this new rig available? Any user comments? > >Ken How much? Randy ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 94 18:05:56 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!aries!hawley@network.ucsd.edu Subject: New Yaesu FT900, any reports To: info-hams@ucsd.edu randyh@gvgadg.gvg.tek.com (Randy Hall) writes: >In article <33sper$ghp@mrnews.mro.dec.com> klimasewski@fccvde.enet.dec.com (My name is...) writes: >> >>Is this new rig available? Any user comments? >> >>Ken >How much? >Randy I think it's about $1400 w/ tuner, and $1225 w/out from R&L in Ohio. They have 'em. Chuck Hawley, KE9UW in Urbana, Illinois hawley@aries.scs.uiuc.edu School of Chemical Sciences, Electronic Services University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 12:42:30 -0400 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!mailer.acns.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Ragchewing conversational protocol To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Derek Wills (oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu) wrote: > I see a lot of posts like this. So can I ask, in what is meant to > be a completely non-inflammatory way, what attracted you to amateur > radio in the first place? This may be off-topic, so I'll limit myself to only $0.03 worth. I wanted to be a ham for the thrill and adventure. After the Loma Prienta Earthquake in October 1989, a friend, who is a ham, was telling me about all he did working with ARES/RACES in the aftermath of the earthquake. I knew that was something that I wanted to do. A secondary reason was that he and I could chat and not have to be in the same room or tied to a telephone. As for ragchewing, I think it depends on the region. In California where I was, there wasn't too much problem with ragchewers tying up repeaters. Well, except for one instance where a mobile ham needed direction and an OF (Old Fart) ham explained for a full minute that he didn't know where his destination was located. In Florida, where I am now, it is relatively densely populated by OF hams. OF hams are easy to spot, IMHO, because they are the only ones who NEVER EVER wait for a courtesy tone and thus time out the repeater, or they talk for so long they they alone time out the repeater, or they talk at length about mullet fishing. Unfortunately, I haven't spent much time since being licenced in other parts of the country so I can only speak from my limited experience. -- Steven King SJKing@Freenet.FSU.EDU | Packet: KC6WCH @ N0ARY.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA V-Mail (904) 375-8658 x5464 | ICBM: 29N 41' 26" / 82W 21' 17" ** GORE IN '94 ** | "SURF, KITTY! SURF!" ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 10:56:58 -500 CDT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!ddsw1!mbi.moody.edu!farslayer.moody.edu!@@ihnp4.ucsd.edu Subject: WWW/Mosaic pages for any radio material? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article vidgames@netcom.com (Andy Eddy) writes: >I'm putting a list together of radio-related WWW (World-Wide-Web)/Mosaic >pages. If anyone has any addresses, I'd be interested in receiving them. >Not only will this help me set up a database for my purposes, but I'd be >happy to create an FAQ to be posted every couple of weeks for the >rec.radio.* group subscribers. Any help? >Thanks in advance... http://buarc.bradley.edu Bradley University ARC http://itre.uncecs.edu/radio/ ?? http://w3eax.umd.edu/w3eax.html University of Maryland ARC http://www.acs.ncsu.edu/HamRadio/ http://macgwy-mac2.gsfc.nasa.gov/garc/wa3nan-home-page.html Goddard Space Flight Center ARC http://archive.phish.net/BRC http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc.html Boston ARC ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 12:47:58 -0400 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!mailer.acns.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: You have been a ham too long when you ... To: info-hams@ucsd.edu John Albert (jwa@tellabs.com) wrote: > In article ed@fore.com (Ed Bathgate) writes: > >drive past somebody you know, instead of tooting beep - beep on the car horn, > >you beep -.-.--.- > > > > > How about when you call your favorite Ham Radio Store and say > "This Joe WA9XXX" with out giving your last name! Or in my case, when finishing a telephone conversation with another ham, I almost ended the call by giving my callsign. -- Steven King SJKing@Freenet.FSU.EDU | Packet: KC6WCH @ N0ARY.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA V-Mail (904) 375-8658 x5464 | ICBM: 29N 41' 26" / 82W 21' 17" ** GORE IN '94 ** | "SURF, KITTY! SURF!" ------------------------------ Date: 29 Aug 1994 17:11:04 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!darkstar.UCSC.EDU!news.hal.COM!olivea!ncd.com!newshost.ncd.com!sheridan.ncd.com!stevew@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <33b9mv$7q7@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, <33culc$a4n@jericho.mc.com>, st.n Subject : Re: FLAME the FCC In article , Ed Ellers writes: |> Bob Levine writes: |> |> >He waited 17 years to take the test and now complains that the |> >government is taking 14 weeks to give him his FREE license. |> |> Exactly how many newborn babies are capable of passing an amateur license exam? |> |> More to the point, exactly how does the fact that this license is issued at |> no charge (it's really paid for with tax money) justify rotten service? I think the original poster doesn't understand just how understaffed the FCC is. Nor does he comprehend the fact that the paperwork load recently doubled in this area due to the the re-occurance of license renewals after a 5 year respite. First point. The FCC staff has been cut back to the bone, and then some over the last 15 years. To illustrate the point, there were something like 11 engineers in the local field office in 1980. There are 4 now. And you have to realize just how much area these 4 guys are responsible for! They have to do all marine inspections, commercial site inspections, etc. along with other duties in Northern CA. From my way of thinking, it is a miracle they just don't get completely snowed under. Gettysburg is in the same boat. Further, they are in the midst of updating a 1960's computer system to a more modern networked workstation system. This will help, but the migration path caused some pains. Lastly, the work load thru this section literally doubled. There are about as many renewals being processed right now as there are new licenses. they didn't HAVE renewals last year! SO...if you would like to have your taxes hiked, then by all means, I'm sure that we can accomidate 4-5 week turnaround! Steve KA6S ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #976 ******************************