Date: Wed, 18 May 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 #541 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Wed, 18 May 94 Volume 94 : Issue 541 Today's Topics: Atlas 210X Info Wanted Azden AZ61 Feedback Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 16 May Man named Loomis invented radio? Sonobuoy conversion articles subscribe info-ham Laurent PELLISSIER 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: Tue, 17 May 94 19:48:56 GMT From: news.mtholyoke.edu!nic.umass.edu!usenet@uunet.uu.net Subject: Atlas 210X Info Wanted To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In Article leigh@coyote.rain.org (Leigh Marrin) writes: >I've been loaned an old Atlas 210X HF transciever, and have an option to >buy it for a mere 50 dollars. >Using a dummy load, it puts about 50 watts of CW out. But using a Hustler >40 meter coil & whip, power drops down to about QRP levels, even though >the SWR is around 1.5:1. An old-timer with experience with the Atlas >says this is fairly common; he says the early solid state rigs did not >like loaded whips, and required a special matching network. (He also >says that a conventional antenna tuner won't work.) The loaded whip, even when resonant, will have an impedance much lower than 50 ohms. One of the accessories originally available from Atlas was an impedance transformer to raise the impedance of a mobile whip. You could probably make one using a large toroid core. But there is no reason a tuner shouldn't work if it properly transforms the whip impedance to 50 ohms. I used an Atlas 210X last year when I was operating in Nicaragua as YN1ASW. I used an MFJ 949E tuner to load a variety of antennas. I did have one difficulty, and that was parasitic oscillations that developed on some bands as I increased the power level. I determined that these oscillations were due to the fact that any particular load, whether coupled directly or through an antenna tuner, might present a complex reactive impedance at some frequency, even though it presents a resistive impedance at the desired operating frequency. Such oscillations did nort occur with a dummy load. I was able to partially tame these problems by putting a one or two watt resistor of several thousand ohms resistance in parallel with the antenna tuner. At the desired frequency this would absorb a negligible part of the output, since it was effectively in parallel with a 50 ohm load, but at frequencies where the antenna and/or tuner looked like a reactive load this contributed some damping and helped to stabilize the rig. This wasn't completely effective for all antennas and power levels, but I had limited access to parts for trying more elaborate solutions. You'll probably also find that output is very sensitive to supply voltage, and will be substantially lower at 11.8 volts than at 13.6 volts. >Also, on the large selector knob on the front panel, there is a setting >marked "CAL". I can find no mention in the manual as to what "CAL" is This turns on the calibrator -- you should hear a loud signal every 100 khZ if it is working properly. >Any other input on the Atlas 210X would be appreciated. ... Hi Manuals had a rather good packet on the 210/215 at the time I acquired mine, in mid 1992. They had a number of factory modifications in the package. The earlier your particular 210X the more useful these will be, since most of the mods were incorporated into later production units. You'll have to send in your $2 for a Hi Manuals catalog to see if they currently have the Atlas info. 73 and good luck, Al, N1AW Albert S. Woodhull Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA awoodhull@hamp.hampshire.edu ------------------------------ Date: 18 May 94 03:23:18 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Azden AZ61 Feedback To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi All, PHD Hamfest is this weekend in Kansas City, and I need to make a buying decision on this rig. Does anyone own one, and if so, what are your opinions - pro/con? Are there any problems with this HT? Is the price reasonable (features etc)? etc.. etc.. etc.. I have read the spec sheet, but have not seen one. HRO does not carry Azden. Associated Radio (my favorite candy store) sells Azden, but they do not have this particular unit in stock. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 73 de KB0LRB Lynn Geitgey geitgey@ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 94 04:29:01 GMT From: agate!library.ucla.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!unixg.ubc.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!alberta!ve6mgs!usenet@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 16 May To: info-hams@ucsd.edu /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ DAILY SUMMARY OF SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY 16 MAY, 1994 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ (Based In-Part On SESC Observational Data) SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY INDICES FOR 16 MAY, 1994 ------------------------------------------------------- !!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 136, 05/16/94 10.7 FLUX=091.4 90-AVG=087 SSN=058 BKI=4533 5433 BAI=026 BGND-XRAY=A7.7 FLU1=1.7E+06 FLU10=2.3E+04 PKI=4454 6433 PAI=030 BOU-DEV=042,070,031,039,072,046,033,022 DEV-AVG=044 NT SWF=00:000 XRAY-MAX= B5.3 @ 1011UT XRAY-MIN= A5.6 @ 2009UT XRAY-AVG= B1.1 NEUTN-MAX= +002% @ 0445UT NEUTN-MIN= -003% @ 1710UT NEUTN-AVG= -0.2% PCA-MAX= +0.2DB @ 1905UT PCA-MIN= -0.5DB @ 0150UT PCA-AVG= +0.0DB BOUTF-MAX=55346NT @ 0005UT BOUTF-MIN=55295NT @ 1643UT BOUTF-AVG=55318NT GOES7-MAX=P:+000NT@ 0000UT GOES7-MIN=N:+000NT@ 0000UT G7-AVG=+078,+000,+000 GOES6-MAX=P:+140NT@ 1821UT GOES6-MIN=N:-104NT@ 0601UT G6-AVG=+104,+031,-044 FLUXFCST=STD:090,095,095;SESC:090,095,095 BAI/PAI-FCST=020,015,010/020,015,010 KFCST=3324 4223 2224 4222 27DAY-AP=016,010 27DAY-KP=5344 2233 3333 2212 WARNINGS= ALERTS= !!END-DATA!! NOTE: The Effective Sunspot Number for 15 MAY 94 was 22.3. The Full Kp Indices for 15 MAY 94 are: 3- 3o 5+ 6o 4o 3o 3+ 4- The 3-Hr Ap Indices for 15 MAY 94 are: 14 15 54 80 30 15 20 23 Greater than 2 MeV Electron Fluence for 16 MAY is: 3.9E+08 SYNOPSIS OF ACTIVITY -------------------- Solar activity was very low. Region 7723 (N05W26) was the only flare producer with a pair of B-class subflares over the past 24 hours. Solar activity forecast: solar activity is expected to be very low to low. Region 7722 (N08E12) still has the best, although slim, chance of producing C-class flares. The geomagnetic field has been at unsettled to minor storm levels over the past 24 hours. High latitude stations saw active to severe storm conditions. Activity is most likely because of a well positioned coronal hole. Energetic electron flux (GT 2 mev) ranged from normal to high levels through the period. Geophysical activity forecast: the geomagnetic field is expected to be unsettled to active levels in middle latitudes and active to minor storm levels at high latitudes for the next 24 hours. Activity is expected to subside to mostly unsettled thereafter. Event probabilities 17 may-19 may Class M 01/01/01 Class X 01/01/01 Proton 01/01/01 PCAF Green Geomagnetic activity probabilities 17 may-19 may A. Middle Latitudes Active 20/30/20 Minor Storm 25/20/10 Major-Severe Storm 10/10/05 B. High Latitudes Active 25/25/25 Minor Storm 25/20/10 Major-Severe Storm 10/10/05 HF propagation conditions were near-normal for the low and middle latitude paths. High and polar latitude paths were generally below-normal with an excursion to useless propagation conditions for transpolar and transauroral paths between approximately 12:00 UTC and 15:00 UTC due to a period of major to severe geomagnetic storming during that interval. Conditions then improved throughout the remainder of the day and were beginning to approach near-normal values by the end of the UTC day. Additional periods of minor signal degradation may be observed over the high and polar latitude paths over the next 24 hours. Conditions should begin improving more solidly over the next 24 to 48 hours as this disturbance subsides toward quieter levels. COPIES OF JOINT USAF/NOAA SESC SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL REPORTS ======================================================== REGIONS WITH SUNSPOTS. LOCATIONS VALID AT 16/2400Z MAY ------------------------------------------------------ NMBR LOCATION LO AREA Z LL NN MAG TYPE 7722 N08E12 122 0380 DKO 06 010 BETA 7723 N05W26 160 0010 HRX 02 002 ALPHA 7725 N04W09 143 0000 AXX 00 001 ALPHA 7726 N10E24 110 0010 AXX 05 005 ALPHA 7720 S08W68 202 PLAGE 7721 S12W11 145 PLAGE REGIONS DUE TO RETURN 17 MAY TO 19 MAY NMBR LAT LO 7710 S14 041 LISTING OF SOLAR ENERGETIC EVENTS FOR 16 MAY, 1994 -------------------------------------------------- BEGIN MAX END RGN LOC XRAY OP 245MHZ 10CM SWEEP NONE POSSIBLE CORONAL MASS EJECTION EVENTS FOR 16 MAY, 1994 ------------------------------------------------------ BEGIN MAX END LOCATION TYPE SIZE DUR II IV NO EVENTS OBSERVED INFERRED CORONAL HOLES. LOCATIONS VALID AT 16/2400Z --------------------------------------------------- ISOLATED HOLES AND POLAR EXTENSIONS EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH CAR TYPE POL AREA OBSN NO DATA AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS SUMMARY OF FLARE EVENTS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY ------------------------------------------------ Date Begin Max End Xray Op Region Locn 2695 MHz 8800 MHz 15.4 GHz ------ ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ------ ------ --------- --------- --------- 15 May: 1722 1739 1757 B6.0 SF 7726 N09E39 REGION FLARE STATISTICS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY ------------------------------------------------ C M X S 1 2 3 4 Total (%) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- ------ Region 7726: 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 001 (100.0) Uncorrellated: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 ( 0.0) Total Events: 001 optical and x-ray. EVENTS WITH SWEEPS AND/OR OPTICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE LAST UTC DAY ---------------------------------------------------------------- Date Begin Max End Xray Op Region Locn Sweeps/Optical Observations ------ ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ------ ------ --------------------------- NO EVENTS OBSERVED. NOTES: All times are in Universal Time (UT). Characters preceding begin, max, and end times are defined as: B = Before, U = Uncertain, A = After. All times associated with x-ray flares (ex. flares which produce associated x-ray bursts) refer to the begin, max, and end times of the x-rays. Flares which are not associated with x-ray signatures use the optical observations to determine the begin, max, and end times. Acronyms used to identify sweeps and optical phenomena include: II = Type II Sweep Frequency Event III = Type III Sweep IV = Type IV Sweep V = Type V Sweep Continuum = Continuum Radio Event Loop = Loop Prominence System, Spray = Limb Spray, Surge = Bright Limb Surge, EPL = Eruptive Prominence on the Limb. ** End of Daily Report ** ------------------------------ Date: 18 May 94 05:46:35 GMT From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!emory!cherry.atlanta.com!nanovx!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Man named Loomis invented radio? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1994May17.145749.20098@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com> c22jrb@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Jim Buchanan) writes: >In article <2r8f28$ha2@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>, btbg1194@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Bradley T Banko) writes: >[...] >> I read something recently that a man named Loomis might have >> "invented" radio in the late 1800's before Marconi & Hertz et al. >[...] >> Does anybody else know more about this? > >Dr. Loomis was a dentist. If I remember correctly, he used a non-powered >system where he simply connected his "transmitting" antennae to ground via >a telegraph key. I assume that at all time a very small potential >difference existed between the antennae and ground, when the key opened and >closed, a small current flowed and excited the antennae at its resonant >frequency. I'm not sure what he used as a detector, but it did work. Loomis took advantage of the roughly 300 volts/meter potential in the atmosphere to activate his transmitter. The current flow is small, except during thunderstorms, but it was sufficient to generate a detectable signal at a distance in the days before widespread use of electricity. Nathan B. Stubblefield's work was much further advanced. He sent *voice* signals over distances greater than 30 miles before Marconi et al sent spark signals. His system was powered by batteries and apparently worked on the principle of sheet conductance. (He was very secretive about the exact details.) He conducted a demonstration for Congress where he communicated by voice with a ship in the Potomac from the shore. His was the first "underground" radio station. And of course there was Tesla. He had radio controlled boats operating in the lake of Central Park in one demonstration well before Marconi generated his first sparks. Tesla was fasinated by resonance phenomina. 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: 18 May 1994 02:35:12 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!psgrain!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!olivea!news.bu.edu!dartvax.dartmouth.edu!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Sonobuoy conversion articles To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2835@bridge2.NSD.3Com.COM> peter_simpson@3com.com (Peter Z. Simpson) writes: > Here's what I found using "From Beverages to OSCAR"...a ham radio article > database from Didah Publishing (they advertise in QST and Communications Quarterly, > I believe): > > 5 FQ XTAL DECK FOR THE SONOBABY Ham Radio 10/72 p.26 > CONVERTING SSQ-23A SONOBUOY TO 2MFM 73 Magazine 3/70 p.96 > SONOBUOY-VHF FM XMTR Ham Radio 10/71 p.8 > SONOBUOY-VHF FM XMTR (feedback) Ham Radio 12/71 p.96 Thanks a lot! The buoys I've got are all SSQ-23A, so it looks like this will be a tremendous help! Now, all I've got to do is remember to get down to the inter-library loan desk tomorrow... --- ======================================================================= Kenneth E. Harker N1PVB Dartmouth College Amateur Packet Radio kenneth.e.harker@dartmouth.edu Hinman Box 1262 n1pvb@w1et.nh.usa.na (603) 643-5716 Hanover, NH 03755 or n1pvb-5 on 144.99 ======================================================================= (PGP Public Key now available on request) ------------------------------ Date: 18 May 94 09:05:25 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: subscribe info-ham Laurent PELLISSIER To: info-hams@ucsd.edu subscribe info-ham Laurent PELLISSIER ------------------------------ Date: 18 May 94 06:12:20 GMT From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!swrinde!emory!cherry.atlanta.com!nanovx!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary@ucbvax.berkeley.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <94137.114515TONY@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>, <1994May17.122113.1@dcd00.fnal.gov>, <2rb0eq$srh@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> Reply-To : gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) Subject : Re: Need Advice In article <2rb0eq$srh@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> ham@wam.umd.edu (Scott Richard Rosenfeld) writes: >How about a nice, older HW-101 or IC-701 or Kenwood TS-120/130S? >Why only 2 meters? People just don't get it. VHF stuff is expensive, >and who wants older VHF equipment (for the most part)? Older HF stuff >is still very current and functional - and cheap, AND you can work >around the world with it. When did that cease to be the driving >force in amateur radio? Two meters IS all that's left :-( VHF/UHF is in general much more useful and much more popular than HF for genuine communications. Older equipment is very much available, servicable, and cheap, but newer equipment does tend to attract many buyers. Because VHF/UHF *is* so much more popular than HF, there is a much wider variety of new equipment from which to choose. If budget is a consideration, however, I just bought a VHF 90 watt transportable rig at Dayton for $8. It works too! It's a GE Master Exec in a GE transport case with a TPL amp and marine battery. Just add an antenna and you're in business. Or, if you must buy Japanese, I saw dozens of IC2s for sale for under $100. That's a perfectly servicable belt rig, better than many current models. What's the point of "working around the world" if you don't have anything interesting to *say* to the other operator? Just exchanging meaningless signal reports isn't interesting. It has been done to death already by others. On VHF/UHF you're much more likely to establish long term friendships with other operators, and to engage them in interesting conversations on a near daily basis. That's rather rare on HF, except on 75 meters, and that's such a zoo of noise and interference that the contacts are rarely pleasant. 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: 18 May 94 08:09:35 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!overload.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail@ucbvax.berkeley.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1994May16.141525.863@pacs.sunbelt.net>, , Subject : Re: HAM RADIO RUDENESS rogjd@netcom.com (Roger Buffington) writes: >blood@austin.ibm.com wrote: >: Ive decided to quit saving for a HF rig after following this discussion. >Don't feel that way. Get the HF rig and ignore the few jerks who are >rude on the air. There are not many of them. My advice would be to move to Europe. At least when the people are rude, it is not in english :) (Might be in italian but I didn't say that) :) ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #541 ******************************