Date: Wed, 6 Jul 94 18:36:06 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 #754 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Wed, 6 Jul 94 Volume 94 : Issue 754 Today's Topics: A3 Yagi problem Humorous Field Day Stories? Info-Hams Digest V94 #710 Let's be Careful Out There! Need help with first Shortwave radio purchase Radios for Emergency Use (2 msgs) RF Feedback into Microphone. Show work for full credit (was: Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C?) SM410.ZIP via mail please twin diode mixer article, Ham Radio Oct, 1978 Yaesu FRG-9600 Mods Wanted 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: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 21:28:23 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!unixg.ubc.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!gov.nt.ca!ve8ev@network.ucsd.edu Subject: A3 Yagi problem To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <".6-Jul-94.14:35:46.EDT".*.Paul_Adler.NER-OSM@Xerox.com> Paul_Adler.NER-OSM@xerox.COM writes: >I have a A3 beam with 40 meter extentions for 4 years on a 40 foot tower. >Yesterday I was unable to load my TS-950 on 7mhz, 14 mhz and 28mhz. It works >fine on 21mhz and 29mhz. The rig works fine into dummy load and dipole. HELP > > KW1L >Paul_Adler.NER-OSM@Xerox.com If I were you I'd nip up to the top of the tower and have a look at the antenna. If all seems to be in order, put a dummy load on the end of the coax up the tower and check again. If the problem is still there its a bad run of cable. If not, look for a problem with one of the traps on the driven element. 73 ============================================================= John Boudreau VE8EV INTERNET: ve8ev@amsat.org Inuvik, NWT, CANADA PACKET: VE8EV@KL7GNG.#NAK.AK.USA.NA ============================================================= ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 94 16:05:07 CDT From: equalizer!timbuk.cray.com!walter.cray.com!renaissance!wws@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Humorous Field Day Stories? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2v85u2$i8r@news.icaen.uiowa.edu>, drenze@icaen.uiowa.edu (Douglas J Renze) writes: > Well, about 1730Z Sunday (a half-hour or so before the end of > the contest), we started milking thes very *very* weak signal on 10m SSB. > ... > Heh...one of the more memorable contacts. If you look at the Iowa map, > you'll see that Iowa City and Davenport are about 40 miles away as the > crow flies... At the W6YL field day site (2A East Bay), most of the Bay Area (San Francisco, East Bay, Santa Clara Valley) are either off the side or the back of the beams. Very weak copy when you can get full quieting on an 2m HT with a halfwave. Last year we worked an East African (have to go look at the old logs to find his call) on 20 meter SSB. He said we had an S-9 signal, and he couldn't hear *any* other Field Day stations! So he decided to work us. Walt ---- Walt Spector "Today is the dawn of a new age, (wws@renaissance.cray.com) if only (click!)" Sunnyvale, California The Biederbecke Affair _._ _._ _.... _. ._. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 94 00:08:54 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #710 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu <----RFC822 headers----- Received: from ucsd.edu ([132.239.254.201]) by alpha.xerox.com with SMTP id <14443(2)>; Mon, 27 Jun 1994 07:06:36 PDT Received: by ucsd.edu; id EAA21027 sendmail 8.6.9/UCSD-2.2-sun Mon, 27 Jun 1994 04:30:14 -0700 for info-hams-list Precedence: List Received: by ucsd.edu; id EAA21010 sendmail 8.6.9/UCSD-2.2-sun Mon, 27 Jun 1994 04:30:12 -0700 for info-hams-ddist From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@ucsd.edu Precedence: Bulk Redistributed: hamradio:all areas:Xerox -----RFC822 headers----> Info-Hams Digest Mon, 27 Jun 94 Volume 94 : Issue 710 Today's Topics: License Renewal What causes pitch shift in receiver? You know its time to ret 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: Wed, 22 Jun 1994 16:37:04 -0600 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!val!afarm!fredmail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: License Renewal To: info-hams@ucsd.edu To: esj@harvee.billerica.ma.us (Eric S Johansson) On 06-18-94 Eric S Johansson wrote to All... ES> >>What's the current procedure for renewing my ticket? And how soon ES> >>can I do it before the expiration date? ES> >> ES> >Get a copy of FCC Form 610 from the FCC, the ARRL, or your local ham ES> >club, fill it out, attach a copy of your current license, and send it ES> >in. You should send it in at least 90 days prior to the expiration ES> >date. ES> ES> I did that (610, 90 days prior...) and my license just expired on the ES> 15th ES> of june with no sign of a renewal.... when should I panic? ES> ES> --- eric (hopefully still ka1eec) I wouldn't worry about it... Probably technically, you're not supposed to transmit until you get the new license in your hands, but who's gonna know? And who's gonna enforce it? But with only 90 days having passed, I wouldn't worry about the form being lost or anything like that. As I'm sure you've heard all around, the FCC isn't cranking them out too fast these days! As much as I relocate, I don't think I'll ever have to worry about renewing, since that's covered each time I change my address... :) ___ * OFFLINE 1.56 ------------------------------ Date: 27 Jun 1994 09:44:04 -0000 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!utnut!torn!uunet.ca!uunet.ca!ionews.io.org!nobody@network.ucsd.edu Subject: What causes pitch shift in receiver? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1994Jun27.022819.26279@egreen.wednet.edu>, John Mollan - Harm wrote: >Normally pitch shift is caused by instability in the transmitter or >receiver. Once the rig is warmed up, this usually stops. You did not >hear drift in commercial signals because they transmit double-sideband >AM. Hams usually use cw or SSB where you must carefully beat an inserted >carrier against the received signal to detect it. Any drift will will >result in a marked changed of pitch. Oh ok. This explains why the commercial signals are clear. I think this receiver is *supposed* to receive SSB, as each freq appears twice on the display, the second time with a small 's' showing. However, maybe the small whip antenna is not good enough to allow the SSB circuitry to work properly? Actually tonight for a while, I was picking up some clear signals on 3.88 MHZ. Is this a weekly 'show' or get get-together? .. Perhaps with the host transmitting with 1 kwatt? I did hear a couple of call signs, W8----- something. I wonder if the propagation conditions happened to be just right at the time. Anyway, I guess the rainy weather the last few nights has not been the best for radio. When I did finally hear a few minutes of strong signals, it increased my level of interest in HAM radio ! The previous two nights I was not able to hear much of anything. And when I visited a HAM store here last week, I was'nt impressed with the signals I heard as the salesman demonstrated a base station hooked up to a 'proper' tower antenna. Granted it was during the day. He did finally pick up a fairly strong signal (I thought anyway ;) ) which turned out to be coming from Barcelona. >If this is too technical, just remember that hams use much narrower band >signals which can dridt easier. No, actually it's just about technical enough right now ;) ... I've been doing some reading, The ARRL Handbook, among others, and I have read a bit about SSB. I was looking through the handbook under 'distortion' to try to find the explanation of the pitch shifting. I thought maybe what I was hearing was inter modulation distortion. Is it? I tried to improve the antenna by attaching about 10 feet of wire to the whip antenna. That didn't seem to make much difference. However attaching a wire to the antenna and a water pipe *did* increase the signal strength. Anyway, I *will* keep listening :) Mike -- ======================================================================= Mike Stramba Email: mike@io.org Toronto,Canada Internex Online - Toronto, Canada (416) 363-3783 ======================================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jun 1994 16:40:06 -0600 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!val!afarm!fredmail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: You know its time to ret To: info-hams@ucsd.edu JH> JH> ... you hear code in your sleep, you hear code in the air conditioner JH> motor, JH> you hear code from the crickets outside (terrible chirp), you hear JH> code JH> emanating from the refrigerator motor, you hear code when someone JH> beeps JH> their horn in traffic... Oh, dear god.. That actually happened to me! When I was studying the code, I began hearing it everywhere... Even if the room was totally silent! It was probably all in my head, but it drove me nuts.. And the code never really said anything, it was just random. Maybe it was a sign of how frustrated I got sometimes when trying to study the code. ___ * OFFLINE 1.56 ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #710 ****************************** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 21:12:49 GMT From: newsgate.melpar.esys.com!melpar!phb@uunet.uu.net Subject: Let's be Careful Out There! To: info-hams@ucsd.edu William=E.=Newkirk%Pubs%GenAv.Mlb@ns14.cca.CR.rockwell.COM writes: >>to some degree. What I really don't understand is 2 meter mobile gear, out of >>the box, that transmit from 140 to 150 MHz (sometimes much wider). Receiving >>is no problem. But transmitting? For one it is illegal to transmit outside of >>the amateur band (with the exception of MARS and possibly another). >the assumption has been and still is that YOU operate the station. YOU know >how to put the radio on the right frequencies and so on. This is a great >honor we receive in these days of "users are stupid" design. It is also the very reason that amateurs are *required* to pass an examination on theory and regulations. There is absolutely nothing that is illegal about a piece of ham gear that tunes beyond the band edges, especially if MARS operation is contempleted, *except* for linear power amplifiers which cover the 27 MHz band and are specifically restricted by FCC regulation. It is up to the licensed ham to *make sure*, BY WHATEVER MEANS ARE NECESSARY, that he is operating "in-band" and ONLY "in-band." The burden of proof is on him/her, NOT the manufacturer. Besides, any ham can build a transmitter which can easily operate out of band; there's nothing illegal about him building it, but *operating* it is another matter. (|_|) Paul H. Bock, Jr. K4MSG Internet: pbock@melpar.esys.com | |) Principal Systems Engineer Telephone: (703) 560-5000 x2062 "You can have my bug when you can pry my cold, dead fingers from around it....." - anonymous radiotelegraph operator ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 1994 18:04:18 -0400 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!panix!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Need help with first Shortwave radio purchase To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2vf4ns$f6o@tequesta.gate.net>, Michael Fink wrote: > I would like to buy a shortwave radio but am not sure where >to start,who makes good receivers and are Radio Shack models >any good. What should I look for as far as features and options? I STRONGLY suggest that you go to a good book store and buy "1994 Passport To World Band Radio" and the 1994 World Radio-TV Handbook, and ask questions on specific models after tkaing in what those books have to offer. Also, you may get more focused feedback on rec.radio.shortwave -- Mike Schuster | schuster@panix.com | 70346.1745@CompuServe.COM ------------------- | schuster@shell.portal.com | GEnie: MSCHUSTER ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 1994 14:48:26 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!psgrain!news.tek.com!macs!macs!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Radios for Emergency Use To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article wb9omc@constellation.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) writes: > I think before I or anyone else should submit something for an >FAQ, a little broader concensus might be a good idea... > Hence, I have crossposted to rec.radio.amateur.misc... Good idea. When I wrote the snake bite posting I got lots of good ideas and suggestions from other netters. > If we're going to put some of this into an FAQ, we ought to try and >get it right (whatever "right" actually is :-) ). Agreed. [Duane suggests criteria: ] >1) lightweight Yup! >2) as physically small in size as possible to get the job done Likewise. >3) antenna simple to use and somewhat ruggedized Agreed. >4) minimal "tuning" of any kind required Or at least simple enough for the operator to use under adverse conditions. This varies from person to person. >5) reasonably battery efficient - keeps down on how much extra battery > and/or charger you might need to also carry Good. >6) battery that can be trickle charged with a small solar panel Probably not necessary if the radio is only for emergency use or even on most trips where it is used with some regularity. I suspect 1-2 extra sets of batteries would be less weight and trouble than a solar charger. I also want to add a bit about the idea of being prepared and avoiding trouble instead of depending on the radio to get you out of trouble. I hope it is obvious that people can do both and I would certainly advise people to take no risks with a radio available they would not take without one. I think this is just common sense. I understand the concern that someone will say. "We have a radio, let's go ahead even though we wouldn't without the radio." However I suspect this seldom happens. I had a similar concern here when they started using the Mt. Hood Locator Units (radio beacons to be carried by climbers and activated if necessary). I was afraid that people would take chances and get into trouble because they had an MLU. However experience has not confirmed these fears. Although many climbers carry MLU's, and many get into trouble there has only been one case of a lost person having one. I suspect that the climbers using them are the most safety conscious and hence the least likely to get into trouble. The same thing will probably happen with those carrying radios. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 23:44:32 GMT From: cnn.nas.nasa.gov!wilbur.nas.nasa.gov!eugene@ames.arpa Subject: Radios for Emergency Use To: info-hams@ucsd.edu >>Good information. Wouldn't you like to write something for an >>FAW/frequent posting on the subject? I'm sure Eugene would add it >>to the collection if you email it to him. I had already tacked it on to panel 5 and Hal and I had one round discussing it before his second hand post. I still have problems with it. > I think before I or anyone else should submit something for an >FAQ, a little broader concensus might be a good idea. I am but one person, >and I will have to say to be honest that I am *NOT* what most of the >readers of this group would call a real backcountry hiker in any sense >of the phrase. Some further input from those who ARE and DO carry >radios would be extremely useful. Oh, am I a real hiker? I tend to avoid radios, but ex-work occasionally requires it. The problems I have with Hal's text as it stands involve the philosophical problem of carrying that kind of technology into the woods. We ignore the obvious case of professionals doing their duty (when this was last covered). The fact is that some organizations who lead trips forbid the use of some of this technology. (Period.) The problem of "false sense of security" is another area not addressed by Hal's text; this has been known for decades as the bodies of 9 Russian women who had a radio can attest with their last words: "We die now." So a radio is not a panacea. Leaving the text as it is represents a tacit assumption that this is generally condoned in the woods: and in large part, it is not. The question is how to achieve the right sense of balance which Hal's text lacks. In case the reader (more radio oriented) thinks this is a joke, I refer to the article in Backpacker "Galen Rowell [a noted climber and photographer] Almost Killed Me" and Rowell's side bar response. I doubt Hal would like a similar "Hal (or me or any rec.radio poster name) Almost Killed Me" net.post. It's not clear to me that consensus is what you want. You want expertise. Other work calls. --eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene My 2nd favorite use of a flame thrower is the remake of "The Thing." A Ref: Uncommon Sense, Alan Cromer, Oxford Univ. Press, 1993. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 94 19:55:51 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!news.ossi.com!news.fai.com!amdahl!netcomsv!butch!enterprise!news@network.ucsd.edu Subject: RF Feedback into Microphone. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2vdjjr$l9u@news.tamu.edu>, cschmidt@diralect.me.pvamu.edu (Chris Schmidt) writes: |> Hey Guys, you all know alot about RF and Radio stuff. I am kinda |> new at this but I have learned a few things. However I don't know how to |> make RF filters. |> |> I have an RCI 2950 transciever with a Texas Star DX 667V amplifier |> and a truck stop Special antenna(1/2 wave Base Loaded with about 3.5 ft whip |> on Magnet-Mount base. Any how I have a problem When I am talking on either |> AM or SSB. When keyed up, If I touch the mike to my face or mouth while |> talking it squeals. On AM it it is not so bad, but on SSB it is fine till |> I start talking and then it stays keyed all the way up and squeals. I have |> tried and tried to adjust the mike gain to where it will not squeal, but it |> doesn't help it. |> |> I was wondering if What I need was to somehow rig up a RF filter at |> the Mike Element to keep it from doing this. It is the stock mike. I put |> a ceramic capactor across the element and it helped it on AM but made |> it worse on SSB. I am Totally Frustrated. It does not squeal when |> I run the RAdio without the amp on. It seems I have heard before that |> those Metal mike elements can act like a capacitor or a conducter for RF. |> But I don't know for sure. |> |> Any help would be very apreciated. I miss talking DX and local |> without the squeal. Please help me if you can. I check this rec. at |> least once a day... Well, thanx in advance. You might try rec.radio.cb. They may be more sympathetic to your problem. George, N7TNJ ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 1994 21:02:39 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsfeed.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!hobbes.physics.uiowa.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!news.iastate.edu!wjturner@network.ucsd. Subject: Show work for full credit (was: Temp. Conversion Chart: F & C?) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <773517748.26snx@n2ayj.overleaf.com>, n2ayj@n2ayj.overleaf.com (Stan Olochwoszcz N2AYJ) writes: |> In article <1994Jun29.171513.20340@ptsfa.PacBell.COM> dmturne@PacBell.COM writes: |> >>(C - 40) = (5 / 9)*(F - 40) |> > ^ |> >> |> >There is a typo in the second formula. It should read: |> > |> > (C - 40) = (5 / 9)*(F + 40) |> |> Forgive my pedantry, kids, but: If you would kindly address your attention to the posts that followed this one, you will see the formula was finally corrected to what it was meant to be in the first place: (C + 40) = (5/9) * (F + 40) You will notice that -40F = -40C, which is the guiding principle in the simplicity of this formula. You add the same constant to either temperature, multiply the result by 5/9 or 9/5, depending on the conversion, and then subtract the original constant. PRESTO!! (The proof is left as an exercise for the student.) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 16:48:02 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!galaxy.ucr.edu!library.ucla.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!unixg.ubc.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!tribune.usask.ca!canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca!infomag.mb.ca!jay@network.ucsd.edu Subject: SM410.ZIP via mail please To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Can somebody email me the uuencoded version of SM410.zip (Super Morse)? I've tried SEVERAL times to have the ham server send it to me but I only get the first of five pages. Thanks, jay ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 16:46:01 GMT From: spsgate!mogate!newsgate!news@uunet.uu.net Subject: twin diode mixer article, Ham Radio Oct, 1978 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Does anyone have an archive of Ham Radio that includes the Oct. 1978 issue where Jim Dietrich WA0RDX had an article entitled "Twin-Diode Mixer" published? I have no local source (Austin, TX) and would gladly pay copying and shipping expenses. Please email. Thanks, Dave DiCarlo r14793@waccvm.sps.mot.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 19:16:35 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.umbc.edu!haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatekeeper.es.dupont.com!esds01.es.dupont.com!Harry.A.Lane@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Yaesu FRG-9600 Mods Wanted To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2ut1c3$mvl@adm09.iac.honeywell.com> dphillips@ws07.iac.honeywell.com (Dave Phillips) writes: > Does anyone have information on HF/Scan Rate mods for the Yaesu FRG-9600 VFH Receiver ? > There was a kit some time ago that added HF to this radio, and I would be interested in > any information regarding it or any other modifications to this radio. > > Thanks in advance > > Dave Dave, From past expierence w/FRG9600, as far as I know there is no mod for scan rate UNFORTUNATELY! I had one and tried in vain to get the bugger to scan faster. In the process, I nearly mis-aligned the receiver...be careful if you have a golden screwdriver. On the HF mod, I wish I found this out 6 months ago...I sold the FRG9600! Good Luck... Harry (WB3BYK) > > -- > > Dave Phillips | "Takeoffs are optional, > Phoenix, AZ, USA | Landings are mandatory, > dphillips@WS07.iac.honeywell.com | Pilot error is not an accident, > KB7JS | All airplanes have personalities." ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 1994 22:58:32 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.cerf.net!innsrv.sce.com!usenet@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2v4851$sch@news.tamu.edu>, <1994Jul2.183857.25279@rgfn.epcc.edu>, <1994Jul6.190918.1100@rgfn.epcc.edu> Reply-To : scurrie@vnet.ibm.com Subject : Re: ZIA NET FREQ's In <1994Jul6.190918.1100@rgfn.epcc.edu>, ab728@rgfn.epcc.edu (Bill Lindberg) writes: >Bill Lindberg (ab728@rgfn.epcc.edu) wrote: > >: All i know is the one in Albuquerque, it's 145.29, -.6 with a 100 Htz tone, :(I think). I would also like to see a list posted If anyone would care to >: do it. I know there's maps available, but have never seen an online list. > >OOPS, that tone should be 142.2 Htz. Sorry for the original misinformation. > > >73, Bill, KC5FKN > Close, but not quite....... ZIA Connection: Site Output Location Nearest City 1 145.25- Telegraph Pass Yuma, AZ 2 145.31- Guadalupe Peak Quartzite, AZ 3 146.70- White Tanks Phoenix, AZ 4 145.25- Pinal Peak Globe, AZ 4 224.76- Pinal Peak Globe, AZ 5 146.70- Greens Peak Show Low, AZ 7 145.39- Guthrie Peak Safford, AZ 9 147.16+ Mt Lemmon Tucson, AZ 9 448.175- Mt Lemmon Tucson, AZ 10 145.21- Jack's Peak Lordsburg, NM 11 145.41- Caballo Mt. Truth or Consequences, NM 12 145.29- Sandia Crest Albuquerque, NM 13 145.33- Comanche Peak El Paso, TX 14 145.23- Benson Ridge Alamangordo, NM 16 147.00- Notrees Odessa, TX 147 CTCSS are 162.2, 222 CTCSS are 156.7 and 440 CTCSS are 100.0 _ ___ __ _ _ _ _ _ _(_) ___ (_-