Date: Wed, 10 Aug 94 18:09:11 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 #895 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Wed, 10 Aug 94 Volume 94 : Issue 895 Today's Topics: *** XAR Special Event Station *** call signs on marine vhf Car warrantee and 2m radio (2 msgs) cell sites CHU Digital Transmission Format? Dielectric Constant of Magnet Wire Insulation??? FORD RF NOISE (2 msgs) Hamfests in Portland, OR??? Help! How to Improve my CW Speed? (2 msgs) Infomation about Maryland QSO Party QSL services S. California Repeaters TM-733 Mods and Info. What HF antenna for Ford Explorer? What to Do with Old QSTs 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: 10 Aug 94 17:34:57 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: *** XAR Special Event Station *** To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Received: by km6jv.noname (4.1/SMI-4.0) id AA17834; Wed, 10 Aug 94 10:34:46 PDT The Xerox Amateur Radio club of El Segundo, California will be opening all hailing frequencies and operating WD6CZH on Saturday, August 20th to comemmorate 7 years of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Operation will be from 15:00 UTC to 00:00 UTC and will be in the Novice portion of the 10 meter band and in the General portions of 15, 20, and 40 meters. For a beautiful, full-color 8.5 x 11 inch QS Hail certificate, beam a 9 x 12 SASE to: XAR 94 Special Event c/o Doug Tice 6940 Bacarro St. Long Beach, CA 90815 MAKE IT SO! ------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 1994 12:00:03 -0400 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!swiss.ans.net!newstf01.cr1.aol.com!search01.news.aol.com!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: call signs on marine vhf To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <08081994.184904@kaster.cts.com>, tbear@kaster.cts.com (Tbear) writes: > Once I get my ham license from the FCC which call signs do I use when >using the marine band VHF on my boat?Should I use the call sign I was issued >when I registered the radio or should I use the call sign that the FCC will >be sending me for amateur radio use?Thanx in advance. You are operating on 2 DIFFERENT services... each have their own licensing requirements and their own callsigns. Use your Amateur Radio call on the ham bands and your Marine license when operating on those frequencies. Using the other callsign on the other band may cause you to loose those privilages... be carefull. 73 for now.... c u on the shortwaves Terry Stader - KA8SCP America Online Ham Radio Club Host Macintosh Amateur Radio Software List Maintainer Internet: tstader@aol.com (e-mail) or p00489@psilink.com (binaries/files >28K) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Aug 94 08:25:53 CDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Car warrantee and 2m radio To: info-hams@ucsd.edu On 8 Aug 1994 17:49:42 GMT, Randy Hammock wrote: > >When I bought my Ford Ranger two years ago, we were on the verge of signing >the contract when I inquired about installing a mobile rig and how it would >affect the warranty. The salesman turned white as a ghost and wanted know if >it would affect the deal. I told him it most certainly would. Upon checking, >I found a warning in the owners guide about operating more than 5 watts >inside of the cab no mention of warranty voidance. I went ahead and bought >the truck. The only thing I notice is that it slows down slightly when I'm >running with cruise control and I transmit on 440 at high power (35 watts). I also have a Ford Ranger. At the time I bought it I wasn't yet involved in ham radio, so radio use wasn't a consideration. However, since then I have installed a Yaesu FT2200 mobile unit. I was traveling this weekend up to a hamfest and tried to reach some folks at the hamfest on a simplex frequency using 50W. At the time we were on the interstate on cruise control. There was no apparent effect on the cruise or my speed. However, last April on the way to Dayton we were using a mobile, plugged into the lighter, with a 1/4w mag mount antenna. That -did- affect the cruise control when the mike was keyed (don't know what power was, but it was 35W or less, probably 5). The decrease in speed was enough to feel, but not enough to register perceptibly on the speedometer. I don't know why the FT2200 doesn't affect the truck now (I'm not complaining :-)), but maybe it's the installation. I have it wired directly to the battery, and I'm using a 5/8w permanently mounted antenna on the roof. -Steve- N9XDC ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 16:29:07 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.ssc.gov!fnnews.fnal.gov!gw1!nntpa!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Car warrantee and 2m radio To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 09 Aug 94 08:55:09 PDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov!nntp-server.caltech.edu!news.cerf.net!news@network.ucsd.edu Subject: cell sites To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Does anyone have any info regarding the rate paid by PacBell (AirTouch) for establishing a cell site lease. The offers been made however I'd be interested to find out just what being paid these days. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 1994 02:03:38 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!galaxy.ucr.edu!library.ucla.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!unixg.ubc.ca!quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca!tribune.usask.ca!herald.usask.ca!hardie@network.ucsd.edu Subject: CHU Digital Transmission Format? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ------------------------------ Date: 10 Aug 94 17:45:00 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Dielectric Constant of Magnet Wire Insulation??? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I am attempting to generate a table of characteristic impedances of parallel magnet wires for use in winding transmission line transformers. I plan to use Belden magnet wire (have it on hand) for some of the transformers. Belden can give specifications for the average thickness of the insulating coating, but has no idea what the dielectric constant of the materials are, according to their telephone tech support. There are two covering types involved, both covered by Federal Standards (neither of which list the dielectric constant of the insulators). The first is called: 1 "...dual film. ....underlying coating shall be .... polyurethane resin. The superimposed coating.... shall be polyamide resin." (Belden "Belsol") 2 "...dual film. ...underlying coating shall be... polyester, polyester-imide or a polyester-amide-imide resin. The superimposed coating ... shall be ...a polyamide-imide resin." (Belden "Heavy Armored Poly-Thermaleze") It is pretty easy to calculate the characteristic impedance of a parallel line transmission line if the separation and dielectric constant are known, but in this case: A. Does anyone know what the dielectric constant of the materials listed above are, and; B. How do you mathematically treat the case that the wire actually has two concentric coatings of dielectric material and they may (probably are) two different dielectric constants. Any help from the physicists / engineers out there would be appreciated. Please respond directly to: johnk@ATK.COM or to the net (or both). John, WB4LNM ======================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 15:55:08 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!srgenprp!nielsj@network.ucsd.edu Subject: FORD RF NOISE To: info-hams@ucsd.edu John Chapman (jwc@col.hp.com) wrote: : Some products have a long 'ground' lead from the fuel pump : (in fuel tank) to left front fender well area. : This makes great antenna to radiate rf noise from the fuel : pump. : Bonding this lead to frame as close as possible to fuel tank : will aleviate most of the noise problem. A rf choke from Ford : or Radio Shack may still be necessary for some instalations. : : I'm not sure what you mean by bonding. I assume this is an electrically conductive bond. What is the suggested implementation of this? Also, does the RF choke go in series with the ground lead as close as possible to the gas tank (I assume)? Thanks for any info! Niels Jensen NY0N nielsj@sr.hp.com ------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 1994 17:19:22 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!ucsnews!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!jwc@network.ucsd.edu Subject: FORD RF NOISE To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Niels Jensen (nielsj@sad.hp.com) wrote: : John Chapman (jwc@col.hp.com) wrote: : : Some products have a long 'ground' lead from the fuel pump : : (in fuel tank) to left front fender well area. : : This makes great antenna to radiate rf noise from the fuel : : pump. : : Bonding this lead to frame as close as possible to fuel tank : : will aleviate most of the noise problem. A rf choke from Ford : : or Radio Shack may still be necessary for some instalations. : : : : : I'm not sure what you mean by bonding. I assume this is an electrically : conductive bond. What is the suggested implementation of this? : Also, does the RF choke go in series with the ground lead as close as possible : to the gas tank (I assume)? Yes, solid electrical bond. As I understand it, the filter choke would be in power lead to tranceiver. The filter choke is already addressed in previous Ford service bullitin. This previous service procedure did not include the "grounding", which is why I complained thru Mark McIntyre, and got Ford to do a followup. John, N0KIC ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 15:54:49 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!news!scottb@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Hamfests in Portland, OR??? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu So, are there any hamfests/swapmeets in the Portland, OR area??? Scott -- Scott Bigelow Hewlett-Packard Co. Vancouver, WA ------------------------------ Date: 8 Aug 1994 07:07:22 -0400 From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!mailer.acns.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!not-for-mail@ames.arpa Subject: Help! How to Improve my CW Speed? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi, Yuzu [AA1JA]--Practice and more practice, pal. You cannot "force" it to happen to break the plateau; it will simply happen some day. A more regular schedule of operation would be a big help--i.e., "daily" for an hour is superior to "weekly" for several hours. Obtain a transceiver somewhere and set up a small station at home and operate from there-- that will get your practice moving much more regularly. Failing this, obtain and listen to tapes each day. Copy the text from W1AW to get new material. [Tapes are nice because you can carry them around with you and "catch" five minutes here and five minutes there during quiet times of the day. High speed CW operators are not hatched overnight or even in a few months; it takes years in the tenches under a variety of conditions, i.e., contests, ragchews, DX chases, practice-only sessions. Like a fine bottle of wine, the CW operator cannot be rushed to maturity, hi. Good luck. [BTW, I did not take your first posting as humerous or a joke. I could see you were very sincere and perhaps a little frustrated. Hang in there; it will happen.] Michael Christie, K7RLS Crawfordville, Florida ------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 1994 00:05:26 GMT From: library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!ceylon!news2.near.net!das-news.harvard.edu!husc-news.harvard.edu!husc.harvard.edu@ihnp4.ucsd.edu Subject: Help! How to improve my CW speed? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I just wanted to say thank you to Dan P. Trainor for his excellent advice and suggestions. Somehow, I could not send my thank-you-note to him directly, so I am posting this article here. Thanks again, Dan. 73, Yuzuru Suzuki, AA1JA ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 17:31:27 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!ucsnews!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!aplcenmp!aurora.jhuapl.edu!jeg@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Infomation about Maryland QSO Party To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Greetings: Here the information that I have about the Maryland QSO Party I do not know who to contact on the net with regards to this, it's not me! Please distribute widely. "Times and Dates 16:00 Z (12:00 PM) Aug 20 to 04:00 Z (12:00 AM) Aug 21 16:00 Z (12:00 PM) Aug 21 to 23:59 Z (11:59 PM) Aug 21 Awards Certificate and QSO Party Logo Watch to the high scoring MDC Log and Top Non-MDC Log ! Certificates awarded for all other categories including: 10 best MDC logs, best each US State, Canadian Province, DX Country, MD Club, DC Club, MDC Mobile, Best YL Score, best QRP from each state. Best Novice/Tech each state. A plaque (Donated by Amateur Radio of Hagerstown) will be awarded to the high scoring MD-DC Club. Participation certificates to all with 40 or more QSO points. Rules Non-MDC Stations must work only MDC stations. MDC stations may work anyone. Portables and mobiles that change counties during the test count as a separate station in each new county of operation. No packet or repeater QSOs. QSOs part of a regularly scheduled net are not allowed. Exchange: QTH and major category of entry. Major Categories include: Club, QRP, Mobile, Novice/Tech, and Standard. Stations should send the major category that reflects their highest point value. Suggested frequencies: SSB: 3.92, 7.23, 14.26, 21.37, 28.38, 50.15, 146.55 MHz CW: 3.643, 3.701, 7.035, 7.126, 14.04, 21.115, 28.04, 28.115 MHz CW is suggested on the odd half hours. Examples 1730, 1930, 2130, 2330, 0130, 0330Z Scoring: For Non-MDC stations - Each MD county + Baltimore City + DC are multipliers (25 possible). For MDC Stations - Multipliers are MD Counties + Baltimore City + DC + each of the 49 other states + Canadian Provinces + 1 other DX. Multipliers may be claimed once only. They do not repeat on other bands. QSO Points: Pts Description 10 Club Station QSOs. (Clubs anywhere for MDC Stat.). 05 Mobile QSOs (Mobiles anywhere for MDC Stat.).any other valid contact (Standard SSB and FM). Final Score: Add up all QSO points and multiply by the sum of the multipliers Send logs with SASE by September 10, 1994 to the Antietam Radio Association, P.O. Box 52, Hagerstown, MD 21741-0052 Good Luck !" 73 de John kd3wy jeg@aardvark.jhuapl.edu #include ------------------------------ Date: 10 Aug 1994 15:22:01 GMT From: cronkite.cisco.com!sdarragh-mac.cisco.com!user@ames.arpa Subject: QSL services To: info-hams@ucsd.edu How do QSL services work? How much do they cost? Scott ------------------------------ Date: 6 Aug 1994 12:26:18 -0700 From: agate!library.ucla.edu!psgrain!rainrgnews0!pacifier!news.alpha.net!mvb.saic.com!news.cerf.net!ccnet.com!ccnet.com!not-for-mail@ames.arpa Subject: S. California Repeaters To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Don Montgomery (donrm@sr.hp.com) wrote: : wayne roberts (milcom@netcom.com) wrote: : > Another high level repeater which is open is 449.6375 with a 103.5 PL, : An open UHF repeater in So.Cal??? Will wonders never cease? :^( Don't worry that SoCal repeater isn't really OPEN until they publish their dpl code in the ARRL repeater directory. ;^) Bob -- Bob Wilkins work bwilkins@cave.org Berkeley, California home rwilkins@ccnet.com 94701-0710 play n6fri@n6eeg.#nocal.ca.usa.noam ------------------------------ Date: 10 Aug 1994 10:06 CDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!news.uh.edu!elroy.uh.edu!st3qi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: TM-733 Mods and Info. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I've just ordered a Kenwood TM-733 from Radio Center and it should be here any day. I'm looking for the extended RF mods and any technical or operational information. Thanks in advance. My e-mail address is st3qi@jetson.uh.edu -- Brad A. Killebrew N5LJV, EMT-B | Student of Computer Engr Technology President, University of Houston ARC | University of Houston, Texas Internet: st3qi@jetson.uh.edu | U of H Amateur Radio Club WB5FND AmprNet : n5ljv@sugarland.ampr.org | uharc@post-office.uh.edu Packet : n5ljv@f6cnb.#setx.tx.usa.na | Box 85-T2, 4800 Calhoun, 77204-4083 AT&Tnet : 713-852-8523 Fax 852-2630 | For info, Finger st3qi@jetson.uh.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 15:59:50 GMT From: hplextra!news.dtc.hp.com!srgenprp!nielsj@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: What HF antenna for Ford Explorer? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu : Also the Explorer has a problem with noise generated by the electric : fuel pump which is mounted within the fuel tank. Ford has a fix which : they will do for free if the truck is still under warranty. : Tell your dealer to look for Service Bulletin #93-15-6 : I have a '94 F150 with rfi problems (on my 2M handheld, with a mag mount antenna on the roof). Do you know if this service bulletin also applies to the F150's? The dealer is telling me that since I have removed and replaced the stock radio, it no longer is covered under warranty. Thanks for any help! Niels Jensen NY0N nielsj@sr.hp.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 18:11:37 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!ucsnews!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!yale.edu!noc.near.net!ns.draper.com!news.draper.com!jwy1294a.draper.com!jyoungberg@@ Subject: What to Do with Old QSTs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Well, If you've got December 1915 , all of 1916, and Aug-Oct 1993 (I moved last summer) I could use them to complete my collection. Skip, K1NKR ------------------------------ Date: (null) From: (null) Other stuff deleted. > Toyota puts it in writing at the time of > the sale that the vehicle warrantee is void if you put two way radio > equipment in it. You agreed to that when the sales contract was signed, > whether you read the fine print in the warrantee book or not. Ignorance > is no excuse under the law. Toyota ECC systems are *not* RFI proofed > against high power VHF signals, and *can* blow up if one is present > in the cabin with the ECC. And the thing *does* cost $1200 over the > parts counter. (That's robbery, of course, but your only alternative > is the junk yard.) > Actually, as of summer 1993, Toyota said (in writing) that it was okay to put transmitters of up to 100 watts in a Toyota Camry and that the offending section of the owner's manual has been changed. I don't have the letter handy anymore, but I sent a copy up to Ed Hare at ARRL. I hope ARRL still has it! 8^) 73, Bob K2PH -- ---------------------------------------------------- Bob Schreibmaier K2PH | UUCP: ...!att!mtdcr!bob AT&T Bell Laboratories | Internet: bob@mtdcr.att.com Middletown, N.J. 07748 | ICBM: 40o21'N, 74o8'W ------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 1994 17:16:33 GMT From: ucsnews!newshub.sdsu.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uhog.mit.edu!news.kei.com!world!blanket.mitre.org!linus.mitre.org!newsflash.mitre@ihnp4.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <323232$2ql@scunix2.harvard.edu>, <325sft$m1t@meaddata.meaddata.com>, n Subject : Re: Help! How to Improve my CW Speed? There's only one way; practice copying code a little faster than you can copy now. You'll loose it after a little bit; stop and take a break. When you come back later to try again, you'll hang in there a little longer. Keep at it; the upgrade is worth the effort. 73... Mike, N4PDY -- mwhite@mitre.org My opinions are my own, not my employer's. ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #895 ******************************