Ham Radio/Ham Radio CD-ROM (Emerald Software) (1995).ISO/news/inham04/841

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INFO-HAMS Digest            Sat,  4 Nov 89       Volume 89 : Issue 841

Today's Topics:
                      airport security (2 msgs)
                      Antenna definitions wanted
                 ARRL incoming bureau - info request
                          Butternut Vertical
                         Contest log program?
                  Dentron MLA-2500B Amplifier Wanted
                          Field day rules...
                 How to use the incoming QSL bureau?
         random brightness blinking Xmas lights on your tree
           Trend towards requiring SASEs for domestic QSLs?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 89 03:37:04 GMT
From: tektronix!psueea!parsely!agora![e-mail]  (Sam Guidice)
Subject: airport security

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>DO NOT EVEN THINK OF ACTUALLY OPERATING THE HT ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT,
>not even to listen.  Walkman type stereos have been said to affect some
>navigation equipment.  Maybe the walkman was at fault, but don't take
>a chance that it wasn't the nav gear.

A few years ago I was on a flight from NY to Las Vegas.
During the flight, I was trying to find a World Series score
on the radio. I , at the time, knew nothing about interference.
It could have been my imagination, I think it wasn't, but when the radio
went on, I felt the engine decellerate.

I turned the radio on & off two times. This happened each time.

I then tucked the radio away for the rest of the flight.
I was using the AM radio. I wonder if the FM would interfere as well.

What does cause the interference, if you arent transmitting anything?

>

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 89 21:18:12 GMT
From: tektronix!gvgpsa!gold![e-mail]  (Jim Delwiche)
Subject: airport security

In article <[e-mail]> firebug@.UUCP (Sam Guidice) writes:
>
>A few years ago I was on a flight from NY to Las Vegas.
>During the flight, I was trying to find a World Series score
>on the radio. I , at the time, knew nothing about interference.
>It could have been my imagination, I think it wasn't, but when the radio
>went on, I felt the engine decellerate.
>
>I turned the radio on & off two times. This happened each time.
>

Yes, I've noticed this behavior as well.  Once I was on a 747 from
Boston Logan to Dulles.  I was playing with my UHF HT and noticed that
every time I depressed the PTT button, the plane executed a perfect
snap roll!  I tried this several times, but eventually my battery went
dead.  I went back to the restrooms to plug my charger into the
shaver outlet, but for some reason, all the restrooms were occupied.


                :-)

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 89 21:58:19 GMT
From: peregrine!ccicpg!cci632![e-mail]  (Ray Downes)
Subject: Antenna definitions wanted

Hi-

What's a "shaded dipole" (other that "it's just another form of a
dipole"), and/or what's a "lazy H"?

I presume that these terms are slang, heard mainly on 75/80 meter AM.

The "usual" antenna book(s) didn't seem to help ...
--

Ray Downes, CCI, [phone]        rutgers!rochester!cci632!rkd

------------------------------

Date: 4 Nov 89 16:28:36 GMT
From: shelby!csli![e-mail]  (Goh Kawai)
Subject: ARRL incoming bureau - info request

I sent a check to the ARRL 6th district DX bureau, asking for QSL
cards, but they haven't replied.  I mailed my letter about a month
ago, so I'm not worried very much - only anxious to get my cards.
Anybody have any idea how long it takes for them to generate a reply?
The 6th district bureau sells credits, so I sent them a check and some
address labels.  I am sure I have accumulated some cards.

>goh<
([e-mail] [arpanet]) (76056,1726 [CompuServe]) (n6uok [radio])

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 3 Nov 89 10:09 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Butternut Vertical

I have recently purchased a second-hand Butternut HF6V vertical
antenna.  The antenna is complete except for a section of 75-ohm
matching line that was buried in the ground at the original installation.
My understanding is that the missing secton is a quarter-wave transformer
that is intended to match a 100-ohm antenna feedpoint impedance to 50-ohm
feedline.  As the antenna is an "all band" antenna, I don't know at what
frequency the quarter-wave transformer is intended to operate.  Can
anyone on the net provide me with the length of the matching section?
Please e-mail direct, and thanks.

Bruce Black  WB9Q
[e-mail]


------------------------------

Date: 2 Nov 89 19:28:40 GMT
From: peregrine!ccicpg!cci632![e-mail]  (David Hallidy)
Subject: Contest log program?

One of the best (may be THE best) contest logging/ duping programs
is sold by JCA Associates. They don't offer one program for everything,
but rather have adopted a basic format, and fine-tuned it for
optimal use on either the HF contests, or the VHF/UHF ones. The programs
are written (I think) in Turbo Pascal, and function on XT/AT's and
Clones. I have used the VHF/UHF version since January, 1989 and
WON'T go back to paper and pencil! Every QSO is written to the disk,
so crashes or power glitches are no problem, it obviously runs in
real time, uses the system clock, and prints a LOG, DUPE and SUMMARY
SHEET which is in ARRL format. The VHF version also includes a
scheduler to allow you to make skeds before the test, enter them, and
be prompted by the computer as it comes time to go to that freq for the
sked. You can also do a partial call search to see if the call has been
worked before on the current band (a dupe) or on any bands (for new
band multipliers).

The HF version has been around a little longer, and was reviewed about
a year ago in the National Contest Journal. They gave it a RAVE review!

BTW, after you're done with the contest ,and you see that you logged
a call wrong, there is a very good editor included to allow you to fix
any problems like this.

You can write for more info to:

                 JCA Associates
                 P.O. Box 10404
                 Rochester, NY 14610

Hope this helps.

73                Dave Hallidy   KD5RO

------------------------------

Date: 4 Nov 89 06:58:49 GMT
From: virgin!ubbs-nh![e-mail]  (N. Del More)
Subject: Dentron MLA-2500B Amplifier Wanted

Wanted Dentron MLA-2500B Linear Amplifier,  also looking for the matching
MT-300A Antenna Tuner.

Thanks!
Noel
--
Noel B. Del More             |                             decvax!ubbs-nh!noel
17 Meredith Drive            |                             [e-mail]
Nashua, New Hampshire  03063 | It's unix me son!  `taint spozed tah make cents

------------------------------

Date: 2 Nov 89 19:07:10 GMT
From: peregrine!ccicpg!cci632![e-mail]  (David Hallidy)
Subject: Field day rules...

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:
>
> Suppose the novice station is operating 10 meters and at a different time,
> the regular FD group operates 10 meters, AND several stations worked are
> worked via BOTH CALL SIGNS.  Do both sets of contacts count (they would for
> the other guy since he has no way to know) or do they have to be DUPped?


That's an easy one. BOTH sets of contacts DO count, because they were
worked by both stations. It's basically the same as if you have a
rig on 15 and one on 20 at the same time, and both "rigs" (of the one
group) work both rigs (on 15 & 20) of another FD group. Think of the
Novice station as another rig. The only difference is that the stations
worked by that transmitter are logged separately (BTW- so are those
worked by the Satellite station, if you have one set up), but are
totalled into the FD group's aggregate score.

Hope that hasn't confuzed the issue even further.

73                  Dave Hallidy KD5RO

------------------------------

Date: 4 Nov 89 04:28:25 GMT
From: att!cbnewsk![e-mail]  (steven.m.wheatley)
Subject: How to use the incoming QSL bureau?

>
> Ok, I admit, I'm one of those people who doesn't have  an
> envelope at the QSL bureau.  How does the bureau work?
> I occasionally work DX on the HF bands, and would like to

Here is basically how it works....consult the QST (look in the mini
directory in most issues) which has info on incoming bureaus, or
the operating manual.

You send a 5 x 7.5 inch envelope SASE (with extra postage if you
expect several cards) to the bureau address listed for your call
area.  That address usually is a club, or member of the club, who
does the bureau function.  Your sase goes to some volunteer, who
handles the cards for your call.  In the 9 land, area, the person
is determined by the first letter after your number.  For me
(KU9C), the guy handles all '9C' calls.  They fill you envelope
with cards, and then mail it back to you.  Some bureaus mail every
month or so, whether you have 1 card or 1000 (they don't send empty
envelopes, however...you gotta have 1), others wait until you have
a few in the envelope.

Another way, which some of the bureaus do, is sell 'postage
credits'.  oYOu send them about the cost of 12 envelopes plus
stamps (i think $5-$6 in 9-land), and they make up 12 envelopes for
you, and supply them to your particular manager.  This is noted in
the QST/OP manual reference above, as to whether your bureau does
this service.  While there is a mark up for this service, I find it
less of a hassle.

I suggest you find out who handles your cards by writing the buro.
THat way you can communicate directly with the person handling your
cards,.  This helps if you mail your own envelopes, as it cuts down
some of the delay in getting the envelope to the manager.

steve
--
Steven Wheatley    AT&T Consumer Products    [phone]

....!att!inuxz!wheatley

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 89 19:13:31 GMT
From: voder!pyramid!prls!philabs!briar.philips.com![e-mail]  (Robert Casey;6282;3.57;$0201)
Subject: random brightness blinking Xmas lights on your tree

random bright xmas lights

Here's a simple circuit to create a nice effect with those small xmas
light strings on the tree.  Get an even number of light strings, some
with blinkers.  Getting pairs of sets would be good, but not critical.
Get a pair of 120V outlet sockets, and wire them in series.  Plug in
half of the strings into one of the sockets, and the other half into
the other socket.  Connect the series wired outlets to the powerline.
Any one string of lights will have about 60V across it.  When some of
the blinkers start working, some of the lights will vary in brightness,
some brighter, some dimmer, and of course some go out!  The
time-brightness pattern will be random.  Of course, the lights will
always be dimmer than when you plug them in directly to 120V, but
they're still plenty bright enough.  And they will last much longer.
It works best with 8 or so strings.  You may want to swap around
strings to fine tune average brightness levels.

   +-string--+  +--string-+
   I-string--I  I--string-I
   I-string--I  I--string-I
   I-string--I  I--string-I
   I-string--I  I--string-I
   I         I  I         I
   I socket  I__I socket  I
   I  ____________________I
   I  I
   120V


ckt detail    _________________
   __        /                 \
--I  \------+  socket socket   /
--I__/----------I I----I I----+
120V plug

73 de WA2ISE
(you got lots of time to do this! :-)

------------------------------

Date: 4 Nov 89 04:19:50 GMT
From: att!cbnewsk![e-mail]  (steven.m.wheatley)
Subject: Trend towards requiring SASEs for domestic QSLs?

> When I did my operation on Guemes Island, I worked 3,000 stations.  I
> answered everyone who sent me an SASE.  But I was amazed at how many
> QSLs I received with no SASE.  I guess these guys who heard us working
> them at the rate of 2 a minute thought we were going to spend another
> few hundred dollars to address envelopes and pay postage to QSL
> everyone....or maybe they just weren't thinking.  They are still in
> the drawer, and I may answer them via the QSL bureau...but I wonder how
> many of those guys actually keep envelopes at the bureau?

Having just returned from XX9 (macau) and a whole bunch of
contacts, I have found all but one or two to date have included
sases.  I found it surprising, refreshing to find many (maybe 10%)
of the US hams included a green stamp "to help out".  I received 3
greenstamps in one instance.  Being a QSL manager for about 15
stations, i find few people ignore the SASE.  Some managers require
a SASE for EACH QSL CARD, a practice i find incredibly stupid, but
so it is!

My rules....(excluding personal contacts, which I QSL 100%)...if
you don't send a sase (for the USA stations), you didn't really
want the card too badly.  For DX...no sase, it goes back via the
buro.  Cards with SASEs get turned around quick.  Cards, in any
case, with donations are turned around with lightning speed
(although at the same speed with SASE/no donation, unless I am in a
time pinch).  Bureau cards are answered via the bureau, although
with some delay, as I usually send them out when I have a pound or
two to go...every few months!

Relative to donations....first, let me tell you, don't try making a
living being a qsl manager.  I don't even try to break even
anymore.  The XX9 donations were used to purchase about $500 worth
of satellite equipment for the shack i used in Macau.  Donations
for the guys I manage invariably get used for postage back and
forth between stations, or purchases for the DX station (such as
packet rigs to better communicate with them).

Just some insight...while i realize that this is a bit different
than qsl'ing a W6, wanted to give my insight on sases, at least
from a QSL manager
--
Steven Wheatley    AT&T Consumer Products    [phone]

....!att!inuxz!wheatley

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End of INFO-HAMS Digest V89 Issue #841
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