QRZ! Ham Radio 3/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 3.iso/digests/infoham/931463.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-06-04 | 27KB

Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 23:12:27 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Reply-To: [e-mail]
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V93 #1463
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Tue, 14 Dec 93       Volume 93 : Issue 1463

Today's Topics:
                           6-m Transverters
                    ARRL's callsign admin position
         Bravo, Bravo +, etc. pager options and programming ?
                           Help with HW101
                           Looking for MODs
                       Scratchi, January, 1960
                       Tone for FL 2m Repeaters
                            TVI weirdness
                     Unusual request/RFI (2 msgs)

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Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available
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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: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 16:29:41 GMT
From: yuma![e-mail]
Subject: 6-m Transverters
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Robert Carpenter) writes:
>You'll want 100 watts or so output on 6 SSB/CW, so an amplifier will be
>needed with any 10 W xverter or rig.  A 50-W rig is the minimum you'd want.
>73   Bob   [e-mail]

Sure, 100 watts if you want to be on every TV in the neighborhood ;-).

Seriously, I don't do too bad with my Icom 726 and only 10 watts.  Quite
often, I find myself turning down to even lower wattages.  I use a homebrew
3 ele yagi up about 40 feet.
Galen, KF0YJ, DN70

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

Date: 13 Dec 1993 02:19:52 GMT
From: haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!math.ohio-state.edu!mane.cgrg.ohio-state.edu!aus1.robins.af.mil!wrdis02.robins.af.mil![e-mail]
Subject: ARRL's callsign admin position
To: [e-mail]

Jon Bloom, KE3Z ([e-mail]) wrote:


Lots of comments deleted......


: So, the bottom line is this: ARRL members who contact their Directors
: to let their thoughts be heard have a disproportionate influence over
: the direction of Amateur Radio.  But since full ARRL membership is open
: to anyone with a license, and since the Directors can easily be
: contacted, anyone who doesn't make their voice heard has only themselves
: to blame.
: ------
: Jon Bloom, KE3Z                   | [e-mail]
: American Radio Relay League       |
: 225 Main St., Newington CT 06111  |

Amen!

I have been following this thread since its inception..  While I
recognize that we all like to blow off a little steam on the 'net, I
wonder how many of the folks who disagree with the ARRL position have
taken any constructive action?  In this case, constructive action is
defined as:

1..     Writing a letter to the ARRL director..  even if your aren't
an ARRL member..

2.      Writing a letter to the FCC...

3.      Writing a letter to any other individual or organization that
has some influence in this matter..

I am constantly amazed at the number of people who will spend hours
vehemently discussing a subject but will not spend 15 minutes and 29
cents to ensure that their opinions get to the responsible persons..
No politician, from an ARRL Division Director to the President of
these U. S. will ignore a number of letters.. Especially if it is a
large number of letters.

I figure that I have a right to bash the ARRL, when required.  I pay
$30.00 each year, for that right, when I renew my membership.  So,
when I disagree with League policy, I sit down and write Mr. Butler,
the SE Division Director.  And, I try to get everyone that I know to
write a similar letter.  S

So, if you want to change the ARRL position, spend that 15 minutes and
29 cents..  If you want me to support your position, give me some good
reasons and I will consider them...

And, if you want that politician (ARRL Director, in this case), to
really consider your letter, you might think of something good that he
has done and make sure that you thank him for that one.. "A spoon full
of sugar makes the medicine go down!"

Think I will go out in the shack and play with a radio.. That's really
why I got a ham license...

73,

Larry Keith, KQ4BY

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

Date: 14 Dec 93 15:14:07 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!rsiatl!ke4zv![e-mail]
Subject: Bravo, Bravo +, etc. pager options and programming ?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mike Gordon) writes:
>   Due to a career change, I will be back to using a pager soon.  About
>four years ago, I was on a Bravo, now I see that the paging companies are
>pushing a variety of numeric pagers, including the Bravo + (or 2?), Bravo
>Express, the Freespirit (rounded looking moto pager) and those CHEAP NEC
>models.  I'd like to stay with a Motorola, (I hear nothing but problems
>about the NEC) but which one?

I don't know if there's a proper group for discussing pagers, but there
certainly should be some expertise here. I'm about to be put on the "leash"
too, and would appreciate some discussion of the different pagers and
types of service available out there.

Gary

--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          | I kill you,             | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | You kill me,            | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | We're the Manson Family | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     |         -sorry Barney   |

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

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 14:17:19 GMT
From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!crcnis1.unl.edu!news.unomaha.edu!cwis.unomaha.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Help with HW101
To: [e-mail]

I would take a close look at your voltage filtering
power supply capacitors.  Also, you could have a
bias voltage out of tolerance.  I think if you have a
way to check all of your electrolytics you might find it
and/or vacuum tubes.  You might have a soft vacuum tube
which is causing an adverse effect.  I am sure it is
all solvable.  If you can, put the rig on
220 or 240 volts AC and use the 250 volt tap (I assume that
voltage feeds the rig plate voltages).

73,

Ron
AK0N
[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 18:41:29 GMT
From: uchdcc!tunga![e-mail]
Subject: Looking for MODs
To: [e-mail]

'lo all!
I'm looking for info about modifications on the most important
equipments (HF and VHF), Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu and Alinco.
I've been reading some posts on the list, but I guess there are much
more info about it.
What I'm trying to do is have a .DOC with the most importants mods
(extended coverage and things like).
Any info will be very usefull.... please e-mail me to this account:
   [e-mail]
   thanks in advance for all.....

ROD.
CE6NUG
[e-mail]

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

Date: 14 Dec 1993 15:29:07 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!hpubmaa.esr.hp.com![e-mail]
Subject: Scratchi, January, 1960
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Jeffrey D. Angus) writes:
[snip]
|>
|>   Amos 'n Andy were played by white folks. They was funny back then, and
|>   they is still funny now. Rochester (Jack Benny's man-servant) was black,
|>   not a white guy playing a black man. The humor in both shows was based
|>   on situations. (Geeze, situation comedies, what a concept!) Jack Benny
|>   because he was cheap, and A 'n A because they were poor and a tad dim.
|>
|>   If you wish to presume that I think all blacks are like those portrayed in
|>   Amos 'n Andy, simply because I find it humorous, you've lost your mind.
|>   And I refuse to appologize for finding it humorous.
|>

The actors on the Amos 'n Andy radio show were white but the actors in the
TV show were black. I also thought about this program in the context of this
thread. I used to watch it when I was a child and I loved it. Not because
it stereotyped blacks but because it was a very funny program. It could
never be shown on TV today.

I was thinking about the reasons why. Another popular TV program from the
same period was The Honeymooners that was just as bad at stereotyping
blue collar workers as Amos 'n Andy was at stereotyping blacks. Stupid Norton,
the sewer worker, and Ralph the bus driver with aspirations for greatness he
would obviously never achieve and about as male chauvinist as you can get. Yet
The Honeymooners is a considered a classic and has been in continuous reruns
for years while Amos 'n Andy is banished from the airwaves.

I think the primary reason is because at the time roles such as Amos 'n Andy
and Rochester on Jack Benny were the only portrayal of blacks in the media
while whites were represented from many different perspectives. Similarly,
Japanese were also only represented in a stereotypic fashion personified by
Scratchi and the Chinese as Charlie Chan. I don't think these stereotypes
would have had quite the impact and been quite so offensive had they been
offset with other perspectives. There was no I'll Fly Away to complement
Amos 'n Andy. Many of the contemporary black situation comedies on TV today
are just as stereotypic in my mind as Amos 'n Andy and they aren't even
funny.

I can understand how someone of Asian descent could be offended by the
Scratchi article and I agree it would have been a good idea if the poster
had preceded it with a disclaimer explaining the context and his intentions
for posting it. I apologize for my ignorance of the origins of the article.

At the same time, I still have a hard time accepting any portrayal of
ethnic or regional speech as patently offensive as the hypersensitive PC
community would have us believe. I don't think it is practical or reasonable
to avoid any statement or action that MIGHT conceivably be PERCEIVED as
offensive by anyone. This is counterproductive and puts the emphasis on
avoidance of issues rather than open discussion.

The fact that someone posted the Scratchi article has at least led to a
dialog on the issue where several points of view have been presented.
It has also made me at least, and I suspect a few others, aware of something
that I didn't know before. I have carried on personal e-mail correspondence
with someone who was offended by the post and after getting past the initial
emotional response started to carry on a meaningful discussion and understand
his feelings a little better. If the original poster had followed the PC line
and suppressed the article for fear of offending someone then none of this
would have happened. I don't understand how censorship, self imposed or not,
contributes to interpersonal understanding.

In addition, it is almost impossible to avoid offending some special interest
group today. However, I must admit I have seen the light and in the future
I will do nothing that might offend anyone else. I will not smoke lest I offend
the non-smokers. I will let the smokers blow their smoke in my face lest I
offend them. I will not let my wife wear here fur coat lest she offend the
animal rights activists. I will not let any female in my family seek counseling
at a clinic that performs abortions lest they offend the right-to-lifers. I will
not eat meat lest I offend the vegetarians. I will not drink Miller Lite lest
I offend the Teamsters. I will not own a home built of lumber lest I offend
the spotted owl fans. I will not own land lest I offend the rightful native
American owners from whom the land was originally stolen. I will not use Morse
Code lest I offend the No-Coders. I will not use Phone lest I offend the CW
fanatics. I will not use 2M repeaters lest I offend those who think they own the
frequency. I will never again admire a beautiful woman or open the door for
a woman lets I offend the feminists. I will never again smile at any joke that
portrays a human person of any race or sex. Since none of us are perfect any
humor that reminds us of that  imperfection is bound to offend someone. Living
the perfect PC lifestyle sounds like it is going to be pretty boring but that's
the price to pay.


--

Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA - [e-mail]

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

Date: 14 Dec 93 19:47:24 GMT
From: ogicse!cs.uoregon.edu!sgiblab!uhog.mit.edu!xn.ll.mit.edu!ll.mit.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Tone for FL 2m Repeaters
To: [e-mail]

  I'm looking for the PL tones used by the 2-meter repeaters listed in
the Southwest Florida section of the ARRL Repeater Directory.


Thanks,

Bill Chiarchiaro  N1CPK
[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 14:19:48 GMT
From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!news.dell.com!pmafire!boojum!mamie.lanl.gov![e-mail]
Subject: TVI weirdness
To: [e-mail]

The Cable TVI saga continues.  I posted a few months ago about my
neighbor's complaints about interference with his TV (his house is
wired for cable TV in every room).  Well, I put up a higher vertical
antenna, got the grounds (radio and ant) in good shape (I hope) and
made a few simple 5-pole Butterworth filters for him (and my family TV).
VIOLA!  No problem - for a while.  Then come the 10m contest last weekend.
Yep...he answered (by telephone) on my first CQ!  ;^)

Well, it turned out that there was no longer any problem (so far) on any
band but 10m (a definate improvement, but still...)

Anyway, The weirdness is this.  I tried several power levels with him on
the phone to report problems and he could only hear me on SSB!  I turned
down the power to about 1 watt and he could still hear SSB on channel 13,
but 90+ watts on CW - no problem!

I am running a Kenwood TS-820 through a Bencher low-pass filter and MFJ
Deluxe Versa-Tuner II to a homebrew vertical antenna about 30 feet up.
His house sits higher than mine, so I wanted to get the vertical above his
roof level.

By the way, he has not complained about my operating 10m SSB on my
inverted-V
(cut for 80m).

Any suggestions?  I sure would like to use the vertical on 10m for SSB DX!

Thanks in advance,

Tom
KJ5LT

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

Date: 14 Dec 93 13:50:11 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!rsiatl!ke4zv![e-mail]
Subject: Unusual request/RFI
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Fernando Camilo) writes:
>
>This RFI is radar.  I've thought about AWACS (it started in a bad way
>around the time the Haitian embargo also started).  However, as I learn
>more about it, it seems clear that *by far* the worse times are between
>about 3 and 9 pm local time (one hour ahead of EST), which doesn't seem
>consistent with the idea of AWACS.  Naval radar also seems improbable:
>the Naval Station on the island is usually cooperative, and they claim
>not to know what this is.  If it were a passing ship not under their
>control, it probably wouldn't have stayed in range for a month now...
>I've been told that a PAVE PAWS radar in Georgia that looks southward
>operates at 420-450 MHz, but they've been on since 1987.  Since they
>bounce signals off the ionosphere, it might in principle be plausible
>that they would test something new at a particular time of day... but
>the signals are *so* strong...

The Robbins AFB PAVE PAWS system has been inactive during this period,
so that's not your problem. In fact they haven't been at full power for
a long time. It seems the ERP on the flight line is hazardous to B52
avionics and weapons triggers. If the signal is strong, then RDF should
quickly give you an idea of the direction of the source. If you can
track it for several hours, you can tell if it's a fixed or mobile
source. It's possible it's DEA. They have a nasty balloon borne radar
that they use to track drug shipments. Redstone Arsenal has been using
some airborne missile telemetry in this band lately, but it doesn't sound
like radar.

All you need is a modest beam antenna and a handheld receiver with
a signal strength indicator. Either climb up in the feed car, or on
one of the surrounding mountains, and take some readings. Since your
observations are being ruined anyway, use your talents to track the
monster.

Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          | I kill you,             | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | You kill me,            | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | We're the Manson Family | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     |         -sorry Barney   |

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

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 13:22:18 GMT
From: ucsnews!newshub.sdsu.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!umn.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com![e-mail]
Subject: Unusual request/RFI
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Fernando Camilo) writes:
>Hi --
>
>I'm a radio astronomer doing research at Arecibo Observatory's 305
>meter radio telescope in Puerto Rico.  I mostly use receivers tuned to
>a center frequency of 430 MHz, with a bandwidth of 10 MHz.  RFI is
>occasionally bad, but this past month it has been positively
>*horrendous*, and has destroyed 90% + of my observations.  I'm at wit's
>end, and would so very much appreciate any help...

Oh. If you *get* any help would you then please ask the management
at Arecibo to please cease their hassling legitimately licensed
radio amateurs in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico? Their unreasonable
request for a quiet zone (even though it probably won't be granted)
has cost a lot of people time and money. Not to mention grief.


>gains for direct illumination of the feeds, which almost certainly
>is what's happening (they sit ~ 1000 feet above sea level with unimpeded
>view of the ocean in most directions).
>
>I guess my specific question is whether anyone has any clues as to what
>might be causing abnormaly high levels of radar RFI at 430 MHz (mostly,
>but not limited to, during the times of ~ 3-9pm) in or near Puerto
>Rico.

Unfortunately, as much as we would like to believe that electromagnetic
emmisions are controlled by rule of international law, they really
aren't. We hams lived with something called the 'Russian Woodpecker'
for years (over the horizon radar which caused intereference in the
HF range) until the Cold War froze it to death.

Although it could be that your problem is caused by a maritime mobile
station (ship) that is from a country where emissions are not very
well-regulated, it is also possible that the activity is governmental,
and you don't have a 'need to know.'

Now, hams have gotten pretty good at DF'ing lately, and you might
try enlisting the aid of some of the amateur radio clubs around
the island to try and take bearings on the emissions.

However, as I mentioned before, Aricebo's management has managed (ahem)
to takes some positions of late that are bound to have alienated the
ham community. They probably could provide some assistance, if offered
an olive branch in return.

Greg

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

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 13:29:07 GMT
From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>ary.ucl
Subject : Re: Scratchi, January, 1960

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Coleman) writes:
>By censuring his posting, you are effectively "sending him away" from the
>internet. Clearly you have stated you don't want him to post Scratchi any
>longer. So, you suggested it, not I.

Bill. Read. Find where I said those words. Ever.

If you are going to respond to me, at least have the courtesy to respond
to what I wrote, repeated, re-clarified, re-iterated, and re-hashed.

If you continue to claim that I said this, you demonstrate that you
are either illiterate, or a liar.

>> Don't you care anything for the First Amendment?
>
>
>> You must not, since you're the first one who suggested it.
>
>Greg, this is not logical. Of anyone has taken steps contrary to the first
>amendment, it is YOU not ME.

Again, where? Quotes, please.

>
>No, I find that political correctness OVERSENSITISES and SEPARATES people
>from one another. If people are too cautious in what they say or think, they
>will never build a sense of world community. Instead, they will be overly
>concerned with how those "others" might take it. It is exactly the
>classification of "others" splits us apart. Not some imagined stereotype.

This is probably the most remarkable example of convoluted logic that
I've seen in a long time. And we thought Archie Bunker was imaginary.

Greg

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

Date: 14 Dec 93 15:10:26 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!rsiatl!ke4zv![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <2ear03$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Reply-To : [e-mail] (Gary Coffman)
Subject : Re: ARRL's callsign admin position

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Daniel T Senie) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
>>In article <2ear03$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Andrew Funk) writes:
>>>
>>>Steve also has an active division "cabinet" made up of all division-level
>>>appointees, SMs, section-level appointees, and selected others.  Before
>>>each ARRL board meeting he holds a division cabinet meeting to determine
>>>the position of the division.  Quite a number of ARRL Board policies come
>>>from these meetings, as Steve brings *into* the boardroom the desires and
>>>opinions of the membership in the Hudson Division.
>>
>>This is a perfect example of the old boy network in action. The "cabinet"
>>is composed of Steve's appointees. Naturally they reflect his own views
>
>Please reread the text above, Gary. You missed something. Among the list of
>people who are part of the division cabinet are Section Managers (SMs). The
>SM is an ELECTED position. Elect someone as your SM who will represent
>your views, just as you would want to elect someone for Director who
>reflects your views.

Yes I know the SM is elected, but the others are all "selected". Now
don't get me wrong, as the system is currently constituted this is about
as good as it gets. I'd be nice if more directors followed this example.

>>The current field organization is machine politics at its
>>most raw.
>>
>>The problem with the League structure as I see it is that it's a
>>one party state controlled mainly by the apparatchiki. It needs a
>>strong loyal opposition to keep it vigorous and honest. I think
>>more directors would help, and directors drawn not just on geographic
>>sections but also from interest groups in amateur radio. If we had
>>a director from the DX community, a director from the packet community,
>>a director from the repeater community, etc in addition to the geographic
>>sections, we'd likely get a more responsive organization. I also think
>
>There are committees with these charters, and each director appoints
>people to those commitees. If you think the digital committee needs your
>particular talents, CALL your director and volunteer to serve on a
>committee or two.

*Appointed by directors to committees* that's the key phrase. No good.
Most of the bad things said about committees are true, and many committee
reports are buried by those who created the committee in the first place,
especially when the report differs from the preconcieved notions of those
overseeing the committee. We have a pretty good guy as our director, but
he doesn't know jack about some of the things our user communities are
doing, or the issues they face. We need people who *know* who are also
empowered to *act*. That means they have to be more than appointees. They
have to have power of their own gained at the ballot box in order to be
effective.

What's needed are people on the same level of authority with the
territorial directors who are *elected* by their interest communities
to be their representatives on the board. This is a radical change,
much like the two house method of electing our Congress in that there
are two sets of people elected on different criteria. Organizing an
amateur radio body strictly along geographic lines doesn't make a lot
of sense today. We probably all know practioners of our special interests
better than we know the general run of hams in our local area. For
example, I probably know more satellite users in Colorado than I know
HF DXers in Georgia. The interest communities know who's hot and who's
not. But the guy on the next street over, with the tribander, and I may
have never met because our interests are so different. I have no criteria
for judging his competence to represent me, nor he I. Mere commonality
of location doesn't imply commonality of interest or knowledge.

Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          | I kill you,             | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | You kill me,            | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | We're the Manson Family | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     |         -sorry Barney   |

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1463
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