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- Date: Mon, 20 Dec 93 04:02:22 PST
- From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
- Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
- Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu
- Precedence: Bulk
- Subject: Info-Hams Digest V93 #1484
- To: Info-Hams
-
-
- Info-Hams Digest Mon, 20 Dec 93 Volume 93 : Issue 1484
-
- Today's Topics:
- "Dr. Swanso" utility with Packet ?
- Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 17 December
- Famous HAMs
- Heathkit user's nets?
- Internet White Pages or BBS?
- KH6SP Re-Activation
- Kraco SSB CB Information Please
- NEUTEC SM1645, programming help
- Order Pizza by Internet
- packet bbs
- Subscription
-
- Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
- Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
- 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: 20 Dec 93 06:53:01 GMT
- From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu
- Subject: "Dr. Swanso" utility with Packet ?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I'd like to put together a system that would help blind and visually
- impaired hams take better advantage of packet. Other hams in
- the local repeater club could also benefit.
- My idea is to somehow integrate the "Dr. Swanso" utility of
- Soundblaster with a macro that would announce
- callsigns in the Mail Beacon over the repeater every so often.
- "Dr. Swanso" would read the text and convert it to voice
- routed into the mic jack and would monitor the
- 'busy' led of the xcvr so as not to transmit while the
- channel is busy. At any time, a user would be able to
- hit a few touch-tones and "read" his mail. (At this point, the "Dr. Swanso"
- utility would actually read the body of the subject and text).
- Granted, not hi-fi but it works.
- Has anyone on the net heard of others who have worked on similar
- systems ? I want to build it around an 8051 controller card and initially
- it will be a receive-only system. (Packet to voice).
- I'd be happy to hear any feedback/ideas...
-
- - Rich
- WB2JBS
- rharel%fab8@sc.intel.com
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 06:43:03 MST
- From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!cyber2.cyberstore.ca!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!cs.ubc.ca!scapa.cs.ualberta.ca!adec23!ve6mgs!usenet@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 17 December
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
-
- DAILY SUMMARY OF SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY
-
- 17 DECEMBER, 1993
-
- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
-
- (Based In-Part On SESC Observational Data)
-
-
- SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY INDICES FOR 17 DECEMBER, 1993
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- !!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 351, 12/17/93
- 10.7 FLUX=083.8 90-AVG=098 SSN=047 BKI=3432 3333 BAI=015
- BGND-XRAY=A2.3 FLU1=5.7E+06 FLU10=1.2E+04 PKI=3333 4333 PAI=016
- BOU-DEV=021,044,023,016,035,025,030,023 DEV-AVG=027 NT SWF=00:000
- XRAY-MAX= C2.0 @ 2028UT XRAY-MIN= A1.5 @ 1259UT XRAY-AVG= B2.1
- NEUTN-MAX= +002% @ 2130UT NEUTN-MIN= -003% @ 2250UT NEUTN-AVG= -0.0%
- PCA-MAX= +0.1DB @ 0950UT PCA-MIN= -0.3DB @ 1535UT PCA-AVG= -0.0DB
- BOUTF-MAX=55356NT @ 2357UT BOUTF-MIN=55325NT @ 2021UT BOUTF-AVG=55347NT
- GOES7-MAX=P:+000NT@ 0000UT GOES7-MIN=N:+000NT@ 0000UT G7-AVG=+062,+000,+000
- GOES6-MAX=P:+126NT@ 1821UT GOES6-MIN=N:-067NT@ 1003UT G6-AVG=+085,+022,-031
- FLUXFCST=STD:080,082,082;SESC:080,082,082 BAI/PAI-FCST=012,020,015/016,022,020
- KFCST=4443 3211 2233 4544 27DAY-AP=009,005 27DAY-KP=3411 2222 2212 2221
- WARNINGS=
- ALERTS=**SWEEP:IV=1@2039UTC(N07E43)
- !!END-DATA!!
-
- NOTE: The Effective Sunspot Number for 16 DEC 93 was 44.0.
- The Full Kp Indices for 16 DEC 93 are: 1+ 3+ 3+ 4o 4- 4- 3+ 4-
-
-
- SYNOPSIS OF ACTIVITY
- --------------------
-
- Solar activity became low due to a long duration C2/SN
- flare at 17/2029Z from Region 7635 (N02E39). At press time, a
- report was received from the Culgoora observatory that a Type
- IV may accompany this flare (STD: a weak Type IV was confirmed
- from this event). No sunspot dynamics were observed in this
- region and the mixed polarities observed yesterday weakened.
- Region 7637 (N07W18) ceased the growth noted on 16 Dec and
- stabilized.
-
- Solar activity forecast: solar activity should return
- to a very low level. The long duration C2 flare mentioned
- above is characteristic of a decaying region and additional
- or larger events are not likely.
-
- The geomagnetic field was unsettled to active for the
- entire period as the coronal hole related disturbance slowly
- subsides. Again today, some high latitude stations experienced
- minor to major storming.
-
- Geophysical activity forecast: unsettled to active
- conditions should be experienced through 18 Dec as
- the current coronal hole disturbance decays. A filament
- related disturbance is expected to begin on 19 Dec and
- continue into 20 Dec resulting in mostly active levels for
- that interval.
-
- Event probabilities 18 dec-20 dec
-
- Class M 01/01/01
- Class X 01/01/01
- Proton 01/01/01
- PCAF Green
-
- Geomagnetic activity probabilities 18 dec-20 dec
-
- A. Middle Latitudes
- Active 30/30/25
- Minor Storm 10/20/10
- Major-Severe Storm 01/05/05
-
- B. High Latitudes
- Active 30/30/25
- Minor Storm 10/20/10
- Major-Severe Storm 05/10/05
-
- HF propagation conditions were below-normal over the high
- and polar latitude paths. Enhanced geomagnetic and auroral
- activity has been responsible for producing generally poor to
- occasionally very poor conditions, particularly on night-sector
- high-latitude paths. Middle and low latitudes were less
- disturbed and retained near-normal propagation with increased
- levels of night-sector fading and some signal distortion.
- Conditions are not expected to improve over the next 24 hours.
- A filament-related disturbance should keep propagation
- conditions below-normal over the high and polar latitude paths,
- with an outside chance for producing below-normal conditions
- for middle latitude paths. Night sectors will continue to see
- the strongest degradation. Some gradual improvements should
- begin to be observed on 19 and 20 December.
-
-
- COPIES OF JOINT USAF/NOAA SESC SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL REPORTS
- ========================================================
-
- LISTING OF SOLAR ENERGETIC EVENTS FOR 17 DECEMBER, 1993
- -------------------------------------------------------
- BEGIN MAX END RGN LOC XRAY OP 245MHZ 10CM SWEEP
- 0728 0728 0728 150
- 1948 2039 2150 7635 N07E43 C2.0 SF IV
-
-
-
- POSSIBLE CORONAL MASS EJECTION EVENTS FOR 17 DECEMBER, 1993
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- BEGIN MAX END LOCATION TYPE SIZE DUR II IV
- 17/ 1948 2039 2150 N07E43 LDE C2.0 122 1
-
-
- INFERRED CORONAL HOLES. LOCATIONS VALID AT 17/2400Z
- ---------------------------------------------------
- ISOLATED HOLES AND POLAR EXTENSIONS
- EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH CAR TYPE POL AREA OBSN
- 53 S42W23 S52W28 S18W78 S17W68 005 ISO NEG 022 10830A
- 54 S03E58 S10E52 S07E47 S01E53 264 ISO POS 001 10830A
-
-
- SUMMARY OF FLARE EVENTS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY
- ------------------------------------------------
-
- Date Begin Max End Xray Op Region Locn 2695 MHz 8800 MHz 15.4 GHz
- ------ ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ------ ------ --------- --------- ---------
- NO EVENTS OBSERVED.
-
-
- REGION FLARE STATISTICS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY
- ------------------------------------------------
-
- C M X S 1 2 3 4 Total (%)
- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- ------
- Uncorrellated: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 ( 0.0)
-
- Total Events: 000 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: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 18:20:36 GMT
- From: sdd.hp.com!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!news.iastate.edu!bwehr@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Famous HAMs
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I am looking for a list of famous HAM's. I know there are some out there but
- have no where to look for them. So if you know of any please E-Mail any to
- me. Thanks ---- 73
-
- -Brant
-
-
- ______________________________________________________________________________ Brant Wehr N0UTT
- internet bwehr@iastate.edu
- Activities Director CARC
- Electrical Engineering
- ______________________________________________________________________________
-
- --
- Brant
- bwehr@iastate.edu
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sat, 18 Dec 93 19:39:01 GMT
- From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!a3bee2.radnet.com!cyphyn!randy@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Heathkit user's nets?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Tune in on 3885kc +/- sloppbucket qrm nitetimes, and you'll hear several guys on
- who get into it on older rigs.
-
- Also try 7290kc daytimes
- --
- Randy KA1UNW If you get a shock while
- servicing your equipment, "Works for me!"
- randy@192.153.4.200 DON'T JUMP! -Peter Keyes
- You might break an expensive tube!
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 17:35:05 GMT
- From: netcomsv!netcom.com!jfh@decwrl.dec.com
- Subject: Internet White Pages or BBS?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Is there a White Pages service reachable via telnet somewhere? I know
- about the callsign server, but that doesn't provide the same information.
-
- Is there a BBS I can telnet to? THere are some BBS's that work via mail,
- but telnet would be much better.
-
- --
-
- ----------------------------------------------------
- Jack Hamilton POB 281107 SF CA 94128 USA
- jfh@netcom.com kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 19 Dec 93 21:42:23 GMT
- From: newshub.nosc.mil!nosc!pegasus!rbc@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: KH6SP Re-Activation
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- >>>>>>>>>>>>************KH6SP Full Time Re-Activation************<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-
- Efforts are now underway to restore KH6SP, the Naval Amateur Radio
- Club of Pearl Harbor, as a full time amateur radio club. The club will
- tentatively begin operation in early 1994. A permanent location has
- been secured on Ford Island in building 76 (Ford Island Medical
- Clinic) - a historic WWII Pearl Harbor site. Current plans are to
- set-up for 2M packet and limited HF operation in March 94. Club
- membership will be open to all active duty, reservist, retired
- military, and their dependents.
-
- A meeting will be scheduled for early January to elect club officers
- and establish a charter. Persons interested in becoming a member or
- donating equipment are urged to contact WH6OI (Bruce Carleton) or
- WH6OH (Brett Collars) at the addresses below.
-
- As the club will NOT be funded by Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR)
- we are desperately seeking the following items for the club:
-
- * members
- * more members
- * a 2M mobile xcvr capable of packet operation
- * a suitable antenna for above
- * a PK-88 or equivalent TNC
- * 40-80 MB IDE hard drive
- * 1 MB RAM (need 4 256K simms)
- * other misc items (coax, connectors, etc)
-
- For more information please contact:
- *Voice*
- Bruce Carleton 808-472-7394 (work) or 808-456-0423 (home)
- *or* E-mail to:
- Internet: KH6SP@pegasus.com
- Compuserve: 72322,2473
- --
- -----------------------------------------------
- |___ ___ | rbc@pegasus.com |
- ||__)|__) | rbc@gnu.ai.mit.edu |
- || \ |__) Carleton | carleton@nstcpvax.navy.mil |
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 19 Dec 1993 17:58:38 -0000
- From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!acorn!not-for-mail@ames.arpa
- Subject: Kraco SSB CB Information Please
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Tom Bodoh (bodoh@dgg.cr.usgs.gov) wrote:
- : In article <2er28k$9mm@cyberspace.com>, jrw@cyberspace.com (John Russell Woodman) writes:
- : |> I have a Kraco 23-channel single sideband base station CB, model KB-2355.
- : |> The manufacture date is June, 1976. The radio works fine, and I just put
- : |> an Antron 99 with it, so it works that much better. However, meters tell
- : |> me that, while the match is 1:1 across the frequency spectrum, it's not
- : |> putting out the full 4 watts AM and 12 PEP sideband. Could someone tell me
- : |> how to peak this radio up so I can get maximum output on it? If possible,
- : |> please supply information on peaking tx power, tx modulation and rx sens-
- : |> itivity. Any information on how to get this radio to perform to optimum
- : |> capacity would be appreciated. Please respond in mail rather than posting.
- : |>
-
- : Posting this here is like walking into a cop bar and asking directions to
- : the local crack house...
-
- Tom,
-
- I think you may have misunderstood what the poster is asking. He
- doesn't want to exceed the legal power limit, he just wants to have
- the rig "peaked" right up to the limit. (To avoid testing and
- adjusting every single rig they make, manufacturers allow for
- component tolerances etc such that the all the rigs they make are well
- within spec. The means that the majority of rigs are quite a bit
- below spec on power and mod.)
-
- "Peaking" is a perfectly normal procedure. Any reputable repairman
- will do it for a small fee, or perhaps for nothing if you are having a
- repair done at the same time.
-
- -- Steve
- --
- Steve Hunt Email: steve@acorn.co.uk IRC handle: Daff
- Acorn Computers Ltd, Acorn House, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4AE
- "Personally, I'm against people who give vent to their loquacity by extraneous
- bombastic circumlocution" -- Monty Python
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 00:30:04 GMT
- From: pa.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!ryn.mro4.dec.com!dabean.enet.dec.com!klimasewski@decwrl.dec.com
- Subject: NEUTEC SM1645, programming help
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- A friend of mine wants to know if anyone can help with programming this
- 130-174MHz transceiver.
-
- Thanks,
- Ken N1KK
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sat, 18 Dec 93 20:52:21 GMT
- From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!a3bee2.radnet.com!cyphyn!randy@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Order Pizza by Internet
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Now that Amateur Radio can be used to order pizza, why not via the I-net too?
-
- Originally the FCC rules about no commercial traffic was to protect Ham air
- from being gobbled up by Commercial Intrests who'd get a Ham ticket and then
- go do commercial transmitting.
-
- Now, the rules are softened, to account for real world conditions-of-use, and
- so if you had to call someone who answers on telephone with:
-
- " Willies Wash House..." ... you won't be in violation about commercial
- traffic!
-
- So same, about 'incidental music' that may be hearable in the back ground
- due to it being so loud ( such as a ham covering a sports event as safty
- spotter, and a band is there doing music)
-
- The rules on music, were intended to prevent commercial BC stations from
- using Ham tickets/ Ham air to broadcast with.
-
- ( ya sure! go tune in 40 mtrs at nite!)
-
- The rules were softened to allow for that, too.
- OK....sence that even includes the shorty music passages that come in with the
- shuttle launches, its clear just what FCC really wants concerning
- 'commercial traffic'....NO FREEBIES via Ham air allowed for Commercial Intrests.
-
- NOW..we have the problem of Internet traffic connecting up to Ham air...
- Many amp.org sites and others, will reject any I-net mail being sent to a
- Ham thats getting his/her mail via Packet..... because I-net is viewed as
- 'commercial traffic' !
-
- Hey! wait a minute! There are ticketed Hams here! Whats going on?
- You try to reply by mail ( the approved way to use the net) and if it is
- routed thru someone packet station..ZZZT! FAILED MAIL!
- So same if someone ON packet mails TO an I-netter (even if BOTH are Hams)
- So, a one way mail occurs, and after a while I-netters tend to reguard Ham-
- sent-from-packet messages as unreplyable to, and have to adopt a policy of
- 'we don't want anything to do with em'...which defeats the perpose of one of
- the aspects of Ham radioing....(talk to other Hams!)
-
- Many of us, sick n tired of all the malicious qrm and crowding on the air; don't
- dare do anything but CQ! CQ! CONTEST! CONTEST! ...can't have a tech discussion
- without someone blocking you off....have turned to internet to carry out our
- qso's ...like right here, in these news-groups and much of the resulting
- private mail it generates.....or WOULD generate...
-
- ...AHH! but only if it's between 2 I-netters and no packet-people are involved.
- Can't send packet-people any mail. nope!
-
- So...somewhere, someone has to make clear what traffic is to pass, make it
- uniform everywhere, so that everyone can set up accordingly to jive with the
- system...which ever it's going to be:
-
- -> Let I-net email back to packet-people as 3rd party traffic *
-
- -> 100% cut the 2 apart and so avoid all the bugs...remove temptation to even
- try at all
-
- ...none of this one way jazz.Thats for the birds...and besides, it would
- violate the rule about one way transmissions! :)
-
-
-
-
-
- * obviously, the sent-text would have to be as per the rules about by & for
- Amateur perposes only
-
-
- --
- Randy KA1UNW If you get a shock while
- servicing your equipment, "Works for me!"
- randy@192.153.4.200 DON'T JUMP! -Peter Keyes
- You might break an expensive tube!
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 19 Dec 1993 08:29:15 -0800
- From: sdd.hp.com!sgiblab!darwin.sura.net!udel!news.sprintlink.net!news.world.net!cyberspace.com!cyberspace.com!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: packet bbs
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I am looking for a packet bbs or another type of ham bbs that I can telnet
- into. I s there one?
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Dec 93 05:38:21 GMT
- From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu
- Subject: Subscription
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Subscribe
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 17 Dec 1993 19:05:12 -0500
- From: psinntp!satelnet.org!satelnet.org!usenet@uunet.uu.net
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- References <9312151601.AA00556@ganges.agro.nl>, <2enveu$hob@reznor.larc.nasa.gov>, <1993Dec16.162631.2208@den.mmc.com>lnet.
- Subject : Re: how to scare away birds from my antenna
-
- In <1993Dec16.162631.2208@den.mmc.com> boutell@pogo.den.mmc.com (Russell E Boutell) writes:
-
- >In article <2enveu$hob@reznor.larc.nasa.gov> kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov (Scott Dorsey) writes:
- >>In article <9312151601.AA00556@ganges.agro.nl> G.POLDER@CPRO.AGRO.NL writes:
- >>>I'm thinking of scaring away birds from my antenna
- >>>using ultrasound. I ever heard about people doing it,
- >>>but don't know what frequency to use, or which
- >>>output power.
- >>
- >>Why bother? With something like a yagi, they might affect the antenna
- >>pattern a bit, but as soon as you put the key down, they aren't going to
- >>stay there for very long. With a dipole they'll just affect the tuning
- >>a little bit, and again they will quickly decide to move when you apply
- >>power.
- >>--scott
- >>
- >>--
- >>"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
-
- >I haven't tried it myself, but I have heard that the fake owls placed in
- >the vicinity of the antenna are effective in alleviating the "bird on
- >the wire" problem :-)
-
- >73 de WD0FTF (I think I'll keep my old call)
-
- I have a friend who has hung a beach-ball with a face painted on it
- from his beam. Seemed to do the trick until a neighbor shot it with
- a gun and deflated it. I have successfully used the owl trick at
- my business. We had a terrible problem with pidgeons. Bought the
- owl mail-order from Brookstone a few years ago, the owl has held up
- fine and the pidgeons have never returned.
-
- 73 de Rick, KN4CV - Ft. Lauderdale
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 17 Dec 1993 09:09:28 -0600
- From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!gatech!concert!corpgate!crchh327.bnr.ca!kharker@network.ucsd.edu
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- References <drew.95.0@trl.oz.au>, <2er4on$f1b@wuecl.wustl.edu>, <CI6MLC.Iqo@world.std.com>n
- Subject : Re: Where are all the young enthusiasts?
-
-
- Well, I thought I'd throw my two bits into this. I'm a college student as well,
- and as far as I know, the first active student ham Dartmouth College has had in
- several years. We do have a club station, but that has stayed alive only because
- of a faculty member who is a ham has taken care of it.
-
- I got into ham radio this past year because of the digital modes available. I'm
- a CS major, and when I read an article about packet in a free computer magazine I
- got, I had to get involved. And I've had a very good time with my activities so
- far.
-
- But there are a few things I have been disappointed with. First and foremost is
- the cost of the hobby. I've been licensed for four months, and I have still not
- saved up enough money to get even my first radio. I have been active only
- because I have been able to borrow the club's 10 year old 2m handheld until I can
- afford a radio. But one of the really sad things is that when I went for my
- license, I studied the code and passed the 5wpm test - but as I have been
- interning away from school (and the club HF station) ever since I got my ticket,
- I have yet to make a cw contact. By the time I do get in front of an HF rig,
- I'll have forgotten the code. In fact, I can't imagine when, in the next five
- years or so, that I'll be able to get my own real HF rig. It's just way too
- expensive.
-
- One of the other things I would really love to do, and I think is one of the more
- exciting aspects of the hobby, is satellite communications. But when am I ever
- going to be able to afford that sort of equipment? Five, six years from now?
-
- I guess until then, I'm going to have to remain satisfied with packet activity and
- experimentation. I am interested in trying to build new user interfaces for the
- packet network, and in providing new features for the network. But again, if I
- can barely afford to get an HT, a cheap TNC, a computer (which Dartmouth
- requires all undergrads to buy, anyway), and a C compiler, how am I going to
- start experimenting? It takes two to tango on packet, and trying to get radio
- companies to donate equipment has so far proven impossible (yes, I have been
- trying.)
-
- Now, sure, someone can say that you can get on the air for <$100. But what does
- that get you? A QRP CW-only kit with a homebrew antenna and a straight key.
- While I am looking into this option as the only conceivable way I'll have my own
- HF rig before 1998, this is not going to attract young people to the hobby. And
- I have plenty of friends at school who have trouble deciding if they can afford
- certain textbooks, much less anything like radio.
-
- To sum this up, if I had known how expensive amateur radio was before I passed my
- tests, I very well might have decided not to get involved.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Kenneth E. Harker "I do not speak kharker@bnr.ca
- N1PVB for BNR" kenneth.harker@dartmouth.edu
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- End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1484
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