QRZ! Ham Radio 3/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 3.iso/digests/infoham/940108.txt

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

Date: Thu,  3 Feb 94 09:11:29 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Precedence: Bulk
Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #108
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Thu,  3 Feb 94       Volume 94 : Issue  108

Today's Topics:
                         Boring WWV Programs
                    Dayton Parking: Hell on Earth!
                      Field Day Logging Program
                        Freebies from ARRL HQ
                Help - your Vertical Ant. experences.
                Kenwood TS940 pll-car unlock....HELP!
                       RAC FORUM QUESTIONNAIRE
                    RAMSEY FX TRANSCEIVER (2 msgs)
                            Rtty Dx Notes
            WWCR 5.810MHZ 8pm 12pm Eastern(CHECK IT OUT!!)
                 Your experiences on 40 meter CW QRP

Send Replies or notes for publication to: <[e-mail]>
Send subscription requests to: <[e-mail]>
Problems you can't solve otherwise to [e-mail].

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: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 20:43:20 GMT
From: metro!news.cs.su.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!eff!news.umbc.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!library.ucla.edu!news.ucdavis.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Boring WWV Programs
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] wrote:
:    Those WWV people are not nice at all. I was just trying to be helpful
:    when I called to tell them that my S-38 (which I got at a swapmeet
:    for $15) inmdicated that WWV was about 10 kilocycles off. That, when
:    they were not drifting. I suggested they go to crystal control.
:    I got this really neat Timex watch at a yard sale for $5. It sez that
: ]  WWV is about 30 seconds off. What snotty people work at WWV. They did
:    not appreciate my helpful call at all.

Perhaps you should have used the telephone instead of calling them on
frequency.  BTW: yopu were 59 in No. Cal
;-)

--
*---------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Daniel D. Todd      Packet: KC6UUD@KE6LW.#nocal.ca.usa              *
*                   Internet: [e-mail]                      *
*                 Snail Mail: 1750 Hanover #102                       *
*                             Davis CA 95616                          *
*---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       I do not speak for the University of California....           *
*       and it sure as hell doesn't speak for me!!                    *
*---------------------------------------------------------------------*


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

Date: 3 Feb 94 13:56:18 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Dayton Parking: Hell on Earth!
To: [e-mail]

>They're going to use the money saved to print up nice award certificates
>for all the hams who earn WAS while trapped in the traffic jam. :-)

yeah, but Gary, the Dayton guys always seemed to have trouble getting
organized on mass transit.  maybe they should 'qsy' to some place that can
handle large crowds routinely -- say Orlando....not that the OARC would
approve...8)

of course, maybe we should just get everyone organized to park at the mall --
"economic turmoil reigns!  Salem Mall closed by invading hordes of radio
hams...McDonalds makes emergency deliveries to restaurant after the entire
food supplies were consumed by the horde..Noble Romans reported improved sales
reached 'sluggish' levels over the weekend..residents report lamps glowing
with power turned off, wavy lines on their TVs and strange thumping out of
stereo and radio speakers..young children frightened..strange vehicles roaming
the streets -- could they be operators of cat detector vans?  are your cat
licenses up to date?  is it the end of the world?  is Elvis there?"

maybe the hamfest should be at the mall...any old NCR warehouses unused?  and
has anyone found a use for the old Western Electric plant in Indianapolis?
That place even has a very large parking lot AND a huge amount of space under
cover and an International Airport that's on an Interstate and easy to get in
and out of (unless Dayton's changed a bunch..)

maybe dayton needs another big event around september/october so having a
large parking area at the Hara Arena would be more practical -- maybe the
arena could be leased out to the Tonya Harding Physical Therapy Center for
Injured Skaters.

Dayton may have had the "natural" for a large convention and has certainly
worked to get this spot as the "big one", but maybe it's ripe for plucking
given the constraints forced upon them by the area.

bill wb9ivr

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

Date: 3 Feb 94 13:55:40 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Field Day Logging Program
To: [e-mail]

Hello,

Well it's time to start planning for Field Day.  It's my job
to find a good logging program.  So I am looking for suggestions
and opinions and will summarize the responses in case anyone else
is doing the same.
Please e-mail direct to me.

Thanks and 73

Tom, kv2x

--
-------------------------------------------------------------
                               |
Thomas J. Jennings             | Tel: [phone]
Development Engineer           | Fax: [phone]
                               |
ABB Process Automation         |
Post Office Box 22685          |
Rochester, New York 14692-2685 |
                               |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Internet: [e-mail]
-------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 18:44:48 GMT
From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!psinntp!psinntp!arrl.org![e-mail]
Subject: Freebies from ARRL HQ
To: [e-mail]

A reminder to all that the American Radio Relay League
continues to make available to Amateur Radio Operators and
non-amateurs alike a wide variety of free materials and
services.  Of particular interest to the not-yet-licensed
individual would be the ARRL Prospective Ham Package.  In
the PHP, one would find:
-
1.  Printouts of Volunteer Examination session
opportunities  in his/her area.
-
2.  Listings of Amateur Radio clubs in his location.
-
3.  Helpful promotional material about the Amateur Radio
Service.
-
The already-licensed individual might well be interested
in  another free ARRL publication, the ARRL Public Service
Communications Manual. The PSCM represents the "bible" of
public service communications, and clearly/concisely
points  out how the ARRL National Traffic System and the
ARRL  Amateur Radio Emergency Service function as a
cohesive unit to provide the maximum support to the public
both in times  of disaster as well as "normal" times.
-
To obtain these free ARRL services, please
provide  me with:
-
A.  Your name
B.  Your mailing address
C.  A Specific request for either of the two services
(the PHP or the PSCM) mentioned above.
-
73!
-


|       |   |         Deputy Manager, Field Services, ARRL.
|       |___|         The ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service, the ARRL
| uck   |   |urder    National Traffic System, The Amateur Auxiliary to
------  |   |         the FCC's Field Operations Bureau, the ARRL
     KY1T             Field Organization and the ARRL Monitoring System.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[e-mail]   Prodigy - MGTS39A,  BIX - ARRL,
   MCI Mail - RPALM, MCI Mail - "ARRL", America On Line - "ARRL HQ"
        Compuserve - 70007,3373 (ARRL HQ)  -- Genie ARRL.HQ

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

Date: 31 Jan 1994 20:53:21 GMT
From: metro!news.cs.su.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!eff!news.umbc.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Help - your Vertical Ant. experences.
To: [e-mail]

>is one of the best all band verticals around. Don't know too much about the
>others but the R5 is a vertical dipole and as such does not have as much gain
>as a quarter wave gound plane or similar antenna. Note the Butternut as well

Probably depends on where in the pattern you are, can't think of any
inherent reason for a quarter wave ground plane to have more gain than a
vertical dipole. If I understand what is meant by a quarter wave ground
plane its a 1/2 wavelength antenna but the bottom leg(s) are not in the same
plane as the upper.

Greg Taylor, KD4HZ // [e-mail] // 409-845-4445 // Fax-847-8744


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

Date: 1 Feb 94 21:14:59 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!connected.com!news.sprintlink.net!nic.hookup.net!paladin.american.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!aries![e-mail]
Subject: Kenwood TS940 pll-car unlock....HELP!
To: [e-mail]

My TS940 (1987 vintage) unlocks during warmup, receive (or xmit) goes away
and a half second later the display goes to all dots. This lasts for a blink
to a few seconds each time, and happens zero to a half dozen times only during
warmup from cold which takes 5 or so minutes.
I have done the following:
1. Inspected the PLL, CAR, and DIG A board for solder breaks...nothing obvious.
2. Flexed (lightly), cooled, and resoldered many connections on these boards.
3. Inspected the VR board and resoldered this and that.
4. Observed no power supply voltage changes during the unlock on these boards.
5. Observed the unlock signal occuring during the problem, but was unable to
   tell which pll chip was sending it first.
During all of this extreme invasion of the 940's guts, the characteristics of
the unlocking during warmup has not changed one bit. Makes me think I'm on the
wrong boards.
I've also checked all the peaking up, and setting of vco ranges on the pll and
car boards according to many suggestions and bulletins. R100 on the pll board
was not the problem, as once reported here on the net.
Is there any particular coil that has been troublesome, or some other part
perhaps that anyone knows about?
The problem goes away during the summer months.
Help.


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

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 07:33:35
From: unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!eff!news.kei.com!yeshua.marcam.com!zip.eecs.umich.edu!destroyer!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!adec23!@mvb.saic.com
Subject: RAC FORUM QUESTIONNAIRE
To: [e-mail]

Bid: 7604_VE6YYC
From: VE6AFO@VE6YYC.#CGY.AB.CAN.NA
To  : RACONV@CANADA

                     RAC Forum Questionnaire

The First National Convention of Radio Amateurs of Canada will
provide an excellent opportunity for amateurs to meet face to face
with the directors of RAC and discuss issues that will help to
shape the direction of amateur radio in Canada.  This questionnaire
is designed to help the RAC directors get a feel for the basic
issues.  The RAC Forum will provide the opportunity for these and
other issues from the floor to be addressed as well.

Please check the appropriate line to signify your assessment of
RAC's  handling of the listed issues.  Space is also provided if
you wish to make any specific comments.  For any additional
comments or concerns please use a separate sheet.


                                   Poor  Fair  Avg  Good     Don't
                                                             Know



The RAC Central Incoming QSL Bureau __   __   __    __        __



The RAC Central Outgoing Bureau     __   __   __    __        __



The Provincial Incoming QSL Bureaus __   __   __    __        __
(please state province)


The Canadian Amateur magazine       __   __   __    __        __



Regulations and legal issues        __   __   __    __        __



Tower issues                        __   __   __    __        __


Licensing                           __   __   __    __        __



EMC issues (TRC-86)                 __   __   __    __        __



Membership                          __   __   __    __        __



Headquarters and Administration     __   __   __    __        __



Spectrum issues and band planning   __   __   __    __        __



Services to members                 __   __   __    __        __



Field Services Organization         __   __   __    __        __



RAC Bookstore                       __   __   __    __        __



Attracting new people
to the ham community                __   __   __    __        __



Attracting new members to RAC       __   __   __    __        __



Club affiliation with RAC           __   __   __    __        __
(your thoughts please)



Are you a member of RAC?            YES  __   NO __



Please submit either on packet radio to Ken VE6AFO @ VE6YYC or mail
to: Ken Oelke VE6AFO, 7136-Temple Drive N.E., Calgary, Ab., T1Y 4E7

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

Date: 31 Jan 94 08:42:58 GMT
From: netcomsv!netcomsv!cruzio!comix![e-mail]
Subject: RAMSEY FX TRANSCEIVER
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>
>So you're saying they DO work if assembled correctly...
Sure.  There were some synthesizer spurs that were fixed with
judicious grounding.  The VHF receiver sensitivity wasn't fabulous
(approx .40uv/12db SINAD).  The transmitter would oscillate badly
when mistuned.  Two kits arrived dead and left working.  I'm
not going to claim that they were fabulous performers.  Nor were
they stable over a wide range of temperature or power supply voltages.
However, they do operate.  I didn't see anything "illegal"
or dangerous in the operation or design.  Again, I do NOT
consider the radio a superior or state of the art product.
If it had a dual gate GAsFET front end, high level mixer,
helical resonators thruout, dual PLL tx/rx local oscillators
for fast TR switching, fewer tx spurs, tracking filter rx
front end, built in PL, RS-232 control, ad nausium..., I would
consider it state of the art.  Is there some other kit manufacturer
other than Ramsey that has a superior product?

>>a while, I drag my Cushman CE-6 service monitor to the repeater
>>site and call out tx frequency and deviation for everyone checking
>You are a prince among hams! This would be a great service for all such
>capable amateurs and local clubs to offer. It's a great way to ensure
>that all those FM transmitters are operating properly. Again, I commend
>you.

I've received 4 pieces of email indicating that this would be
a good thing to do.  All it would take is making friends with
your friendly local 2way shop.  I've noticed a trend over the
last 25 years.  The hams and the commercial operators appear
to barely tolerate each other.  25 years ago, every two way tech
was a ham.  Now days, the techs with ham licences ask me not
to mention that they work for a commercial shop.  One local ham
needed a commercial radio programmed for ham frequencies.  This
proved to be a major political challenge.

My pilgrimage to the local repeater site (5 minutes from my office)
is not much of a challenge.  I do it whenever I find the excuse.
However, 50 check-ins followed by 20 arguements does not encourge
repetition.  What I ask is that they check in normally.  If the
deviation is low, I ask them to YELL into the microphone.  This
shows if the deviation setting is low or if the tx audio gain is
low.  I have to explain the difference between the audio/mic gain
and deviation at least 10 times.  The process has lasted as long
as 3 hours.  Many hams will check in with every radio they own
causing me to get confused.  The same hams check in with the
same screwed up radios every time.  Little wonder the commercial
shops don't want to spend the time and effort.

At the last Winterfest in Montery CA, the KM6DZ group used the
latest greatest HP service monitor to check handhelds and mobiles
for anyone interested.  Most everything was measured.  Next year,
the box will probably be HPIB (IEEE488) computer controlled so that
it can be done automatically.  Many of the brand new radios were
miserably adjusted.  In spite of the large number of handhelds
in evidence, only about 50 radios were checked.  It makes me wonder
if the others even cared.

It's not too difficult to turn your repeater receiver into a piece
of test equipment.  Here's some ideas:

1.  Instant replay.  Install a speech recorder that records the last
10 seconds of a transmission.  If someone wants a signal report, they
can hear themselves and judge for themselves.

2.  You can measure SINAD remotely.  Modulate the rx local oscillator
of the repeater to +/- 3.0Khz deviation at 1.0Khz.  Notch out the
1.0 Khz tone at the repeater audio with a commutating synchronous
filter.  The ratio of the audio before and after the filter is
proportional to the SINAD.  If you want to go high tech DSP, read
the June 1993 issue of QEX for a program to do it with a TI320C25
DSP chip.

3.  Measure frequency remotely.  Many repeater controllers (RLC-1)
have A/D converters suitable for measuring the discriminator
voltage.  Some have remote offset calibration functions for dealing
with adjustments and drift.  Have the repeater belch the frequency
error.

4.  There are still a bunch of tunable PL encoders in use.  Our
repeater K6BJ returns a differnet courtesy tone depending upon
whether the PL decoder hears the correct tone.  Just tune till
the tone changes.

You don't need a service monitor to get things right.  It helps,
it's nice, but it's not necessary.  Your repeater can do the job
adequately with some construction.  If it works, turn it into a
kit and sell it.


--
# Jeff Liebermann   Box 272     1540 Jackson Ave     Ben Lomond    CA   95005
# 408.336.2558 voice  wb6ssy@ki6eh.#nocal.ca.usa  wb6ssy.ampr.org [44.4.18.10]
# 408.699.0483 digital_pager    73557,2074  cis [don't]
# [e-mail]  scruz.ucsc.edu!comix!jeffl

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

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 20:18:54 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!newncar!csn!col.hp.com!srgenprp![e-mail]
Subject: RAMSEY FX TRANSCEIVER
To: [e-mail]

Greg Bullough ([e-mail]) wrote:
: In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Alan Bloom) writes:
: >...  I wish QST had MORE construction articles, not fewer. ...

: I agree, but I also believe that the construction articles have
: to be carefully targeted, and within reach. I'd also like to
: see articles on older gear, both generic and specific, that with
: some wrenching, tuning, and tweaking, can be made more serviceable
: for the average newcomer.

: Call them 're-construction' articles. :-)

20 or 30 years ago, when military surplus was plentiful, there were lots
of articles in the ham rags about how to convert military gear for ham use.
There were also many articles on how to modify commercial amateur
gear:  "Add a Product Detector to a 75A2 Receiver"  "A Q-Multiplier for
the HQ-110"  "Convert Your Command Set Into an SSB Exciter" etc.  Not many
amateurs built complete stations from scratch even then, but most did at
least some surplus conversion or modifications to commercial gear.

I agree with you that QST should do at least occasional articles of that
genre.  Some years ago, QST virtually banned tube-based construction
articles (other than high-power RF amplifiers), and I suppose that's
all to the good.  But there's a lot of older tube-type gear out there
that sells for a song.  With a little modification, those old clunkers
could have a lot of life left in them.

For example, how about a digital readout that could be configured to
work with most any transceiver/transmitter/receiver?  (With modification
instructions for several of the most-popular older rigs?)  How about
a synthesized external VFO?  If it covered the 5 - 5.5 MHz (or so) range
it would work with many older radios.  I wish I had the time to work on
some of those projects!  Anybody else have more ambition than I?

AL N1AL

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

Date: 1 Feb 1994 20:25:04 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!emory!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!concert!inxs.concert.net!rock.concert.net![e-mail]
Subject: Rtty Dx Notes
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
Angelo Glorioso Iii <[e-mail]> wrote:
>VK2SG DX NOTES 28 JAN 94
>
>S.M.O.M. 1A0KM.  After three years a group of operators will be on from
>Jan. 26 to 31 on CW/SSB and RTTY on all bands but no 160. Qsl via
>I0IJ.(No report on the Cluster anyway up to now).   MOUNT ATHOS. Monk
>Apollo, has been quite active recently on 20, 80 and 40 SSB. Keep
>fingers crossed for a return also to RTTY.
>
>

Did anyone any where actually work or  even hear this Dxpedition?

Nothing at all was reported in S.E. USA.

Thanks, Mike / NT4O



Mike Wood         Internet: [e-mail]
The Signal Group
P.O. Box 1979     ***Avoid company disclaimers by owning the company ***
Wake Forest, NC 27588

Phone: [phone]       Fax: [phone]

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

Date: 1 Feb 1994 20:28:12 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu![e-mail]
Subject: WWCR 5.810MHZ 8pm 12pm Eastern(CHECK IT OUT!!)
To: [e-mail]

But socialism is a way to enslave people, do you think it is not?
--
Eric Matthews
[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 13:55:16 GMT
From: pacbell.com!sgiblab!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!ukma!rsg1.er.usgs.gov![e-mail]
Subject: Your experiences on 40 meter CW QRP
To: [e-mail]

In article <2ie8ki$[e-mail]>,
Andrew M. Cohn <[e-mail]> wrote:
>If you work 40 meter CW, with 5 watts or less, and use less than ideal
>antennas (no beams, dipoles or rhombics, etc), I would like to hear about
>your experiences. No...I'm not writing a book; I just want to know what
>I can expect before investing in a QRP station!
>
>Many thanks & 73,
>Andy, K4ADL
>[e-mail]
>

The key for me in working 40 CW successfully (and I'm not all that
successful!!) is having a good receiver and listening carefully
and diligently.  Band conditions seem to vary quickly and drastically
on 40; you should be able to recognize when it is a good time to work
hard for DX and when you just might as well rag chew with the guy
down the street. I wouldn't (and don't) use any antenna that was
"worse" then a resonant dipole in performance.  You might consider
some of the "shortened" dipoles if space is a factor; but I don't
have any experience with them.

BTW, I use 100W; I'm not bored enough to try QRP yet..... I believe
that most successful QRP operators have spent lots of time working
with "normal" rigs before they go to QRP.  At least that's the
impression that I have.

cheers -- John, W3GOI

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

Date: 2 Feb 94 04:14:50 GMT
From: ucsnews!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!news.sei.cmu.edu!toads.pgh.pa.us!w2xo![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <1994Jan27.134222.1@tntvax>, <2ibe9h$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>s.acs.oh
Subject : Re: Help - your Vertical Ant. experences.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gregory S. Taylor) writes:

>>others but the R5 is a vertical dipole and as such does not have as much gain
>>as a quarter wave gound plane or similar antenna. Note the Butternut as well
>
>Probably depends on where in the pattern you are, can't think of any
>inherent reason for a quarter wave ground plane to have more gain than a
>vertical dipole. If I understand what is meant by a quarter wave ground

If you are really interested in the relative gains, etc, of various
lengths of vertical radiators, you can get a copy of the FCC
rules and regs for AM broadcast stations. This used to be available
for a very small sum from the government printing office. In it
is a chart showing the field strengths developed by various lengths
of vertical radiators. You will see that a quarter wave vertical
does *not* have more gain than a half wave, actually less. The signal
strength continues to increase as the length of the radiator is
increased and tops out at 5/8 wavelength..hence the popularity of
the 5/8 for 2 meter mobile work.

Also at work here is the fact that a 1/2 wave radiator has a
very high driving impedance. Consider the antenna and
ground to be in series, like two resistors. If the
ground connection is high impedance,like when you have
no radials, then, if the antenna is low impedance (1/4 wave),
most of the energy is dissapated in the ground connection..
not at all what you want. However, if the antenna is
high impedance (1/2/wave), then a much larger part of the
RF is consumed in the antenna, which is what you want.

It's still probably a good idea to ground even a half wave
vertical. It won't hurt and probably will help. Otherwise
you're depending on the capacitance of the coax feedline
to act as a ground and then there's the lightning thing...

One note concerning ground plane antennas. They don't work
as "ground plane" antennas until they are sufficiently high
that the RF field from the antenna flows more in the ground
plane wires than in dirt. If it is too low, you get severe
losses from a quarter wave ground plane. This can be overcome
by increasing the number of ground radials. THe FCC used to
require 120 radials to achieve proper efficency when the vertical
was right on the ground. When it's higher, then you need fewer.
Since the half wave antenna has mostly voltage at the bottom
and not current (high impedance), then the RF field is highest
at the middle of the antenna and does not flow in the ground
so much..ergo, the efficiency is higher when ground mounted..unless
you want to put 120 radials on the 1/4 wave!

Hope this helps..

Jim, W2XO

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #108
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