QRZ! Ham Radio 3/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 3.iso/digests/infoham/940197.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-06-04 | 24KB

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 14:58:31 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #197
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Wed, 23 Feb 94       Volume 94 : Issue  197

Today's Topics:
                       AIDS testing on Amateurs
                  A transmission line loss question
    Chevy Ignition Noise (was Honda ignition recall - now NOISE!!)
                     Exam element credit - 1 yr.!
                         Ham Distribution Net
                              Heathkits
            Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!! (2 msgs)
                         How can I subscribe?
                  Looking for HT storage suggestions
       Passed General written, how long do I have to pass code?
                         Ramsey Mods (2 msgs)
                       RFD: rec.radio.pendantic
                 Satellite Tracking Programs (2 msgs)

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: 23 Feb 94 13:19:28 GMT
From: netcomsv!netcom.com![e-mail]
Subject: AIDS testing on Amateurs
To: [e-mail]

In article <rohvm1.mah48d-220294155107@136.141.220.39> [e-mail] (John E. Taylor III) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
>(Jeffrey D. Angus) wrote:
>
>>> URGENT IMPORTANT AIDS NEWS FLASH!!
>>>
>>> IVE JUST LEARNED THAT WAYNE GREEN THE PUBLISHER OF 73 AMATEUR RADIO TODAY
>>> HAS PRINTED PAMPHLETS
>>> EXPLAINING PROPER USE OF 2 SIMPLE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
>>> WHICH HAVE SHOWN PROMISE IN DISABLING
>>> AND POSSIBLY CURING THE HIV VIRUS.
>
>If this is a joke, it is in _very_ poor taste.  If the original author was
>serious (or if Wayne is serious...I guess that's possible) then our descent
>into a technological dark age has accelerated frighteningly.  No wonder
>people believe RF causes cancer!
>
No, it's not a joke. Wayne Green seems to believe he has found the
cure. He editorializes about it in the same column in which he
expounds the virtues of cold fusion. And psience. Well, anyway,
he's been on that toot for several months now.

Perhaps his next 'small business venture' will be a medicine show
and carnival.

(Too bad you can't make effective hand gestures on USENET :-) )

Greg

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 16:16:47 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!hp-cv!hp-pcd!hpcvsnz![e-mail]
Subject: A transmission line loss question
To: [e-mail]

Alan Bloom ([e-mail]) wrote:
: Tom Bruhns (that's me)  ([e-mail]) wrote:

: : Which of the following two transmission lines will you choose
: : to give lower loss?

: : A.  50 ohm air-insulated copper line with 1" OD

: : B.  75 ohm air-insulated copper line with 1" OD -- in other
: :     words, same line as in (A), but a smaller center conductor.

: Great quiz question.  The answer is that the 75 ohm line with the
: 1.5:1 SWR will have higher loss than the 50 ohm line with 1:1 SWR.

What?  Only one answer??  Doesn't anybody else out there want to
give it a go?

73, K7ITM

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 16:56:25 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!udel!news.sprintlink.net!news.dorsai.org!news.dorsai.org![e-mail]
Subject: Chevy Ignition Noise (was Honda ignition recall - now NOISE!!)
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, Marc Holdwick wrote:
>
> If it is something other than the ignition module I would be really
> interested in knowing as I have a high milage (140k) 1985 Chevy Caprice
> which has *terrible* ignition noise.  I have checked all of the usual
> items:  Plugs, cables but to no avail.  I think there might be a problem in
> the distributor.  (I'm sure that SOMEWHERE, in some police garage there is
> a mechanic who has solved my EXACT problem - too bad there isn't a
> rec.radio.police.caprice.RFI newsgroup)

The problem is in the alternator.  Somewhere around 30-40,000 miles
something will let go in the regulator.  In addition to the increased
noise, you will notice an over voltage.  Instead of the nominal 13.1 volts,
you will get something like 14.x volts.   The car will still run good,
and for a long time too.  You may notice a slight glow to the "alt" light
on the dash board at night.  That is your cue that something is wrong.

I've had this happen twice, on my Citation, (which was an early model run
and had the predecessor alternator as on the Caprice), and on my old
Dodge's heavy duty alternator.  BTW the Citation kept going until I sold it
at 75,000 miles, but the Dodge alternator conked out on the highway at
55,000 miles.

--
 < ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 <                         "Big Steve" Coletti                         >
 <         Shortwave Listener, Broadcaster, Computer Consultant        >
 <                      and all around nice guy                        >
 < Internet: [e-mail] ==== [e-mail] >
 <   UUCP: [e-mail] ==== [e-mail]   >
 <    Fidonet: 1:278/712  US Mail: P.O. Box 396, New York, NY 10002    >
 <                        Voice: [phone]                       >
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 21:37:12 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!pitstop.mcd.mot.com!mcdphx!schbbs!waters.corp.mot.com.corp.mot.com![e-mail]
Subject: Exam element credit - 1 yr.!
To: [e-mail]

In article <2kdfm7$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Scott
Richard Rosenfeld) wrote:

> You have ONE YEAR EXACTLY from the date of passing an exam element to use it
> for getting a higher class license.

> I don't remember if it's, for example, Nov. 7, 1993 - Nov. 6, 1994, or
> Nov. 7, 1993 - Nov. 7, 1994 (last day inclusive?)

I think the rule reads "one year" which would be Nov. 7 to Nov. 7.  "Twelve
months" or "365 days" could give different answers.

Once I thought merely splitting hairs in two was picky, then I studied the
law ...

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

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 02:02:05 GMT
From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com![e-mail]
Subject: Ham Distribution Net
To: [e-mail]

Hello --

I am the coordinator for the Ham Distribution Net and have been
posting notices of new files to the newsgroup for a couple of months
now. It appears that files arriving at ftp.fidonet.org and mirrored
to ftp.halcyon.com are not remaining there long enough for internet
readers to ftp the files.

HDN is looking for an ftp site that is willing to mirror either
ftp.fidonet.org or ftp.halcyon.com as new files arrive and allow
the Ham Distribution Net to advertise your ftp site as the official
internet HDN headquarters and not to remove the files after x days.

If you are in a position to help provide a home for the Ham Distribution
Net here on internet please e-mail me at the address below.

lee - ab5sm           [e-mail]
Ham Distribution Net
--
                                             [e-mail]

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 17:15:41 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Heathkits
To: [e-mail]

Text item: Text_1

>My experience leads me to belive Heathkit (may they RIP) has been unfairly
>slammed ... by far, I believe, the Heathkit builders were successful and
>had an excellent learning experience.  73 >< Carl        K8NHE

Sorry Carl, didn't mean to slam Heathkit. My point was that in any
normal distribution of customers, by definition, there will be some on
each end of the spectrum outside the three sigma limit. Experiences
outside the three sigma limit ON EITHER END of the normal distribution
are not good points of reference. My experience with six Heathkits was
worse than my experience with four Ramsey FXs but I am only one point on
either distribution and I don't know exactly where either of my
experiences fall on the plot. We tend not to hear from customers with
average experiences.

73, Cecil, [e-mail]

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 14:39:26 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!caen!malgudi.oar.net!news.ysu.edu!yfn.ysu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!!
To: [e-mail]

In a previous article, [e-mail] (Thomas Leber) says:

>I'd like to hear other opinions about this also. My 1988 Acura Integra (another
>Honda product, for those who may not know) has exhibited a fair amount of
>ignition noise since it was new. It's not coming through the power cord, as it
>exists even on battery operated rigs.
>
>I've had them check everything they could, and replaced the distributor cap
>and rotor. I also had the 'ignitor' replaced on recall (whatever that is).
>It's still pretty noisy on my 2 m. HT and scanner.
>
>Any ideas? (other than get rid of the car, I mean)
>
>Cheers,
>Tom
>--
>---------------------------
> Tom Leber N3QKV <[e-mail]> Intermetrics, Inc. Warminster PA
>               "Smother technology and it rebels." - Max Headroom
>

I have a 1987 Acura Integra.. I run a Ten Tec Argonaut 509 both SSB adn CW.

I had some ignition noise problems at first.  I rewired all the power directly
to the battery and purchased the Radio Shack noise suppression kt (think
about $15). Seemed to take care of the problem. Still get noise from over
head power lines.. but on most highways.. no problem

73

Jeff, AC4HF
--
Jeff M. Gold, AC4HF
Manager, Academic Computing Support
Tennessee Technological University

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 16:52:56 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!transfer.stratus.com!sw.stratus.com![e-mail]
Subject: Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!!
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] (Jan Chojnacki) writes:
> >I'd like to hear other opinions about this also. My 1988 Acura Integra (another
> >Honda product, for those who may not know) has exhibited a fair amount of
> >ignition noise since it was new. It's not coming through the power cord, as it
> >exists even on battery operated rigs.
> >
> >I've had them check everything they could, and replaced the distributor cap
> >and rotor. I also had the 'ignitor' replaced on recall (whatever that is).
> >It's still pretty noisy on my 2 m. HT and scanner.
> >
> >Any ideas? (other than get rid of the car, I mean)
>
> Yes. Have them replace your ignition wires with low-noise type.  I believe
> that they are sometimes called Silicon Ignition Wires - but I may be wrong.
> When I replaced the wires on my Bronco II, it made a world of difference.
>

If his Acura behaves like my '88 Honda Civic Wagon does, replacing the ignition
wires won't do a thing for him.  Nor will replacing spark plugs, grounding the
hood, etc.  I've been trying for almost 2 years now to de-noise my wagon.  The
igniter replacement I had to have done back in September (car death) didn't help,
either; it may have hurt a bit, I'm not sure anymore (I'm somewhat used to the
noise now, so it would have to change rather drastically for me to notice).

My next car's gonna be something non-Honda...  :-/


73 de Faith N1JIT
--
Faith M. Senie            InterNet: [e-mail]
Stratus Computer, Inc.    InterNet: [e-mail]
55 Fairbanks Blvd.       Pkt Radio: [e-mail]
Marlboro, MA 01752           Phone: [phone]

Curiosity doesn't flourish among the burned-out...

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 19:32:00 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: How can I subscribe?
To: [e-mail]

How can I subscribe to the various ham groups?

[e-mail]  (send all the mail you want, all answered).

                The great give away-affordable housing.
             For some employed woman, mothering is a hobby

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 22:19:50 GMT
From: netcomsv!netcomsv!bongo![e-mail]
Subject: Looking for HT storage suggestions
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Greg Sherwin) writes:
>My concern about
>storing it in the trunk of my car (along with my disaster supplies) is
>the summer heat and sun.  I do not know what temperature specifications
>exist for most HTs (does anyone have any?), but I do know the NiCad batteries
>are rated up to 45 Celcius for storage.  In the summer sun of California,
>I would think that the trunk of my car could get well over 55 Celcius.

 A Ni-Cad may not leak at 45 celsius, but the self discharge
rate will be so high that the battery pack will be useless when you
need it. You would have to recharge the battery pack daily. If you
want a radio with instant emergency usefulness, consider a
walkie-talkie with Lithium Batteries. It will have a shelf life of
about 10 years.

 Failing that, keep the radio in the trunk, keep a couple of
packs with alkalines in the glove compartment and use the batteries
somewhere else after 6 months. You may also keep a Ni-Cad pack in the
car, but it should be recharged weekly in the summer.

 Note that Ni-Cads are have terrible self discharge curves.
Sitting on a shelf, a Ni-Cad pack will be pretty flat after a month.
An Alkaline pack will be fine after 18 Months. The best batteries for
storage are Lithium. But they are hard to find and no company that I
know of currently makes lithium battery packs for walkie-talkies.

>Is this a concern that should keep me from storing an HT in my trunk during
>the summer months?  Anyone have any similar experiences or wisdom to share?

 The batteries and the electronics will be happier if kept
cool. I store Alkalines in the Freezer and Ni-Cads in the fridge -
right next to the beer.
--
Julian Macassey, N6ARE  [e-mail] Voice: [phone]
Paper Mail: Apt 225, 975 Hancock Ave, West Hollywood, California 90069-4074

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 19:40:22 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Passed General written, how long do I have to pass code?
To: [e-mail]

>where I took my exams, if you do not pass the codes, they don't let you
>take the written exams (makes sense). So your being able to take the
>written exam without the 13 wpm is something new to me.
>N3RKD

I don't know of any reason why you can't take all the written tests w/o
passing a code test first.  You certainly can have written credit w/o having
code credit.

a long time ago this was not the case, but today there is no reason not to go
ahead and give someone a written.  having that credit can be an incentive to
get moving on the code.  I know I had extra written credit twice (the first
time a few years ago, i never got my code up.  the 2nd time, i did make it
after about 3-4 months....)

sounds like your VE team needs to get up to date.  I know we do written credit
only --


73, bill wb9ivr

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 15:58:43 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!udel!news.sprintlink.net!direct![e-mail]
Subject: Ramsey Mods
To: [e-mail]

Someone said that between 30 and 225 MHz, transmitter spurs are limited
to 60dB down from the carrier. That is true only of transmitters running
25 watts or more. The limit for transmitters running less than 25 watts
is 25uW or -40dB whichever is larger. The Ramsey FX-146 is limited to
25uW spurs by FCC rules. That means the 3.7 watt FX-146 tested by the
ARRL had to meet a -52dBc spec, not a -60dBc spec. My silent key buddy,
Bob, W7FEZ, tuned his FX-146 for 2.5 watts output. We tested it on a
spectrum analyzer before and after the modification. Spurs were at -48dBc
before and -54dBc after. It had to meet a -50dBc spec at a 2.5 watt
output. That's where the earlier -48dB and -50dB figures came from.
I think 10 log(3.7/.000025) is 51.7 dB.

The Ramsey mods are on world.std.com under /pub/hamradio/mods/ramsey.
For those without accounts, ftp.std.com is supposed to work.

73, Cecil, [e-mail]

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 17:01:30 GMT
From: koriel!newscast.West.Sun.COM!pongo![e-mail]
Subject: Ramsey Mods
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Cecil Moore) writes:
>Someone said that between 30 and 225 MHz, transmitter spurs are limited
>to 60dB down from the carrier. That is true only of transmitters running
>25 watts or more. The limit for transmitters running less than 25 watts
>is 25uW or -40dB whichever is larger.

Well, "someone" was me.  Sorry about that; it is indeed true that
transmitters between 30 and 225 MHz are limited to -60dBc spurs, except
that transmitters under 25W are limited to -40dBc spurs, never to exceed
25uW.  A 200mW transmitter, for example, can have no spur greater than
20uW.  The "whichever is larger" statment confused me at first; I think
the correct statement is "whichever is smaller", since a -50dBc spur
is smaller than a -40dBc spur.

This is really a policy discussion, and I've set the followups line
to rec.radio.amateur.policy.


--
 * Dana H. Myers KK6JQ, DoD 466 | Views expressed here are *
 * [phone]   | mine and do not necessarily *
 * [e-mail] | reflect those of my employer *
 * This Extra supports the abolition of the 13 and 20 WPM tests *

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

Date: 23 Feb 94 15:09:16 GMT
From: netcomsv!netcomsv!skyld![e-mail]
Subject: RFD: rec.radio.pendantic
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
  > >
  > > For Christs (sic) sake Jeff. Give it a f*****g rest.
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^                       ^^^^^^^
          If you're going to note corrections to my english,
          then how about noting the correction to my language too.

  > Context. Context is everything. Go back and check it yourself and you'll
  > see why I got upset at the original poster.

  I watched the entire episode from the start on rec.radio.cb. From what
  I saw you got your wannabe basket-weave belt accessories in a knot when
  someone posted a list of 6 MHz frequencies and then you went ballistic
  when Dana joined in the discussion.



 Amateur: WA6FWI@WA6FWI.#SOCA.CA.USA.NA  |  "You have a flair for adding
Internet: [e-mail]       |   a fanciful dimension to any
 US Mail: PO Box 4425 Carson, CA 90749   |   story."
   Phone: [phone]               |            Peking Noodle Co.

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 13:44:57 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!yeshua.marcam.com!hookup!paladin.american.edu!zombie.ncsc.mil!blackbird.afit.af.mil!sd2![e-mail]
Subject: Satellite Tracking Programs
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Steve Eigsti) writes:
|> [e-mail] (David Dodell) writes:
|>
|> >I am interested in obtaining a good satellite tracking program for
|> >tracking some of the amateur birds.  Recommendations on shareware /
|> >commercial packages would be appreciated.
|>
|> >David wb7tpy
|>
|> >---
|> >Editor, HICNet Medical Newsletter
|> >Internet: [e-mail]                 FAX: [phone]
|> >Bitnet  : ATW1H@ASUACAD
|>
|> Try Traksat, ftp to oak.oakland.edu  it is in the msdos/satelite  directory
|>
|> Steve K5SE
|>

You might also try PC-Track Version 3.0, newly uploaded to the same site
and to garbo.uwasa.fi in pc/ham.

Tom Johnson
[e-mail]

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 13:09:05 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!paladin.american.edu!zombie.ncsc.mil!blackbird.afit.af.mil!sd2![e-mail]
Subject: Satellite Tracking Programs
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Steve Eigsti) writes:
|> [e-mail] (David Dodell) writes:
|>
|> >I am interested in obtaining a good satellite tracking program for
|> >tracking some of the amateur birds.  Recommendations on shareware /
|> >commercial packages would be appreciated.
|>
|> >David wb7tpy
|>
|> >---
|> >Editor, HICNet Medical Newsletter
|> >Internet: [e-mail]                 FAX: [phone]
|> >Bitnet  : ATW1H@ASUACAD
|>
|> Try Traksat, ftp to oak.oakland.edu  it is in the msdos/satelite  directory
|>
|> Steve K5SE
|>

You also may want to try PC-Track Version 3.0, newly uploaded to the
same directory and to garbo.uwasa.fi in pc/ham

Tom Johnson
[e-mail]

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 20:28:24 GMT
From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!asuvax!pitstop.mcd.mot.com!mcdphx!schbbs!waters.corp.mot.com.corp.mot.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>corp
Subject : Re: John Ramsey

In article <[e-mail]>,
[e-mail] wrote:

> In article <rohvm1.mah48d-180294104722@136.141.220.39>, [e-mail] (John E. Taylor III) writes:
> > In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Cecil Moore)
> > wrote:
> >> Your experience has been different from mine. I had 100 times the trouble
> >> out of Heathkits that I had with Ramsey kits. You probably weren't around
> >> for the '50s when it was a miracle if a Heathkit ever worked.
> > Really?!  I've built Heathkits from the original oscilloscope and AT-1
> > transmitter right up through their kit 2-m HT, and had _very_ few problems
> > that weren't my own stupidity (back in the '50's I was known to make a cold
> > solder joint occasionally).
> I, too, have to disagree with the observation regarding Heathkits.  From
> back in the 50's (that's 1950s folks) when I built my first one, I'd
> never had a problem that wasn't of my own making.

I suppose I have to add my voice to the chorus of Heathkit supporters!  I
too have built dozens of their kits from the late 50s on, a few of them
still in use in my shack!

I had a few problems with missing parts and a few defective parts.  The
only "puzzler" I can remember was a piece of glass in a tube on my SB101.
The receiver would work upside down on the bench, but would go dead when I
turned it right side up.  Replacing the tube fixed it - the rig worked
great when I sold it 10 years later!

Heathkit - RIP.

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #197
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