QRZ! Ham Radio 4/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 4.iso/digests/infoham/940022.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 23.9 KB

Date: Tue, 11 Jan 94 01:39:22 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 #22
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Tue, 11 Jan 94       Volume 94 : Issue   22

Today's Topics:
                          Bay Area Hamfests
                BRAIN CANCER, LEUKEMIA FROM HAM RADIO
                            DXCC wait time
                                 help
             I need a terminal program for 2 TNCs at once
                          Morse Code program
                        Parts Master System??
                                 QHH
     Ramsey kits not too good -- what about Down East Microwave?
        Vanity Callsign Notice of Propsed Rulemaking (PR93-30
                WANTED:Synchronous Detector Schematic
                When will my license expire? (2 msgs)
                       why 29.94 fps? (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: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 18:01:08 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!silver.ucs.indiana.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Bay Area Hamfests
To: [e-mail]

Greetings!  A new job is causing me to relocate to Mountain View, CA and
I was wondering if anyone could give me a list of any upcoming Hamfests
in the Bay Area....Thanx.

73 de Dave, N9UXU


David J Adams, N9UXU  Internet: [e-mail]
Amiga User and Flow Cytometry Advocate
Looking for a mobile 2m and/or 70cm rig
Conure Society of America.  "Push the button Frank..."
--- -. .-.. -.--   .- -- .. --. .-

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 19:23:15 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!news.larc.nasa.gov!grissom.larc.nasa.gov![e-mail]
Subject: BRAIN CANCER, LEUKEMIA FROM HAM RADIO
To: [e-mail]

In article <2gs839$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Brent Irvine) writes:
>>There is statistically significant cancer rates above the non-electronic
>>population.
>
>Depends on how the data was calculated.  Perhaps the HAM community
>is significantly older that the population at large, perhaps if
>there is genetic propensity to be a HAM there will also be a
>genetic propensity for cancer.

This is true.  Also remember that hams work around PCB-filled capacitors
and around lots of nasty solvents.

Hams tend to have a higher amount of lead in the bloodstream than non-hams.
And, hams tend to fall off antenna towers much more frequently than non-hams.
I'd bet that they suffer from more accidental electrocutions, too.

I'd be much more worried about tissue heating than cancer from RF, and
I'd be worried about a lot of other things far more than cancer.  Keep
your climbing belt in good condition and don't use it if it looks frayed;
and keep your left hand in your pocket when working on live equipment.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra.  C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 18:38:27 GMT
From: library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!avdms8.msfc.nasa.gov!news.larc.nasa.gov!eos1.larc.nasa.gov![e-mail]
Subject: DXCC wait time
To: [e-mail]

  I recently sent in my endorsement application to the DXCC Desk at
ARRL.  I was pleasant surprised by the processing time.  The application
and cards were received on 12/29.  The application was processed on
12/30 and the return package was postmarked 1/4.  It probably would
have been quicker had there not been a holiday in that period!
  Compared to the multi-month wait that I endured back in mid-1992
for my initial DXCC application, this is a pleasant, welcome change.
Thanks to the ARRL for really making the effort to get rid of the
DXCC backlog and keeping it from reappearing.

Richard Eckman  KO4MR
NASA Langley
Hampton, VA

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

Date: 11 Jan 94 04:29:10 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: help
To: [e-mail]

--

Eric T. Budinger              Dan's Domain 201-586-1223
[e-mail]           Ham Central SysOp
[e-mail]         1-201-398-4619 (voice)
[e-mail]            1-201-205-2134 (digital)

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 19:33:16 GMT
From: haven.umd.edu!news.umbc.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews!ornews.intel.com!landesk![e-mail]
Subject: I need a terminal program for 2 TNCs at once
To: [e-mail]

You could run Windows and open two windows with any terminal
program, as long as you set up each window (terminal pgm) to
run off different comm ports.



--
Brett Miller N7OLQ          E-mail: [e-mail]
Intel Corp.                 Internet: [e-mail]
American Fork, UT           IP: 128.215.210.58

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 19:15:45 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!news.iastate.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Morse Code program
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Drumheller) writes:
>   I'm looking for Morse code practice software that runs either on a NeXT
>computer (NeXTstep), or a DOS machine.  Any suggestions on freeware or
>commercial software that isn't too expensive.  Any programs available on
>ftp sites?

SuperMorse is a *great* program for DOS.  You can find it in
wuarchive.wustl.edu.  It is named "sm404" and is in the directory "/mirrors/msdos/hamradio".

73, will, n0rdv
--
Will Turner,  N0RDV         ---------------------------------------------
[e-mail]        | "Are you going to have any professionalism, |
[e-mail]    | or am I going to have to beat it into you?" |
[e-mail]    ---------------------------------------------

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 20:51:05 GMT
From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!yuma![e-mail]
Subject: Parts Master System??
To: [e-mail]

    Anybody know how to access the Parts Master System over the Internet?
    I need to check the DOD stock number data on an item I have.
    I have checked our gopher and others, but no luck.

    -Emarit

        [e-mail]    OR    [e-mail]

    Posting the answer would maybe be useful to others too.

    KG0CQ    _._ __. _____ _._. __._

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 20:51:41 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!sgiblab!sgigate.sgi.com!olivea!news.bu.edu!att-in!att-out!cbfsb!cbnews!cbnewst!cbnewsm![e-mail]
Subject: QHH
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Bryan Weaver) writes:
|> Has anyone actually found out what QHH is?

With embarrassment, I admit to posting the article to start this thread.
I have received a reply from N0MWG (thanks Eric) where he states QHH as
meaning "I am making an emergency landing"!  Oops, not a good one to screw
up!  I'll inform the original source of the true meaning.
Thanks to all and 73 de Glenn

--

  Glenn D. O'Donnell, N3BDA       Internet:      [e-mail]
  AT&T Bell Laboratories          Amateur Radio: n3bda@n3dpu.#epa.pa.usa.na
  Allentown, PA                   Home QTH:      Palmerton, PA (Grid FN20eu)

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 20:03:58 GMT
From: butch!rapnet![e-mail]
Subject: Ramsey kits not too good -- what about Down East Microwave?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Larry Kollar) writes:
>From: [e-mail] (Larry Kollar)
>Subject: Ramsey kits not too good -- what about Down East Microwave?
>Date: Fri, 7 Jan 94 14:05:35 GMT


>OK, everybody and his dog has run down Ramsey kits.  I also heard some
>unfavorable comments about Hamtronics and their downconverter kits.  What
>about Down East Microwave?  They have downconverters in kit form -- has
>anyone tried tackling one of those?


>Waiting for the frequency analyzer to get fixed before I put my FX-440
>on the air, I am --
>--
>Larry Kollar, KC4WZK   | I like CW, but that doesn't mean I think every ham
>[e-mail]  | should have to learn it.
>               "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog."

I know Bill, the owner and think he produces very high quality equipment.
The no-tune transverters require quite a bit of additional stuff to get them
working as a system, including RX preamp, TX amplifier, two coax relays,
control logic, and a case.  But, given a good junk box and some skill, the
results equal the more expensive complete transverters.

The views expressed here are my own, not my employer's.
Jeff Millar, WA1HCO, Lockheed Sanders 603-885-7047

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 19:22:12 +0000
From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!dis.demon.co.uk!g8sjp.demon.co.uk![e-mail]
Subject: Vanity Callsign Notice of Propsed Rulemaking (PR93-30
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

>Come on Jack, we all know that *real* ham calls start with a W or K. :-)
>
>Gary



AHEM!!!!


You have the Morse character elements correct, but you simply have them
arranged wrongly. Actually, they start --.


:-)       <--- *just* in case ....

-------------------------------------------------------------
Iain Philipps - InterNet StormTrooper
Telephone:    [phone]
EMail:        [e-mail]
On VHF:       G8SJP
On HF:        G0RDI
On Contests:  G(W)0RDI/P [JO01KJ and IO82JJ]
On Vacation:  C30DLA
At Work:      N2TLY
-------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 20:18:42 +0200
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!EU.net!sunic!osiris.kbfi.ee!osiris.kbfi.ee!@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: WANTED:Synchronous Detector Schematic
To: [e-mail]

Hi!
There was a construction article in July 1993 issue of QST.
You might also try Sept. 1992 issue of QEX, where a circuit
is printed which uses phasing method and is based on Sony parts.
Regards,
Ylo Mets.

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 17:56:45 GMT
From: library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!portal.austin.ibm.com!awdprime.austin.ibm.com![e-mail]
Subject: When will my license expire?
To: [e-mail]

You are required to be in posession of your license or a copy to operate
a radio.  You should get a replacement from the FCC even if you don't expire
soon.  I think you need FCC form 610 to get a replacement, but I'm not sure.
--
Mickey McInnis - [e-mail] ([e-mail] outside IBM)
--

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 19:28:22 GMT
From: noc.near.net!news.Brown.EDU!NewsWatcher![e-mail]
Subject: When will my license expire?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (David Feldman)
wrote:

> I have one of those 10 year licenses, and I can't find the orig., and
> I have the feeling that it will expire before too long. How can I find
> my expiration date? I realize this sounds like an obvious question, but
> after 23 years in ham radio I guess I'm getting senile!
>
> 73 Dave WB0GAZ [e-mail]

Dave,

That's simple... just send a 610 in to the FCC. Change your address or
something. I have at least 2 copies of my extra license. When I changed the
address they sent a new copy and they also change your expiration date to
10 years after the date of the last change.
--
== Tony Pelliccio, KD1NR
== [e-mail]
== Brown University Alumni & Development Computing Services
== Box 1908
== Providence, RI 02912
== [phone]

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 19:18:44 GMT
From: library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!bnr.co.uk!corpgate!news.utdallas.edu!rdxsunhost.aud.alcatel.com!aur.alcatel.com![e-mail]
Subject: why 29.94 fps?
To: [e-mail]

In article 3319@cmkrnl, [e-mail] (Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems) writes:
> In article <2g7p56$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Les Reeves) writes:
> > The colorburst frequency is not only cast in stone-it is extremely accurate.
> > It is more accurate as a frequency reference than WWV.  This is provided
> > that you are tuned to a network-supplied program.

> Also, at that time it was stated that the networks used rubidium-clock
> frequency standards, which are secondary standards:  They're awfully good but
> they still have to be calibrated against something better.  NIST (the folks who
> run WWV) uses cesium-beam clocks, which are primary standards, needing no
> calibration for frequency.  Have the networks since upgraded to cesium-beam
> clocks?  And, given that the local stations probably haven't, does it matter
> anyway?  Even if they have, they're still "only" as good as NIST's clocks, so
> why should one over-the-air signal be better than another?  (propagation
> changes on shortwave, maybe?)
>

Colorburst transmit frequency is required to be +/-10Hz (5.5873E-6 or 5.5873ppm).
PPM means parts per million.
This requires a good ovenized oscillator(that isn't cheap).  Rubidium Oscillators
go for about $20,000 I think.  Cesium Beam clocks are > $200,000.
The clocks that NIST uses are the best in the world.  They have about 10 of them
that are all averaged together.

WWV, however loses a lot in its method of transmission and to propagation effects.
Received accuracy (if you have a stable enough PLL to track it without further
loss of accuracy) is about 1E-7 (0.1ppm) frequency accuracy and 1ms for timing.
Even to keep this accuracy would cost you at least $1000.  Stratum 3 oscillators used in non-central office telephone equipment are 4.7ppm and cost at least $2000.

Since the colorburst crystal in your TV is > 100ppm, any PLL that uses that
crystal to lock onto an external source cannot be any better than 100ppm.

WWV is not the problem.  Unless you are in TV broadcasting I don't think you
would need better than WWV accuracy.

Incidently, NIST was working on a computer system where you could request time
and frequency by modem.  It would figure out the delay of the telephone path
and compensate for it.  Some manufacturers (True Time was one of them) was working
on clock sources that are locked to the GPS (Global Positioning System) system
with Stratum 3 accuracy and better timing accuracy.

-Cliff

---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Clifton Powers            Let No Man Have Two Fibers Until
[e-mail]               all Men Have One.
Alcatel Network Systems          -Steven Hornung, BTRL, July 1987
Video Technology                      Where's my Fiber?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 10 Jan 1994 23:19:48 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com![e-mail]
Subject: why 29.94 fps?
To: [e-mail]

In article <2gs9mk$[e-mail]>,
Clifton Powers <[e-mail]> wrote:

>Colorburst transmit frequency is required to
>be +/-10Hz (5.5873E-6 or 5.5873ppm).
>PPM means parts per million.
>This requires a good ovenized oscillator(that isn't cheap).

No it doesn't.  Any decent AT cut crystal oscillator will hold +/- 5 ppm over
any reasonable indoor temperature range (10 to 50 degrees C).
That ought to run you about 10 bucks.

> Rubidium Oscillators
>go for about $20,000 I think.  Cesium Beam clocks are > $200,000.

Rubidium standards start at less than $2000.
Cesium standards cost from $30,000 to $70,000.

> Stratum 3 oscillators used in non-central office telephone
> equipment are 4.7ppm and cost at least $2000.

No they don't.  Stratum *2* oscillators are the ones that cost around $2000.
And they are far more accurate than 4.7 ppm.

>and compensate for it.  Some manufacturers (True Time
>was one of them) was working on clock sources that are locked to
>the GPS (Global Positioning System) system
>with Stratum 3 accuracy and better timing accuracy.

A good GPS system should be able to achieve
Stratum 1 accuracy (1 part in 10^11)
not just Stratum 3 accuracy (worst than 1 part in 10^6).




Rick Karlquist N6RK
Precision Time and Frequency R&D
HP Santa Clara Division
[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 16:16:05 GMT
From: ftpbox!mothost!lmpsbbs![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <9401060730.ZM27881@SALCIUS2>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>ess
Subject : Re: Ramsey kits not too good -- what about Down East Microwave?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:

>better have a spectrum analyzer at hand when you do the tuneup. I'd say
>that anything that requires an oscillator should be avoided since Hamtronics
>doesn't seem to know how to design good ones.
>
>Gary Coffman KE4ZV          |    You make it,     | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary

I receintly built a hamtronics 2m receive converter, so I figured I would
put in my 2 cents worth.

The converter shifts 144-146Mhz to 28-30 Mhz so 2M sideband can be received
on a HF radio. It uses a dual gate gas fet for the front end, a J308 FET
for a mixer, and a crystal osc and tripler for the LO.

The kit works with the following problems.

The converter generates spurs at 140Khz intervals when driven with a
relative high level signal, about -40dbm. This is a real problem in my
neighbood because there are several hams that also like 2m ssb and they
run lots of power.  This problem was solved by re-biasing the RF amp by
replacing the gate bias resistor with a pot.  The pot must be carefully
adjusted so as not to kill the gain too much.

The whole converter oscillates at 27MHz when the antenna is removed.
Does not oscillate with an antenna, so I guess I should not disconnect
the antenna.

The LO (116Mhz) is present at the antenna connector at -30dbm. This
causes big time channel 5 problems.
I beleive this is due to the LO and RF amp output both being injected
into the gate of the J308 mixer FET.  I experimented by replacing the
J308 with a 40673 dual gate FET. I used a mixer schematic from the ARRL
handbook. This does work, but the gain is very low, probably due to
incorrect impedance matching. It did reduce the LO at the antenna by
about 3db, hardly worth all the work.

Incidently, I called hamtronics to discuss my problems. They stated
that their kits do not oscillate when constructed and aligned properly.
The only suggestion they made was to short the second gate of the RF Amp
to ground to remove the oscillation. It does remove the oscillation, but
the gain and sensitivity decrease by 20db, so this is unacceptable.

The unit did serve its purpose. I decided that I wanted to play on 2m ssb
so I will pick up some comercial equipment and shelf the converter.

    chuck sherwood N9QZT/AA
    [e-mail]


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

Date: 10 Jan 94 10:22:42 -0700
From: swrinde!sdd.hp.com!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!hamblin.math.byu.edu!yvax.byu.edu!physc1.byu.edu![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>.edu
Subject : Re: Repeater database?

After rereading my last post I realized I probably came across as somewhat
negative.  I do regret that some people have no respect for property and
I am sorry that some repeaters sites have been targeted by the slime that
seems to be covering our country.  However, paranoia and secrecy won't
stop the slime - they will get what they want for the simple reason that
the law enforcement infrastructure is losing the battle against the slime.
Unfortunately, secrecy doesn't work against the slime.  The slime are not
stupid - some of them are extremely brilliant but they have decided that
it is better to use their brains to support the slime than to do something
constructive.  Hence, no matter what you do to hide your repeater - short
of just shutting it off - will protect it from the slime assuming that they
want it.  At some point we have to balance the importance of providing
useful information against that of protecting property and resources.  All
information can be misused in the wrong hands but if we lock up that
information it will only slow the slime down slightly and greatly reduce
the utility of whatever is being described.  If I want I can have an
unlisted phone number, take the numbers off my house, and only provide
a post office box for my mailing address.  But I am still not protected
against the guy walking down the street who decides that I may have
something he wants.  And at the same time I have made it impossible for
my friends to find me or for the ambulance to figure out which house is
mine when I have a heart attack.

A recent post suggested giving fuzzy coordinates for the repeaters.  Since
I don't intend to operate in the direct vicinity of most repeaters (and if
I am I already know exactly where it is) having the location within a mile
or so would suit my purpose.  Then, since I don't have coverage maps for
them, I can look at where I am and where the repeater is located (direction
and distance) and see if there is something like a mountain between me and
the repeater.  I will then have a vague idea of whether iI will be able to
make it in or where I would need to move to in order to make it.

We scream at the government for their secrecy (look at the recent furor over
AEC testing in the 40's and 50's) and yet we hide behind the same veil of
secrecy.  We expect everyone else to reveal sensitive information while being
very adamant about not needing to reveal our own sensitive information.  Let's
try to strike a balance here and compromise on a level of information that
will allow us to improve our use of limited resources (whether it's repeaters
or spectrum allocation) while keeping the critical information quiet.

Bryan Peterson
[e-mail]

P.S. - an interesting local example of what happens when you have things that
are secret was brought up last night on a local 2m net.  A person was fiddling
around with DTMF paging and messaging, a feature that is quite common on most
new UHF and VHF radios.  Unfortunately, out of ignorance he was bringing up all
sorts of "hidden" features of the repeater like autopatches and connecting
links.  He was asked to stop using the DTMF features because of all the
problems he was causing.  There are ways around this (for instance, on one
local repeater they have a special code that will cause the repeater to stop
listening to DTMF codes so that a DTMF squelch or paging can be used without
danger of messing up the controller) but secrecy is not the solution.

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #22
******************************