QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/digests/infoham/940580.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 25KB

Date: Thu, 26 May 94 21:40:25 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #580
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Thu, 26 May 94       Volume 94 : Issue  580

Today's Topics:
                          "for ID" (2 msgs)
                          2 meter thru-glass
                    Bizarre QST statement (2 msgs)
                    Converting an old HT-220 to 2M
                              Field Day!
                            IDing (3 msgs)
                       RFI from light switches
                             SSB Filters

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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: Thu, 26 May 1994 12:54:14 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.eecs.uic.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!wheaton.wheaton.edu!tellab5![e-mail]
Subject: "for ID"
To: [e-mail]

What about guys that keep saying "Ahhhhhh" all the time?

Like "Ahhhh my name is Fred.   Ahhh my QTH is,   Ahhhh my
rig is a ,    Ahhhhhh Ahhhhh Ahhhhhhh my antenna is Ahhhh".


---
   Jack Albert  WA9FVP                 Fellow Radio Hacker

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 12:41:24 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.eecs.uic.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!wheaton.wheaton.edu!tellab5![e-mail]
Subject: "for ID"
To: [e-mail]

>[e-mail] (Gary Coffman) says:
>
>>if you're in a *large* roundtable, and 10 minutes has passed since
>>your last ID, you might insert your callsign "for ID" at a pause.
>>That tells everyone that you're not asking to break rotation, just
>>stay legal.

For years the Amateur Radio Handbook included a section called
"Operating a Station".  The first several paragraphs always mentioned
the correct operating proceedure for voice operation.  I don't remember
seeing any reference to the practice "4/ID".

If it's time to identify yourself, you simply give your call!

---
   Jack Albert  WA9FVP                 Fellow Radio Hacker

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 21:30:55 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!news.cac.psu.edu!news.pop.psu.edu!ra![e-mail]
Subject: 2 meter thru-glass
To: [e-mail]

   Look here folks.  A lot of technical folklore gets passed around the
amateur community, and some of it is incorrect.  But of all the subjects
that suffer from the propagation of inaccurate technical folklore, the
subject of antennas suffers the most.

   I have ask for, and have received advice about antenna installations.
Some of it good, some of it bad.  Many opinion are in conflict:

   ...you need a ground plane... no, you don't need one... my
through-the-glass antenna works great... mine sucked, so I returned it...
you must use a balun... why? ... well, just because... RF current occurs
on the feedline ... well then why is the coax on top of the ground plane
(car roof)?... gee, I don't know, good question...

   Now I have to admit that even I have contributed to this problem.

   So now I ask the academics out there to respond, not some elec-tech.

   Question: Has *anyone* done a comprehensive scientific study of the
performance of through-the-glass antennas, or any other mobile antenna
installations.  This includes input impedance, radiation patterns, etc.
I'm looking for an IEEE paper showing how Halen's integral equation is
solved, and not some QST article with a couple of mismarked graphs showing
a radiation pattern measured using a field strength meter from Radio Shack
and a tape measure.

   Antenna theory is not my specialty, but it would be refreshing to read
something written by someone with scientific authority, and not by someone
who `know antennas,' but still uses the `left hand rule' to derive the
magnetic field due to electron current flow.

-Dave
--
David Drumheller, KA3QBQ          phone: [phone]
Acoustics Division, Code 7140       fax: [phone]
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington, DC 20375-5350   e-mail: [e-mail]

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

Date: 26 May 1994 19:21:09 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!fc.hp.com!news.lvld.hp.com![e-mail]
Subject: Bizarre QST statement
To: [e-mail]

Steve Wilson ([e-mail]) wrote:
: In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Greg Bullough) writes:
: |> One wonders how such a bizarre and subjective criteria got by the
: |> editorial staff. Would we really tell a Novice not to buy a good
: |> used TR4C or FT-101!?!
: |>
: |> Yeah, I like 6146s better, but sweep tubes are both effective and
: |> available.
: |>
: |> Greg

... deleted

: As a side comment, and past owner of a vernerable TR3 which uses
: 3 sweep tubes in parallel...they are an absolute headache to
: neutralize!

Hmm.  I've got to agree with Greg.  I find the warning about sweep tubes
a bit overdone.  I've also not had any great difficulty in neutralizing
my TR4 (3 6JB6s) or T4X (2 6JB6s).

These radios were my first introduction to HF, and I think they've
served extremely well as beginner's rigs.  The 6JB6 sweep tubes used in
Drakes are readily available, fairly inexpensive (even for quality US
NOS) and robust enough if you heed the warnings in the manuals.  Drakes
are quality older radios and its a shame to steer newcomers away from
them.

What the author really should have done rather than warn beginners about
sweep tube finals is to warn them about the vagaries of radios with
older, harder to find electrolytic filter capacitors that delight in
failing at the worst possible times.  The only sweep tube failure I've
had came from a filter cap in the Drake power supply dying, which
caused the TR relay to fail, ultimately trashing the PA tubes.  All, of
course, while I was out of the room for a while.  I kinda doubt 6146s
would've fared any better.



Scott Turner  KG0MR  [e-mail]

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 11:52:43 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!usenet.elf.com!rpi!psinntp!arrl.org![e-mail]
Subject: Bizarre QST statement
To: [e-mail]

Greg Bullough ([e-mail]) wrote:

: In talking about hybrid rigs, he instructs the neophyte to stay
: away from those which have sweep tubes in the final, and go only
: for those with 'real' transmitting tubes (6146, presumably).

: Yeah, I like 6146s better, but sweep tubes are both effective and
: available.

For you, perhaps.  But we get phone calls and letters from people
who just can't seem to find sweep tubes anymore or that the people
who do sell them charge too much.

BTW : Antique Electronics Supply in Tempe Az seems to be a
      source of tubes 602-820-5411.

--
Zack Lau  KH6CP/1           2 way QRP WAS
                           8 States on 10 GHz
Internet: [e-mail]   10 grids on 2304 MHz

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 18:20:17 GMT
From: pa.dec.com!crl.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!ryn.mro.dec.com!est.enet.dec.com![e-mail]
Subject: Converting an old HT-220 to 2M
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Oracle News Poster) writes...
>        I have a Motorola Ht-220 Type CC3540 Serial # L06K2D Model H33FFN1100E.
>It transmits and Receives on 163.5375 MHz. It has a 15 Volt NiCad. It is
>                xmit: 18170.8

The transmitter in these uses freq. triplers to get up from the xtal freq. to
TX freq. 18170.8 x 3 x 3 = 163537.2. Mine is a 462 MHz unit that has one more
tripler to get up there.

>                rcv:  48912.50

Let's see... receive xtal = (Tx freq - IF freq) / n; where n = 3,9,27 etc.
Using n=3 we get an IF of 16.8 MHz, which sounds reasonable. International
Crystal Mfg. has crystals for these radios - call them at 405 236 3741 and tell
them what you have. You may need model number and "chassis number" which is a
number like NUE6001BA that you can find inside the battery compartment. The
xtals are a bit pricey - $15 to $25 each, but what the heck, I only paid $10
for the radio at a flea. You will need to re-tune the tuned circuits in the
radio, and for this you will need the Motorola manual... try Motorola or a
local service shop for that. I copied the 450-488 MHz radio manual that another
ham here had around. Make sure whoever knows you are re-tuning to a ham
band, or else they'll want to know your commercial license #!

By the way, I have a line on cheaper crystals from a different source, still
waiting for someone to get back to me on that.

>There is also a "PL Reed" that I will probably need.

This is pre-microprocessor coded squelch technology. A tiny mechanical reed
functions similar to a quartz crystal, except at audio freqs. If you're going
to use the HT to get into a repeater with PL tone access you need it, otherwise
you don't, like for simplex. Mine came with one, but you could always add one
of those tiny PL decode/encode boards from the back of QST.

>        Last (and least?) I need a charger for the Ni-CAD.

Yah, these radios typically are placed in a "drop-in charger" which does the
job. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this myself... The battery that came
in mine was good, though, and charged up to 15V no problem. Pick up a spare at
a flea, as Moto wants something like $75 for them.

>                Doug N8TUT

Good luck with the mods! I'll be doing mine as soon as I find out about those
cheap xtals! Makes an interesting project...
-Tom R.   N1OOQ   [e-mail]

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

Date: 26 May 1994 20:52:34 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!srgenprp!news.dtc.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!icon!hpchase.rose.hp.com![e-mail]
Subject: Field Day!
To: [e-mail]

John E. Taylor III ([e-mail]) wrote:
: ... You can figure, based on the current drain of your
: rig on transmit and receive, how much power you'll need for the contest--I
: use a 25% key-down time estimate for the calculation: (time * receive
: current * 0.75) + (time * transmit current * 0.25).

Once you get this figure, what do you do with it?  All the car batteries I've
seen have just a "cold cranking amps" number, no amp-hour information. Maybe
it's different for the deep-cycle marine batteries?  If not, is there some
way you can tell how long a battery can sustaing a particular current level
based on the "cold cranking amps?"

Chris Moore
N6IYS
[e-mail]

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

Date: 26 May 1994 15:03:40 -0500
From: illuminati.io.com![e-mail]
Subject: IDing
To: [e-mail]

In article <2rt9dh$[e-mail]>,
John Derry <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
<Fake conversation deleted>

>Another bad habit is "This is AR1RL for ID".  Does anyone know why people
>say this?  Also there seems to be a growing trend to say call letters
>instead of saying "over" or "go ahead".  Some amateurs say their call
>letters at the end of each transmission.
>
Bravo!  Damned fine point!  Agreed wholeheartedly!
I'm newly licensed 3 weeks now, but I've been listening on my scanner
for 6 months.  The way _I_ was taught versus how some of the
hams do it is 180 opposite.
I was taught to say "This is KB8SGL monitoring(or listening)" when
I am just pokin' on a channel, waitin' for a QSO.  I hear this:
"This is AB1CDE listening on 146.88"

Why the hell do you need to tell me the frequency I'm listening to?

>Use of Q signals on phone doesn't make much sense either.  Better to use
>JUST PLAIN ENGLISH, or whatever you speak wherever you live.  It takes
>more effort and time to say "QSL" than "roger".  Also, if you say "What is
>your QTH?", what you are saying is "What is your what is your QTH?".
>
Agreed again!  I was told "Do NOT use Q signals on phone.  Use plain
english!!!"  Since I don't know CW at all, I know very few Q signals.
When people ask me something, like, "What is your home QTH?" I know
what they mean, but I ask myself "Why the hell don't you just ASK
me where I live?"

>Finally, every amateur should learn the standard phonetics and use them no
>more than necessary.
>
<Massive amounts of cheering and agreeing in background>
I sign : Kilo Bravo Eight Sierra Golf Lima (lee-ma) KB8SGL
I do NOT like to hear
"Kathy Bathroom Eight Salt Grapes Laxative"
I learned standard phoentics so I can understand a transmission which
is so staticy and garbled, when I hear

"...is  ... avo..arlie...ix..pa..omeo...elta"  I can almost certainly
say BC6PRD .  If I hear somethign else, I won't respond.
It's my practice when I'm monitoring to ignore all transmissions
which are not within *my* standards.  Why respond to
"Coke Albert Three Very Large Zebra"?  Who knows what they're doing?
For all i know, I should report them to the FCC for sending an
encoded/encrypted message across amatuer bands.

>The habits an amateur acquires when not participating in net operation
>will undoubtedly carry over to those times when quickness and efficiency
>are of utmost importance.
>
Yes, but the veterans who have been around for god knows how
many years will argue they do it THEIR way and THEIR way has been
working for years, so why change now?
>73 es cul de K9CUN (for ID!)
>
>[e-mail]


--
................................................................................
Matt Rupert | 2984 Pheasant Run Drive Apt D | Jackson, MI 49202 | [phone]
        Security - Organization Meetings/Bookings - Professoinal Harasser
                  UNIX / Amateur Radio enthusiast KB8SGL

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

Date: 26 May 1994 15:47:30 -0500
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu![e-mail]
Subject: IDing
To: [e-mail]

In article <2s2vas$[e-mail]>,
[e-mail] (Sir Hoagy), alias Matt Rupert wrote:

[stuff deleted]
> I'm newly licensed 3 weeks now, but I've been listening on my scanner
> for 6 months.  The way _I_ was taught versus how some of the
> hams do it is 180 opposite.
> I was taught to say "This is KB8SGL monitoring(or listening)" when
> I am just pokin' on a channel, waitin' for a QSO.  I hear this:
> "This is AB1CDE listening on 146.88"

> Why the $#@! do you need to tell me the frequency I'm listening to?
[more stuff deleted]

I see it as a courtesy.

It is a matter of safety for the driving individuals than anything
else because it allows the drivers desiring to listen or respond
to know which frequency you are using and quickly take thier radio out
of scan mode and set it on your frequency --- all without taking their
eyes off the road for very long.

It also helps others at home with their base station set to scan to know
the same thing even if they are listening from across or in another room.

Jeff Johnson,
KF8UW

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 22:03:27 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!csn!qwerty.fsl.noaa.gov!bora.fsl.noaa.gov![e-mail]
Subject: IDing
To: [e-mail]

 >"This is AB1CDE listening on 146.88"
>
>Why the hell do you need to tell me the frequency I'm listening to?
 >.................................................................................
>Matt Rupert | 2984 Pheasant Run Drive Apt D | Jackson, MI 49202 | [phone]
>        Security - Organization Meetings/Bookings - Professoinal Harasser
>                  UNIX / Amateur Radio enthusiast KB8SGL


I can only see one reason for telling the frequency that I am on, so that someone
listening on a scanner will know which frequency the call was on if they don't
catch it in time to see it. I have only used this technique when calling a specific
person though. I can't really see the need when monitoring.

...Scott

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 20:21:41 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com![e-mail]
Subject: RFI from light switches
To: [e-mail]

Has anyone out there ever encountered RFI from light switches?  I don't
mean dimmers or capacitance touch-switches, but ordinary 72-cent silent
wall switches.

Last winter I started getting interested in 75-meter phone DXing.  In the
process I began listening with my receiver in USB mode.  To my surprise,
there was a very loud and frequently-present rough carrier on about 3760
KHz, accompanied by buzzy impulse noise extending only on the lower side,
down about 20 KHz.  After some exploration, I discovered another
"carrier" at about 3513, with noise extending below IT down past the
lower band-edge.  Both signals were well over S-9, but nobody else in my
town could hear them.

I got a portable radio with BFO and began sniffing around the
neighborhood.  Sure enough, the noise localized to a neighbor's house.  I
explained the situation to him, and we started sniffing around the
place.  We found nothing until, in the course of events, he turned ON the
bathroom light.  Suddenly, the noise stopped.  I had him turn the switch
off, and it started up again.

The bathroom light in question is incandescent, with no dimmer or other
active device in the circuit.  I replaced the light switch for him (with
the same brand of garden-variety spdt switch), and no more noise.

A few days later I discovered another pair of "carriers" in roughly the
same places on the band, with similar characteristics but not quite as
strong.  To shorten things, I sniffed and found two more light switches,
same kind, which were the source.  When I replaced them, the noise vanished.

I haven't noticed any more of these signals since, but you can imagine
the potential -- I live in an area with over 200 houses, each with at
least 10 of these switches.

So does anyone have similar experience, or a physical explanation for what
was happening?  I was not drinking on either occasion, BTW ;}.


Pete N4ZR ([e-mail])
--
73, Pete
[e-mail]
NOTE: New Address

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

Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 11:26:38 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!usenet.elf.com!rpi!psinntp!arrl.org![e-mail]
Subject: SSB Filters
To: [e-mail]

Elendir F1RCS ([e-mail]) wrote:
:  I'm (still) planning to build a multimode multibander (VHF/UHF) rig.
: In the course of designing the SSB part, I am of course facing the
: problem of filtering the unwanted LSB.
:  I've talked on the air with several hams that seem pretty positive that
: it is no more possible to find SSB Xtal filters in France.
:  Does someone have any clue regarding a possible US source for these ?
: What I'd like to find out is a 10.7003 to 10.703 Xtal Filter, with at least
: 60 dB at 10.6997 MHz. But a 9 MHz look-alike filter (or any IF) would
: fit also.

10.7 MHz SSB filters are rather unusual.  However, I'm surprised that
amateur dealers don't sell useable filters.  In the USA, you can often
buy optional filters to put in your amateur transceiver to get a different
bandwidth than what the radio came with.

However, the trend is to *make* your own filter out of microprocessor
clock crystals.  For roughly $10 worth of crystals, you can make a
decent filter and have some crystals for the oscillator(s).  They
even sell 9 MHz crystals.

--
Zack Lau  KH6CP/1           2 way QRP WAS
                           8 States on 10 GHz
Internet: [e-mail]   10 grids on 2304 MHz

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

Date: 26 May 1994 15:28:58 -0600
From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!nyx10.cs.du.edu![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <2ro5vg$[e-mail]>, <N>, <[e-mail]>t
Subject : Re: "for ID"

In article <[e-mail]>,
Joe Gregg <[e-mail]> wrote:
>"for ID" is one of my many pet peeves.  Why the heck else would you say your
>call?  You ALWAYS give your call "for ID."  It is just an annoying habit.

I don't know about it being a pet peeve, but I do find it funny.
Sometimes if it's just to butt in for your 10-minute ID, yes I can see it.
But it's rather redundant otherwise.

Same I guess for half the calls that add "mobile".  I mean, for the most
part I think it's great that the caller is driving around or whatever, but
9 times out of 10 it really makes no difference to me whether you're
driving, walking, or standing on your head during your conversation.  There's
hardly anything that can interrupt or interfere with a conversation while
mobile that couldn't also happen if you're "immobile" -- including walking
through your house if overpasses are an issue.  Even still, if
I tell the person that their signal is bad, I really don't expect them to
pull over to the shoulder anyway.  Perhaps I should have some fun with this
habit and say things like "KD6QPY scratching" or "KD6QPY digesting".

>>It might make communications much easier if we just said what we
>>meant all the time, which means proper phonetics and procedures.
>>The cute stuff is OK when you know you are S9+, I suppose.
>
>Hear hear!!!  Here here, too.

Yep.  Although "QSY" is much simpler than its true translation, for the
most part saying things like "What's your QTH?" seems a lot simpler as
"Where are you?"

Ahh, these are the amusing little quirks of the trade.  Just appreciate
them for the amusing oddities that they are.

73 greg
KD6QPY
--
greg                     | Pro Child
[e-mail]   | Pro Family
                         | Pro Wrestling

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

Date: 26 May 1994 19:13:30 GMT
From: newsgate.watson.ibm.com!watnews.watson.ibm.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <2s2p2s$j7v$[e-mail]>.com
Reply-To : [e-mail]
Subject : HF starter rig recommendations (was Re: Bizarre QST Statement)

This seemed like an opportune moment for a post I have been wanting
to make for sometime.

I read the QST article with much interest, as I am going
to be looking for a used HF rig in a couple of months or so. I am
waiting for my no-code ticket, and am studying code right now. I
was thinking of getting a tranceiver to listen to W1AW code practice,
but instead got a ten-tec single band kit, which I am goint to build
this weekend, thus postponing the tranceiver purchase until after
I have my novice ticket.

So, please send me your advice on what I should look for in a used
HF rig. I expect to be able to spend around $400-$450 max, for the
rig, tuner, and power supply. So:

- What models would fit the above criteria?
- What features should I look for?
- What should I avoid?
- Can I get something which is all solid-state for the above price
range?

I am cross posting this to rec.radio.amateur.equipment as that
is probably a more appropriate group for followups. Also, please
feel to email directly to me, and I will summarize to the net.

Many thanks in advance.
--vinod
email: [e-mail]

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #580
******************************