Date: Tue, 3 May 94 04:30:23 PDT From: Ham-Homebrew Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Ham-Homebrew-Errors@UCSD.Edu Reply-To: Ham-Homebrew@UCSD.Edu Precedence: Bulk Subject: Ham-Homebrew Digest V94 #117 To: Ham-Homebrew Ham-Homebrew Digest Tue, 3 May 94 Volume 94 : Issue 117 Today's Topics: Help with Homemade Capacitors Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? (5 msgs) Periodic Announcement - ARRL Email Information Server (info@arrl.org) Vertical yagi mounting Send Replies or notes for publication to: Send subscription requests to: Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu. Archives of past issues of the Ham-Homebrew Digest are available (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/ham-homebrew". 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, 2 May 1994 20:02:21 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!news-feed-2.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!mlb.semi.harris.com!cica.mlb.semi.harris.com!rmp@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Help with Homemade Capacitors To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu I am trying to fix an old Quack Medical Device that has a glass and foil stacked capacitor inside it. I have seen similar capacitors inside Leeds & Northrup equipment. Does anyone know how big (uFs), these capacitors tend to be and what the breakdown voltages might be? I hesitate to rebuild it. Russ Pate WB4VVN rmp@mlb.semi.harris.com ------------------------------ Date: 29 Apr 1994 14:25:37 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!emory!news-feed-2.peachnet.edu!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!solaris.cc.vt.edu!news.ans.net!newsgate.watson.ibm.com!watnews.watson.ibm.com!vinod@network.ucsd. Subject: Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu I took my no-code tech exam couple of weeks back, and am now learning code from tapes while waiting for the licence. I would like to get up to 13wpm so that I can upgrade to general when I take the exams. I would like to have a code-practice reciever to get the code practice sessions from W1AW and also perhaps to listen to other conversations going on in the various bands. Since I don't know what kind of radio I would eventually want, I don't really want to buy a traceiver yet. Most of the cheaper commerically availabe receivers don't receive CW and SSB. So, I am thinking of building a simple receiver, either as a project or preferrably from a kit. I will basically have only a multi-meter available, and I don't have any experience with building RF circuits. Given the above, 1. Can somebody recommend a good, inexpensive kit ? I just got the catalog from ten-tec yesterday, they have a a kit for $39. This is a new business for them, so I don't expect anybody has built this yet, but if they have, I would like to hear about it.. 2. Is this kind of project feasible, or am I better off looking for a used receiver? (Well, I intend to look at the local hamfests anyway, I was just wondering about how feasible the task is in general, given that I don't have much test equipment). Thanks for any comments, advice, references etc. in advance. --vinod email: vinod@watson.ibm.com ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 1994 19:17:48 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!olivea!news.bu.edu!dartvax.dartmouth.edu!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu In article <2pr5d1$l20@watnews1.watson.ibm.com> vinod@watson.ibm.com (Vinod Narayanan) writes: > I would like to have a code-practice reciever to > get the code practice sessions from W1AW and also > perhaps to listen to other conversations going on > in the various bands. I bought a kit to do just this thing from a company in Pennsylvania called Radio Adventures Corp. They have had an ad in the back of CQ somewhere for a while. It only picks up W1AW on the 40m band (other bands available) but has very minimalist filtering, so I can occaisonally hear some English-language SW broadcaster that I can't quite seem to comprehend (part of which may all be because my antenna system is just a random wire about 15m long...). The receiver will definitely pick up W1AW and was somewhat useful as my first kit, as I got plenty of "oops - all those parts weren't supposed to go on that side of the PC board, were they?" type of experience out of the way... --- ======================================================================= Kenneth E. Harker N1PVB Dartmouth College Amateur Packet Radio kenneth.e.harker@dartmouth.edu Hinman Box 1262 n1pvb@w1et.nh.usa.na (603) 643-5716 Hanover, NH 03755 or n1pvb-5 on 144.99 ======================================================================= (PGP Public Key now available on request) ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 94 22:28:29 GMT From: pa.dec.com!usenet@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu " In article vinod@watson.ibm.com (Vinod Narayanan) wrote: " >I took my no-code tech exam couple of weeks back, and >am now learning code from tapes while waiting for the I saw in QST or CQ a receiver that just received the ARRL broadcasts. It was in an add. Somewhere in the back. Pick up an issue and check it out. Jeff KD1IT/7 ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 94 21:50:57 GMT From: agate!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!news.Cerritos.edu!news.Arizona.EDU!nelson.as.arizona.edu!hlester@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu In article <2q3jks$bhl@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Kenneth.E.Harker@Dartmouth.Edu (Kenneth E. Harker) writes: > > I bought a kit to do just this thing from a company in >Pennsylvania called Radio Adventures Corp. They have had an ad in the >back of CQ somewhere for a while. It only picks up W1AW on the 40m >band (other bands available) but has very minimalist filtering, so I Kenneth, what kind of earphone/headphone are you using for this W1AW receiver? I built one for 20 meters and shelved it, because, in any of my "walkman" type headphones, or an old style earphone, the audio output is minimal. I wrote to the fellow, and he recommended Koss "ear-buds", but I'm not so sure I want to invest any more money in this. Also, it has no shielding and is very susceptible to local AM broadcast. I wish I had waited for Ten-Tec to produce their kit line. Howard ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 94 22:16:55 GMT From: yale.edu!noc.near.net!news.delphi.com!BIX.com!hamilton@yale.arpa Subject: Newbie code Practice receiver -- feasible? To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu Kenneth.E.Harker@Dartmouth.Edu (Kenneth E. Harker) writes: >In article <2pr5d1$l20@watnews1.watson.ibm.com> >vinod@watson.ibm.com (Vinod Narayanan) writes: >> I would like to have a code-practice reciever to >> get the code practice sessions from W1AW and also >> perhaps to listen to other conversations going on >> in the various bands. > I bought a kit to do just this thing from a company in >Pennsylvania called Radio Adventures Corp. They have had an ad in the >back of CQ somewhere for a while. It only picks up W1AW on the 40m >band (other bands available) but has very minimalist filtering, so I >can occaisonally hear some English-language SW broadcaster that I can't >quite seem to comprehend (part of which may all be because my antenna >system is just a random wire about 15m long...). The receiver will >definitely pick up W1AW and was somewhat useful as my first kit, as I >got plenty of "oops - all those parts weren't supposed to go on that >side of the PC board, were they?" type of experience out of the way... I also bought one of those Radio Adventures kits but I found it essentially useless. When I'd talked with the company before ordering, I was assured, oh, no problem, you should be able to pick up W1AW with a 10' piece of wire as an antenna, you're so close. (I live outside Boston, seemingly not all _that_ far from Newington, CT.) In fact, the kit will pick up W1AW but not so well that anyone I know could possibly have the patience to try listening. Even with an outside antenna, you can barely hear it. It's pitiful. Now, in point of fact, W1AW is just not that strong a signal in many places. With that same outside wire antenna, I can always find W1AW's 80m and 40m signals on my FT-990 and those signals are always fairly easy to copy, but nonetheless, there is also quite frequently an annoying amount of QRM and fading. My advice is to not to waste your money on something cheap. You only get what you pay for. If you're looking for some inexpensive code practice, get the ARRL code practice tapes. They _really_ work and they're really worth the money. Don't expect to practice with the W1AW signals (depending on your location) until you get a "real" radio. Regards, Doug Hamilton KD1UJ hamilton@bix.com Ph 508-358-5715 Hamilton Laboratories, 13 Old Farm Road, Wayland, MA 01778-3117, USA ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 May 1994 08:38:55 -0600 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!galaxy.ucr.edu!library.ucla.edu!psgrain!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!ve6mgs!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Periodic Announcement - ARRL Email Information Server (info@arrl.org) To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu Periodic Announcement - ARRL Email Information Server (info@arrl.org) The services that the ARRL provides via the internet include the Email Information Server and the Technical Information Service. The Information Server is an automated mail server that gives you access to many of information files relating to various facets of Amateur Radio. You can retrieve any or all of these files by sending an email message to info@arrl.org here at ARRL HQ. Each file you request is then mailed to you automatically. To use it, mail messages to: info@arrl.org Each line of the message body should contain a command as shown below. The subject of your message is not processed and may be omitted. You may place as many commands in a message as you want. The files you request will be sent to you in separate messages. Only ASCII text files are supported. Valid INFO commands: reply
(may be needed - see below for explanation) help index send FILENAME (example: send prospect.txt) quit In the above message example, "help" retrieves a brief set of instructions for info, "index" retrieves a list of available files and "send prospect.txt" retrieves a text file containing information on becoming a radio amateur. Note to users with FTP capability: All of these files are also available by anonymous ftp to oak.oakland.edu in the pub/hamradio/arrl/infoserver area. Retrieve the file index.txt in the /league sub-directory for a complete listing of available files. If you want to retrieve several text files with one message, use a separate line for each "send filename" request. Your From: field or Reply-to: field in your header should contain a valid Internet address, including full domain name. If your From: field does not contain a valid Internet address, the answer will not reach you. If this is the case, then use the reply command as shown above. When needed, this command should always be the first command in your message. IMPORTANT: Please use the quit command in your message. This will prevent processing errors from message signatures. PLEASE NOTE!: This is an automated system not capable of handling written requests. Any questions on the info-server or the content of any of its files should be directed to mtracy@arrl.org. ALSO NOTE!: Do *NOT* reply to messages sent from info@arrl.org - the reply address is redirected to keep bounced messages from endlessly looping. Write a new message to info@arrl.org instead. The Technical Information Service gives League members on the internet better access to the knowledgeable technical staff here at ARRL HQ. Questions relating to Amateur Radio and related technical topics are welcome. To use this service, send a normal e-mail message to tis@arrl.org with your question spelled out in plain english. For best service, be as specific as possible and keep your line length in messages to a maximum of 80 characters. Due to personnel limitations, priority will be given to questions from League members. Best Regards, Michael Tracy, KC1SX, ARRL Technical Information Services Coordinator (e-mail mtracy@arrl.org) Sample of files available from INFO: (There are lots more!) Note - If you are not yet an Amateur Radio operator retrieve the file prospect (send prospect) for information on how to easily get started in this fun hobby. FILENAME SIZE DATE DESCRIPTION ---------------- ---- ------ -------------------- PROSPECT.TXT 2k 930514 How to get your Amateur Radio license EXAMS.TXT 52k 930629 Current exam schedule info - updated bi-weekly EXAMINFO.TXT 9k 921020 Examinations - what to bring - requirements USERS.TXT 6k 930119 List of HQ Email addresses ARRLCAT.TXT 39k 930709 Catalog of ARRL Publications - commercial content JOIN.TXT 2k 930621 How become an ARRL member SERVICES.TXT 5k 930621 A condensed list of ARRL membership services TOUR.TXT 28k 930621 An electronic tour of ARRL Headquarters DIR.HQ 5k 930310 Visiting ARRL HQ - diretions and tour information HFBANDS 7k 921203 Breakdown of users of HF spectrum Q-SIGS 1k 921203 ARRL list of Amateur Radio Q-signals W1AW.SKD 2k 930120 W1AW schedule of transmissions and operation PRODREV1.TXT 12k 930227 Which rig is best? Part 1 - QST Lab Notes PRODREV2.TXT 22k 930227 Which rig is best? Part 2 - QST Lab Notes !LIST.TXT 6k 931120 QST Bibliographies List RFIGEN.TXT 37k 930120 How to solve an EMI/RFI problem - QST Lab Notes RFISOURC.TXT 13k 930607 Where to buy filters - EMI-proof telephones etc. ADDRESS.TXT 16k 930318 Lots and lots of ham/electonic company addresses KITS.TXT 6k 930430 List of companies that sell kits BBS.TXT 12k 930601 List of ham-radio land-line bulletin boards FAQ1.TXT 25k 930707 Introduction to the FAQ and Amateur Radio FAQ2.TXT 45k 930707 Amateur Radio Orgs, Services and Info Sources FAQ3.TXT 32k 930707 Amateur Radio Advanced and Technical Questions ------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Radio Relay League, Inc. Tel: 1-203-666-1541 225 Main Street Fax: 1-203-665-7531 Newington, CT 06111 Email: mtracy@arrl.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 May 94 07:18:01 MST From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!lynx.unm.edu!dns1.NMSU.Edu!dns1.NMSU.Edu!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Vertical yagi mounting To: ham-homebrew@ucsd.edu On Thu, 28 Apr 1994 20:55:12 GMT, Paul H. Bock wrote: > In a recent on-the-air discussion, I pointed out the error >of mounting a two-meter yagi in the vertically-polarized >position while using a metal mast (assuming that the antenna >mounts from the center of the boom and not at one end, the >latter being common for 3- and 4-element yagis). Paul: This is an excellent problem for testing with the newer versions of MIninec or NEC on the market. I have done a good bit of modeling of stacked and interlaced 10/15/20 meter yagis and can confirm that a 20 meter element in the middle of a 15 meter yagi is bad news in that it can cost you 1 to 1.5 dB of gain, change the input Z some and cause most anything to happen to the front to back. I have not tried a random length mast but I would expect the same sort of results. 73 Bill ------------------------------ End of Ham-Homebrew Digest V94 #117 ******************************