Date: Tue, 17 May 94 09:33:47 PDT From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu Precedence: Bulk Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #538 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Tue, 17 May 94 Volume 94 : Issue 538 Today's Topics: Final QTH Monument Gun Owners: Protect your Rights! Large Amateur Radio File Forum Looking for a code program. Man named Loomis invented radio? Massachusetts Amateur Radio Internet Lists Need Advice Pactor-II personal autopatch c repeater slang/lingo. sacred freqs TM6JUN, D-Day 50th anniversary. VK land WANTED : TEKTRONIX 7000 series plug-in 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 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: Tue, 17 May 1994 13:09:52 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!greg@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Final QTH Monument To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2r8v1b$l6s@crl2.crl.com> mgb@crl.com (Michael G. Beck) writes: > >How very morbid, Headstones are nothing if not morbid (look up 'morbid.') >not to mention very poor taste! Ever see the average ham, dressed for a Ham-Fest? 'CQ' is not to be confused with 'GQ' Greg ------------------------------ Date: 16 May 1994 12:40:24 +1000 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!munnari.oz.au!foxhound.dsto.gov.au!fang.dsto.gov.au!yoyo.aarnet.edu.au!news.adelaide.edu.au!news.cs.su.oz.au!metro!news.ci.com.au!eram.esi.com.au!not-for-mail@@. Subject: Gun Owners: Protect your Rights! To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <6249.11.uupcb@totrbbs.atl.ga.us>, winston.smith@totrbbs.atl.ga.us (Winston Smith) writes: | Agreed that the message is in the wrong place, but likewise your logic | that no one NEEDS assault weapons can be turned around: | | "No one NEEDS the HF frequencies, especially for some dumb ..hobby.. Like all analogies, yours has a weakness: were HF frequencies designed to kill people? -- Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU) VK2KFU @ VK2AAB.NSW.AUS.OC PGP 2.3 dave@esi.COM.AU ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave available ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 1994 13:10:31 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!spool.mu.edu!uwm.edu!lll-winken.llnl.gov!noc.near.net!transfer.stratus.com!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Large Amateur Radio File Forum To: info-hams@ucsd.edu The CMP BBS has a large variety of Amateur Radio and Scanner related files. It is online 24 hours a day and can be reached at 508-478-9200. The first 50 files can be downloaded at no charge. Jay ------------------------------ Date: 16 May 94 15:58:30 EDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!emory!news-feed-2.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!wvnvms!marshall.wvnet.edu!haddox1@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Looking for a code program. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I just passed the test for my novice and technichian licence. Now I have a 14 week wait for my licence. I am now looking for a good morse code tutoring program in IBM format. If anyone knows where I can find one, buying or down loading. It would be appreciiated. Thanks in advace. -- Cliff Haddox "Norm" Haddox1@muvms6.mu.wvnet.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 14:57:49 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!gumby!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!news1.oakland.edu!rcsuna.gmr.com!kocrsv01!c22jrb@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Man named Loomis invented radio? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2r8f28$ha2@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>, btbg1194@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Bradley T Banko) writes: [...] > I read something recently that a man named Loomis might have > "invented" radio in the late 1800's before Marconi & Hertz et al. [...] > Does anybody else know more about this? [...] Dr. Loomis was a dentist. If I remember correctly, he used a non-powered system where he simply connected his "transmitting" antennae to ground via a telegraph key. I assume that at all time a very small potential difference existed between the antennae and ground, when the key opened and closed, a small current flowed and excited the antennae at its resonant frequency. I'm not sure what he used as a detector, but it did work. I read about this in one of the ham magazines over ten years ago, so I can't remember all the details. Often you can see this effect with a TV set. Connect a set of rabbit ears to a TV set and tune in a weak station. One that is right on the verge of snow, but not too bad. Then cut a metal rod to about 1/4 wave at the appropriate frequency. Hold this rod in the plane of the rabbit ears (same polarization) and tap the rod with a metal screwdriver. Many times you can get "sparkles" in the picture by doing this. -- Jim Buchanan N9SDV c22jrb@kopt0017.delcoelect.com (Does the "c22" stand for "catch 22"?) c22jrb@delphi.com ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 94 09:30:20 -0600 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!uwm.edu!news.doit.wisc.edu!uwec.edu!hemp!whitemp@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Massachusetts Amateur Radio Internet Lists To: info-hams@ucsd.edu TSTADER (tstader@aol.com) wrote: : To further this goal... if you would not mind, would you please e-mail me any : of the known lists that you are on or are aware of. At some point in time when : we have a comprehensive list, I will repost the information to the net or JUST : to those who are on the list. Your comments are welcome. Just thinking out loud; a couple of new useful groups might be: rec.radio.amateur.traffic For traffic handling rec.radio.amateur.hamfest For anouncements of hamfests I'm not doing a call for votes or anything like that, just sending a couple groups up the flag pole and seeing who will salute. -Mike ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 11:45:15 EDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!news.cac.psu.edu!psuvm!wvnvm!tony@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Need Advice To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I am interested in getting my father started using ham radio. (he is an avid CB'r so the initial interest is there.) I am looking for some direction with regard to "what would be a good starter set?" A friend has recommended a Yaesu FT2200, Astron Power supply and antenna. Does anyone concur? Have any other ideas? I do need some help. tony ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 13:20:08 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!rogjd@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Pactor-II To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Steven L Goldstein (slg@adm01.rfc.COMm.harris.COM) wrote: : I saw mention of an up-and-coming mode called Pactor-II, which uses DSP : technology to increase throughput. Can anyone tell me more about this : mode? When will it be available? Should I hold off buying a multimode : controller until this mode is available? : tnx es 73 de KB2PWM, Steve Goldstein Pactor II is a major revision of Pactor I (known as simply "Pactor") It will allegedly feature thruput similar to that of Clover. It will, it is said, also feature multiple tones (i.e. more than 2 toned FSK) which will mean that the popular TNCs of today will not support it. Whether Pactor II will catch on is highly doubtful. Because of the likelihood that to use it you will need a new and expensive TNC. This is why the Clover mode, which also has better thruput than Pactor or RTTY, has failed to catch on with most digital hams. Kantronics has come out with a new mode called GTOR, which features dual-tone FSK and thus is compatible with all multimode TNCs (to the best of my knowledge). It is presently only offered by Kantronics, although they have offerred to license it to the other TNC manufacturers. There is controversy as to whether GTOR performs at or near the level of Clover (don't ask me, I use an AEA PK232 :-) ) Bottom line: heck no, don't put it off. Get a TNC and get up on digital! It's too much fun to put off waiting for the next mode. There's ALWAYS a next mode! :-) 73 -- rogjd@netcom.com Glendale, CA AB6WR ------------------------------ Date: 16 May 94 04:07:00 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.duke.edu!duke!wolves!psybbs!1-151-160-0!Dave.Hockaday@network.ucsd.edu Subject: personal autopatch c To: info-hams@ucsd.edu HT>Your advice SUCKS. What in the world is the autopatch for? WRONG. HT>Whatever YOU answered, its WRONG. Thats because whatever I DECIDE to HT>FEEL is 'inappropriate'???????? HT> We dont need bully channel-cops like you around. Go beat your kids HT>into submission again and get the hell off this newsgroup. We already HT>have part 97 and its QUITE CLEAR on what it allows and doesnt allow, HT>calls are free, IT DOESNT. So, USE THE PATCH WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT, HT>HAMS.. Just stay within the LAW, not the holier-than-thou ideals of HT>no-brain OLD FARTS like THIS GUY!!!! When you own a repeater, have to keep it up, and listen to 45 minutes of phone calls from a person who is looking to kill time on the patch during his ride home...or kids arguing with parents...or idiots calling in 911 to check their DTMF pad, or gobs of people who say "Hi honey, got the house in sight", you can spout off. Otherwise, take a hike. Repeater licensees have their call on the line every time the patch is brought up. In fact, any third party traffic is sticky business. Put your call on a repeater and then loose it because you let someone step just a little too far...it's not worth it. Phone patches in general are dropping off repeaters or being closed due to ops' abuse. Think a bit about the repeater licensee's position in the matter first...you or no one else have the right to jepardize thier call sign. It's OK if you think its the "Holier-than-thou old farts syndrome", but you'll have to live with it... ___ X OLX 2.2 X ...SHIN - A device for finding furniture in the dark. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 May 1994 15:55:13 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!psgrain!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!torn!uunet.ca!uunet.ca!scilink!gts!comspec!problem!vigard!mdf@network.ucsd.edu Subject: repeater slang/lingo. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu alanb@sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes: >But saying "Hi Hi" on voice is kind of a nerdy ham thing to do. A real >human chuckle gets the message across much better. oh gawd, the shame. i've been saying "colon, dash, close parenthesis" all this time ... :-) -- Matthew Francey mdf@vigard.mef.org (or mdf%mstype@sq.com) AX25: VE3RQX@VE3RZR.#SCON.ON.CAN GPS(NAD27): N43o34.210' W079o34.563' +0093m ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 1994 08:51:16 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.cerf.net!bengal.oxy.edu!mcws!FUsenetToss@network.ucsd.edu Subject: sacred freqs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu After reading Greg Bullough's reply, I find that I cannot agree more. I am rather annoyed with those who decide a particular frequency is for a particular use. If you want a frequency, wait until it's clear and then use it! If you don't want to wait, move to a nearby frequency and later move to your pet number when it clears. The other side of this coin is the contest situation on weekends. As a relaxed rag chewer, I find the contest people rude and aggressive. What's worse, they are ubiquitous! I simply cannot find a clear frequency to have a conversation. If I wait long enough I can find a hole and jump in with high power and call CQ. But I get no answers because all the others like me have turned off their radios in disgust. I have asked many times if those who set up contests would please leave space on each band where those who don't choose to participate could congregate and enjoy the traditional aspects of this wonderful hobby, things like conversation and message handling and so on. But I get mostly rude replies, inviting me to join in with the phony 59 reports and numbers that have no meaning to me. A lesser annoyance is the continual request for 10-10 numbers when operating on 10m. I don't have a 10-10 number and have no plans to get one, and I am happy to so state. But it's one of several reasons I operate very little on 10m. It's a good band when it's open, but I usually opt for frequencies above 28.5 MHz when I get on there. I do a little CW at the low end, and that's fun too. Repeater operation at the high end, above 29.5 MHz, is fun but seems a bit silly since I can usually hear the other guy direct better than through the repeater (for simple technical reasons that I won't go into here). The bottom line is, let's all have fun and not tread on one another! If you get so wound up in one aspect of the hobby that you get annoyed with those who don't share your interest, then it's time to think about why you are doing it and put yourself in the position of those who are at the other end of your vitriol. I'm not trying to annoy anyone here, just some food for thought. 73 DE K6DDX ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 1994 14:06:43 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!jussieu.fr!univ-lille1.fr!ciril.fr!news.imag.fr!univ-lyon1.fr!elendir@network.ucsd.edu Subject: TM6JUN, D-Day 50th anniversary. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hi, for those who might care : TM6JUN - will be set up during the celebration of D-Day 50th anniversary. At least five special QSL cards have been edited. The station will be located in Utah Beach, Cotentin and will be operated by multi-national hams, from June 4th to June 11th. Frequencies : CW : 3.554 , 7.030 , 14.044 , 21.044 , 28.044 SSB : 3.775 , 7.070 , 14.244 , 21.344 , 28.444 VHF : 144.244 and satellite traffic. QSL via F6KFW, BP 234, 50102 CHERBOURG CEDEX, France. Best 73 and good luck ! Vincent, F1RCS. -- ------------------------------ Date: 17 May 1994 06:02:59 -0700 From: nntp.crl.com!crl.crl.com!not-for-mail@decwrl.dec.com Subject: VK land To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Mark Readman (control3@McRCIM.McGill.EDU) wrote: : What is a good time and frequency to hear hams in : New Zealand or Australia. I usually listen to cw. I live in : Montreal. Thanks. : Mark. : -- : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Mark Readman | McGill Research Centre for Intelligent Machines : control3@mcrcim.mcgill.edu | McGill University, Montreal. : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I work lots of VK, ZL and JA stations on 40 CW about 6AM CST from the mobile on the way to work (7.0 to 7.030). Smitty, NA5K -- Henry Smith (hbs@crl.com) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 10:24:52 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!hpg30a.csc.cuhk.hk!hkuxb.hku.hk!hkucc.hku.hk!shwlee@network.ucsd.edu Subject: WANTED : TEKTRONIX 7000 series plug-in To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Dear sir, I wish to find some TEKTRONIX 7000 series plug-ins ; especially the 7A26 Vert. amp. & 7B23 Time-base. I'm living in Hong Kong, and will pay good price for the plug-in, please email the detail & price to us. Thanks, Simon SHWLEE@HKUCC.HKU.HK ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 13:02:49 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!greg@decwrl.dec.com To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1994May13.145055.1@ttd.teradyne.com>, , sv Subject : Re: Was this a bad idea? In article Ed Ellers writes: >Robert Casey writes: > >>I think what happened here is there may be laws other than what the FCC >>rules say that that Ham got trouble from. The FCC may say "no problem", >>but the state or county or city has a law saying "never do this no matter >>what". Which adds up to you can't do it. > >Except that the Communications Act overrides such local laws. The FCC (and >IRAC, in the case of Federal agencies) gets to say who can and can't transmit >on which frequencies; no one below the Federal level has such authority. Except that local authorities don't give a good god damn about law. What they care about is their authority. Which they maintain by doing what they want to do anyway, thus putting their 'victim' in the position of having to go through the legal system to get justice. They know full well that: a) even if they 'lose' in the legal system, by putting the 'subject' through the system, they have exacted punishment in the form of time, stress, and financial costs. This will teach the person not to 'mess' with them in the future b) there is little consequence for such abuses of authority, as the cards are stacked in favor of 'the system' as regards liability and compensation Greg ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 13:00:05 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!rogjd@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References , , o Subject : Re: sacred frequencies Jeffrey Herman (jherman@uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu) wrote: : > : > : >: Jim Hollenback, WA6SDM : > : >FWIW, the only one of those freqs I'd ever heard of was 14.230. : Then you need to put up a better antenna. The maritime net on 14300 kc : has been around for at least 20 years handling traffic, WX and phone : patches for sailors in the Pacific. Back in '82 I sailed a boat from : Hawaii to San Francisco and checked into that net daily - they provided : phone patches to the Weather Service and to my parents daily. : At any one time there are dozens of sailboats plying the Pacific and : 14300 provides a lifeline for them. Distress and medical calls are : handled periodically on there. The Coast Guard will, when necessary, : put their 10kW xmtr on 14300 to directly handle a distress call. I've used the maritime net several times, both by running traffic from sailboats, and from a sailboat. Have done a lot of things over the past 28 years of amateur radio. But chum, if someone gave me a pop quiz regarding what freq they operate on, or what times they are on it, no way would I get the answer right. I'll bet you a six-pack of budweiser that 99% of all hams are in the same boat :) And that's the point: we listen, we ask if the freq is in use, and if it ain't, then it is free for use which is legal per part 97. As I have said (and as many others have said) on this thread, if a station broke into my qso (as happens more often than I wish it did) and said that they were about to start a net on the freq in question, no problem about yielding the freq although it would be my right not to do so. I can't remember a time when I heard an amateur refuse to yield under similar conditions. On the other hand, as Jack Nicholson said in "A Few Good Men"--"First you have to ask me nicely." :-) What got this thread going originally was an observation by someone that often those who wish a frequency yielded to them are not polite. They don't ask nicely. They are indignant that anyone would be sufficiently combative (yes, the word was used in exactly this context)to dare to use this or that freq which some narrow segment of the hobby, whether it be traffic handlers or dxers or just good old boys, consider their own. This attitude is not appropriate. Here in the US, and particularly in Southern California, there are many many many people upgrading to general, advanced and extra by way of the new no-code entry-level license. I suspect that these ops (good ops, by the way) will be less enthusiastic about some of the so-called conventions which some of us old timers may feel apply to this or that frequency. Probably they won't even know about 'em. Should be fun. -- rogjd@netcom.com Glendale, CA AB6WR ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 13:03:48 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!rogjd@decwrl.dec.com To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2qqt3k$bu@paperboy.gsfc.nasa.gov>,, <1994May16.141525.863@pacs.sunbelt.net>, Subject : Re: HAM RADIO RUDENESS blood@austin.ibm.com wrote: : Ive decided to quit saving for a HF rig after following this discussion. Don't feel that way. Get the HF rig and ignore the few jerks who are rude on the air. There are not many of them. -- rogjd@netcom.com Glendale, CA AB6WR ------------------------------ Date: 16 May 1994 12:28:47 +1000 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!munnari.oz.au!foxhound.dsto.gov.au!fang.dsto.gov.au!yoyo.aarnet.edu.au!news.adelaide.edu.au!news.cs.su.oz.au!metro!news.ci.com.au!eram.esi.com.au!not-for-mail@@. To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <2qddq5$lbg@hopper.acm.org>, <4ewwLc1w165w@voxbox.norden1.com>, <1994May13.145055.1@ttd.teradyne.com>.au Subject : Re: Was this a bad idea? [ Note followup ] In article <1994May13.145055.1@ttd.teradyne.com>, rice@ttd.teradyne.com (John Rice) writes: | Tell that to the Ham in California who had his equipment confiscated (with the | tacit approval of the FCC) when he used a 2M HT on a Public Safety frequency | to call in Emergency Medical assistance, after other methods of communications | failed (ham, Cell Phone). The fact that his (Amateur) hand-held had been deliberately modified to transmit out of band had nothing to do with it? I understand that's what pissed off the Sheriff's department so much - not that he used that band, but that the rig was modified to use it... In Australia that would cop you a $10,000 fine and/or gaol. Let's distinguish between transmitting out of band (OK) and having the ability to transmit out of band (annoys the authorities). Those who argue that a life was saved as a result should probably support issuing 2m hand-helds to all citizens - they might be able to use them one day, but in the meantime we'll trust them to not misuse this privilege. -- Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU) VK2KFU @ VK2AAB.NSW.AUS.OC PGP 2.3 dave@esi.COM.AU ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave available ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #538 ******************************