Greetings: The Amigan Amateur Radio Group continues to grow, we welcome many new Amigans in Europe this issue. The total number of located Amigan Amateurs is 210. I've heard from people in 11 countries so far: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, West Germany, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and South Korea.
Europe: Thanks to some notices in the European Amateur Radio Magazines by Bob Wellbeloved - G3LMH, many European Amigan Amateurs have written in for the newsletter and PD software. To make distribution of the newsletter and PD disks more timely and less costly (overseas post rates), several Amigan Amateurs have offered to help with this task.
In the United Kingdom, Bob Wellbeloved - G3LMH, 8 Orchard Close, South Wonston, Winchester, S021 3EY, maintains a UK database while Charlie Morgan - G0EIW distributes the newsletters, and Andy Hewat - G8NTH distributes the PD disks. Bob - G3LMH has some 30 UK Amigan Amateurs in his database, and has even started a UK newsletter: "Amigan Airwaves". Bob is a regular on the 20 m AmigaNET and also has a link to me via CompuServe when propagation and time schedules don't work out.
In West Germany and Europe, Peter Lolkes - DF5ZI, Hermann-Lons-Str. 9, D-6457 Maintal, West Germany, will distribute the newsletters, and Hellmut Landolt - DF5FF, Wingertstr. 114, D-6457 Maintal, West Germany, will distribute the PD "Hamdisks". Hellmut also operates a local mailbox there.
European Amigans should correspond with Bob and Peter, depending on their location. The guidelines for getting PD disks from Charlie and Hellmut are the same as with me before. Send formatted, blank (or preferably with PD software) disks in a strong mailer with return postage and a label with your return address on it to them. Send to them for more information if needed.
PD Software: "Amateur Radio 3" disk was reported to have a bug or virus which reportedly has caused several hard disks and floppy disks to become corrupt (crash). As difficult as it is to believe, two people have told me that their hard disks crashed after inserting "Amateur Radio 3" into a floppy disk drive, and then doing a dir(ectory) of the disk. Because of this, I'm not sending any more copies of this disk out to people. Mike - WA1PTC was looking into this problem and has been told by several people that some blank disks format OK and appear to accept data correctly but in fact contain disk structure or data errors. The name for these bad disks is "magic disks". The two copies of the disks which caused problems were from the same batch of bulk disks, so this theory may have something to it, although we need more facts. If you had trouble with the disk, please let me know about it. The more clues we have, the quicker we might figure this puzzle out. I apologize to anyone who has lost data due to this problem. Please exercise caution when using "Amateur Radio 3". If you've sent copies of the disk to anyone, please inform them of the dangerous potential of the disk. I have tried to crash my disk here by accessing it with the Dir and List commands, but have yet to lose a byte.
Most of the software on PD # 3 disk is out of date now anyway. Mike - WA1PTC is working on a new version of CONNplex, which will contain some of the things suggested by Amigan Amateurs in the United Kingdom. There is a newer version of Access! (V1.3a) which fixes the Quick - B file transfer mode.
I'll put the Distance and Satellite tracking programs on the next PD disk. PD# 4 is started but only % 35 full since most folks who sent in for the previous disks did not send PD software. I'm still looking for the Amiga version of TCP/IP, if you have information as to where I can get a copy of it, please let me know.
AmigaNETS: Summer activities and propagation have reduced the average number of weekly checkins on the 75 m and 20 m AmigaNETS, but there has still been a good deal of useful Amiga related information in the airwaves. Drop in for a chat when you have time. If you've always wanted to be a Net Control Station of an AmigaNET, I'd like to chat with you!
A new AmigaNET is in the works. The 40 meter European AmigaNET is considering meeting on 7.095 Mhz Saturday mornings at 09:00 GMT, but they need to hear from Europeans who want to participate in this net to solidify a day, time, and frequency. Write to G3LMH - Bob and ON9CBF - Pat if you're interested.
The 20 meter AmigaNET meets every Sunday evening at 22:00 GMT (6:00 EDT) at 14.345 Mhz and down. The 75 meter AmigaNET meets every Tuesday evening at 23:00 GMT (7:00 EDT) at 3.882 Mhz. All Amateurs are welcome.
Packet: WA1PTC - Mike (@ N1API-4) is planning an interim release to fix a bug in CONNplex, then a major rewrite which will take some time. If you used CONNplex, please take time to write and tell him what you liked or disliked about it. To get a interim fixed copy of CONNplex, send Mike a blank disk, postage, and label. He will need several Beta testers in September, let him know if you're interested. He is also considering releasing the "conferencing" part of CONNplex.
Several people have requested that future Amigan Amateur database lists on PD disks include each stations "home" packet BBS callsign. So, if you're on packet, please send me a "note from home".
If the Amigan Beacon is not on your local packet BBS, and you would like it to be, send Tom - KB3UD @ KB3UD a note requesting it. I also upload the Amigan Beacon to CompuServe, in the AmigaForum, News Library, if you want an "electronic" version.
Packet Pictures: Ron - KA2HZO reminded me that pictures are not just for Packet, they're for AMTOR too.That's right, Ron, also any other error free mode that comes along. I wrote a magazine article about using Amigas to send pictures via packet, the article appeared in the April 1988 issue of CTM. I believe that back issues are available for $ 3.00. Contact Chet Lambert - W4WDR, 1704 Sam Drive, Birmingham, AL, 35235. It was sad to read the final CTM issue produced, June 1988, it was a fine magazine. I hope the other magazines fill in the Packet information gap left by CTMs demise.
Dayton: Although over a dozen Amigan Amateurs sent word that they were going to the Dayton Hamfest, the difficult part was finding each other! Some Amigans went to the Far Out Radio Club party on Friday night. Mark your calendars for next year. If you want to volunteer to coordinate a Dayton Amigan meeting, drop me a note so I can print your name in a future issue.
Computers and RFI: KJ4HN - Mike passed on some hints on how he got his shack a bit more RFI quiet. First, try putting your radios and computer equipment on different AC lines. Then use a surge suppressor / AC line conditioner on the AC outlets used for your computer.
Till next time, 73 and Happy Amiga-ing...
Kathy Wehr - WB3KRN ( @ K3RLI for packet mail ) (CIS: 71550,3507)
