QRZ! Ham Radio 3/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 3.iso/digests/infoham/931290.txt

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Date: Sat, 30 Oct 93 10:00:33 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V93 #1290
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Sat, 30 Oct 93       Volume 93 : Issue 1290

Today's Topics:
        Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 29 October
                   GAY INTERNATIONAL HAM RADIO CLUB
                        Imminent death of ham
                Mirage Amplifiers in Repeater Service
                    Problems with Kenwood TM-742A
                      Studying in San Francisco
          Was 'Vanity' Call Signs, now paying for call signs

Send Replies or notes for publication to: <[e-mail]>
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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: 30 Oct 93 16:07:53 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 29 October
To: [e-mail]

!!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 302, 10/29/93
10.7 FLUX=091.8  90-AVG=094        SSN=038      BKI=4221 2212  BAI=008
BGND-XRAY=B2.0     FLU1=6.7E+05  FLU10=1.1E+04  PKI=3322 322*  PAI=011
  BOU-DEV=026,024,018,006,013,016,009,019   DEV-AVG=016 NT     SWF=00:000
 XRAY-MAX= B8.1   @ 1306UT    XRAY-MIN= B1.6   @ 0745UT   XRAY-AVG= B3.3
NEUTN-MAX= +001%  @ 2325UT   NEUTN-MIN= -003%  @ 2020UT  NEUTN-AVG= -0.4%
  PCA-MAX= +0.1DB @ 2310UT     PCA-MIN= -0.5DB @ 2305UT    PCA-AVG= -0.0DB
BOUTF-MAX=55374NT @ 0211UT   BOUTF-MIN=55338NT @ 1725UT  BOUTF-AVG=55353NT
GOES7-MAX=P:+000NT@ 0000UT   GOES7-MIN=N:+000NT@ 0000UT  G7-AVG=+064,+000,+000
GOES6-MAX=P:+114NT@ 1625UT   GOES6-MIN=N:-065NT@ 1126UT  G6-AVG=+085,+018,-040
 FLUXFCST=STD:092,091,090;SESC:092,091,090 BAI/PAI-FCST=008,008,008/010,010,010
    KFCST=2333 2222 2233 3222  27DAY-AP=008,006   27DAY-KP=2233 2321 1222 1223
 WARNINGS=
   ALERTS=
!!END-DATA!!

NOTE: The Effective Sunspot Number for 28 OCT 93 is not available.
      The Full Kp Indices for 28 OCT 93 are not available.

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 15:15:06 GMT
From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!nyx![e-mail]
Subject: GAY INTERNATIONAL HAM RADIO CLUB
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Donnelly R. Bledsoe) writes:

Parts omitted

>
>> Apparently the complaint is still active in CT.
>
>Yes, on the advice of counsel, our complaint remains pending in Connecticut.
>Our complaint alleges discrimination based on sexual orientation in public
>accommodations in violation of Connecticut law. Let me point out that it

It looks like you are trying to make new law.  This is the first time I
heard a publisher referred to as a "public accommodation" and sexual
orientation applied to an organization !   Your case looks poor and I
believe more that ever that LARC is trying to punish the ARRL out of spite.

Public accommodations usually refers to business that are open to the
public,  I don't see how add sales fall under this provision.

If the add was ordered by LARC I don't see haw an organization can have a
sexual orientation.

>was only after the ARRL learned of our intent to file our complaint that
>the Executive Committee met and decided to return the decision relative to
>LARC's ad back to staff. In other words, they dropped the hot potato back
>into HQ's lap. However, HQ has not stated any new "policy" nor rescinded
>any previous "policy" vis-a-vis LARC. Even though there have been
>literally dozens of letters from LARC members and other concerned hams
>seeking clarifications, explanations, and simply a clear statement of
>policy from the ARRL regarding LARC's ad since 1985, not one word of the
>now eight year old dispute has ever appeared in print in QST. Under these
>circumstances, we cannot now simply drop our complaint. If we did so,
>prior to receiving assurances of fair treatment and an end to the
>discriminatory practices aimed at us since 1985, we would be leaving
>ourselves without protection and recourse should the League once again
>reverse itself on our ad as they did in 1985.
>
>> If the ARRL has made
>> this movement towards conciliation, why hasn't LARC responded, by
>> placing the ad, and dropping the complaint?
>> curious,
>> 73, doug
>
>What we are seeking is written assurance that LARC's ad (any appropriately
>worded, ham radio related ad) will be published on an ongoing basis by QST
>even if complaints from members are received relative to sexual
>orientation, i.e., that the words gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered
>appear in the ad. We feel that this might best be accomplished if the
>League adopts, publishes and abides by a corporate non-discriminatory policy
>which includes sexual orientation. Therefore, we are asking the League to
>adopt such a policy which would also serve to re-assure any sexual minority
>employees of the League that their employer does not discriminate based on
>sexual orientation. Further, the League must recognize that they have hurt
>our organization by freezing us out of QST since 1985. We have suggested
>ways in which the ARRL could now work with our organization to further
>the goals of both organizations, i.e., the growth of ham radio.
>At minimum, the League publication QST MUST be made accessible to LARC
>and its members. We've been frozen out since 1985. We're looking for a
>good faith gesture to demonstrate that we now have access to
>QST, that discrimination against us has ended, and that the League's motto
>"Of, by and for the radio amateur" applies to all hams, gay or straight.

And you want to punish them for offending your organization.

Rod N0NZO




--
Rod Anderson                | "I do not think the United States government
[e-mail]      | is responsible for the fact that a bunch of
                            | fanatics decided to kill themselves"
Clinton, Gore, gone in four |        Slick Willie the Compassionate

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

Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 23:02:27 GMT
From: nntp.ucsb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!sgiblab!news.kpc.com!amd!netcomsv!netcom.com!netcomsv!cds8604!NewsWatcher![e-mail]
Subject: Imminent death of ham
To: [e-mail]

Ham radio will die when we let it, not a moment before.

No one cultural or technical issue can kill it.  We can argue about banning
special-interests, broadcasting, licensing structure, preferred modes of
communication, and changes brought by rapidly evolving technology.  These
are of little consequence.  They are simply reflections of the issues we
have as a culture.

Ham radio can neither solve nor exacerbate social issues.  It's only
mirror.  We have a need for the mirror.

The greatest value of ham radio is in its ability to free minds and
stimulate the intellect.  You can talk to people across the ocean using
junk you have in your garage.  No advance in technology can neutralize the
ultimate physical principles that allow us to manipulate electromagnetic
radiation for the transmission and reception of intelligence.  You can
always make a spark-gap, connect it to a piece of wire, and splatter a
signal receivable by someone 1000 miles away who's using nothing but piece
of galena and some wire to receive your signal.

Contact at a distance using the immutable forces of nature is a powerful
concept to teach to someone.  That concept is without fault.  It's perfect.

If we load the medium with our own issues--that's an artifact of our
sociology.  If we bring negative feelings or religious dogma to the
electromagnetic spectrum, that's a human side-effect.  That's a me-and-you
issue.  Ham radio is not at fault.  Ham radio is as easily disrupted with
by solar storms as it is by people broadcasting extremist views.  We even
use similar terms to identify such interference.   You're QRMed by the
extremist, QRNed by the sun.  Either way, the medium remains untainted.  It
simply does what it's told by an exciter.  Then it goes back to being
perfect forever.

For as long as one of us is left to marvel at our ability to transmit
pieces of our consciousness as easily as the sun sends us daylight, ham
radio will remain alive.

Joe


--
Joe Mastroianni A.R.S. AA6YD    |  "Up the airy mountain,
[e-mail]                 |   Down the rushy glen,
74107,310:cserve                |   We daren't go a-hunting,
JOE-M:Genie                     |   For fear of little men."
                                |        - Allendale
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of my employer

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 14:13:48 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv![e-mail]
Subject: Mirage Amplifiers in Repeater Service
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Pat Masterson) writes:
>We had used 2 Mirage amps (100w) in repeater service on Long Island
>for many years. WE started having problems where some components
>would overheat, and meltdown. A few repairs were done by club members,
>but problems continued. So, we switched to a Vocomm amp, and it
>is doing quite a nice job.

Mirage amps are good amps, but you have to derate them for the high
duty cycle of repeaters. 100 watt Mirage amps will live long and
prosper when run at the 50 watt level. You can carry this derating
too far, however. A 100 watt amp run at 25 watts may exhibit some
symptoms of instability. Mirage amps are very traditional in design.
Some of the newer amps using VFETs are better for high duty cycle
use.

Gary

--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          |"If 10% is good enough | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | for Jesus, it's good  | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | enough for Uncle Sam."| emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     | -Ray Stevens          |

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

Date: 29 Oct 1993 17:01:30 GMT
From: pa.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!smaug.enet.dec.com![e-mail]
Subject: Problems with Kenwood TM-742A
To: [e-mail]

I have been thinking about purchasing a TM-742, the optional CTCSS decode unit, and installing the 6M brick.

I'm a little hesitant at this point because of the problems you're having.

Please post (or mail to me) any information you get from Kenwood about these
problems.

If these "problems" turn out to be "restrictions" I won't be happy with paying
the $1100+ for them...

73
n1ihu
------------------------------------------------------------------------

These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
Digital Equipment Corporation.

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

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 13:40:26 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv![e-mail]
Subject: Studying in San Francisco
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Michael Sattler) writes:
>
>I've modified my Kenwood TH-78A by removing diodes 4 and 5 as
>specified and it's now able to do cross-band and rx 300-399 and
>800-999 Mhz.  The latter carries cellular traffic across a range I
>haven't yet determined, but the former seems to be perpetually
>quiet.  I'm guessing that there is a reason that this band is made
>available...

That band is mainly used by military comm systems, airborne and
land mobile. You'll hear activity if you are near a military
training area. Note that you may hear FM, AM, and SSB in this
spectrum.

>What are the other three diodes for?

Beats me. :-)

>Do I need (and does someone make) an antenna that handles all four
>bands?

No and yes. You only really need an antenna to cover the bands on which
you are allowed to transmit. The HT's receiver is so sensitive, too
sensitive in fact, that it will pick up signals with any random hunk of
metal used as an antenna. Of course if you're looking for weak signals on
a specific frequency, then you might want to construct a separate antenna.
For casual scanning, forget it. You *can* use an antenna called a "discone"
to cover the entire frequency range. This is a very wideband antenna design,
but it has no gain. For the bands where you want to transmit, it's much
less than ideal.

>I'd heard it said (back in CB days) that a mobile antenna interacts
>with the vehicle it's mounted on: a center-of-the-roof mount made
>for a round pattern while a rear-bumper mount makes for a cigar-
>shaped pattern that leads the vehicle.  Is this true?  Does this
>affect whip antennae that drape over the entire vehicle?

Yes, this is true at lower frequencies such as 11 meters and the
rest of the HF spectrum. It's also *somewhat* true at VHF and UHF,
but less so. What you need is a groundplane that extends for a
quarterwave in all directions at the frequency of operation. That's
basically the entire car at CB, but at 70 cm it's only 6.9 inches.
Mounting a UHF antenna on the trunk or fender can distort the pattern
from *shadowing* by the greenhouse and top of the auto, but that's
a different thing than the issue of groundplane symmetry. Center of
the top mounting is always preferred when it's mechanically feasible.

Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          |"If 10% is good enough | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | for Jesus, it's good  | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | enough for Uncle Sam."| emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     | -Ray Stevens          |

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 16:25:32 GMT
From: ogicse!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!gold.tc.umn.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Was 'Vanity' Call Signs, now paying for call signs
To: [e-mail]

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

>[e-mail] (Doug Faunt N6TQS 510-655-8604) writes:

>>The only valid objection to paying for licensing services from the FCC
>>that I've heard is that young people will be discouraged by one more
>>financial barrier to getting and keeping a license.
>>I think a fee for the license, that goes into the general fund (FCC
>>expenses come out of the general fund) is a perfectly reasonable
>>thing.  It alos gives us a slight advantage in that we can then state
>>that we're not getting a complete free ride.  How many other countries
>>have free licensing?  I know that the UK license is pretty expensive.
>>How about others?

>>73, doug
> I know that in Canada we pay about 25$ per annum for our license.
>Which is not expensif but not cheap either.  Well, it's pretty cheap, I
>shouldn't complain.


>--
>======================================================================
>Marc Lombart                            T'is better to debate without
>Internet: [e-mail]         Resolution, than to resolve
>Compuserve 70702,1603                   Without debate.


I think that the five and a half dollars the US pays per license, one
time fee, is a nice deal.  If you successfully pass all your tests,
it would only cost about $22 dollars to become an EXTRA class license.
(Considering novice is a free, there's tech, gen, adv, then extra).

Then the only upkeep for it is to send a 610 form to the FCC every ten years.

I don't agree with vanity callsigns, as it would create more work and
headache for  the FCC, which is an already-bogged down system.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------
    :  Jason Gross  (KB0JZP)                                       :
    :  Internet: [e-mail]         These views are  :
    :  FidoNet : Jason Gross (1:282/1014)         mine, all MINE!  :
    :  Packet  : [e-mail]                         :
    ----------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 15:29:14 GMT
From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!nyx![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Reply-To : [e-mail] (Mr. Nice Guy)
Subject : Re: GAY INTERNATIONAL HAM RADIO CLUB

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jack Hamilton) writes:
>[e-mail] (Perry Scott) wrote:
>
>>As I understand the 1st amendment, the ARRL can print whatever they
>>want.  Do the civil rights of LARC exceed those of the ARRL?
>
>The ARRL is not an ordinary private citizen.  It receives government
>support (non-profit status) and has some governmental privileges
>(administering tests, for example).

The ARRL does not discriminate, any one can join.
Churches also get tax-exempt status

>
>>: LARC believes that to go ahead and run the advertising without
>>: resolution of the underlying issue will undermine its own complaint.  So,
>>: until the ARRL will discuss the real issue of discrimination, the issue of
>>: advertising cannot be resolved.
>>
>>What discrimination?  The ARRL refused to print my article.  Do I get to
>>sue them too?
>
>If the ARRL said "We won't print your article because you're gay/black/
>jewish", then yes, you should sue.

But they rejected the add because of its _content_ not the sexual
orientation of the buyer of the add.  Because the add was rejected because
of its content LARC has no ground for suing.

Rod N0NZO

--
Rod Anderson                | "I do not think the United States government
[e-mail]      | is responsible for the fact that a bunch of
                            | fanatics decided to kill themselves"
Clinton, Gore, gone in four |        Slick Willie the Compassionate

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

Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 19:31:51 GMT
From: news.kpc.com!amd!netcomsv!netcom.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>fh
Subject : Re: GAY INTERNATIONAL HAM RADIO CLUB

[e-mail] (Joe B. Simpson) wrote:

>Yeah, well, frequently it takes a threat of action to make someone realize they
>have taken an untenable position.  They reversed that position to a reasonable
>one, now you guys should shut up and get on with your lives.  Of course, you
>won't do that because your main interest is not getting your ad run.

And what do you think their main interest is?

Obviously not publicity, since the number of hams they would reach by having
their ad run would be much larger than the number of hams who read
rec.radio.amateur.misc.

Probably not money - there may be some kind of fine involved in the case,
but I haven't heard it mentioned.

You mentioned political ax-grinding, but I'm not sure what that means in
this case.  What do you think LARC would gain by going up against the ARRL,
besides having their ad published?

--

----------------------------------------------------
Jack Hamilton            POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]           kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na

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

Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 16:25:30 GMT
From: library.ucla.edu!agate!linus!linus.mitre.org!wralston.mitre.org![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <2aopk9$[e-mail]>, <2aosvn$[e-mail]>
Subject : Re: Is the band dead -- or nobody on?

In article <2aosvn$[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(prvalko) wrote:
>
>
> Alan Brubaker ([e-mail]) wrote:
> : In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Pete Rossi) writes:
> : >I was talking to a friend about how dead the bands seemed lately - 10 meters
> : >especially, yet we both noted the following:
>
> Yup, the bands are dead.  Have you noticed how many low band rigs are
> available at swaps and in the yellow sheets lately?  Looks like a lot of
> people are exchanging Japanese silicon for American greenbacks.

Nah, it just the calm before the storm... the CQWW this weekend!

-- Bill [e-mail]
* I babble too incoherently to speak for my employer *

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

Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 15:38:23 GMT
From: nntp.ucsb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!sgiblab!news.kpc.com!amd!amdahl!netcomsv!netcom.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>edu
Subject : Re: GAY INTERNATIONAL HAM RADIO CLUB

[e-mail] (Joe B. Simpson) wrote:

>Obviously publicity.  If they didn't wan't publicity (not about the
>existance of their organization, but about their complaint against ARRL)
>they would submit their ad and shut up.  Instead, they're continuing to beat
>the dead horse and demanding that the ARRL give them coverage in the magazine
>besides just the ad.  They're demanding public apologies and such.  Or didn't
>you see all those demands earlier in this thread?

No, I didn't see a demand for articles.  Could you find the posting in
which someone from LARC says "We demand that QST publish articles about
us"?

--

----------------------------------------------------
Jack Hamilton            POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]           kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na

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

Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 17:32:27 GMT
From: mdisea!mothost!merlin.dev.cdx.mot.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Subject : Re: Homonauseated (Was: Newsline #842)


Alot of people are turned off by your behavior.  Thats
understandable.  People dont have to like you or your
behavior.  Whay do you keep bugging the ARRL for your
agenda?  Why do you keep trashing this news group?
If you cant muster up enough interest in your own
news group then give up.

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

Date: 30 Oct 93 13:12:36 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <2am32v$[e-mail]>, <2amlop$[e-mail]>
Reply-To : [e-mail] (Gary Coffman)
Subject : Re: Spread Spectrum

In article <2amlop$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Marc Lombart) writes:
>[e-mail] (Keith Hargrove) writes:
>>Is there a news group for spread spectrum
>>I would like to do some spread spectrum expermiting
>>but info on ss seems hard to come by
>>I see a blip once in a while in a HAM mag but never a working project
>>and is there a C program to genarate PN codes??
>
>>thanks
>> -Keith N7QLR
>
> My knowledge of Spread Spectrum is quite limited, but my
>understanding is  that it would probably not be viable as a HAM node,
>seeing as it takes many times the normal bandwidth for each "channel."
>The main use of Spread Spectrum is security, not communication.  At
>least, that is what I know from the little I have found on the subject.

SS can be useful on the ham bands. Rather than operating on a particular
frequency, SS uses a particular code sequence, or hop sequence to separate
one signal from another. SS is particularly good in crowded spectrum because
the signals degrade gracefully as the number of stations active increases
rather than having the clashes when narrow band signals start to overlap.

SS is legal without special authority on the 70 cm band and above, and
stations have used it at HF under STAs. The diversity offered by the
system does wonders for selective fading problems. Since the average
signal power is spread over an entire band, narrow band users don't
usually even notice it's there. At worst they see a slight rise in their
noise floor. The SS user doesn't notice the narrow band users either.
In PN coding, the amount of time spent at any given frequency is tiny,
so the percentage of the narrow signal received is also tiny, usually
manifested as a slight rise in the noise floor of the SS signal. With
frequency hoppers, the system can automatically skip occupied frequencies.
This appears as slight dropouts in the SS signal.

To answer Keith's question, get a copy of the ARRL _Spead Spectrum
Sourcebook_ for the basic outlines of the various types of SS, what
PN codes are permitted, and the types of equipment modifications needed
to operate SS. You can convert an IC4AT to a 70 cm hopper, and there
are plans for building PN spreaders using common off the shelf parts.
Outfits like Qualcomm have chipsets for complete systems, but if you're
learning and experimenting, it's probably better to build your first
units with simple TTL blocks so you'll understand what's happening.

Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          |"If 10% is good enough | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | for Jesus, it's good  | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             | enough for Uncle Sam."| emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     | -Ray Stevens          |

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1290
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