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- Date: Wed, 16 Feb 94 06:11:55 PST
- From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
- Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
- Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu
- Precedence: Bulk
- Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #160
- To: Info-Hams
-
-
- Info-Hams Digest Wed, 16 Feb 94 Volume 94 : Issue 160
-
- Today's Topics:
- 6 Meter Big Wheel Ant?
- Amateur Radio Newsline #860 4 Feb 94
- Amateur Radio Newsline #861 11 Feb 94
- W6GO QSL MGR LIST-ACCESS?
- WANTED: Manuals for Heathkit
-
- Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
- Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
- 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: 14 Feb 1994 16:47:49 GMT
- From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!news.dtc.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!rkarlqu@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: 6 Meter Big Wheel Ant?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- In article <henrysCL7yMn.H1x@netcom.com>,
- Henry B. Smith <henrys@netcom.com> wrote:
- >Has anybody ever seen the plans for a 6 Meter Big Wheel Antenna?
- >
- >If so, please pass along the reference.
- >
- >Thanks,
- >
- >Smitty, NA5K
-
- The Big Wheel was described in the ARRL VHF Manual a number
- of years ago. I have an old copy (circa 1965) that has this
- antenna and also the old halo mobile antennas in it. They
- quit publishing omni-directional horizontally polarized antennas
- when hams switched from AM-horizontal-simplex-mobile to
- FM-vertical-repeater-mobile in the early 70's.
-
- It's basically 3 loops a full wavelength long built like a
- 3 leaf clover. Much better than a halo, according to the book.
- I think you drive the loops in parallel, but don't quote me,
- I'm working from memory here.
-
- Rick Karlquist N6RK
- rkarlqu@scd.hp.com
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 06:56:30 MST
- From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!gumby!destroyer!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!ve6mgs!usenet@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Amateur Radio Newsline #860 4 Feb 94
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- The electronic publication of the Amateur Radio Newsline is distributed
- with the permission of Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, President and Editor of
- Newsline. The text is transcribed from the audio service by Dale Cary and
- is first published on Genie.
-
- Editorial comment or news items should be E-mailed to 3241437@mcimail.com
- or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com. Voice or FAX to +1 805-296-7180.
-
- All other information and disclaimers are in the text header below.
-
- - - - - -
- NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #110 - POSTED 02/09/94
-
- *****************************************************************
- * *
- * * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *
- * ** * * * * * * * ** * * *
- * * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *
- * * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *
- * * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *
- * *
- * **** * **** ***** *** *
- * * * * * * * * * * *
- * **** ***** * * * * * *
- * * * * * * * * * * *
- * * * * * **** ***** *** *
- * *
- *****************************************************************
-
- The following is late news about Amateur Radio for Radio
- Amateurs as prepared from NEWSLINE RADIO scripts by the staff of
- the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, INC. -- formerly the WESTLINK RADIO
- NET
- CBBS twice monthly. For current information updates, please call
-
- Los Angeles............................ (213) 462-0008
- Los Angeles (Instant Update Line)...... (805) 296-2407
- Seattle................................ (206) 368-3969
- Seattle................................ (206) 281-8455
- Tacoma................................. (206) 927-7373
- Louisville............................. (502) 894-8559
- Dayton................................. (513) 275-9991
- Chicago................................ (708) 289-0423
- New York City.......................... (718) 353-2801
- Melbourne, FL.......................... (407) 259-4479
-
- For the latest breaking info call the Instant Update Line listed
- above. To provide information please call (805) 296-7180. This
- line answers automatically and will accept up to 30 minutes of
- material.
-
- Check with your local amateur radio club to see if NEWSLINE
- can be heard weekly on the air in your area.
-
- Articles may be reproduced if printed in their entirety and
- credit is given to AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE as being the source.
-
- For further information about the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE,
- please write to us with an SASE at P.O. Box 463, Pasadena, CA
- 91102.
-
- Thank You
- NEWSLINE
-
- *****************************************************************
-
- Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...
-
- WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY
- KU8R N8DTN W9JUV KC9RP K9XI KB5KCH KC5UD KC0HF G8AUU WD0AKO DJ0QN
- and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!
-
- *****************************************************************
-
- [860]
-
- * * * * C L O S E D C I R C U I T A D V I S O R Y * * * *
- * *
- * The following is a closed circuit advisory and is not *
- * for transmission over amateur radio. Repeat, not for *
- * broadcast. This is just a reminder that the address for *
- * the Newsline Support Fund is Newsline, in care of Dr. Norm *
- * Chalfin, K6PGX, Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102. *
- * Again, and as always, we thank you. That ends the closed *
- * circuit with Newsline report number 860 for release on *
- * Friday February, 4 1994 to follow. *
- * *
- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
-
- The following is a QST
-
- The ARRL petitions for an lifetime ham radio ticket and a
- court says that a ham does have a right to a tower and antenna.
-
- *****
- LIFETIME HAM LICENSE PET
-
- The ARRL has petitioned the FCC to make Amateur Radio operator
- licenses valid for life. The League says in its petition that
- there is nothing in the Communications Act of 1934 that would
- prevent such a license term for radio amateurs. It wants a
- lifetime operator's license to allow inactive amateurs to return
- to the Service at the same class of license without the necessity
- for retesting.
- This proposal will apply only to operator licenses, Amateur
- radio station licenses would still, by law, be limited to a
- 10-year term. A person with a lifetime operator license but no
- station license would not be permitted to operate a station of
- his own but would be able to operate from the station of another
- amateur. The League says that nothing in this proposal should
- have any effect on the FCC's call sign issuance program either as
- it currently exists or as proposed in the vanity call sign
- program.
- The ARRL says that it is not proposing at this time to make
- this rule change retroactive. Rather it suggests the easiest way
- to implement it is simply to extend currently held operator
- licenses from 10 years to life. No rule making number has yet
- been assigned to this ARRL regulatory change request.
-
- *****
- TOWER VICTORY
-
- A federal appeals court has found in favor of a Minnesota ham
- in the latest round of her three-year battle to install a tower
- and antenna.
- Back in January of 1991 Sylvia Pentel, N0MRW, applied to the
- city of Mendota Heights for a zoning variance for a 68-foot
- crank-up tower. At the time, she was using a roof-mounted
- vertical which she was unaware, violated the city's zoning rules.
- The city denied her application for a tower but did grant Pentel
- a special-use permit to allow her to keep the vertical.
- But that did not satisfy N0MRW. Pentel sued the city in U S
- district court. Her attorney John B. Bellows Jr, K0QBE argued
- that the ordinance restricting her tower and antenna was
- preempted by federal law. A law known as PRB-1 which recognizes
- the needs of both municipalities and amateurs radio operators. A
- law which requires a reasonable accommodation of the needs of
- radio amateurs.
- When the district court found in favor of the city Pentel
- appealed. It was the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th
- Circuit that has now ruled that in establishing PRB-1 the FCC
- was attempting to strike a balance between the interests of
- municipalities and ham radio operators. The court noted that
- granting a special-use permit for Pentel's vertical was not an
- acceptable accommodation to the radio amateur under the terms of
- PRB-1 and ordered the city to try again.
- The court did put some limit on its decision. It said that
- its finding does not mean that the city must necessarily grant
- Pentel's application for a tower as it stands. Rather, it stated
- the Mendota Heights Minnesota must make a reasonable
- accommodation to insure her interests as a radio amateur are
- protected.
-
- *****
- VAN SICKLE
-
- A United States District Court in Texas has written the end to
- the story of Terry Van Sickle, WB5WXI by sentencing him to 90
- days of home confinement, three years probation, fining him one
- thousand dollars and ordering that he undergo a group counseling
- program as directed by the probation office.
- Van Sickle is the WFAA television news cameraman who had been
- accused by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of harassing
- customers at a Mc Donalds restraint drive-thru window last
- summer. He initially protested his innocence to the media. One
- newspaper even ran a two column feature about Van Sickle, quoting
- him as saying that the frequencies used by Mc Donalds are posted
- on computer bulletin boards and anyone could have been
- responsible.
- But on October 18th Terry Van Sickle changed his story. He
- pleaded guilty to one count of violating Title 47, section 333 of
- the United States Code by willfully and maliciously interfering
- with radio communications. Sentencing was set for early January.
- At that time he faced a maximum term of a year in prison and
- $100,000 fine.
- The lighter sentence of 90 days home confinement and probation
- falls under federal sentencing guidelines. It is mitigated by
- the fact that Van Sickle has also lost some fifteen thousand
- dollars worth of scanners, two-way radios and other gear that was
- confiscated at the time he was detained.
- Van Sickle's troubles may not be over yet. There is every
- likelihood of FCC administrative action to strip him of any
- federally issued radio licenses. There is also the possibility
- of civil action against him by Mc Donalds Corporation to recoup
- any losses incurred as the result of his jamming of their radio
- system.
-
- *****
- QUAKE
-
- Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio Amateur Civil
- Emergency Service operators are still involved emergency
- communication in the aftermath of last weeks 6.6 magnitude
- earthquake in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Even though most
- normal lines of communications were restored within 48 to 72
- hours, ham operators are still assisting police, fire, Red Cross
- and local emergency management officials with disaster assessment
- using local VHF and UHF communications.
- As a result, all hams in the affected areas not involved in
- the emergency communications effort have been asked to give
- priority to meeting these emergency communications demands.
- These hams should not transmit on emergency net frequencies,
- except when directed to do so by net control stations. Also,
- priority is being given to outgoing messages since most amateurs
- in some affected areas are still unable to deliver incoming
- messages until phone service is restored and roads are repaired.
- Health and welfare traffic was not accepted from the public until
- authorities in the affected areas indicate they are able to
- process such inquiries. Some emergency net operations are
- expected to continue for at least another two weeks.
-
- *****
- ARRL SAY NO TO NJ RADIO TAX
-
- Officials of the American Radio Relay League have told the New
- Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy that a
- state proposal to register and impose fees on radio transmitters
- and other RF sources was contrary to federal law. At least as
- the law is related to radio amateurs.
- As reported several weeks ago, the New Jersey proposal
- exempted Amateur Radio stations at this time but leaves a door
- open for future regulation of hams and imposition of fees.
- But ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, N3AKD says that only
- the FCC has the power to license and regulate radio transmitters.
- Imlay says that applying the proposed regulations to amateurs
- would effectively preclude Amateur Radio communications in New
- Jersey.
- By the way, the New Jersey Department of Environmental
- Protection and Energy has extended the deadline for comments on
- the proposal until February 22nd. Hams in New Jersey and the
- surrounding states are being encouraged to write the New Jersey
- legislature in opposition to the radio tax proposal.
-
- *****
- SAREX STS-60
-
- This word just in. There will be three ham radio-licensed
- crew members aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-60, scheduled
- for launch February 3rd. Commander Charles Bolden, KE4IQB, and
- Mission Specialist Ronald Sega, KC5ETH, have now received their
- Technician Class licenses. The third licensed crew member is
- Russian Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR who is a Mission
- Specialist on the STS-60 SAREX flight.
-
- *****
- DX
-
- In DX, word that The Lambda Amateur Radio Club will sponsor
- it's third DXpedition from March 5th to the 10th. Larc members
- are planning to operate on HF and OSCAR-13 Mode B and Mode S
- from the Caribbean island of Anguilla in British West Indies.
- The operators making the trip will be Jim Kelly KK3K, Don
- Bledsoe WB6LYI, Mark Wilcox KC3XC, Tom Hendrix KI4ZN, Howard
- Wyman W9BVD, Norm Gray KF7IK, James Keeth AF9A, and Wayne
- Schuler AI9Q. QSL for all operators is direct to their
- respective current Callbook addresses. By the way, this may be
- the first OSCAR-13 Mode S DXpedition for the record books.
-
- *****
- QRP-DX
-
- Also, two QRP Nets located in the Pacific Northwest are now
- available to help you to meet other low power enthusiasts
- throughout the country. The North West QRP Club meets every
- Monday evening at 03:00 UTC on 10.123 MHz. The Northwest QRP
- Club Saturday morning Net can be found at 07:30 UTC on 3.561
- MHz. If you are interested in receiving a free copy of their
- NWQ Newsletter, please send a SASE to Bill Todd 4153 49th Ave.
- Southwest, Seattle, Washington 98116.
-
- *****
- NAT
-
- Two ARRL National Exam Days have been set for 1994. The
- dates are May 14 and October 29. Details will be in February
- issue of QST
-
- *****
- DOOB
-
- A ham who ran last Novembers' New York City Marathon to
- raise money for cancer research will be doing it again on the
- west coast. Fred Doob, AA8FQ has announced that he will run in
- the March 6th Los Angeles Marathon and will be on the air before
- and during the race.
- With backing from Icom America, Doob says that he will hold as
- many QSO's as he can while running the course. He says he plans
- to operate repeaters on 145.200, 146.925, 445.325 and 447.235
- MHz. Fred will also try his luck on the national simplex calling
- channel of 146.52 MHz. His frequency coordination is being
- handheld by the Baldwin Hills Amateur Radio Club and if band
- conditions warrant, he may try some 20 meter remote base
- operation on 14.295 MHz as well.
- AA8FQ's participation in the New York City Marathon raised
- approximately $2500 that was donated to the Sloan Kettering
- Memorial Cancer Center. This time the proceeds of sponsored
- miles will benefit the Los Angeles Childrens Cancer Research
- Fund. This organization is considered one of the leading
- pediatric cancer research organizations in the country.
- Hams interested in sponsoring miles to be run by Fred can
- contact him at area code 216-721-2466. In the meantime, Newsline
- wishes Fred Doob AA8FQ good luck in his next run to save lives.
-
- *****
-
- * * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *
-
- < ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
- < "Big Steve" Coletti >
- < Shortwave Listener, Broadcaster, Computer Consultant >
- < and all around nice guy >
- < Internet: bigsteve@dorsai.dorsai.org ==== S.COLETTI2@genie.geis.com >
- < UUCP: Steve_Cole@islenet.com ==== steveny@lopez.marquette.mi.us >
- < Fidonet: 1:278/712 US Mail: P.O. Box 396, New York, NY 10002 >
- < Voice: +1 212 995-2637 >
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 06:56:35 MST
- From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!gumby!destroyer!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!ve6mgs!usenet@ames.arpa
- Subject: Amateur Radio Newsline #861 11 Feb 94
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- The electronic publication of the Amateur Radio Newsline is distributed
- with the permission of Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, President and Editor of
- Newsline. The text is transcribed from the audio service by Dale Cary and
- is first published on Genie.
-
- Editorial comment or news items should be E-mailed to 3241437@mcimail.com
- or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com. Voice or FAX to +1 805-296-7180.
-
- All other information and disclaimers are in the text header below.
-
- - - - - -
- NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #111 - POSTED 02/13/94
-
- *****************************************************************
- * *
- * * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *
- * ** * * * * * * * ** * * *
- * * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *
- * * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *
- * * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *
- * *
- * **** * **** ***** *** *
- * * * * * * * * * * *
- * **** ***** * * * * * *
- * * * * * * * * * * *
- * * * * * **** ***** *** *
- * *
- *****************************************************************
-
- The following is late news about Amateur Radio for Radio
- Amateurs as prepared from NEWSLINE RADIO scripts by the staff of
- the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, INC. -- formerly the WESTLINK RADIO
- NET
- CBBS twice monthly. For current information updates, please call
-
- Los Angeles............................ (213) 462-0008
- Los Angeles (Instant Update Line)...... (805) 296-2407
- Seattle................................ (206) 368-3969
- Seattle................................ (206) 281-8455
- Tacoma................................. (206) 927-7373
- Louisville............................. (502) 894-8559
- Dayton................................. (513) 275-9991
- Chicago................................ (708) 289-0423
- New York City.......................... (718) 353-2801
- Melbourne, FL.......................... (407) 259-4479
-
- For the latest breaking info call the Instant Update Line listed
- above. To provide information please call (805) 296-7180. This
- line answers automatically and will accept up to 30 minutes of
- material.
-
- Check with your local amateur radio club to see if NEWSLINE
- can be heard weekly on the air in your area.
-
- Articles may be reproduced if printed in their entirety and
- credit is given to AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE as being the source.
-
- For further information about the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE,
- please write to us with an SASE at P.O. Box 463, Pasadena, CA
- 91102.
-
- Thank You
- NEWSLINE
-
- *****************************************************************
-
- Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...
-
- WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY
- KU8R N8DTN W9JUV KC9RP K9XI KB5KCH KC5UD KC0HF G8AUU WD0AKO DJ0QN
- and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!
-
- *****************************************************************
-
- [861]
-
- * * * * C L O S E D C I R C U I T A D V I S O R Y * * * *
- * *
- * The following is a closed circuit advisory and is not for *
- * air over amateur radio. Repeat, not for broadcast. This is *
- * just a reminder that the address for the Newsline Support *
- * Fund is Newsline, in care of Dr. Norm Chalfin, K6PGX, Post *
- * Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102. Again, and as always, *
- * we thank you. That ends the closed circuit with Newsline *
- * report number 861 for release on Friday, 02/11/94. *
- * *
- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
-
- The following is a QST
-
- When the information super highway arrives, ham radio will be
- riding on it at the front of the pack. So says a high ranking
- FCC official on Newsline report number 861 coming your way.
-
- *****
- INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY
-
- Ham radio definitely will play an important part in President
- Clinton's information super highway. So says FCC Private Radio
- Bureau Chief Ralph Haller, N4RH. Speaking on Saturday, February
- 5th at the 1994 Tropical Hamboree in Miami, Haller told the group
- that it's the inventive nature of radio amateurs that makes them
- so important to the emerging information flow.
-
- "The amateur service, I think is going to play a major role in
- the information super highway and the advancements that come
- online in the future. You're the people that have the practical
- knowledge of communications. You're the people that have come up
- with the innovative networks. Your packet data systems that are
- now very common in the commercial world.
- I guess what I am saying to you is, while I am not
- particularly concerned about any more of your frequencies being
- in jeopardy at this time, because there is no plans for that. I
- am concerned that you continue to move forward and keep pace with
- the commercial side, so that the technologies you have on the
- air will in fact provide you all of the kinds of feature rich
- functions that are going to be available to the general public.
- In fact you ought to have even more features because you are more
- qualified, you know what else is available besides just a device
- that can only be operated by someone that is not sophisticated in
- communications. It is an exciting time. I hope you share that
- view with me. Because it really, I think, is going to make a
- difference in the way we live in the future." FCC Private Radio
- Bureau Chief, Ralph Haller, N4RH.
-
- Haller also took note of the success of the expansion of
- public service activities as a result of the FCC action to
- change its rules governing business communications. N4RH
- singled out the recent New York City Marathon as a primary
- example of the ham radio success brought about by this regulatory
- change.
-
- "I recently had the opportunity to visit the New York
- Marathon. And to watch how amateur radio communications actually
- made that event occur. Without it, it would not occur. It is
- hard perhaps, to think about, to believe that the city of New
- York Police Department is unable to communicate over the entire
- 26 miles of that marathon. The only communications that worked
- over the entire 26 miles of that race was the amateur
- communications. The amateurs provided medical support, provide
- physician information, provided a whole host of communications
- capabilities. In fact it goes so far as to this. It was an
- amateur radio transmission that in fact signaled start the race.
- It wasn't on police radio, it wasn't on anything else, it was
- amateur that was the only communications capability that provided
- an instant notification to everyone in all parts of that race.
- Pretty amazing what you people have done." Ralph Haller, N4RH.
-
- N4RH says that this one rules change has forever expanded the
- public service abilities of the ham radio community.
-
- *****
- ARRL SAYS NO TO RF STANDARDS
-
- The ARRL has told the FCC that a proposal to adopt new
- standards for exposure to radio frequency radiation should be
- terminated.
- The League says that the proposal, which would change the
- Commission's guidelines to match those adopted by the American
- National Standards Institute and the Institute of Electrical
- and Electronic Engineers in 1992, was premature. It also asserts
- that the commission has an obligation to introduce this matter as
- an FCC notice of inquiry to allow a wider range of commentary.
- The ARRL claims that the proposed standards were not properly
- delineated and not a proper basis for evaluating communications
- facilities. It also said that an FCC Report and Order in 1987
- that concluded that amateur stations should be exempted from such
- RF exposure guidelines, because amateur stations operate only
- intermittently, and at low power levels, still applies. Only
- rarely, the League said, would amateur stations even exceed the
- proposed, more stringent 1992 standard.
- The League wants the current FCC proceeding terminated in
- favor of more study by a more appropriate government agency, such
- as the Environmental Protection Agency. If not, then it says the
- obligation of he FCC is to issue a notice of inquiry.
- The current proposal, in ET Docket 93-62, was made in the
- spring of 1993 and its comment deadline has been extended several
- times, most recently to January 25, 1994, based on a request by
- CBS Inc. The reply comment deadline is February 24th.
-
- *****
- SAREX
-
- The STS 60 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment has successfully
- completed another first. At 10:42 UTC on February 6, Cosmonaut
- Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR, on board the space ship Discovery made
- contact with the House of Science and Technology for Youth in
- Moscow. This is the first time a cosmonaut on a U.S. space
- shuttle has communicated with a school group in Russia. Leonid
- Lebutin, UA3CR and Valery Agabekov, UA6HZ were the prime school
- coordinators for the contact. Six students were able to ask
- their questions to the crew on the Space Shuttle DIscovery. In
- addition, several cosmonauts were on hand to hear the
- communications and witness the event.
-
- *****
- SAREX PACKET QSL INFO
-
- While voice contacts with the hams on Discovery have been
- scarce due to problems with the Wake Shield satellite experiment,
- the packet robot ham station has been quite busy. As we go to
- air just prior to landing, there have been several thousand
- automatic SAREX contacts made with hams from around the world
- reporting a booming packet radio signal from the shuttle.
- For those of you who have heard or worked the STS-60 crew
- and wish to receive a QSL card you need to send your signal
- report and an SASE or an envelope with International Reply
- Coupons to the QSL manager. This time its the ARRL. The address
- is STS 60 QSL, in care of the Educational Activities Division,
- The American Radio Relay League, 225 Main Street, Newington,
- Connecticut 06111.
-
- *****
- Anik E2 Lost in Space?
-
- Still with satellite related news, word that Thursday January
- 20th was not a good day for Telesat Canada.
- Within a 12 hour period they lost both of their $300 million
- geostationary satellites Anik E1 and E2. E1 was eventually
- recovered by switching to a backup momentum wheel but the E2 bird
- may be permanently disabled.
- Both satellites are of the GE Series 5000 family of birds.
- Experts believe that electromagnetic disturbances in space may
- have caused the damage. Canadian radio and television
- broadcasting, telephone services, data carriers and even a
- national ham radio satellite repeater intertie have all been
- seriously affected. Some believe the transponder shortage will
- cause a rush toward the introduction of video compression on the
- surviving Canadian satellite. This would greatly enhance its
- throughput while at the same time making it unviewable by home
- satellite viewers.
-
- *****
- 2 MET
-
- Amateur Radio may have saved a life when Diana Carlson, KC1SP,
- used a local repeater to report a possible suicide attempt to
- police. Carlson, of Hudson, New Hampshire, was on her way to
- work in Concord, Massachusetts, the morning of January 10, when
- she and another motorist observed a man climbing the railing of
- the Merrimack Bridge. The man's auto was parked directly in
- front of Carlson.
- While the other motorist talked to the man, Carlson first
- tried a call on 146.52, which she knew was sometimes monitored by
- the Westford, Massachusetts police. When no response came she
- switched to the 147.12 repeater in Billerica. There, Larry
- Garneau, N1QEZ, who was mobile, responded and passed the message
- to his wife, Virginia N1QFA, who telephoned police. An officer
- of the Tyngsboro Police arrived in time to pull the 27-year-old
- man from the railing of the bridge.
- By the way, Diana Carlson comes from an all ham family. Her
- husband David is N1JYX, her son is KA1VWX, and her daughter is
- KA1VUA.
-
- *****
- STOLEN REPEATER
-
- From England comes word that the GB3GF repeater operated by
- the Guildford UHF Repeater Group in England has been stolen. The
- radio gear was sited at Guildford near Surrey and was last heard
- on the air on December the 29th. Sometime between midnight and 8
- am on the 30th, the entire installation was skillfully dismantled
- and removed from the site. The thieves even took the time to
- climb a fifty foot high tower to take the antennas as well.
- The system was made up of a modified Pye Communications model
- F9U wall mounted base station, a Pye AE 450 F cavity filter and
- home made copper cavity circulator. It was crystalled to operate
- on the European RB 12 UHF repeater frequency pair of 433.300 MHz
- in and transmitted on 434.900 MHz. It also had an automatic
- Morse Code identifier of GB3GF every fifteen minutes.
- While its doubtful that this machine will show up on North
- American shores, be aware that any leads in locating the repeater
- and those who took it are welcome. Any information should go
- directly to the Guildford Police Department. The telephone
- number from the United States is a long one. You dial 0114448
- followed by the local number 331111. When you get an answer, ask
- for extension 3128.
-
- *****
- UK REPEATER DELINQUENCY
-
- From the United Kingdom comes word that the Radio Society of
- Great Britain has issued an urgent advisory to twenty-four of
- that nations repeater trustees telling them to respond to a
- letter or loose the right to keep their systems on the air. This
- is because the British Radio Communications Agency abandoned the
- single repeater license to the RSGB and is now individually
- licensing each of the nations repeaters.
- Actually, the RSGB repeater keepers license expired at the
- end of last November. Now the government has told the national
- society that it must have a letter requesting a Notice of
- Variation from each repeater license holder to keep the machines
- on the air. The society says that it has received all but two
- dozen of these requests, and it is urging the users of the
- repeaters that have not filed to urge the license holder to do so
- immediately. The RSGB says that its under increasing pressure
- from the Radio Communications Agency to let it know which
- repeaters have not filed for the required Notices of Variation.
- As far as the British Government is concerned, these systems are
- operating illegally without a proper license.
-
- *****
- PSA
-
- The ARRL has some new Public Service Television commercials
- available to its Public Information Officers and Public
- Information Coordinators. The tapes feature astronaut Linda
- Godwin, N5RAX, and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Dr Joel Taylor,
- K1JT. The full-color PSA's include testimonials from Godwin and
- Taylor in varying lengths for both commercial and public-access
- television use. Be sure to specify videotape format required by
- television station or cable television system when placing your
- order. If you are not certain, we strongly suggest that you call
- the TV station or cablecaster and ask what type of videotape they
- require.
-
- *****
- PSA TAPE FORMATS
-
- By the way, it may be time for a quick lesson on how to get a
- public service spot on the air. Let's start off by saying that
- its getting a lot harder to these spots aired these days. Only
- a few years ago, TV stations were happy to have them to fill the
- gaps in late night time slots where no commercials had been sold.
- The advent of the long format commercial called the infomercial
- changed all of that. Infomercials are known as time buys and
- they supplant individual commercials in a given period. As a
- result, free time for PSA's is getting scarce.
- Complicating things further is the kind of videotape you must
- submit to a TV station. A decade ago, that too was easy. Big
- stations required 2" quad tape while the little ones would accept
- the then popular 3/4 inch U-Matic. But its not that way anymore.
- Now a days commercials and PSA's are run by automated
- machinery that use cassette format tapes. As a rule of thumb,
- television stations that make their own cassettes require any
- commercial to be delivered to them on what is known as 1 inch
- type C open reel tape. But with manpower cutbacks and the
- introduction of even more automation, that trend is changing too.
- More and more stations now require you to submit 1/2 inch Betacam
- SP cassettes that can be placed directly into their automated
- tape players known as cart machines. This saves the station the
- cost of having to transfer the original you supply to a cassette
- that will fit their commercial playback machine. A small number
- still accept 3/4" tape but that number is shrinking daily as
- U-Matic and quad is replaced by Betacam SP as the defacto
- standard.
- Complicating matters further is that some stations; mainly
- those affiliated with the National Broadcasting Company may
- require your submitting the PSA's on the Panasonic M2 video
- format while some Tribune and independent stations utilize the
- new D2 digital 19mm videocassettes for their Ampex built ACR 225
- cart machines.
- The majority of cablecasters are a lot more lenient than
- commercial broadcasters but even here its not like it used to be.
- While some will accept the older 3/4" U-Matic cassettes the vast
- majority now are switching over to the Super VHS. That's Super
- VHS and not the home type VHS we have in our houses. Except for
- undercover news stories, VHS is not acceptable for over the air
- broadcast and is rarely used any longer in cable transmission.
- VHS cassettes are used only for viewing purposes in offices to
- see if the material in the PSA or commercial is acceptable for
- air.
-
- *****
- DX
-
- In DX, word that Walis Island as ZS9DX was to be active by
- operators ZS6BRZ and ZS6WPX, but there have been no QSN reports.
- To date, the only activity seen from Walis has been by ZS9A on
- 21.335 MHz at 14:00 UTC. ZS9A also frequents 10 meters at
- various times.
-
- *****
- FORM 610
-
- This important note to any ham who contributes time as a
- Volunteer Examiner. Beginning March 1st the FCC will accept
- only the new version of its Form 610. Information about the new
- 610 is explained on page 103 of the February QST
- Those hams who serve under the ARRL VEC have been assured of
- having the needed materials before the implementation date. The
- latest issue of their VE Express newsletter includes a full size
- version of the new Form 610 and the ARRL VEC has also mailed
- bulk quantities of the new form to all of its 650 plus field
- stocked VE teams. The ARRL VEC recommends that its VE teams
- begin using the new form on February 12 to allow for sufficient
- turnaround time.
- The W5YI national VEC is also getting supplies of the new
- form out to its VE teams very quickly and should have them in
- place by the time this newscast goes to air.
- Its not known what action other VEC's have taken to provide
- their VE's with the new Form 610 prior to its implementation
- date. If you are not an ARRL or W5YI VE, and have not been
- restocked with new form 610's by your VEC, consider requesting
- the new version to be sent to you from that VEC right away. If
- these VEC's will contact us with their plans, we will be happy to
- pass along the information in future Newsline reports.
-
- *****
- BOSWELL OBIT
-
- It's no exaggeration to say that one Alabama ham radio
- operator has touched thousands of lives. But you probably won't
- recognize his name. Nonetheless, friends of Ken Boswell,
- KB4BWO, were saddened at the news of his death in early January.
- This man has been considered an inspiration in their lives.
- If there is one point everyone that met Ken Boswell agrees
- about, it's the smile. He always had one.
- "He tried desperately to look and find the good in
- situations." Ron Arap, N4PHP.
- Ron remembers the man who worked hard to help students at
- Bessemer State Technical College. That's where Boswell taught
- electronics courses.
- "If the student was interested, and applies themselves, he
- would go out of his way to help them." Ron Arap, N4PHP.
- Boswell setup an amateur station at the college to build
- interest in ham radio. He was active in the Birmingham Amateur
- Radio Club. At the school fellow instructor Clarence Johnson
- deals with the loss of a close friend.
- "He cared about people. He was a people kind of person. As a
- matter of fact the memory that I will probably have that will
- linger with me about Ken is just how much he really showed he
- really loved humanity. He got along well with his students. Ken
- was just the kind of person that get along with anybody. Ken met
- no strangers." Clarence Johnson, fellow instructor.
- In his nearly thirty years in vocational education. Ken
- Boswell thousands of people a powerful tool, knowledge to make
- their lives better.
- A special tribute may be in the works to honor Ken Boswell.
- Friends and co-workers want to set up a scholarship fund in his
- honor. Ken Boswell was 57 years old.
-
- *****
-
- For this week that is all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
- You can write to us at Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102.
-
- * * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *
- ------------
- < ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
- < "Big Steve" Coletti >
- < Shortwave Listener, Broadcaster, Computer Consultant >
- < and all around nice guy >
- < Internet: bigsteve@dorsai.dorsai.org ==== S.COLETTI2@genie.geis.com >
- < UUCP: Steve_Cole@islenet.com ==== steveny@lopez.marquette.mi.us >
- < Fidonet: 1:278/712 US Mail: P.O. Box 396, New York, NY 10002 >
- < Voice: +1 212 995-2637 >
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 16 Feb 1994 11:56:33 GMT
- From: agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!caen!usenet.cis.ufl.edu!usenet.ufl.edu!mailer.acns.fsu.edu!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!freenet2.scri.fsu.
- Subject: W6GO QSL MGR LIST-ACCESS?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- What access is there for the W6GO QSL manager's list? [Keep
- it simple, please. I am new at this computer stuff.]
-
- Michael Christie, K7RLS
- Crawfordville, Florida
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 15 Feb 1994 16:30:32 GMT
- From: orca.es.com!cnn.sim.es.com!usenet@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: WANTED: Manuals for Heathkit
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Sorry if this has appeared before. Looking for original manuals or copies
- of the following:
-
- HEATHKIT IG-5282 Audio Generator
- HEATHKIT IG-5280 RF Oscillator
- HEATHKIT ??????? matching power supply for above units
-
- I will gladly reimburse you for copy/postage costs.
-
- 73's
- Fred Orrell
- WB5NOE
- Phone: 801-944-1332
- Work: 801-582-5847 ext. 3420
- EMAIL: forrell@sim.es.com
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 05:39:27 GMT
- From: news.Hawaii.Edu!uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu!jherman@ames.arpa
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- References <1994Feb11.001239.2842@ke4zv.atl.ga.us>, <CL1p2x.8s2@news.Hawaii.Edu>, <1994Feb12.161053.4486@ke4zv.atl.ga.us>
- Subject : Re: 40 meter QRP (cw or ssb)
-
- In article <1994Feb12.161053.4486@ke4zv.atl.ga.us> gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) writes:
- >In article <CL1p2x.8s2@news.Hawaii.Edu> jherman@uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Jeff Herman) writes:
- >>In article <1994Feb11.001239.2842@ke4zv.atl.ga.us> gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) writes:
- >>>I can wait and recognize "the", but when it turns out to be the
- >>>opening character group in "Thessalonian", I'm screwed. Dealing
- >>>character by character on paper insures I get either correctly.
- >>
- >>Geez Gary, what kind of QSOs do you have? In 18 years I've never had
- >>someone send that word to me; phooey - your QSOs sound MUCH more
- >>interesting than mine.
- >
- >I've been claiming that all along, Jeff. The high information rate
- >of voice transmission allows complex ideas to be expressed quickly
- >enough to be interesting.
- >
-
- Now wait a minute! I meant CW QSOs - if folks are sending you words
- such as Thessalonian on CW THEN your QSOs are more interesting than
- mine.
- You never miss an opportunity to kick CW in the okole (Hawaiian word
- for what you sit on).
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Jeffrey Herman, NH6IL, jherman@hawaii.edu, who, in his spare time, cannibalizes
- old TV sets to make QRP transmitters (CW of course).
-
- Previously: WA6QIJ, WH6AEQ, NMO (U.S. Coast Guard Radio Honolulu: 500kc CW)
-
- It is said that CW is the second most popular mode on HF, but scanning the
- bands I frequently count more CW QSOs than SSB QSOs.
- ==============================================================================
-
- ------------------------------
-
- End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #160
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