QRZ! Ham Radio 3/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 3.iso/digests/infoham/940203.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-06-04 | 24.7 KB

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 94 21:59:39 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #203
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Thu, 24 Feb 94       Volume 94 : Issue  203

Today's Topics:
                   ACE Communications - good? bad?
                       ARRL Repeater Directory
                             Collins Mods
                   HAMBLASTER INCORRECT STATEMENTS
                            Hamfest List?
                          Heathkits (2 msgs)
            Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!! (2 msgs)
                  QSL Bureau help (Stupid question)
                        RAMSEY FX TRANSCEIVER
                       Special Events Question
                      Suggestion for a layman...
                       Super Morse 4.10 is out!
                  Super Morse version 4.04 question

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Problems you can't solve otherwise to [e-mail].

Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available
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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: 23 Feb 1994 01:54:29 -0500
From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!torn!nott!cunews!revcan!aficom!zone4!zone4![e-mail]
Subject: ACE Communications - good? bad?
To: [e-mail]

I'm thinking of buying a scanner from ACE Communications in
Indianapolis, Indiana.  I sent a request for info to their fax line, and
called their tech support; both times, I got ignored---so I'm kind of
wary.  Nonetheless, they've got the best price I've seen.  I'd like to
hear comments about them one way or another---anybody do business with
them? I'm especially interested if you did business with them from a
country other than the USA, since that's my situation...  but *any* info
would be helpful.

Thanks...

 Andrew Jr.
--
Andrew Cornwall
[e-mail]

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 10:41:33 -0500
From: unogate!news.service.uci.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.msfc.nasa.gov!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!hamblin.math.byu.edu!yvax.byu.edu!cunyvm!rohvm1!@mvb.saic.com
Subject: ARRL Repeater Directory
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
William=E.=[e-mail] wrote:

> I don't know how much "work" would be included in the repeater directory that
> is direct league work.  they get their "feed" from the repeater coordination
> bodies around the country (in the belief that the only good repeater is a
> coordinated repeater).  i have heard a news story on the radio about how
> southern bell's copyright on a yellow pages book does not cover facts like
> where the advertiser is.  They do have the copyright on the way their book is
> assembled.

All the disclaimer stuff about my not being an attorney...that's my
understanding of copyright law.  Facts are public domain, but the
presentation of those facts is protectable by copyright.  Also, I seem to
recall that, even though the effort may have been relatively small, still
the courts seem to have looked askance at merely copying somebody else's
listing without doing any original work yourself, and then claiming it's
your own.  ARRL at least assembles the input from the different
coordinators.

> Maybe if the online callbook guys make it easy for MACC, et al. to submit data
> to them, they could produce a book that cannot be said to infringe on the ARRL
> publication since it's based on the same facts as the ARRL book because it's
> taken from the same sources as the ARRL's book.

Yes!  If whoever it was that wanted to do the on-line directory were to
contact the coordinators himself, or solicit e-mail listings of repeaters
here...that sort of thing, then that, as I understand it, is okay.  (Insert
"I am not an attorney" disclaimer here again)

> I have a real big problem with the idea that there are deliberate errors
> purposely induced into what should be a reference book.  Maybe we should start
> a "repeater directory accuracy project" to confirm all the listings in the
> ARRL directory to see if content errors exist.

Not suggesting that the ARRL does this...I think the city directory guys
put in a few phantom addresses or something, which doesn't really affect
the overall accuracy.  I'm working from memory of something I read in the
BNA Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal a few years ago.

--
73  de  John Taylor   W3ZID
[e-mail]

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

Date: 25 Feb 94 04:10:58 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Collins Mods
To: [e-mail]

Hi All,

Maybe this is not the right place to post this inquiry, but ...

Having searched the better known FTP sites for radio mods, and not
finding what I am looking for, is there a site that has mods for
Collins gear (any and all models)?  I am making this request on the
behalf of a non-ham friend.

IF (big if), there are mods for Collins rigs, would you please send them
to me directly (unless there are others out there, who would benefit from
this request).

BTW, does anybody know if K6ZTI has access to internet?  If he does, give
him my e-mail address.  He should get a big kick out of this.

Thanks in advance,
Lynn Geitgey  KB0LRB
[e-mail]

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 94 09:35:24 GMT
From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!netcomsv!skyld![e-mail]
Subject: HAMBLASTER INCORRECT STATEMENTS
To: [e-mail]

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

  > My goodness, Jeff; are you my shadow? Just because we share the same name
  > doesn't mean you have to follow me around like a pesty little brother.

  Trust me, I am NOT your little brother. You're the one acting like someone
  whos testicles haven't descended yet.

  Have you considered getting professional counseling for your persecution
  complex? Most major universities have excellent out patient services.

  Perhaps after several sessions you should be able to walk around without
  being convinced that everyone is staring at your crotch and laughing.



 Amateur: WA6FWI@WA6FWI.#SOCA.CA.USA.NA  |  "You have a flair for adding
Internet: [e-mail]       |   a fanciful dimension to any
 US Mail: PO Box 4425 Carson, CA 90749   |   story."
   Phone: [phone]               |            Peking Noodle Co.

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

Date: 24 Feb 1994 02:15:15 -0500
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!digex.net!digex.net![e-mail]
Subject: Hamfest List?
To: [e-mail]

Can someone either post, email me, or tell me from which ftp site I can
get a list of hamfests, specifically in the Northeast USA?

Thanks,

Chris

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

Date: 24 Feb 94 15:23:54 GMT
From: nprdc!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.service.uci.edu!unogate!mvb.saic.com!connected.com!news.sprintlink.net!bga.com!cs.utexas.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!rdewan@@
Subject: Heathkits
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, Alan Bloom <[e-mail]> wrote:
>Cecil A Moore ([e-mail]) wrote:
>
>: ... My point was that in any
>: normal distribution of customers, by definition, there will be some on
>: each end of the spectrum outside the three sigma limit.  ...
>
>Right.  Anecdotes do not a proof make.
>
>However it seems clear that on average Heathkits were better designed,
>packaged and documented than Ramsey kits.  I haven't built a Ramsey kit,
>but I have examined ones others have purchased.  It seems like with every
>one I saw, I could see design problems just by looking at the schematic.
>I've seen some Heathkits with design flaws too, but not to that extent.
>And the Heath construction manuals were fabulous.  They always prided
>themselves on the quality of their manuals and over the years they
>developed it into an art form.  The Ramsey manuals are not bad, but they
>are not up to Heathkit standards.
>

Not only were the Heathkits, by and large, well designed from a functionality
standpoint, they were specifically designed for the home-builder.  This
is a `critical success factor' for kits.  For instance, the HW99, the
last Heathkit that I worked on, had an on-board rf probe.  You hooked
up jumpers between portions circuits and the probe and aligned tuned circuits
and oscillators using a vtvm and a freq counter.  Clever.

I think that a well designed kit should be:
  - easy to put together using simple tools
  - be designed to work without requiring expensive instrumentation
     . this may require very conservative designs
     . design must deal with component to component variance in
        characteristics.  For instance, for bipolar amp stages, have feed back
        to provide guaranteed gainn.  Sure, this may require more stages, but
        the design will work for most builders.

It is the lack of this kind of design philosophy in Ramsey Kits that I do
not like.

>I'm rooting for Ramsey.  Amateur Radio needs a good kit company, with
>just the kinds of products that Ramsey offers.  With better designs
>and quality control, they could be making a real contribution to the
>hobby.

We sure do need a good kit company.  Unfortunately, Heathkit kit quit
ham radio stuff before I got into it. :(

Rajiv
aa9ch
[e-mail]

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

Date: 24 Feb 1994 08:39:39 -0500
From: unogate!news.service.uci.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!col.hp.com!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hpscit.sc.@@mvb.saic.com
Subject: Heathkits
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Cecil A Moore) writes:

>My experience with six Heathkits was
>worse than my experience with four Ramsey FXs but I am only one point on
>either distribution and I don't know exactly where either of my
>experiences fall on the plot. We tend not to hear from customers with
>average experiences.

I guess I had average experiences. In the past I have bought pre-owned
Heathkits (SB-104) that I had trouble tuning up (ended up needing some
non-obvious parts replaced). I have built five "major" kits, of which
I had problems with one where I lifted and broke a trace (hard to find,
but not Heathkits fault) on a HW-9. My keyer has never had ALL the
status LEDs working at once: since I can't easily get the original
part, I've tries substitutes with no success. Now I've given up. All
the _functions_ work, even if I can't just glance at the LED display
to see what it is I'm doing. No problems at all with other projects,
including my handheld frequency counter. When I originally calibrated
it following the Heath instructions, I subsequently took it to work
to check it out on the calibration lab's equipment. It was so solid
to all displayable precision the tech couldn't believe I'd constructed
it. No complaints from this average user :-)

Cheers & 73 Ed Humphries N5RCK
Hewlett Packard NARC Atlanta GA

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

Date: 24 Feb 94 16:44:15 GMT
From: world![e-mail]
Subject: Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!!
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Ed Hare (KA1CV)) writes:
>[e-mail] wrote:
>
>: This past month, Honda sent out a recall notice for their 90-91 Accords.
>: They were wanting to replace a part in the distributor which failed when
>: the car got high mileage.
>
>: I had this recall work done on my car a couple of weeks ago, and now have
>: terrible ignition noise on 2 meters and 440.  Before this work had been
>: done, the ignition had been really quite quiet -- now it is nearly
>: unbearable.
>
>: Has anyone else had this problem?  The local Honda folks seem lukewarm about
>: fixing this problem they created, probably because theyt really don't
>: understand it.
>
>: Any one dealt with Honda about this problem?
>
>Kirk,
>
>If he still works at Honda, the fellow who wrote their EMC policy is:
>
>American Honda Motor Company, Inc.
>National Consumer Affairs
>Richard Downing
>1919 Torrance Blvd.
>Torrance, CA  90501-2746
>[phone]
>
>His letter also has the following phone number, but I am not sure that
>the area code is correct: [phone].
>
>For those that are interested, when asked if the installation of typical
>ham equipment would affect their cars, he says "Simply put, this has not
>been a 'problem' for Honda automobile products." FWIW.
>
>73 from ARRL HQ, Ed

If this is the same fellow I talked to at American Honda last year, I'll be
curious to see what kind of response anyone gets. The man was unpleasant
and condescending on the telephone. He basically indicated that he had told
Ed Hare that there was no problem, so why was I bothering him?

My basic feeling after the call was: "OK, I won't bother you again, or buy
your product ever again". I got the impression from comments made by the
regional FCC fellow who talked at Manchester, NH last year that the FCC
is concerned with the excessive RF emissions from automobile systems. He
also praised Chrysler for spending significant dollars to build a test chamber
and make their vehicles RF quiet. His comments have sparked some interest
with me in buying from Chrysler.

Oh, and the Chrysler person who wrote their EMC policy indicated the proper
ordering code when having a car constructed to ensure low RF emissions
electronic modules will be used (adds maybe $17 to the sticker price).

Dan N1JEB
--
---------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Senie                 Internet:     [e-mail]
Daniel Senie Consulting                    [e-mail]
508-365-5352                 Compuserve:   74176,1347

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

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 12:05:37 GMT
From: agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ub!newserve!sarah!rpi!psinntp!psinntp!arrl.org![e-mail]
Subject: Honda ignition recall -  now NOISE!!
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] wrote:

: This past month, Honda sent out a recall notice for their 90-91 Accords.
: They were wanting to replace a part in the distributor which failed when
: the car got high mileage.

: I had this recall work done on my car a couple of weeks ago, and now have
: terrible ignition noise on 2 meters and 440.  Before this work had been
: done, the ignition had been really quite quiet -- now it is nearly
: unbearable.

: Has anyone else had this problem?  The local Honda folks seem lukewarm about
: fixing this problem they created, probably because theyt really don't
: understand it.

: Any one dealt with Honda about this problem?

Kirk,

If he still works at Honda, the fellow who wrote their EMC policy is:

American Honda Motor Company, Inc.
National Consumer Affairs
Richard Downing
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA  90501-2746
[phone]

His letter also has the following phone number, but I am not sure that
the area code is correct: [phone].

For those that are interested, when asked if the installation of typical
ham equipment would affect their cars, he says "Simply put, this has not
been a 'problem' for Honda automobile products." FWIW.

73 from ARRL HQ, Ed
--

-----
Ed Hare, KA1CV                  [e-mail]
American Radio Relay League

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

Date: 24 Feb 1994 11:10:40 GMT
From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!torn!nott!cunews!freenet.carleton.ca!freenet3.scri.fsu.edu!freenet2.scri.fsu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: QSL Bureau help (Stupid question)
To: [e-mail]

Using 5" x 7 1/2" manila envelopes, place your call sign in the
upper left hand corner (large, block style) on the front side +
self-address and provide first class postage on each. Mail a
handful of them to the 7th district QSL bureau and they will
put them on file for you. Their address is:

Williamette Valley DX Club
P.O. Box 555
Portland, OR 97207

If you've been moderately active DX-wise, expect an envelope every
three months or so; if very active, monthly.

Welcome back to the folds of HF! 73,

Michael Christie, K7RLS
Crawfordville, Florida

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 94 09:40:13 GMT
From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!netcomsv!skyld![e-mail]
Subject: RAMSEY FX TRANSCEIVER
To: [e-mail]

   In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:  >
     > That's old news.  BUT the HF maritime CW bands are still jumping with
     > activity and the C.G. is still monitoring them, so CW on the high seas
     > frequencies is still very much in use.

     And what frequencies might those be? How about posting them so we can
     practice our CW listening to *real manly men* pounding brass. (Unless
     of course you're afraid that some anal rententive might accuse you of
     promoting the jamming of HF maritime CW ops...)


 Amateur: WA6FWI@WA6FWI.#SOCA.CA.USA.NA  |  "You have a flair for adding
Internet: [e-mail]       |   a fanciful dimension to any
 US Mail: PO Box 4425 Carson, CA 90749   |   story."
   Phone: [phone]               |            Peking Noodle Co.

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 10:22:51 -0500
From: unogate!news.service.uci.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.msfc.nasa.gov!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!hamblin.math.byu.edu!yvax.byu.edu!cunyvm!rohvm1!@mvb.saic.com
Subject: Special Events Question
To: [e-mail]

In article <2kgjem$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (John
Meaker) wrote:

>    I am part of a group of hams that is planning a special event
> for July 4 - 10, 1994.

>      2)  We wanted to send a commemorative certificate and a QSL
>           card.  Is it OK to ask the contact to send a 9x12 SASE?
>           Will this reduce the number of contacts appreciably?

Indicate this in whatever publicity you send out.  Also, you'll probably be
asked on the air about how to get a QSL, and you can explain then, or just
include in the exchange, "By the way, if you want our QSL/certificate,
please send a 9x12 SASE to...  No, I don't think it'll reduce the number of
contacts; people contact special-events stations even when they don't want
a card.

>      3)  How is the best way to spread the word about this event?
>      4)  None of the hams involved has had a call or address for
>           long enough to be in any older callbook.  How should the
>           QSL information be handled?  Sending an address over the
>           air can be a problem.  How can this be avoided?

Put the QSL address in your publicity.  I'd recommend the following:
     QST  -  Check their section on special-event operations, and get your
             information to them _early_ (like _now_).
     CQ   -  Same thing.  Send _early_.
     WorldRadio  -  Same thing - all of these guys set up the issue for
publi-
             cation _'way_ in advance, so if you want to be listed, _send
now_.
     This newsgroup (and perhaps one of the other rec.radio.amateur groups)
             but this time, send a week or two before the event (as a
reminder).
     Packet Radio BBS system - also about two weeks before the event.

>      5)  Are there any hidden obstacles lurking out there to take
>           us by surprise?

Never participated myself, just enjoy working special-event stations.

--
73  de  John Taylor    W3ZID
[e-mail]

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 15:55:56 GMT
From: nctuccca.edu.tw!news!ccds3.ntu.edu.tw![e-mail]
Subject: Suggestion for a layman...
To: [e-mail]

Hi,

I'm totally new to the field of ham-radio. Any information about ftp-able
faqs and/or suggestion is appreciated. More specifically, where can one
find the faq about  communication terms? cq? Thanks!

Joseph Chen

PS. Please e-mail me!

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 12:26:11 GMT
From: mvb.saic.com!unogate!news.service.uci.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!udel!gvls1![e-mail]
Subject: Super Morse 4.10 is out!
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Dino Moriello) writes:
>I read a note somewhere that 4.06 was available from some FTP site.
>Well super Morse 4.10 is out and available on Compuserve and possibly
>somewhere on the NET.  If you can't find it, let me know and if someone
>tells me how to get permission to PUT it on their FTP server, I can send it
>there.
>
The latest on SIMTEL BBS is 4.04 so if you can post it there, do it, if
you can't post it there, send it to me and I'll do it.

--
Ed Naratil                                 (All standard disclaimers apply)
[e-mail]                Amateur Packet: w3bnr@wb3joe.#epa.PA.USA


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

Date: 24 Feb 94 17:08:49 GMT
From: pipex!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Super Morse version 4.04 question
To: [e-mail]

I have been using Super Morse version 4.04 for a while now, and have
encountered a problem while attempting to use it in Windows v. 3.1.  When I
attempt to have it send code, it groups letters together.  For example, if I
had it send the word 'AT', it comes out with a letter W.  This, however, does
not happen if I shut down windows, and load it from DOS.  I don't really
believe my system would be in question (486 SX-25 w/4 megs of RAM), since it's
a fairly normal setup.  Any suggestions?

                                            Thanks and 73 de Bob, N8MMR
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=-=  Bob Wiley, N8MMR         Internet: [e-mail]  =-=
=-=  P.O. Box 3164            Amateur Radio Packet: [e-mail] =-=
=-=  Columbus, Ohio 43210                                                 =-=

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

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 14:18:00 GMT
From: agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <rohvm1.mah48d-220294100035@136.141.220.39>, <[e-mail]>
Subject : Re: Probable demise of the online repeater directory project

'Of by and for the Radio Amateur...'

What an example of the ARRL 'not invented here' syndrome. I submit that:

 1. League Pubs supposedly don't make money, so if a
    workable free-ware replacement is available, great,
    as it reduces costs associated with this very perishable
    publication. Not to mention the costs associated with
    obtaining it, since it's kind of hard to find at Walden
    books.
 2. There is one hell of a conflict-of-interest if the
    ARRL wants to, at once, act as the official frequency
    coordination authority, and then be proprietary with
    the information which it collects. As a matter of
    fact, it would seem that there is an unfair competitive
    advantage.

As a League member I publically call upon the organization to make
available, at cost, the information it derives from its frequency
coordination activitys to Mr. Yee's project. Or perhaps for free,
since this gentleman is volunteering to do something "Of by and for
the Radio Amateur."

As far as I'm concerned, the League has two choices: either cooperate
with the on-line directory project, or at least get out of the way,
or abdicate its role as frequency coordinator for the United States,
resulting in chaos on the bands.

To me the choice is clear.

Mr. Sumner, get it done. And get out of the way.

Now.

Greg

P.S.: Personal to the ARRL reader of this newsgroup,
      the 'worm' that sicced the legal sharks on Mr.
      Yee in the first place: describing you as a
      species of vermin is probably too good for you.
      You know who you are. There's a bus leaving
      in a little while. Be under it.

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #203
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