QRZ! Ham Radio 4/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 4.iso/digests/infoham/940947.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 28KB

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 94 08:31:02 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #947
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Mon, 22 Aug 94       Volume 94 : Issue  947

Today's Topics:
Communications Quarterly , was Qs on no code FCC license and Hardware
                    CQ/Ham Radio Magazine history
                       FT530 Programming Guide
                          Going to Austria.
                        IC-970H use for AMSATS
                             learning CW
        Questions: Digital Scanning, Cellphones, Transmissions
                     Radio Interface to Internet?
                         Rigs in Dish Washers
                                 SSTV
                              subscribe

Send Replies or notes for publication to: <[e-mail]>
Send subscription requests to: <[e-mail]>
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: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 12:31:06 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!news.dtc.hp.com!hplextra!hplb!hpwin055.uksr!hpqmoea![e-mail]
Subject: Communications Quarterly , was Qs on no code FCC license and Hardware
To: [e-mail]

C. C. (Clay) Wynn, N4AOX ([e-mail]) wrote:


: Well, they are doing it here.  The rf shops are full of those contester rigs in
: for the sparkplug changeouts.  One of the biggest problems was finding a cheap
: second source for those @#$%& overpriced HP diodes ;-)

: 73,
: C. C. (Clay) Wynn, N4AOX


   Right!   I can appreciate why someone might not feel confident or well
enough equipped to try to fault find in a current "contester rig", but
this is a simple soldering job, no fault finding or set-up needed.
Perhaps those shops filled with radios for diode swaps are evidence of
the progressive de-skilling of amateur radio?  Or could it just be a
case of people now being more prepared to throw money at problems ?

   It seems to me that folk used to be a lot more prepared to "Have a
go".   I'll be pleased if we've left poverty behind, but I do hope that we
haven't left curiosity or skill behind.

   There's a free market in RF semiconductors, and several sources of
PINs around the world. Seeking alternative parts is a long established
amateur tradition. There is some effort involved in finding a potential
part and in trying it out, but this can often give the seeker knowledge
and experience worth more than the savings on parts. Long period PIN
diodes are not really mainstream components, so price and availability
won't be wonderful, no matter who made them. There may be some parts
available from surplus dealers that could still be better than the
standard parts built into the radios.


  That reply cheered me a little, maybe I'm pessimistic about the scale
of reading of technical atricles ?

  Cheers,
             David  GM4ZNX

  (Just personal thoughts and opinions)

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

Date: 22 Aug 94 08:43:06 -0500
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!spool.mu.edu!news.nd.edu!leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: CQ/Ham Radio Magazine history
To: [e-mail]

Gary is not quite accurate about CQ buying Ham Radio magazine to
temporarily boost their circulation by adding the HR subscribers -
I had a lifetime subscription to Ham Radio and received NO additional
issues of CQ - the publisher told me I should have purchased the
lifetime subscription to CQ (this at the Atlanta hamfest a few years
back).

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

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 13:07:16 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!torn!news.ccs.queensu.ca!venus!jupiter![e-mail]
Subject: FT530 Programming Guide
To: [e-mail]

Folks:  I've made a few updates to this document and am
posting it again.   I hope some find it useful (I do!).

Peter

   O   Peter A. Stokes ____________ Voice & Voice mail: [phone]
  <^-  Engineering Applications Support __________ FAX: [phone]
 \/\   Canadian Microelectronics Corporation ______ Net: [e-mail]
    \  Kingston, Ontario, CANADA ______________ Radio: VE3ZXT @ VE3CDY
        "Don't believe any advice you read"



How VE3ZXT programs his Yaesu FT530 HT

(These instructions are intended to help remind me on how I
program my FT530 and are not a substitute for reading the
manual!)


HINTS:

0.   To turn the radio on, push and hold (for 1/2 a
     second) the orange button on the left side.
     Repeat this to turn it off.

1.   If you get into a strange mode or display, hit PTT
     as this usually clears it.   The radio may display
     "ERR" for a moment.

2.   To switch from band to band (left to right and back),
     use the "BAND" button.

3.   If you want the backlight to stay on while using the
     radio, enter FM -> LAMP.   The LAMP button is just
     below the PTT button.   Having the light on can make
     programming quite a bit easier.

4.   The radio is capable of any combination of scanning,
     searching or being idle on both bands.   For example,
     one can be scanning on the left side and carrying on a
     QSO on the right side.   To make the radio scan, place
     the radio on any channel (push MR until the channel
     indicator does not have multiple small arrows) and
     then push and hold either arrow button.   It is also
     possible to make the radio alternate scan (scan on the
     left, then right, then left, ...).   The radio is also
     capable of receiving any mixture of VHF and UHF on
     either side.     If the PLL is unable to lock, the
     frequency display will flash.

5.   Push the Monitor (Burst) button (above PTT) to break
     squelch momentarily.   Push and hold the same when the
     radio is off to see the seconds display on the clock.

6.   Whenever you make a change to the programming of a
     channel (frequency, offset frequency, offset
     direction, CTCSS frequency, Tone squelch enable, Tone
     encode enable, mode AM or FM), it is necessary to save
     that channel again to save the changes.   As in normal
     programming, push and hold FM for two seconds, then
     hit FM again.  That will store the current settings in
     the current channel.



PROGRAMMING GUIDE:


0.   Ensure the radio has suitable power and the lithium
     battery installed.

1.   Reset the radio by holding the MR and VFO buttons
     as you power up the radio.   This will clear all
     settings, time, channels, etc.


2.   Enable the extended receive and transmit modifications
     by holding both arrow keys while powering up the radio
     again.   Note:  extended Rx and Tx also require a
     hardware modification not discussed here.   This mod
     reportedly allows for reception of 110-180, 300-500,
     800-950 MHz and transmission of 140-150, 430-450 MHz
     although I haven't tried these to confirm the
     extents.


3.   Set the clock:    FM -> REV    to see the clock
            FM        to go into set mode
            (then see page 51 of the manual)

     Hint:  set the radio in UTC to avoid time zone and
     time change hassles.


4.   Enable ARS (Automatic Repeater Shift) on both bands.
     This will automatically set the repeater offset to the
     correct frequency count and direction +/- when you
     program in a frequency.   The radio understands the
     basic amateur bandplan and will not set an offset if
     you enter a simplex frequency (e.g 146.520).

            FM -> 0 -> 6 -> FM -> 6

                 and again for the other band

            FM -> 0 -> 6 -> FM -> 6


5.   Set the alternate display (when only working one band)
     to display battery voltage (a nice feature IMHO!):

            FM -> 0 -> FM -> BAND

            and again

            FM -> 0 -> FM -> BAND

     Alternative display options include blank (---) and clock.


6.   Set transmitter default power to high:

            FM -> 3


7.   Set scan resume mode on both bands to "P" for pause
     (as opposed to "5" which causes the radio to continue
     scanning after pausing five seconds on one signal):

            FM -> 7 -> FM -> 7

            and again for the other band

            FM -> 7 -> FM -> 7


8.   Set automatic power off if desired:

            FM -> 0 -> 3 -> 3

     This feature can be useful if you want to conserve
     battery power or a pain if you are using the radio as
     a scanner or for monitoring packet.   Regardless of
     configuration, the radio will shut itself off when
     battery voltage reaches near 5.5 volts, eliminating the
     possibility of over-discharging the nicads.    As the
     radio nears this shutdown condition, the display will
     alternate between normal functions and a battery
     voltage display.

     When automatic power off is enabled and the radio is
     about to shut itself off, it will play a warning medley
     one minute before shutdown.   The default medley is a
     cute musical passage I detest.   Fortunately, one can
     change this warning song.   Refer to page 53 of the
     manual on how to enable a custom tone sequence and page
     46 on how to program it in (it is the tone sequence in
     autodial memory number 1).


9.   Set ABS to the desired ratio.  ABS is the Automatic
     Battery Saver and causes the radio to go into a low-
     power consumption sleep mode if it is not used for a
     few seconds.   In this mode, the radio remains
     inactive (conserving power) except for periodic 30
     millisecond samples of the frequency being
     monitored.    ABS may cause you to miss the first
     split second of a transmission and can cause problems
     for the same reason when the radio is being used for
     packet.   Otherwise, it is a good tool.   If I had the
     money, my car would have ABS too (but that is a
     different kind :-)   To set ABS, enter:

            FM -> 4

            and then one of the following keys

            1  for  10ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            2  for  20ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            3  for  40ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            4  for  80ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            5  for 160ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            6  for 320ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            7  for 640ms sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            8  for 1.28s sleep, 30ms sample duty cycle
            9  for automatic ratio based on recent usage
            0  for ABS off


10.  If desired, enable Tx Save feature.   This feature
     will adjust transmitted power based on the signal
     strength of the incoming reception.    As a rule,
     amateurs should always be using the minimum power
     necessary to maintain their QSO.  This is a lazy
     approach.   To enable Tx Save:


            FM -> 0 -> 4

            and repeat for the other band

            FM -> 0 -> 4


11.  Program in your favorite frequencies in all the
     channels.    There are 41 per band:  38 channels plus
     one CALL channel plus one U (upper channel) plus one L
     (lower channel).     If you have enabled the extended
     receive and transmit, you will find that a wide range
     of UHF and VHF frequencies can be intermixed on each
     side.    It is also possible to enter 0.8 GHz
     frequencies in the UHF side!   If the frequency
     display is flashing, the PLL has unlocked and the
     radio is unable to tune that frequency.

     The basic sequence to enter a frequency in a
     channel is:

            VFO   enter into either VFO on the
                  band desired

            146940  to enter 146.940 MHz

            FM (hold for two seconds)

            (use arrow keys or dial to select
            channel to store frequency in)

            FM

            The frequency is now stored.  After a
            second or two, the radio mode returns
            to the VFO.   Repeat this process as
            necessary to enter all frequencies.

     Refer to the manual on the programming of the CALL, L
     and U channels.   These are used for a quick recall of
     the CALL frequency, Lower limit and Upper limit when
     searching, respectively.   Note that if a CTCSS tone
     is stored in a U or L channel, that tone will be used
     for decoding during search mode if searching is
     initiated from that channel.

     To set a CTCSS decode frequency on a given channel:

            set radio on that channel

            FM -> 2

            turn dial to desired PL tone

            2

     It is then necessary to enable tone decode on that
     frequency.  To do this, repeat FM -> 1 until TSQ
     appears in the display (which indicates Tone Squelch
     is enabled).

     Refer to the manual on setting a decode frequency or
     scanning for a decode frequency.

     Don't forget to save any channel options into memory
     before moving on to some other programming function.
     In other words, if you enable tone decode on a given
     channel, you must save that channel again to the memory
     location in order to save the tone decode setting.
     Otherwise, the minute you move off that channel, the
     tone decode setting is forgotten.


     To set a CALL channel frequency:

            VFO   enter into either VFO on the
                  band desired

            set frequency, offset and CTCSS tone

            FM (hold for two seconds)

            CALL


     The radio is capable of receiving in AM mode and has
     extended receive capability down into the aircraft
     band.    Although not discussed in the manual, the
     radio can store the mode (AM or FM) in each channel.
     To store a frequency in AM mode:

            VFO   enter into either VFO on the
                  band desired

            set frequency

            FM -> 0 -> FM -> VFO  (enables AM mode)

            FM (hold for two seconds)

            use arrows or dial to select channel

            FM

     Note: the VFO will remain in AM mode until you enter the
     sequence again (FM -> 0 -> FM -> VFO) or the radio is
     made to listen to an FM channel.    Remember to return
     the VFO to FM mode after setting an AM station otherwise
     you may end up programming all remaining channels in AM
     mode (annoying!).

     Important:  If you enter any frequency other than an
     amateur radio frequency, make sure you manually set the
     offset to - or + so that if you are listening to the
     frequency and accidentally PTT, you will not transmit
     on that frequency (e.g. a police frequency!).


12.  Set IBS (Intelligent Band Select) if desired.  This
     makes the radio automatically switch to the side, when
     you PTT, that last had a transmission.   To set:

            FM -> 0 -> BAND

     Note:  both bands must be displayed to set IBS.


13.  Set DTMF keypad transmit hang time to on:

            FM -> 0 -> FM -> 1

     This makes it possible to enter a DTMF number sequence
     (e.g. a phone number during an autopatch operation)
     without having to hold PTT beyond entering the first
     digit.


Please send suggestions/corrections to me,

73, Peter

   O   Peter A. Stokes ____________ Voice & Voice mail: [phone]
  <^-  Engineering Applications Support __________ FAX: [phone]
 \/\   Canadian Microelectronics Corporation ______ Net: [e-mail]
    \  Kingston, Ontario, CANADA ______________ Radio: VE3ZXT @ VE3CDY
        "Don't believe any advice you read"

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

Date: 22 Aug 1994 09:28:08 -0500
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!news.tamu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Going to Austria.
To: [e-mail]

I'm going in September for ten days - what do I need to do in order
to take/use my 2m ht.

Garen, N5RUK
[e-mail]

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

Date: 22 Aug 94 15:24:00 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: IC-970H use for AMSATS
To: [e-mail]

Is anyone using the IC-970 for 9600 baud AMSAT work, and if so, what
modifications are required?

I contacted ICOM customer service and got the following reply:

>Sir,
>
>The IC-970 was developed before 9600 baud packet was on the market.
>Therefore the radio was not designed with the capability of operation with
>9600 baud packet.  The IC-970 will work on the AMSAT but not on PACSAT, due
>to the switching speed needed to operate 9600 baud packet.
>
>We do not have factory authorized modifications for the radio outside of the
>original design of the Radio.
>
>73's Ray, KB5KCL
>

It seems hard for me to believe that radio manufacturers are ignoring 9600
baud compatability as much as they are ... the reviews I have read on the new
IC-820 also say that it is also not 9600 baud SAT compatible.

I guess I need to start considering other units for my next purchase ...

any recommendations from other users ???

Thanks

Art Jeyes
[e-mail]

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

Date: 22 Aug 94 14:49:43 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: learning CW
To: [e-mail]

Derek,
  Interesting that you brought this up. I happened to be wondering
the same thing...so I took an informal poll at a VEC testing
session this past weekend. Of the folks I talked to, everyone
that used only computer generated CW said that they had trouble
for the first couple of QSOs after passing their 5 or 13 wpm
code tests. One guy claimed that he could copy 25 wpm solid with
computer generated code, but, on the air could only copy about
15wpm or so. So at least from the small population that I talked
to it seems that your observation is correct.
             cheers - Warren
--
Warren E. Lewis                                 [e-mail]
Technical Support Division                    [phone] x6542
SAS Institute Inc.                                         PP-ASEL
Cary, NC                                      KD4YRN      DOD#0021

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

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 13:50:38 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!torn!news.ccs.queensu.ca!venus![e-mail]
Subject: Questions: Digital Scanning, Cellphones, Transmissions
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
|> In article <333n3t$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Berton Corson) writes:
|> >But if, and when, digital services become the standard, will that make
|> >our scanners next to worthless, with nothing left to scan?
|>
|> It's illegal to scan cellular *now*, you're supposed to use your scanner
|> to scan transmissions that are legal to intercept such as unscrambled
|> public safety and amateur.
|> Gary

Gary:  you dodged the question!   Park the political
correctness and stay technical!   Your insight is good; I
have several printouts at home that are your posts
(lightning protection and SWR arguments).    There is
nothing wrong with _talking_ about scanning cellular phone
calls.   And plus, it is entirely legal.

In Canada.

To answer the reader's question:  scanners are able to
receive an incredibly large number of transmissions:
marine, aircraft, public safety, search and rescue, fire,
taxi, security, Mick Jagger's wireless microphone, amatuer
radio, satelites, ambulance, public weather stations,
military operations, air shows, cordless phones, drug
busters and the list goes on.   As services go digital over
the next couple of decades, today's scanners will slowly
become less versatile.   Don't hold your breath though...
these things take a lot of time.

Peter

   o   Peter A. Stokes ____________ Voice & Voice mail: [phone]
  <^-  Engineering Applications Support __________ FAX: [phone]
 \/\   Canadian Microelectronics Corporation ______ Net: [e-mail]
    \  Kingston, Ontario, CANADA ______________ Radio: VE3ZXT @ VE3CDY
        "Don't believe any advice you read"

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

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 12:52:30 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv![e-mail]
Subject: Radio Interface to Internet?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Seth Russell) writes:
>Ok this might be a really dumb question - but I am going to ask it anyway.
>
>If one needed to download truly large files from the Internet (say in the
>range of 100 files of 50 megs each every day) - then the first thing that
>jumps to mind is - direct connect and bring in a T1 trunk from the *phone
>company* and lease it for about $900 per month - right?
>
>Is this actually the most economical way to do it?  Couldn't an enterprising
>network provider who is already hooked up to the net just interface with a
>radio transmitter that could put data on the air waves and allow anyone with a
>receiver/modem to pick it up for the cost of the equipment and the cost
>to the network provider?  Hey I told you it was a dumb question before
>you started reading!

It's technically feasible. The questions that have to be answered
though are who pays, how much, and on whose spectrum? Businesses
aren't going to provide this service for just the cost of the
equipment, they want to make a profit on this value added service.

Liveline produces a weather product for TV broadcasters. They
distribute the product this way. You call them on landline with
a list of desired weather product (maps), and they queue that
up on their broadcast server and send it digitally encoded via
geosync satellite transponder. The product you order is coded
to activate your decoding box, and is downloaded into your
forecast computers. They charge for the map data, and that
has the cost of transmission rolled into it. Somebody has to
pay the geosync satellite operator for transponder time, somebody
has to amortize, maintain, and operate the uplink station, and all
those somebodies want to make a living at it.

Broadcasters are looking into the broadcast server business.
With the coming digital HDTV broadcasts, there is going to
be excess capacity in the data stream. There are several
proposals for selling this excess capacity for broadcast data
services. And of course there are already stock quote services
(and paging) broadcast (encrypted) on subcarriers of FM broadcast
stations.  The user pays a fee that covers the data, and the
transmission.

No one is going to do it for just cost of equipment any more
than the telcos are going to give you a T1 just for cost of
equipment. The telco's copper is already a sunk cost. It costs
them no more to give you dialtone than it does to carry a live
call, but they still charge you per minute. That's because they
want to turn a buck off you. It's the same for broadcast servers,
they want to turn a buck off you. They don't have the copper
cost of the telcos, but they have other costs, such as the
typical $12,000 a month electric bill for their transmitter.

Then there's the question of available spectrum. There's only
a limited amount of spectrum space, and there are lots of
different demands for it's use. For a broadcast service to
be economical, it has to reach enough customers with product
they want in order to spread the costs enough to be competitive
with switched point to point telco service.

For regular broadcasters, the magic number is 2.5 cents per viewer
per minute, or about $1080 per viewer per month. That's higher than
a leased T1 monthly charge (but of course it includes product cost
as well as transmission cost). With the much lower number of people
consuming a data product being broadcast, the price point is likely
considerably higher for a dedicated broadcast data server. If that
cost can be made *incremental* to the existing broadcast, it is
likely to be small enough to be competitive with switched services.

Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV          |    You make it,     | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems |    we break it.     | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way             |    Guaranteed!      | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244     |                     | [e-mail]

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

Date: 22 Aug 1994 13:20:57 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com![e-mail]
Subject: Rigs in Dish Washers
To: [e-mail]

Many many years ago before anyone could afford a dishwasher (or maybe
before they were invented) we used to take the old nasty cab radios we
were trying to modify to the car wash and CAREFULLY spray them out with
the high pressure hot water hose.  We would only use the soap spray on
the pieces of the cases that did not contain components.

---------------------
Dan Vestal
[e-mail]
---------------------

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

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 07:45:24
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!overload.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!emory!metro.atlanta.com!mhv.net!news.sprintlink.net!indirect.com!s146.phxslip.indirect.com!lenwink@@.
Subject: SSTV
To: [e-mail]

The subject of slow scan tv will be the topic of discussion on this week's
Ham Radio & More show. It features John Langner, WB2OSZ, of
Absolute Value Systems as the show's guest. So be sure to tune into this
week's show, 8/28/94.
Ham Radio & More is heard on the Talk America Network in over 20 cities
 and via satellite on spacenet 3, transponder 9, 6.8 audio. The listener
call in line is 1-800-298-talk, and for more info call 602-241-1510.
73, Len, KB7LPW

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

Date: 22 Aug 94 14:50:10 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: subscribe
To: [e-mail]

Dear OM,

could I get more info on the services you provide for hams? What topics are
covered, is there a conference going on, interesting files  etc...

Thanks,

Peter - ON6TT.

[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 07:39:35
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!emory!metro.atlanta.com!mhv.net!news.sprintlink.net!indirect.com!s146.phxslip.indirect.com![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <339v43$[e-mail]>46.phx
Subject : Re: Why Some people hate Wayne Green

>I have been a 73 reader since the mid Sixties and have found Wayne Green
>W2NSD/2 interesting, entertaining and controversial.  He's Ham Radio's
>original "Bad Boy".  Every organized effort humans involve themselves in
>should have a "devil's advocate" or whatever you wish to call it.
>
>Two political parties are better than one.   The ARRL is necessary as a
>lobby group to keep the Bureaucrats in DC from taking our bands away from
>us ( especially the VHF-UHF bands which are jealously coveted by the two-way
>radio industry.  Don't forget the 220MHz band that UPS spent mucho bucks
>to get from us and doesn't even use!) In my opinion,  Wayne is and has
>been the guy that keeps the League on its toes.

>I've heard Wayne Green speak on several occasions at hamfests and he
>always draws a huge crowd.  Many people criticize him for all kinds of
>reasons.  I don't always agree with his views, but he certainly makes the
>political side of our hobby colorful and interesting.

And Wayne Green will be the guest on the Ham Radio & More show on
October 30, 1994. Make plans to hear this POSITIVE show.
73, Len, KB7LPW

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #947
******************************