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- Date: Fri, 14 Jan 94 06:43:02 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 #35
- To: Info-Hams
-
-
- Info-Hams Digest Fri, 14 Jan 94 Volume 94 : Issue 35
-
- Today's Topics:
- 10-12 meter coverage on a ranger?
- ANARTS RTTY NEWS791 09/01/94
- Learning Morse - which letters to start?
- Multi-User Dungeons on Packet?
- Portable 2m Antenna for Mountaineering???
- QSL help pse (2 msgs)
- QSL routes
- Seeking info on repeaters in Irving TX area.
- Sony 2010 for sale
- VHF - UHF mobile antenna for scanner (2 msgs)
- why 29.94 fps?
-
- 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 Jan 1994 06:53:23 GMT
- From: noc.near.net!news.delphi.com!jtriolo@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: 10-12 meter coverage on a ranger?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- >I am looking to run 10 and 12 meters (I don't care about running CB) in
- the car
- >and am looking at the Ranger RCI-2970 and the Uniden 2600. Which one of
- these can be modified to run on 12 meters aswell (and maybe 15 too?) Where
- can I find
- >these frequency mods?
-
- Occasionally, I have seen ads in ham classifieds (such as those in 73 or CQ
- magazines) with offers for 12 meter mods for the 2510/2600 series of Uniden
- xcvrs. I'll see if I can dig up one of those ads. Not sure on the 2970,
- though.
-
- 73,
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Jason D. Triolo -- Colonial Heights, VA | ----------------------
- Amateur Radio: KD4ACG | This space for rent.
- Internet : JTRIOLO@delphi.com | Call today!
- Fidonet : 1:264/219.1 | ----------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 13 Jan 94 00:44:27 GMT
- From: munnari.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!sserve!usage!metro!news.ci.com.au!eram!dave@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: ANARTS RTTY NEWS791 09/01/94
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- [ ANARTS - Australian National Amateur Radio Teletype Society ]
-
- ANARTS NEWS BULLETIN 791 09/01/94
-
- SUNDAY BROADCAST SCHEDULES.
- 3.545 mhz 0930 utc VK2BQS (Jim)
- 7.045 mhz -3 0030 utc VK2CTD (COL)
- 14.070 mhz (amtor/fec) 0030 utc VK2DPM (ALAN)
- 14.091 mhz 0030 utc VK2BQS (JIM)
- 146.675 mhz 0030/0930 utc VK2JPA (PAT)
- 144.850 mhz (ax25 bbs) VK2JPA AT VK2RWI
- 146.675 mhz (rtty mmbbs/repeater) VK2RTY
-
- Views expressed in this news bulletin are not necessarily
- those of the Broadcast Officer, the Relay Officers, or of the
- Society.
-
- QUESTION.....
- Why has Dural been off air in such a state of emergency?
-
- In this emergency that is affecting so many people in the
- northern parts of Sydney, why has the WIA Council
- (VK2 Division) kept Dural repeaters off air when there is such
- a need for communications in this catastrophe ?
-
- I find it incredible that the Council does not respond to this
- emergency and put the repeaters back up as a public service
- regardless of the reason for taking them off air.
-
- Pat VK2JPA Broadcast Officer ANARTS
-
- -----------------------------------------
-
- Due to the emergency situation in eastern New South Wales, I
- am holding back the series on Guidelines for the preparation
- of programs for transmission by Amateur Radio Teletype sent to
- us by Frank VK2FJL. This will now commence next week - surely
- the fires will be gone by then, and the amateurs back at their
- sets ...
-
- Spare a thought for any amateurs affected by this desperate
- situation. If many are affected, is there some way we who are
- safe can help get them back on air ? Thoughts to this end
- would be appreciated. Contact Pat VK2JPA at VK2GJB while
- VK2RWI is off air, or drop a fax to (02) 622 9604 during
- working hours.
-
- ---------------------------------------
-
- Syd, VK2SG, back on air
-
- With the help of Bill, VK2EG, and Bruce, VK2RT, Syd's shack
- has been moved into his house to make up for his lack of
- mobility and Syd is back on air, except for CW. Be prepared to
- hear him on Pactor etc., maybe even a few contacts in
- contests, depending on his health at the time.
-
- What Syd does need help with is the chain drive for his quad
- which is on top of a 65 foot free-standing tower.The chain has
- come off again so he is restricted to a north-east heading. Is
- there some energetic person out there with the time and
- expertise to assist ? Contact Syd on (02) 631 2576. Tell him
- you saw it in the broadcast.
-
-
- Attention Volunteer Coastal Patrol operators
-
- The Royal Blind Society of New South Wales, in conjunction
- with the Maritime Services, have produced a tape which
- consists of frequencies, times and weather forecasts together
- with ocean conditions, traffic, and many other services which
- have reference to shipping operations (including safety) that
- are normally broadcast by the Maritime Services (O.T.C.).
-
- This tape has been produced to assist the blind or dyslectic
- operators that are assisting with the operations of the
- Volunteer Coastal Patrol services throughout Australia. The
- tape is a C60 twin track cassette and is available from the
- Royal Blind Society of New South Wales for a slight cost.
-
- The tapes are now available, after some delay was overcome.
-
- Please direct all enquiries to Jim Bates at the Royal Blind
- Society of New South Wales, phone (02) 334 3333, 4 Mitchell
- Street Enfield Sydney.
-
- --------------------------
-
- Seen in the RTTY Digital Journal and reprinted there from
- somewhere in a US communications network. Just a bit of light
- humour ...
-
- To all visitors
-
- WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS IS AN AMATEUR RADIO STATION,
- LICENSED AS BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION. BEFORE
- YOU ASK QUESTIONS, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING -
-
- 1. The total cost of this equipment cannot be discussed here
- as it creates marital conflicts.
-
- 2. No, I cannot send a message to your brother in Hong Kong,
- I suggest you call Western Union.
-
- 3. This is strictly a hobby; I do not have the facilities or
- the time to fix TV sets, radios or Hi-Fi. I suggest you see a
- serviceman.
-
- 4. Yes, the antenna in the backyard is essential to the oper-
- ation of the equipment.
-
- 5. The farthest station we have contacted has been in the
- Ubangiland.
-
- 6. The cards on the wall are called QSL cards. They are con-
- firmation of contacts made with other stations.
-
- 7. Oh, no!! Never does this station equipment interfere with
- television reception.
-
- Furthermore -
- IF YOU ARE INVITED TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE
- OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING RULES -
-
- 1. Speak in a low and soothing tone.
- 2. Do not agree with me in any manner.
- 3. Say no bad words and tell no off-colour jokes.
-
- DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING, TURN ANY KNOBS, OR SIT ON THE
- EQUIPMENT. I HAVE LOST SEVERAL VISITORS BY ELECTROCUTION IN
- THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
-
-
- IPS weekly report
- -----------------
-
- 31 December - 6 January 1994
-
- Issue no.: 01
-
- Date of issue: 7 January 1994
-
- Date 30 01 02 03 04 05 06
- 10cm 141 148 146 133 129 137 132
- A 16 21 19 13 06 05 (10 estimated)
- T 116 51 46 55 73 80 86
-
- Summary of activity
-
- Solar activity was very low 1st and 3rd-4th January, low 31st
- December and 6th January, moderate on 5th, and high on 2nd
- with an M6 flare on that day.
-
- The geomagnetic field at Learmonth (WA) was -
-
- 31st Quiet to unsettled with active periods 0600-1200 UT
- 1st Unsettled to active
- 2nd Quiet to active
- 3rd Quiet to unsettled, with brief active period 1500-1800
- UT
- 4th Quiet to unsettled
- 5th Quiet
- 6th Quiet to unsettled
-
- Ionospheric F2 critical frequencies at Sydney were near normal
- or enhanced by up to 50 per cent. Strong sporadic E was ob-
- served on 31st-4th and obscured the F layer at times each day.
-
- Forecast for the next week (7 - 13 January)
-
- Solar : Low.
-
- Geomagnetic: Quiet with possible active periods 12-13 Jan.
-
- Ionospheric: 10 - 20 per cent enhanced/near normal.
-
-
- Courtesy of IPS Radio and Space Services
-
- ---------------------------------------
-
- No RTTY DXnotes available, so here is whatever we could find.
-
- ARLD001 DX NEWS
-
- PRATAS TO BE ACTIVE
-
- ON JANUARY 5, 1994, A GROUP OF EXPEDITIONERS FROM TAIWAN AND
- FINLAND WILL ACTIVATE PRATAS ISLAND, AKA TUNG SHA DAO. FOR THE
- FIRST TIME IN AMATEUR RADIO HISTORY. THE TEAM WILL CONSIST OF
- LEADER BV5AF, BV2AP, BV4AS, BV4OB AND OH2BH. THE CALL SIGNS
- BV0ARL/BV9P OR SIMPLY BV9P WILL BE USED.
-
- THIS INITIAL OPERATION WILL BE APPROXIMATELY FOUR AND A HALF
- HOURS, FROM 0300Z UNTIL 0730Z, ACCORDING TO BV5AF, AND WILL
- HOPEFULLY OPEN THE DOOR FOR A LARGER OPERATION IN MARCH.
- THERE IS CURRENTLY NO DXCC STATUS FOR THAT ISLAND.
-
- --------------------------------------------
-
- Most wanted countries on RTTY, as of August 1993
-
- This is from the DX Bulletin and printed in the RTTY Digital
- Journal December 1993.
-
- The rarest are - Libya 5A, Heard Island VK0, Yemen 4W, Mount
- Athos SV/A, Congo TN, Kerguelen FT/X. All respondents to the
- survey used to supply the above needed those countries.
-
- Other rare countries are - Bhutan A5, Burundi 9U, Nepal 9N,
- Ghana 9G, Peter Island 3Y, Kermadec ZL8, Andamans VU4,
- Tromelin FR/T, Macquarie Island VK0, Crozet FT/W, St Peter and
- Paul Rocks PY0S, Tunisia 3V, Auckland Island ZL9, Afghanistan
- YA, Guinea 3X, Cocos Islands TI9, Central Kiribati T31, Qatar
- A7, Bahrain A9, Rwanda 9X, Trindade PY0T, Minami Torishima
- JD1, Tokelau ZK3, Jan Mayen JX.
-
- ---------------------------------------
-
- Coming events
- -------------
-
- 1994
- ----
- January 8th-9th ARRL Rtty Roundup
-
- ------------------------------------
-
- Society information
-
- The Society may be contacted at : PO Box 860, Crows Nest 2065
- Australia, for such matters as membership and general
- enquiries. Enquiries can also be made by packet to the
- President (Col) VK2CTD, or the Secretary (Pat) VK2JPA @ VK2RWI
-
- News items may be sent to Broadcast Officer PO Box 60
- Blacktown 2148 Australia, or by packet to VK2JPA @ VK2RWI.
-
- The Internet address for the Broadcast Officer is :
- patl@extro.edu.su.oz.au
-
- The Society welcomes news items on any digital subjects from
- anywhere in the broadcast coverage area. We know we reach New
- Zealand and many South Pacific islands and we are looking forward
- to news from your areas to let other amateurs know what you are
- doing in the hobby. Hope to hear from you.
-
- 73s de Pat VK2JPA Broadcast Officer
-
- That concludes ANARTS News Bulletin 791 09/01/94
-
- Inserted by VK2BQS Jim (Vice-President ANARTS).
-
- --
- Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU) VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC PGP 2.3
- dave@esi.COM.AU ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave available
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 21:30:46 GMT
- From: pmafire!boojum!mamie.lanl.gov!user@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Learning Morse - which letters to start?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Will wonders never cease? My XYL asked if there was a class she could
- take to get her license just as one was announced on the local 2m net!
-
- The class instructor said he was teaching only the written material
- for Codeless Tech license, so I will be the code coach for my wife.
- Although I've only had my license about a year, I actually learned the
- code in Junior High School (more than 20 years ago). I don't remember
- how you go FROM SCRATCH! Seems to me I learned A,N,R,S,E,I,H first, then
- W,U,M,O,C etc. Is there a preferred way or order to learn the letters
- from scratch? All I have in the house now are 15-20 WPM tapes and a
- couple of code programs for Mac for people who already know the code. How
- should I proceed? My oldest son is learning by sending "secret" messages
- to me with a homebrew CPO. I started him off with the letter groups I
- mentioned above, but I am not sure what is best.
-
-
- Any comments, please post or email!
-
- Thanks,
- Tom
- KJ5LT
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 13 Jan 94 04:46:00 GMT
- From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!destroyer!news1.oakland.edu!vela.acs.oakland.edu!swood@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: Multi-User Dungeons on Packet?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Would it be possible or plausible to run Multi-User Dungeon (MUD)
- on packet radio? Would anyone like to help me hack code to play with
- this concept?
-
- swood
-
- --
- All Month Rabbit and Crow are legal to hunt all month in Michigan
- Current Michigan Canada Goose special late season still open
- (Southern Michigan Game Management unit only w/stamp)
- <<<<<< Only nine months until bow season!!! >>>>>>
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 12 Jan 94 09:24:50 EST
- From: titan.ksc.nasa.gov!titan.ksc.nasa.gov!nntp@ames.arpa
- Subject: Portable 2m Antenna for Mountaineering???
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- David,
-
- Try a rolled up J-pole. It's made of 300 Ohm Twin lead and tapped with a
- 50 Ohm coax with BNC connector on opposite end. It provides about 2.8dB
- gain. You can buy the ant from MFJ for about $12 or build it yourself.
- The dimensions are below:
- -- for 146MHz center freq
- |
- |
- |
- |
- this side |
- 56" |
- | | <----------------------------------- trim here for best SWR.
- | | 14" on this side
- | |
- coax====> - - 1-3/4" tap from bottom
- | |
- ---
-
- I've experimented with lots of these with good results (built about 30 or so
- for myself, friends, and local HAM classes).
-
- Good luck and 73,
- Tom
- AD4NA
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 19:30:32 GMT
- From: newsflash.concordia.ca!nstn.ns.ca!news.ucs.mun.ca!kean.ucs.mun.ca!jcraig@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: QSL help pse
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I worked the following on top band, but can't seem to find
- managers / CBA's for them...
-
- YS1X
- HH2PK
- XF4JC
- V47WZ
-
- Any help will be appreciated.
- 73 Joe, VO1NA
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Thu, 13 Jan 1994 18:27:40 GMT
- From: psinntp!gdstech!gdstech!bat@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: QSL help pse
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- YS1X via W3HNK.
- XF4JC via XE1ECR.
- V47WZ might be WZ8D.
- HH2PK might be KA9RLJ.
-
- We are uncertain abiut these last 2. If you get confirmation,
- or other info, please let me know.
- --
- *-----------------------------------------------------------*
- * Pat Masterson D12-25 | KE2LJ@KC2FD *
- * Grumman Data Systems | 516-346-6316. *
- * Bethpage, NY 11746 | bat@gdstech.grumman.com *
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 18:22:05 GMT
- From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!darwin.sura.net!perot.mtsu.edu!raider!theporch!jackatak!root@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: QSL routes
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- tcj@netcom.com (Todd Jonz) writes:
- > Derek Wills (oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu) writes:
- > > > PZ1DYX No listing given....
- > > Let me guess that this was a cw contact, and that the op was PZ1DY,
- > > who is quite active, and who was sending "thank you" = "TU" = "X" if
- > > you run the T and the U together, as many do.
- > Inspector Morse would be impressed! ;-)
-
- And, last week a mysterious station signing P8E was heard... and
- logged... NAME RON -- QTH NEW BEDFORD, OH ... and he didn't seem as
- hot about QSLing as all those in the pileup working him did...
-
- Just Ron, WE8E having some fun... ;^)
- 73,
- Jack, W4PPT/Mobile (75M SSB 2-letter WAS #1657 -- all from the mobile! ;^)
-
- +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+
- | Jack GF Hill |Voice: (615) 459-2636 - Ham Call: W4PPT |
- | P. O. Box 1685 |Modem: (615) 377-5980 - Bicycling and SCUBA Diving |
- | Brentwood, TN 37024|Fax: (615) 459-0038 - Life Member - ARRL |
- | root@jackatak.raider.net - "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" |
- +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 14 Jan 94 14:04:40 GMT
- From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu
- Subject: Seeking info on repeaters in Irving TX area.
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I will be in the Irving TX area next week and would like to know which
- repeaters on the 2 meter and 70cM bands I should try to listen to. Any
- help would be appreciated.
- Thanks.
- Dave WB1FLD
- bourque@ub.com
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 13 Jan 1994 13:40:55 -0800
- From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!biosci!biosci!not-for-mail@decwrl.dec.com
- Subject: Sony 2010 for sale
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- I have a 2010 bought a year and a half ago which I'm thinking of selling
- because I do not use it enough to justify keeping it.
-
- The radio is like new. I used it some at the beginning, then less and
- less, because unfortunately I do not have the time to enjoy it...
- There's absolutely no problem with it, it's 100% new condition.
- I have everything, manuals, original box, cables etc..
-
- I paid in the upper $300's for it. I have the receipt. I would like
- to get $250 for it if possible, given its like-new condition.
-
-
- Jean-Pierre
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 17:51:32 GMT
- From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!paladin.american.edu!darwin.sura.net!perot.mtsu.edu!raider!theporch!jackatak!root@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: VHF - UHF mobile antenna for scanner
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- thweatt@rtsg.mot.com (John A. Thweatt) writes:
-
- > I asked this question about a month ago but didn't get any responce so
- > here it goes again.
- I just read what you are looking for, and based on your wish that it
- hear spectacularly from 30MHz to well over 1,000MHz, and also function
- as a gain transmitting antenna for 146MHz and 440MHz...all the while
- not looking obtrusive and marring the natural lines of your pickup
- truck...
-
- I suspect you would find better answers in
- alt.fountain.of.youth.I.found.it
-
- You are asking for the near impossible, and just a guess, but you
- probably don't want to spend more than, say $50..., right?
-
- That is a more difficult quest than the Fountain of Youth or the Holy
- Grail... it *IS* the Holy Grail of mobile antennas...
-
- No wonder no one answered... there is no answer... wonder why I
- tried...? ;^)
- 73,
- Jack, W4PPT/Mobile (75M SSB 2-letter WAS #1657 -- all from the mobile! ;^)
-
- +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+
- | Jack GF Hill |Voice: (615) 459-2636 - Ham Call: W4PPT |
- | P. O. Box 1685 |Modem: (615) 377-5980 - Bicycling and SCUBA Diving |
- | Brentwood, TN 37024|Fax: (615) 459-0038 - Life Member - ARRL |
- | root@jackatak.raider.net - "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" |
- +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 13 Jan 1994 13:29 CST
- From: munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!news.tamu.edu!summa.tamu.edu!pjc3151@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: VHF - UHF mobile antenna for scanner
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- In article <Lsw2Fc4w165w@jackatak.raider.net>, root@jackatak.raider.net (Jack GF Hill) writes...
- >thweatt@rtsg.mot.com (John A. Thweatt) writes:
- >
- >> I asked this question about a month ago but didn't get any responce so
- >> here it goes again.
- >I just read what you are looking for, and based on your wish that it
- >hear spectacularly from 30MHz to well over 1,000MHz, and also function
- Other than mounting a discone on your vehicle, you would probably best go
- with a dual band mobile antenna (ie Larsen 2m/70cm). Since you will
- probably not be doing weak signal work, it should suit your needs across
- the band fairly well with the worst performance being in the low-vhf band.
- If you really need the low vhf, go with a CB antenna for that portion
- 73, Pierre WA1UAT/5
- catala@entc.tamu.edu
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 05:59:18 GMT
- From: concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!adx.adelphi.edu!auvax1.adelphi.edu!schmidt@decwrl.dec.com
- Subject: why 29.94 fps?
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- In article <19940112231936OSYSMAS@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU>, OSYSMAS@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU (Michael Stein) writes:
- >>Unfortunately publication 432 is out of date here. The nets don't
- >>work this way anymore, and haven't since the late 1970s, as has been
- >>noted previously in this thread. Using broadcast colorburst will only
- >>give you a reference that's the local crystal oscillator at the local
- >>broadcast outlet. It's likely no more accurate than your own crystal
- >>oscillator, about 4 ppm. NIST should circulate a retraction of this
- >>technique because it's likely still misleading folks. (They may have
- >>issued one, but I haven't seen it.)
- >
- > See NIST Special Publication 432 (Revised 1990), inside cover
- > says "Supersedes NBS Spec. Publ. 432 dated September 1979.
- >
- > Oh, I can't find a mention of TV color signal calibrating at all
- > there. See the 1979 version (NIST was NBS then), page 10 & 11
- > section 7 titled "Digital Frame Synchronizers and
- > TelevisionTechniques". <sic>
- >
- > This section explains that a frame synchronizer replaces the
- > original accuracy of the network feed with the accuracy of the
- > local station reference. It also says that only a few stations
- > have them, but this will change if the cost of frame
- > synchronizers drops...
- >
- > I'd guess a bit of RAM and some timing circuits cost a bit less
- > now than in 1979. So this implies that TV color carriers are
- > useless now as a frequency standard. Which probably explains why
- > this information was dropped from Pub 432.
- >
- > You're right, the new Pub 432 should probably have made a point
- > of "retracting" this bit of information. Instead they just
- > dropped all mention of it.
- >
- > PS: The old Pub 432 does mention that there may be a special case
- > where good color references may be available. The old pub
- > claims that ABC stations in Los Angeles and New York are
- > co-located with their network studios and use the network
- > cesium references. Anyone know if this is still true? Or
- > has their cesium reference outlived it's lifetime and not
- > been replaced?
-
- My PAYING daytime job is as a design engineer for ABC New York. WABC TV is
- adjacent to the network facilities, and I believe they get their sync reference
- from the network. They did the last time I looked, which was some years ago.
- I'll post here if this is untrue. ABC Network uses a Rubidium standard for
- sync, BUT, the backup, if the Rubidium croaks, is the crystal oscillator in the
- GVG sync generator which is normally locked to the Rubidium. Unfortunately,
- the casual viewer has no way of knowing if the Rubidium reference is up.
-
- Most every little two-bit local station now has frame synchronizers these days,
- I think the least expensive ones are only a few thousand dollars now. If so,
- their colorburst frequency is set by their local reference, and not the
- network. Also some cable systems use processing which destroys the burst
- integrity. therefore, don't count on this way of calibrating your frequency
- counter....
-
- We used to have a Cesium standard on loan from NBS, backed up by TWO Rubidiums,
- which we owned as the reference. After the widespread use of frame syncs, the
- NBS took their cesium back, and finally the Rubidiums wore out. We talked
- about just using the crystal oscillator in the GVG sync generator as the
- reference all the time, and in fact have run that way from time to time for
- several days to weeks, but we also use the sync as the reference for our clocks
- and time-of-day time code (also encoded in the vertical interval and used by
- Nielson for ratings measurements), so we decided to spring for the more
- accurate Rubidium standard, and bought a new one.
-
- Interestingly, another inaccuracy (really a jitter of sorts) in the frequency
- of the colorburst can be caused by doppler effects caused by the satellite
- drifting slightly in its orbital position. Almost all TV signals are
- transmitted to affiliates by satellite these days. Some day, this may migrate
- more to Fiber, but for now it's mostly satellite.
-
- John
-
- --
- *******************************************************************************
- John H. Schmidt, P.E. |Internet: schmidt@auvax1.adelphi.edu
- Technical Director, WBAU |Phone--Days (212)456-4218
- Adelphi University | Evenings (516)877-6400
- Garden City, New York 11530 |Fax-------------(212)456-2424
- *******************************************************************************
-
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-
- End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #35
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