QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/digests/infoham/940644.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 22.9 KB

Date: Thu,  9 Jun 94 04:30:06 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #644
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Thu,  9 Jun 94       Volume 94 : Issue  644

Today's Topics:
                   ** QUESTION TO HTX-202 OWNERS **
                  Boston Amateur Radio Club Web Page
              can u hlp with rpt ant questions? (2 msgs)
       EOSS-17 Recap (High Altitude Balloon Flight over Denver)
                          FCC computers up!
                   GAP Titan vs MFJ-1798 vs R-7 (?)
                         Hallicrafters SX-28?
              Mass, RI and NH   Field Day  QTHs  Wanted
                         Singapore HAM Laws?

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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: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 19:56:02 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!csn!server!stortek.com![e-mail]
Subject: ** QUESTION TO HTX-202 OWNERS **
To: [e-mail]

In article <2t4im9$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Merle Rutschke) writes:
>From: [e-mail] (Merle Rutschke)
>Subject: ** QUESTION TO HTX-202 OWNERS **
>Date: 8 Jun 1994 13:56:25 GMT


>To HTX-202 owners (and others),

>  I have a 202 to which I occasionally hook up a power supply
>(as described in the owner's manual).  I even have the Micronta
>12-volt regulated power supply that is recommended in the owner's
>manual.

> On high power the 202 warms up as I transmit (as expected).  My
>question is:  Is the 202 supposed to warm up on low power also?
>My reason for asking is because I have a friend who's HT (not
>Radio Shack) warms up on high power but NOT on low power.

>Is it normal for the HTX-202 to warm up on low power as well as
>high power?

 Be sure you have your belt clip installed - Its part of your heat sink

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

Date: 08 Jun 1994 11:35:03 GMT
From: yale.edu!noc.near.net!chaos.dac.neu.edu!chaos.dac![e-mail]
Subject: Boston Amateur Radio Club Web Page
To: [e-mail]

Annoucing the creation of the Boston Amateur Radio Club World Wide Web
home page.

What is the World Wide Web?  It is like the Internet, except consisting of
information instead of networked computer systems.  The Web consists of
a variety of information all linked together, in no particular order, with
"links" to other information.

So, what is the address of the Boston Amateur Radio Club Web page?
http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc.html


This doesn't look like a normal telnet or ftp address.  How do I connect?
You need to use some new programs, possibly available on your system.

The graphically oriented program, called Mosaic, is most preferable.

The for non graphically-oriented users, you have a choice: www or lynx

(www is a program which does stand for World Wide Web, but not to be
confused with the Web itself :)

To use either of these two command-line programs, you would type:
lynx http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc.html for the connection,
or similarly, for www...
www http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc.html for the connection.

If you have any questions, are completely confused, and/or want to know
more, please don't hesitate to contact me at any of the addresses in my
signature file, or call me at the Northeastern University radio club
(local Boston area calls only, please): 617-373-4198

73,
Scott

--
-----------------
Scott Ehrlich, Amateur Radio Callsign: wy1z
How to reach me: [e-mail] [Internet], [e-mail] [Packet]
Boston ARC ftp archives: ftp oak.oakland.edu /pub/hamradio
Boston ARC Web page: http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc.html

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

Date: 8 Jun 94 22:28:00 GMT
From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!eniac.seas.upenn.edu![e-mail]
Subject: can u hlp with rpt ant questions?
To: [e-mail]

In article <2t5a70$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Brian Kantor) writes:
>I've heard that the most common failure is that the welds
>break when the antenna is installed in a way that it flexes in the wind.
>Ours that have been side-mounted on the tower have survived for more
>than a decade.

Repeated discussions with several manufacturers as well as personal
experience have convinced me that this isn't a real problem but more
or less an explanation people have come up with for why their antenna
has failed.  That's not to say that not using an upper support arm
isn't necessary - it has the added benefit of preventing pattern
distortion as the antenna flexes, and the reduced flexing can't hurt
either.

>They are constructed of copper tubing and rod which is spot-welded
>together as alternating coaxial dipoles, cut to length to be resonant
>at the tuned frequency.  They aren't real broadband, and to lower their
>frequency will typically take lengthening the elements, which is not
>trivial to do.

Not all of them use coaxial half-wave sections.  Some manufacturers use
series-fed 5/8 wave sections with phasing/matching coils.  Antenna
Specialists uses a J-pole-like feed at the bottom and 5/8 wave
radiators.

>I have been told (but never confirmed) that the result of using one of
>these at a frequency below its designed freq is not only increased SWR
>and lower radiation efficiency, but also that the resulting pattern
>tends to tilt skyward.  With the tall mountains we have around here,
>we have often ordered the Stationmasters with a 5 degree downtilt in
>the pattern to improve coverage of cities near the base of the mountains.

As you go below the resonant frequency, the pattern tilts downward.  Easy
to remember - go lower in frequency, pattern goes lower.  I have a
couple of 450-460 SSM's that I use for receive-only sites - they work very
well as they provide a slight amount of negative beamtilt, and at UHF,
the bandwidth is pretty broad so receiving on the high end of 440 isn't
a problem.

                            --- Jeff
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 Jeff DePolo  WN3A              Twisted Pair: [phone]H  387-3059W
 [e-mail]    RF: 443.800+ MHz   442.400+ MHz   24.150 GHz

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

Date: 8 Jun 1994 19:14:34 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!eniac.seas.upenn.edu![e-mail]
Subject: can u hlp with rpt ant questions?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Bourque) writes:
>We were given a Phelps-Dodge antenna.  Freq tag removed.  I know for a fact
>that it was in service at 152Mhz.  The hope was to retune this antenna for use
>at 146Mhz.  When asking around on the proper way to do this I was advised that
>this antenna cannot be modified because the antenna is only 20 feet long.
>These same people tell us we need one that is 22 feet long.  Fact or fiction?

There is no inherent way of retuning VHF StationMasters.  The 152 MHz antenna
you have can probably be somewhat usable on the ham band, but not at
maximum performance.  One trick to pulling highband VHF antennas down to 2m
is to use aluminum or copper foil tape.  You can make a ring out of regular
aluminum foil, wrap it around the radome, and secure it with a rubber band.
Then, while transmitting with low power (a watt or two), move the ring up
and down the length of the radome to find a spot where SWR dips.  Do the
same thing again higher up the antenna with another ring.  Then use foil
tape in place of the rubberband-and-foil.  This tuning-for-low-SWR-method
doesn't guarantee anything about how good the pattern will be, but at
least your PA won't complain.

There are two versions of the VHF StationMaster.  One is just called the
StationMaster (SM), the other the SuperStationMaster (SSM).  The regular SM
has a rather narrow bandwidth, but works fine for 600 kHz spacing.  The
SSM has a wider bandwidth which is generally not needed for 2m amateur
repeaters.  Note that on UHF the terms SM and SSM more aptly describe
the size of the antenna rather than the bandwidth.

SM and SSM were both trademarks of Phelps-Dodge (that's why all the models
begin with PD).  What was Phelps-Dodge is now Celwave.  SM and SSM are
now Celwave trademarks, and they still use the PD nomenclature.

>I've been offered yet another antenna, I'll have to pay for this one, that has
>already been in service in the amateur band.  The owner thinks the model
number is PD-220.  Cell Wave I believe.

This is probably your best bet.

>We've contacted a local distributor regarding the purchase of a new antenna.
>Cell Wave PD-200.  Big bucks.  Distributor says this antenna is 21 feet long.
>I'm also not sure I've got the model prefix correct.
>
>Now, what is the difference between the 200 and 220?  Anyone know?

One is probably the regular SM, the other the SSM.  Don't have the catalog
in front of me.

Don't pay much attention to the lengths.  Somebody might quote you the length
in the catalog, which is usually the length at the lowest frequency
available for the model (like 136 MHz), somebody else may give
you the real length at your frequency of choice (like 146.76 MHz),
somebody else may give you the length of just the radome and not the
pipe, etc.

On VHF, I'd just generally forget about getting a used commercial one and
trying to reuse it.  They aren't "tuneable" aside from gimmicks like
the one described above.  You can gut them and build your own collinear
though.  If you use RG8 or another coax with a relatively slow
velocity factor, you can probably make it fit inside a commercial-band
radome.

Really old SM and SM-like antennas are filled with wax.  Others are
filled with foam.  Getting them apart can be a real bear.  Generally
speaking, everything slides out the bottom of the radome.  You'll
need a torch to get the lightening spike off the top first - the antenna
is connected to it.

If your antenna is side-mounted, I'd suggest getting a Hustler G6 and
using an upper anti-sway arm.  The Hustler's are built very well and seem
to hold up well in rough environs.  Of course they're not in the same
league as a StationMaster, but the different mechanical design approach
may do better in your environment.  Alternatively, think about a 4-bay
instead of a stick.

I had a couple of Diamond F718A's on one of our UHF repeaters on a mountain
(well, what people around here call a mountain anyway), and after less
than 2 years of use, they showed signs of wear.  The Diamond's were
more or less an experiement to see how well they worked.  Electrically,
they were pretty good, but mechanically, they can't compare to the
Celwave PD455 that's up there now.  You get what you pay for.

                            --- Jeff
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 Jeff DePolo  WN3A              Twisted Pair: [phone]H  387-3059W
 [e-mail]    RF: 443.800+ MHz   442.400+ MHz   24.150 GHz

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

Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 17:52:47 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!cns![e-mail]
Subject: EOSS-17 Recap (High Altitude Balloon Flight over Denver)
To: [e-mail]

 --------------------------
  FLIGHT SYNOPSIS: EOSS 17
 --------------------------

 Date:                      June 4,1994
 Launch time:               16:00 UTC
 Launch site:               Monument, Colorado
 Launch site Coordinates:   Latitude    39 deg 02.67'N
                            Longitude  104 deg 52.53'W

 Balloon Burst Altitude:    94,000 feet

 Balloon Burst Coordinates: Latitude    39 deg 08.22'N
                            Longitude  104 deg 40.08'W

 Landing Site Coordinates:  Latitude    39 deg 11.52'N
                            Longitude  104 deg 25.99'W


 Ascent Rate:                550 fpm
 Descent Rate:              1113 fpm


 Payload Frequencies:

 Telemetry:                 144.340 MHz
 ATV      :                 426.250 MHz
 Beacon   :                 147.555 MHz

Synopsis:

The flight of EOSS 17 was another triumph in the many successful launches
for Edge of Space Sciences Inc. (EOSS). This flight's success was due to the
tremendous teamwork of personnel at the ground station and out in the field.

The flight started promptly at 16:00 UTC from the NAVSYS INC. facility in
Monument Colorado. The weather was excellent.

During the flight a barometric switch was tested. The purpose of the switch
is to add a safety to the cut down circuit. The switch is designed to be
open below and closed above a certain altitude. The experiment was deemed a
success. The switch closed at 26,000 feet on ascent and opened on descent at
25,000 feet. This switch will be tested on future flights to determine the
repeatability of the results.

APRS performed perfectly during the flight. The spectators were treated to
the "realtime" updates of the balloon's position.

The ATV video was P-5 during most of the flight.  We captured the bursting
of the balloon, via the onboard ATV camera, on video tape. Dave Radomski,
KT0H, video taped the balloon burst with a camcorder from his ground
position out in the field. During the descent of the payload the ATV antenna
was forcefully separated from its short coax lead and plummeted to the
ground from about 70,000 feet; location unknown. We should have some more
dramatic video to add to the EOSS library.

The tracking and recovery team did another great job. During the descent
phase of the flight at about 44,000 feet, Loran-C lost its lock and did not
regain it for the remainder of the flight. From this point on, the ground
station was unable to assist in determining the payload's location other
than providing an RDF fix. Thanks to the expert assistance from our tracking
and recovering team, the balloon's position was followed using the more
traditional direction finding techniques we employ on every flight.

The tracking and recovery team consisted of:

    Paul Ternlund WB3JZV (computerized triangulation)
    Marty Griffin WA0GEH (field coordinator/net control)
    Ed Boyer N0MHU air mobile
    Richard Shaw WB5YOE
    Tom Isenberg N0KSR
    Bob Ragain WB4ETT        ----\
    Colleen Ragain N0QGH          --- Family affair!
    Dawn Ragain N0QCW        ----/
    Greg Burnett K0ELM
    Greg DeWit N0JMH
    Larry Cerney N0STZ
    Roger Smith N0LEQ
    Bill Andrus N0EUL
    Rick von Glahn N0KKZ (back at the ground station)

EOSS would like to extend its sincere thanks to the members and regular
users of the 146.970 MHz Pikes Peak FM Association's fantastic repeater.
Having a repeater on a 14,000 foot tall tower (@8,000 above surrounding
terrain) is a real help.  Balloon flights really tie up the frequency and
the patience of their regular users is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all the folks at NAVSYS for their great hospitality and the use of
there facility, and to all the folks out in the field and all who helped set
up and tear down the ground station.

The original plan for this flight called for a test of the "Shuttle II"
controller. However, unanticipated assistance from Murphy introduced a few
problems and we had to abort that test. Shuttle II should be ready soon and
we will announce its maiden flight when we have a firm schedule set.

Brian/N0VSA

 N0VSA@W0GVT.#NECO.CO.NOAM
 [e-mail]

forwarded to the internet by:

73 -- Rick

******************************************************************************
* Rick von Glahn                               Edge of Space Sciences, Inc.  *
* [e-mail] - Internet (preferred)    Promoting Science and Education *
* N0KKZ@W0GVT.#NECO.CO.USA - packet radio       through Amateur Radio and    *
* finger [e-mail] for EOSS info           High Altitude Balloons     *
******************************************************************************

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

Date: Wed, 08 Jun 1994 03:00:28 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!kira.cc.uakron.edu!malgudi.oar.net!witch!doghouse![e-mail]
Subject: FCC computers up!
To: [e-mail]


In article <[e-mail]>, Dave Rogers ([e-mail]) writes:
>This is consistent with the behavior of all bureaucratic organizations.
>The FCC maintains that they are under staffed. I can't comment on the
>veracity of this statement. However, they just granted four _free_
>Pioneer licenses to PCS (Personal Communications Services, cell phones
>of the future) companies without even investigating the merits of the
>companies' plans. Everyone else has to buy spectrum for this service.
>They are expecting that you will write your congress person complain so
>that they can get more budget. What are the ICBM coordinates for
>Washington, DC anyway?
>

You can't blame the FCC for the Pioneer license situation; that's
written into the law that governs the Pioneer licenses in the first
place.  So long as the companies meet the law, the FCC has to issue
them the license, and free.

If you want to lay blame, blame the Congress that created the law, not
the FCC for following it.

73...joe



----------
Joe Salemi, KR4CZ               Internet: [e-mail]
Compuserve: 72631,23   FidoNet: 1:109/136   MCI Mail: 433-3961

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

Date: 8 Jun 1994 19:54:13 GMT
From: lerc.nasa.gov!kira.cc.uakron.edu!malgudi.oar.net!news.ysu.edu!yfn.ysu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: GAP Titan vs MFJ-1798 vs R-7 (?)
To: [e-mail]

Since the magazines are too afraid to do a real head-to-head
comparison of the three no-radials all-band HF verticals,
why don't we try to put something together here?  (The
get-a-beam and get-a-real-radial-vertical comments would
be unwelcome; the purpose would be to compare these three
space-compromise antennas.)  Anyone who has had experience
with 1) the GAP Titan, a brand new no-radial 80-10 offering,
or its mini-radialed cousin, the GAP Challenger, 2) the
finally-shipping MFJ 10-band Model 1798, or 3) the 40-10
meter no-radial trap vertical, the Cushcraft R-7, please
forward your comments.  I'll post a comprehensive summary.

Thanks.

Randy Padawer
WA4FJF
[e-mail]
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Randy Padawer, P.O. Box 1167, Knoxville, TN  37901-1167  U.S.of A
Internet:   [e-mail]        America Online:   GwRepRandy
Telephone: [phone]   Ham Radio op: WA4FJF  & a groovy guy.

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

Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 19:11:34 GMT
From: news.Hawaii.Edu!uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu![e-mail]
Subject: Hallicrafters SX-28?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mike Gilbert) writes:
>
>I've come into possession of an antique Hallicrafters SX-28 "Super Skyrider"
>receiver.  Not being a ham, I'm looking for advice on what to do with it.
>
>
>I don't know exactly when it was manufactured, but the manual (which includes
>full schematics) is dated November 1, 1943.  The front cover says "frequency
>range - .55 to 43. megacycles (!)".

Oh no! Of all people Hallicrafters should have know better than to say
`megacycles' instead of `megacycles per second'. They must have been some second
rate company. No wonder they went out of business; probably all you Mc/s
people boycotted them in protest.

Jeff NH6IL

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

Date: 8 Jun 94 21:45:13 GMT
From: agate!usenet.hana.nm.kr!overload.lbl.gov!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Mass, RI and NH   Field Day  QTHs  Wanted
To: [e-mail]

Hi Everybody                    8 June 1994

I know this is late but I have just returned from a few weeks of
vacation.  Lets give it a try to get a full list, since I already
have a few requests to see an article in the Globe similar to the
one W1BG and I have run the last two years.  At least you all
should have your sites confirmed by now :-)

****************************************************************

The firm absolute deadline for me having your info is Tuesday
June 14th at 1PM.

****************************************************************

Subject Field Day Publicity

Send me your FD QTH

I am working at getting an article on Field Day and Ham Radio in
general published  in the Boston Globe.  The draft is close to
done and I think there is a good chance to get it in the Sunday
Globe the week before FD.  The article invites the reader to
visit the local club operation,  I hope to have a box after the
article listing FD sites thruout the area.  If you would like
visitors please send me the club name, field site and town.
We also need a contact person and phone number for public information.
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^
I will try to fit in as many as we can.

I think clubs from NH EMA and RI would be appropriate.

Remember NO Guarantees;  there is only a good chance the article
will get published and I have no idea how many clubs will fit if
they do take it :-(

        73 Steve F
           W1GSL

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

Date: 8 Jun 94 21:35:59 GMT
From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!iat.holonet.net!vectorbd![e-mail]
Subject: Singapore HAM Laws?
To: [e-mail]

Nick Stefanisko ([e-mail]) wrote:
: Newbee alert!! This is my first time posting here.

: I'm in Singapore right now. And I was wondering, the next time I'm
: here, should I bring my radio?

I'm pretty sure that vhf/uhf is pretty much banned. Spectrum is pretty
tight there and they don't allow that stuff. HF is real stringent there
too with a lengthy/complex license requirement.

I've spent 5 months there over the last few years. Knew a few local hams
(Americans). Check at the ham stores in Sim Lim Square and Tower for more
info.


--
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-Jim Lill-                                        Vector Board BBS
[e-mail]                                 716-544-1863/2645
wa2zkd@wb2psi.#wny.ny.usa.na                      GEnie: ZKD

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #644
******************************