QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/digests/infoham/940677.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 23.7 KB

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 94 17:32:09 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #677
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Fri, 17 Jun 94       Volume 94 : Issue  677

Today's Topics:
                                "73's"
            "Renewal" reusable alkaline batteries (3 msgs)
                      220 -- Boston to Cape Cod
                     Datapoint for NJ Ham plates
                      FCC licensing delay reason
                   Henry Radio Service phone number
                        Icom 22-S info needed
                       Simplex spaving on 2mtr
                        Tech+ license issued.
                            Waiting Period
                    Wanted: ND Frequencies for...
                          Yaesu phone no.???
         You know its time to retire from the hobby when....

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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: 17 Jun 1994 20:08:05 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews![e-mail]
Subject: "73's"
To: [e-mail]

Dave Bushong ([e-mail]) wrote:

: Since the term "73's" came from CB, as did
: so many N#xxx callsign owners, I would expect that eventually they
: would get tired of being made fun of by us grownups for saying stupid
: things on the air. Dave, KZ1O

Dave, my 1957 ARRL Handbook lists the meaning of 73 as "Best Regards"...
and also lists 26.93-27.23 MHz as a ham band. :-)

73, KG7BK, OOTC, [e-mail]

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 18:44:38 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!mvb.saic.com!MathWorks.Com!news.kei.com!ub!csn!news.sinet.slb.com!news.San-Jose.ate.slb.com![e-mail]
Subject: "Renewal" reusable alkaline batteries
To: [e-mail]

George Cornelius ([e-mail]) wrote:
: I am interested in information about Rayovac "Renewal" reusable alkaline
: batteries.
[...]
: Does anyone have experience with them or understand how they work?  Is
: it possible to charge them yourselves, or are the specs for doing so
: being kept quiet by the manufacturer?

I've been using them since they first hit the market.  One major problem
is that the AA size is only rated at 700mA peak current, and the typical
HT pulls a little over 1A at high power xmit.  My experience is that this
_significantly_ cuts down on the power output from an HT.  However, if
you are using an HT to mostly monitor (mine pulls about 60mA with squelch
closed, about 120mA with squelch open at full volume), they work fine.

They have very low self-discharge rate.  Ray-O-Vac claims 5 yrs, but I
haven't measured it (yet ;-).

Occasionally you'll run into a cell that the charger "never turns off" for.
Also, the recharge times in the literature seem pretty optomistic, at least
in my experience.  (5 hours is the stated time for AA, but mine often take
nearly a day.)

The literature implies that the charger pulses the cells at 120Hz (gee...
wonder how they generate that! ;-) and measures the voltage between pulses,
shutting off when the cells are fully charged.

Every pack of them has an 800 number you can call.  Ask them to send you
the data sheets.  (Sorry, I don't have the number here.)

My recommendation is that they are good for places where a typical NiCd
would last at least 5 hours _under worst conditions_ (like with the xmit
button down at high power - so the typical HT is not a good candidate),
and where the typical alkaline battery would last less than 1 year of
"normal" service.  (If it lasts longer than 1 year, probably cheaper to
just use normal alks.)

My biggest complaint is that they aren't available in the 9V size - I've
got a lot of applications where a 9V Renewal would be ideal.  (Due to
the need to control each cell's charge separately, don't hold your breath
on seeing one soon, either.)

My only connection with Ray-O-Vac is as a (fairly) satisfied customer.  ;-)

                        Clark
--
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are mine and not those of Schlumberger
because they are NOT covered by the patent agreement!

Phone: [phone]                Internet: [e-mail]
Packet: [e-mail]        RF: KI7TU
Snail: Clark Jones, Schlumberger Technologies, 7855 S. River Pkwy #116, Tempe,
       AZ  85284-1825

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 18:27:36 -0400
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!MathWorks.Com!panix![e-mail]
Subject: "Renewal" reusable alkaline batteries
To: [e-mail]

In article <2tsqum$[e-mail]>,
Clark Jones <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
>Occasionally you'll run into a cell that the charger "never turns off" for.

According to Rayovac, who replaced several of my cells for this problem,
the early batches were prone to develop internal shorts after a few
cycles. Send them back.

>The literature implies that the charger pulses the cells at 120Hz (gee...
>wonder how they generate that! ;-) and measures the voltage between pulses,
>shutting off when the cells are fully charged.

Actually it varies the duty cycle from about 70% (if I remember) down to
zero as the voltage rises. When the duty cycle falls to 25% the LED goes
out. However, since the big and small chargers have different peak
current, a 25% duty cycle will deliver different amounts of current when
the light goes out. The only way you'll get full capacity after removing
the cells immediately after the light goes out, is to use the big charger
only for C and D cells. If you charge Aa/AAA's leave them in overnight.

--
Mike Schuster       |        [e-mail] | [e-mail]
------------------- | [e-mail] | GEnie: MSCHUSTER

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

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 13:41:25 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!nshore!seastar![e-mail]
Subject: "Renewal" reusable alkaline batteries
To: [e-mail]

As quoted from <2tq6g4$[e-mail]> by [e-mail] (Ken A. Nishimura):

   <on the subject of Renewal batteries>

> My humble and personal opinion:
>
>  They are not suited well for amateur use.  They have a relatively
> short cycle life (25 cycles), with degrading capacity after
> 5 cycles.  The internal impedance is quite high, so that if
> you count on them to supply 1A of power, the terminal voltage
> will fall significantly.  They have a sloping discharge characteristic,
> so the last 50% of the cell capacity is supplied at 1.15V and less.
> They can't be quick charged.
>
> They are probably OK, for occasional use, where you may want to
> use alkalines in the first place.  But, for everyday cycling
> use, get NiCds.
>
> -Ken

   And after 25 re-charges they have degraded to *only as much*
capacity as a nicad has.  The roll-off of voltage gives you some
indication that your batteries are dying, so you can finish a
conversation before replacing them.  You can leave them in a scanner
for several months, and still expect them to be darned near to fully
functional when you need it.   They don't develop internal shorts that
make you think your pack is charged but it dies instantly when you use
it.
   The down side is they ain't worth squat in high-current
applications.  If you *must* ALWAYS run your HT on the highest power
setting, these are not for you.  I've had very good luck with them in
a DJ-580 on medium and low power, even accidentally leaving it on
overnight *after* heavy use that day, and it was still working the
next day.
   They cannot be quick-charged (which tends to mean an early grave
for ni-cads if done often).
   Many rigs can charge the ni-cads while running off of 12 volts from
the car.  Renewals won't do this.

   I'd say they would work well for amateur radio, given that you live
with the FCC regs requiring *only as much power as necessary for the
desired communications*.
--
While (its_not_working())                            John Welch, N9JZW
  mess_with_it();                                    [e-mail]

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 21:29:57 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.aero.org!news2.aero.org!greenberg-t.aero.org![e-mail]
Subject: 220 -- Boston to Cape Cod
To: [e-mail]

HI

We will be traveling to Cape Cod this summer, via Boston, and would like to
hear
about the 220 mhz activity in this area.  Repeaters, and repeater coverages
would be helpful.  We will be driving from Logan Airport late at nite to
the Cape, and it would be helpful to know of any repeaters in the area
where
one may find directions if needed.  Tnx & 73.

WA6TAF
Steve

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

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 19:22:57 GMT
From: news2.near.net!das-news.harvard.edu!husc-news.harvard.edu!hsdndev!admii!ovation!ramcad.pica.army.mil![e-mail]
Subject: Datapoint for NJ Ham plates
To: [e-mail]

I posted a message here a week or so ago, about how long it takes
NJ to crank out license plates with my callsign. I got a couple of
responses, around 12-13 weeks. I checked, and it's 13 weeks now.

Feels similar to the waiting anxiety I felt while waiting for the
license. Nothing like the stress you feel that split second before
you open the mailbox :-) Of course, I can now whine about it on
the local repeater. (Right, Seth???)

According to last Sunday's paper, NJ is issuing special plates
for any damn thing, so the office that handles them are probably
swamped. Hard to believe, but NJ has special plates for "Penn State
Alumni".

Just updating anyone who is interested, and thanks to the few who
responded.

============================================================================
Mark E. Ellis                                  <[e-mail]>
       Systems Administrator, PA&TD Software Quality Engineering Branch
SMCAR-QAH-A, Bldg 62N, [phone]     N2WZB        Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 13:48:01 -0400
From: newstf01.cr1.aol.com!search01.news.aol.com![e-mail]
Subject: FCC licensing delay reason
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
[e-mail] (Jeff Johnson) writes:

>>> He informed me that the FCC is rewriting the software which
prints
>>> technician licenses to indicate whether or not the technician has
>>> passed the code test or not.

Does this mean that people entering as Novice Class operators will
not experience the delay that no-code Techs have been experiencing?

Just wondering, since I'm just now at the point where I feel
comfortable with 5 WPM code and think that if the above is true I'll
go for my Novice ticket and upgrade to tech later. This way all I
have to do is append my callsign and there's no extra wait!

   --- David

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

Date: 17 Jun 94 16:38:18 GMT
From: ncrgw2.ncr.com!ncrhub2!tdbunews!nsc32![e-mail]
Subject: Henry Radio Service phone number
To: [e-mail]

I just called Henry Radio, since it is a local call from me, and asked
the operator for the Service Departments telephone number.

The local number, you have to pay is:  [phone]
   this is a voice response with menu options.

The number you want (toll free)  1-800-877-7979 ext. 240
  will get you the Service Department.


Bill


+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Bill Starkgraf                          [e-mail] |
| AT&T Global Information Solutions       [phone]          |
| El Segundo, CA                          [phone] x5754    |
|                                                                 |
| Call: KD6UQB                            Simi Settlers ARC       |
|                                         Simi Valley, CA         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 19:36:04 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews![e-mail]
Subject: Icom 22-S info needed
To: [e-mail]

George Rybicki ([e-mail]) wrote:

: Finally is there a way to get down to the repeaters below 146 mhz.

Hi George, send for info for 144.62-148 MHz coverage in 5KHz steps from
Don, KE6AJH, of TechnoLogic Concepts at:

[e-mail]

73, KG7BK, OOTC, [e-mail]

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 19:40:34 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!news1.oakland.edu!vela.acs.oakland.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Simplex spaving on 2mtr
To: [e-mail]

Regardless of the repeater channel spacing (here in Michigan it's 20KHz)
simplex spacing (or spaving, if you will) remains 15KHz.

Time Out for a rec.radio.amateur.misc  "PET PEAVE"

Heard on the repeater:

"Where are you?"
"Uhhhh... 3rd and Walnut"
"Oh that's close!  Wanna try simplex?"

I think to myself, "Whoa!  That's cool!  Nobody does that anymore!"
Then I hear...

"Sure... where do you want to go?"
"Uhhh... Five-Two?"
"O-kay!   See you there!   blah-blah... clear"

Not that going to .52 is an evil thing, but I guess I still think of it
as a "calling" channel... even if it's dead most of the time.  I think
that if you have invested in a multi-VFO, extened rcv/(tx),
multi-hundred dollar radio... you COULD try something like .55 or .58 or
7.42

73 =paul= wb8zjl

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 19:20:11 GMT
From: swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.msfc.nasa.gov!news.larc.nasa.gov!lerc.nasa.gov!kira.cc.uakron.edu!malgudi.oar.net!news.ysu.edu!yfn.ysu.edu!@@ihnp4.ucsd.edu
Subject: Tech+ license issued.
To: [e-mail]

I was very much surprised when I looked at my mail yesterday afternoon.
There, in an envelope with a FCC return address, was a new license
issued to me with a class of 'TECH PLUS'!  I had passed my 5 wpm cw test
in March, collected my CSCE, and merrily went home to try out my new (to
me) HF transceiver. (Upon which it rolled over and played dead, but that's
another story :-( )  I had heard (read here) that the FCC had plans to
record this 'upgrade', but didn't expect to receive anything from them.
I just planned on keeping my CSCE proudly on display in the shack until
I ugraded to General.  Anyway, I'm here now to attest to the fact that
the FCC _is_ now issuing new licenses  to people who upgrade from
TECHNICIAN to TECH PLUS.

73 (no 's')

--
****************************************************************
*Bill Lindberg                                                 *
**[e-mail]***[e-mail]***KC5FKN***
****************************************************************

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 21:26:53 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!hobbes.physics.uiowa.edu!newsfeed.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!crcnis1.unl.edu!unlinfo.unl.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Waiting Period
To: [e-mail]

Subject: Re: ** WAITING PERIOD FOR LICENSE ?? **


Here's some real data:

My wife took her test Feb. 26.  Her ticket came yesterday, June 16.

Her ticket was Tech-Plus.  A couple of others who took the test at the
same time got their tickets about 2-3 weeks ago, so they _may_ be
batching them in license class before processing(???)

Since I talked my wife into taking the code, she has blamed me for the
extra wait!  What's a guy supposed to do???

Greg  WB0RTK
[e-mail]

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

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 18:59:51 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!news.clark.edu!netnews.nwnet.net!ns1.nodak.edu!plains![e-mail]
Subject: Wanted: ND Frequencies for...
To: [e-mail]



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

Date: 17 Jun 94 16:22:47 GMT
From: ncrgw2.ncr.com!ncrhub2!tdbunews!nsc32![e-mail]
Subject: Yaesu phone no.???
To: [e-mail]

The main telephone number to Yaesu is:

    [phone]

You will get a voice menu that will step you through choices such as
    customer service / technical support
    sales
    parts

Sorry I did not have the direct number here in the office, I is at home with
all my Yaesu stuff, but this number is just as good.

73's

Bill

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Bill Starkgraf                          [e-mail] |
| AT&T Global Information Solutions       [phone]          |
| El Segundo, CA                          [phone] x5754    |
|                                                                 |
| Call: KD6UQB                            Simi Settlers ARC       |
|                                         Simi Valley, CA         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

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

Date: 17 Jun 1994 21:36:24 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: You know its time to retire from the hobby when....
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
kevin jessup  <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
>Your 5-year-old son picks up your HT and says, "SQB monitoring!"
>

Your 4 year old Daughter picks up you HT calls and "KB9AHQ FROM WB9MRI"
and her mother answers....


Jerry Weiss - WB9MRI

--
Jerry S. Weiss
[e-mail]
Dept. Medicine, Northwestern Univ. Medical School, Chicago, Illinois
%SYSTEM-S-PHALOKTARG,  Phasers Locked on Target, Ready to Fire

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

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 22:56:46 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!news.csuohio.edu!vmcms.csuohio.edu![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <2tphjq$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <2tpou0$[e-mail]>p
Subject : Re: You know its time to retire from the hobby when....

In article <2tpou0$[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (Scott Richard Rosenfeld) writes:

>
>
>This has really happened to me:
>
>You're sitting outside somewhere, and you notice you've been hearing
>"O  O  O  O  O  O," just a constant string of the letter "O," and
>for quite some time.  Not consciously - it just popped into your
>head - and you start to listen to the surroundings...
>
>And there's a bird singing "OOOH OOOH OOOH," over and over and over...
>
>--
>73,                            _________   _________  The
>                            \ /  Long   Original
>Scott Rosenfeld  Amateur Radio NF3I  Burtonsville, MD     |   Live    $5.00
>  WAC-CW/SSB  WAS  DXCC - 125 QSLed on dipoles __________| Dipoles! Antenna!

My printer identifies itself when I power up my computer system, as
di dah dah dit.    Phil Emerson ---- AA8JO.

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

Date: 17 Jun 94 18:36:13 -0500
From: yale.edu!noc.near.net!news.tufts.edu!news.hnrc.tufts.edu![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <2svtr6$[e-mail]>, <2tsj6n$[e-mail]>u
Subject : Re: ** WAITING PERIOD FOR LICENSE ?? **

In article <2tsj6n$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Jan-Martin Hertzsch) writes:
>
> But because this group already carries a lot of traffic, I would recommend
> you to restrict the distribution of articles concerning a special country
> or continent to the appropriate region. This will save a lot of bandwidth.
>

This is a provocative idea, not just for this newsgroup but for any newsgroup.
I wonder how many posters know how to restrict distribution with their news
readers.  I have a key programmed to 'POST/HEADERS' but when I've used it in
the past, I've found that others have followed-up to world to be followed by
queries asking what the original post was about.  I've got no problem going
back to my 'POST/HEADERS' key, but I wonder what others think.  I kinda like
the traffic myself.  I guess this topic isn't suitable for futher discussion in
this newsgroup, though.

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

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 13:54:03 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!nshore!seastar![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>edu
Reply-To : [e-mail] (John Welch)
Subject : Re: AEA IsoLoop - Opinions/Experiences

As quoted from <[e-mail]> by [e-mail] (Dave Bushong):

> [e-mail] (Clay Jackson) writes:
>
> >Ronald H. Bafetti ([e-mail]) wrote:
> >: Anyone out there using (or familiar with someone who uses) the AEA IsoLoop
> >: antenna?  It's kind of caught my fancy as a reasonable alternative to a
> >: full-sized beam.  Is it the urban dweller's answer to casual QSOs in the
> >: 10-30MHz world?
>
> >I've got one in my attic, and it works great as far as I can tell.  I've only
> >worked 10M, and if I can hear 'em I can work 'em.
>
> I agree - mine is on a ground-mounted tripod on a 10' pole, kind of
> hidden in a tall bush.  Last night I busted a pileup on 14.015 and got
> him on my first call.  That's sort of unusual, but it gives you an
> idea of how well it can perform.
> Dave, KZ1O
>
> --
> Dave Bushong, Wang Laboratories, Inc.

   For what it's worth, I have a much less enthusiastic tale...
An apartment-dwelling friend gave us his, that he was going to throw
out.  Another of his friends had one and *did* throw it out.  We spent
several hours removing the slop in the gearing and re-building the
stepper time constant to allow finer control to make tuning a little
easier.
   Next day we had it on a 20 pole, and side-by-side with our
moderately long (4.5MHz MARS length) slightly crooked dipole (at 10')
we tried to check in on the Maritime net on 20M.  With 100 watts we
were at best occasionally audible.  Went to the dipole and were coming
in S-8.
   It worked better than a wet noodle, but not by much.  We sold it at
the next ham-fest, after making sure the new owner knew it would be
better than a resistor but not by much.

   How about this as a test?  Put a 50-ohm 200 watt dummy load in the
air at 40 feet, and see how well you get out?  You'll be amazed.
   BTW other problems we had was the receive using the Iso-loop was
down about 2 S units from the dipole, and we had to turn off all the
computers because RF was getting into everything.  Even with the
slower stepping, tuning was a real pain in the bum.  And I still have
guilt feelings about selling it to somebody who thought he was getting
a good deal.
--
While (its_not_working())                            John Welch, N9JZW
  mess_with_it();                                    [e-mail]

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #677
******************************