QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/digests/infoham/941080.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 24.5 KB

Date: Sat,  1 Oct 94 01:50:57 PDT
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #1080
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Sat,  1 Oct 94       Volume 94 : Issue 1080

Today's Topics:
                     900 Mhz phone questions ...
                     Aside "How far can I talk?"
                Car warantees and 2-way radio: Summary
                      Courtesy In Amateur Radio
                      HTX-202 key & ptt locks...
  RadioMap service expands into OH, PA, MO (and IL, IN, MI, NY, WI)
          Restrictive Covenants: I can't have *any* antenna?
               REVISED: 'End of the CW Watch' Narrative
                      Small, portable Ch3 tuner?
                           toroid question
                          Tucker Electronics
          Why does Radio Shac care if I export HT202?     ##

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: 30 Sep 1994 14:07:07 -0500
From: lll-winken.llnl.gov!koriel!cs.utexas.edu!convex![e-mail]
Subject: 900 Mhz phone questions ...
To: [e-mail]

In <36hhl5$[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

>In article <36ckud$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
>writes:

>> I just got a new AT&T digital cordless 900Mhz phone, and although it
>> is indeed an improvement over my old cordless, I need more range.>

>I have a Tropez 900Mhz cordless phone and it's range is about 1/2 mile
>for a full quieting noise free signal.  It's by far the best of the
>units I have checked out and it includes digital encryption.

I have the Tropez too.  Occasionally, it doesn't ring and I'll hear my
answering machine going.  I don't know for SURE that the phone is at
fault.  Also, several folks I've talked to say the range is better on
other 900 phones such as the ATT and the Uniden.  Just the other day at
Circuit City, the salesman said the Uniden 9100 had been taken off the
shelves because too many customers have brought them back with complaints.
I tried one in the store and found an unacceptable echo or "down in a
barrel" sound.  Anyway, I;m happy with the Tropez for the $189 price tag
but it does have a constant hiss and the range polling feature eats up
battery life if the unit is left off the cradle overnight.

David

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

Date: 30 Sep 94 09:33:37 -0600
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov!news.byu.edu!hamblin.math.byu.edu!yvax.byu.edu!physc1.byu.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Aside "How far can I talk?"
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Dave Bushong) writes:

> So that a million-foot-high antenna will talk about 1400 miles.
>
> Can I get one of them from Texas Towers?

Well, maybe not from Texas Towers but there is a neighbor down there at Johnson
Space Center that comes pretty close - 1,000,000 feet works out to about 189
miles (or 164 nautical miles which is the preferred unit, I believe) and that
is in the ballpark of a typical space shuttle orbit.  Now if we can just
figure out how to get them to park that thing in the right place...

Bryan Peterson
ki7td

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

Date: Thu, 29 Sep 1994 15:52:27 GMT
From: mdisea!mothost!lmpsbbs![e-mail]
Subject: Car warantees and 2-way radio: Summary
To: [e-mail]

In article [e-mail], [e-mail] (Peter Simpson) writes:
}In article [e-mail], [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
}>
}Larsen sells excellent NMO mount antennas, and a pack of 5 little black
}NMO hole plugs, which you goop up with silicone seal and pop into the hole
}before you sell the car.
}
}73,
}Peter

Not necessary! Just get a cellular antenna and put on, and now you have
a value added feature!!

Bruce, WB4YUC

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

Date: 30 Sep 1994 16:26:39 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!solaris.cc.vt.edu!news.duke.edu!zombie.ncsc.mil!cs.umd.edu!newsfeed.gsfc.nasa.gov!trmmstocker.gsfc.nasa.@@ihnp4.ucsd.edu
Subject: Courtesy In Amateur Radio
To: [e-mail]

In article <36h5g2$[e-mail]> Stephen E. Farlow, [e-mail]
writes:
> I am quickly getting fed up with HF. It seems bandwidth is eaten up by
> nets, contests, or folks just ragchewing on and on and not letting
anyone
> else get a word in. I am talking specifically about 7245 and 3870 mHz.
> These folks seem to want to muscle out everyone by using amps when they
> proably don't need them. Don't FCC regulations require use of the
minimum
> amount of power to maintain communications?
> A lot of the fun of HF seems to be going away beacuse of numerous nets
> and contests.

I have a theory that this state which by the way is also true of
VHF comes from the fact that many Hams are insecure and don't want
to talk with people they don't know.  By having lots of nets the same
people crop up again and again and a comfort level builds.  If you ragchew
with the same person(s) then once again you don't have to worry about
talking to strangers.  In contests generally nothing important is said
anyway except for the obligatory RST, RIG, QTH, QST info so no one
has to be uncomfortable with making conversations with strangers other
than the ritual exchange to substantiate a contact.  It seems a strange
things for "supposed" communicators but maybe the growing insularity of
modern western culture is what drives it.

I'm sure lots of you have had the experience of getting on a repeater
in an area outside of your usual stomping grounds and indicated that you
were prepared to "communicate". Nobody answered you;  however, not 30sec
after you gave up one ham called another specific ham and they began a
long conversation.  I had it happen on a repeater in Ohio when I called
to get help on directions -- just dead air in response. However, 20sec
later
two hams in the area began their discussions of some topic.

Don't think any of this is going to change much. One can either except
the situation and work with those Hams who are prepared to deal with
newcomers or get out of the hobby.  I've been doing the first but given
the amount of time I spend on the air last month about 1min; I'm starting
to lead to the second.

Erich

*******************************************
*  Erich Franz Stocker                    *
*  N3OXM                                  *
*  [e-mail]          *
*                                         *
* My ideas are my own and do not represent*
* the opinions of the federal government, *
* NASA or Goddard Space Flight Center.    *
*******************************************

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

Date: 30 Sep 1994 20:26:32 GMT
From: haven.umd.edu!cville-srv.wam.umd.edu![e-mail]
Subject: HTX-202 key & ptt locks...
To: [e-mail]

By invoking the menu (access PL tones, offset, XMIT INHIBIT,
and a wide variety of features) you can keep the transmitter
from being allowed to key up.  Func plus the "A" key locks
and unlocks the keypad.


Not too tough training for RS employees, eh?


--
73,                            _________   _________  The
                            \ /  Long   Original
Scott Rosenfeld  Amateur Radio NF3I  Burtonsville, MD     |   Live    $5.00
  WAC-CW/SSB  WAS  DXCC - 130 QSLed on dipoles __________| Dipoles! Antenna!

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 18:51:12 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!paperboy.amoco.com!hawkings![e-mail]
Subject: RadioMap service expands into OH, PA, MO (and IL, IN, MI, NY, WI)
To: [e-mail]

Having a color map of most of the local transmitters is
truly wonderful!  Driving by antennas for years made
me curious as to the frequency and the ownership.  For
example, I now know who owns the huge towers a few miles
from my house (AT&T) and what frequency is used.  Also,
as I am interested in pager technology, I have quickly
identified the Skytel transmitter locations!

This is now possible (much easier then digging through
multiple databases) through Bob Parnass' RadioMap(tm)
service.  Knowing Bob and respecting his radio
knowledge, I quickly sent him a check and asked him to
identify transmitters in my immediate area.  He looks
at the density of transmitters and determines the
overall radius (for the Chicago loop area, he can only
diagram a small radius due to the density while a rural
area he can expand the radius to 10 miles or so) and plots
the output.  He returned a nice map with a linear list
of transmitters within a week.

Overall, the RadioMap is a good deal and now I KNOW
(instead of guessing) where the transmitters are!

Specifics:  RadioMap(tm), Bob Parnass, 2350 Douglas Road,
            Oswego, Illinois, 60543-9794, $19.95

(I have no affiliation with the RadioMap(tm) product,
 just a pleased customer)


  --Joe Jesson

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 18:34:24 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!sgiblab!sgigate.sgi.com!olivea!news.bu.edu!gw1.att.com!nntpa!bigtop!longs![e-mail]
Subject: Restrictive Covenants: I can't have *any* antenna?
To: [e-mail]



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

Date: 30 Sep 1994 17:55:55 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!csn!jabba.cybernetics.net!cybernetics.net![e-mail]
Subject: REVISED: 'End of the CW Watch' Narrative
To: [e-mail]

[ The files referred to in this 'readme' can be retrieved by
  anonymous ftp from two archive sites:

    SunSITE.unc.edu    (permanent)
    /pub/academic/agriculture/agronomy/ham/things-to-build/na4g

    ftp.Cybernetics.NET   (temporary)
    /pub/users/ab4el

  For ease, the group of files have been 'rolled into one'...

    narrative.tar.Z     (for Unix jocks)
    narrativ.zip        (using PKZIP 2.04g for MS-DOS users)

  Don't forget to set 'binary' mode before 'get'...else they will
  come to you as trash.  :^)

  de AB4EL ]
--------------------README BEGINS--------------------

   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
   % Article by Robert D. Keys (NA4G) on the closing of the watch on 500khz %
   % by the U.S. Coast Guard, 1 August, 1993, and on the closing of the CW  %
   % watch by CFH on 31 August, 1993.  Those attending the U.S. Coast Guard %
   % closing of the watch on 500khz at NMN in Chesapeake, VA were Robert D. %
   % Keys (NA4G), Robert Pierre ``Tim'' Buehlmann, (N4IQA), Jack Ritter     %
   % (W0UCE), and Mike Jett (WD4UYJ).  The closing of the watch by CFH was  %
   % monitored by Robert D. Keys (NA4G).                                    %
   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
   % This article is copyright, 1993, 1994 by Robert D. Keys (NA4G)         %
   % All rights reserved, worldwide.                                        %
   % Public non-commercial distribution of this work is authorized.         %
   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
   % This article is typeset using the LaTeX Technical Typesetter           %
   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
   % REVISION OF 16 MAY, 1994                                               %
   % Includes corrections/suggestions by Jeff Herman, NH6IL (sparks)        %
   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%



                                 ABSTRACT

        It was the end of a long and bountiful  watch  at  the  key.
        Some  had  called  it  the end of an era.  To others, it was
        merely  the  changing  of  the  watch  or  the  progress  of
        technology.   As  of  1  August, 1993, the U.S.  Coast Guard
        officially closed down all  medium  frequency  (MF,  600-700
        meter  or  405-525khz)  continuous wave (CW) radiotelegraphy
        operations, worldwide.  This cessation of MF  CW  operations
        did  indeed  mark  the  end  of  a  92  year  use  of  these
        frequencies  by  the  U.S.   Coast  Guard.    This   article
        describes  a  narrative story around that cessation of MF CW
        operations, and includes copy  of  the  final  broadcast  to
        mariners  on  that  frequency.  As of 1 September, 1993, the
        Canadian Navy stations, including CFH ceased all Morse  code
        services.   Also  included  is  a  narrative  concerning the
        cessation of CW operations at CFH.  Some historical notes of
        a  trip  by  N4IQA,  W0UCE,  WD4UYJ  and  NA4G  to  the USCG
        CAMSLANT/NMN Chesapeake, VA station regarding the  cessation
        are included.

        The author would like to acknowledge the kind cooperation of
        the United States Coast Guard,  CAMSLANT,  NMN,  Chesapeake,
        VA,  especially  RM3  Sergio Morales, and the many others on
        watch that day.  On the behalf of those four who were there,
        the  amateur  radio fraternity in general, those whose lives
        have  plied  the  high  seas  throughout  the   world,   and
        especially  those  whose lives have been directly influenced
        by your dedicated service over the years, I say Thank You!

        This humble work, I therefore dedicate, to all you  men  and
        women  of the United States Coast Guard, present and past or
        silent key, and especially to those of you who have  sparked
        your  sparks, arced your arcs, sent strong and clear signals
        over the ether, kept a fine-tuned  ear  deftly  probing  the
        crackle  and  din  on  600 meters, and pounded a mighty fine
        brass on a long and bountiful 92 year watch at the key.

        Robert D. Keys, NA4G
        Raleigh, NC,
        25 September, 1994.


Enjoy
73 DE NA4G
Boatanchor Bob

**************************************************************************
*  73 TU SU SK DE NA4G             ``Boat Anchor Bob'', an ol' CW fart.  *
**************************************************************************
*  Morse has been in the family for over 100 years.                      *
*  Morse radiotelegraphy (Spark/CW) has been in the family since 1914.   *
**************************************************************************
*  May you have fair winds and following seas on your watch at the key.  *
**************************************************************************

--------------------README ENDS---------------------

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 18:37:13 GMT
From: swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!zip.eecs.umich.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!news1.oakland.edu!rcsuna.gmr.com!@@ihnp4.ucsd.edu
Subject: Small, portable Ch3 tuner?
To: [e-mail]

In article <36a8s1$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Greg Bassett) writes:
>
> --
> Ah, yet another unusual unique need...
>
> I'm at the R/C model field. I have my new micro-miniature camera and ATV
> tranmitter in the airplane. I have this wonderful expensive camcorder that
> can act as a VCR on batteries. I have my ATV downconverter. I want to fly
> the plane and capture the moments forever on metal particle tape.
>
> Only one small problem. I can't get from Channel 3 (output from ATV
> downconverter) to the VCR (NTSC input).
>
> The only commercial solution I've seen if from PC Electronics in the form
> of a very nice receiver (~$100). Since I spent so much money on the micro-
> miniature camera and ATV transmitter, I'd sure like to find an inexpensive
> solution to this problem.

Find yourself a VCR with a junk tape transport and use the RF circuits in
it to get from ch. 3 to NTSC.  If you use a cable-compatible one, you might
be able to dispense with your down-converter, depending on what ATV
frequency you're using.

I picked up a "junk" VCR at a hamfest a couple years ago for $10, intending
to strip it for the RF circuits. Turns out it bascially works, so I haven't
been able to bring myself to tear it apart yet.  Guess I'll have to look
for a cheaper one to get a real junker!

  Roger Grady K9OPO  [e-mail]
  Delco Electronics Corp.   Kokomo, IN
  "All information and opinions are personal unless otherwise stated."

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 19:09:08 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp![e-mail]
Subject: toroid question
To: [e-mail]

beavis ([e-mail]) wrote:
: I have been building a qrp rig and was wondering
: about how to wind the toroids.  If you need, say,
: 12 turns, what are the differences between
: bunching the windings together tightly or evenly
: spacing them out.  ...

If it's a high-permeability core, it doesn't make very much difference
whether the windings are tightly-spaced or spread out, although you will
tend to get a little higher inductance with tight spacing.  In fact,
that's one way of making small adjustments in inductance, by spreading or
compressing the turns.

With spread-out turns, coil Q will generally be slightly higher and
distributed capacitance lower, so space-winding is generally preferred.

AL N1AL

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 18:58:44 GMT
From: svc.portal.com!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp![e-mail]
Subject: Tucker Electronics
To: [e-mail]

Michael G. Katzmann ([e-mail]) wrote:

: Yes, Tucker's prices are way too high.  A friend of mine who frequents
: many hamfests tells me a good starting price for gear is "A tenth of Tucker".

Their prices are very competitive compared to other commercial used
test equipment vendors.  But of course much higher than flea market prices,
as you would expect.

AL N1AL

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

Date: Fri, 30 Sep 1994 19:07:47 GMT
From: hearst.acc.Virginia.EDU!cscsun![e-mail]
Subject: Why does Radio Shac care if I export HT202?     ##
To: [e-mail]

John Patrick Lestrade ([e-mail]) wrote:
: I am brand new to ham radio and yesterday in a RS when I asked aboout
: their sale on the HT202, the salesman asked me if I intended to take it
: out of the country. (I happened to be with a french friend whose accent
: was obvious.)  I am not going, unfortunately, out of the country!
: can anyone enlighten me as to why this is `illegal'?
: thanks

: patrick

: ps.  can you also recommend a book/magazine that I can buy to start
: learning about amateur radio.  (e.g., is 2-m the `best' for me, 440?,
: what can i do with the new Technician license, etc.)

Believe it or not, the Radio Shack "Now you're talking..." $17 book is
pretty nice.  My girlfriend is currently using it, and seems pleased with
it.
   As far as the HT in France, I can't think of a technical reason for it
to be _illegal_, but there are reasons for it to be _useless_.  Some
European countries use a 1750 Hz tone to open repeaters.  Their split and
or inputs/outputs may not coincide with ours, so an HT that'll 'automatically'
chooses the split or won't transmit FM below 144.5 or so would be of limited
use.  As far as legal-ese, France may have laws governing type acceptance,
out of band capability, etc.  2m in France may be only 146-148 or 144-146
(remember they used ham freqs at the olympics - b*stards!).  Check with the
ARRL regarding recip op and equipment standards - they'll be glad to give
you the answer, I bet.
--
David Tiller                | Network Administrator | Voice: [phone]   |
[e-mail] |  n2kau/4  | Randolph-Macon College| Fax:   [phone]   |
"Drunk, [Beowulf] slew no   | P.O. Box 5005         | ICBM:  37d 42' 43.75" N |
hearth companions."         | Ashland, Va 23005     |        77d 31' 32.19" W |

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

Date: (null)
From: (null)
Expanding on the mobile antenna theme ...

Installing a Texas Bugcatcher (a BIG mobile antenna) on your car, and running
coax into your ham shack probably isn't a bad idea.  It should be perfectly
legal from a CC&R viewpoint, and it gives you some negotiating power:
Wouldn't the neighbors rather "see" a discrete trap vertical, hidden in
the trees and bushes in the backyard, or, would they rather continue to
see the Texas Bugcatcher parked out front ?

Another point that I haven't seen this time around:  About a year ago, the
State of Washington passed a law that CC&R's could not be enforced against
objects that were not visible from outside of your own property.  This law
was the direct result of a satellite dish owner being sued by a homeowners
association, even though the satellite dish could not be seen from any other
property.

We have got to show these anti-antenna people that there are worse things
than living next door to a ham !

Note:  As a serious contester, this is not my preference.  I long for the
good old days of the 1950's and 1960's when you could put up 60' of tower
and a tribander on a suburban lot, and no one would blink an eye.

By the way, it would be really nice if one of you knowledgeable people, like
WA3JPG or KA6S would write up a "Ham Antenna FAQ" explaining PRB-1, CC&R's,
etc.  Just posting it once every month would save lots of bandwidth whenever
this issue resurfaces.

Steve London, N2IC/0
[e-mail]

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

Date: 30 Sep 1994 18:29:37 GMT
From: lll-winken.llnl.gov!noc.near.net!ctron-news.ctron.com!asia![e-mail]
To: [e-mail]

References <[e-mail]>, <36ad3g$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Reply-To : [e-mail]
Subject : Re: Why is aviation COM VHF *amplitude* modulated?

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
|> In article <36ad3g$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Alan Larson) writes:
|> >
|> >  I would expect FM to be smaller than AM.  Class C amplifiers are more
|> >efficient and use less power, as well.
|>
|> I don't disagree with your main points, Alan, but I'd note that typical
|> AM transmitters use Class C RF stages too. It's just that big plate
|> modulator that makes them heavy and bulky. As you note, there are
|> ways around that. FM rigs by constrast are simple and compact, basically
|> a CW rig with a low level audio stage FMing the carrier oscillator.

*TODAY*, FM rigs are simpler to construct.  Back when radios were first
being installed into airplanes FM was much more complex.  Not so much
on the transmit side, but rather the receiver.  These days you can
buy a complete IF strip with a phase discriminator/detector on one
chip.  In the 1930's and 1940's you were consigned to a large rack
of vaccum tubes!  AM detectors , by contrast, are usually simple
rectifiers - a one or two tube affair at most.

As for converting to FM today...  I think it is simple economics.  We
are out of VHF spectrum space to allow the AM and FM systems to exist
side-by-side for transition, and to try to get EVERYONE to switch at
once would never fly.

Disclaimer: FM was invented my a gentleman named Armstrong sometime
in the '30s or '40s, but I can't remember the exact dates, but
it was well after radios were in common use in aircraft.  IMO: Modern
AM transceivers are still pretty good, and the gain by converting
to FM would be small.

 ****************************************************************************
**               Mike Friedman, WB2WNX       AOPA, EAA, SSA                 **
**               Commercial Glider                                          **
**               Instrument Pvt ASEL                                        **
**               PA-28-160 N5540W      "The Hershey Warrior"                **
 ****************************************************************************

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #1080
******************************