QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/digests/infoham/941206.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-11-13 | 25.0 KB

Date: Fri, 11 Nov 94 03:38:40 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #1206
To: Info-Hams


Info-Hams Digest            Fri, 11 Nov 94       Volume 94 : Issue 1206

Today's Topics:
      ### About 2nd hand rigs, user manuals & copyright laws...
                             1750 meters?
                              FCC Busts?
                    I just failed the Tech test!!
                      Instant Track in a window
                            Is it just me?
                      Line voltage in Australia
                         Morse Code and Age?
                      Motorola Amateur Group???
                 No-Code Techs & CW (again) (2 msgs)
                       No code Techs and CW...
            Procedure for calling Mir/Shuttle help needed
                        R.S. 2 Meter Amplifie
                  What's your favorite key? (2 msgs)

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Problems you can't solve otherwise to [e-mail].

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: Fri, 11 Nov 94 00:54:15 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: ### About 2nd hand rigs, user manuals & copyright laws...

Reality check! What manufacturer is going to bring a copyright infringement
suit because someone photocopied the manual for the purchaser? Don't give
it a second thought, photocopy away for the new owner.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 22:23:30 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Dave Munroe)
Subject: 1750 meters?

Recently I learned that the FCC allows unlicensed transmissions under 1 watt
on 1750 meters.  This is 160 - 190 kHz.

Apparently power companies and something called GWEN use this band, but who
else?  What's the best propagation you could hope for on a longwave band like
that at those power levels?

As luck would have it, I remember _CQ_ had an article about 1750 meters some
time ago and I passed it by.  I believe they even had a transmitter schematic.

-Dave

,-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
|              --------v--------                                              |
| Dave Munroe          |     xx7xxx   Tech+HF, just another  QRP  DX  addict  |
| [e-mail]   |                                                      |
|                                              (awaiting license)             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|               Whatever happened to kilocycles and condensors?               |
`-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 14:23:09 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Robert Penrod)
Subject: FCC Busts?

> FCC agents backed up with Federal Marshalls

  There is only one "l" in Marshal when speaking on U.S. Marshals.  They would
only assist if ordered by the Courts.

---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Robert D. Penrod    |    Excess on occasion is    | I only speak for myself.
|Mead Data Central   |        Exhilarating         |
|P.O. Box 933        | It prevents moderation from |     [e-mail]
|Dayton, Ohio  45401 |   acquiring the deadening   | ...!uunet!meaddata!robertp
                     |     effect of a habit.      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 19:49:38 GMT
From: [e-mail] (J. D. Carter)
Subject: I just failed the Tech test!!

In article <39toje$[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (Derek Wills) writes:

> Does anyone have statistics on the pass/fail rate for the Tech test?
> All I ever see is postings by people who pass it, which statistically
> means that everyone passes it the first time - is this true?

Well, I failed the tech test the first time, too. I just handed them
another $5 and took it again. :)

I don't think that people post their failures too often since they
can't boast about it (what else is news for? *grin* ). I'd just do what
everyone else does and keep on studying until you can get it.

Good luck!
Josh Carter - N5SKQ

______________________________________________________________________
_/_/_/ "So one night I was lying in bed staring up at the stars \_\_\_
_/_/    and I wondered......... Where the HELL is my ceiling?!?"  \_\_

                J. D. Carter - [e-mail]


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

Date: 9 Nov 1994 21:46:59 -0600
From: [e-mail] (Dave New)
Subject: Instant Track in a window

Wayne,

If you are not running IT in a graphics mode, you should be able to get it
to run by pulling down the system menu and picking Settings...  This will open
a dialog box, where you can check the box marked "background".  This will allow
IT to run even if it does not have the input focus at the moment.  This will
last only for the current invocation of IT in that DOS box.  If you want this
to happen automagically, you will need to use the PIF editor to set up a new
.pif file that describes the command line you need to run IT, the start-up
directory (i.e. the directory IT was installed in), and then you can check the
background box.  Save the .pif as it.pif (for instance) and then you can create
an icon for it by using the File New item in the Program Manager system menu.

Start IT using the icon that is associated with the .pif (or by starting the
.pif), rather than running it.exe directly.  This will use the settings in the
.pif, rather than guessing (usually badly) about how you want to run IT.

I've found that trying to do this with IT running in graphics mode is usually
no good, as Windows doesn't like a DOS process attempting to re-program the
color palette registers in high-res mode, or some such.  It usually suspends
the program, and won't start it again unless you run full-screen mode for that
DOS program.  I've heard that some folks have had better luck with some
3rd party display drivers, but my Fahrenheit 1280 board doesn't seem to be
so lucky 8-).

I've found it real handy to turn on the bottom line of 'favorite' satellites
and move the window to the bottom of the screen, then let it peek out from
under the program manager window while running other stuff...

Good luck,

Dave, WB4SBE/8, [e-mail]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 16:36:37 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Dick Bingham)
Subject: Is it just me?

No, you are NOT alone. I too wonder how much longer the excellent hobby
of ham radio can last now that the skills and knowledge that use to be
required to obtain a license have been reduced to that required to
"operate" a door-bell.

One must observe that the amount of surplus radio equipment available to
those who would 'tinker' and build their own equipment is markedly
reduced in quantity and simplicity. Surplus radio gear now is either
highly digital, complex (harder to make it do something useful) or some
computer hardware that isn't really useful to some 'kid'  who is trying
to make something.

I think we need to raise the entry level skills and really TEST for
evidence of these skills. I am really saddened by much of what I read in
the 'mags', here on the I.N., and what I hear on the air these days.

I really expect that we will soon lose the remaining freq's we presently
have to commercial users (at least there is some intelligence evident in
the their transmissions) and ham radio will be reduced to mobile or base
station use of hand-held TELEPHONES ! That is about ALL of the skill
level remaining in the hobby or in the direction it is going.

I worked hard to enter ham radio and flunked my first novice code test.
I passed all of the code tests thru 20wpm the hard way by showing true
proficiency (sp) by copying and sending 1 minute w/o errors and really
studied to learn the theory necessary to earn an extra class rating.

Every baby learns to walk by trial and error and most of us walk today!
Lets start expecting more instead of less knowledge of those who would
join this wonderful hobby.

73 de w7wkr  -- dick

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

Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 02:35:39 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Alan Bloom)
Subject: Line voltage in Australia

[e-mail] ([e-mail]) wrote:
: If the voltage in Australia is 230/240 vac, why can't you simply
: split the circuit into two 115/120 vac circuits?  ie. is the
: voltage between a hot leg and  ground 115/120 vac and the voltage
: between each hot leg 230/240 vac?

I believe Australia is like Europe in that the 240V is not balanced
with respect to ground.  i.e.  one wire is 240VAC and the other
wire is 0 V.

AL N1AL

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 21:00:58 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Dave Munroe)
Subject: Morse Code and Age?

Gary Coffman wrote:

>Dogs can be conditioned to respond to Morse code...

But will they send QSL cards?

-Dave

,-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
|              --------v--------                                              |
| Dave Munroe          |     xx7xxx   Tech+HF, just another  QRP  DX  addict  |
| [e-mail]   |                                                      |
|                                              (awaiting license)             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| You know you've been studying code too long when you automatically try to   |
| decode random clicks and rattles inside your house, car, or office.         |
`-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'

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

Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 12:03:00 -0800
From: [e-mail] (John Hiatt)
Subject: Motorola Amateur Group???

>there's effectively no amateur market when you look at the size of other
>markets --- look at the number of cell radiophones sold in your town this
>month vs the number of new hams nationwide this year and i'll bet the cell
>radiophones come out on top.

Really? I wonder where I fit into this? I am newly licensed this year,
Bought a new amateur radio, and bought a cell phone. Got the cell phone
mainly for work (pizza delivery) and am tired of wrong addresses and the
car breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Our delivery area is
basically in the middle of nowhere.

John  KC7DRI
---
 * OLX 2.1 TD * Press "+" to see another tagline.


               {===================}-{=====================}
               | /_/_/  Origin  : Norton's Alley BBS \_\_\ |
               | \/_/\  Location: Hayden Lake, ID.   /\_\/ |
               | /_/_/  BBS     : [phone]     \_\_\ |
               {===================}-{=====================}

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 06:06:25 -0500
From: [e-mail] (JOSEPH M BOUCHER)
Subject: No-Code Techs & CW (again)

I've been out of hamming for 20 years, after spending many a pleasant
evening in my youth working the world on 1/2 watt CW as WA1ZJB.  The
license lapsed, marriage and jobs and life took over, and now 20 years
later I'm getting re-licensed.  Last month I tested, attained Advanced
theory and 20-wpm code, and will do the Extra exam in January, after I
get my call letters and some operating time.
Those of you out there who are Generals or Advanced or Extras know that
upgrading is not a matter of just memorizing some pool questions out of a
Gordon West book (as good as those books are, they are meant to be a guide,
not a primary source, and they are excellent guides).  Reaching higher grades
in Amateur Radio is the same as progressing in any other activity, whether
you're a painter or a piano player.  It takes commitment and work and most
important, it takes a lot of time.
Amateur radio has certainly changed in 20 years.  You won't find people
sending 110-baud Baudot from a KSR33, a far smaller percentage of hams build
their own gear, and the membership is far more diverse than ever.  I for one
am happy to see the institution of No-Code Tech as a way for people to get
involved in hamming a step at a time.  25 years ago it was much harder to
find hams who didn't work in electronics or technology fulltime, so that
getting licensed was mostly code study and rules®s.  Today many more hams
are real estate agents, truck drivers, English majors, computer users, people
who see the value of ham radio but don't have the advantage of a great deal
of technical experience.  It's much more realistic for those people to be
able to study one thing at a time, test one area at a time.  First the Tech
license, then some code, upgrade, some HF work, upgrage some more.  I for one
welcome those No-Codes into Amateur radio, and I hope that most of them are
able to find the time to learn the code and more advanced theory

I don't believe the code should be eliminated as a requirement for upgrade.
Too much great activity still revolves around code, as anyone who scans HF
knows.  It is not anachronistic, and I don't think it will be until the
rest of the world is able to spend as much money on their gear as we in this
country do.  We are privileged to have so much disposable income and so much
superb technology to spend on what for most hams is a hobby.  I would miss
the opportunity to communicate with those stations in Africa and Asia and
the areas of the world where so many hams still are forced to rely on low
power, low tech machines.  In reading Part 97 during my license prep, I was
struck by the number of times the words Amateur Radio SERVICE were used.
Not once was it referred to as Hobby Radio.

There's a place in Amateur Radio for everyone.  If No-Code privileges suit
your needs, great.  If you want more, like any other activity, the
opportunity is there.  Take it a step at a time, take advantage of all the
help available out there, and get wherever you want to go.  Good luck to all.

If you've read this far, you have more patience than the topic deserves.
Thanks,
Joe Boucher
Certified-but-haven't-received-license-yet (rats - it didn't come today...)
South Hadley, MA

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 10:07:27 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: No-Code Techs & CW (again)

JOSEPH M BOUCHER <[e-mail]> writes:

>There's a place in Amateur Radio for everyone.  If No-Code privileges suit
>your needs, great.  If you want more, like any other activity, the
>opportunity is there.  Take it a step at a time, take advantage of all the
>help available out there, and get wherever you want to go.  Good luck to all.
>

Joe,

Thanks for refueling my beleif that hamming is as good as i think it is!
I worked my butt off for my extra, and still hear about how i am living
proof that it is easier now!  (tech to extra in 10 months).  Where were
these doubters when i was hacking three 20 minute CW sessions a day to
hit 13wpm, and 2 a day for 20.  Doubtlessly sitting on their rump grunting
about the demise of "their" hobby.

As much as the pop sound-bites may offend,....

JUST DO IT!

73 and thanks for the intelligent post.

pete brunelli
n1qdq

p.s. when you want a sked just drop a line and i'll do it

[e-mail]

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 05:41:47 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: No code Techs and CW...

In article <[e-mail]>,
Jim Grubs, W8GRT <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
>Nothing intrinsically wrong with Q&A pools if the pool is large enough
>that it is impossible to memorize ALL of it.

By Golly Jim, I think you're on to something. Let's also make the Morse
code pool large enough that it is impossible to memorize ALL of it.
--
73, Cecil, KG7BK, OOTC   (All my own personal fuzzy logic, not Intel's)

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

Date: 9 Nov 1994 15:57:00 GMT
From: John Woolner <[e-mail]>
Subject: Procedure for calling Mir/Shuttle help needed

>      Hello. I'm a new ham and I'm VERY interested in trying to contact Mir
> and the shuttle (when sarex is used of coarse!).
> My question is, what is the PROPER procedure for calling these craft? Is
> it a regular call (their callsign then "this is" my callsign)? Maybe
> "shuttle atlantis" (or whichever) "this is my callsign"? I want to make
> sure I do it properly.
>     I have an HT and I understand they can work but I may need higher
> power and a better antenna to increase my chances. I know the uplink is
> 145.550, I suppose I need to switch to the downlink after I make my call
> to hear their responce. What is the downlink frequency? Any help on
> getting me started on these contacts would be appreciated.  My license
> should be here in about 5 weeks so I've got some time to learn what I need
> to know.  Thanks!
>

Tom,
Good luck with talking to MIR, I have heard packet broadcasts from
time to time from them when I was in Alice Springs - haven't tried
since moving to Canberra.  NOTE 145.550 is the DOWNLINK frequency.
Suggest you listen on this frequency and they will tell you the
uplink freq that they are using.  Also I have heard that MIR has some
battery problems for HAM stuff, so they may not be working at all at
present - or in limited areas.


73's

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Woolner                          Email:    [e-mail]
vk1zao                                Packet:   [e-mail]
Canberra, ACT, Australia              Amprnet:  [e-mail]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 20:56:00 -0800
From: [e-mail] (John Hiatt)
Subject: R.S. 2 Meter Amplifie

To anyone interested:

I noticed today that the local Radio Shack now has the new 2 meter
amplifier in stock. I bought one but have yet to hook it up.

John  KC7DRI

---
 * OLX 2.1 TD * Unable to locate Coffee -- Operator Halted!


               {===================}-{=====================}
               | /_/_/  Origin  : Norton's Alley BBS \_\_\ |
               | \/_/\  Location: Hayden Lake, ID.   /\_\/ |
               | /_/_/  BBS     : [phone]     \_\_\ |
               {===================}-{=====================}

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 00:06:43 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Jim Lill)
Subject: What's your favorite key?

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] wrote:

>    Since XMas is coming up (:-) I'm looking for recommendations on keys -
> both paddles and bugs.  Any suggestions on what your preferred key is,
> for around $100.00?

I have a Jones that I bought as a kit for $75. While I'm hardly a CW buff,
my "40 wpm" friends all drool so I guess it's FB!

Rich: since you're local, I have it at wb2psi right now (SS leftover) if
      you wanna "try b4 u buy"



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

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

Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 02:33:28 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Alan Bloom)
Subject: What's your favorite key?

[e-mail] wrote:

> What's your favorite key?

C sharp minor.

(Doncha love a wise guy?)

AL N1AL

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 20:24:20 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Dennis Gabler)

References<[e-mail]> <39t5ng$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: What's your favorite key?

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Rajiv Dewan) writes:

>In article <39t5ng$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Dennis Gabler) writes:
>>
>>I prefer the Bencher, it is compact and has a light touch.
>>

>Einbau Wabbler - This is a mini-paddle from Germany that I use for mobile
>         operation.  I have it mounted on a leg clamp and it works very
>         well.

Yow! I'm doing good to walk and talk at the same time ;-)
--
Dennis Gabler            FF-1/EMT-D
[e-mail]        KB5HVN/0

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

Date: 10 Nov 1994 08:35:48 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Kok Chen)

References<39779u$[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Maws Coad and Spelinge

[e-mail] (Dave Bushong) writes:

>kevin jessup <[e-mail]> writes:

>>In <39779u$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Derek Wills) writes:

>>>For the record, I am unbelievably intelligent, not a member of the NRA,
>>>not homophobic, spell almost perfectly, can copy code well and I'm much
>>>more modest than Gary Coffman.  Ha!

>>Perhaps you should run for office.

>That would contradict the first thing he said.

Not if you apply the alternate meaning to "unbelievably."

73

Kok Chen, AA6TY                [e-mail]
Apple Computer, Inc.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 15:18:56 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Gary Coffman)

References<[e-mail]> <39qoej$[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Gary Coffman)
Subject: Re: Maws Coad and Spelinge

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail].3 (Scott Darragh) writes:
>In article <39qoej$[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (William J
>Turner) wrote:
>> Do you believe morse code should continue to have a "veto status" over
>> all other modes?  For instance, you did not need to learn about space
>> communications, even though it was on the written test.  You could have
>> passed the tests without getting a single question about space
>> communications right.  This is not true of morse code.
>
>I say there should be a morse code minimum like the 5 wpm, but after you
>pass that give a little more involved written or longer written.  If you
>can only go 5wpm what's wrong with it????  I got my tech/- and then
>upgraded about three weeks ago.  I thoroughly enjoy code and it is getting
>faster although not much, but I am working on it.
>    Code should NOT be totally abolished, but who really cares who can go 13
>and who can go 20  or even 30-40 for that matter.

Scott, the only people who care about going 20, 30, or 40 WPM are those
who wish to *use* Morse for communications. To those who merely need to
get past the hazing exam, high speed operations are irrelevant. Since
people who want to *use* Morse have to learn it anyway to do so, the
test is irrelevant to them, and it is mere hazing for those who do *not*
wish to use Morse. In 1991 according to the ARRL survey that was 62% of
all amateurs who had passed a Morse test. So the Morse test is irrelevant
to the 38% of amateurs who use Morse, and is hazing for the 62% who do
not.

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

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

Date: Wed, 9 Nov 94 22:40:28 -0500
From: [e-mail]

References<[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>, <39qoej$[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Maws Coad and Spelinge

This is true, but the code test has become easier to pass over
the years.  First it was a send and recieve test.  Then they
went to just a recieve test.  Then they had a fill in the blank
test.  Now it's a multiple choice test (the one I took)  I
think by softening the way the testing is done has made it
easier for those who lack the code skill, to pass the test.  As
for veto status, I still have mixed feelings.  I think the
hobby as a whole would benefit more from a greater
understanding of electronics and operations, than the ability
to do code.  But the code test offers a balance.  Some people
are a quick study on book stuff.  Others are good with a skill.


Perhaps the option of another written test instead of the code?
 I don't know, I still have mixed feealings.

73
[e-mail]
Bill
N3OGH

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

End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #1206
******************************