Date: Sat, 6 Nov 93 14:32:56 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu
Precedence: Bulk
Subject: Info-Hams Digest V93 #1314
To: Info-Hams
Info-Hams Digest Sat, 6 Nov 93 Volume 93 : Issue 1314
Today's Topics:
"outdoor antenna" ban (2 msgs)
BAUD VS BAUDS
characteristic impedance
CW,RTTY,AMTOR,PACTOR,SSTV,WEFAX etc Receiver
From KB7 to KC7 prefix ?
Fun with Radio Shack
MorseTrainer for Mac
Neat Feature on New Motorola Commercial Handheld
New UHF "Personal Us
Please Help QSO
was: England purging Morris, now it's Re: The dancing keys
Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu.
Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available
(by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/info-hams".
We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text
herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official
policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 14:16:24 GMT
From: pacbell.com!att-out!cbnewsl!spf@ames.arpa
Subject: "outdoor antenna" ban
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 05:29:18 GMT
From: sytex!jim@uunet.uu.net
Subject: "outdoor antenna" ban
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Anyone have any good ideas on how I can fight a complaint
about my "outdoor antenna"? It's a 2 meter ground plane
that I take in and put out (it's mounted on a wooden stick).
for a couple of hours each evening, and on weekends.
I live in an apartment co-op that doesn't allow antennas.
Well, its just a temporary antenna at that, and no worse
than someone hanging a power cord out their window to
vacuum their car!
Any hints and tips?
Much obliged...
jim - AD4JE
---
jim@sytex.com (Jim Arnold)
Access <=> Internet BBS, a public access internet site
Sytex Communications, Arlington VA, 1-703-528-4380
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 14:53:59 GMT
From: spsgate!mogate!newsgate!news@uunet.uu.net
Subject: BAUD VS BAUDS
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <8257.2cd7f39e@hayes.com>, Bill Coleman <bcoleman@hayes.com> wrote:
>Oh, and there's no such thing as "bauds." Like sheep, the plural requires no
>"s" suffix.
Well, here's what Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dicrionary has to say:
baud \'bo d, 'bo d\ n, pl baud also bauds
[baud (telegraphic transmission speed unit), fr. J. M. E. Baudot 1903 Fr.
inventor]
(1931)
:a variable unit of data transmission speed sometimes equal to one bit per
second
It indicates that bauds is an acceptable plural. Then again, their definition
seems a little flakey. Oh well...
73.... Mark AA7TA
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 93 10:02:41 EST
From: munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!sunic!psinntp!psinntp!arrl.org@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: characteristic impedance
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
You might also consider measuring the dimensions of
the cable. This is pretty easy to do, even at a hamfest.
My favorite tool for doing the measurement is a dial
caliper, but comparing the unknown cable against
known cables is probably good enough for most purposes.
Basically, there are two factors that determine the
impedance.
1. The ratio of inside diameter of the shield to the
outside diameter of the center conductor.
2. The type of dielectric (the stuff preventing the cable
from shorting out). You want to compare cables
of similar dielectric.
Exposing a few inches of shield/center conductor is a
good idea--sometimes the cable is damaged by water.
Zack Lau KH6CP/1
Internet: zlau@arrl.org "Working" on 24 GHz SSB/CW gear
Operating Interests: 10 GHz CW/SSB/FM
US Mail: c/o ARRL Lab CW Sweepstakes
225 Main Street (W1AW/QRP this year)
Newington CT 06111
Phone (if you really have to): 203-666-1541
------------------------------
Date: 6 Nov 93 21:06:32 GMT
From: noc.near.net!ctron-news.ctron.com!geremia@uunet.uu.net
Subject: CW,RTTY,AMTOR,PACTOR,SSTV,WEFAX etc Receiver
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Hello All,
I was wondering if anyone knows of a GOOD receiver for
the subject mentioned services over radio. I was thinking about
the Kantronics Kam, but have been hearing not so good stuff about
it. Plus I only want to receive, so I would also be paying for
the transmit section of the device. But if it was really good,
I probably would pay the money... Any help would be appreciated..
Thanks.. Pete Geremia
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 93 21:51:59 GMT
From: ncrgw2.ncr.com!ncrhub2!tdbunews!nsc32!wps@uunet.uu.net
Subject: From KB7 to KC7 prefix ?
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article JoM@hpcvsnz.cv.hp.com, davidc@lsid.hp.com (David Cook) writes:
>When region 7 runs out of KB7 prefix call signs what does the KC7 batch start
>at? KC7AA ? KC7AAA ?
>
>Inquiring minds want to know. Well, at least mine does.
>
>Dave, KB7QCL
Since KC7AA would indicate an advanced class (2x2) the most logical would be
the 2x3 for the novice/tech. I don't know if the 1x3's for the tech are gone as
they are here in California. All new novice, tech, and general class gets a 2x3
call.
Bill
---
+--------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Bill Starkgraf wps@ElSegundoCA.ncr.com |
| Customer Support Engineer (310) 524-5754 |
| National Support Center (800) 222-6245 x5754 |
| |
| NCR Corporation KD6UQB |
| 100 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Simi Settlers ARC |
| El Segundo, CA 90245 Simi Valley, California |
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: 6 Nov 93 08:46:45 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memst.edu!ceddlemon@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: Fun with Radio Shack
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <1993Nov5.231254.15145@es.dupont.com>, collinst@esvx19.es.dupont.com (Thomas Collins WI3P) writes:
> In article <gregCFz6KF.DGz@netcom.com>, greg@netcom.com (Greg Bullough) writes:
>>Went into Radio Shack the other day, to see if their discone antenna looked
>>like a worth-while investment as a broadband TX/RX antenna. They didn't
>>have one in stock.
>>
>>In any case, I saw the '94 catalog and asked for one. "That'll be three
>>dollars" says the sales droid. "What?" says I, "you're charging for them?"
>>"We are this year," he replies. Seeing coupons for about eight bucks in
>>the front, I fork over the cash.
>>
>
> I would not pay the $3.00. Instead I spent .29 on a letter of complaint to RS
> at Fort Worth, TX and about 3 weeks later what came in the mail. A RS catalog
> and a letter of apology for the "shabby treatment" I received in the store. It
> was sort of funny, I never mentioned anything about shabby treatment at all.
> Just that after purchasing thousands of dollars of parts and computer stuff I
> refused to pay $3 for their catalog.
>
... well the irritating thing is that many (most?) stores don't tell you
about the coupons in the back of the catalog. It's on page 70 or between
70 and 71 ... tear out things. I used my $3.00 discount coupon to purchase
the catalog while buying a null modem adapter. Don't recall if the purchase
had to be $5 to get the discount. I'm sure it had to be at least $3 to cover
the catalog. :-)
My brother called me from another store where they couldn't locate an item
in the catalog. I told him the name of the product from my '93 catalog but
they didn't know what it was ... and they wouldn't give him a catalog. He
called me to get get the page number and tried to get them to give him a
catalog if he gave them the page number. He made his purchase but that
particular store certainly didn't earn any points that day! Wish I had
known about the coupon in the '94 catalog before he called me.
Their "upfront" charge for the catalog is bound to make a lot of folks mad
... more of their managers should point out the discount coupons. I see
the $2.95 on the top right corner ... don't look and further to the note
describing the discount coupont offer. Didn't work for SEARS either.
Charles ceddlemon@stim.tec.tn.us EMAIL address
Guest ceddlemon@msuvx1.memst.edu when my EMAIL poster is broke.
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 1993 06:33 EDT
From: europa.eng.gtefsd.com!paladin.american.edu!afterlife!cs.umd.edu!skates.gsfc.nasa.gov!nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov!stocker@uunet.uu.net
Subject: MorseTrainer for Mac
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <msattlerCFzp73.90B@netcom.com>, msattler@netcom.com (Michael Sattler) writes...
>Kenneth E. Harker (kharker@bnr.ca) wrote:
>
>: Stuffit Expander is a very useful freeware utility, as it can
>: decompress both .sit and .cpt archives, and it supports
>: drag-and-drop.
>
>*And* it does the BinHex conversion for you as well. Drag a
>foo.#.hqx (where # is "cpt", "sit", or "sea") and you'll see
>Stuffit Expander perform a two-pass transformation: the first
>will BinHex, the second will decompress. You'll have to then
>throw away the first two states, lest your hard disk fill up.
>
>:-) M
>--
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Michael S. Sattler msattler@netcom.com +1 (415) 621-2903
>Digital Jungle Software Encrypt now; ask me how. (finger for PGP key)
>
> All that is required for evil to triumph is
> for {wo}men of good will to do nothing.
And where does one get an executeable version of Stuffit Expander.??
Erich
N3OXM
------------------------------
Date: 4 Nov 1993 07:21:41 CST
From: ftpbox!mothost!schbbs!maccvm.corp.mot.com!CSLE87@uunet.uu.net
Subject: Neat Feature on New Motorola Commercial Handheld
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
WOW - Somebody in this newsgroup NOT bashing the US commercial equipment
manufacturers! Better include a disclaimer that you don't favor Yankees
over any other politically correct baseball team name!
Seriously, thanks for the compliment, remember that the domestic
thinkers did it BEFORE the overseas crowd, and those who purchase such
intellectual ingenuity do contribute to the health of the US economy,
rather than skewing the balance of trade away from financial recovery.
------------------------- Original Article -------------------------
From: miles@mbs.telesys.utexas.EDU (Miles Abernathy)
Subject: Neat Feature on New Motorola Commercial Handheld
Date: 3 Nov 93 22:48:56 GMT
Organization: ucsd usenet gateway
Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu
Here's a neat feature of the new Motorola Visar handheld, that I hope will
show up on some future hamband talkies. The Visar is a tiny 5-watt
16-channel handheld, designed for police and similar applications. It is
available in VHF, UHF and 800-MHz-trunked models. Cost is $1,095 each. (At
least that is what I recall the salesman saying.)
The Visar has an LCD channel display mounted on top at a 45-degree angle,
so it is visible from above (if the radio is in your shirt pocket) or from
the front (if you have it in your hand). Of course, that means that the
display must be upside down from one or the other position.
The neat feature is an invert button. Press it and the characters in the
display electronically invert! No need to read upside-down numbers!
Hooray for Yankee ingenuity!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
_ Miles Abernathy, N5KOB =
| |__ miles@mbs.telesys.utexas.edu =
_| | POB 7580, Austin TX 78713 =
\ * / University of Texas @ Austin =
\/ tel. (512) 471-6521 U.S.A. =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 93 18:17:00 GMT
From: psinntp!channel1!ken.smith@uunet.uu.net
Subject: New UHF "Personal Us
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
GREGL@DELPHI.COM typed this about Re: New UHF "Personal Use
G>REGL@delphi.com>
G>Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc
G>Organization: Delphi Internet
G>The radio is also in the 1993 Radio Shack catalog, and is part of the
G>new GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) allocated in the 400MHz band
G>for personal use.
The GMRS band has been around for years.
Ken
---
~ CmpQwk #UNREG~ UNREGISTERED EVALUATION COPY
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 15:47:04 GMT
From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!silver.ucs.indiana.edu!djadams@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: Please Help QSO
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Greetings! I need a little help. I've, finally, got my shack up.
I'm running an HW-101 with an MFJ 941-D tuner into a 20m dipole. Now..
being a tech+, I can't use 20m, and I'm not generally around during the
day to work 15 or 10; so I'm trying to work 80 or 40. I can't get the
antenna to adequately tune on 40, but I get good results on 80m (low
SWR, 100w forward, 1-5 w reflected max). Problem is I can't seem to get
a qso...I don't know if I'm not being heard (although I took a receiver
over to a friends and he could here the signal WELL) or if people are just
avoiding my straight key SLOW code (but I need to QSO to build my speed, so
could you fine people out there please listen for N9UXU on 80 meters
(around 3700 depending on static peaks) for the next few evenings at
0300 UTC (november 5-8 UTC)? I'd really appreciate it. Also, if you
hear me, but I don't respond, email me. The rig doesn't have RIT (yet), but
I "listen around", so I don't think it's the problem, but you never know.
Thank you!
73 de Dave, N9UXU
David J Adams, N9UXU Internet: djadams@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
Amiga User and Flow Cytometry Advocate
Looking for a mobile 2m and/or 70cm rig
Conure Society of America. "Push the button Frank..."
--- -. .-.. -.-- .- -- .. --. .-
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 05:34:48 GMT
From: news.Hawaii.Edu!uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu!jherman@ames.arpa
Subject: was: England purging Morris, now it's Re: The dancing keys
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <gregCFxMAq.BqM@netcom.com> greg@netcom.com (Greg Bullough) writes:
>In article <2b8q5oINNq9k@emx.cc.utexas.edu> oo7@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Derek Wills) writes:
>>dave@llondel.demon.co.uk says (well, he says the last three lines
>>below after quotes from others I'm too confused to acknowledge):
>>
>>>> LONDON (UPI) -- Hundreds of Morris dancers staged a rally in central
>>>>London Saturday protesting against the government's planned abolition of
...
>>>
>>>Interesting bit of news but what has this got to do with Amateur Radio?
>>>
>>
>>>Absolutely none. Morris Dancing is a form of good old traditional folk
>>>dancing. Nothing to do with morse code at all. Serves people right for
>>>mis-spelling morse.
>>
>> Of course they are related. Listen to them dancing around -
>> clickety-clack, clickety-clack, ting ting ting from the bells
>> and stuff. It sounds just like that big contest station a
>> bit further up the band. The rhythm is the same. And why else
>> do people talk about radios with all the bells and whistles?
>> And Alfred Vail (who worked with Samuel "Fine Business" Morse)
>> died in Morris County.
>>
>> Coincidences? - of course not!
>>
>> (By the way, don't tell NH6IL what the maypole represents, it's
>> bad enough having boys dressed up as girls - say no more, squire!)
>
>Don't believe a word of it. Morris dancing is entirely a myth, as a
>traditional art. It was actually invented by a bunch of students
>from Oxford who were on their way to Wales for a folk-festival
>
...
Oh, gad - what have I done! Look, this was supposted to be a parady
for those who twisted Morse code into Morris dancing last month.
And I guess I have to flame myself for not knowing what the maypole
REALLY represents. Sigh.
Jeff NH6IL/QRP (2 watts tonight on 40M using an xmtr with only 15
parts [counting the key] {on 7040 kc})
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 1993 09:05:21 -0700
From: orca.es.com!cnn.sim.es.com!msanders.sim.es.com!user@uunet.uu.net
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
References <FAUNT.93Oct26092331@netcom6.Netcom.COM>, <159661@netnews.upenn.edu>, <4NOV199307002857@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov>as.
Subject : Re: Was 'Vanity' Call Signs, now paying for call signs
Don't we pay enough taxes to the gov't? I object to paying additional for
anything that we now have. I remember paying $20 for a citizens license (I
fly RC model planes and used to have to pay $20 for a 5 yr license). It
was really neat when that fee was abolished, but it wasn't done at the
gov'ts initiation, someone brought suit (or somehow stirred the pot) for
that abolition. The crux of the matter is: I don't want to pay!!
When the gov't says they are not raising taxes, I shudder. I have watched
my tax bill rise a great deal over the last 10 years with exemptions
disappearing and Social Security ceilings (as well as percentages) climbing
faster than superman. I would rather buy more radio equipment than support
much of the waste in Federal government. Anything paid to the gov't I
consider as a tax (except perhaps copying fees when I order documents).
Sorry to vent my feelings on taxes in this thread. Just wanted to go on
record that I don't want to pay for callsigns because it comes out of an
already stretched pocket!
Milt
--
=========================================================================
Opinions, thoughts, &cetera are my own (when I can remember them).
"He flies the sky KB7MSF
Like an Eagle in the eye
of a hurricane that's abandoned." "Sandman"
Utah
America
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 93 23:39:11 GMT
From: news.service.uci.edu!paris.ics.uci.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!spool.mu.edu!olivea!gossip.pyramid.com!pyramid!infmx!infmx!randall@network.ucsd.edu
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
References <1993Oct27.200502.9559@VFL.Paramax.COM>, <2aopk9$97b@orca.es.com>, <2aosvn$a4@oak.oakland.edu>ol
Subject : Re: Is the band dead -- or nobody on?
>Alan Brubaker (alan@olin.es.com) wrote:
>: In article <1993Oct27.200502.9559@VFL.Paramax.COM> rossi@VFL.Paramax.COM (Pete Rossi) writes:
>: >I was talking to a friend about how dead the bands seemed lately - 10 meters
>: >especially, yet we both noted the following:
A few notes on 10 meters:
1) Propagation on 10 meters is usually either great or terrible. You are
either working the world with 10 watts SSB or not working anywhere.
There are a few exceptions, but generally, it's either hot or cold.
2) The level of sunspot activity is very important. The last maximum
was in 1989, with excellent conditions lasting for over 2 years.
We are now heading to a minimum in the 11-year cycle. (11 years is
an average; the current cycle was much shorter)
The next maximum will be around the end of the decade.
3) In most of the U.S., 10m tends to be dead during the summer, even during
sunspot maximums. It starts picking up in the fall. November/December
tend to be good months. Spring can be good too.
4) 10m can be downright dead during sunspot minimums. With the solar
flux hovering below 100 like it is now, you can expect to find
limited activity. A couple of years ago, when the flux is over
200, things were great. As expected, some of the 10m-only rigs
like the Radio Shack HTX-100 bought back then can be had for
a big discount now.
5) Sporadic E propagation occurs most frequently around the two
solstices (December and June). Contacts made with Es are generally
between 400 and 1000 miles, and are subject to rapid fading.
You may want to turn on your 10m rig around Christmas time
to get in on some of this activity.
6) The guys with high antennas and power can sometimes still get
through when conditions are not great.
------------------------------
Date: (null)
From: (null)
Why not "mount" it on your car in the parking lot?
Steve
------------------------------
Date: 6 Nov 93 11:23:28 GMT
From: ogicse!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
References <931105.56411.GREGL@delphi.com>, <2beerb$2m1@jericho.mc.com>, <CG1I45.L2D@boi.hp.com>
Reply-To : gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Subject : Re: Radio Shack HTs
In article <CG1I45.L2D@boi.hp.com> riyadth@boi.hp.com (Riyadth Al-Kazily) writes:
>In article <2beerb$2m1@jericho.mc.com> levine@mc.com writes:
>> Yes, Greg, maybe. But you are also a very new ham and instead of hearing
>> about "them fancy dual-banders", I am looking for real quantitative data
>> from a lab. Not Rat Shack owners justifying their purchases as it seems
>> is the case lately. Besides, all the Rat Shack owners ever want is "mods"
>> to hear outside the ham bands anyway! What makes you think Korean HTs
>> are any better than American (where?) or Japanese HTs?
>
>Well, I'm also a very new ham (who doesn't own a radio yet :-), but I do
>have some lab data, courtesy of QST (not responsible for typographical
>errors :-)
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>2m comparisons, from QST (Oct '92)
>As measured in the ARRL Lab
>
> RS Alinco Icom Yaesu Kenwood Standard
> HTX-202 DJ-F1T IC-P2AT FT-411E TH-225A C168A
>
>RX:
>Sensitivity: -122.5 -123 -124 -121.5 -125.5 -123
>(dBm)
>
>Two-tone,
>third-order
>dynamic range: 70.5 62 65 43.5 67.5 74
>(dB, 20kHz off)
>
>Adjacent-channel
>rejection: 72.5 58 70 63 60.5 57
>(dB, 20kHz off)
>
>TX:
>Spurious signal
>and harmonic
>suppression: >70dB >60dB >60dB >60dB >60dB >60dB
>
>
>
>Dual band comparisons, from QST (Jun '91)
>As measured in the ARRL Lab
>
> Alinco Icom Yaesu Kenwood Standard
> DJ-560T IC-32AT FT-470 TH-77A C228A
>
>RX (2m band):
>Sensitivity: -122 -123 -124 -123 -123
>(dBm)
>
>Two-tone,
>third-order
>dynamic range: 53 58 53 60 69
>(dB, 20kHz off)
>
>Adjacent-channel
>rejection: 57 62 65 67 62
>(dB, 20kHz off)
>
>TX:
>Spurious signal
>and harmonic
>suppression: >60dB >60dB >60dB >60dB >60dB
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>It seems to me that these 'Rat Shack' owners are just trying to
>spread the good word, and the owners of "them fancy dual-banders"
>may be trying to justify their purchases.
>
>And not all Radio Shack owners are looking for 'mods', either. It
>seems like there are those who want a lot of features for a little
>price, but they don't realize that a good radio is the best feature,
>and that the extra stuff can reduce the 'goodness'. It makes perfect
>sense to me that a tightly filtered front end would produce the
>cleanest RF (in and out).
That's true, but the numbers you quote don't really tell why the
HTX202 is so much better than the wideband scanners, er HTs, sold
by others. The RS intercept is higher, but the data posted is for
in-band signals. Where the RS unit really shines is when you realize
that out-of-band signals are attenuated an additional 30-50 db by
the narrow front end filters which will place out-of-band mixing
products 60-100 db further down than in-band mixes. The adjacent
channel performance is basically a measure of the IF filtering.
There too the RS unit shines.
This is a very good radio for areas with high strength commercial
signals. That's nearly everywhere near a large city today.
Gary
--
Gary Coffman KE4ZV |"If 10% is good enough | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Destructive Testing Systems | for Jesus, it's good | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
534 Shannon Way | enough for Uncle Sam."| emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | -Ray Stevens |
------------------------------
End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1314
******************************
******************************