Date: Mon, 27 Dec 93 15:41:35 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 #1514 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Mon, 27 Dec 93 Volume 93 : Issue 1514 Today's Topics: an idea (2 msgs) CQ HB9 -- Any Swiss hams here? CW Honor Roll cw waivers (4 msgs) Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 26 December Paul Harvey Slams Radio Amateurs R/C Aircraft woops 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: 27 Dec 1993 19:59:55 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!astro.as.utexas.edu!oo7@network.ucsd.edu Subject: an idea To: info-hams@ucsd.edu gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) says: >>CW is, of course, allowed on *any* amateur >>frequency, though it's hardly used on any frequency where better >>modes, such as SSB or FM, are allowed. If we could somehow cross-breed Gary with that Robert thing, we might end up with a real person. Derek Wills (AA5BT, G3NMX) Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712. (512-471-1392) oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 1993 19:57:31 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!swrinde!news.dell.com!natinst.com!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!astro.as.utexas.edu!oo7@network.ucsd.edu Subject: an idea To: info-hams@ucsd.edu gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) says: >>CW is, of course, allowed on *any* amateur >>frequency, though it's hardly used on any frequency where better >>modes, such as SSB or FM, are allowed. If we could somehow cross-breed Gary with that Robert thing, we might end up with a real person. Derek Wills (AA5BT, G3NMX) Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712. (512-471-1392) oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 22:24:32 GMT From: world!slm@uunet.uu.net Subject: CQ HB9 -- Any Swiss hams here? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Sorry for using so much bandwidth for this question, but I don't know how to limit distribution to Switzerland; and maybe someone else knows someone in Switzerland on e-mail or packet radio (doesn't have to be a ham). I need to ask someone in HB9 for a big communications favor. If you might be able to help and want more details, please send e-mail to slm@world.std.com. MANY THANKS. 73, Sharon KC1YR -- electronic address: slm@world.std.com ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 1993 19:46:48 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!astro.as.utexas.edu!oo7@network.ucsd.edu Subject: CW Honor Roll To: info-hams@ucsd.edu gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) claims: >If the ARRL dropped the CW Honor Role [sic], it's likely that few >DXers would continue to operate CW, just as few operate AM because >there's no special status attached to that mode in the awards process. This is so ludicrous that I'm not even going to comment on it... Derek Wills (AA5BT, G3NMX) Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712. (512-471-1392) oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 09:29:31 +0000 From: library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!darwin.sura.net!udel!news.sprintlink.net!demon!llondel.demon.co.uk!dave@network.ucsd.edu Subject: cw waivers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <jfhCInu8z.207@netcom.com> jfh@netcom.com (Jack Hamilton) writes: > >Perhaps he meant "obsolete outside ham radio". It's not likely that you >will find a use for Morse code that's (a) not just a licensing requirement, >like the code requirement for some commercial licenses, or (b) incapable >of being replaced by a newer mode which is easier, faster, or both. > There is an organisation which puts job ads in Radio Communication magazine with the following as part of the desired experience: "We would prefer you to be capable of reading morse at 20wpm...." And it is a multi-million pound organisation as well. If they don't think it is obsolete then it isn't! Dave -- ***************************************************************************** * G4WRW @ GB7WRW.#41.GBR.EU AX25 * Start at the beginning. Go on * * dave@llondel.demon.co.uk Internet * until the end. Then stop. * * g4wrw@g4wrw.ampr.org Amprnet * (the king to the white rabbit) * ***************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 93 21:05:49 GMT From: att-out!cbnewsj!k2ph@rutgers.rutgers.edu Subject: cw waivers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 93 20:46:00 GMT From: att-out!cbnewsj!k2ph@rutgers.rutgers.edu Subject: cw waivers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 1993 21:09:17 GMT From: orca.es.com!olin!alan@uunet.uu.net Subject: cw waivers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1993Dec27.150035.10400@ke4zv.atl.ga.us> gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman) writes: >In article <2fkooa$hr@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu> oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu (Derek Wills) writes: >>lawrence.goodwin@support.com claims: >> >>>I recognize it as a nearly obsolete mode that is primarily still alive >>>for sentimental reasons. >> >> This is pure baloney. CW has never been obsolete. You may not like >> contesting, but for every phone contest there is a CW contest. The This is not completely correct - there are some contests which are mixed mode (CW and SSB). Some of these have separate entry categories, and some do not. In Field Day (technically not a contest), anything goes - FM, Packet, RTTY, VHF, CW, SSB, etc. >> best contesters are not interested in using obsolete modes, so why >> do these contests still exist and generate so much activity? You may There are many reasons that people operate in contests. Sure, there is the lure of winning an award, but truthfully, there are many of us who do not win awards very often, so there must be some other reasons - like just participating and learning and developing our operating skills, or even making QSOs so that we can collect more QSLs for DXCC or some other award like WAS. >> not like DXing, but all major expeditions operate mainly SSB phone and >> CW. Why would people spend thousands of dollars to activate a rare >> country, aim to make as many QSOs as possible and then use an obsolete >> mode to do it? Sure, there are a few phone-only expeditions, but there >> are also CW-only ones. G3SXW spend 3 weeks on Tristan da Cunha and maded >> 23,000+ QSOs on CW and about 3 on phone. You think he did this just for >> sentimental reasons? > >CW is still alive among contesters because it's a *separate award category*. >The purpose of contesting is to accumulate as many awards as possible, and Not all of us contesters are that interested in awards despite what you might believe. Some of us are interested in other aspects of operating our stations (or someone else's for that matter). Some of us who enjoy CW and enjoy contesting participate for many reasons, not just for the awards. There are some of us who are very competitive and will use every skill that we have to win, if not for the award, for the "bragging rights" (witness Field Day, where there is no awards program at all). I suspect that if contesting was not as popular as it appears to be, the various sponsors would have lost interest in running them many years ago. >to get the CW Honor Role status, you have to operate CW. That says nothing I, for one, am not the least bit interested in getting on the CW Honor Roll (at least the DXCC Honor Roll). If there were a CW contesters Honor Roll or a "Hall of Fame", I would be interested in that, however. I have worked and confirmed nearly 300 DXCC countries, but you will not find my callsign on the DXCC list. >about whether CW is obsolete or not. Some people restore antique cars to >win show trophies. Some people collect postal cards for no apparent reason. >They follow whatever rules are in force in order to pursue their mania for >status, regardless of whether the rules make sense to an outside party. >The ARRL has just created a RTTY Honor Role. I'm willing to bet that more >Dxpeditions will now include RTTY operations for that reason. If the ARRL >dropped the CW Honor Role, it's likely that few DXers would continue to There are some people who have the misconception that DXers are contesters and vice-versa. That is not necessarily so. There are some DXers who cannot stand contests, and there are some contesters who are just not interested in DXing (to some extent, I am one of those). How many times have you heard a DXer who is at the top of the Honor Roll say, "Well, I have worked them all now. So now what do I do?" There is no contester, no matter how serious or competitive, who has won every contest. There are so many variables that even if you win a contest in one year, you can enter again the following year and not win because of any number of reasons such as propagation anomalies, new competition - you get the idea. So for us contesters, there are always new challenges ahead of us. You could say that, like most of us in real life, we all have our own priorities and goals. Or, as one person once put it, "Different strokes for different folks". >operate CW, just as few operate AM because there's no special status >attached to that mode in the awards process. > >According to the Newsline article, RTTY, AMTOR, and *other non-CW >digital protocols* all count toward the award. That opens the possibility >for totally automated stations to achieve DXCC in a short time. No doubt >many of the CW ops will look down on those as "not real hams". But I >also bet they'll be scrambling to setup to win the award too. :-) Not me, at least not yet... > >Gary >-- >Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary >Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary >534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary >Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | | -- Alan Brubaker, K6XO |~~|_ "Pumps have handles, Hams have names; <IYF disclaimer> | * |mine's Lee, what's yours?" - Lee Wical, Internet: alan@dsd.es.com|____|KH6BZF, the Bloomin' Zipper Flipper. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1993 23:25:39 MST From: usc.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!cyber2.cyberstore.ca!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!nebulus!ve6mgs!usenet@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Daily Summary of Solar Geophysical Activity for 26 December To: info-hams@ucsd.edu /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ DAILY SUMMARY OF SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY 26 DECEMBER, 1993 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ (Based In-Part On SESC Observational Data) SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY INDICES FOR 26 DECEMBER, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------------ !!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 360, 12/26/93 10.7 FLUX=125 90-AVG=099 SSN=092 BKI=1111 1213 BAI=005 BGND-XRAY=B4.2 FLU1=1.2E+06 FLU10=1.1E+04 PKI=2012 3223 PAI=007 BOU-DEV=005,005,005,008,009,010,006,021 DEV-AVG=008 NT SWF=02:007 XRAY-MAX= M1.5 @ 0412UT XRAY-MIN= B3.3 @ 1315UT XRAY-AVG= C1.1 NEUTN-MAX= +003% @ 2010UT NEUTN-MIN= -002% @ 2225UT NEUTN-AVG= +0.1% PCA-MAX= +0.1DB @ 2355UT PCA-MIN= -0.5DB @ 0915UT PCA-AVG= -0.0DB BOUTF-MAX=55354NT @ 0013UT BOUTF-MIN=55332NT @ 2142UT BOUTF-AVG=55347NT GOES7-MAX=P:+000NT@ 0000UT GOES7-MIN=N:+000NT@ 0000UT G7-AVG=+071,+000,+000 GOES6-MAX=P:+132NT@ 1533UT GOES6-MIN=N:-053NT@ 0751UT G6-AVG=+093,+022,-028 FLUXFCST=STD:130,130,135;SESC:130,130,135 BAI/PAI-FCST=010,015,025/010,015,025 KFCST=0103 4011 2223 4222 27DAY-AP=008,004 27DAY-KP=4222 2222 2101 1211 WARNINGS=*SWF;*MAJFLR ALERTS=**MINFLR:M1.5/1N@0412,N06W02(7640);**SWEEP:II=2@0728-0737UTC; **245STRM:0000-2359UTC !!END-DATA!! NOTE: The Effective Sunspot Number for 25 DEC 93 was 46.5. The Full Kp Indices for 25 DEC 93 are: 1o 3- 1+ 3- 2- 1o 2- 2o SYNOPSIS OF ACTIVITY -------------------- Solar activity was moderate. Region 7640 (N09W08) has been a most prolific region, producing an M1/1N flare at 26/0412UT and no less than 15 C-class flares ranging from a C1/SF to a C6/1F flare. A Type II radio burst was detected from this region at 26/0728UT in association with a C4/1F flare. Region 7640 continued, but slowed, its growth and remains magnetically complex. Regions 7641 (N04W08) and 7643 (S18E41) showed no significant development. Solar activity forecast: solar activity is expected to be low to moderate. Region 7640 has a fair chance for an occasional M-class flare and a small chance for an isolated X-class flare. The geomagnetic field has been at quiet levels for the past 24 hours. Geophysical activity forecast: the geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled for the first two days of the forecast period then active as a coronal hole rotates into a favorable position. High latitude stations could see minor to major storming by the end of the forecast period. Event probabilities 27 dec-29 dec Class M 50/50/50 Class X 05/05/05 Proton 05/05/05 PCAF Green Geomagnetic activity probabilities 27 dec-29 dec A. Middle Latitudes Active 15/20/30 Minor Storm 05/10/25 Major-Severe Storm 01/05/05 B. High Latitudes Active 15/25/25 Minor Storm 05/15/35 Major-Severe Storm 01/05/10 HF propagation conditions were normal over all regions. Propagation over the high and polar latitude paths have returned to normal due to the elevated levels of solar activity. Near-normal conditions should dominate until about 29 December when signals could again become degraded over the middle to polar latitude regions due to a recurrent coronal hole. COPIES OF JOINT USAF/NOAA SESC SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL REPORTS ======================================================== REGIONS WITH SUNSPOTS. LOCATIONS VALID AT 26/2400Z DECEMBER ----------------------------------------------------------- NMBR LOCATION LO AREA Z LL NN MAG TYPE 7640 N09W08 201 0660 FKI 23 059 BETA-GAMMA 7641 N04W08 201 0080 HSX 02 002 ALPHA 7643 S18E41 152 0000 AXX 00 001 ALPHA 7635 N02W83 276 PLAGE 7642 N11W47 240 PLAGE REGIONS DUE TO RETURN 27 DECEMBER TO 29 DECEMBER NMBR LAT LO 7633 S18 090 7630 S10 087 7629 S20 083 7634 S12 073 LISTING OF SOLAR ENERGETIC EVENTS FOR 26 DECEMBER, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------- A. ENERGETIC EVENTS: BEGIN MAX END RGN LOC XRAY OP 245MHZ 10CM SWEEP 0023 0029 0032 C1.6 1900 0041 0041 0041 110 0140 0140 0140 400 0353 0412 0421 7640 N06W02 M1.5 1N 0508 0519 0528 7640 N05W04 C1.7 SF 310 0715 0727 0734 7640 N06W06 C4.6 1F 3000 63 II 0937 0941 0944 7640 N05W09 C2.5 SF 1700 1029 1039 1043 C4.0 150 1053 1053 1053 200 1252 1253 1255 420 1541 1551 1601 7640 N07W11 C6.5 1F 1600 69 1733 1736 1738 7640 N11W09 C1.0 SF 210 POSSIBLE CORONAL MASS EJECTION EVENTS FOR 26 DECEMBER, 1993 ----------------------------------------------------------- BEGIN MAX END LOCATION TYPE SIZE DUR II IV 26/ 0728 0737 N06W06 RSP C4.6 19 2 INFERRED CORONAL HOLES. LOCATIONS VALID AT 26/2400Z --------------------------------------------------- ISOLATED HOLES AND POLAR EXTENSIONS EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH CAR TYPE POL AREA OBSN NO DATA AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS SUMMARY OF FLARE EVENTS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY ------------------------------------------------ Date Begin Max End Xray Op Region Locn 2695 MHz 8800 MHz 15.4 GHz ------ ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ------ ------ --------- --------- --------- 25 Dec: 0103 0108 0111 C1.3 0115 0119 0125 C1.2 0132 0134 0137 SF 7640 N06E13 0327 0330 0333 C1.5 0422 0429 0431 C6.2 SF 7640 N07E12 0440 0449 0455 C4.3 SF 7640 N03E15 0523 0530 0539 C4.4 SF 7640 N07E11 0612 0616 0619 C1.7 0657 0716 0720 C5.8 SF 7640 N07E10 0830 0839 0845 C4.5 SF 7640 N08E17 0906 0910 0915 C2.1 1139 1245 1253 SN 7640 N08E10 1229 1233 1236 C2.3 1241 1244 1248 C2.2 1411 1415 1417 C1.0 1441 1452 1455 C6.0 SF 7640 N07E07 1521 1524 1530 SF 7640 N07E06 1559 1602 1606 SF 7640 N07E06 1615 1615 1623 SF 7640 N07E06 1706 1711 1715 C4.6 SF 7640 N08E07 1743 1745 1750 SF 7641 N04E08 1826 1834 1903 SF 7640 N07E04 1936 1939 1941 C1.8 SF 7640 N06E04 1939 1940 1946 SF 7640 N07E04 2021 2025 2030 C1.0 2117 2123 2128 C2.6 2258 2309 2322 SF 7640 N08E08 REGION FLARE STATISTICS FOR THE PREVIOUS UTC DAY ------------------------------------------------ C M X S 1 2 3 4 Total (%) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- ------ Region 7640: 8 1 0 17 0 0 0 0 017 (60.7) Region 7641: 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 001 ( 3.6) Uncorrellated: 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 010 (35.7) Total Events: 028 optical and x-ray. EVENTS WITH SWEEPS AND/OR OPTICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE LAST UTC DAY ---------------------------------------------------------------- Date Begin Max End Xray Op Region Locn Sweeps/Optical Observations ------ ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ------ ------ --------------------------- 25 Dec: 0657 0716 0720 C5.8 SF 7640 N07E10 III 1521 1524 1530 SF 7640 N07E06 III 2021 2025 2030 C1.0 III NOTES: All times are in Universal Time (UT). Characters preceding begin, max, and end times are defined as: B = Before, U = Uncertain, A = After. All times associated with x-ray flares (ex. flares which produce associated x-ray bursts) refer to the begin, max, and end times of the x-rays. Flares which are not associated with x-ray signatures use the optical observations to determine the begin, max, and end times. Acronyms used to identify sweeps and optical phenomena include: II = Type II Sweep Frequency Event III = Type III Sweep IV = Type IV Sweep V = Type V Sweep Continuum = Continuum Radio Event Loop = Loop Prominence System, Spray = Limb Spray, Surge = Bright Limb Surge, EPL = Eruptive Prominence on the Limb. ** End of Daily Report ** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 21:23:33 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!tweek@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Paul Harvey Slams Radio Amateurs To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Paul Harvey - Chicago... the Usenet alt.folklore.urban POSTER CHILD in a broadcast on December 27 of 1993 (as heard on KGO Radio) was up to his normal tactics of screwing up the facts on a story and in the process slammed radio amateurs around the world. The story he told... - Hams listen to police radio transmissions on their equipment. - Hams beat the cops to incidents to steal the victims blind. - In England, cops set up a trap and broadcast a martian landing incident over their radios. They then arrested all of the Hams who showed up. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I will be forwarding this message to Paul Harvey's fax in Chicago [312-899-4088] as well as formulating a letter with the REST OF THE STORY FACTS about the difference between Hams and CBers, scanner listeners and the like. (Anyone else is welcome to do likewise as far as I am concerned.) If anyone has saved the info from the UK martian sting thread in some of these newsgroups, can you forward them to me (tweek@netcom.com) so that I can present them as well to Mr. AFU himself. Mike Maxfield tweek@netcom.com Amateur Radio Station N6QYA as licensed by the Federal Communications Commision of the United States of America. ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 93 23:04:56 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: R/C Aircraft To: info-hams@ucsd.edu >and may want to return it. Well, I found out what TEMPER really >can be. I dont think Ill do that again! >C ya. Jeff AC4ZO. just give him a list of fines and some info about how he can get licensed next time. he might be mad, but you can be the hero saving him from some bizillion dollar penality as well. of course you can't tell some people things. 73, bill wb9ivr ------------------------------ Date: 27 Dec 1993 20:01:22 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!astro.as.utexas.edu!oo7@network.ucsd.edu Subject: woops To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Sorry, that post called "an idea" was meant for the .policy group, no sense in polluting this group with stuff from over there! Derek Wills (AA5BT, G3NMX) Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712. (512-471-1392) oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: (null) From: (null) You can't possibly be serious! CW is still alive among contesters BECAUSE IT'S FUN! Only a handful of the 2000+ operators who send in entries for the CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest every year get any awards. And that says nothing about the majority who didn't even send in their logs! The same is true for nearly every CW contest you can name. The fact is that most contesters have no hope of accumulating many awards. There are too many of us with too few awards to pursue for that to be our purpose. Clearly, for the overwhelming majority of contesters, the accumulation of awards is NOT the purpose of contesting. We now return you to your regularly scheduled flamefest. 8-{) -- ---------------------------------------------------- Bob Schreibmaier K2PH | UUCP: ...!att!mtdcr!bob AT&T Bell Laboratories | Internet: bob@mtdcr.att.com Middletown, N.J. 07748 | ICBM: 40o21'N, 74o8'W ------------------------------ Date: (null) From: (null) This is too silly for words! Very few of the 38% of active amateur radio operators who use CW would drop the mode if the CW Honor Roll were dropped. That would be a really stupid reason to stop doing something that you're having so much fun with! -- ---------------------------------------------------- Bob Schreibmaier K2PH | UUCP: ...!att!mtdcr!bob AT&T Bell Laboratories | Internet: bob@mtdcr.att.com Middletown, N.J. 07748 | ICBM: 40o21'N, 74o8'W ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V93 #1514 ****************************** ******************************