Date: Wed, 5 Jan 94 05:46:23 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 V94 #2 To: Info-Hams Info-Hams Digest Wed, 5 Jan 94 Volume 94 : Issue 2 Today's Topics: "looking for information..." 6-meters band, region 1 regulations. (IARU) Advice sought on sat gear: 2510/ft480? Bad Ham Company DEP May Impose Fees On YOU! HDN Releases Houston Area VE Exams SCDX 2192 What goes on, on 6 meters ? 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: 5 Jan 94 12:50:26 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: "looking for information..." To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Date sent: 5-JAN-1994 07:46:29 I understand how some of you could misinterpret J.Angus' point re: looking for information before posting , but wish to add my 2 cents: not long ago we started a nos gateway here and I asked for help. Jeff not only sent me copies of all of his setup files and tree of subdirectories, but when I was still confused (my field is psychology and not electronics or computers) I called him. He was very gracious to stay on the phone with me for over 45 minutes to help me with the setup. So, the bottom line is : please lay off this guy. He has been VERY helpful to a number of us and is not at all cheap with his advice and help. ..Darrell ###################################### Darrell Leavitt # Empire State College (Plattsburgh,NY)# leavitdg@snyplava.bitnet # leavitdg@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu # n2ixl@amgate.net.plattsburgh.edu # n2ixl@kd2aj.#neny.ny.usa.na # ###################################### ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jan 1994 10:21:11 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!xlink.net!scsing.switch.ch!swidir.switch.ch!univ-lyon1.fr!elendir@network.ucsd.edu Subject: 6-meters band, region 1 regulations. (IARU) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu This is a translation from the lastest issue of French Magazine MEGAHERTZ : [...] During its last meeting (Haan, September '93) the IARU Region 1 has agreed on eight repeater frequencies in the 50 MHz band. Though these repeaters are really rare in Europe, this project is aimed to avoid future possible contentions. The inter-band gap is 20 kHz and the shift is identical to the 144 Mhz, i.e. 600 kHz. The output of the repeaters should lie between 51.810 and 51.950 MHz, with a - 600 kHz shift. Furthermore, the FAX frequency has been set to 50.550 MHz ((c) SORACOM '94) A new beacon has been installed to alert in case of a boreal aurora. It is located in the north of the FRG. Vince. -- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 1994 00:49:11 GMT From: haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!yale.edu!cs.yale.edu!csusys.ctstateu.edu!white@ames.arpa Subject: Advice sought on sat gear: 2510/ft480? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I'm getting ready to work the Oscars, and I have a couple of options for outfitting my station. I currently have an HF receiver, and my only amateur rig is a TH78A HT. I have a chance to pick up a Yaesu FT480R 2m all-mode and/or a Ten-Tec 2510 (mode B rig). I'm looking for some help on the decision-making process. The Yaesu would be nice for 2m DXing; however, I don't own an HF transmitter to couple to a transverter. The 2510 would get me working the sats a lot quicker, but it is strictly mode B. Hey. I'm stumped. Help? 73 Harry N1QVE white@csusys.ctstateu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 4 Jan 1994 13:54:27 GMT From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!darwin.sura.net!perot.mtsu.edu!raider!theporch!jackatak!root@ames.arpa Subject: Bad Ham Company To: info-hams@ucsd.edu jholly@cup.hp.com (Jim Hollenback) writes: > Jeff Gold (ag821@yfn.ysu.edu) wrote: > [stuff about bad keyer deleted] > : Wrote a long letter and sent the chip back to R&R. > : Southard.. no address or anything.. told me to check for a bad soldering > : joint.. also gave me the address of Innovative Electronics and told me > : to deal with them .. because that is where he gets the chips from.. > : > : I bought the kit from R&R.. think they should have done something. > : > It seems that Bud Southard is the contact at Innovative Electronics and > Bud deals with the problems with bad chips...Did you try to contact > Innovative Electronics? Wait a minute! I must be missing something here... Jim, are you saying that if Jeff or I had bought a 'scope from HP that had a problem, and we diagnosed it to a bad chip, that HP wouod want us to go do battle with say National Semi just because HP doesn't get chip returns??? What a crock of Bovine Excrement!!!! Remeber what Jeff wanted: he bought the kit from *R & R*... and expected, I think reasonably, that *R & R* would help him with the problem. Some *jerk* at R&R yowling about a bad solder joint (which is the first piece of crap EVERY hardware dunce yells when someone suggests a part may have failed) is NOT how a company develops good products, good customer relations, and improves their position in the market... I betcha if you e-mailed your response to your marketing people at HP, suggesting Jeff start calling the vendors to R&R, in an attempt to get an R&R product working, and substituted "HP" for "R&R" and "National Semi" for "Innovative Electronics" you'd be in the front of the line at the Silly Cone Valley Unemployment Office...waiting to file a claim. Get real and take responsibility. Stop this Bullshit of trying to find some sucker to blame who can't move quickly enough to defend himself, and focus on FIXING THE PROBLEM!!!! > What more would want R&R do for you? What ANY reasonable company should do: send a replacement chip. NOT try to hang the blame on Innovative Electronics! > The days of Heathkit are only enjoyed in the history books. From what I > have read about Ramsey on the net, you seem to have had the luck of getting > you project working. So we should all, according to that logic, settle for the B/S and crap, we should not complain when our radios don't work, when everything stops functioning, because the days of quality are "behind" us??? Well, Jim, when you face a better motivated supervisor, with a concept of fixing problems, not trying to assign blame, will you still have a job? Will you need one? After all, work will only be in the history books by then. Sheesh! And I started today with a hopeful feeling. ;^) 73, Jack, W4PPT/Mobile (75M SSB WAS -- ALL from the mobile! ;^) +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+ | Jack GF Hill |Voice: (615) 459-2636 - Ham Call: W4PPT | | P. O. Box 1685 |Modem: (615) 377-5980 - Bicycling and SCUBA Diving | | Brentwood, TN 37024|Fax: (615) 459-0038 - Life Member - ARRL | | root@jackatak.raider.net - "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" | +--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--+ ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jan 1994 05:32:43 GMT From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!emory!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!concert!bigblue.oit.unc.edu!samba.oit.unc.edu!not-for-mail@ames.arpa Subject: DEP May Impose Fees On YOU! To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <tcjCJ3nLD.pt@netcom.com>, Todd Jonz <tcj@netcom.com> wrote: >John Magliacane (magliaco@pilot.njin.net) writes: > > > The Department of Environmental Protection and Energy in New Jersey > > is proposing a fee pertaining to owners of RF generating devices. > > In summary, the proposed rule will require the owners of sources of > > radio frequency and microwave radiation between the frequencies of > > 300 KHz and 100 GHz that have the potential of exposing either > > workers or the general public to radiation levels in excess of the > > regulatory limits > >With regard to the word "potential", wouldn't this include anybody with a >microwave oven in the kitchen? > > >Todd, KB6JXT > I wouldn't worry too much... After all, most (almost all?) devices which operate with radio frequency have to have emissions within safe limits in order to be sold. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the only thing which would make sense to me. So it doesn't sound like they will make too much money off this scheme, if this rumor is indeed true (And to that end, I make no claims and heave no evidence either way)). Also sounds like everybody with a personal computer sittin on thier desk will be paying a fortune... (ever set a scanner in "search" mode beside a turned-on computer :-) Sherrod -- The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service. internet: laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 03 Jan 1994 16:58:10 From: metro!basser.cs.su.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!egsner!wb9rxw!kf5iw!@@munnari.oz.au Subject: HDN Releases To: info-hams@ucsd.edu The following files were processed Monday 01-03-94: HAMANT [ HAM: Antenna design and calculation programs ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCONE1.ZIP ( 5758 bytes) How to build a Discone Antenna by K5DKZ TRAP01.ZIP ( 4964 bytes) 80/40 meter trap dipole construction - by K5DKZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 10722 bytes in 2 file(s) HAMNEWS [ HAM: Bulletins and Newsletters ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ANART790.ZIP ( 6486 bytes) ANART Bulletin #790 12/19/93 ARLB120.ZIP ( 1902 bytes) Vanity Call Signs - 12/30/93 ARLB121.ZIP ( 1717 bytes) Callsign plan cancelled 12/30/93 ARLB122.ZIP ( 1250 bytes) W1AW cosed 12/31/93 ARLD071.ZIP ( 2491 bytes) ARRL DX Bulletin 12/30/93 ARLP052.ZIP ( 2554 bytes) ARRL Propagation Bulletin 12/31/93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 16400 bytes in 6 file(s) HAMSAT [ HAM: Satellite tracking and finding programs ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT359.ZIP ( 7945 bytes) Amsat Bulletin #359 12/26/93 AMSAT361.ZIP ( 1417 bytes) Amsat Bulletin #361 12/27/93 ARLK054.ZIP ( 2836 bytes) Keplerian Data 12/28/93 ARLK055.ZIP ( 2837 bytes) Keplerian Data 01/01/94 OBS358.ZIP ( 6188 bytes) Orbital Elements 12/24/93 PG-AEA.ZIP ( 49604 bytes) Latest Satellite Communications program for DSP-1232, DSP-2232, DSP -12d ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 70827 bytes in 6 file(s) HAMSWL [ HAM: Shortwave broadcast schedule distribution ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RNZI.ZIP ( 1306 bytes) Radio New Zealand SWBC Sked 12/04/93 to 03/19/94 R_AUSSIE.ZIP ( 3253 bytes) Radio Australia SWBC Sked effec 12/19/93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4559 bytes in 2 file(s) HAMTRAIN [ HAM: Amateur Radio training material and cw progs ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CODEBEEP.ZIP ( 9019 bytes) Training Aide, press letter, sounds character CWDRIL.ZIP ( 53595 bytes) Interactive cw practice, hook paddle to PC serial port, by HB9DBC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 62614 bytes in 2 file(s) Total of 165122 bytes in 18 file(s) Files are available via Anonymous-FTP from ftp.fidonet.org IP NET address 140.98.2.1 Directories are: pub/fidonet/ham/hamnews (Bulletins) /hamant (Antennas) /hamsat (Sat. prg/Amsat Bulletins) /hampack (Packet) /hamelec (Formulas) /hamtrain (Training Material) /hamlog (Logging Programs) /hamcomm (APLink/JvFax/Rtty/etc) /hammods (Equip modification) /hamswl (SWBC Skeds/Frequencies) /hamscan (Scanner Frequencies) /hamutil (Operating aids/utils) /hamsrc (Source code to programs) /hamdemo (Demos of new ham software) /hamnos (TCP/IP and NOS related software) Files may be downloaded via land-line at (214) 226-1181 or (214) 226-1182. 1.2 to 16.8K, 23 hours a day . When ask for Full Name, enter: Guest;guest <return> lee - wa5eha Ham Distribution Net * Origin: Ham Distribution Net Coordinator / Node 1 (1:124/7009) ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jan 94 12:38:37 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Houston Area VE Exams To: info-hams@ucsd.edu The Clear Lake ARC in SE Houston Tx will hold its monthly ARRL VE exams this saturday Jan 8th. WHEN: SAT Jan 8th, check in at 9am, tests start at 9:30am WHERE: Clear Lake Presbyterian Church education builiding, 1511 El Dorado (Take I 45 South from Houston to the El Dorado Exit, go East about 5mi or take I 45 North from the Galveston area to El Dorado) WHAT: Bring BOTH Original AND Copy of your most current license Bring BOTH Original AND Copy of any current CSCEs Bring 2 forms of ID, one photo Bring current test fee (new in Jan) $5.75 We have 610 forms, lots of smiling faces to help you fill out paperwork. Call Jim KB5AWM 713/486-2032 for more information 73 De Bob KA5GLX ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 4 Jan 1994 19:43:44 MST From: agate!library.ucla.edu!news.mic.ucla.edu!unixg.ubc.ca!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!alberta!nebulus!ve6mgs!usenet@ames.arpa Subject: SCDX 2192 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: MediaScan :: :: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS :: :: from Radio Sweden :: :: Number 2192--Jan. 4, 1994 :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden. This week's bulletin was written by George Wood. Packet Radio BID SCDX2192 All times UTC unless otherwise noted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry about our disappearance over the past few weeks. I've been ill, but all is well now. The bad news is that Radio Sweden has cut back on the time allocated to me to write MediaScan. The radio program will only air on the first and third Tuesdays of the month in the future, which doesn't affect this Electronic Edition. But I will have much less time to compile the material. And the orientation will be even more Nordic than previously. Please note that the deadline for contributions from Internet or CompuServe will be the Monday evening before broadcast. Fax contributions can be made as late as the Tuesday morning before broadcast. NORDIC MEDIA NEWS: SWEDEN--Here are the changes in the Radio Sweden English schedule that go into effect on January 10th, caused by deteriorating propagation conditions: To Asia at 12:30 hrs UTC, 15120 kHz will be replacing 17865, and 13765 kHz will be replacing 17740. To South America at midnight 30, 6065 kHz replaces 11650, and 9850 kHz replaces 9695. And to North America at 02:30 and 03:30 hrs, 6195 kHz replaces 11650, and 9850 kHz replaces 9695. We also continue to be part of the World Radio Network package on MTV's transponder 22 on Astra, audio 7.74 MHz, daily at 21:00 hrs UTC. Last time we reported that WRN would also be bringing Radio Sweden and other international broadcasters to North America by satellite. The service has now begun. The satellite is ASC-1 at 128 degrees West, C-band transponder 23. That's used for SCOLA, which carries TV news programs from many countries, including Sweden's TV4. The audio subcarrier is 6.2 MHz. Radio Sweden can be heard at 01:00 and 21:00 hrs. THOR AND SIRIUS--One of last year's most interesting Nordic media stories was the bidding war between Sweden and Norway for Britain's unused Marco Polo 2 satellite. The Norwegians won, renamed the satellite Thor, and moved it to 1 degree West. They're offering a package of CNN, Eurosport, Discovery, Children's Channel, MTV, and FilmNet to Nordic subscribers. Unfortunately the Norwegians insisted on using the obscure D-MAC standard, with the equally obscure Eurocrypt S coding system. Well, the Norwegians have had to give up on at least part of that. On December 16th all the Thor channels switched over to D2-MAC, which may be a dead standard as far as most of Europe is concerned, but it is used by FilmNet and by Scansat for its various TV3 channels and the pay movie channels TV1000 and FilmMax. ("Paa TV") What may have contributed to the change of heart is the Swedish Space Corporation's successful bid to buy the Marco Polo 1 satellite, a bid the Norwegians tried to fight in the British courts. The plan is to move the satellite, now renamed Sirius, to 5 degrees East, alongside Sweden's current direct broadcast satellite Tele-X, which currently carried TV4, TV5 Nordic, and Norway's NHK, along with Radio Sweden. So far it's unclear what channels will be offered on Sirius, but transmissions are expected to begin in early March. (TT) ASTRA--Besides competing with Thor, Sirius must also compete with Europe's most popular TV satellite combination, Astra, which has 50 channels at one position in the sky. FilmNet has announced that a number of the coded Astra channels are to be offered on a subscription basis to Scandinavia, using the Videocrypt 2 coding system. Initially the offering will include the Children's Channel, Discovery, Country Music Television, with FilmNet and the Adult Channel as extra options. ("Paa TV") FILMMAX--TV1000's companion channel FilmMax, which uses Intelsat 601, is now available for satellite subscribers in Sweden. While the channel has been carried in Swedish cable networks since it started, until now only Norwegians could subscribe to the satellite signals. ("Paa TV") TV5 NORDIC--The French language TV5 has sued to force the Swedish channel TV5 Nordic to change its name. At the end of November, a Swedish court ruled in favor of the French. TV5 Nordic is appealing to a higher court. (TT) On the other hand, there's good news for the channel with the decision of Capital Cities, which owns the ABC network in the United States, to buy 21 percent of Nordic's owner, the Scandinavian Broadcasting System, which also owns Norway's TV Norge and Denmark's TV2. (TT) RADIO--The new private commercial radio frequencies in southern and western Sweden were auctioned off on December 6th, 5 channels in Gothenburg, and 2 each in Malm and 7 smaller towns. These were strictly highest bidder auctions, with no regard for format or even whether the bidders can afford their bids. Sweden's most expensive radio licence went to the Kinnevik media empire, which bid nearly 400,000 dollars for a Gothenburg channel. Besides TV3, TV1000, FilmMax, part of TV4, along with cable shopping and video channels, Kinnevik also won several key frequencies in the first auction in northern and central Sweden. Besides Gothenburg, they also submitted winning bids this time in 4 other towns. France's NRJ (or Energy), which won a Stockholm frequency, picked up new ones in Gothenburg and Malm, while another growing network, Radio Rix, picked up channels in Gothenburg and 2 other towns. (TT) And according to the first surveys after private radio started in Stockholm, NRJ is the capital's most listened to commercial station. 9.5 percent of the population listen to the station for a least 5 minutes a day. ("Dagens Nyheter") INTERNATIONAL SATELLITES NEWS: NEW SATELLITES--In recent weeks there have been a number of new satellites launched. The most exciting was American's DBS-1, launched December 17, which together with a twin satellite to be launched in June, will provide Americans with 150 digitally compressed channels at one spot in the sky. (Reuters) There will be separate services from USSB and Hughes' DirecTV. Together they will offer 100 subscription channels and 50 more pay-per-view channels, using digital compression techniques. Both satellites will be located at 101 degrees West, and will deliver news, sports, movies, and other programming to American homes equipped with 45 cm (18 inch) antennas. Receiving systems will cost USD 700 plus installation. The cost of subscribing to 100 channels will be around USD 50 a month. Among the broadcasters lined up for DirecTV are several channels from Turner Broadcasting: CNN International, CNN, Headline News, TNT, Cartoon Network, Superstation TBS, and Turner Classic Movies. Other broadcasters signed up include the USA Network, the Sci-Fi Channel, the Nashville Network, Country Music Television, Discovery, the Learning Channel, E! Entertainment, the Family Channel, Courtroom Television Network, The Weather Channel, Playboy TV, The Golf Channel and The Travel Channel. There are pay-per-view agreements with Paramount, Sony, MGM, Disney, and Columbia Tristar. Around 50 PPV films will be carried on the 150 channel system once launched. USSB has announced that their programming lineup contains 14 premium feeds (HBO 1, 2, and 3, Cinemax 1 and 2, and Showtime 1 and 2, East and West in all cases) and six or seven basic channels (MTV, VH-1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment, All News Channel). Launched along with DBS-1 was Thailand's first satellite, Thaicom-1, which will be competing to broadcast across southeast Asia. On December 15th, another American satellite, Telstar 401, went into orbit. The Public Broadcasting System will be using the satellite to transmit more than 40 digitally compressed channels, creating what is being described as an "education neighborhood". Most of these new channels will be used for educational programming to schools. The plans include two way contact, in which participating classes would interact with the programming, sending data from computers over the telephone to the closest PBS station, which would relay signals to the satellite. One transponder would carry the PBS national schedule A and B programs, along with a high definition television program. While HBO and other programmers will be using the General Instrument's DigiCipher II technology, PBS will be using the non-consumer DigiCipher I technology and those digital signals are not compatable with the other system. Other users of Telstar 401 will include ABC and Paramount, for relays of such programs as " Star Trek" and Entertainment Tonight". Other satellites recently launched include Mexico's new Solidaridad-1, and the new European weather satellite Meteosat-6, which will be placed over the Greenwhich meridian, replacing the aging satellite at that position. EUTELSAT--We have a new satellite channel over Europe, Emirates Dubai TV, on Eutelsat 2-F1, on 11.638 GHz. Most programming is in Arabic, but there is news in English at 15:00 and 18:00 hrs UTC. The German language music video channel Viva is now broadcasting on Eutelsat 2-F1 on 11.006 GHz. ("Paa TV" and James Robinson) There's also a report that the American Science Fiction Channel will be appearing on this same satellite in April, possibly on 11.678 GHz. ("What Satellite TV") ASTRA--Sky Sports 2 is reported to be delayed until September. ("Skyguide" and James Robinson) The Travel Channel is to launch on transponder 24 (JSTV) on February 1, daily 06:00-19:00 hrs. The new Spanish stations on Astra are the children's channel Minimas on transponder 36 and Cine Classics on number 40. (James Robinson) There are also rumors a number of channels may be leaving Astra, such as Eurosport and the financially ailing VOX. This could open up transponders for stations such as Super Channel, which would like to be on Astra. ("Skyguide") There's also a rumor that TV3 and TV1000 could be moving to Sirius, but Per Zetterqvist of the Swedish Space Corporation has told Radio Sweden that he is unaware of any such negotiations. The new Astra channel RTL-5 on transponder 64 is out of reach of most receivers. But if you really want to view the channel (which contains some American material in English, with Dutch subtitles), if your receiver has an offset control you can tune down 15 MHz. Astra is said to be planning to launch a seventh satellite, Astra 1G, in 1997. It would provide a back-up to the digital TV services that would be carried on 1E and 1F, due to be launched in 1995 and 1996 respectively. ("What Satellite TV") RADIO--Belgium's Radio Flanders International is now on Astra, although they're using the FilmNet Movies transponder at 10.921 GHz, which is outside the reach of most receivers. The audio is 7.38 MHz. Irish Satellite Radio is using MTV's transponder 22, 7.92 MHz. On 3-Sat's transponder 10, RIAS Berlin Radio is to use 7.74 and 7.92 MHz. Deutschlandfunk (isn't this Deutsche Welle now?) is now using 7.38 and 7.56 MHz, a move from transponder 6. Also moving from transponder 6 are Deutsche Welle's foreign service on transponder 2 (RTL) on two separate subcarriers-- 7.74 and 7.92 MHz. On West 3's transponder 39 coming radio stations are WDR2 on 7.38 and 7.56 MHz, and WDR4 on 7.74 and 7.92 MHz. A number of British radio stations are due to start on Astra in the near future. Coming to the UK Living transponder number 34 are BBC Radio 2 (7.38 MHz) and Radio 3 (7.56), and Capital Gold (7.74) and Capital FM (7.92). (James Robinson) SHORT AND MEDIUM WAVE: SLOVAKIA--The Slovak Ministry of Transport and Communications has cancelled Radio Free Europe's right to broadcast on a Slovak medium wave frequency. According to a letter from the ministry, the contract between RFE and the government of the then-Czechoslovakia allowing broadcasts on the frequency until 1996, will be terminated by January 31st. (Reuters) UK--The BBC says that World Service radio now reaches 130 million people, and the figure could be even higher. The audience figures are based on research in 90 countries. Major growth areas are Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The BBC says the actual figure could be much higher as it has no exact figures from countries like China, Iran, Iraq, and Vietnam. (Reuters) USA--The Christian Science Church has sold its shortwave transmitter station in Scott's Corner, Maine to a Seventh Day Adventist organization, Prophecy Countdown, Inc. It will broadcast over the transmitter for up to 30 hours a week, beginning January 17. The Christian Science Church said in August it would consolidate its American shortwave operations at the station it owns in South Carolina, where an additional transmitter is being built for broadcasts to Africa. The church also broadcasts shortwave programs from the Pacific island of Saipan. (AP) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweden Calling DXers is the world's oldest radio program for shortwave listeners. Radio Sweden has presented this round-up of radio news, features, and interviews on Tuesdays since 1948. Radio Sweden broadcasts in English: Europe and Africa: 17:15 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz 18:30 hrs on 1179, 6065, and 9655 kHz 21:30 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz (Sundays only) 22:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz, and 23:30 hrs on 1179 kHz Middle East and East Africa: 18:30 hrs on 15145 kHz Asia and the Pacific: 12:30 hrs on 15240, 17740 and 17865 kHz 23:30 hrs on 11910 kHz and 01:30 hrs on 9695 and 11695 kHz North America: 1:30 and 14:30 hrs on 15240 and 17870 kHz 02:30 and 03:30 hrs on 9695 and 11650 kHz South America: 00:30 hrs on 9695 and 11650 kHz The broadcasts at 17:15, 18:30, 21:30, and 22:30 hrs are also relayed to Europe by satellite: Astra 1B (19.2 degrees East) transponder 26 (Sky Movies Gold/TV Asia/Adult Channel) at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier at 7.74 MHz, Tele-X (5 degrees East) (TV4 transponder) at 12.207 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.38 MHz. Radio Sweden is also relayed via the World Radio Network on MTV's transponder 22 on Astra, audio 7.74 MHz, daily at 21:00 hrs UTC. Radio Sweden is also part of the WRN package to North America on ASC-1, on SCOLA's transponder 23, audio 6.20 MHz, daily at 01:00 and 21:00 hrs. Contributions can be sent to DX Editor George Wood by fax to +468-667-6283, from MCI Mail or CompuServe to the CompuServe mailbox 70247,3516, from Internet to 70247.3516@compuserve.com, or to SM0IIN at the packet radio BBS SM0ETV. Reports can also be sent to: Radio Sweden S-105 10 Stockholm Sweden Contributions should be NEWS about electronic media--from shortwave to satellites--and not loggings of information already available from sources such as the "World Radio TV Handbook". Clubs and DX publications may reprint material as long as MediaScan/Sweden Calling DXers and the original contributor are acknowledged, with the exception of items from BBC Monitoring, which are copyright. We welcome comments and suggestions about the electronic edition, Sweden Calling DXers, and our programs in general. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to this week's contributors Good Listening! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 1994 00:56:56 GMT From: netcomsv!netcom.com!wa2ise@decwrl.dec.com Subject: What goes on, on 6 meters ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2gcgam$2l8@dancer.cc.bellcore.com> whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com (sohl,william h) writes: >In article <2gc7fl$23d@agate.berkeley.edu>, >Ronald Viegelahn <ron@etch-eshop.Berkeley.EDU> wrote: >> >> Is AM phone used on 6 meters ? or is it mostly ssb and fm . >> ron@etcheshop.Berekeley.EDU > >AM is used on 6 meters, but as you suggest, most activity is >a compination of SSB, FM AND CW. Use of AM on 6 meters >may be more prevalent than other bands because of the lack >of 6 meter equipment in general (especially at hamfests >etc.) and the use of older AM equipment can continue without >significantly impacting available bandwidth for other modes. Some years ago, just for giggles, I moved a cheap toy walkie talkie from 49Mhz to something like 50.858 MHz (was a crystal in the junk box). Actually had a contact with this thing! Visited a ham friend, brought this radio along. He had a radio that could be set up to crossband repeat from 6M to 2M, and could do 6M AM to 2M FM as well (don't remember the brand or model #). Talked with the toy on AM 6M, then was crossbanded thru the above to a 2M repeater, to a random ham. Took a while to explain the setup. :-) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 1994 02:46:45 GMT From: agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!news.iastate.edu!metropolis.gis.iastate.edu!willmore@ames.arpa To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1993Dec25.211737.4849@gsm001.mendelson.com>, <willmore.757376779@metropolis.gis.iastate.edu>, <2gc4b3$ae6@oak.oakland.edu> Subject : Re: "Renewal" batteries -- a note prvalko@vela.acs.oakland.edu (prvalko) writes: >: Just a few comments here. For one, Renewal or any other Alkaline battery is >: a poor choice of power for amateur radio equiptment due to their level of >: current use. Alkaline batteries lose out to high capacity NiCd batteries (for >: AA size) at about 300ma of current draw. Almost any transmitter fits into >: this category. TNC's and other small devices may be able to make use of Alkaline >: batteries, but a transmitter or a receiver (with a speaker) will easily draw >: more power than that. >I'm not sure what you are talking about... I've used alkaline batteries >in my HTs for a dozen years without any trouble whatsoever. A six-pack >od duracells will run my FT-530 on BOTH bands at Dayton for *almost* the >entire weekend. If you were operating on very low output power or were just listening, I wouldn't be suprised. If you were transmitting a lot (and for long periods of time) I would be very suprised. ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jan 94 06:58:15 GMT From: ogicse!emory!darwin.sura.net!sgiblab!wattres!steve@network.ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <21870055@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM>, <CIyCFB.CBI@sugar.NeoSoft.COM>, <2g4bc8$aeu@crl.crl.com> Subject : Re: Repeater database? In article <2g4bc8$aeu@crl.crl.com> mjr@crl.com (Matthew Rapaport) writes: >In article <CIyCFB.CBI@sugar.NeoSoft.COM> jreese@NeoSoft.com (Jim Reese) writes: >>I don't think the intent is to "hide" the link data from the casual user, but >>that it is not relevent to the intended market of the ARRL Repeater Directory. >Never-the-less in the context of the "repeater database" that was the subject >of this thread, Scott's call for such information to be published makes perfect >sense. I would hope the database would have uses the ARRL directory does not >try to address. I tried (and have finally given up on) to build an electronic repeater database. The information I wanted included lat/lon/haat information, and I was told (repeatedly) that detailed lat/lon/haat information was not given out freely by most repeater owners. I will admit that I find that somewhat hard to believe, but that *is* what I heard, and I'm afraid that rumor was backed up by reality; I only received 50 repeater entries nationwide. Not nearly enough to bring it to critical mass. If someone has the desire to go talk the various repeater coordination bodies out of their data (they must know the exact location of all repeaters in their jurisdiction, after all, to coordinate them reasonably) then it might be worthwhile resurrecting the repeater database. Until that time, I'm afraid, not much will happen. Sheesh. I didn't mean for this post to sound so negative, but it says what I think... 73 de KD6GGD -- Steve Watt KD6GGD Packet: KD6GGD @ N0ARY.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA ICBM: 121W 56' 53.1" / 37N 20' 16.7" Internet: Home: steve@wattres.SJ.CA.US "I am always ready to learn, although I Work: swatt@lynx.com don't always like being taught." -- Winston Churchill ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jan 94 12:53:00 GMT From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!nyx10!jmaynard@uunet.uu.net To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <CIyCFB.CBI@sugar.NeoSoft.COM>, <2g4bc8$aeu@crl.crl.com>, <1994Jan05.065815.24300@wattres.sj.ca.us> Subject : Re: Repeater database? In article <1994Jan05.065815.24300@wattres.sj.ca.us>, Steve Watt -- KD6GGD <steve@wattres.SJ.CA.US> wrote: >I tried (and have finally given up on) to build an electronic repeater >database. The information I wanted included lat/lon/haat information, >and I was told (repeatedly) that detailed lat/lon/haat information was >not given out freely by most repeater owners. It's real simple: lat/lon/haat information is enough to walk up to the tower or building the repeater is on, and therefore enough to get the repeater stolen, or for someone to talk to the site owner and get the repeater kicked off of the site. Sites are very, very hard to get unless you're willing to pay commercial rates - and very few hams are that rich. >If someone has the desire to go talk the various repeater coordination >bodies out of their data (they must know the exact location of all repeaters >in their jurisdiction, after all, to coordinate them reasonably) then >it might be worthwhile resurrecting the repeater database. Until that >time, I'm afraid, not much will happen. At lease in the cas of the Texas VHF-FM Society, lat/lon/HAAT data is considered confidential data, and is not accessible to those not directly involved in the coordination process. I'm a director, and _I_ can't even get access to it. The reason for this is simple: if we didn't keep it confidential, we wouldn't get the data either. -- Jay Maynard, EMT-P, K5ZC, PP-ASEL | Never ascribe to malice that which can jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu | adequately be explained by stupidity. "A good flame is fuel to warm the soul." -- Karl Denninger ------------------------------ Date: (null) From: (null) Cheers, David -- ___________________________________________________________________________ willmore@iastate.edu | "Death before dishonor" | "Better dead than greek" | David Willmore | "Ever noticed how much they look like orchids? Lovely!" | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #2 ****************************** ******************************