Date: Tue, 29 Mar 94 13:41:49 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
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Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #341
To: Info-Hams
Info-Hams Digest Tue, 29 Mar 94 Volume 94 : Issue 341
Today's Topics:
ANARTS RTTY NEWS BULLETIN 802 27/03/94
Do you post these E V E R !
frequencies
Fricker HF Propagation papers ?
Ham-related mailing lists
HELP: Anyone know what a XR2206 chip is? (2 msgs)
Macintosh Amateur Radio Software - January 1994
New Award Announcement
Obscenity on ham bands
QSLing packet messages?
Question on Kenwood 732 A
SUMMARY:2m HT Recomendations
Telecom and Meteors
World Wide Web Sites wanted!
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: 29 Mar 1994 14:59:22 +1000
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!msuinfo!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!sserve!usage!metro!news.ci.com.au!eram.esi.com.au!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: ANARTS RTTY NEWS BULLETIN 802 27/03/94
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
[ ANARTS - Australian National Amateur Radio Teletype Society ]
ANARTS NEWS BULLETIN 802 27/03/94
SUNDAY TRANSMISSION SCHEDULES
3.545 MHz 0930 UTC This relay is in
recess until April.
7.045 MHz -3 0030 UTC VK2CTD (Col)
14.070 MHz (amtor/fec) 0030 UTC VK2DPM (Alan)
14.091 MHz 0030 UTC VK2BQS (JIM)
146.675 MHz 0030/0930 UTC VK2JPA (PAT)
144.850 MHz (ax25 bbs) VK2JPA @ VK2RWI
146.675 MHz (rtty mmbbs/repeater) VK2RTY
Views expressed in this news bulletin are not necessarily
those of the Broadcast Officer, the Relay Officers, or of the
Society.
News from W.A.
--------------
R.T.T.Y. MAIL BOX AT WIRELESS HILL PARK
---------------------------------------
The radio for this project is undergoing final testing at the
QTH of ROB VK6THP , and after a period of OPERATIONAL activ-
ity from Robs QTH It hoped to have it installed at Wireless
Hill park by MID APRIL
PROPOSED SOUTH WEST DIGIPEATERS FOR THE PACKET NETWORK
------------
It is proposed to establish a digipeater at the MT WILLIAM
site , to complement the current Turner Hill digipeater. The
proposal is to use frequency of 144.850 at Turner HILL
(presently 144.750) and to use 144.750 on MT WILLIAM
This will provide better coverage into areas such as Collie,
Donnybrook and other south/west towns. Both Turner Hill and Mt
William will be linked by VHF ROSE links, and also back to
PERTH. Another advantage of this proposal , will be the
provision of an alternate BBS forwarding link on 144.850 to
VK6AJJ BBS
Finally it was decided that a general access port be esta-
blished at WIRELESS HILL PARK as and when time and finances
permit. This will be on 2m and 70cm , the frequencies for
these have yet to be decided , after tests have been carried
out on site to determine there will be no interference
generated to existing servies who use the site.
----------
ARE YOU, THOSE WHO are READING THIS BULLETIN?, FINANCIAL
MEMBERS OF W.A.A.D.C.A. ??????
W.A.A.D.C.A is very short of funds.if you use the digipeaters
and services provided by the small group of financial members
of W.A.A.D.C.A. and wish to see the continued DEVELOPMENT of
the packet network , as described above,
THE COMMITTEE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
and membership APPLICATION as soon as possible.
73 to all DE CLEM VK6CW W.A.A.D.C.A.
BROADCAST OFFICER
---------------------------------------
SARTG WW AMTOR contest
----------------------
Dates this year are 16th-17th April.
Contest periods are 0000-0800 UTC Saturday, 1600-2400 UTC
Saturday, and 0800-1600 UTC Sunday.
Bands : 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metre amateur bands. The same
station may be contacted once on each band for QSO and
multiplier credits.
Mode : Only Amtor allowed. Use FEC (mode B) for calling. Use
ARQ (Mode A) for exchange of contest messages. Exchanging of
contest messages in FEC or in any way other than ARQ is
subject to disqualification.
Message : RST, Name, QSO number starting with 001.
Classes : A. single operator -- all bands
B. single operator -- single band
C. Multi operator -- single TX, all bands
D. SWLs -- all bands
More next week
------------------------------------
ANARTS April meeting
--------------------
Please note that, because of Easter, the meeting will be put
back a week until Friday 8th April. This is normal practice
when the meeting clashes with a public holiday, and the 1st
April is Good Friday.
Hope to see some of you there. Time is 7.30 pm and takes place
at the QTH of Keith VK2ZZO. For further information contact
Col VK2CTD, Jim VK2BQS, or Pat VK2JPA (work 230 3722). Supper
supplied.
---------------------------------------
IPS weekly report
-----------------
18 MARCH - 24 MARCH 1994
Issue No 12
Date of issue: 25 March, 1994
INDICES:
Date 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
10cm 087 089 089 091 091 092 093
A 18 14 10 22 17 15 (17 estimated)
T -06 43 47 25 18 57 60
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY
Solar activity was very low over the period.
The geomagnetic field at Learmonth (WA) was unsettled to
active on 18th, quiet to unsettled on 19th, unsettled to
active on 20th, active on 21st, unsettled to active on 22nd
with a brief minor storm period, quiet to unsettled with brief
active periods on 23rd and 24th March.
Ionospheric F2 critical frequencies at Sydney were depressed
by up to 30 per cent during local daylight hours on 18th
March, otherwise near predicted levels until late on 21st when
frequencies became depressed by up to 20 per cent until 22rd
when conditions became enhanced by up to 20 per cent. On 24th,
frequencies were mostly near predicted monthly values apart
from brief enhanced periods of up to 30 per cent. Spread F was
observed during local night on 18th.
FORECAST FOR THE NEXT WEEK (25 -31 MARCH)
SOLAR: Low to very low.
GEOMAGNETIC: Quiet to unsettled, with active periods possible
29-30 March.
IONOSPHERIC Mostly near predicted monthly values, with
occasional enhamcements of 15-30 per cent.
Courtesy of IPS Radio and Space Services
----------------------------------------
VK2SG RTTY DX NOTES 18 MAR 94
VK2SG RTTY DXNOTES FOR WEEKENDING 18 MARCH 1994 (BID RTDX0318)
OUR INFORMATION THIS WEEK CAME FROM: 9X5LJ, DJ3IW AND THE
CENTRAL-EUROPE DX CLUSTER NODE DB0SPC, I5FLN, IK5AAX AND THE
IK5PWJ PACKET CLUSTER, N2DBI, W2JGR AND THE NJ0M NODE THE
TWIN-CITIES DX PACKET CLUSTER, W5KSI AND ZS5S.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
BANDPASS
FRIDAY 11
0237-14086 FG5GI 1334-14087 YI1AL
1336-14090 UU9JWB 1426-14086 SV5AZP
2146-21088 C21/YI SEE NOTES 2146-14088 TU4EI QSL W3HCW
SATURDAY 12
0131-14087 ZP5JCY 1242-14089 RU9CX
1244-14082 UU9JWB 1249-14089 ES4MM
1250-14086 HK0DPA 1351-14082 KG4CW
1509-14089 ES4MM 1514-14090 J28JJ
1545-21083 ZD7DP 2120-14088 CO2KG
2128-14089 HK0DPA 2203-14088 KG4CW
2313-14084 CO2KG
SUNDAY 13
1212-14086 UY0IO 1212-14084 SV1CQO
1324-14087 ES4MM 1452-21083 ZD7DP
MONDAY 14
1553-14086 UT5DX 1611-14083 SV1CQO
1627-14088 4X6UO 1842-21086 ZK1AIQ SO. COOK
2148-14088 HK0DPA
TUESDAY 15
0257-14085 ZK1AIQ 1647-14085 CU1AC
2221-14088 TU2EI
WEDNESDAY 16
1554-14087 OD5PL 1558-14090 UU8JA
1618-14090 EI3GZ 1621-14087 OK1DXS
1733-14083 HG6N 1830-14086 UT5DG
2000-14085 9I2Z QSL DL7VRO 2157-14087 CO2KG
2204-21087 XE3LMV INVERTED
THURSDAY 17
0026-14085 CX3ABE 0103-14084 TI2KSR
1550-14085 UR4UYI 1550-14084 RW3GK
1615-14087 4N7M 1714-14090 UU8JA
1740-14087 OZ1GML ZEALAND IS. EU-029
1908-14090 S92ZM 2051-21084 J28BS
2103-21083 ZD7DP 2143-14088 J28BS
NOTES OF INTEREST.
NAURU, C21. C21/MI AND C21/YI ARE THE CALLSIGNS ISSUED TO
JF2MBF, MITSUNOBU ICHINO AND JI1NJC, YASUNORI IITSUKA FOR
THEIR OPERATION. C21 WITH THE PORTABLE DISIGNATOR CONSISTING
OF THEIR INITIALS. QSL JR2KDN.
SPRATLY ISLANDS, 9M0. THE NEXT OPERATION FROM SPRATLY, IS
SCHEDULED FOR SOMETIME AROUND APRIL 2ND. CALLSIGNS WILL BE
9M0A, 9M0AG AND 9M0BZ. TO BE ACTIVE ON RTTY, AMTOR, PACTOR AND
PACKET. LOOK FOR THEM ON RTTY FREQUENCIES, 7030, 14085, 21085
AND 28085.
DXAC. PROPOSED MARCH SCHEDULE. DXAC CHAIRMAN W4VQ, ROBERT
BEATTY, ANNOUNCED A PROPOSED VOTE. ONE OF THE TOPICS IS THE
DELETION OF MOUNT ATHOS. MORE ON THIS LATER.
FOR NEXT WEEK'S BULLETIN, SEND YOUR BANDPASS AND NOTES OF
INTEREST TO JULES, W2JGR AT W2TKU.#SRQ.FL.USA.NA
REMEMBER, DX DON'T SLEEP.
GL DE BOB, WB2CJL AT W5KSI.#NOLA.LA.USA.NA
------------------------------------------
Coming events
1994
----
April 8th ANARTS meeting
16th-17th SARTG WW AMTOR Contest
23rd-24th 1ST WW SPDX RTTY Contest
------------------------------------
Paper for Teleprinters
----------------------
Please, PLEASE, does anyone want some teleprinter paper, I
have boxes of it. It is triplex paper (three sheets of paper,
two sheets of carbon paper), you can have it for the cost of
freight (you pay the freight). This paper will work in any
pressure machine, or even typewriters, no good for tractor
machines. When you unroll it you finish up with three rolls of
paper and two rolls of carbon paper. The paper you can use,
the carbon -- well you can give it to the children to mess up
the house. Don't worry about the amount you want, I have
enough.
Contact Syd VK2SG, phone 02-631 2576 or ok in the call book.
---------------------------------------
Society information
The Society may be contacted at : PO Box 860, Crows Nest 2065
Australia, for such matters as membership and general
enquiries. Enquiries can also be made by packet to the
President (Col) VK2CTD, or the Secretary (Pat) VK2JPA @ VK2RWI
News items may be sent to Broadcast Officer PO Box 60
Blacktown 2148 Australia, or by packet to VK2JPA @ VK2RWI.
Email address for the Broadcast Officer is :
patl@conmusic.pitt.su.oz.au
The Society welcomes news items on any digital subjects from
anywhere in the broadcast footprint. We know we reach ZL and
many South Pacific islands. We are looking forward to news from
your areas to let other amateurs know what you are doing in
the hobby. Hope to hear from you.
73s de Pat VK2JPA Broadcast Officer
That concludes ANARTS News802 27/03/94.
Inserted by VK2BQS (Jim) Vice-President ANARTS.
--
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU) VK2KFU @ VK2AAB.NSW.AUS.OC PGP 2.3
dave@esi.COM.AU ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave available
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 94 17:46:11 GMT
From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.cerf.net!ccnet.com!ccnet.com!not-for-mail@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
Subject: Do you post these E V E R !
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Burt Fisher, Cape Cod Reg Tech (FISHERB@a1.mec.mass.EDU) wrote:
: Amateur Radio Call K1OIK
Is this one of the new incentive 1x1 calls? Oh ! I guess it is one of
those fancy fm broadcast calls...you know, with the frequency cleverly
included. Had to say something good :)
Bob
--
Bob Wilkins work bwilkins@cave.org
Berkeley, California home rwilkins@ccnet.com
94701-0710 play n6fri@n6eeg.#nocal.ca.us.noam
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 94 17:45:27 MST
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!asuvax!ennews!wierius!isus!dtr!jamoran@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: frequencies
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
anyone want to share frequency information either local repeater group
info or scanner related info. yes there may also be a scanner newsgroup
but my link or bbs does not carry this conference/ john
--
jamoran@dtr.stat.com (John moran)
Data Terminal Ready BBS +1 602 993 4753
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 19:58:51 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!emory!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!rbloom@ames.arpa
Subject: Fricker HF Propagation papers ?
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
I am looking for some BBC technical reports, in all their
gory detail on the Fricker FoF2 and mode-find algorithms.
In the journal articles there are references to BBC
"pamphlets" which were "readily available" in the mid-'80s.
Any ideas?
Ron
WA6MQC
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 05:51:08 GMT
From: netcomsv!netcom.com!wy1z@decwrl.dec.com
Subject: Ham-related mailing lists
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <CnC4wu.A2r@news.Hawaii.Edu> jherman@uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Jeffrey Herman) writes:
>In article <1994Mar26.222229.1@ntuvax.ntu.ac.sg> asirene@ntuvax.ntu.ac.sg writes:
>>Hi,
>>
>> Can someone post a list of all HAM-related mailing lists that
>>we can subscribe to? Tks.
>
>QRP (qrp-request@think.com)
>boatanchors (dedicated to tube radio equipment)
> (boatanchors-request@gnu.ai.mit.edu)
>DX (see the privious article)
>vintage solid state (don't know the sub address)
>contests (sub address unknown)
>
>There's one devoted to commercial radio equipement - can't recall the name.
>Someone on `boats' posted the entire list - there's at least a dozen more.
>
>Jeff NH6IL
We also have reflectors for:
Amateur Radio Newsline (newsline-list)
ARRL Official Bulletins (w1aw-list)
ARRL Letter (letter-list)
KY1N VEC listing (Local Boston area VE sessions - ky1n-list)
And we have interactive lists:
barc-list (local Boston-area stuff)
barc-races (again, local)
fieldorg-l (ARRL Field organization discussions)
ham-tech (Untamed technical discussions about the hobby)
fox-list (local Boston stuff - T-hunting)
To join any or all of the above:
Send a message to: majordomo@netcom.com
In the body of the message, type: subscribe list_you_want
73,
Scott, WY1Z, co-moderator
Phil, K9HI, co-moderator
P.S. All ARRL bulletins are archived on the anonymous FTP site of
oak.oakland.edu in the Boston Amateur Radio Club FTP area:
/pub/hamradio/w1aw-list/
P.P.S. Amateur Radio Newsline is now also being archived, too:
oak.oakland.edu:/pub/hamradio/docs/newsline/
--
===============================================================================
| Scott Ehrlich Amateur Radio: wy1z AMPRnet: wy1z@wa1phy.ampr.org |
| Internet: wy1z@neu.edu BITnet: wy1z@NUHUB AX.25: wy1z@wa1phy.ma.usa.na |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Maintainer of the Boston Amateur Radio Club hamradio FTP area on |
| oak.oakland.edu:/pub/hamradio |
===============================================================================
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 1994 05:03:55 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!ai-lab!synergy!ceb@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: HELP: Anyone know what a XR2206 chip is?
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <CnEFCs.Hso@demon.co.uk>, zawada@softage.demon.co.uk (A Gnome On A Mission) writes:
|> Help, has anyone out there heard of a chip XR2206?
.
.
.
|> Mark Simpson
This device is a Monolithic Function Generator made by EXAR.
Don't know where do get them anymore. I think EXAR died or
or was purchased by someone. Expect the part number of have the
same numbers but change its prefix.
It should be inexpensive ($10 or less).
I do know of a supplier that stocks old - hard to find stuff.
American II Electronics 1-800-767-2637 813-573-0900
Chris
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 1994 02:34:12 -0500
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.cerf.net!mvb.saic.com!MathWorks.Com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!news1.digex.net!access.digex.net!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: HELP: Anyone know what a XR2206 chip is?
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <2n8crrINN451@life.ai.mit.edu>,
Christopher Barnhart <ceb@synergy.ai.mit.edu> wrote:
>In article <CnEFCs.Hso@demon.co.uk>, zawada@softage.demon.co.uk (A Gnome On A Mission) writes:
>|> Help, has anyone out there heard of a chip XR2206?
>.
>.
>.
>|> Mark Simpson
>
>This device is a Monolithic Function Generator made by EXAR.
>Don't know where do get them anymore. I think EXAR died or
>or was purchased by someone. Expect the part number of have the
>same numbers but change its prefix.
>
>It should be inexpensive ($10 or less).
>
>I do know of a supplier that stocks old - hard to find stuff.
>American II Electronics 1-800-767-2637 813-573-0900
>
>Chris
Hi,
We just got 25 (minimum order) of these at my work from either Exar
or from their distributor (I don't know which off-hand.) If you need more
info, email me; I have the data book on my desk.
Alan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 18:51:53 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!sunic!psinntp!psinntp!newstand.syr.edu!rodan.syr.edu!lmblake@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: Macintosh Amateur Radio Software - January 1994
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <2mkse6$o2u@search01.news.aol.com> tstader@aol.com (TSTADER) writes:
>In article <2m4g40INNhgv@sweetpea.genrad.com>, dls@genrad.com (Diana L.
>Carlson) writes:
>
>And I have noted this in the latest version to be relased in amonth or so.
>
>Thanks Diana... sorry you lost your Mac! I know that many people enjoyed using
>your Hyoercard stacks to prep for their tests!
>
>Has anyone else picked up the role of keeping the stacks up-to-date? Is there a
>volunteer out there on the net?
>
>America Online Ham Radio Club Host
>Ham Radio Software for the Macintosh List Maintainer
Hi,
I would like to know if there is software for the mac which will help
you prepare to take the certification tests to be an operator. I know
there is a book that helps you learn all the regulations but I would
like to know if there is software also. Please email me at
lmblake@mailbox.syr.edu because I'm having trouble finding time to
read news regularly.
Thank you in advance,
Lisa
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 94 21:13:00 GMT
From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu
Subject: New Award Announcement
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Deignan and Hare lament the lack of "awards" available to no-code techs. Where
have they been?
Two that I can think of are:
1) RCC Rag Chewers Club
2) VUCC VHF UHF Century Club 100 grid squares on 6, or 100 on 2 , less on the
higher bands. Yes it does require SOME effort, and more than a handitalkie,
but do we want to dumb-down even the operating awards.
3) Various satellite operating awards.
So, there are a number of operating awards available to the no-code ham... and
I might point out that DXCC CAN be achieved by a no-coder on six meters, given
another good solar cycle.
What say Ed?
73 de Bob w3otc@amsat.org
------------------------------
Date: 28 Mar 94 19:06:03 GMT
From: olivea!charnel!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!eff!news.umbc.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!yuma!galen@ames.arpa
Subject: Obscenity on ham bands
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <2n73kp$o6i@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> dhughes@prairienet.org (Dan Hughes) writes:
>
>I just passed my no-code test last week, and have been listening to some
>ham chatter on my SW receiver. Saturday night on 3910 kHz I heard some
>of the most disgusting language I've encountered anywhere. One guy was
>spouting one obscentity after another, and three other guys were laughing
>at his inept signal and giving it right back to him. All but the
>instigator were regularly giving their calls. Is this pretty much what I
>have to look forward to?
Yep.
On HF, that is. I run 6m, 2m, and 70cm SSB, and people are nice and polite
and follow the rules.
Novel concept, eh?
With your tech, YOU TOO can get on >50MHz SSB. I wish I'd spent the $$$$
on better VHF/UHF gear and bought some old tube HF rig, but HF resale values
are pretty high these days....
AND, the antennas are a lot smaller ;-)
Galen, KF0YJ
------------------------------
Date: 28 Mar 1994 20:02:33 GMT
From: news.bu.edu!transfer.stratus.com!hoop.sw.stratus.com!northup@purdue.edu
Subject: QSLing packet messages?
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
JAY@medicine.dmed.iupui.edu (Jay Sissom) writes:
: A QSO is "A conversation between two radio amateurs". A QSL card is "A
: postcard that serves as a confirmation of communication between two hams."
:
: (These are quoted from "Now You're Talking" Copyright 1993 by ARRL.
:
: When you look at these definitions, QSL cards for exchange of packet messages
: makes sense. Email messages are conversation between two radio amateurs,
: so that makes it a QSO. If email messages are a QSO, then a QSL card
: would be approriate. Using these definitions, a QSL card would be acceptable
: Jay
: KA9OKT
:
Does this mean that we should start exchanging QSL cards for
our internet contacts ?
--
--
Bill Northup PHONE: (508) 460-2085
Stratus Computer Inc. INTERNET: northup@sw.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard Packet: N1QPR@WA1PHY.#EMS.MA.USA.NA
Marlboro, MA 01752 Amateur Radio: N1QPR
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 94 07:56:52 GMT
From: agate!darkstar.UCSC.EDU!nic.scruz.net!cruzio!comix!jeffl@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
Subject: Question on Kenwood 732 A
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <1994Mar28.233945.24985@cobra.uni.edu> conklic9391@cobra.uni.edu writes:
>In article <2n672m$eer@news.iastate.edu>, bwehr@iastate.edu (BDW) writes:
>> Was wondering if anyone out there in radio land has had any experience with
>> the Kenwood TM-732A its a mobil dual band and looks like a real nice piece.
Sounds like everyone like the TM-732A. Methinks otherwise.
There are some things I like about the radio, however here
are the bad points:
1. The legends on the front panel above the push buttons are invisible
red letters on black background with no backlighting. I have to use
a flashlight to see the labels at night. The LCD backlighting can
be adjusted from too bright to extremely over bright.
2. The projecting rubber bumps that maquerade as a microphone
touch-tone pad have had all the silk screening rubbed off.
Clue: paint doesn't stick to rubber very well.
3. I bought one of the original models. DTMF squelch does not work
if the memory channel 100Khz digit is odd. Works fine if it's even.
Kenwood has offered to fix this for free. I gave up playing phone
tag with them and never had mine fixed.
4. DTMF squelch does not allow for additional digits (#) to convince
a repeater to pass touch tones instead of muting them. Paging is
unfathomable.
5. The removable front panel has no easy way to mount on or under a
dashboard. The $45 mounting and cable extension kit is a kludge.
I had to use velco for lack of anything better. This gives it a
nice mushy feel or a moving target when pushing buttons.
6. The cute little fan ate something and died. I guess you could
call this abuse. I would have prefered some better grill protection.
7. The RJ45 telco connector that is used for the microphone has
fallen apart twice from exessive side loading (something it was
not designed to handle). At least the old round connector provided
some strain relief.
8. RX intermod on the UHF band is awful. Driving through town,
all I hear is paging and IM on UHF. VHF appears to be ok. I don't
have two signal generators so I can't verify this with measurements.
9. The UHF receiver is essential deaf below 435Mhz.
10. The 4 function keys on the microphone use a crud D/A (digital
to analog) converter. Moisture condensation has made using these
buttons in the morning a real challenge.
11. The controls and functions are arranged in what I consider to
be a disorganized manner. Operation of the function key can be:
just the button
funct key followed by the button
funct key held > 1 second followd by the button
funct key held while pressing the button.
funct key held while pressing the button and turning on the power.
I have to create a cheat sheet to operate the radio. I have my
own idea on how a radio should be controlled. Function keys were
basically a good idea when there were only a few functions and
a crummy idea when expanded to the huge number of goodies that need
to be controlled in todays radios.
12. Many of the radio "modes" are either not displayed or well
hidden on the front panel.
13. The squelch has little or no hysteresis. This is because
it's actually a 5 bit (32 position) A/D converter. This yields
a ganularity of about 10 degrees. If hysteresis had been introduced,
it would have been difficult to adjust the squelch. Lacking squelch
hysteresis, weak signals sound like a machine gun.
14. The radio does NOT include a built in diplexer. This resulted in
my doing something stupid. I used seperate antennas for VHF and
UHF on my truck. They were about 10 inches apart. I blew out the
UHF front-end FET. A duplexer offers reasonable isolation between
the VHF and UHF sides. Add $50.
15. The radio arrived with the deviation set to 6.5Khz, PL=400Hz,
and -250Hz off frequency. (Should be 5.0Khz, 750Hz, 0Hz).
Microphone gain appears exessive and is not adjustable.
Before you declare the TM-732A a lost cause, you might consider
that many of the above complaints also apply to comparable equipment.
I did some shopping around when I bought mine 2 years ago, and
found equal or worse problems with the competition.
Credibility check: I used to play RF design engineer and have
designed or worked on about 20 different radios in the past.
--
# Jeff Liebermann Box 272 1540 Jackson Ave Ben Lomond CA 95005
# 408.336.2558 voice wb6ssy@ki6eh.#nocal.ca.usa wb6ssy.ampr.org [44.4.18.10]
# 408.699.0483 digital_pager 73557,2074 cis [don't]
# jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us scruz.ucsc.edu!comix!jeffl
------------------------------
Date: 29 Mar 94 17:55:36 GMT
From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!news.delphi.com!usenet@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
Subject: SUMMARY:2m HT Recomendations
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
The information here is a bit fragmented, no?
Ownoing a th78, it has good features, loytso memory, and a bunch of paging
stuff that i will never use
However, it has the best VFO flexibilioty in the game.
I just got to play with a ft-530 and it has some shortcomings in that
department. Namely,
that when you try to monitor 2 meters on the 70cm vfo, or v.v, you
do not have access to your memory programming. The 78 gives you 2
VFOs that are at parity, except for a few freqs via modification.
All dual in band work necessitates direct netry for the off band...
I think that this is a shortcoming. So, who cares about paging! buy
a pager. Not that this feature breaks the radio, but it is a more significant
point that
some other "features".
Note: if the 530 does allow mem recoll on the sub band, OOOPS...
73 es sri fer bad editor
n1qdq
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 05:38:18 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!news.oc.com!NewsWatcher!user@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: Telecom and Meteors
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
In article <1994Mar23.125211.19448@ke4zv.atl.ga.us>, gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us
(Gary Coffman) wrote:
> There was a feature article on this in one of the Ham magazines, I think
> it was _Ham Radio_. The US government uses meteor scatter to gather information
> on snow pack thickness in the Rockies for hydrological forecasting. I don't
> recall whether it was the Corps of Engineers, NOAA, or some other branch
> of government doing it. But I do recall that they were using frequencies
> near 6 meters, 100 watts, and 3 element yagis to connect the reporting
> stations to receivers in Washington. Meteor scatter has also been used
In doing some climatological research on snowpack sublimation at high
altitude (alpine) environments in the Rockies, I've dialed into
the "SNOTEL" machine several times. I BELIEVE it's
a Forest Service project (but am not totally sure - it's been several
months since I last checked) in Washington State.
The system seems pretty reliable. SNOTEL sites are scattered throughout
the west. The ones I check seem to get something transmitted every 3
days or so and frequently you get "runs" of data where readings are
transmitted
every day for a number of consecutive periods...
THANKS & 73 de WB5KXH
======== insert usual disclaimers here ============
Bob Wier, East Texas State U., Commerce, Texas
keeper of the Adobe Photoshop, MC68HC11, ICOM mailing lists
wier@merlin.etsu.edu (watch for address change)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 05:01:40 GMT
From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!csus.edu!netcom.com!wy1z@network.ucsd.edu
Subject: World Wide Web Sites wanted!
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
I am looking for all pointers to Hypertext sites (World Wide Web sites).
I know there is a UK callsign server available via WWW.
What else is there?
Thanks much!
PLEASE PLEASE e-mail direct if possible.
Scott
--
===============================================================================
| Scott Ehrlich Amateur Radio: wy1z AMPRnet: wy1z@wa1phy.ampr.org |
| Internet: wy1z@neu.edu BITnet: wy1z@NUHUB AX.25: wy1z@wa1phy.ma.usa.na |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Maintainer of the Boston Amateur Radio Club hamradio FTP area on |
| oak.oakland.edu:/pub/hamradio |
===============================================================================
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End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #341
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