From wang!elf.wang.com!ucsd.edu!info-hams-relay Fri Apr 5 07:22:17 1991 remote from tosspot Received: by tosspot (1.64/waf) via UUCP; Fri, 05 Apr 91 07:54:06 EST for lee Received: from somewhere by elf.wang.com id aa13125; Fri, 5 Apr 91 7:22:16 GMT Received: from ucsd.edu by news.UU.NET with SMTP (5.61/UUNET-shadow-mx) id AA15943; Fri, 5 Apr 91 01:33:31 -0500 Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA18166 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Thu, 4 Apr 91 21:18:31 -0800 for brian Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA18150 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Thu, 4 Apr 91 21:18:24 -0800 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oc -odb -oQ/var/spool/lqueue -oi -finfo-hams-relay info-hams-list Message-Id: <9104050518.AA18150@ucsd.edu> Date: Thu, 4 Apr 91 21:18:21 PST From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Reply-To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Subject: Info-Hams Digest V91 #269 To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Info-Hams Digest Thu, 4 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 269 Today's Topics: BA ReBroadcast of STS-37 on HF bands?? iambic keyers Licensing Philosophy MD-DC QSO Party Announcement (LONG) Mir info? Ramsey QRP hf kits RNI/RFNY (Was: The Bands are DEAD) Scanner ban - here are the FACTS Send Replies or notes for publication to: Send subscription requests to: 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 Apr 91 02:42:59 GMT From: usc!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!unixhub!slacvm!gjm@ucsd.edu Subject: BA ReBroadcast of STS-37 on HF bands?? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I noticed the posting re/ the rebroadcasting of STS-37 audio on 2m, is anyone planning to do the same on the HF bands, ie, 80m - 10m?? many thanks, =greg ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 02:08:08 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!oo7@ucsd.edu Subject: iambic keyers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu MOSIER%UNCG.BITNET@ncsuvm.ncsu.EDU (Steve Mosier) explains: >Say you want to send an "F". Push the >paddle to the right (most keyers are set up for dits to the right) and the >keyer will start sending a string of dits. As the second dit is forming, >squeeze the other paddle to the left. Since both paddles are now connected, >the keyer goes into the alternating dit/dah mode and therefore next forms a >dah. As soon as the dah begins, let go. The dah will complete and will be >follwed by a dit: dit-dit-dah-dit. Voila: "F". In practice, you depress >the dit paddle, tap the dah paddle, and let go: "F". That's only two motions >of the wrist (or fingers) versus three motions with a straight, non-iambic >keyer, where you have to go back and form the final dit. How many people actually form the characters this way? I use an iambic keyer at our club station, but I do it the 'hard' way, as if it were a non-iambic keyer. Does this make me a lid? Is it worth working hard on learning to send cw the 'efficient' way, or is that like learning to send on a paddle with the dits and dahs reversed but still using the same hand? i.e. is there any hope of retraining my brain or should I just stick with what I know? I can send OK at 35 wpm the hard way, which is fast enough for most exchanges. My handwriting and copying both run out at that speed anyway.... Derek Wills (AA5BT, G3NMX) Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712. (512-471-1392) oo7@astro.as.utexas.edu oo7@emx.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 03:22:27 GMT From: agate!stanford.edu!neon.Stanford.EDU!kaufman@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: Licensing Philosophy To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <7155@mace.cc.purdue.edu> dil@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Perry G Ramsey) writes: >In article <12593@pt.cs.cmu.edu>, chiles@chiles.slisp.cs.cmu.edu (Bill Chiles) writes: -> [a ham] license conveys the right to make, modify and experiment with -> transmitters. -> This is interesting; however, there is no law against any CBer building a -> transmitter and operating it on a valid CB frequency. As you point out, >BULL CORN! You can't even (legally) open the case unless you are a holder of a >second class radiotelephone license. That's too bad, because there is no longer any such thing as a second class radiotelephone license :-(. There is no law that prohibits a CBer from building a transmitter, but he can't operate it on a valid CB frequency until he gets it type accepted [he does NOT have to have a commercial license to do that]. I think a CBer can adjust his transmitter, within the limits set by the type acceptance [assuming he has the equipment] without a commercial license. What the Amateur license gives us is the right to put things on the air without type acceptance or certification. Marc Kaufman (kaufman@Neon.stanford.edu) [General Radiotelephone Operator License, Lifetime certificate, PG-12-17745] ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 00:59:19 GMT From: voa3!eab@uunet.uu.net Subject: MD-DC QSO Party Announcement (LONG) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu The Antietam Radio Association of Hagerstown, Maryland, W3CWC, will present the 1991 Maryland-DC QSO Party this summer. The contest will run from 1600 UTC August 17 to 0400 UTC August 18 _AND_ from 1600 UTC to 2359 UTC August 18. [In other words, the contest will run from 1600 UTC August 17 to 2359 UTC August 18 with a 12 hour break from 0400 UTC to 1600 UTC August 18.] MODES : PHONE AND CW/RTTY/DIGITAL * Stations may be worked _ONCE_ per band using each mode. * CW contacts may only be claimed if the QSOs was in the CW portion of the band. * Non-Maryland/DC stations may only claim Maryland/DC contacts for scoring. * Maryland/DC stations may work any other amateur station. Portable and mobile stations that change Maryland counties [or states] during the contest count as a separate station in each new county [or state] of operation. Contacts through a repeater do _NOT_ count for scoring purposes. [Repeaters may be used to set up skeds with other stations, however.] All other HF/VHF/UHF contacts do count. EXCHANGE: Signal Report, QTH _AND_ the MAJOR CATEGORY OF ENTRY. * Signal reports should be in the standard "RST" format. * QTH for Maryland/DC stations is either the Maryland county, "DC" for Washington, DC or "Baltimore City" for Baltimore City. * QTH for non-Maryland/DC stations is either the US state or country of operation, if DX. * Major Categories are: CLUB, QRP, MOBILE, NOVICE, TECHNICIAN, YL (XYL) AND STANDARD (for all others). * Use only the one major category for your station. SUGGESTED FREQUENCIES: * SSB: 1.860, 3.920, 7.265, 14.280, 21.370, 50.150 and 144.550 MHz. * CW: 3.643, 7.060, 14.040, 21.115, 28.060 MHz. Suggested CW listening times are on the odd half-hour, i.e., 1730, 1930, 2130, etc. SCORING: QSO POINTS ---------- * Each simplex phone QSO counts as one point. * Each simplex CW QSO (including RTTY/digital) counts as two points. * For Maryland/DC stations, each QSO with a mobile station counts as five points. * Each QSO with a club station counts as 10 points. N.B. The highest point value applies, e.g., a CW/mobile contact counts as five points or a CW/club contact counts as 10 points. MULTIPLIERS ----------- * Multipliers may only be counted once; _NOT_ once for each band. * For non-Maryland/DC stations, each Maryland county, Baltimore City and Washington, DC are multipliers. -- N.B. maximum 25. * For Maryland/DC stations, multipliers are: Maryland counties, Baltimore City, the District of Columbia, each of the 49 other US states and one for DX -- N.B. maximum 75. BONUS POINTS ------------ * Mobile stations may ADD 100 bonus points to their raw score for each Maryland county/Baltimore City/DC they work outside their home locations from which 20 contacts were made. FINAL SCORE: * QSO Points X Multipliers + Bonus Points = Claimed Score AWARDS: * High score verified for each US state, Canada or DX; * Top three Maryland logs; * High scoring Maryland/DC club; * High scoring Maryland YL (XYL); * High scoring Novice; * High scoring Technician. CERTIFICATES: * For each station with at least 100 QSO points; * To the best SWL log (N.B. Must not be a licensed amateur radio operator.); * For the highest scoring QRP station. The decision of the judges is final. The committee reserves the right to issue additional awards and/or certificates if deemed appropriate by the Antietam Radio Association. Logs should be postmarked no later than September 10, 1991 and mailed to: Antietam Radio Association P. O. Box 52 Hagerstown, MD 21740 USA Attn: MD/DC QSO Party Contest Committee (Log Enclosed) Logs postmarked later than September 10, 1991 will _NOT_ be processed. Be sure your log indicates your complete exchange information and your major category of entry, i.e., CLUB, NOVICE, MOBILE, QRP, TECHNICIAN, YL or STANDARD. Any questions may be directed to: WA3EOP Contest Chairman MD/DC QSO Party W. Page Pyne 109 South Artizan Street Williamsport Maryland 21795 USA If you would like a complete listing of the results of the contest, send an SASE to the MD/DC QSO Party Contest Committee at the Antietam Radio Association address above. -------------------------------PAGE BREAK-------------------------------- 1991 MARYLAND/DC QSO PARTY (Optional Log Form) Log of Station: _______________________________________________ Competing as [ ] Maryland/DC Station [ ] Non-Maryland/DC Station [ ] Club Station [ ] Mobile [ ] Novice [ ] QRP w/____Watts [ ] Standard [ ] SWL [ ] Technician [ ] YL (XYL) (Check All that apply) DATE| TIME| BAND/MODE| STATION |RST/QTH/CATEGORY|RST/QTH CATEGORY| QSO | | | | SENT | RECEIVED | PTS ========================================================================== | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOG PAGE # _________ TOTAL QSO POINTS THIS PAGE:_______ -------------------------------PAGE BREAK---------------------------------- 1991 MARYLAND/DC QSO PARTY (Optional Log Form - Final Page) Log of Station: _______________________________________________ Competing as [ ] Maryland/DC Station [ ] Non-Maryland/DC Station [ ] Club Station [ ] Mobile [ ] Novice [ ] QRP w/____Watts [ ] Standard [ ] SWL [ ] Technician [ ] YL (XYL) (Check All that apply) DATE| TIME| BAND/MODE| STATION |RST/QTH/CATEGORY|RST/QTH CATEGORY| QSO | | | | SENT | RECEIVED | PTS ========================================================================== | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOG PAGE # _________ TOTAL QSO POINTS THIS PAGE:_______ ______________ X ___________ + ____________ = _______________ QSO POINTS MULTIPLIERS BONUS POINTS CLAIMED SCORE Certification: The claimed score, as indicated above, is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. _________________________________________ ______________ ________________ Signature Date Call Sign ----------------------------------PAGE BREAK-------------------------------- -- E. Allen (Al) Brown (VOA/BBC) WA3FYZ/ZF2LY Voice of America 330 Independence Ave. NW, Room G-748 Broadcast Operations Washington, DC 20547 Computer Services Division eab@voa3.voa.gov ...uunet!voa3!eab +1 202-619-2020 ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 03:48:21 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!beers@ucsd.edu Subject: Mir info? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Can anybody give me some info on how to track the Mir satellite, or any other satellite for that matter? Any info is greatly appreciated. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Andrew C. Beers, N2LUH beers@acsu.buffalo.edu SUNY Buffalo, Computer Science {rutgers,uunet}!acsu.buffalo.edu!beers ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 03:10:56 GMT From: w1gsl@athena.mit.edu Subject: Ramsey QRP hf kits To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <2982@ksr.com> jfw@ksr.com (John F. Woods) writes: >awinterb@orion.cair.du.edu (Art Winterbauer) writes: >>Has anyone ordered and built one of the Ramsey QRP cw kits for hf >>or one of the associated direct conversion receivers? >>I'm especially interested in: >>1. The speed with which Ramsey ships these units. We recently ordered 20 40 meter Direct Conversin receivers for a basic course in Comunicating by Radio. The kits came in 2 days (we paid for 2nd day UPS ~$5 extra) and we got a considerable discount for the quanity order. >>2. Whether the kits are missing any components which must be re- >> ordered from Ramsey. > All were complete however we had to come up with a few extra resistors for ones broken / lost by the students :-( > >>3. The quality of the instructions that come with the kits. > >Not quite Heathkit in either depth or quality of presentation, but good >enough even for a beginner, I think. The DC receiver comes with an extra instruction book for the first time builder ... almost to much detail. I perfer the orginal instruction as while a bit harder to follow the radio goes together in a functional order. This allows/encourages testing each stage as assembeled. The simplified instr put all the Cs in at once etc a little easier to locate the parts...but it is all together befor anything is tested. >>4. The type of calibration/alignment instruments needed. > You only need a tuning tool (wood stick) and a known signal we provided a crystal oscilator at 7.0MHz and 7.30MHz Of course we asked each student to observe all the wave forms on a good scope and in the Frequency domain on a spectrum analyser. Each took less than 2 Hr to assemble including the testing. and all 20 worked. >The DC receivers are pretty minimalist, and you will probably find them >irritating before terribly long. They are varactor tuned, which is kind of >nice from a cost standpoint, but means (a) the stability isn't what it might >be, and (b) the tuning control is touchy since you're turning a potentiometer Considerable inprovment can be had by regulating the voltage to the tuning pot. A 78L05 seems to work well but will drop out if the battery droops to less than ~8V. One of the new low drop out regulators may be a better choice. With out the regulation the RX is tolerable on CW or SSB but the drifting heterodine make listening to the BBC painfull. One student went whole hog and substituted a 10 turn pot. Now his 2 IC radio preformes like the latest synthised rigs. As he tunes thru a carrier the beat steps discreetly in ~100 Hz jumps. The precision .01% liniarity wirewound pot probably would have doubled the rigs cost if he had bought it new. :-) The radio still drifts a bit , probably due to the lack of thermal compensation but it is much more usefull. BTW for the course I actually prefer that the radio had a few faults. Learning what some problems are and the why and how of the fix is much more valueable than just an hour of soldering. > The original kit used an op-amp as the audio >amplifier, which meant very low audio levels, but I understand they've since >changed that (maybe I'm wrong). > Now they are using a "real" IC audio power amp. I can't understand why they use a mono mini phone jack, almost all the students own sterio walkman headphones and just had to buy an adapter, A few of the swifter ones realized a sterio jack was much cheaper and substituded it right on the board. > >From my experience, I'd say the Ramsey kits aren't the best possible kits >by a long shot, but they probably are OK considering their low cost, and >probably a good way to get into screwing around with building -- once you >can feel for yourself what the problems are and how you might fix them, >you've gotten something out of it. Agreed I am looking folward to building their new superhet SW RX the next time we do the course. ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 16:43:36 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!umich!sharkey!lopez!flash@ucsd.edu Subject: RNI/RFNY (Was: The Bands are DEAD) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <3607@polari.UUCP> mzenier@polari.UUCP (Mark Zenier) writes: >RNI always sounds bad here. I havn't heard that >bad audio quality since pre-glasnost Radio Moscow. >(Saturday Nights on 7520) Nope Mark. That is RFNY that sounds like the signal is going out over a class Q phone line. RNI sounds pretty good usually (SUNDAY nights on 7520) The SATURDAY show is done by a completely different bunch of fellers..... RFNY == Radio Free New York == The guys with too much reverb and somewhat muddy audio (the reverb does not work on SW especially with CURRENT band conditions) SATURDAY NIGHTS ON WWCR RNI == Radio New York International. The other guys. SUNDAY NIGHTS on WWCR MON-FRI on WRNO SAT ON RADIO PEACE INTERNATIONAL You can tell the difference if you listen, not only the sound, but programming content is very different. RNI tends to be a bit more political and talk oriented. Steve Cole's CROSSBAND RNI is a MEDIA news and info show. Pirate Joe is a left wing vegetarian peace puke, Johnny Lightning is the hillarious guy with the irreverent sense of humor and the brooklyn accent that is so thick it will BREAK a knife. Randi Steele is lotsa talk also. Al Weiner makes an occaisional appearance, and Dan Lewis does the Mailbag show. As for RFNY, They are more into Entertainment and less into politics. They play LOTS of jingles, production bits, and tons of extraneous audio lifted from old TV shows, etc. Pete Sayek and Jim Nasium work pretty well together. Unlike the RNI people who seem to always be in somewhat of controlled chaos, often at cross purposes when two or more are talking, the RFNY people "work" together quite well. In fact their voices are so similar, it is almost as if it was ONE person doing the show. You know one will talk, and the other one will finish the sentence. On RNI, one will talk, and one will interrupt and a third will change the subject. Like that. It all makes for good listening though. Sure beats what you hear on "regular" radio. -- =Marquette MI: It's Not the END of the world, but you can see it from here= == Gary Bourgois flash@lopez (rutgers!sharkey!lopez!flash) GWN UPLink == == 3.950 Nationwide Amateur Radio Nightly after 0200z=Learning Channel == =============== WB8EOH = The Eccentric Old Hippie = WB8EOH ================ ------------------------------ Date: 4 Apr 91 01:20:26 GMT From: dixie.com!jgd@uunet.uu.net Subject: Scanner ban - here are the FACTS To: info-hams@ucsd.edu MOSIER%UNCG.BITNET@ncsuvm.ncsu.EDU (Steve Mosier) writes: >If you want the amateur public to take you seriously, John, you need to apply >the same principles to us that you're asking us to apply to the FCC. Or do you >really want us to write the FCC a letter and refer in it to someone or some >group as "analy-retentive?" Name-calling is name-calling, and it never adds a >single objective FACT to a discussion. But Steve, you've mistaken me for someone who gives a sh*t about whether hams take me seriously. Three thoughts come to mind. One, the advice is worth what you paid for it; take it or leave it. Two, you're proving my point. Three, in the words of Clint Eastwood, "If I'd wanted your opinion, I'd have beaten it out of you." Take care, John -- John De Armond, WD4OQC | "Purveyors of speed to the Trade" (tm) Rapid Deployment System, Inc. | Home of the Nidgets (tm) Marietta, Ga | {emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd |"Politically InCorrect.. And damn proud of it ------------------------------ Date: 4 Apr 91 18:56:49 GMT From: milton!sumax!polari!mzenier@beaver.cs.washington.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1991Mar30.174528.3952@ee.eng.ohio-state.edu>, <2659@ke4zv.UUCP>, <1991Apr3.221445.19898@bellcore.bellcore.com> Subject : Meteor Scatter Beacons? (was Re: frequency standards) In article <1991Apr3.221445.19898@bellcore.bellcore.com> karn@thumper.bellcore.com writes: >Note: even if a station's video sync signals are derived from an >atomic (rubidium or cesium) reference, its transmitter RF carriers are >invariably generated by ordinary crystals (albeit in ovens), so don't >use them as precise frequency references. The tolerance on UHF TV >transmitters is (or was) +/-1 KHz for the video carrier and +/-1 KHz >for the nominal 4.5 MHz video/audio carrier separation, and as I >recall we often used much of that... Are Channel 2 carriers enough different so that they could be used a meteor scatter probe signals for a nearby receiver? Mark Zenier markz@ssc.uucp mzenier@polari.uucp ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 02:24:31 GMT From: w1gsl@athena.mit.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <23994@well.sf.ca.us>, <1458@rust.zso.dec.com>, <200@canada.sbi.com>du Subject : Re: No-Code Testing Questions In article <200@canada.sbi.com> jerrys@canada.sbi.com (Jerry Simonowits) writes: >In article <1458@rust.zso.dec.com>, stoppani@rust.zso.dec.com (Pete Stoppani) writes: >> In article <21707@shlump.nac.dec.com>, koning@koning.enet.dec.com (Paul Koning) writes: >> >> Regarding the name "Tech-Lite" for the new no-code license: >> >> >.... >> > >> > What the FCC did is to CHANGE the requirements for the Technician class >> > license, so it's hard to imagine why they would want to create a new >> > name. The existing name ("Technician") will do just fine. >> > >> > paul, ni1d > >There is only one "technician" class license. However, over the years >the requirements for this class of license has changed over the >years. I can think of four types of "technician"s right now. In other >words, four ways people have achieved this license class. > While there is only one technician license as far as the call book is concerned, as a VE we must keep the 4 types of tech seperate. I have taken to the following short hand to help.... >First are those people who passed the theory test for General before >thre ever was a Technician test. They used to be combined into one >test. These people are granted Sase For both Technician and General >theory elements forever. They hold Technician licenses. If they pass >the General code test (that's all they need to do) they will be >General licensees. Tech Ancient (T A) > >Next are people like me. I hold a technician class license. I have >passed the novice theory, novice code, and technician theory tests. >For me to get my General license I would have to pass both the General >theory and code tests. Tech Old (T O) > >Third, are the latest batch of technician's. They come in two >"flavors". That is to say, one type of technician passes just the >novice theory and technician theory. This Technician has >privealges only on 6meters and above, with no HF privelages. > Tech No Code (TNC) fits nicely the digipeter crowd who really wanted this class >The last type of technician, is the same as described in the >paragraph above who then passes the code test for novice. This >then means that he gets HF privelages in addition to his/her >vhf/uhf privelages. Tech Plus (T+) >In any case, ALL FOUR OF THE LICENSEE I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE >TECHNICIAN CLASSE LICENSE HOLDERS. The requirments may have >changed over the years, but not the name of the license class. > Agreed >I hope that helps clear it all up (smile). ;-) ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest ******************************