From wang!elf.wang.com!ucsd.edu!info-hams-relay Sun Apr 21 18:00:15 1991 remote from tosspot Received: by tosspot (1.64/waf) via UUCP; Sun, 21 Apr 91 15:07:45 EST for lee Received: from somewhere by elf.wang.com id aa10017; Sun, 21 Apr 91 18:00:14 GMT Received: from ucsd.edu by relay1.UU.NET with SMTP (5.61/UUNET-shadow-mx) id AA06663; Sun, 21 Apr 91 09:48:01 -0400 Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA05603 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Sun, 21 Apr 91 04:30:30 -0700 for nixbur!schroeder.pad Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA05599 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Sun, 21 Apr 91 04:30:25 -0700 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oc -odb -oQ/var/spool/lqueue -oi -finfo-hams-relay info-hams-list Message-Id: <9104211130.AA05599@ucsd.edu> Date: Sun, 21 Apr 91 04:30:22 PDT From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Reply-To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Subject: Info-Hams Digest V91 #309 To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Info-Hams Digest Sun, 21 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 309 Today's Topics: * SpaceNews 22-Apr-91 * 2nd CFV: soc.veterans Adjust frequency of4 terminal, rectanglular oscillators? (3 msgs) AO-21 Question Ban on Linears on Ten Meters F connectors help in looking up some chip functions High(?) Speed CW ICOM 02 mod needed PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 14 ARLP014 Repeater Usage Thanks from a NEW TECH 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: 20 Apr 91 01:13:23 GMT From: orion.oac.uci.edu!ucivax!jarthur!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!masscomp!ocpt!tsdiag!ka2qhd!kd2bd@ucsd.edu Subject: * SpaceNews 22-Apr-91 * To: info-hams@ucsd.edu SB NEWS @ AMSAT < KD2BD $SPC0422 * SpaceNews 22-Apr-91 * Bulletin ID: $SPC0422 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY APRIL 22, 1991 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution. * STS-39 INFO * =============== This information comes from Gerry Creager: The following elements are ones I made a couple of days ago to match the latest cycle on orbit flight design profile for STS-39, rotated to the current launch date of April 23 at 11:05 UTC. Because of the several maneuvers, it took 4 sets to match it within about 3 seconds. Set #1 will be in error by about 17 minutes by the end of the flight. If it launches on time, we will have good visible passes on Friday morning, Apr 26, 10:47z-10:55z, and Saturday morning, Apr 27, 10:41z-10:50z. The IBSS should be deployed on the Friday pass (Orbit 49), so both it and the orbiter should be visible. Landing is at MET 8/07:25. Element Set #1 -- For Orbits 2 through 28 STS-39 1 00039U 91113.52156250 .00280000 00000-0 44539-3 0 15 2 00039 57.0030 277.1989 0009407 267.9459 92.1059 16.05426977 29 Element Set #2 -- For Orbits 29 through 58 STS-39 1 00039U 91115.20216435 .00280000 00000-0 44539-3 0 25 2 00039 57.0063 269.2651 0009337 272.1084 87.9165 16.06583130 292 Element Set #3 -- For Orbits 59 through 89 STS-39 1 00039U 91117.06825231 .00280000 00000-0 44539-3 0 32 2 00039 57.0050 260.4383 0009142 278.8905 81.1608 16.04230096 591 Element set #4 -- For Orbits 90 through 133 STS-39 1 00039U 91118.99928241 .00280000 00000-0 44539-3 0 41 2 00039 57.0040 251.3354 0009000 285.0101 75.0116 16.03012532 901 * HELPFUL HINTS * ================= Putting Mission Elapsed Time On Your Wrist Watch When NASA and AMSAT release information on upcoming Space Shuttle schedules, time is usually given in UTC based on the expected opening of the launch window. Local US time zones are also given in a margin. However, mission events are also officially given in MET, or Mission Elapsed Time. Physics determines that many mission elements must happen so many minutes or hours after launch, since that puts them over certain parts of the world, or the Shuttle will be in range of certain ground experimenters, or other factors. Launch delays are a way of life at NASA, and the upcoming shuttle launch may be no exception. Mission Elapsed Time is referred to constantly throughout a space mission. Whether you work in the space program, try to work the SAREX, or just listen to the NASA feed on the local Ham Radio repeater (146.940 MHz in the Cape Canaveral area if you're there for the launch), cable TV, or RCA Satcom F-3 Transponder 13 (where the cable company gets it for free), you might want access to MET yourself. MET is based on the time of lift-off at "zero" in the launch countdown, when the solid rocket boosters are lit, and the spacecraft leaves the pad at Launch Complex 39. Simply start the stopwatch feature of your electronic watch at zero in the count, and you will have MET on your watch! The kind of watch best suited will go until 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds, and then click back to zero and keep on going. Simply check the cheap watches in the blister packs at your local drug store for a watch with either a stopwatch, or "24 hour chronometer" feature. If they haven't got one for less than ten bucks, check a different drug store. If you should miss the launch, simply find out what time the launch happened from the newspaper, and start it 24 hours later. Set an alarm on the watch to go off a minute before the time that is 24 hours from launch. Shuttle missions are usually up a few days, and you'd be surprised how handy MET is when keeping track of the spacecraft. Of course, remember that you'll have to keep a tally of the number of elapsed days of the mission yourself. (C) Copyright 1990 Robert Osband. Permission granted to SpaceNews, and any club to reprint this article if a copy of the newsletter is sent to PO Box 23214, Tampa FL, USA 33612. All others, contact author. [Story via Ozzie, N4SCY @ K0ZXF.FL.USA.NOAM] * TNX RPTS! * ============= Thanks to all those who sent e-mail reports to SpaceNews, including: FE1LOZ, N2GGQ, DC4ZI, KA4PNT, N4RAK, N4SCY, WD4LYV, ZR5AAD, KB7ADO, N8JKQ * FEEDBACK WELCOMED * ===================== Feedback regarding SpaceNews may be directed to the editor using any one of the following paths: UUCP : ...!rutgers.edu!ka2qhd!kd2bd PACKET : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NOAM INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com -OR- kd2bd@tomcat.gsfc.nasa.gov MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Electronics Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. /EX -- John A. Magliacane FAX : (908) 747-7107 Electronics Technology Department AMPR : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA Brookdale Community College UUCP : ...!rutgers!ka2qhd!kd2bd Lincroft, NJ 07738 USA VOICE: (908) 842-1900 ext 607 ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 04:03:25 GMT From: nosc!dog.ee.lbl.gov!hellgate.utah.edu!caen!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!gvlf3.gvl.unisys.com!lock60!veterans@ucsd.edu Subject: 2nd CFV: soc.veterans To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Final Call for Votes -------------------- NAME: soc.veterans STATUS: unmoderated CHARTER: For socializing between veterans of military service, and the discussion of social issues relating to veterans. Background: On March 9, JEWELLLW@vm.cc.purdue.edu (Larry W. Jewell) posted the first RFD for this group. Although he originally called for the creation of "talk.veterans", he has since agreed that "soc" is probably a better hierarchy for the group. There was also a discussion of creation of a veterans group over in "alt", the proponents over there have agreed to wait for the outcome of a vote for a mainstream group. Although the group will be primarily concerned with the issues relating to US veterans, some issues relate to veterans of all countries. Posters will be encouraged to limit distribution of articles relating to US-only issues via the use of the "Distribution: us" header. How to vote: Mail (not post) your vote to one of the addresses below. Indicate clearly whether you are voting YES or NO either in the subject or the body of the message. I'll be counting these by hand, so there's no specific format required - just make it clear which way you're voting. Here are the addresses: internet: veterans@Canal.ORG (the Reply-To: address of this article) uucp: lock60!veterans clueless internet: veterans%canal.org@gvlv2.gvl.unisys.com [128.126.220.102] pathless uucp: uunet!lgnp1!gvlv2!lock60!veterans Voting Period: Starts: March 31 Ends: April 30 -- Mark H. Weber ( mhw@Schuylkill.Canal.Org ) "Schuylkill" (skool' kill) Mont Clare ( ...!uunet!cbmvax!gvlv2!lock60!mhw ) is a Dutch word meaning PA USA "hidden river" ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 04:27:10 GMT From: ucselx!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!wrdis01!nstn.ns.ca!ac.dal.ca!newsmgr@ucsd.edu Subject: Adjust frequency of4 terminal, rectanglular oscillators? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Message-I For space saving and cost reasons I would like to use one of those small can oscillators with 4 terminals. The only problem is how to modulate either the amplitude or the frequency of this device. I have noticed that varying supply voltage changes both the amplitude and frequency. Is this the best way? I don't have any spec sheets on these oscillators but I have determined V+, V-, and the output. The other pin seems to be no connection. ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 23:12:30 GMT From: usc!rpi!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu Subject: Adjust frequency of4 terminal, rectanglular oscillators? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1991Apr20.012710.266@ac.dal.ca> youngqd@jacobs.cs.orst.edu (Dean Youngquist) writes: > For space saving and cost reasons I would like to use one of > those small can oscillators with 4 terminals. The only > problem is how to modulate either the amplitude or the > frequency of this device... Very probably what you've got there is a crystal oscillator. There is basically *no way* to vary their amplitude or frequency very much. The frequency is fixed by the physical dimensions of the crystal, modulo small variations due to temperature and supply voltage, and the output (in the ones I'm familiar with) is from digital logic that only knows about 0 and 1, nothing in between. -- And the bean-counter replied, | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology "beans are more important". | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 23:59:45 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu Subject: Adjust frequency of4 terminal, rectanglular oscillators? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I wrote: >> For space saving and cost reasons I would like to use one of >> those small can oscillators with 4 terminals... >Very probably what you've got there is a crystal oscillator... My mistake; turns out there are other things that use the same package. -- And the bean-counter replied, | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology "beans are more important". | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 21 Apr 91 06:11:01 GMT From: kb2ear!n2aam@RUTGERS.EDU Subject: AO-21 Question To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Does anyone on the net know when the AO-21 transponders will be placed on line? All I've heard has been the cw beacon. Dave Marthouse n2aam@kb2ear.ampr.org Fido: dave marthouse 1:107/323 Packet: n2aam @ w2emu-4,nj.usa.na ------------------------------ Date: 19 Apr 91 19:21:45 GMT From: hpfcso!hpfcdc!perry@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Ban on Linears on Ten Meters To: info-hams@ucsd.edu >When I bought my first rig, a tube type Tempo-One, I got it from another >ham. After I had it for a few days and was having problems with 10 meters, >I opened it up and found crystals had been put in to modify the upper half >of the 10 meter frequency selection down to the CB band...giving a nice >little 100 watt SSB CB rig. Of course, in the process of doing that, >whoever had done the mod had also realigned the 10 meter section also and >done some other hacking. I spent a lot of time and effort to buy the >proper crystals and rewire/realign the rig back to stock. Gee, you must have gotten yours from the same guy that sold me my first bootleg CB. I had a lot of fun with that one, sliding around, shooting skip, and learning my frequency table. With 100 watts in the middle of town on a 5/8 wave groundplane, I served as net control quite a bit, sometimes to the dismay of others. :-o I even loaned it to my brother-in-law, so he could keep in touch with my sister on the long commute into town. Amazing what a 6 element monobander and 100 watts can do on groundwave. As I recall, the Tempo-One didn't have any crystals to begin with. You had to buy one for each 500 KHz band. Easy to mod for CB, since you just subtracted 1 MHz from the 28 MHz band crystal. It was even easy enough for a high school student (like I was) to figure out. It taught me about mixers and stuff. The old Tempo-One got me into ham radio, so I don't think linear amplifiers and out-of-band mods are all bad. Just as long as they stay in their own playpen, I could not care less about what happens on 11 meters. And yes, I've had the privelege of realigning an old piece of bootleg CB gear to 10 meters, so I know what that's all about - it's a nasty job, but somebody's gotta do it. Congratulations, I'll bet you learned a lot about radios in the process. Perry / KF0CA ------------------------------ Date: 19 Apr 91 02:05:50 GMT From: hpl-opus!hpnmdla!alanb@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: F connectors To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In rec.radio.amateur.misc, DERRY@ROSEVC.Rose-Hulman.EDU writes: >I recall reading that F connectors were very good ELECTRICALLY. Now >that they are available for 50-Ohm cable, RG-58 size, I am wondering >how they perform from, say, DC up through 2 meters. >A QRP guru recently gave a talk to our ham club. He said that F connectors >have 0.5 dB of loss. That seems impossible to me. It would represent a >pretty high ohmic contact resistance. His source for this misinformation >was some QRP magazine. The loss would depend on the frequency in use. The problem with F connectors is that their dimensions are not well-controlled, which causes an impedance mismatch at high frequencies. I'd guess that the loss should be negligible at HF, but might well be .5 dB at, say, 450 MHz. The advantage, of course, is that they are cheap. AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 04:31:33 GMT From: world!digex@decwrl.dec.com Subject: help in looking up some chip functions To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Here is a request for help; I have found a bunch of rails of *old* chips kicking around. I am curious what they are, but my databooks are all packed up... Here is the list if anyone out there has some old books available and wants to take a moment to look them up and send me the results (I will post them to the list, just so people can see how old this junk *really* is). Thanks in advance! Doug Humphrey Digital Express Group Crypto Systems Division (this week...) SP 616 SP 659 SP 620 SP 680 SP 670 SP 663 SP 677 SP 662 MC 668 MC 672 MC 665 MC 678 MC 666 MC 679 SN 28701 SN 28703 (most likely the old op-amp) ------------------------------ Date: 19 Apr 91 18:32:07 GMT From: hpfcso!ron@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: High(?) Speed CW To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Re: High speed CW Why write it? Put your pencil down, relax, and listen to the QSO. Practice that. You don't write down SSB conversations, do you? I'm pretty solid on 30 WPM from W1AW and working on 35. No writing. No reason to. Ron NW0U ------------------------------ Date: 16 Apr 91 05:31:51 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!think.com!mintaka!bloom-beacon!eru!kth.se!ugle.unit.no!nuug!ifi!sics.se!fuug!news.funet.fi!news@ucsd.edu Subject: ICOM 02 mod needed To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I just got my hands on a new ( not used ) ICOM 02 AT and wondered if it could be modified like IC32 or IC24. I'd like to extend it's receiver range upwards, but also other modifications are welcome. It goes up to 151.99 MHz now. Something like about 170 MHz would be fine Thanks , OH3LKU ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 07:30:28 GMT From: tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!n8emr!@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 14 ARLP014 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ============================================================== | Automatic relayed from packet radio via | | N8EMR's Ham BBS, 614-895-2553 | ============================================================== ZCZC AP70 QST DE W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 14 ARLP014 TAD COOK, KT7H, SEATTLE WA APRIL 20, 1991 RELAYED BY KB8NW/OBS & BARF-80 BBS TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS Propagation over the past week was quite good. HF conditions probably peaked around April 14 through 16, when the solar flux rose to just under 270 for a few days. Geomagnetic conditions were stable, with the Boulder A index between four and seven, and the K index hitting zero on the 16th. In casual mobile operation to and from work using CW, the author noticed several all day openings to Europe on 15 meters from the Seattle area. Tempering the favorable conditions were a few shortwave fades of short duration, including one on April 15 that affected frequencies up to 25 MHz over North America. Look for the solar flux to decline over the forecast week to below 200, with rising geomagnetic indices toward the end of the month. Expect the current short term flux to bottom out near 170 around May 3. Regions 6583 and 6593 on the Sun's surface have grown in size and magnetic complexity recently, and could be a source of some isolated major flares. American sunspot numbers for April 11 through 17 were 161, 187, 163, 187, 179, 187 and 200 respectively, with a mean figure of 180.6. ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 06:19:00 GMT From: nosc!dog.ee.lbl.gov!hellgate.utah.edu!caen!umich!vela!argo.acs.oakland.edu!SDKUO@ucsd.edu Subject: Repeater Usage To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Being new to ham radio, I'm a little confused as to how a repeater is operated. Are repeaters public or private? Can I just start CQing on any repeater, or do I need to get permission? What about autopatch, is that a closed system for just some users, or can anyone use autopatch (maybe local calls only)? Also I understand most of the activity is on 2m, but what about 70cm? I live in the Detroit area and I never hear anything on 70cm from my scanner. any info would be appreciated, Steven D. Kuo VMS: sdkuo@argo.acs.oakland.edu Ultrix: sdkuo@vela.acs.oakland.edu Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA ------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 91 02:55:22 GMT From: cruzio!brettb@uunet.uu.net Subject: Thanks from a NEW TECH To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Thanks to all the friendlies out there that have encouraged the new techs... Thanks to all who responded to my question about learning code... Your ideas have been most helpful, I am up to about 9wpm at this point and am pushing for 13 wpm before taking the test, I regret that I do not share your enthusiasm for CW or SW ops, but maybe someday I'll get into QRP or find a use for CW in the VHF/UHF bands, at least be able to read the repeater i.d.'s! I was a bit disappointed by the lack of response to my request for information about microwave user groups and VHF/UHF reading lists... Can't help but notice that the best book I've found so far was from RSGB, seems the Europeans and Japanese are more interested in these bands! SO I AM REPEATING MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ABOUT MICROWAVE USER GROUPS, VHF/UHF READING LISTS AND PUBLICATIONS. Please respond! Besides my interest in VHF/UHF ham radio, I am 2/3s of the way thru a homestudy course in communications electronics to prepare for the commercial phone license (another no-code license!), am beginning studies in Radio Astronomy and SETI, run a small telecommunications consulting business, am a single parent with a 5 year old child...I think my priorities are as valid as those of someone into the traditional Morse code /HF track. My goal: to set up a top-notch VHF/UHF ham shack and Radio Astronomy/SETI listening post in the Santa Cruz mountains by Columbus Day, 1992. Meanwhile I'm trying to trade my old Sony 2010 and Bearcat 2000 in on a dual band HT! The ICOM 7000, and LNA will have to wait, and I hope to build my own cassegaine! BUT BTW, since I want to take the general thru the extra class written exams by way of review for my commercial and school exams I have been spending a little time on CW. It would be nice to get the speed up from the current 9wpm to 13wpm or (horrors!) even 20wpm so I could get the higher class licenses since I understand I can get about 10 units of college credit for the higher class licenses. Thanks and 73s... V V V V V V Brett Breitwieser V V V V VAJRACOM CONSULTANTS *VAJRA*COM* GRIDLOC CM86XX Santa Cruz, CA V V V V ..uunet!cruzio!brettb V V V V V V SETI: the Ultimate DX ------------------------------ Date: 16 Apr 91 18:40:20 GMT From: vsi1!indetech!pacbell!everexn!mycal@ames.arpa To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1991Apr11.203057.9022@en.ecn.purdue.edu>, <1991Apr12.142452.2046@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, <7223@mace.cc.purdue.edu> Subject : Re: Most Offensive Scanner I am supprized that noone has mentioned the AR2500 from ACE Communications it covers 1mhz to 1500mhz with no holes. Wide/narrow FM, AM and a BFO for SSB and CW. List price $499. They also have a $995 Version that covers 100hz to 2500mhz no holes + usb and lsb. Ace takes Credit cards or COD (I think) -> the number I called to get mine was 317-842-7115 mycal@everexn.com ------------------------------ Date: 19 Apr 91 19:16:12 GMT From: deccrl!news.crl.dec.com!shlump.nac.dec.com!ryn.mro4.dec.com!ultnix.enet.dec.com!taber@decwrl.dec.com To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <4416@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, <4435@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, <463@platypus.uofs.edu>tnix.e Reply-To : taber@ultnix.enet.dec.com (Patrick St. Joseph Teahan Taber) Subject : Re: Ban on Linears on Ten Meters In article <463@platypus.uofs.edu>, bill@platypus.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon) writes: |> |>In article <4435@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, taber@ultnix.enet.dec.com (Patrick |>St. Joseph Teahan Taber) writes: |>> |>> I think you're missing the point of the regulation. The FCC knows |>as |>> well as we do that almost any amp that can be made to work 10-80 |>Meters |>> can be modified to work on 11 Meters too. They know there's no way |>to |>> stop some clever hand from making the changes. All they can do is |>make |>> posession and sale of such an amp illegal so that when they present |>the |>> search warrant and find the amp hidden in a closet they can DO |>something |>> about it. |> |>So, if this is the case, why is it that 11 meter amplifiers and |>illegal |>radios are sold openly every day?? I see ads for 11 meter linears and |>|>TS820's modified for 11 meters listed in the newspapers and local |>for-sale |>rags everyday. When i used to travel a lot, I saw that this was not a |>|>local phenomena but actually universal. If you can openly advertise |>that |>you are selling a 2KW CB amplifier, I don't see where anything was |>accomplished at all other than the elimination of one of a legitimate |>priveledge of ham operators. |> Nobody ever explained the difference between "real" and "ideal" to you before? In an ideal world, people would read the law and follow it. In the real world, people read the law, decide if they like it or not and if not decide if they're going to obey it based on their perception of the chances of getting caught. If you are concerned about people selling 2kw CB linears, then clip the ad, send it to your local FCC field office and there's a small but real chance they'll do something about it. The person who is selling the amp thinks it's a REAL SMALL chance, but maybe but who's to say? -- >>>==>PStJTT Patrick St. Joseph Teahan Taber, KC1TD "Nerd" is so demeaning, I prefer "fashion-impared." ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest ******************************