From wang!elf.wang.com!ucsd.edu!info-hams-relay Sat Mar 23 02:42:17 1991 remote from tosspot Received: by tosspot (1.63/waf) via UUCP; Sat, 23 Mar 91 09:46:48 EST for lee Received: from somewhere by elf.wang.com id aa04177; Sat, 23 Mar 91 2:42:11 GMT Received: from ucsd.edu by relay1.UU.NET with SMTP (5.61/UUNET-shadow-mx) id AA28945; Fri, 22 Mar 91 19:16:20 -0500 Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA04062 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Fri, 22 Mar 91 13:07:04 -0800 for brian Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA04017 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Fri, 22 Mar 91 13:06:55 -0800 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oc -odb -oQ/var/spool/lqueue -oi -finfo-hams-relay info-hams-list Message-Id: <9103222106.AA04017@ucsd.edu> Date: Fri, 22 Mar 91 13:06:54 PST From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Reply-To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Subject: Info-Hams Digest V91 #219 To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Info-Hams Digest Fri, 22 Mar 91 Volume 91 : Issue 219 Today's Topics: Antenna Question Anybody out there ever fixed a microwave oven ARRL 16: 80M NOVICE CHANGE Balloon Antennas Chinese Ham Ticket FCC spectrum allocation Foothill Flea Market Ham interference on Cable TV? Hints & Kinks for taking the General code test Icom CI V interface Looking for High Voltage Capacitors LSB vs USB ad infinitum No Code issue makes Scientific American QST, 73 or CQ Index reading odd components Some gossip about no-code tech teaching materials Straight keys vs. iambic TS-140S to a ^680S ? UHF (440) Repeater Amplifiers upgrade from no-code tech WANTED: FSTV/ATV Video Tapes what does COSMAC mean, as in 1802 When is the contest???? 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: 14 Mar 91 02:42:32 GMT From: vax5.cit.cornell.edu!inuy@cu-arpa.cs.cornell.edu Subject: Antenna Question To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I have an antenna question for all of you who are good at that type of thing. I have been looking over different types of antenna, and I think I want to build a yagi beam. I have figured out all the dimensions of it, but there is one problem. The book has the impedance listed as 75 ohms, but my (a VHF scanner) receiver has a 50 ohm input impedance. Will this make much of a difference to a receiver? If it will degrade the performance of the antenna, is there a simple way to transform the 75 ohm impedance from the antenna to 50 ohms? Also, while on the subject of home built antenna, where can one get the nice light weight aluminum tubing the commercial antenna are built out of? Or does it matter? I have actually been thinking of trying to suspend #12 wire on insulators between eyehooks on a frame of 2x2's. I think tubing would look a lot better, and weigh a lot less though. Any recommendations? Please, if you can, email your replies, as I do not regularly read this message area. Thanks! --Matthew Kleinmann ------------------------------ Date: 18 Mar 91 19:22:08 GMT From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac@sdd.hp.com, Subject: Anybody out there ever fixed a microwave oven To: info-hams@ucsd.edu My recomendation is *DON'T MESS WITH YOUR MICROWAVE* unless you are interested in finding out what cataracts are like. Stray microwave energy is very dangerous to your eyes!!!! And from the questions asked in this post it looks like the writer does not understand this! If any reader doesn't know what cataracts are, do some research! It is blindness, or partial blindness, due to a change in the clear lens of the eye. In other words, microwave can cook your eys, just like the white of an egg turns from clear to opague!! ------------------------------ Date: 16 Mar 91 04:24:39 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!n8emr!gws@ucsd.edu Subject: ARRL 16: 80M NOVICE CHANGE To: info-hams@ucsd.edu ============================================================== | Relayed from packet radio via | | N8EMR's Ham BBS, 614-895-2553 1200/2400/9600/V.32/PEP/MNP5 | ============================================================== ZCZC AG81 QST DE W1AW ARRL BULLETIN 16 ARLB016 FROM ARRL HEADQUARTERS NEWINGTON CT MARCH 15, 1991 RELAYED BY KB8NW/OBS & BARF-80 BBS TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS Advisory to Novice and Technican Class licensees. On January 10 the FCC announced a change in its rules to move the 80 meter Novice band from 3700 through 3750 KHz downward to 3675 through 3725 KHz. The change takes effect March 16 at 1201 AM local time. -- Gary W. Sanders (gws@n8emr or ...!osu-cis!n8emr!gws), 72277,1325 N8EMR @ W8CQK (ip addr) 44.70.0.1 [Ohio AMPR address coordinator] HAM BBS (1200/2400/9600/V.32/PEP/MNP=L5) 614-895-2553 Voice: 614-895-2552 (eves/weekends) ------------------------------ Date: 15 Mar 91 05:21:44 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!nddsun1!waters@ucsd.edu Subject: Balloon Antennas To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article Bob_Dixon@osu.edu writes: >If it is windy and there are objects around, don't even try to launch. >Trees and other antennas are deadly to balloons. Need I add that POWER lines of ANY sort shhould be a LOOONG way from the balloon/antenna/guy. I would suggest 2-3X the antenna length as a minimum. >Electrically, the balloon antennas work like gangbusters. On 160 meters >you can dominate the band. You will need good ground radials and an >antenna tuner located right at the base. Good luck! > I have never done that, but it sounds like GREAT fun. How about a 1/2W or 5/8 Wave (on 160 :-) ) to cut down the ground currents (= ground losses) Lets see that would "only" be 240Ft. -- *Mike Waters AA4MW/7 waters@nddsun1.sps.mot.com * We ARE as gods and might as well get good at it. -- Whole Earth Catalog ------------------------------ Date: 22 Mar 91 05:28:00 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: Chinese Ham Ticket To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I have a Chinese student that is interested in ham radio. He is interested in talking with his parents in mainland China. Can his parents go to an ham station probably a club and talk to him while he is in this country. How do his parents go about getting a license in China and can they own a station other than a club station. agengcc@unx2.ucc.okstate.edu (Gordon Couger) Thanks in avance ------------------------------ Date: 13 Mar 91 22:52:44 GMT From: gatech!prism!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!sun13!murray@ucsd.edu Subject: FCC spectrum allocation To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <13309@helios.TAMU.EDU> msw1633@summa.tamu.edu writes: >Does anyone have (on line) or know where I might be able to get a copy of the >FCC radio spectrum allocations (including all services and bands etc.)? I know >I can get this by ordering the first volume of CFR 47 from the area gov't >documents center, but it would be nice to be able to get this electronically. Was there anything like this in the FAQ's? If not, this would probably be a worthwhile thing to add to the intermediate FAQ - both the government source and the ftp source, if one exists. >Mark S. Whitsitt, N5RJF Texas A&M University, Dept of Biochemistry >Bitnet: MSW1633@TAMSIGMA College Station, Tx. 77843-2128 >Internet: MSW1633@SIGMA.TAMU.EDU (409) 845-0832 > "You can't throw darts when your empty, man!" -- another Schadelism -- Disclaimer: Yeah, right, like you really believe I run this place. John R. Murray | "Memory serves murray@vsjrm.scri.fsu.edu | wise commanders." Supercomputer Research Inst.| - Tz'u-hsi, 638 AD ------------------------------ Date: 13 Mar 91 19:37:38 GMT From: hpl-opus!hpnmdla!alanb@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Foothill Flea Market To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In rec.radio.amateur.misc, wws@raphael.cray.com (Walter Spector) writes: >In article <1991Mar10.041753.8918@informix.com>, randall@informix.com >(Randall Rhea) writes: >> Well, opening day 1991 for the second-Saturday-of-the-month Foothill >> College flea markets has come and gone. This is a much anticipated event >> in SF Bay Area hamdom. >> >> I found this one to be disappointing. There was a whole lot of overpriced >> junk, even more than usual. Although it's supposed to be a ham flea >> market, most of the stuff that was being sold had nothing to do with ham >> radio. [more on low quality of junk deleted...] ... >I note that there are going to be monthly swap meets in Livermore. >Did anyone go to the first one? I wonder if it is any better? In my (biased) opinion, the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs (SCRA) flea market in Sebastopol, while smaller than Foothills, is much more ham-related. If you can wait until September (28th), and don't mind an hour's drive north of the Golden Gate, you might give it a try. AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: 15 Mar 91 03:17:38 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sample.eng.ohio-state.edu!phonon!rlong@ucsd.edu Subject: Ham interference on Cable TV? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Re: Ham Interference on Cable TV I sent an email to the original poster but decided to post on the net as well. No one asked whether he had cw or voice interference. How does he know it is a ham? Could it be that he is hearing the new cw identification that satellite uplinkers are now required to transmit? This was discussed on the net recently. I assume that it is supposed to be subaudible but I hear it often and it I had not read it on the net I would have assumed it was ham interference since I have not been able to copy it. It is just loud enough to be annoying but not loud enough to read (at least for me.)) Just a thought. Ron W8GUS. -- Ronald K. Long Ohio State Univ EE Dept., 2015 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210 rlong@phonon.eng.ohio-state.edu ------------------------------ Date: 20 Mar 91 16:04:32 GMT From: ogicse!plains!kkim@ucsd.edu Subject: Hints & Kinks for taking the General code test To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1075@wells.UUCP> k3tx@wells.UUCP (Dave Heller) writes: :In article <1370@gargoyle.uchicago.edu>, hayward@gargoyle.uchicago.edu (Peter Hayward) writes: :> The ARRL VEC has announced that it will be going to multiple choice :> over the next few months. :> -- :> Peter B. Hayward University of Maine WX9T : :116. The question pools aren't hard to memorize. : : :K3TX :Who passed in front of an unsmiling but FAIR FCC examiner. i wonder if the code test is from the question pools... that's funny. has it been made public? thanks. k kim ------------------------------ Date: 15 Mar 91 17:57:52 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!linus!linus!mwunix.mitre.org!m21198@ucsd.edu Subject: Icom CI V interface To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I just received the answer to my query. I am posting it as I have also received several requests and other comments. Hi John, I just received a technical description and control codes for the CI-V interface on the my IC-735. I called Icom customer service(206-454-7619) and asked for parts. They sent it to me free, however they have a $10 more extensive manual covering all models. I think this has all one needs for the 735. I hoping to connect this to my MAC SE. The voltage levels need to be shifted to 0 and 5v for the 735. Let me know how you make out, maybe exchange ideas? 73 Tom WA2CUE Thanks to Tom,(housten@demon.siemens.com) and to all others who replied. BTW, there is some KA9Q c code to handle some of the I/O posted on wuarchive.wustl.com. ------------------------------ Date: 21 Mar 91 17:01:46 GMT From: hpfcso!hpfcdc!perry@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Looking for High Voltage Capacitors To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Re: 5pF/4KV Try a local large electrojunk emporium (i.e. not Radio Shack). I've seen these capacitors manufactured by Sprague. You might also check a TV repair shop. If nothing else, I have a new 10pF/6KV cap in my junkbox that I'll probably never use... Perry Scott KF0CA ------------------------------ Date: 20 Mar 91 17:01:02 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!abvax!iccgcc!macmillan@ucsd.edu Subject: LSB vs USB ad infinitum To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In the never ending saga of LSB-USB I may have missed this item, but just in case.... The dividing line between common use of LSB and USB seems to be 9 MHz. If you were home brewing an SSB exciter you could get a two band transmitter or tranceiver with a 9 MHz USB IF and a 5.0-5.5 MHz VFO. Add the two and USB appears from 14.0-14.5 MHz. Subtract and you will get 4.0-3.5 MHz. The subtraction process has also inverted the sideband and it is now LSB. Simplicity and two DX bands in one box. 73 de WA8ZHN / Jim MacMILLAN / PRB-WON ------------------------------ Date: 16 Mar 91 08:01:52 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!convex!texsun!letni!rwsys!kf5iw!k5qwb!lrk@ucsd.edu Subject: No Code issue makes Scientific American To: info-hams@ucsd.edu edh@sqa.dsg.ti.com (ed humphries (ASOC)) writes: > My oldest son (14) just passed no-code Tech. He's been studying code too, > and will continue (still young HI). But, he's grown up with computers and Just for the record, N5RSE passed his novice and tech before he turned seven. I was 16 when I decided to get my novice and it took a week to learn 5 wpm ( two days to build the code practice osc ). I've always felt 5 wpm was slow enough to look up in the book. Makes it hard for me to believe this is an obsticle for anyone who is really interested. --------- lrk@k5qwb.UUCP lrk%k5qwb@kf5iw.UUCP 73, utacfd.utarl.edu!letni!rwsys!kf5iw!k5qwb!lrk Lyn Kennedy K5QWB @ N5LDD.#NTX.TX.US P.O. Box 5133, Ovilla, TX, USA 75154 -------- "We have met the enemy and they are us." Pogo ----------------- ------------------------------ Date: 18 Mar 91 16:15:07 GMT From: usc!samsung!rex!ukma!s.ms.uky.edu!andreap@ucsd.edu Subject: QST, 73 or CQ Index To: info-hams@ucsd.edu A couple of years ago, I saw several PCFile database files indexing the leading ham radio magazines. These were on a ham BBS. At the time, I saw no need for them. Since then I have kicked myself several times for not downloading the information. Does anyone know where such a computerized index might be located? I know a paper version for QST is available, but I don't need anything that extensive. --------------- Harold G. Peach, Jr. Internet: hgpeach@ca.uky.edu 252 Ag. Engineering Bldg., U.Ky. Packet Radio: N4FLZ@KF4NB.KY.USA.NA Lexington, KY 40546-0276 Phone: (606) 257-3335 ------------------------------ Date: 20 Mar 91 23:04:16 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!src.honeywell.com!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!uc!shamash!timbuk!dadams@ucsd.edu Subject: reading odd components To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Given a spool of unlabeled enameled magnet wire can someone come up with a good algoithm for determining awg size? I.e. if I wrap 100 turns around a pencil and the coil on the pencil is 5 mm long then the awg is x? (what would x be?) Is there some nicer way? David Adams dadams@cray.com ------------------------------ Date: 17 Mar 91 18:21:51 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!stanford.edu!agate!usenet@ucsd.edu Subject: Some gossip about no-code tech teaching materials To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hiya Folks: I went down to the local ham store to get copies of the novice/tech books for some pals. And lo-and-behold... they were sold out. (Except for a couple of tune-in-the-worlds with code tapes 8). I asked the owner about this. He says he called the ARRL and they have sold out the old style books. They are frantically working on a single novice/tech book to be out in late April. (The working title is: "The First Book".) The owner's guess was that the new material would debut at the Dayton Hamvention. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in this gossip. Does this single the impending surge of codeless techs we've been fearing 8) Will Marchant Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Astrophysics marchant@ssl.berkeley.edu University of California KC6ROL Berkeley, CA 94720 USA ------------------------------ Date: 21 Mar 91 16:38:39 GMT From: otter.hpl.hp.com!hpltoad!hpinddr!richv@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: Straight keys vs. iambic To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Does anyone have a feel for the percentage of hams sending manually vs. using some kind of electronic assistance? Do people still use straight keys or are "morse machines" and built-in keyers the way to go? I suppose sending with an iambic keyer is a totally different skill. Richv PS I hope I'm using the term "iambic" correctly. ------------------------------ Date: 22 Mar 91 01:08:22 GMT From: usc!wuarchive!swbatl!ken@ucsd.edu Subject: TS-140S to a ^680S ? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Has anyone out there succesfully converted a Kenwood TS-140S into a TS-680S ? The sales brochure shows a lot of stenciled but empty spaces on the 140's filter unit. There must be some reason they left the VOX capability out of the 680. I'm seriously thinking about the 140 as a second HF rig. Any comments -good or bad? Ken - WB0QNA ------------------------------ Date: 19 Mar 91 20:50:43 GMT From: agate!apple!usc!sdd.hp.com!caen!math.lsa.umich.edu!spsd4360a.erim.org!hideg@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Subject: UHF (440) Repeater Amplifiers To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hello all. I am in the market for a 440MHz band repeater amplifier. I currently have an Icom RP-3010 repeater that's putting out about 10W. I'm interested in a 100W amplifier. I have been looking at some like the Mirage D-1010NR and D3010NR. I also have some literature on Microwave Modules, Falcon, and rfconcepts. I'm sure there is more, especially "commercial" stuff. I'm looking for recommendations and experiences with various products. I may even try to build one, if I had a good solid design. Any help/advice/thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks/pax ____________________________________ Steve Hideg N8HSC hideg@spsd4360a.erim.org ------------------------------ Date: 21 Mar 91 17:07:40 GMT From: hpfcso!hpfcdc!perry@hplabs.hpl.hp.com Subject: upgrade from no-code tech To: info-hams@ucsd.edu The 10 wpm wall. Yup, I hit it too. Some people don't. I hit another wall at 18 wpm. I worked through that wall by going two forward and one back, ratcheting my way up to higher speed. Don't get discouraged. Don't try for perfect copy. That will come later. Expect to spend 15 minutes a day for four months, if you're as dim as I am when it comes to code. Perry Scott KF0CA ------------------------------ Date: 21 Mar 91 20:29:28 GMT From: fs7.ece.cmu.edu!o.gp.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!ps2x+@sei.cmu.edu Subject: WANTED: FSTV/ATV Video Tapes To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I'm doing a promotional/informational video about amateur television, and need videotape footage of interesting ATV things. This includes Baloons, RC Vehicles, Space Shuttle, whatever. I'm shooting for a mid april completion date, so any help soon would be appreciated. Pete Skelly - KB7GUD ps2x@andrew.cmu.edu ------------------------------ Date: 22 Mar 91 05:03:40 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!dartvax!Christopher.C.Kagy@ucsd.edu Subject: what does COSMAC mean, as in 1802 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1991Mar21.063134.4747@ariel.unm.edu> ollie@hydra.unm.edu (Ollie) writes: > Hi. I'm playing with a COSMAC 1802 chip and wondered why they are called > COSMAC. Are all 1802s rad-hard, and does this have anything to do with it? It actually stands for COmplementary Silicon MetAl-oxide Conductor I believe. -Chris ------------------------------ Date: 22 Mar 91 02:06:01 GMT From: swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wuarchive!uwm.edu!linac!att!att!cbnewsk!wheatley@ucsd.edu Subject: When is the contest???? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I believe the wording is "the last full weekend of march"....thus easter weekend. If CQ says march 30 and 31 I would take their word for it...they do, after all, sponsor the contest. Sounds like ARRL/QST missed a beat on this one? -- Steven Wheatley AT&T Consumer Products (201) 581-3195 ....!att!inuxz!wheatley ------------------------------ Date: 14 Mar 91 13:11:28 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!cs.widener.edu!netnews.upenn.edu!platypus!bill@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1991Mar5.125838.28106@lonex.radc.af.mil>, <10608@dog.ee.lbl.gov>, <4822@eastapps.East.Sun.COM> Subject : Re: Frequently Asked Questions for Amateur Radio In article <4822@eastapps.East.Sun.COM>, jimv@hienergy.East.Sun.COM (Jim Vienneau - Sun Microsystems) writes: > > But you really should > take a listen from 26.965 to 27.990 (yes the CB band legally ends at 27.405) > sometime, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Just make sure your kids > are not in the room! But you should take a listen to 14.313 (yes it is in a ham band) sometime, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Just make sure your kids are not in the room! So what's your point?? bill KB3YV "We have met the enemy and he is us." (from Walt Kelly's Pogo) -- Bill Gunshannon | If this statement wasn't here, bill@platypus.uofs.edu | This space would be left intentionally blank bill@tuatara.uofs.edu | #include ------------------------------ Date: 16 Mar 91 20:00:38 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!sumax!polari!mzenier@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <64364@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, <917@nddsun1.sps.mot.com>, <1991Mar13.205647.24031@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Subject : Re: non-11m 'CB' bands >>In article <64364@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> v127p9xg@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu writes: >>>I have recently found out that frequencies in the 72-75Mhz and ~462-467Mhz >>>ranges are considered "CB". Warning. 75 Mhz is one of those frequencies that "thou shalt not screw with". (Airport outer limit beacon ?). Putting anything on the air on such a critical frequency is looking to get stomped on by both the FCC and FAA. Hard. If you want to know who can do what on what frequency. Part 2 of Title 47 Code of Federal Requlation has over a hundred pages of spectrum allocation charts giving the ITU, US government, and civilian usages of the spectrum. Mark Zenier markz@ssc.uucp mzenier@polari.uucp ------------------------------ Date: 21 Mar 91 21:06:01 GMT From: zardoz@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <26530001@hpldsla.sid.hp.com>, <410032@hpqmolb.sqf.hp.com>, <1991Mar20.181837.17763@cbnewsh.att.com> Subject : Re: KNWD TS-430S problem I had to replace the pills in my TS-430 to fix the intermittant QRP problem that had developed. The 10 meter band was worst case. I used Motorola MRF-454? I will look inside and get the correct #'s if anybody is interested. Its been working okay now for over a year. You do have to re-adjust the bias pot when replacing the finals. ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest ******************************