From wang!elf.wang.com!ucsd.edu!info-hams-relay Wed Mar 27 10:40:53 1991 remote from tosspot Received: by tosspot (1.64/waf) via UUCP; Wed, 27 Mar 91 08:25:29 EST for lee Received: from somewhere by elf.wang.com id aa11966; Wed, 27 Mar 91 10:40:51 GMT Received: from ucsd.edu by relay1.UU.NET with SMTP (5.61/UUNET-shadow-mx) id AA04891; Wed, 27 Mar 91 04:22:16 -0500 Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA14420 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Wed, 27 Mar 91 00:10:01 -0800 for brian Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA14410 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun Wed, 27 Mar 91 00:09:56 -0800 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oc -odb -oQ/var/spool/lqueue -oi -finfo-hams-relay info-hams-list Message-Id: <9103270809.AA14410@ucsd.edu> Date: Wed, 27 Mar 91 00:09:54 PST From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup Reply-To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Subject: Info-Hams Digest V91 #242 To: Info-Hams@ucsd.edu Info-Hams Digest Wed, 27 Mar 91 Volume 91 : Issue 242 Today's Topics: ALINCO 590 Manual Can you really learn code from tapes? (2 msgs) Chinese Ham Ticket or "Can I talk home by Ham Radio?" Computer Interference CT logging program ELF and cancer Freebanders KA2XX mods for HR2600 Straight keys vs. iambic SUBSCRIBE INFO-HAMS Kamlesh Masrani TI TMS-3450 Datasheet Needed (Convert Clock to 24 Hour Time) TS-850s with KAM Problems VHF Hi-band --> 220 MHz conversion 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: 26 Mar 91 19:55:41 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: ALINCO 590 Manual To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Update: I am now sending out the ALINCO 590 BETA version manaul. If you would like a copy and as yet have not received it, send me mail indicating you wish to evaluate it. Please only inquire now if you can evaluate its contents. The feedback must be receieved back by APRIL 2. Again thanks to all who have shown interest. Jay (KA1SNA) ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 17:10:13 GMT From: infopiz!lupine!hansen!phil@decwrl.dec.com Subject: Can you really learn code from tapes? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Learning code from tapes is very possible. The advantages are that you can practice when you want to, and the equipment that is required is simple (A tape player, a pencil, and paper). I used the Gordon West Tapes and found them fantastic! It uses progressive progress so you know that you are getting better. That is you continue to feel that you are getting better at it and I never felt the 10 WPM block. And to help keep you from memorizing it plays sentances backwards so you do not memorize the words as easily... There are also random code segments! For example when you hear '- .... .' you write 'T H E', The 'E' is easly since your brain guesses it! But when you hear '. .... -' you write 'E H T', the 'T' is not easy since your brain does not know many words that start with 'EHT'! Many of the free-ware computer programs do not generate "good" code. That is the Dits and Dahs are not correctly spaced, etc. I did not try one of the purchased programs however... They could be better! But again then you need to have a computer with you when you want to practice. Not easy if you travel... A small tape recorder and a few tapes is easy to bring along! DE KJ6NN Phil ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 03:55:32 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!pacbell.com!pacbell!noe!marc@ucsd.edu Subject: Can you really learn code from tapes? To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article richv@hpinddu.cup.hp.com (Rich Van Gaasbeck) writes: >All the above leads me to believe that 1) Before computers, people >using tapes heavily supplemented their learning either by pairing off >in classes and sending to each other with practice oscillators or by >listening on the air. 2) Now everyone uses morse code teaching >programs. When I learned the code in 1973 I used a code practice oscillator and a straight key by myself. I said the letter out loud, then I sent it on the key, consciously trying to associate the two. Saying the letter instead of reading it helped me make the association without using visual thinking, avoiding the common pitfall of translating the sound into a mental visual impression of the dots and dashes. I had an Ameco code course on 2 12-inch records. I found that simply letting it run without paying attention to it helped me push past humps where my code speed wouldn't improve. I DID find myself memorizing the Ameco code records after a while if I copied them steadily. I relied mostly on my receiver for code practice. -- Marc de Groot KG6KF | "The all-American boy prefers beauty Internet: marc@kg6kf.ampr.org | to brains because he can see better UUCP: uunet!hoptoad!noe!marc | than he can think." -Farrah Fawcett Packet radio: KG6KF @ K3MC | ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 22:22:43 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!nddsun1!waters@ucsd.edu Subject: Chinese Ham Ticket or "Can I talk home by Ham Radio?" To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <9103220540.AA15105@ucsd.edu> AGENGCC@OSUCC.BITNET writes: > >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. This is a recurring question, but the answer doesn't change a lot wherever you are talking about. By the time you finance two high performance HF stations you can pay for a LOT of telephone calls! In addition what you can say via Ham Radio internationally is VERY restricted, in many countries you are not allowed to say as much as "meet me at the airport". I don't know the specifics about China (although I supect that the situation is much worse there than say in Japan), but generally if a telephone service of any kind is available then it will be better and less costly than ham radio for this purpose. Simply because Ham Radio is not intended to replace international telephone! The commonest exception is with U.S. military, but most of this operation is via MARS (Military Affiliate Radio System) which is a U.S. MILITARY service which uses Hams. It is NOT ham radio. -- *Mike Waters AA4MW/7 waters@nddsun1.sps.mot.com * Help! I'm trapped in a PDP 11/70! ------------------------------ Date: 27 Mar 91 06:32:35 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!bradley.bradley.edu!buhub!moodyblu@ucsd.edu Subject: Computer Interference To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Hello all. I am having an interference problem. I have an old Regency HR-2A crystal controlled 2m transciever on loan to me. However, I am getting quite a bit of RF intergerence from my Altima NSX laptop computer. Does anyone have any ideas how I can cut down that interference? Thanks! Matt Weisberg (still waiting!) -- =============================================================================== | Matt Weisberg MILLIWAYS - Computers, Peripherals & Consulting | | moodyblu@buhub.bradley.edu Authorized Altima & D-Link Dealer | | Matt.Weisberg@f16.n120.z1.fidonet.org Southfield, Michigan | | MILLIWAYS BBS: (313) 553-9274 Voice: (313) 350-0503 | =============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 21:13:27 GMT From: deccrl!news.crl.dec.com!shlump.nac.dec.com!mast.enet.dec.com!reisert@decwrl.dec.com Subject: CT logging program To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <9103261302.AA15936@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM>, bert@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM writes... >I've seen many references to the contest logging program "CT" by K1EA but >I've never seen any indication of where to get it. >I suppose I could drop K1EA a note, but there must be a 'public' source. There is no public source for the current release of CT. It is available *only* through the Yankee Clipper Contest Club, for $37.50, plus $2.50 shipping/handling. Send your request to: KC1EO A WILLIAM J MC GOWAN JR 33 TRUELL RD HOLLIS, NH 03049 There is an older version available from Rennaissance Software, but it it version 4.27, and Bill is currently shipping version 6.25, I think. 73 - Jim AD1C =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "The opinions expressed here in no way represent the views of Digital Equipment Corporation." James J. Reisert Internet: reisert@mast.enet.dec.com Digital Equipment Corp. UUCP: ...decwrl!mast.enet!reisert 146 Main Street Voice: 508-493-5293 Maynard, MA 01754 FAX: 508-493-???? ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 19:25:48 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!anasaz!rusty@ucsd.edu Subject: ELF and cancer To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <1991Mar11.171724.19787@news.larc.nasa.gov> kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Scott Dorsey) writes: >In article <61798@masscomp.westford.ccur.com> steveb@westford.ccur.com (St. Louis) writes: >>Did anyone else see the article in Scientific American March 1991 >>about low frequency eletromagnetic fields? >> > > I have seen the study, and it shows a somewhat higher incidence of cancer >among hams. But it does not distinguish ... >nor the fact that hams are more likely than average to work in a >technologically-related job which may have higher cancer risks. > There is a higher rate of cancer mortality among hams than the general >population. But don't read into that anything that's not there. >--scott I have not seen the study, but after reading the newspaper accounts and the info in QST (and taking into account how accurate most newspaper stories are (i.e., VERY inaccurate!), my conclusion was that the study was flawed, and Scott's comments bear that out. "Epidemiologically speaking" :-), the study shows only that more studies must be done (I think sometimes that that is the whole point of some of these studies - show that another study needs to be done!). First off, as Scott alluded to above, hams are anything BUT a random sample of the "general population". Thus, to find that there is a higher incidence of among hams would be the norm, not the exception. (For example, it would be ludicrous to suggest that a study be done to see if the percent of hams who use radio transmitters is higher than the "national average"). Also, studies like this can only show correlation, not cause and effect. Someone would have to do a *real* study which controlled for all sorts of variables (and they would have to spend a lot of time doing a good job of designing the study) before any kind of reasonable statement of risk could be made. Right now we simply have a result that should not have surprised anybody - basically, hams are different than the "general population". Some news. {ames!ncar!noao!asuvax,mcdphx}!anasaz!rusty anasaz!rusty\ 73 de Rusty Carruth, N7IKQ (602) 870-3330 anasaz.UUCP!rusty>@asuvax P.O. Box 27001, Tempe, AZ 85285 rusty%anasaz.UUCP/ \.eas.asu.edu Join the Usenet Un-Net on 10M, 1700-1900Z Saturdays, 28.410 or 28.390 MhZ The Ham Callsign Project-part 3 (the 1990 version) - its HERE! Email for info ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 20:40:19 GMT From: ogicse!plains!enders@ucsd.edu Subject: Freebanders To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <4207@ryn.mro4.dec.com> taber@ultnix.enet.dec.com (Patrick St. Joseph Teahan Taber) writes: >In article <9183@plains.NoDak.edu>, enders@plains.NoDak.edu (Todd Enders >- WD0BCI ) writes: > >> [...] Maybe start an impromptu intruder >>'persuasion' net to plop a couple of QSO's down in the offender's passband. > >I'd be careful about how far you try to take it. You'll disuade the >people who want to talk, but then you'll get the idiots who just want to >get a little attention. If there was a coordinated effort to stomp >freebanders, then it would become a sport to freeband and see how many >hams you can stir up. It might even encourage freebanders to move into >other ham bands for even more fun. (Of course, you'd never spot them on >20....) > True enough if hundreds (or even tens) of hams descended on every bogus operator. But that's not what I'm suggesting. Just two CW or RTTY QSO's in his passband (maybe only one with RTTY or packet, or AMTOR since you are using 2 tones ) would tend to make him move. One or the other set of stations could pop up some random time after the first pair, and they probably wouldn't want to operate on top of legitimate ops. I wonder just how many bootleg ham stations are actually freebanders. There has always been a small number of bootleg stations, but they are NOTHING in comparison to the freeband mess. I'm also sure that some of the 20m jamming is caused by the attention seeking freebander with a ham rig. How could you tell where a short unidentified transmission came from, and who made it??? I think the reason the freeband crowd hasn't moved into the other ham bands (in large numbers) is precisely the fact that they would be figuratively roasted to a nice shade of black by the general ham population. Would you like your freebander regular or Extra Crispy? :-) :-) :-) 73, Todd WD0BCI enders@plains.nodak.edu ------------------------------ Date: 27 Mar 91 02:49:07 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: KA2XX To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Just for the record my home call is WF4P (Whopper Fries and Four Pepsies) or We Fight For Peace. For Ed Greenberg --I will check on who the TI Rep is and where it/he/she is but don't get your hopes up my Japanese is not that great.73 For Joe Dubner -- The Yen rate is bouncing around 130 so its not too great here now but i live on Post so its not too bad. Also the wife is teaching English to some Japanese folks for Big Bucks(Yen). We like it here and will probably extend one or two years, unless things change. The company that i'm in operates the telephones here in Honshu. We own the operators at the New Sanno. Good bunch of folks. 73's from Japan de KA2RC One more time --- 73's from Japan de KA2RC at KJ6WO.SUBIC.PHL.OC or asqjnbf at zama-emh1.army.mil Roland ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 21:38:14 GMT From: unix!snmp.sri.com!larson@husc6.harvard.edu Subject: mods for HR2600 To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <9103202035.AA00390@ucsd.edu> faunt@CISCO.COM (Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269) writes: >Look in the April 1991 issue of 73, page 59, middle of right hand >side. ChipSwitch, 4773 Sonoma Hwy., Suite 132, Santa Rosa CA >95409-4269, is selling a replacement CPU for 2510's and 2600's for >$60. I don't know if they're real or not. Did I miss something? Why replace the CPU for a 2510 or 2600? I would think replacing the ~15 kHz wide IF filter would be a better thing to do. Alan ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 22:30:39 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!nddsun1!waters@ucsd.edu Subject: Straight keys vs. iambic To: info-hams@ucsd.edu In article <21416@shlump.nac.dec.com> koning@koning.enet.dec.com writes: >My guess is that most people use keyers. Occasionally I hear a bug >(usually VERY poorly used -- "ditditditditidit DAAAAAAAAH DAAAAAAAH" >style). And I suppose the 40+ wpm speed crowd uses keyboards...? Bugs always DID have that problem :-) Actually I doubt if many people use keyboards for 40+ wpm since you also need to receive the CW. If you are automatic at BOTH ends then RTTY etc. is much better. In my experience most of the high speed operators use keyers of one sort or another - usually iambic as you note. Of course some of the "contest keyers" with all kinds of stored messages etc. look a LOT like a keyboard. :-) -- *Mike Waters AA4MW/7 waters@nddsun1.sps.mot.com * Help! I'm trapped in a PDP 11/70! ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 23:26:45 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu Subject: SUBSCRIBE INFO-HAMS Kamlesh Masrani To: info-hams@ucsd.edu SUBSCRIBE INFO-HAMS Kamlesh Masrani INDEX INFOHAMS SUBSCRIBE INFOHAMS Kamlesh Masrani ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 17:31:33 GMT From: usc!apple!amdahl!netcom!edg@ucsd.edu Subject: TI TMS-3450 Datasheet Needed (Convert Clock to 24 Hour Time) To: info-hams@ucsd.edu I have a digital alarm clock (one with 2 inch digits) that has, as it's only IC, a TMS-3450 Integrated Circuit. I would like to make a modification to the clock to display 24 hour time. (Why would a ham need something like that? :-) I called TI and they can't provide a datasheet! They state that the it's an "international chip". It makes little sense to me that a TI office wouldn't have access to all TI chips, but then, what do I know? If anyone out there can lay hands on a datasheet for this puppy, I'd be grateful to receive a copy of it or a pointer to what book it's documented in. I'll send an SASE or greenstamp as needed. TNX es 73 -edg -- Ed Greenberg, | Home: +1 408 283 0184 | edg@netcom.com P. O. Box 28618 | Work: +1 408 764 5305 | CIS: 76703,1070 San Jose, CA 95159 | Fax: +1 408 764 5003 | WB2GOH @ N6LDL.CA.USA ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 18:06:50 GMT From: rayssd!raybed2!ewb@uunet.uu.net Subject: TS-850s with KAM Problems To: info-hams@ucsd.edu Let me start by saying that I have a KAM and I was very successfully using it with my TS-440. It worked slick. I used the 13 pin din connector on the back panel. Well the 440 is gone and in its place is a TS-850. I did a quick comparison of the 13 pin dins and everything looked ok. Well it works, sorta. I have the well documented AFSK receive problem which is really no problem at all. But what is really getting me is the apparent impresed noise from the KAM on to the 850 audio line. It effects me especially when I am using the KAM to watch the 2M Packet DX cluster and using the 850 on SSB. The noise appears when I ride up the mike gain control. Any ideas on how to eliminate the NOISE from the KAM short of disconnecting it each time ??? Anyone else seen this problem ?? Thanks 73 Gene WA1UXA ------------------------------ Date: 27 Mar 91 00:12:56 GMT From: usc!wuarchive!rex!rouge!pc.usl.edu!jpd@ucsd.edu Subject: VHF Hi-band --> 220 MHz conversion To: info-hams@ucsd.edu A local ham is interested in converting a GE Mastr 2 commercial radio from VHF Hi-band to the 220 ham band. Can anyone who's done it comment on how it went? Or, if it didn't work out, why not? Please post your comments, and I'll forward them locally. Thanks & 73, de -- -- James Dugal, N5KNX Internet: jpd@usl.edu Associate Director Ham packet: n5knx@k5arh Computing Center US Mail: PO Box 42770 Lafayette, LA 70504 University of Southwestern LA. Tel. 318-231-6417 U.S.A. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 19:11:15 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!anasaz!rusty@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1991Mar8.184229.326@cbnewsd.att.com>, <1008@wells.UUCP>, Reply-To : rusty@anasaz.UUCP (Rusty Carruth) Subject : Re: Newer HF rigs In article randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes: ->.... The problem is that a used TR-7 can ->go for as much as $700 or more ( I saw one sold for that price at a ->recent flea market). For a couple of hundred more, you can get a ->new Icom 735, ... Or, if you watch around, you can get a used 735 for $700 to $800, including the power supply and other stuff you would otherwise have had to pay extra for. ------------------------------ Date: 27 Mar 91 06:30:50 GMT From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References Faunt, N6TQS, 415-688-8269) Subject : ICOM AG-25 and AG-35 PREAMPS I have a sheet with my AG-25 that gives more info then you seem to have. The power is 9-15Vdc, negative ground, 200mA. It does not RF sense, you need to switch the DC. I don't know the timing, it's designed to connect to the IC271H, which I now have. I do have a schematic for it. I have a question for the net about the preamp. Is it possible to predict its noise figure just by knowing that it's got a 3SK121 in it? Or does anyone know how well it works? Or if necessary, how it could be improved? thanks, and 73, doug ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 20:20:58 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!csc.ti.com!ti-csl!tilde.csc.ti.com!axis!sqa.dsg.ti.com!edh@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <9103192122.AA01566@ucsd.edu>, , <1390@gargoyle.uchicago.edu> Subject : Re: First No-code Tech? > (edited) >:She was getting licensed so that she could talk >:to her husband -- not because she loves radio. >: >:If amateur radio is to survive it must attract people who join >:because they are genuinely interested in radio. > >I would like to >believe that, with more than 500,000 operators now, ham radio is big >enough to have places for people doing lots of different things. > >Also, I will wager that, once she is on the air, she will talk to many >more people than just her husband. > >As long as someone is not conducting business on the air, let's not >judge people on what we believe to be their reasons for getting into >ham radio. Let's welcome them, and, if possible, broaden their >interests by exposing them to all that ham radio has to offer. > >Peter >-- >Peter B. Hayward University of Maine WX9T Well said Peter! I had many reasons for wanting my ham license, but the reason I finally broke the code block I had and took the Novice (followed by Tech as soon as the Novice call arrived) was that Hamcom Dallas was coming up. The previous year we'd gone, with my wife being the only ham (yes, she never took 5 wpm, started at 13!), I felt a little left out (we'd attended with ham friends). I wasn't about to let another Hamcom come and go without me having a license! Since then, I've done Field Day, some contest operation, done many public service events, and certainly like hf better than my more code-proficient wife! We're active for many reasons; a lot of those we never considered before we became hams. I'm sure glad nobody was hanging around telling me that I had the "wrong" reason to take that first test! 73 (and welcome in to the newcomers out there!) -- Ed Humphries Texas Instruments, Inc. 512-250-6894 N5RCK Internet ed.humphries@hub.dsg.ti.com -. ..... .-. -.-. -.- Packet N5RCK@NA4M ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 91 20:43:27 GMT From: timbuk!raphael!wws@uunet.uu.net To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References , <1991Mar21.224821.28500@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>, <1991Mar26.042459.13988@sq.sq.com> Reply-To : wws@raphael.cray.com (Walter Spector) Subject : Re: Can you really learn code from tapes? In article <1991Mar26.042459.13988@sq.sq.com>, rph@sq.sq.com (Pontus Hedman (VE3RPH)) writes: > I learned code simply by listening to Real QSOs by Real Hams (and W1AW) on > an ordinary shortwave radio. The US novice bands (3675-3725, 7100-7150 or ^^^^^^^^ With a BFO of course.... > wherever it is these days) is full of 5WPM QSOs. > > There are many advantages with this method: > > 1. You learn how to copy Real Code as sent by Real People. > 2. The content is guaranteed to be more interesting than tapes. > 3. You learn the ways of hamdom, prosigns, etc. This is good advice. Here in California, there is a station which sends out code practice 24 hours a day at 7100khz (content isn't very interesting for me though - mostly bible psalms.) They do send at a variety of speeds. They change speeds often and will also often do a 'repeating words' style. I found the W1AW code practice too sporadic to help much. But, while practicing for extra, I have found the morning bulletin at 18 wpm to be useful. It is sent at 0700 (pacific time) monday through friday (frequencies in QST - try 14.0475). Walt ---- Walt Spector (wws@renaissance.cray.com) "Parity is for farmers" Sunnyvale, California - Seymour Cray _._ _._ _.... _. ._. ------------------------------ Date: 27 Mar 91 02:40:55 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!nddsun1!markm@ucsd.edu To: info-hams@ucsd.edu References <1991Mar21.224821.28500@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>, <1991Mar26.042459.13988@sq.sq.com>, <132959.13775@timbuk.cray.com> Subject : Re: Can you really learn code from tapes? In article <132959.13775@timbuk.cray.com> wws@raphael.cray.com (Walter Spector) writes: >In article <1991Mar26.042459.13988@sq.sq.com>, rph@sq.sq.com (Pontus > > ...lots deleted... >Here in California, there is a station which >sends out code practice 24 hours a day at 7100khz (content isn't very >interesting for me though - mostly bible psalms.) > ...more deleted... I've heard this station and used it for code practice too. However, isn't that broadcasting? Is it legal? I don't recall having heard an ID, altho I might have gotten bored and tuned out before the ID. I think some of the text is sent in Spanish, too. Anybody know any more about this station? Just curious. Mark KG7JL ------------------------------ End of Info-Hams Digest ******************************