HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman)
Subject: Re: Transverters
Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 17:58:46 GMT

In article <9211191641.aa06191@ingate.microsoft.COM> a-kevinp@microsoft.COM (Kevin Purcell, Rho) writes:
>
>Finally, Hamtronics (see their ads in the Ham press) make 10m to 
>50/144/222/432/435 MHz RX converters and 10m to 144/222/432/435 1W 
>output TX converters for $45 and $89 (kits).
>
>Anybody out there using these or their helical reasonator preamps? I'd 
>like to hear a report.

My experience with the Hamtronics 432 MHz converter was bad. Really nasty 
oscillator, looks like a comb on the spectrum analyser, hard starting, and 
easily overloaded. It can be fixed, but by the time you do it's not their
design anymore. A friend uses their XV4 transmit converter and it works ok, 
not great, but ok. On the other hand, their 440 helical preamp is excellent. 
We use it on our repeater. It'll live on a commercial site.

Gary KE4ZV
From: a-kevinp@microsoft.COM (Kevin Purcell, Rho)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Wanted: MiniMUF in C or Pascal?
Date: 20 Nov 92 17:57:45 GMT
Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu

Has anybody translated it into C or Pascal?

I know its not difficult, but why take the extra effort.

Planning a port to the mac (anybody already done it?) as a useful Mac 
programming exercise.

Suggestions on other (more serious) propagation predictors 
(free/shareware/commerical) for the Mac would be welcome. Anybody using 
a Mac version of Ioncap?

73 de Kevin Purcell N7WIM/G8UDP (Seattle, WA)          a-kevinp@microsoft.com
Do your interests match mine? If so call me. I'd like to hear from you.
QRP, Packet, TCP/IP, Digital voice, Macintosh, Spread Spectrum, Homebrew,
Satellites, Antenna design, Propagation, VHF/UHF weak signal, Microwave, QEX

Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: kb2glo@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (thomas.kenny)
Subject: Making address labels
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 20:05:46 GMT


I've written a little awk script which helps me with my
QSLing that others might find useful. The input is data
retreived from the callsign server in Buffalo. I'll leave
it up to you on how you capture the data.

Once you have the information for callsigns you want to
send QSLs to you can process that data through the following
awk script and it will format labels for you. Of course this
means you must have standard label stock in your printer.

If you make any improvements please send me feedback.

Thanks and 73, Tom KB2GLO.



{
    keyword = substr($0, 1, 17);

    if (keyword == "Mailing Address: ") {
        address = substr($0, 18, 80)
        for (offset = 1 ; substr(address, offset, 1) != "," ; offset++)
            ;
        street = substr(address, 1, offset-1)
        city_state_zip = substr(address, offset+2, 35)

        print ""
        print name ", " callsign
        print street
        print city_state_zip
        print ""
        print ""
        print ""
    } else {
        keyword = substr(keyword, 1, 11)
        if (keyword == "Call-Sign: ") {
            callsign = $2
        } else if (keyword == "Real Name: ") {
            for (offset = 12 ; substr($0, offset, 2) != "  " ; offset++)
                ;
            name = substr($0, 12, offset-12)
        }
    }
}


-- 
Tom Kenny, KB2GLO
UUCP: ...!att!mtuxo!tek              Internet: tek%mtuxo@att.att.com
Packet Radio: KB2GLO@KB2GLO.NJ.USA   Voice Telephone: 908-576-3888
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: gcouger@olesun.okstate.edu (Gordon Couger)
Subject: Re: Linear Loading of antennas
Keywords: Information, Sources, Examples, Articles, Where can I find them?
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 01:02:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.163220.24344@cbnewsm.cb.att.com> nk30@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (JEFF ZELL NK3O) writes:
>
>	Hello
>
>	I have been playing with a linear loaded 80 meter dipole because of 
>property size limits. I have been looking for articles about linear loading of
>dipoles and even verticals with no sucess. Does anyone know where I could find
>information about linear loaded antennas? One source has been Low Band DXing
>however, it dosen't explain how you derive the spacing and fold back length.
>Why is linear loading not a popular method of making antennas? From everything
>I have read a linear loaded antenna, has less radiated power loss than an 
>inductively loaded or trapped antenna. Is it a problem of mechanics 
>(construction problems)? 

If you are loading a quarter wave element try to do it on the end
 furthest from the feed point. In Quarter wave elements the 
current is high at the feed point and most of the radiation occurs
near the feed point. Just hang as much wire as you can horizontally
and hang what ever you need to resonate the antenna down or
tied off in some other direction. As a general rule high is 
better if you are horizontally polarized. If you go vertical
The ARRL antenna book has a short 40 meter vertical
that works well with a big capacitance hat.

I have had better luck with vertical antennas  if I could not
get my antenna very high. I currently use a piece of 1/2
inch pvc 8 feet long with a coil on each end and to long
a long replacement rabbit ear element on each end that
is perpendicular to the rest of the dipole. An alligator
clip attaches the capactiance hats ( rabbit ears ) to the 
coil at each end of the pvc. I feed it in the middle and
tune it with the coil taps and adjusting the length of
the capacitance elements. It is rather tricky to tune
but it can  tuned to the point that swr is acceptable
1.5 to 1 on the Icom 735 or 3 to 1 on the Heath 101.
I usually run about 25 watts CW or 100 watts ssb.

The antenna leans in the corner of a first floor apartment 
made out of concrete blocks. I works ok for CW (no flames
please) and so so for SSB. I have worked Italy, Mexico, Canada,
New Zealand and Australia with it. 

Fortunately I won't be using it much longer as the xyl has bought
a house that will allow a better antenna.

Gordon

Gordon Couger
AB5Dg   Agriculture Engineering Oklahoma State University
gcouger@olesun.agen.okstate.edu 405-744-6514 day 744-2794 evenings
From: ckranz@Auspex.COM (Chuck Kranz)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: NEW TECH..
Date: 20 Nov 92 16:08:38 GMT
Organization: Auspex Systems, Santa Clara


 My girl friend just received her license on monday. A wait of seven weeks.
She does have a technical background but found the radio stuff quite
interesting. (She's a programmer) The wait for the license was quite an
ordeal.

-- 
  Chuck Kranz                          Amateur Radio:
  wa7oef!chuck@auspex.com (h)          chuck%wa7oef@sanjose.ampr.org
  ckranz@auspex.com (w)                wa7oef{wa8drz.#nocal.ca.usa.na
From: rrgd50@email.sps.mot.com (Chris Terwilliger)
Subject: Re: Paddle usage and FUN and CW
Followup-To: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Organization: Motorola
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 23:45:23 GMT

In article <1992Nov23.191036.28530@odin.corp.sgi.com>,
adams@chuck.dallas.sgi.com (Charles Adams) wrote:
>  
> 1.  all the dxcc country prefixes (prefixii), but it takes an hr at 45wpm
> 
> 2.  all the counties in the US of A, 3076 or something like that
> 
> 3.  how about random contest exchanges?  SS, WWDX, FD, ...?
> 
> 4.  random qso's, but everybody does that
> 
> 5.  how about plain text
> 
> 6.  how about pileups, different calls at different tones, speeds, etc.
>     for the DXrs to practice being a rare one or SS test
> 
> 7.  stereo qsos  :-)
> 
> i can copy plain text  die.

all the above at 5 to 50 wpm...


* Chris Terwilliger, KB7PPT                rrgd50@email.sps.mot.com *
* Motorola                        "And now, the sequence of events, *
* 2100 E. Elliot Rd. EL374         in no particular order."         *
* Tempe, AZ  85284                                     - Dan Rather *
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re:  L.L.Grace / KCT address - please  
From: Steve_Wright@kcbbs.gen.nz (Steve Wright)
Date: 22 Nov 92 03:22:49 GMT
Organization: Kappa Crucis Unix BBS, Auckland, New Zealand

owpurbo@norton.uwaterloo.ca (Onno W. Purbo) writes:   
  
>  
>  
>I'm interested to buy the Kansas City Tracker (KCT)  
>from L.L.Grace Communications (?).  
>  
>Would greatly appreciate info on their  
>postal addresses / E-mail addresses / FAX number etc.  
>  
>Thank you in advance.  
>  
>73 Onno W. Purbo YC1DAV/VE3 -sk-  
>   owpurbo@sunee.uwaterloo.ca  
>   yc1dav@ve3.yc1dav.ampr.org  
>  
Gracilis, Inc used to be called Grace Communications, but I don't know about  
the LL bit on the front.  Here's the info for Gracilis, Inc. Tell'em I sent  
you - heh heh..  
  
email: info@Gracilis.com  
Phone: 708 801 8800  
FAX:   708 844 0183  
  
snail mail:  
Gracilis, Inc.  
623 Palace St,  
Aurora, IL 60506  
  
  
These are the folks who manufacture the excellant PackeTwin and PackeTen  
network cards.
From: rkarlqu@scd.hp.com (Richard Karlquist)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Linear Loading of antennas
Date: 20 Nov 1992 18:04:31 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard Santa Clara Division
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpscrj.scd.hp.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

dube@cpdvax.CSc.ti.COM wrote:
: I've been following this thread with interest.  It's a lot better than CW
: and incentive licensing.  I have a couple of questions:

Which is why I've always advocated a rec.radio.amateur.tech newsgroup...
But I digress.
: 
: How does current flow in an antenna that's not a folded dipole?  There's no
: return path for electrons to move in.  Also, someone mentioned a signal
: starting out in one element, coming back in another, and then going back
: out in a third one.  How does it know which element to start out on, and 
: which one to come back on (I'm assuming that all the elements are 
: connected to the same feed line).

I am the "someone" who mentioned that.  In a linear loaded 40 meter dipole
(or beam element) the output of the balun goes to a conductor that starts
out at the boom and goes out 10 or 15 feet.  Then there is a jumper about
6 inches long to a second conductor the same length.  The RF travels back
toward the boom.  The second conductor is insulated from the boom.  When
the RF reaches the boom end of the second conductor, it is jumpered to the
third conductor, which is also insulated from the boom.  This conductor is
23 feet long.  The RF travels to the tip of this element and "stops" just
like it would at the tip of a full size dipole.  The third conductor is
in the middle of the first and second with a spacing of a few inches.

Rick N6RK
rkarlqu@scd.hp.com
From: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Top Ten Most Needed DXCC Countries
Date: 20 Nov 92 18:13:51 GMT
Reply-To: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Distribution: world
Organization: NCR E&M CLEMSON Liberty, SC

This information was recently published in The DX Bulletin, and was 
posted on our local Packetcluster node:

The DX Bulletin Most Needed Survey:

Rank     DXCC Country                  Prefix            % needing
-----    ------------------            ------            ---------

 1       Peter 1 island                  3Y                67.8
 2       Bhutan                          A5                60.2
 3       Libya                           5A                59.5
 4       Andamans                        VU4               58.0
 5       Laccadives                      VU7               57.3
 6       Heard island                    VK0               56.7
 7       Tunisia                         3V8               49.9
 8       Uganda                          5X                49.6
 9       Spratley island                 1S                46.6
10       Madagascar                      5R                46.4

With the recent activity from the Laccadives (VU7CVP) and several 5R8's,
this list has changed somewhat.  My guess is that 9G1 (currently 12th)
will move into the top ten if the poll is repeated in 1993.

Happy DX'ing! 73, Tom WB4IUX


--
From: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Famous or well known HAMS
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:55:29 GMT
Organization: NCR E&M CLEMSON Liberty, SC

<1992Nov13.190315.20547@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>
Reply-To: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Followup-To: 
Distribution: 
Organization: NCR E&M CLEMSON Liberty, SC
Keywords: 

In article <1992Nov13.190315.20547@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>
little@nuts2u.enet.dec.com (nuts2u::little) writes:
>In a search of the data provided by the FCC a few months ago, I found no
>amateurs with a last name of Brando.
>
>73,
>Todd
>N9MWB

The rumor I heard was that M. Brando had a French Polynesian license,
that is with an FOx prefix.

73, Tom

-- 
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: mleech@bnr.ca (Marcus Leech)
Subject: Re: supernovae
Keywords: and amateurs
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Information Techology Division
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 21:05:15 GMT

In article <83721@ut-emx.uucp>, oo7@ut-emx.uucp (Derek Wills) writes:
|>    But yes, many optical supernovae are discovered by amateurs.  It's hard to
|>    think of any amateur radio astronomers who have made similar discoveries,
|>    at least recently, although the first "radio amateur" was Grote Reber, then 
|>    W9GFZ in Wheaton, Illinois.  Although you can build a simple radio tele-
|>    scope and monitor the sun and Jupiter (the latter around 10m), it must
|>    get a bit boring after that unless you get very sophisticated.  Still,
|>    given the effort that people put into EME, there are some sophisticated
|>    systems out there.
|> 
|>    There are quite a few radio astronomers in this group, although they may 
|>    not all fess up.
|> 
It's not much harder then EME (and in some ways simpler) to build a 
  radio-telescope capable of <2Jy sensitivity and a few arcminutes
  resolution.  That gives you access (at 21cm, at least) to nearly
  five hundred objects in the northern sky, including over a dozen quasars.

With these kinds of sensitivities and resolutions, it's at least conceivable
  that an amateur could make some meaningful contribution to science.

-- 
Marcus Leech, 4Y11             Bell-Northern Research  |opinions expressed
mleech@bnr.ca                  P.O. Box 3511, Stn. C   |are my own, and not
ml@ve3mdl.ampr.org             Ottawa, ON, CAN K1Y 4H7 |necessarily BNRs
From: randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Anyone Have an ICOM 729 Yet?
Date: 20 Nov 92 19:00:41 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

feustel@netcom.com (David Feustel) writes:

>I've yet to talk to any store that has a 729 in stock. Has anyone
>bought one of these radios yet? If so, what do you think of it? Is the
>729 as good as the 728 as reviewed in the December 92 issue of 73?
>Thanks.
>-- 

I own a 726 (the 729's predecessor), a 735, and I have seen a 729.  The
729 is a 728 with 6 meters.  It will be identical in performance
to a 728.

The biggest problem I have with the 726 is that the noise blanker
does not work on AM.   I really enjoy listening to shortwave
and CB in my car, but I can't do it with this rig because
of the noise.  It appears that the 728/729 has the same problem.
Otherwise, it would be an ideal mobile rig.

The 728/729 should be better than the 725/726 because its
receiver is triple-conversion rather than double conversion; in
my own tests at the store, I find that the 729 has less of
a problem with noise and overload from strong signals.   The
speech compressor on the 728/729 is also helps get you through
the QRM.  Passband tuning is a very nice feature for base
station work.

I have made a few mobile contacts on 6m back in June when
sporatic-E was active.   If you are really serious about
6m, however, you will want to get a beam and an amplifier
to get you up to 100-150 watts.  

Icom also has excellent customer service out of their Seattle
office.  I am a very satisfied Icom customer.

-- 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Randall Rhea                                        Informix Software, Inc. 
Project Manager, MIS Sales/Marketing Systems    uunet!pyramid!infmx!randall
From: kchen@Apple.COM (Kok Chen)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: famous hams
Date: 24 Nov 92 03:02:36 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA

ericd@synoptics.com (Eric Davis) writes:
>In article 25657@borland.com, garnet@borland.com (Garnet Chaney) writes:
>>In article <83917@ut-emx.uucp> oo7@ut-emx.uucp (Derek Wills) writes:
>>>
>>>  Can I operate my HT from an aircraft, if I had one (an HT, that is)?
>>
>>On a commercial aircraft, probably not. On a private airplane, maybe. The
>>rules say that you must have the permission of the pilot in charge, but
>>...
>Also note that on most, if not all, commercial carriers the pilot has no 
>choice. He must follow the rules dictated by the carrier. 


Derek, you old dog.  You have succeeded!!!!  I didn't think there
could be anyone who could fall for it.

73 es HI,

Kok Chen, AA6TY				kchen@apple.com
Apple Computer, Inc.
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: luis@oahu.cs.ucla.edu (Luis Pacheco)
Subject: RE:Juns
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Distribution: ca
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 92 17:32:41 GMT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you lost the receipt why would you expect them to exchange it.  Sears or
K-Mart doesn't.  Afterall, you might have got it from AES or HRO.  As a
sales clerk I wouldn't do it either.

Dave WB6RDK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hello:


  You have a point here Dave. Now the thing is that they did remember
  (well the guy that sold me the counter). Another thing is that they
  could look up the sela in the computer. If  I did buy something in Sears
  and did not have the recipt they would exchange it.( I got a refrigirator and
  returned it without any porblem at all. No invoice (Sears) and I am 
  talking $1600).

  Well my point is that when they want to sell you something they are the 
  best people you can find. After you finish paying they don't even
  know who you are.

   Now as a sales clerk lets say you and I talked for 10 minutes
   you talked me into gettig the $200 and not the $150 one (good
   sales man) then I come back and get the case. YOu ask me how
   I like the counter. Then I come back to get something exchange
   and you don't remember me and can not look up the transaction in
   the computer?

   Well I hope that they don't have that many salesman like that one
   becouse they are going to loose alot of moeny. (or may not make
   as much as they were going to)


   So if you ask me I say DO NOT BUY anything from JUNS.



73's

Luis AB6KM
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: agailly@marconi.ee.washington.edu ( Alexandre Gailly 9240819)
Subject: French license equivalence
Keywords: license
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 01:43:06 GMT


A friend is planning to spend 6 months in the US. He has a french
radio-amateur license, and would like to know how to use/convert it to get
a reciprocal license.

I heard about some recent changes in the reglementation...

Does anyone has updated informations on this subject ?



In advance, thank's a lot.
Please, respond by e-mail.
 

Alex. GAILLY
agailly@maxwell.ee.washington.edu
Electrical Engineering - University of Washington - Seattle.

-- 
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: baw2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Bruce A Weisberg)
Subject: Re: New Icom tribander HT
Reply-To: baw2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Bruce A Weisberg)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 14:31:49 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.004904.25156@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> sschend@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Steve E Schendel) writes:
>
>I played with one last weekend.  The biggest complaint I have is the thing is 
>real thick.  You can't wrap your hand completely around it.  Other than that, I
>liked it.  


Is this in the right newsgroup  :))))))?
From: a-kevinp@microsoft.COM (Kevin Purcell, Rho)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Linear loading vs continuous loading
Date: 19 Nov 92 23:57:45 GMT
Organization: ucsd usenet gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu

Fred, K4DII said:

I doubt that the linearly loaded antenna, which is in fact an inductively
loaded antenna, would have less radiated power loss in general.

I say:

Your comments on where to place loading coils are very good ones, but 
there is a difference between a linear loaded and a continuously loaded 
antenna.

A linearly loaded antenna is one in which part of the element length is 
folded back on itself, whereas a continously loaded antenna the element 
is wound as a helix. The former are used in some commercial designs (if 
they say "trapless" this is what they mean -- extra wire is added in 
interesting ways so it makes certain bits reasonant at certain frequencies!).

So a half linearly loaded element would look like:

                              +----------------------------
                              |
                              +-----------------+
                                                |
o-----------------------------------------------+

<--------- radiator ---------> <-- nonradiator-->

The non-radiative section doesn't radiate because the currents 
following in both sections are (almost) equal and opposite in phase.

All the same rules for loading coil placement (as outlined by K4DII) 
apply to linear loading.

Continuous loaded antennas can also give excellent bang per buck per foot!

See "Low Band DXing" or the "ARRL Antenna Book" for more details.

73 de Kevin Purcell N7WIM/G8UDP (Seattle, WA)          a-kevinp@microsoft.com
Do your interests match mine? If so call me. I'd like to hear from you.
QRP, Packet, TCP/IP, Digital voice, Macintosh, Spread Spectrum, Homebrew,
Satellites, Antenna design, Propagation, VHF/UHF weak signal, Microwave, QEX
From: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: WA4OBO as TT8OBO
Date: 17 Nov 92 15:07:25 GMT
Reply-To: tskelton@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Tom Skelton)
Distribution: world
Organization: NCR E&M CLEMSON Liberty, SC

WA4OBO was very active as TT8OBO this past weekend.  He was reported on
28, 24, 21, 18 and 14 MHz.  I don't know of any activity on 10, 7 or 
3.5 MHz.  He will be busy this week with the Government officials of 
Chad working on their cotton industry, and then hopefully will be active
again this coming weekend.  I think their *weekend* is our Friday and
Saturday.  Good luck if you need this one...if you miss this trip, he
will be returning 3/93 for more activity.  73, Tom WB4IUX

--
From: stevew@netcom.com (Steven Wilson)
Subject: Re: Third Party Traffic Question
Summary: Is it third party?
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:31:31 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.200429.25924@meaddata.com>, pulse@meaddata.com (Tom Hesley) writes:
> At the last contest, a participant visiting the club shack objected to
> this  practice, claiming that the  Techs could only make contacts with
> hams  in countries that have  a  third  party  agreement with the U.S.
> They contended that the higher class licensed ham is ALWAYS considered
> to be a "third party" to any communications he is supervising, done by
> a lower license class operator, utilizing his higher  class privileges
> in his  presence.  :-)).  
> 
Tom,

The guys that were complaining are incorrect, and this is due to a "new"
interpretation that came out of the 1989 rewrite of the rules.(chances
are pretty good that guys complaining are only familiar with the pre-89
rule set...it's been known to happen ;-) Anyway...by definition a message
passed where the originator was a ham, i.e. the signee, via a third party
operator to another ham where the receiving station is the "destination"
of the message ISN'T third party traffic.  So messages amongst hams 
can't be considered 3rd party.  This pretty well covers the situation 
you described in my mind.  Note:  All followups to .policy please.

Steve KA6S