From: MAILER-DAEMON@nmserver.ksc.nasa.GOV (Mail Delivery Subsystem)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Returned mail: Host unknown
Date: 14 Dec 92 21:34:00 GMT
Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu

   ----- Transcript of session follows -----
550 <MCCASKEYA@ALINEVALLEY.ksc.nasa.gov>... Host unknown

   ----- Unsent message follows -----
Received: from plkmail.ksc.nasa.gov by nmserver.ksc.nasa.gov with SMTP
	(16.6/16.2) id AA02437; Tue, 15 Dec 92 10:35:48 -0500
Return-Path: <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
Received: by plkmail (4.0/SMI-4.0)
	id AA09588; Tue, 15 Dec 92 10:30:40 EST
From: info-hams@ucsd.edu
Message-Id: <9212151530.AA09588@plkmail>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 17:34:00 EDT
To: MCCASKEYA%ALINEVALLEY@3mail.ksc.nasa.gov
Subject: Info-Hams Digest V92 #1312
X-Attach: h:\GATEWAY\IN\HISTORY\28944.att
Comment: The attached MS-DOS/Macintosh files have been appended
         to the end of this message.


The original message was sent as an attachment because it was too long.

See attached file: 28944.att

-----------------------   28944.ATT   -----------------------

    The following text attachment was appended to the
    message below.

-------------------------------------------------------------
From info-hams-relay@UCSD.EDU  Mon Dec 14 22:42:14 1992
Received: from ucsd.edu by plkmail.ksc.nasa.gov (4.0/SMI-4.0)
	id AA06536; Mon, 14 Dec 92 22:42:14 EST
Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA06141
	sendmail 5.67/UCSD-2.2-sun
	Mon, 14 Dec 92 17:34:26 -0800
Received: by ucsd.edu; id AA06085
	sendmail 5.67/UCSD-2.2-sun
	Mon, 14 Dec 92 17:34:10 -0800 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oc -odb -oQ/var/spool/lqueue -oi -finfo-hams-relay info-hams-list
Message-Id: <9212150134.AA06085@ucsd.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 17:34:08 PST
From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu
Precedence: Bulk
Subject: Info-Hams Digest V92 #1312
To: Info-Hams:UCSD.EDU


Info-Hams Digest            Mon, 14 Dec 92       Volume 92 : Issue 1312

Today's Topics:
                       * SpaceNews 14-Dec-92 *
                     10m open to no-code-Tech???
                              2 m range
               2m rig in Europe                        
                         \Dayton Hamvention 
          ARRL Leadership  (was: ARRL technical literature)
               Baluns useless? (was: Steel Wool Balun)
                           Clever Phonetics
                    Clever Phonetics Needed--WK3C
                           Longwires at VHF
                   NEED HELP ON YAESU FT-411 !!!!!
                       Power Grid Tubes - Help!
                          scanner news group
     Why no CHeap TNC's? (Was: Help Jeff (was Overpriced TNC's))

Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
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 Dec 92 21:12:28 GMT
From: news-mail-gateway@ucsd.edu
Subject: * SpaceNews 14-Dec-92 *
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

Sorry for the delay in posting this week's issue of SpaceNews.  The middle
Atlantic coast of the United States was hit by a powerful and slow moving
coastal storm that brought severe flooding to coastal areas, and 3 feet of
snow to some higher elevations away from the coast.

The storm began Thursday night, bringing heavy rain and 90 MPH winds to the
area.  Some of the local Internet/UUCP systems are down at the present time,
which will further delay the circulation of SpaceNews.

Also, a move to new hardware at ka2qhd.de.com might have resulted in some
bounced mail last week.  Again, I apologize for the inconvience this may have
caused.

73, de John, KD2BD

And now for the news....

SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1214
* SpaceNews 14-Dec-92 *

Bulletin ID: $SPC1214


                              =========
                              SpaceNews
                              =========


                       MONDAY DECEMBER 14, 1992


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.



* BALLOON LAUNCH OVER ARGENTINA *
=================================
Jos Machao, LU7JCN reported a balloon launch that took place on
21-Nov-92 at 09:19/LU from La Plata city (50 km S.E. of Buenos Aires).
The payload, constructed by Jos, consisted of a 250 mW FM transmitter
operating on 145.965 MHz and carried CW ID and tone telemetry.

The telemetry consisted of two tones transmitted after the CW ID.
The first tone reported the battery voltage with a duration of 5 seconds,
and used a calibration equation:

  V = (F*5.09*10^-3+1.503)

where

V = volts.
F = frequency in Hertz.

The second tone, with a 10 second duration, corresponded to the attitude
sensor of the payload.  The frequency of this tone corresponded to the angle
formed between the payload and the sun.

A complete sequence was as follows:

 CW ID      ---------------         ------------------------------     CW ID

  8 s   2 s       5 s         3 s                10 s               2 s

              Tono Bateria              Tono control de actitud

!--------  THE SEQUENCE LASTED 30 SECONDS AND THEN REPEATED  ---------------!

The FM tone CW ID was LU7JCN/B.  An operations net was held on 145.700 MHz
and 7.143 MHz, +/-QRM during the balloon flight.

The 250 mW transmitter was heard for more than 500 KM (310 Mi) away and the
estimated maximum altitude reached was 25 KM (75,000 Ft).

The ascending velocity was 300 Meters/second (1000 Ft/Sec) and the winds
moved the balloon to the East/Northeast.  Stations from Santa F, Entre Rios,
Buenos Aires, and Uruguay reported copying the balloon's beacon signals.

At 02:30 hours after launch, there were violent frequency changes in the
attitude sensor, indicating the balloon's explosion and the free-fall of
the payload.  The free-fall continued for 30 minutes, while the beacon's
signals grew stronger on Uruguay's coast.

[Info via Gustavo, LW2DTZ, and Eduardo, LU7AKC]


* OSCAR-21 NEWS *
=================
An OSCAR-21/RS-14 operating change was recently made and reported by the
1200 bps packet beacons transmitted with the spacecraft telemetry.

The following packet frames were received from the AO-21/RS-14 by KD2BD
on 145.987 MHz:

RUDAK2>BEACON <UI C>:
++ Hi, this is the RUDAK-II experiment on AMSAT OSCAR 21 ++

RUDAK2>TLM-1 <UI C>:
RUDAK-II Telemetry   (92-12-13 00:19:12):
   Voltages     RM1-TCMD-Interface   Lock     Memory Errors
5V-R1 : 0.80 V    1-TX-ON  : OFF    RX2: *     Single: -122
5V-RTX: 5.02 V    2-RX12&48: OFF    RX3: -     Multi : 0

RUDAK2>TLM-2 <UI C>:
5V-RAM: 4.95 V    3-RNG    :  ON      AGC
 Total Current    4-Soft:  0.2 V    RX3: 147   Temperature
14V-I :  312 mA                     RX4: 204    27.2 deg C

RUDAK2>BEACON <UI C>:
RUDAK-II Schedule:       Downlink  145.987
UTC (Min. MOD 10)  Beacon Mode    Uplink/MHz
       0...5       FM Repeater     435.016
       6...8       Digital Voice     no
         9         AFSK Telemetry    no

RUDAK2>BEACON <UI C>:
 Slovenian Message:
<Hi, this is RUDAK-II on the satellite RS 14.
 Greetings to all, to MATJAz best wishes
 for his convalescence>


A digital voice message was added to the downlink sequence, reducing the
time available for Mode B FM repeater operations.


* FO-20 STATUS *
================
The latest Mode JA analog transponder schedule from Kazu Sakamoto,
JJ1WTK, at FO-20 mission control is as follows:

16-Dec-92 00:50 UTC -to- 17-Dec-92 01:10 UTC
22-Dec-92 23:25 UTC -to- 23-Dec-92 23:45 UTC
29-Dec-92 23:48 UTC -to- 30-Dec-92 00:07 UTC


* TNX DE KD2BD *
================
Thanks to all who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially:

4Z5BS


* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any
of the following paths:

FAX      : 1-908-747-7107
UUCP     : ...catfish.ocpt.ccur.com!ka2qhd!kd2bd
PACKET   : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com  -or- kd2bd@amsat.org

MAIL     : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD
           Department of Engineering and Technology
           Advanced Technology Center
           Brookdale Community College
           Lincroft, New Jersey  07738
           U.S.A.


       <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>

/EX
--
John A. Magliacane                 FAX  : (908) 747-7107
Engineering & Technology Dept.     AMPR : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
Brookdale Community College        UUCP : ...!rutgers!ka2qhd!kd2bd
Lincroft, NJ  07738  USA           VOICE: (908) 224-2948

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 11:08:59 CST
From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!nucsrl!ddsw1!gagme!precipice!jjw@network.UCSD.EDU
Subject: 10m open to no-code-Tech???
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

hyx1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Harry Y Xu) writes:

> Can someone please confirm that no-code-Tech does not have previlige on 10m?
>
> I told someone who's interested in DXing South America he needs the Novice.
> Then he told me that no-code-Tech can use 10m.  Now I'm not sure.

    No-code Techs are allowed everything *ABOVE* 30MHz.  That means no 10m.
He *can* use 6m, which works almost as well, and is open almost as often.
Alas, 6m is rather sparsly populated, and his hopes of working a lot of DX
would be difficult on 6m.  Tell him to learn 5wpm, and he can *then* use
10m

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 92 20:59:51 GMT
From: deccrl!news.crl.dec.com!dbased.nuo.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!nntpd2.cxo.dec.com!nuts2u.enet.dec.com!little@decwrl.dec.com
Subject: 2 m range
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

"dwilson@s850.mwc.EDU (David L. Wilson)" writes:

>In actuality, the line-of-sight horizon in miles is about 1.22
>times the square root of the height in feet.  This was used to

Well I know that is the textbook answer, but it's not very close to
reality.  Given a little power and some beam antennas, it's pretty easy to
work distances out to 250 miles or more with great regularity at antenna
heights much less than the table predicts.  There is a VHF net that
operates out of Ohio (WA8NJR and others) every week (was Monday night, but I
think that perhaps it has shifted to Sunday night.)  I know there are
stations in my area with antennas under 100', and some under 60' that hear
them every week and that's a distance of 250 miles.

With my station 150 W, 15' beam up 40' (when the antenna is up) I worked
schedules with stations in Iowa (150 miles) very reliably and Ohio (250
miles) 80 % of the time or better.  The Iowa station was regularly S9+10 or
more and usually the only time we couldn't make it was due to excessive QRM
caused by nearby storms.  A nearby station here with a 29' yagi up about
90' was able to make the Ohio schedule every time he tried over a several
month period.

I've heard many reasons given from regularly occurring tropo ducting to
scattering to whatever.  Whatever it is, it's definitely well beyond the
"radio horizon".

73,
Todd
N9MWB

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:35:00 +0000
From: pipex!demon!cix.compulink.co.uk!dplumb@uunet.uu.net
Subject: 2m rig in Europe                        
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

> Anybody got a 1750 toneburst out of a US model 2m handheld. How did you do 
> it? 
Some can have it added, for example the FT23R has a link. In one position, it 
drops the squelch off, in the other it gives 1750Hz. I havn't tried changing 
mine over to the "squelch drop" one, but I assume it works. Link 12 gives you 
the 1750Hz, link 11 the squelch off. Looking at the schematic, the tone is 
derived from the processor and passed to the mic amp. 
 
You could always whistle the tone to bring the repeater up? 
 
Some repeaters take this ok, but others are unforgiving, requiring 4 seconds 
of tone burst followed by 4 seconds of speech to activate. This is to stop 
"kerchunkers". In London, the main ones just need the tone for a fraction of 
a second to activate. 
 
CTCSS is being gradually added in the UK, repeaters identify themselves in 
morse with their callsign followed by an extra letter indicating the CTCSS 
tone being used (if any): 
 
A 67.0     B 71.9     C 77.0     D 82.5     E 88.5 
F 94.8     G 103.5    H 110.9    J 118.8 
The country has been divided into zones, London straddles three zones, D, H 
and G. As per usual, no two adjacent zones have the same tones, and in fact 
you have to go a fair way before you hit the same tone, about 300-400 miles. 
 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Dave Plumb   |   Internet: dplumb@cix.compulink.co.uk   |  Fidonet: 2:252/140 
London, UK   |   Packet  : G7MIL @ GB7HSN.#32.GBR.EU    | 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 22:08:49 GMT
From: swrinde!sdd.hp.com!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!news.iastate.edu!sysad.cnde.iastate.edu!njohnson@network.UCSD.EDU
Subject: \Dayton Hamvention 
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

If some one knows the date of next year's Dayton Hamvention. Please let me
know.


-Neil

-- 
Neil Johnson, N0SFH		 | Systems Administrator
njohnson@cnde.iastate.edu        | Center for Nondestructive Evaluation
njohnson@sysad.cnde.iastate.edu  | Institute for Physical Research & Technology 
neil@iastate.edu		 | Iowa State University 
                                 | Ames, Iowa

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 92 22:58:52 GMT
From: eram!dave@midway.uchicago.edu
Subject: ARRL Leadership  (was: ARRL technical literature)
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

In article <14570553@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com>,
    alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes:

| Isn't Don Stoner the one who petitioned FCC a few years ago to eliminate
| the amateur 6 meter band and use the frequencies for unlicensed digital
| LAN operations?

The same...  But I thought it was only half the band?

-- 
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU)         VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC
dave@esi.COM.AU                ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 16:22:43 GMT
From: gumby!destroyer!cs.ubc.ca!alberta!adec23!mark@yale.arpa
Subject: Baluns useless? (was: Steel Wool Balun)
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes:
>Good point.  Another possible solution (other than a balun) is to change
>the feedline length.  Try adding/removing 1/4 wavelength.  If you can
>get the standing wave on the feedline to have a node near the dipole
>feedpoint, you will see a fig reduction in feedline radiation.
			   ^^^ :-)

Actually, a more `convenient' method of reducing RF in the shack is to
place a coaxial choke at the antenna (or the point at which you no
longer want the Co-Ax to radiate) by coiling the Co-Ax into a loop.
Good RF grounding practices in the shack can have an affect (good/bad,
much like electro-shock therapy :-). Grounding to a water pipe will have
unusual side effects (water pipe becomes part of an antenna system in
someone's elses home).

Never cut a rope! never know when that 10' pushup will come along ...

Ciao, 73 de VE6MGS/Mark -sk-

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 1992 23:49:45 GMT
From: sun-barr!west.West.Sun.COM!l1-a!flloyd@ames.arpa
Subject: Clever Phonetics
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

>>flloyd@l1-a.West.Sun.COM (Fred Lloyd [Phoenix SE]) writes:
>>: 
>>: Cute phonetics are a regular peeve of mine.  Most people don't realize
>>: that they're not legal for the purposes of ID-ing.

>Where's THAT in the regs?

>--
>Ed Haymore
>ed_haymore@byu.edu


Ooops...  Sorry.  I'll retract that.  I checked the regs today and it
appears that standard phonetics are "encouraged", not required.

I stand corrected, so now I'll have to pick my own...... let's see...


Got it!      Abrasive Arguments: Seven Bastardized Quagmires


-fred

-- 
[ Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ                             Fred.Lloyd@West.Sun.COM ]
[ Sun Microsystems,           Southwest Area Solaris Transition Manager ]
[ Phoenix, AZ         - The future starts today! -       (602) 275-4242 ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 23:23:35 GMT
From: sequent!muncher.sequent.com!edw@uunet.uu.net
Subject: Clever Phonetics Needed--WK3C
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

In article <14570557@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes:
>
>And for those spoil-sports who don't like "cute" phonetics:  of course,
>these are not for use on the air.  Except maybe in a ragchew conversation
>after callsigns have already been exchanged.
>

Gee whiz, you mean I shouldn't use

    KsHatriya Auscultating 9 Ailurophiles Hypothesizing Quodlibets

In a Contest ? :-)

Ed (FB) Wright
-- 
 I think I've got the hang of it now .... :w  :q  :wq  :wq! ^d  X exit ^X^C ~.
 ^[x  X Q  :quitbye  CtrlAltDel   ~~q  :~q  logout  save/quit :!QUIT ^[zz ^[ZZ 
 ZZZZ  ^H  ^@  ^L  ^[c $q ^# ^E ^X ^I ^T  ?  help  helpquit ^D  ^d ^C ^c help 
 ^]q  exit ?Quit ?q  anybackbone!sequent!edw edw@sequent.COM  KA9AHQ 28.340

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 92 23:20:22 GMT
From: saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!usenet.coe.montana.edu!news.u.washington.edu!ogicse!sequent!muncher.sequent.com!edw@ames.arpa
Subject: Longwires at VHF
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

In article <14570555@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes:
>In rec.radio.amateur.misc, 9210466@ul.ie writes:
>
>>    Anyone out there used longwires on VHF and above?
>>    I am interested in hearing other peoples experiences 
>>    with this. Our club used one for a VHF field day and 
>>    as far as I heard they were quite pleased with the results.
>>    Only problem was changing the directivity..
>
>A rhombic is basically a 4-element longwire.  I have heard of people
>successfully using rhombics for VHF TV reception.  The disadvantages
>are (of course) that they are not directional and their size.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah right

>6 wavelengths per leg works out to something like 180 feet from
>end to end.
>
>AL N1AL
>


-- 
 I think I've got the hang of it now .... :w  :q  :wq  :wq! ^d  X exit ^X^C ~.
 ^[x  X Q  :quitbye  CtrlAltDel   ~~q  :~q  logout  save/quit :!QUIT ^[zz ^[ZZ 
 ZZZZ  ^H  ^@  ^L  ^[c $q ^# ^E ^X ^I ^T  ?  help  helpquit ^D  ^d ^C ^c help 
 ^]q  exit ?Quit ?q  anybackbone!sequent!edw edw@sequent.COM  KA9AHQ 28.340

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 1992 16:57 CST
From: swrinde!news.dell.com!natinst.com!cs.utexas.edu!tamsun.tamu.edu!summa.tamu.edu!jwj2047@network.UCSD.EDU
Subject: NEED HELP ON YAESU FT-411 !!!!!
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

Does anyone know how exactly to program odd splits into the FT-411
If so, please reply directly

Derek Goff
DWG8047@tamvenus
DWG8047@venus.tamu.edu
73
N5MOJ

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 92 22:56:46 GMT
From: eram!dave@midway.uchicago.edu
Subject: Power Grid Tubes - Help!
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

In article <19530060@hpfcmgw.FC.HP.COM>,
    perry@hpfcmgw.FC.HP.COM (Perry Scott) writes:

| [ 4CX250B ] tubes are used by chip manufacturers to etch silicon with plasma.

Why does this bring a smile to my face? :-)

-- 
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU)         VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC
dave@esi.COM.AU                ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:30:25 GMT
From: usc!rpi!cary104.its.rpi.edu!mellob@network.UCSD.EDU
Subject: scanner news group
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

> From: LAPORTEJ@wl.aecl.CA
> Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
> Subject: Scanner news group
> Date: 14 Dec 92 17:50:31 GMT
> Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
> Lines: 9
> Message-ID: <01GSB1GZV2SY95NNDC@wl.aecl.ca>
> NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
> Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu

> I recently saw reference to a news group alt.radio.scanner.
> I have no access to this group it seems. There is no such listing
> for this newsgroup on my system. I have full Internet capability
> ie FTP /Telcom etc. Can anyone advise if this group exist?
> Is it archived on a machine I can FTP to? Who may be the moderator?
> Who could I e-maul inquiries to? Tnx for any help in advance.
> As this is outside the scope of this digest possibly the best would 
> be to respond via e-mail to Laportej@wl.aecl.ca .I do read the disgest
> for this newsgroup daily..

 I think everybody wouldbe interested in this info and i know I would,
	I apparently do not have the option to subscribe to alt.radio.scanner 		         either. So please POST it if you GOT it.



      -Brett      N1LAG


			

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 00:55:12 GMT
From: usc!venice!gumby.dsd.trw.com!deneva!madhatter!hart@network.UCSD.EDU
Subject: Why no CHeap TNC's? (Was: Help Jeff (was Overpriced TNC's))
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

megabyte@chinet.chi.il.us (Dr. Megabyte) writes:
: 
<deleted>
: 
: The bottom line, I think a simple 1200 baud TNC _could_ be made for about
: $75.00 retail.  Question is: Would hams pay $75.00 for a simple TNC when
: for $120.00 they can have a "delux" TNC with flashing led's, a simple
: PBBS, a mailbox, and RAM?
<deleted>
--
YES!  Especially those of us interested in listening to packet, rtty, amtor,
wefax, etc. and whatever,  but not especially desireous of transmitting
(yet!).

Name:        Jim Hart    N6JSS
InterNet:    hart@donald.etdesg.TRW.COM 
                         I'd rather be LANDSAILING!

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:06:07 GMT
From: usc!rpi!rs6211.ecs.rpi.edu!maessm@network.UCSD.EDU
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

References <2B2A4B74.14715@ics.uci.edu>, <1992Dec13.205911.3069@unixland.natick.ma.us>, <Bz7wyK.7Mu@news.iastate.edu>
Reply-To : maessm@rpi.edu
Subject : Re: Car Antenna - Mag or glass?

In article <Bz7wyK.7Mu@news.iastate.edu>, bryanw@iastate.edu (Bryan J Welch) writes:
|> Which is better: A glass mount with no rear ground plane (since there's 
|> nothing behind my back window on my hatchback) or
|> 		 a mag mount antenna, with about 6 feet of extra cable?

First, on the comment about cable loss, 6 feet of cable (I believe Larsen 
uses RG-58) is not going to produce that much loss (<1 dB).  The mag mount
antenna has the advantage that it uses the body of the car as a ground plane.
A glass mount antenna, unless it is a 1/2 wave antenna, will almost always be
less efficient than an equivalent antenna with a good ground plane (like the
roof of a car).  

I use a Larsen 5/8-wave mag mount on my '81 Citation hatchback (have to be 
careful when pulling into garages), and it works great.  It is very easy to
remove the antenna when I put the car into a garage.  The only problem with mag
mounts is that they do scratch up the roof of the car if you take them off and 
put them on repeatedly.
-- 
Mat Maessen   N2NJZ		| maessm@rpi.edu
------------------------------- |-----------------------------------
W2SZ/1 - #1 in the ARRL June VHF QSO Party - again!
--------------------------------|-----------------------------------
The opinions expressed in this message definitely do NOT reflect the
views of RPI, Roland Schmitt, or BAPP
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) 1992 Fake-sig Co., Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: 14 Dec 92 23:10:11 GMT
From: news.tek.com!shaman!pogo!tcmaint@uunet.uu.net
To: info-hams@ucsd.edu

References <1992Dec10.204035.95992@watson.ibm.com>, <2B2A4B74.14715@ics.uci.edu>, <1992Dec13.205911.3069@unixland.natick.ma.us>
Subject : Re: DX Etiquette (an oxymoron)

Group,
	I'd like to make a comment or two about using ham radio for....
You fill in the blank.
	First of all, I have a license. It does not really matter what
class it is as long as I operate within the regulations of that class.
If I want to rag chew with people I know or people I meet on the air then
that is my business. If I wish to collect QSL cards for DXCC, WAS, IOTA,
etc. that is my business. If someone wants to work a station I am having
a conversation with then it is up to the stations in the QSO weather or
not we want to take the time to talk to the breaking station and acknow-
ledge them. If we wish to talk 20 miles or 11000 miles, that is our business.
I don't have to ask for a majority openion to operate my amateur radio 
station. I don't have to use a land line just to rag chew. The only thing
I have to do is operate within the rules set forth by the FCC.
	As for weather any station, DX or local (a purely realitive term)
has to QSL or even work me or anyone else, that is their own business. 
I really find it hard to believe that anyone would feel a DX station or
any other station has an obligation to work and QSL anyone. Get a life,
dude!
	As a knowledgeable amateur I know there are portions of different
amateur bands that are considered DX portions, slow scan portions, etc.
I don't try to make a habit of holding long QSOs with DX stations on 
14.200 Mhz but if I want too I could. No one has the right to say, heh,
this is the DX portion and we(the multitude) wants to work the DX too.
I had the frequency first and I don't have to relenquish it. The FCC is
not going to give me a ticket for operating with lots of other stations
wanting to use the frequency. But being easy going I probably would give
it up. JUST DON'T TELL ME I HAVE TOO! Read your FCC rule book if you don't
agree. And don't try tuning up and QRMing me or you will not ever get the
frequency. Any amateur who deliberately QRMs people deserves what the FCC
has in store for them. 
	As for DXer operating techniques, THEY STINK! But that is the ones
who don't obey the rules put forth by the FCC or just plain common sence
and courtious behavior. If you look at the DXCC honor roll of DXers who 
have more that 305 countries total you won't fine many that you hear very
often. They spend their time listening and operating in an efficent manner.
And they don't make asses of themselves because they know you don't get
QSL cards that way. Not all, mind you, but then there are exceptions to
every rule, aren't there.
	You know, come to think of it, I like to rag chew too. Does that
mean I am on one side or the other. I like DX and I like to rag chew with
DX. Hummmmmm. Oh well, to each there own. Just don't try and tell me I have
to make room for some arrogant SOB who wants the frequency and feels someone
owes them something. 

Terry Burge,
KI7M
(Extra class but that doesn't mean I am any better than that No Code Tech-
nician. Just that I passed more elements and got more priviledges because
of it)

	

------------------------------

End of Info-Hams Digest V92 #1312
******************************