HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Subject: Re: The Truth about UHF Connectors 
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 08:44:40 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom) writes:

>At amateur power levels (<1500W), .1 dB is about 35 watts.  I don't
>know how much of this is absorbed and how much reflected, but you
>could get a pretty good idea simply by feeling the connector:
>if it gets hot, then you have a problem.

True.

A few years ago I conducted an interesting experiment.  I had in my lab
an infrared imaging video camera for repair.  This $20,000 instrument 
had the fancy solid germanium lens and everything and could resolve 
about 0.05 deg F.  I kept it awhile after fixing it to experiment.

One experiment I did was to videotape my ham station (2 mtr rig, packet,
200 watt amp) while continuously keyed.  It was fascinating.  Keying
the rig made the area right under the power transistors light up
brilliantly almost instantly.  The brilliance flowed out across the 
heatsink like thick syrup.  Of even more interest was the feedline.
Previously invisible against the background, the snake's nest of feedline
lit up like neon tubes.  RG-8 was used for all connections.  The output
of the amp was jumpered a short distance over to the hardline going up
the tower.  There was a teflon-dielectric UHF connector splice, complete 
with barrel, in the high power line.  The interesting thing was, this 
splice was the only part that remained totally cool.  Even accounting for
the additional heat capacity of the metal, there was obviously no power
being dissipated.

If any power was being reflected, the upstream feedline would be expected to 
be slightly warmer because of the multiple transversals.  This was indeed
apparent when an intentional mismatch was created using the vicegrip method.
("Aye Bubba, look at all them electrons backing up behind them vicegrips!)
None was noted in the "un-gripped" apparatus.

As to N connectors being more waterproof than UHF, maybe but only when 
properly assembled.  I've yet to see a ham who is not also a trained
technician properly assemble a traditional N.  Crimp Ns are easy but
then so are crimp UHFs.  Most hams CAN adequately assemble UHF connectors.
ANY connector - even wires wrapped together - is waterproof when properly 
coated with self-vulcanizing silicone tape, putty, Raychem heatshrink or 
similar materials.  In other words, waterproofing is a non-issue.

The ONLY reason I can see for not using good Teflon dilectric UHF below 500 
mhz is theological in nature.

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine (TM) |
Marietta, Ga                         |Interested in high tech and computers? 
jgd@dixie.com                        |Write me about PE Magazine
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
From: paul@n3eop.pgh.pa.us (paul)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: ? Definition of station ownership ?
Date: 6 Oct 92 03:00:36 GMT
Organization: CrossRoads in Elizabeth, PA

wejones@crdec7.apgea.army.mil (Bill Jones) writes:

> 
>   Sorry if this is a dumb question, but this is something that has confused m
> for quite a while.  I quess back in the days before HTs and mobile rigs, this
> was not much of a problem, but where does one draw the line with respect to
> who's id you use when using a borrowed HT or mobile rig?  I know that if

Part 97 separates a station license (what carries the call) from the 
operator's license (which carries the privileges).  However, the rules 
don't really define what station license is to be used, and how a 
transfer of transmitters between stations is done.

My bet is that _posession_ is the deciding factor; if I'm riding in a 
friend's car and using his rig, then it's his call, assuming I'm within 
his license limitations.  (A friend of mine sounds a lot like me... we've 
handed off mid-conversation with people, and they've never noticed.  
Great fun.)  But, if I've borrowed his HT (taken posession), and he's not 
around to be the control operator, then I use my call.
From: bill@prijat.cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Sarejevo Yugoslavia
Date: 6 Oct 92 19:46:16 GMT
Organization: Department of Computing Sciences

I doubt real seriously that we have a third-party agreement with 
Sarejevo.  They aren't sure themselves who own it.  :-(

bill   KB3YV

-- 

     Bill Gunshannon          |        If this statement wasn't here,
     bill@platypus.uofs.edu   |  This space would be left intentionally blank
     bill@tuatara.uofs.edu    |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>   
From: bparrish@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (William Parrish)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 16:14:10 GMT
Subject: Re: How long for license
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc

>I passed my test two weeks ago.  How long does it take?


We recently (June) gave an exam session here.  All the paperwork was
sent in to W5YI at the same time.  Some of the licenses came after
about 6 weeks... but one fellow and his XYL BOTH had an additional
two-weeks delay in receiving theirs... and the callsigns were
separated somewhat from the cluster that got theirs first.  I'm
not sure if the hangup was at YI or at the FCC.   

Bill Parrish KM6KV
From: mac@cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Safety of auto battery for power?
Date: 2 Oct 92 17:49:08 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: depot.cis.ksu.edu

tlc20700@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thomas L. Carney) writes:
    .....
>The best battery to use for radios is a deep cycle marine or RV battery,
>because auto batteries are meant for high discharge currents over a very
>short period of time (starting the car and popping spark plugs) and deep
>cycle batteries are meant for discharging moderate amounts of current
>over a long period of time.  You won't get that kind of capacity from an 
>auto battery.   

But deep-cycle batteries are rated to be "good" down to some terribly
low voltage at which none of my "12 volt" radios will work!  (For
example, my TenTec Model 540 100-watt transmitter starts FM'ing about
about 11 volts.)  So you may not really get any real benefit from the
extra cost of the deep-cycle battery.
--Myron.
-- 
# We preserve our freedoms using four boxes:  soap, ballot, jury, and cartridge.
# Myron A. Calhoun, PhD EE; Assoc. Professor  (913) 539-4448 home
# INTERNET: mac@cis.ksu.edu (129.130.10.5)          532-6350 work, 532-7353 fax
#     UUCP: ...rutgers!depot!mac     Packet-BBS: W0PBV @ K0VAY.#NEKS.KS.USA.NAOM
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: tonyp@convex.com (honey bunny)
Subject: Help write a Procedures Manual
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 21:10:11 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.


Re: My OPERATING PROCEDURES posting.

  Responses were excellent. Most were in complete agreement with me -   :-)

  A few new-timers as well as old-timers suggested that I write an article.
  (why, even a couple of people at ARRL HQ!) 

  This has given me an idea:


  Send me / post your operating procedure likes & dislikes. I'll compile 
  them and maybe one of you silver-tongued devils can fine-tune it into
  a "finished product". 

  When everyone is happy with the results (give or take a few) maybe we
  can submit it [and call it public domain] to the various publications
  that are oriented towards "getting started in ham radio". 

  This is our hobby. No one is running it, and telling us how we gotta
  do it. This is your chance to make your feelings heard. Next time you
  tune around and get cranked off, don't just sit there and sizzle: send
  me something!


  ARRL used to have this neat 8-10 page book for novices, back in the 1960's.
  I vaguely remember a couple of lines in it: it started out something like
  "You old timers - go look at the HOW'S DX  section or something. I want to
  talk with the new guys..." then there was a part something like "when you, Bill
  Novice fire up your rig, it is a good idea to turn the receiver on before
  you beginning honking out a CQ". Also, another line went something like.
  "Your receiver has a tuning knob - use it! It keeps corosion from setting
  in. You also might find a station calling you off frequency". This was a
  great book. We'd laugh about it for hours at the club meetings, and we
  read it so many times that we "became" it. 

--
Tony J. Podrasky |  What's this thing?
 San Diego , Ca   |  It's called a MODEM.
tonyp@convex.com |  And what's this button for? 
WA2EAA NNNN ZCZC  |  Whatever you do, don't touc{{{7bh6xx!{@%%hxbd&$#)$% NO CARRIER
From: paul@n3eop.pgh.pa.us (paul)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Batteries on concrete
Date: 6 Oct 92 02:44:44 GMT
Organization: CrossRoads in Elizabeth, PA

MOSIER@iris.uncg.EDU (Steve Mosier) writes:

> Ah, good.  I was afraid this thread had died...
> 
> > ;Now the question ... When not mobile, I store the deep cycle batteries
> > ;in my son's little red wagon. When I use them again, I find that the 
> > ;voltage ( and hence capacity I think ) is a little lower. My question
> > ;is "Am I still safe in a wagon ( with rubber wheels ) even though the
> > ;the wagon wheels are on the concrete floor " ?
> > ; 
> 
> The wagon wheels are the source of your problem, because of the enhanced 
> leakage potential at the interface of a circular surface on the flat floor 
> (automobiles don't have this problem due to the potential de-ionizer plate 
> that is in all cars today).  The easiest way to solve your problem, and still
> use your wagon, is to place 4 pieces of oil-soaked cardboard under the wheels
> steve - W3GRG

A piece of wood works better...
From: mikef@pacifier.rain.com (Mike Freeman)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Operating Procedures
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:35:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: pacifier.1992Sep30.153556.4339
Organization: Pacifier BBS

In article <1992Sep28.163236.15349@convex.com> tonyp@convex.com (honey bunny) writes:
>
[Material deleted]


>Some of the quirks I've run into this weekend (all over - including
>the amateur extra portion) were:
>
>  o 3 MINUTES of CQ followed by a callsign and a  "KN".
>  o Feller asked me a question, and just sat back (I guess) - no "BK".
>  o I answered a CQ. The feller spent the next 10 minutes telling me
>    that he couldn't copy me.

[Rest deleted]

I remember many of the same complaints being voiced when I became
a ham in 1962.  The old-timers complained that them young whippersnappers
just didn't know what good operating procedure was and that the hobby
was going downhill fast.

While I agree that there has been a noticeable degradation in the "class" and level of
proficiency of operating procedure on average these days, I believe that we
should not forget that every generation thinks that the one after it
is going to hell in a handbasket.

-- 
Mike Freeman <K7UIJ>    |       Internet: mikef@pacifier.rain.com
301 N.E. 107th Street   |         or freeman@watsun.cc.columbia.edu
Vancouver, WA 98685 USA |       GEnie: M.FREEMAN11
Telephone (206)574-8221 |       Loose bits sink chips!
From: alanb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Alan Bloom)
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 19:36:25 GMT
Subject: Re: locating TV antenna near ham antennas
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc

In rec.radio.amateur.misc, dale@sequent.com (Dale Mosby) writes:

...
[Dale offered to install his neighbor's new outside TV antenna]

>Unfortunately her antenna must point through my antennas toward
>the local TV stations.  My guess is that the best thing is to place
>her antenna at the far end of her house to keep it as far away as
>possible from my antennas, even though the feed line becomes much
>longer.  Is this true?

That's what I would do.

>Next question is whether I run coax from the antenna or use 300 ohm
>twinlead.  

I would use coax.  Best would be the double-shielded RG-59.  The
outer shield is braid and the inner shield is foil.

>Final question -- should I just install a high pass filter from the
>start, or wait and see if there are any problems?  

Sounds like you have an ideal opportunity to eliminate any potential problems
before they occur.  I would go ahead and install a good high-pass filter.
Mount it right at the TV antenna terminals.  It would also be a good
idea to install a common-mode choke.  One good way to do this is to
use a twin-lead-type high-pass filter with twin-lead-to-coax balun
adapters on both sides.

AL N1AL
From: haynes@cats.ucsc.edu (Jim Haynes)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Origin of HAM
Date: 1 Oct 1992 04:37:10 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: hobbes.ucsc.edu


I'm just reading a fairly recent book "The American Telegrapher" "A
Social History 1860-1900" by Edwin Gabler, Rutgers University Press,
1988.  He gives some operator slang of the period: "rush" or "salt"
meaning to harass the receiving operator by sending too fast,
"plug" or "ham" for an inferior operator, "freshman" for a novice
operator, who had to undergo salting as an initiation ritual.
He doesn't give an exact source for these terms, but the text suggests
they were found in magazines published for telegraph operators
of the period.

Also talks about friendships developed over the wire, and also 
disagreements and rudeness, leading in one case to two operators
meeting at a town halfway between their posts to settle their
differences by fistfight.

The telegraph companies expected operators to work whatever circuits
they were needed on; but operators tended to claim certain circuits
as their own and objected to working others.  Thomas Edison as a young
telegrapher in Boston worked a wire with Jerry Borst in New York.
The two men agreed to change three letters of the alphabet, so that
nobody else could copy the code they sent.
-- 
haynes@cats.ucsc.edu
haynes@cats.bitnet

"Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an Art."
        Charles McCabe, San Francisco Chronicle
From: gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: The Truth about UHF Connectors
Date: 28 Sep 92 11:39:31 GMT
Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group

In article <50030029@hpscit.sc.hp.com> rkarlqu@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Rick Karlquist) writes:
>braid.  The only crimp type UHF connectors I have seen are
>for RG-58 only, not RG-8.  And these are not waterproof like
>clamp on type N's.

Kings makes UHF crimp connectors for RG-8 type cable. BTW, I highly
recomend  Kings connectors.

Gary KE4ZV
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: oxenreid@chaos.cs.umn.edu ()
Subject: Re: Info on 2m glass/disguise antenna wanted
Organization: University of Minnesota
Distribution: usa,local
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 01:11:06 GMT

In <stuart.717978848@yacht> stuart@ee.fit.edu (William Stuart) writes:


>In article <1992Sep28.074208.3768@arizona.edu> petrisko@evax2.engr.arizona.edu writes:
>>Anyway, the question remains... how can I mount some useful antennas?
>>At bare minimum, i'd like to run 2m on a regular basis, an on-glass 
>>antenna is one route (low to no gain), also antenna specialists used to
>>make a disguise antenna (am/fm/2m) but that has been discontinued.

>Antennas America makes disguised antennas that stick to your windows for
>just about any band you could want.  Their antennas are 3.5" x 3.5" adhesive
>stickers that have traces embedded in them.  A friend of mine has used one
>and found it to be at least as good as a 1/4 wave.  The antenna is omni-
>directional when mounted per the instructions.  The part that sticks to the
>window is black, but you can get it with a security warning decal so it just
>looks like an alarm sticker.


STI-CO also makes 'undercover' antennas, they do not have very
much gain (if any) :-(   Their Telco # is 716.662.2680.  They
make antennas for the 'police'.  Call them up and have them send
you a catalog.   Happy hunting.
From: petrisko@evax2.engr.arizona.edu (William Petrisko)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Summary: 2m/440 glass mount source
Date: 5 Oct 92 10:27:55 GMT
Reply-To: petrisko@evax2.engr.arizona.edu
Distribution: usa,local
Organization: University of Arizona, College of Engineering and Mines, Tucson

After searching for a suitable glass-mount or disguise antenna for my
truck, I finally found the following:

  Midland dual-band (2m/440) glass mount antenna.  1/2 wave on 2m,
  colinear on 70cm.  $39.90.  #18264

Also available: 2m on glass $29.90.  #18-259a

I opted for the dual-band antenna so I can run 2m and 70cm-ATV at the
same time.  The antenna is from National Tower Co, 800-762-5049.

-bill
--
bill petrisko                                  petrisko@evax2.engr.arizona.edu
   aka n7lwo                 ...!uunet!4gen!warlok!gargle!omnisec!thumper!bill
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
From: der@anomaly.sbs.risc.net
Subject: FCC RadioTelephone Operator's License
Organization: The Rhode Island Internet Systems Cooperative Network
Date: Thu, 01 Oct 1992 03:14:28 GMT

Since I've pretty much mastered amateur theory, I thought it might be
fun to continue on and study for some of the other FCC licenses. What
exactly does a RadioTelephone operator's license consist of (i.e.
what type of privledges does it convey, what are the licensing
requirements, etc.?
From: taylor@tix.timeplex.COM (Seth Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Drake TR-7 problem
Date: 5 Oct 92 04:51:02 GMT
Article-I.D.: tix.9210051850.AA05586
Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu

Tnx to all those who posted comments. The problem was found to be a
cold solder joint (by the vendor) at the bandswitch, between the
high-pass filter and the VCO circuitry.

Seth T. KC2WE  taylor@tix.timeplex.com
From: ham@wam.umd.edu (Scott Richard Rosenfeld)
Subject: Re: ? Definition of station ownership ?
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 12:14:32 GMT

In article <9210021146.aa20505@crdec7.apgea.army.mil> wejones@crdec7.apgea.army.mil (Bill Jones) writes:
>
>  Sorry if this is a dumb question, but this is something that has confused me
>for quite a while.  I quess back in the days before HTs and mobile rigs, this
>was not much of a problem, but where does one draw the line with respect to
>who's id you use when using a borrowed HT or mobile rig?  I know that if
>you visit another ham's "station" and use that rig, you should id with
>the id of the "station" rather than your own id (with certain irregularities
>depending on the class of licenses involved), but it doesn't seem logical
>to do this if you are using a borrowed HT, for example.  I have heard both
>sides of this question used in practice, ie I was talking to one ham who
>was talking on a mobile rig.  He left his car at a fast food place and 
>continued the conversation via a borrowed HT now id-ing with the HT owners id.
>This business of hams iding as someone other than themselves seems to be a
>practice that isn't well suited for todays situation of very mobile rigs.
>Thanks in advance.   B.J.   N3JLQ

My response to this is that the ham who is using the radio is responsible
for proper operation of the station unless SPECIFICALLY under control of 
another ham, defined as the CONTROL OPERATOR.

The control operator has to be within range to CONTROL the station, and using
someone else's HT AND callsign while not in close proximity to that person
is RISKY.  The ownership of a radio has NO bearing on the callsign that
comes through it.  Unless a ham authorizes someone (ham or non-ham) to use
his callsign, it shouldn't be used.  And my impression has always been that
the control operator should be close enough to the other operator to hear 
what is being said over the air, and to stop the operator from saying things
deemed to be illegal, if necessary.  Basically, the station licensee is 
responsible for ALL emissions coming from his station, and should hear the
emissions of his station to verify this.
From: stevej@pillock.moron.vware.mn.org (Steven Jarosh, KA0VYB)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: The Truth about UHF Connectors
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 92 23:07:16 CDT
Organization: 11th Hour Contest Group (North American Chapter)

mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:

> In article <1992Sep28.145126.8292@newsgate.sps.mot.com> rapw20@email.sps.mot.
> >etc. In one place I worked where we had literally thousands of these
> >connectors the failure rate dropped dramatically when we went to the
> >twist-on variety, esp once we found a stripper that prepared the cable
> >(RG-62) in one motion. Of course, in these applications the impedance
> 
> Unfortunately, twist-on and crimp-on BNC connectors are not as
> mechanically strong as the solder-on type.  Yes, solder-on connectors
> require more time and care when attaching to the cable.  But I think
> it's worth it when you wind up with a connector so strongly attached
> that the cable breaks before cable<->connector junction does.
> 


Bzzzzzt!!!  Wrong answer!!

While it is true that a twist on is less than desirable except in 
temporary (ie emergency) situations, this is not true for crimp-ons.

A crimp-on connector if used correct is a mil-spec device.  You must use a 
proper crimp tool to achieve the proper crimp.  When crimped you will have a 
cold weld. A cold weld is far superior mechanically and electrically (yes, 
this includes rf) to a solder connection.  It is also far more immune to the 
elements especially salt air or salt water environments than tin/lead solder 
which tends to corrode quickly.

They are also a hell of a lot faster to put on when you're trying to get up 
and running on a VHF contest in the middle of Chatfield, MN.

        
        Key:
             Chatfield = nowhere  :-)

Steve KA0VYB
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc