i
J
Internationa! Edition
DECEMBER IWS
ISSUE #33*>
USA $2.95
CAN $3.95
A WGE Publication
Ti i in
$20 Keyer
Modify Your Mid Ian RS-232 On The C-BU!
01 Dl
HC04 HC04
ICOM'S N
/.J'/tf?,V
Handy 2
CLK
Vcc
M\
^m ■
Ask Kabo
lM
15
B ^3 HCI39
u
256
Fl
(POWER ON RESET )
Z.2MF
+ I2V SWITCHED
Z2
10 mF
D
74820
08725
1 2
Annual iioiidau Buyer's Guide
ICOM has a commitment to high per- formance 220MHz gear. That's why we're the only manufacturer who can offer you a full line of 220MHz equipment,., whet her it's a mobile, handheld base station transceiver, or fiber optic multi-bander.
Handhelds Choose the full-featured five-watt 1C-03AT with 10 full function mem- ories capable of storing odd offsets and subaudible tones, scanning and
JC-37A
Mobile
DTMF direct keyboard entry. Or select the IC-3AT easy-to- operate handheld featuring thumbwheel switch frequency - selection.
Mobiles. ICOM offers the IC-3SA, which sports a large LCD readout, 21 memories. scanningP and memory lock-out The slim-line 1C-37A features an LED readout, nine mem- ories capable of storing offset and subaudible tones and both memory and band scan.
Base Station. The 1C-375A is a 220MHz all mode open tors dream... 25 watts output, an internal power supply, 99
memories, scanning, and all subaudible tones built-in
M til tl- Bander The new- est addition to ICO Ms 220MHz family., the IC-900 fiber optic controlled six- band mobile, which has a 220MHz optional band unit.
Quality. High Perform- ance. That's ICOM 220MHz.
IC-3AT Handheld
ICOM
Communicoi
ICOM America, Inc., 2380-1l6th Ave. N.E, BelJevue. WA 98004 Customer Service Hotline (206) 454-761
3150 Premier Drive, Suite, 126. Irving, TX 75063 / 1777 Phoenix Parkway, Suite 201 , Atlanta, GA 3034!
ICOM CANADA, A Division of ICOM America, !nap 3071 - #5 Road, Unit 9S Richmond, B.C. V6X 2T4 Canad
All stated specifications are approximate ami subject to change without notice or obligation Ml ICOM radios sgmticantiy exceed FOC regulations hmrimg spurious emissions 220*fiHj£B
CIRCLE 354 OH REAPER SERVICE CM*
FOUR user selectable operating modes and a 90 number autodialer make Private Patch V
the ONLY choice!
SELECT AN OPERATING MODE USING THE BUILT-IN KEYBOARD.
1. SIMPLEX SAMPLING PATCH
Private Patch V achieves a level of sampling patch performance unobtainable in any other product. Crucial to performance is the noise squelch filter. Compare our five pole filter to the competition's two pole filter. Advanced software algorithms perform noise correlation tests which result in greater useable range than the competition. Nine selectable VOX enhancement ratios allow you to vary performance from straight sampling to highly VOX enhanced, (sampling rate decreased while the land party is speaking). The mobile is in full control and can break- in at any time.
2. SIMPLEX VOX PATCH
VOX mode offers superb simplex operation with any radio,
including synthesized and relay switched models. VOX mode has other advantages too. 1. A linear amplifier can be used to extend straight simplex range, 2. You can operate through any remotely located repeater to greatly extend range. 3. if desired you can connect Private Patch V to the MIC and speaker jack of your radio. NO INTERNAL CONNECTIONS ARE REQUIRED. Control is maintained automatically with built-in dial tone detection, busy signal detection and fully programmable activity and time out timers. An optional electronic voice delay board eliminates first word clipping with slow switching radios.
3. DUPLEX PATCH
Select duplex mode when connecting Private Patch V to your existing repeater or duplex base station. Many features including semi*duplex privacy mode are user programmable. The mobile is in full control at all times.
4. REPEATER CONTROLLER
Private Patch V will convert any receiver and transmitter into an outstanding performing repeater with duplex autopatch. Features such as repeater on/off code, hangtime, activity timer time, CW ID interval etc. are fully user programmable. Private Patch V is the right choice for your club system.
Private Patch V is a totally new concept tn automatic phone patches. A built-in keyboard and menu driven display allow you to customize all modes, features, and functions specifically to your application.
Private Patch V can be a sampling patch today. A VOX patch tomorrow. And a repeater controller next year!
You may never need another patch again.
COMPARE THESE FEATURES. . .
• 90 phone number autodialer
• Last number redial
• Regenerated tone/ pulse dialing
• Toll restrict: 1st and 2nd digit restrict, prefix lockout and digit counting
• 1-5 digit connect/disconnect code
• 2-5 digit secret toll override code
• User programmable CW ID
• Remote hook flash
• Auto disconnect on dialtone/busy signals
• Telephone remote base
• Remote controlled relay (relay optional)
• Lightning protected
Call or write today for your FREE brochure.
^?
Connect Systems Inc.
23731 Madison St. Torrance. CA 90505 Phone: (213) 373-6803
AMATEUR ELECTRONIC SUPPLY; Milwaukee Wl, WlckUlfo OH. Orlando FL CtoHtwater FL. Las Vegas NV * BAHRY ELECTRONICS CORP- No* York NY • ERIC KSON COMMUNICATIONS: Chicago IL * HAH RADIO OUTLET: Anaheni CA Buriingame CA Oakland CA. Ptioeni* AZ S*nD*geCA. Van Nu*sC A. Atlanta GA ■ HENRY R ADO: Los Ang*Je*CA - INTERNATIONAL RADIO SYSTEMS: Mam* FL ■ JUNS ELECTRONICS; Cuhm QtyCA • MflDGON ELECTRONICS SUPPLY: Houston TX ■ MIAMI RAOtO CENTER CORP- Miami FL • MIKES ELECTRONICS: Ft Lauderdale. FL • NAG DISTRIBUTING CORP.: Mm ml FL • OMNI ELECTRONICS; Lafedo TX « PACE ENGINEERING; Tucson A2 * THE HAM STATION: Evansville \H • VALLEY RADIO CENTER: HarlmtfBn TX * CANADA- COM WEST RADIO SYSTEMS, LTD.: Vancouver fiC
CS1 is a legist ef&d trademark of Connect Systems, inc
CIRCLE 12 ON READER SERVICE CARD
"You're miles ahead
^AF1| wT% | ^HT^itf^l^ ^ ' RickWoodsowe, Coirtmunications Consultant W tU i. ■ d%ll *9^^M &• Woocfeome^d Associates, Boulder, Colorado
When the directors of the Coors International Bicycle Classic needed a sophisticated mobile communications system, they turned to commu- nications consultant Rick Woodsome. As a communications specialist, Woodsome knows what it takes to make a communication system work.
That's why he turned to Larsen Antennas.
"You don't pull off the largest sports event in the Western Hemisphere without good communication. And you don't have good communication without trie right equipment.
"Larsen antennas were instrumental in making last summer's Coors Classic an overwhelming success. They were key to our entire communication network.
"Without Larsen, it would have been uphill all the way."
Rick Woodsome
*-
THE AMATEUR'S PROFESSIONAL.
Larsen Kfllrod* and Kulduckie* antennas provide amateurs the same advanlaoes enjoyed by commercial two way radio users. Both combine top performance with the long range dependability you want
your dealer for the com- plete line of Larsen antennas and per- manent and tempo- rary mounts. You can buy with confidence, because theyte all backed by Larseris No Nonsense Warranty lor a full six months.
For a professional approach to amateur radio, lune in to Larsen,
Larsen Antennas
The Amateur's Professional
See your favorite amateur dealer or write for a free amateur catalog.
IN USA: Larsen Electronics, Inc., 11611 N.E 50th Avenue, RO Box 1799, Vancouver. Washington 98668 (206) 573^2722 IN CANADA: Canadian Larsen Electronics, Ltd.. 149 West 6th Avenue. Vancouver. B.C. V5Y 1 K3 (604) 872-S517
CIRCLE 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Invest in the world's finest 3 KW roller inductor tuner with dummy load, new peak reading Meter and more . . .
The MFJ-9B9C is a compact 3 KW
roller inductor tuner with a new peak reading Crass-Needfe SWR/Wattmeter. The roller inductor lets you get your SWR down to absolute minimum.
With three continuously variable components ■■ two massive 6 J<V capacitors and a high inductance roller inductor - you get precise control over SWR and the widest matching range possible from 1,8-30 MHz.
You get a new lighted peak and average reading Cross Needle SWR/Wattmeter with a new more accurate directional coupler.
You get a giant two core balun wound with teflon wire for balanced
MFJ-989C
349
05
^Unes and a 6 position antenna switch with extra heavy switch contacts.
You get a 50 ohm 300 watt dummy load for tuning your exciter, a tilt stand for easy viewing and a 3 digit turns counter plus a spinner knob for exact inductance control.
Its compact t03Ax4V«15 inch cabinet slides right into your station
The MFJ 9fl9C is not tor everyone.
However, ft you do make the investment, you'll get the finest 3 KW tuner money can buy - one that will give you a lifetime of use. one that takes the tear out of high power operation and one that lets you get your SWR down to absolute minimum
►
MFJ's Best VERSA TUNER II
i he MFJ-949C gives you more MFJ-949C precise matches than any tuner that
*1 39M uses two taPP^ 'nducters. Why?
Because you get two continuously variable capacitors that give you infinitely more positions than the imtted number on switched coils.
This gives you the precise control you need to get your SWR down to a minimum. After all isn't thai why you need a tuner.
You also get a dual range lighted Cross-Needle SWR/Wattmeter. 6-position antenna switch, 50 ohm 300 watt dummy load, balun for balanced lines 3j*j continuous 1.8 30 MHz coverage - ait in a compact 1 0x3x7 inch cabinet that fits right into your station.
With MFJ's best 300 watt tuner you get an MFJ tuner that has earned a reputation for being able to match just about anything - on that is highly perfected and has years of proven reliability.
MFJ's smallest VERSA TUNER
MFJ-901B
The MFJ
90 IB is our smallest - 5x2x6
inches - and most affordable) zoo wan pep versa tuner when both your space and your budget is limited. Matches dipoles. vees, random wires, verticals, mobile whips, beams, bafanced and coax lines continuously 1.8-30 MHz. Excellent 1or matching solid state rigs to linears. Efficient airwound inductor. 4:1 balun for balanced lines,
1 44/220 MHz VHF TUNERS
MFJ-920
MFJ-921
MFJ's newest VHF
tuners cover both 2 Meters and the new Novice 220 MHz binds. They handle 300 watts PEP and match a wide range of impedances for coax fed antennas. MFJ-921 has SWR/Wattmeter.
MFJ's Fastest Selling TUNER
MFJ's 1.5 KW VERSA
m#-.' *tpsa nmen a
.*'jr '•■■■'•■■•
rsw
.3 O Q
Ttie MFJ 9410 1$ MFJ's fastest selling MFJ-941D 300 W PEP antenna tuner! Why? $qq 95 Because ri has more features than
v^ tuners costing much more and it matches everything continuously from 1.8-30 MHz,
It matches dipoles. vees, verticals, mobile whips, random wires, balanced and coax lines.
SWR/Wattmeter reads forward/reflected power in 30 and 300 watt ranges. Antenna switch selects 2 coax lines, direct or through tuner, random wire/ balanced line or tuner bypass. Efficient airwound inductor gives lower losses and more watts out. Has 4:1 balua 1000 V capacitors. 10x3x7 inches.
MFJ's Mobile TUNER
MFJ-945C
$7995
Don't leavn home without this mobile tuner! Have an uninterrupted trip as the MFJ945C extends your antenna bandwidth and eliminates the need to stop, go outside and readjust your mobile whip.
You can operate anywhere in a band and gel low SWR. You'll get maximum power out of your solid state or tube rig and it'll run cooler and last longer.
Small 8x2x6 inches uses little room, SWR/ Wattmeter and convenient placement of controls make tuning test and easy while In motion. 300 watts PEP output, efficient airwound inductor, 1000 volt capacitors. Mobile mount, MFJ-20. $3.00.
2KWCOAX "?i7£z5.^iAoj SWITCHES $19<> HP
MFJ- 1702, $19.95. 2-poSltfons. N™>^
60 dB isolation at 450 MHz. ■*
Less than .2 dB loss. SWFl below 1:1.2.
MFJ-1701, $29,95. 6-positrons. Unused positions grounded For desk or wall mount
$2995 MFJ-1701
For a few extra dollars, me MFJ- MFJ-962C 962C rets you use your barefoot rig
*1 9905now ancl ^ave lhe capacity t0 ad°" a 1500 watt PEP linear ampfifer later.
Two continuously variable 6 KV capacitors give you precise control for getting your SWR down to a minimum. And lots of inductance gives you the widest matching range possible.
You can read both peak and average power with the lighted 2 color Cross Needle SWR/Wattmeter. A new directional coupler gives you more accurate readings over a wider frequency range.
Has 6-position ceramic antenna switch and a teflon wound two-core baJun with ceramic feedthru insulators for balanced lines. 1 03Ax41/zx1 4 7/8 in.
MFJ's Random Wire TUNER
MFJ 16010
You can operate all bands anywhere with any transceiver when you let the MFJ-16010 turn any random wire into a transmitting antenna, Great for apartment, motel, camping operation. Tunes 18 30 MHz. Handles 200 watts. Ultra compact 2x3x4 in.
MFJ artificial RF ground
S7905 MFJ-931
You can create an artificial RF ground and eliminate RF "bites",
leedback, TVI and RFI when you let the MFJ-931 resonate a random length of wire and turn it into a tuned counterpoise. The MFJ 931 also lets you electrically piece a far away RF ground directly at your rig -■ no matter how far away it is - by tuning out the reactance of your ground connection wire.
ORDER ANY PRODUCT FROM MFJ AND TRY IT - HO OBLIGATION, IF NOT SATlSRED RETURN WITHIN 30 DAYS FOR A NO-HASSLE REFUND (less shipping}. • One year unconditional guarantee • Add $5 00 each shipping/handling » Call or write for free catalog, over 100 products.
MFJ ENTERPRISES, INC.
Box 494, Miss. State, MS 39762
FOR YOUR NEAREST DEALER OR TO ORDER
800-647*1800
Call 601-323-5869 in Miss, and outside continental USA. Telex 53-4590 MFJ STKV. In CANADA call TEXPRO 416-332-5944,
MFJ . . - making quality affordable
CIRCLE 24 OH READER SERVICE CARD
Number 1 on your Feedback card
Never say die
Wayne Green W2NSD/1
Sun Spots and Antennas
Even though antennas are by far the most interesting area for amateur experimentation— and also one of the easiest to in- vestigate, the field has seen pa* thetically little development in recent years, Tsk!
With ihe sun spots rising at the fastest rate in history, it's getting time for all of us to start working on antennas. How much do you know about fem? Have you ever read an article on how they work? Do you have even a faint idea of how they work? Do you give a damn?
What do you know about bi- squaresT cubical quads, the Twin Three and the ZL-Special? ! re- member when I first ran up against a bi-square Sam Harris WBUKST out near Cleveland, had put up a whopping tower and hung a 75m bi -square from it To change its direction he'd run out and move the pegs holding the antenna away from his tower. How'd it work?
Well, this was 1951 , so he was running an old 40 watt Collins AM rig. I was in Brooklyn with my rock*
crushing kilowatt and a dipole. I worked out pretty well, working all over Europe, down into Africa and even over to Japan. Sam, with his lousy 40 watts, clobbered me, HeTd be talking with a ZS6. I'd break in and the ZS6 would men- tion that he'd heard a slight het- erodyne in the background. So they'd stand by to see who was breaking in. Drat!
When's the last time you saw an article on building a bi-square? And why it puts out such a whop- ping signal? If you want a killer contest antenna. . .?
In the middle of the rugged win- ter of 1947 I decided to try the W6JK Twin-Three antenna. Two dipoles spaced a sixth wave apart . For some reason this beaut has a lower angle of radiation than dipoles, yagis or quads. The result was that I'd have the first signal from my area. I'd call CQ and get calls from England saying I was the only signal on the band. Then, as they'd hear other signals get- ting stronger, mine would fade down and I'd talk with Italy. A little laier I'd be the first signaf into the middle east — then into India.
GSL OF THE MONTH
To enter your QSLt mail it in an envelope to 73, WGE Center, 70 Re. 202 N„ Peterborough NH 03458, Attn: QSL of the Month. Winners receive a one-year subscription (or extension) to 73. Entries not in envelopes cannot be accepted.
4 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1968
One morning I heard a very faint W7 portable something in the OX part of the band calling CQ. Hm* mm. I called the "W7 something, portable something,' I felt so stupid l only called him once. He came right back, his signal gradu- ally improving. It was W7IMW/G7 in Tsiensin. China1 I was the only American signal on the band.
We talked for a while, then he mentioned that other stations were beginning to call him, so we parted. An hour tater he called again to say that everyone else had faded out.
The ZL-Special antenna is very similar to the Twin-Three, but made entirely from twin-lead, Have you used either of these barn-burners? They only seem to work well during high sun spot times, when the ionosphere is so heavily ionized that these ex- tremely low angle signals can propagate,
The Twin-Three is simple to make. It's a wire beam with two three-wire dipoles spaced a sixth wave apart. You hang them from a pair of 2x2$, which, in turn, are hung by ropes between a couple trees or between a tall tree and your house. Vou feed 'em with quarter-wave 300O twin-line sec- tions and feed the junction of the two feeders with 300O twin-line.
My question is this, how come you Ve not outside trying new an- tennas? Hells bells, it isn't as if you don't have a personal com- puter to do the calculations for you. an aid we dtdrVi have forty years ago. Let's see some experi- menting and some antenna arti- cles!
How about a 40m Twin-Three? Maybe even one for 80m? How about stacked Twin-Threes? What's the radiation pattern from something like that? How about some club projects to test out dif- ferent antennas?
Continued on page 6
TAFF
PUBLJSHER/EDiTOR Wayne Grew W2HSDH
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Smart Norwood
MANAGING EDITOR Bryan Hastings NS1 B
SENIOR EDITOR Reoecee Niemete
COPY EDITOR UndftHNtMN
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Martha Goun
TECHNICAL EDITOR David McLanahan WA1FHB
INTERN ATION AL EDITOR Richard Pheniv
ART OBJECTOR
BobDuketie
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Deborah Smith
GRAPHfC DESIGNER Marityn Mof an
JAPANESE TRANSLATOR Oavitf Cowhig WA1 LBP
ASSOCIATES
Mike Bryce WB8VGE Uon Fletcher N6HYK
Jim Gray W1XU
Chod Harris VP2ML
Dr Marc Leavey WA3AJR
Andy MacAUfstar WA5Z1B
Bill Pasternak WA6ITF
Paler Putmao KT2S
Mike Stone WQfQCD
Arts* Thompson W7XU
ADVERTISING 1-603-525*4201 1-600-225-5083
SALES MANAGER EdVertw
ADVERTISING SALES
Jifn Bat)
SALES SERVICES MANAGER Hope Carrier
WGE PUBLISHING. INC.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TifTi Fetkey
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Rodney Bell
TYPESETTING/PAGINATION
Sob Dufcette. Systems Supervisor
Steve Jewen KAiMPM. Lmca Drew.
Susan Aien. Ruth Benedict
GRAPHICS SERVICES
Richard Clarke. Manager
Sue B. Flanagan, Dale Williams
GRAPHICS PHOTOGRAPHER Den Croieau
Ed iion a I onicee
WGE Center
Peterborough, NH 03455-1194
603*525^201
Subscription Customer Service
1 -800-525-0643
Colorado/ Foreign Subscribers
call! -303-447-9330
Wayne Green Enterprises is a division of I nte matronal paia Group
Repfints:The first copy of an article — 13.00 (each additional copy $1.5.0) Write to 70 Amateur Radio Magazine, WGE Center , Rie 2Q2 NodJi. Peter- borough, NH 03458 ATTN: Article Reprints
QRM
Editorial Qtl I ceB
WGECemer
Peterborough NH 03455-1 1 94
phom 603-525-4201
Advertising Offices
WGE Center
Pete rtjoroufti NH 03458- 1 194
phone: 800-225-5063
Circulation Offices
WGE Center
Peterborough NH 03458-1 1 94
phone 603-525 4201
Manuscripts. Coninbulions m the form of ma nu- scripts with drawm$s anoVor photo- graphs are welcome and win be considered for possible publication We can assume no responsibility for loss or damage To any material Please enclose a stamped, seff- addressed envelope with each submission. Payment for the use of any unsolicited material will be made upon acceptance. A premium wjII be paid tot accepted articles that have been submitted electro nicaJfy (CompuServe ppn 70310.775 or MCI Mail ■ WGEPUB") or on disk as an fSM-compatrble ASCII file Ail contributions should be directed co (he 73 editorial offices How to Write for 73" guidelines are avail- able upon request. US citizens must include their social security number with submitted manuscripts Reprints: The first copy of an arti- cle— $300 (each additional copy- Si 50 \ Write to 73 Amateur Radio Magazine, WGE Center fit 202 North. Peterborough, NH 0345S ATTN: Art*c*e Reprints
Subscription Information
One Year (12 issues) $24 37; Two Years (24 issues) S44.9&, Canada, Mexico and Foreign Surface: One Year $31 75 (US Funds}; Two Years $57 00 {US Funds). Foreign Airmail One Year S39 00 (US Funds]: Two Years 570 DO f US Funds) Send new or renewal notices, inquiries and change o* address to 73 Amateur Radio. P O Box 58366, Boulder CO a 03 2 2 8865 Allow 4-6 weeks tor subscription and change Of address processing For Customer Service, call toll-free at 1 ■800-525-0643 Col- orado/Foreign subscribers call 1-303-447-9330. For renewals and changes of address, please include the address label from your most re- cent issue of 73 . For gift subscript lions, include your name and ad- dress as well as those of the gift recipients Second class postage paid at Peterborough NH 03458, and at additional mailing offices Canadian second class maiJ re- gistration number 9566 Microfilm Edition— University Microfilm. Ann AJbOf MI481Q6
Contract- Gooo— foa 'n dowry teftwrng trie rtvce to ttmwfi n*ad *** •"«* print." 8y the tkm*you ftmsfi rfH*s»ni»nc#. you wM hare enttrad imo m contractu*! agreement with 73 Magazine You have until rhe and or the winter to become someona's Elmer And. last bui not leafii , you must lat us know no* we are doir»g r»re through any numbe* of meda— tsv phone, letter. E-mart or the i«eB»rt carta io*md mtht magaxrt* You «• be glad mat you nsad ifta srnaa print
73 AMATEUR RADIO (ISSN 0S89- 5309) is published monthly by WGE Publishing. Inc., a division of Wayne Green Enterprises, lnc,> WQE Cen- ter, 70 Rte 2D2N, Peterborough, NH 0345EH 194 Second-class postage paid at Peterborough. NH and addi- tional mailing offices
Postmaster Send address changes to 73 Amateur Radio, PO. Box Boulder CO 80322-8866.
DECEMBER 1988
AMATEUR RADIO
Issue # 339
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES
12 Civil Air Patrol
Most radio fun you can have without a license
14
24
27
KA9KAF
RS-232 Port For The Commodore C-64 Give the ham's favorite computer this most standard interface Neal
Don't Lose Your Memory
Don'l lei a dead lithium battery ruin your listening
p I tr dS Li r v . ..__•* f * <■ k i. i i * * »• - .••--■*■■■<■« XX 7 L^ vJ I
Packet Tuning Indicator
More easily enjoy world-wide packet operation,
W2EKY
Midland 13-509 Modifications
Two nice low-cost additions to a popular rig. WB9 YBM
29
34
57
89
d m 4 *
Decatur Ham Launches Satellite
A satellite to go up in the name of education.
Charging Without Overcharging No more backup battery bum-up
Buyers1 Guide
73 'spicks of 1988'scrop
Yearly Index
Easy reference for 1988 articles, reviews, and columns ...,,,. compiled by Linda Reneau
- - m * ■
■ ■ m
. . . . WB8UUE
WB8VQR
Staff
REVIEWS
11 The TE-144 Deluxe CMOS Keyer
Solid keyer at the right price.
19 Bel-Tek's CMOS keyer kit
The best dit and dah for the buck. ......
49 The Carolina Windom
An old design made even better
68 The ICOM 32AT dual-band HT
Full Duplex in a Handheld. . .
7g B&WPT-2500AHFAmp QRO? QRO! -
• * # *
WAGOHX
WA9FPU
WA4BLC
WB2MIC
• NA5E
DEPARTMENTS
FEEDBACK.., FEEDBACK!
UMiLc Scsngtbcfir— nghi her* mow officer Ho* " Jm^I take ad\aroage of air FEEDBACK card
page (7 Yoo'll nockc a feedback number ji the be £ itming of each ankle ;uid col umn, We'd
c viiu to rule wrmi vou read mi (hat we cart pnnt what t> pa uf thing* > t m lifcebcu Andihen*c will dnw one Feedback canl cadi memh for a free subscription Ed 73.
% Ad Index
75 Above and Bc> and
63 Aerial View
72 AaR kaboom
55 ATV
87 Barter 'V Buy
97 Dealer Directory
77 DX
17 Feedback
6S Hamsals
52 Homing Id
% Index: 12*8
67 Letters
83 Looking West A VeverSa) Dte
44 New Products
HO Propagation
71 QRP
9 QRX
84 QTHDX 107 RTTYLncip
103 ?3 International
80 Special Events
95 Tech Tips
CLC0ME to Wnfis Island
Photography by Suzanne Torsheya
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 5
Never Say Die
Continued from page 4
A few years back I visited (he Hustler antenna range out in east- ern Ohio— a ham's paradise! They even had a platform for cars so they could rotate a car on it and run a curve on the radiation pat- tern. That's something a club could do as a ctub project. Any takers?
I remember reading an article on the optimum heigh! for 20m beams, ft turned out that about 73' above the virtual ground gave the best DX pattern. Beat out even higher antennas. Come on, fellas, let's get going on antenna experi- menting and get some articles in- to 73 so we can all have a ball as the sun spots open our bands. 20m will soon be providing DX contacts around the clock, 10m will be fantastic almost every day, giving Novices and Teenies DX thrills. On 6m you'll be able to work all over the world with low power. Let's set some ORP records.
We're already seeing crazy sporadic-E openings on 6m. It's a hint when you tune your FM radio and hear strange FM stations pouring in by the zillions.
If you want to build a Twin- Three, dig back into a 1947 issue of CQ or an old Jones Radio Handbook and find the plans. Build one and let us know how you've made out.
Music on 20m— Legally
Yes, of course you can transmit music on 20m— or any other ham band. And. yesr if you do it right it's entirely legal. Would it help if I offered a prize for the first 20m ham transmission of The Blue Danube?
For that matter it's also legal to send fast scan TV over 20m — if you use the same system. Heck. you can send high definition 3D full color TV in the 20m phone band if you want.
So how do we send an Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra playing The Blue Danube over 20m? Easy as pi. All it takes is some sneaky time shift- ing. You see, it's like this, that stuff on compact discs is digital data, not music. It isn't until we run it through a converter, deci- phering the bit stream, that we get music.
The digital data on a CD is clocked at 44,100 Hz, so if you send it at full speed it's going to take up around 100 kHz of band- width, a bil much for 20m. It'd probably play on the UHF bands
alt okay. So okay, let's slow it down by a factor of twenty so it'll only tie up 5 kHz— like we do for slow scan TV, where we pare down a 5 MHz bandwidth and cram it into a 5 kHz slot.
A five minute musical selection would take a hundred minutes to transmit. Nobody said this was a fast system, we're aiming for sound perfection, not speed,
Slowing the bit stream down for transmission and then speed- ing it up again for playing is an obvious challenge. One fairly sim- ple way of doing it would be to dump about 20 megabytes at a time from a CD onto a hard disk. You'd then program your comput- er to put it out at the slower speed into your rig. The receiver would do the opposite, loading the signal
the time Cantor bought hundreds of old books for a quarter each and had a rubber stamp made with Pappy's address. Cantor left the books on store counters and in hotel rooms all over the country. There still being a few honest people in those days, these books would be returned to Pappy, often sent collect. Hun- dreds,
Pappy was also an ace cartoon- ist. When I started 73 in 1960 I got him to do my first cover. Down through the years I've published hundreds of his cartoons for you. The last time I saw him1 we got together while I was down in Mo- bile attending my old submarine crew reunion. Smoking had bro- ken his health, but not his spirit.
Not long after my visit he had a
' 'What do you know about
bhsquares, cubical quads,
the Twin Three and
the ZL-Special?"
onto a hard disk and from there to a DAT recorder, Voila: The Danube ftoweth,
I've got $100 each for the first pair of you who pull this off . and prove it
What about the FCC? If you'll read the rules carefully you'll find nothing to prevent your experi- menting in this way. However, If you ask a civil servant to put his pension on the line by providing you with an official okay to do this you are a nut case and should be demoted to a CBer, Just go ahead and do it and stop your confound- ed nit-ptcking.
Pappy is SK
I first met Pappy K4PP (K4LAP/ K8LAP) when I was working as an announcer/engineer for WSPB in Sarasota, Florida, 1950* Nice gig, where I put the station on the air in the morning, did some an- nouncing, read news, did a morn- ing disk jockey show and then laid around on the beautiful Gulf Coast beach in the afternoon, working on skin cancer and premature skin aging,
Bandel Linn, "Pappy," did an afternoon talk show, so we got to be good friends. He'd bring in well known writers such as his good friend McKinley Cantor and interview them. He and Cantor were always pulling practi- cal jokes on each other. Like
stroke that paralyzed his left side. He was still able to turn out more cartoons for 73— then a second stroke ended that— and his ham- ming.
That's two old ham friends and 73 contributors gone in a couple months— Bill Hoisington K1CLL and Pappy. Since most of you are about my age, you're having the same thing happen to you— good old friends dying. In this case we've lost two hams who have done much to make amateur radio more fun for all of us.
Digital Audio
At a recent ham club talk I asked the assembled how many had CD players. Bunch hands went up. Great! Then I asked how many were reading Digital Audio magazine. Darned few hands. Whoa!
The reason I started Digital Audio magazine four years ago was because I knew that a high percentage of the early CDs would be technical disasters, I was right. Heck, even now, four years later, we're finding that 1 7% of the new CDs being released are barfs. They're so bad that most people who buy them play them once and that's It* Some are simply awful performances. Some are terrible recordings. Would you believe that you could end up with a CD made from
old 78 rpm records, complete with the lousy sound and needle scratch?
A recent survey of the field showed that the average CD buyer is spending about $670 a year on CDs, mostly to replace his old LP collection. That's $114 a year wasted. Worse, another 60% of the CDs coming out can best be termed mediocre. They're okayr but with modest performances or only fair sound. That's another $402 blown through a simple lack of research
Now if you've got enough mon- ey so that you can afford to waste $516 a year by buying lousy or so-so CDs, fine. I'M tell you this, you won't find wealthy people throwing away their money like that. You get to be wealthy by tak- ing care of your money, not wast- ing it. Yes. the solution to the problem is simple: subscribe to Digit at Audio magazine — a crummy $20 a year* This is the only magazine devoted to re- viewing CDs, so it isn't like you have to buy a half dozen new magazines to keep track of the field.
In QA, as in 73. I have an in- depth index to each issue so you can find the composer, performer, music or label of your particular interest. DAt like 73. is fun to read. My DA editors don't take themselves any more seriously than the 73 editors. Try it, you'll like it.
If you haven't gotten a CD play- er yet you'll want to read the play- er reviews in DA, Compact discs are killing LPsr slowly, but surely. I stopped by the Sound Warehouse in Houston recently and found their sales were running 78% CD, 2.6% LP and the rest cassettes. The down side of CDs is that their sound is so fantastic that you'll be wanting to improve your hifi sys- tem in order to hear that wonderful sound better. If you're short of money you can make do with some Koss headphones, that will knock your sox off with the sound they let you hear.
Call my operator at 800-722- 7785 with your credit card number and get started with DA. It's four years old now and has over 100,000 delighted readers. In fact, according to the Audit Bu- reau, it's one of the fastest grow- ing magazines in the country. Or you can send $19.97 to Digital Au- dio, Peterborough NH 03458- 1194.
And yes, you're tn for another Wayne Green editorial every month. "
6 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
f£
> . . pacesetter in Amateur Radio
U
DX-citing!"
TC.^^nC Compact high performance HF transceiver I ^^ Tr^rV/C5 with general coverage receiver
|
^L £0} |
7%u |
|
|
^k M^ >*tB |
||
Kenwood's advanced digital know-how brings Amateurs world-wide "big-rig" performance in a compact package. We call it "Digital DX-citement"-that special feeling you get every time you turn the power on!
• Covers All Amateur bands General coverage receiver tunes from 100 kHz- 30 MHz. Easily modified for HF MARS operation.
• Direct keyboard entry of frequency
• Alt modes built-in USB, LSB. CW. AM, FM. and AFSK. Mode selection is verified in Morse Code.
• Built-in automatic antenna tuner (optional) Covers 80-10 meters,
• VS-1 voice synthe- (optional)
• Superior receiver dynamic range
Kenwood DynaMix" high sensitivity direct mixing system ensures true 102 tiB receiver dynamic range. (500 Hz bandwidth on 20m)
• 100% duty cycle transmitter
Super efficient cooting permits continuous key-down for periods exceeding one hour. RF input power is rated at 200 W PEP on SSB, 200 W DC on CW, AFSK. FM, and 110 W DC AM. (The PS-50 power supply Is needed for continuous duty,)
• Adjustable dial torque
• 100 memory channels Frequency and mode may be stored in 10 groups of 10 channels each. Split fre- quencies may be stored in 10 channels for repeater operation.
• TU-8 CTCSS unit (optional) •Superb interference reduction
IF shift, tuneabfe notch filter, noise blanker, all-mode squelch, RF attenuator, RtT/XIT, and optional filters fight QFM
• MC-43S UP/DOWN mlc. Included
• Computer interface port
• 5 IF fitter functions
• Dual SSB IF filtering
A built-in SSB filter is standard, When an optional SSB filter (YK-883 or YK-88SN) is installed, dual filtering is provided,
• VOX, full or semi break-in CW
• AMTOR compatible
power
IC -®- CAR
SQL-®- NOTCH
HI
voice m
HF TRANSCtiven
t u D n n n
( t. L U u. U
- e 2-
u, u
I'M
KENWOOD I
MODE/KEV
—FUNCTION—
T/XIT^S)- IF
F-8-RF
I I
it. . 'I
|
M + V SCAN CLEAR |
|
|
I^HiSHH^^H HHH ■■■ |
|
|
VFO/M |
M<tm » m\ |
11..."
.OCK PflOC NOTCH ftSS* SELECTIVITY
eseei band ma ■
CD 1=3 I I I 1
auto
-M2
OFF OCT SLQMt
Optional accessories:
• AT-440 internal auto, antenna tuner (60 in -10 m)
• AT- 250 external auto, tuner (160 m-10 nri)
• AT-130 compact mobile antenna tuner {160 m - 10m}* IF-232C/1C-10 ievel translator and modem IC kit * PS-50 heavy duty power supply * PS-430^ PS-30 DC power supply * SP-430 external speaker* MB-430 mobile mounting bracket
• VK-88C/BBCN 500 Hz/270 Hz CW fliers * YK-86S/ S8SN 2.4 kHz/1. 8 kHz SSB tillers • MC-60A/80/S5 desk microphones * MC-55 (8P) mobile mtcro- phone * hS-5/6/7 headphones • SP-40/5OB mobile speakers * MA-5A/P-1 HF 5 band mobile helical antenna and bumper mount •TL-922A
2 kw PEP linear amplifier • SM-220 station monitor
• VS-1 voice synthesizer • SW-100A/2 00A/ 2000 SWR/power meters • TU-8 CTCSS tone unit
• PG-2S extra DC cable
Kenwood takes you from HF to OSCAR!
, • *
QJtiit
Complete service manuals are available for all
Kenwood transceivers and most accessories. Specifications and prices are subject Jo change without notice or obligation
KENWOOD
KENWOOD USA CORPORATION 2201 E. Dominguez St., Long Beach, CA 90810 RO. Box 22745, Long Beach, CA 90801-5745
rv
pacesetter in Amateur Radio
ThisHT
TH-215A/315A/415A
Full-featured Hand-held Transceivers
■
Kenwood brings you the greatest hand-held trans- ceiver ever! More than just "big rig performance;' the new TH-215A for 2 m, TH-315A for 220 MHz, and TH-415 A for 70 cm pack the most features and the best performance in a handy size. And our full line of accessories will let you go from hamshack to portable to mobile with the greatest of ease!
• Wide receiver frequency range.
Receives from 141-163 MHz. Includes the weather channels! Transmit from 144-148 MHz. Modifiable to cover 141-151 MHz (MARS or CAP permit required).
• TH-315A covers 220-225 MHz, TH-415A covers 440-449,995 MHz,
■ 5, 2.5* or 15 W output, depend- ing on the power source. Sup- plied battery pack (PB-2) provjdes 2,5 W output, Optional NiCd packs for extended operation or higher RF output available.
• CTCSS encoder built-in, TSU-4 CTCSS decoder opbonaJ.
• 10 memory channels store any
offset, in 100- kHz steps,
— -^— ^—
• Odd split, any frequency TX Of
RX, in memory channel 0"
• Nine types of scanning? Includ- ing new "seek scan" and prior- ity alert. Also memory channel lock-out
• Intel gent 2-way battery saver circuit extends battery life. Two battery-saver modes to choose, with power saver ratio selection.
• Easy memory recatL Simply press the channel number!
• 12 VDC input terminal for direct mobile or base station supply operation. When 12 volts applied, RF output is 5 W1 (Cable supplied!)
• New Twist-Lok Positive- Connect locking battery case.
• Priority alert function.
• Monitor switch to defeat squelch, Used to check the frequency when CTCSS en code /decode is used or when squelch js on
DC IH
MIC
O O
KENWOOD
una
@
SOI
VOL
"7 n s
LAMP 0FFSET/F ft /TONE F
LOW
SAVE
Large, easy-to-read multi-func- tion LCD display with night light. Audible beeper to confirm key- pad operation. The beeper has a unique tone for each key. DTMF monitor also included. Supplied accessories: Belt hook, rubber flex antenna, PB-2 standard NiCd battery pack (for 2 5 W oper- ation), wall charger, DC cable, dust caps.
hatv
l
ENTER
SCAN
TH-215A
Optional Accessories:
* PB-t 12 V, 800 mAH NiCtf pack for 5 W output * PB-2; 8,4 V. 500 mAH MiCd pack (2 5 W output) ■ PB-3 7 2 V, 800 mAH NiCd pack (15 W Output) • PB-4. 7 2 V, 1600 mAH NiCd pack [1.5 W output.)
* BT-5 AA cell manganese/alkaline battery case • BC-7 rapi irger for PB-1, 2. 3P or 4 • BOB compact battery charger
- SMC- 30 speaker microphone * SC-12, 13 soft cases » RA-3. 5 telescoping antennas
- RA-8B StubbyDuk antenna - TSU 4 CTCSS decode urai • VB-2530 2m, 25 W amplifier (1-4 W input} * LH-4< 5 leather cases * MB-4 mobile bracket * BH-5 swivel mount * PG-2V extra DC cable
* PG-3D cigarette lighter cord with filter
n ■
Compter*? service manudfs are available lor b4 Kenwood frerwce/vers antf most QccessQtiQS Spenhcattons and prices am sutojecr fo ctiange without notice or obligation
KENWOOD U.S.A. CORPORATION
2201 E Domini uii , LonflB^cbXA 90&10
flA ■ m m
Number 2 on your Feedback card
EDITED BY BRYAN HASTINGS NS18
Space Operations
AO-13 operations continue normally.
On 1 9 September, a new schedule reflects the spacecraft altitude change.
The first Mode S transponder tests were successfully performed beginning at about 2025 UTC, 17 September. Three stations were on during the first test run— VE4MA, WB5LUA, and KORZ Mode S uses an uplink at 435 MHz and produces a downlink at 2.4 GHz, All three stations on the initial test ran SSB. K0RZ says the measured uplink band- width was 35 KHz; the measured downlink, 34 kHz. More than a dozen stations around the world reported hearing the 2,4 GHz beacon. Recent reports suggest good to excellent re* suits may be obtained from very modest an- tennas. DF5DP used only a 20 dB gain yagi.
AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA thanks all those who submitted telemetry reports on the Mode L AGC levels. They have now estab- lished an automated system on AO-1 3 for log- ging AGC levels.
AO-10 is out of service for an indeterminate period due to poor sun angles. Recently, its beacon has been occasionally heard sending garbled PSK telemetry. This indicates the spacecraft IHU is powering down during eclipses and, when re-poweredt logic circuits assume an indeter- minate state. Occasionally the PSK beacon will be commanded by a chance logic state.
RS-11 will be operating Tues- day through Friday on Mode KA and weekends on Mode A. There is currently no RS-1 0 operation.
The new Mode S test window will be announced. Mode S bea- con will run concurrent with Mode L but, for power budget reasons, will cause Mode J to be turned off during Mode S beacon opera- tions. On or about 19 September, the attitude will be changed to BLON = 2tQand BLAT = +5 to re- spond to seasonal sun angle changes.
government to deal with electromagnetic in- terference problems by setting EMI suscepti- bility standards.
Reciprocal Agreements
Scotland
Packet digipeating has come to Scotland. A packet radio digipeater (switch) became oper- ational in central Scotland on 27 August. It operates on 144.650. Address reception and verification reports to GM1VBE.
Guinea Biseau
Dave Heil J52US finally obtained 6 meter operating privileges in this tiny nation on the western tip of the African continent, located 1 2 degrees north of the equator. Dave (US: K8MN) works for the US State Department.
To get this truly rare locale on the air, sever- al members of the Midwest VHF/UHF Society are working toward finding a 50 MHz trans- ceiver to loan to Dave, and welcome any dona- tions. Equipment sought includes a Yaesu 620B transceiver, amplifier, and memory keyer. Contact the Midwest VHF/UHF Soci- ety. c/0 Terry NetzEey W8NJR, 1821 E. Troy Urbana Rd.t Troy OH 45373.
Canada
A new Radio Communications bill was brought to the table in the House of Commons by the Hon. Flora MacDonald, Minister of Communications. This is the first proposed major revision to Canadian communications law since 1936. If passed, it will permit the Canadian Government to stop the importation, manufacture, and sale of substandard radio equipment, and also permit the
SS HOMEBREW IV $$
73 Magazine again invites all home-brewers to turn their hot solder into cold cash, and to get their name in print to boot, All project have a chance to appear in the magazine, and we will handsomely reward the authors of the creme de la creme of these.
First prize is $300 plus a ten-year subscription to 73. Second prize is $150. Third prize is $75. This is in addition to the payment every author receives for publishing in 73.
Contest Rules
1 . Entnes must be received by 1 April 1989,
2. To enter, write an article describing your best home-brew construction project and submit ft to 73 If you've never written for 73. send an SASE for a copy of our Writer's Guide, or download them from CompuServe (Hamnet forum, Library §,, filename "73WBTTJ.
3. Here's the real challenge: The total cost of your project must cost under $73. even if all the parts were bought new. Be sure to include a detailed parts list with prices and sources.
4. Our technical staff will evaluate each project on the basis of originality, usefulness, reproducibility, economy of design, and clarity of presentation. The decision of the judges is final.
5. All projects must be original. That is, they must not be pub- lished elsewhere. There is no limit to the number of projects you may enter.
6. All purchased articles become the property of 73 Magazine.
7. Mail your entries to:
73 Magazine
WGE Center
70 Rle. 202 N
Peterborough, NH 03458-1 194
Attn: Home-Brew IV
The FCC announced that three more coun- tries— Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Hong Kong—signed reciprocal licensing agreements with the US,
Never Too Old
Murl Fox KB6YPF is one man who apparent- ly has never heard the adage about "teaching an old dog new tricks." Murl received his Technician class call only three months after celebrating his 97th birthday!
Hams at the Scene
Amateurs were among the first to arrive at the scene ot the August 31st crash of Delta Flight 1141. The aircraft, a Boeing 727,
crashed at takeoff. Immediately after the plane went down, both Dallas and Tarrant County RACES activated their "Mass Casual- ty Plan" mode, Under the Mass Casualty _ Plan, amateurs were dispatched to the crash scene and to alt area hospitals to provide tactical back- up communications. Virtually all the amateur radio communica- tions between the hospitals, where survivors were taken, were on the 220 MHz band.
Some of the key operators were Art Hunstable N5KSA who served as Net Control Station for Dallas RACES, Ken Winters N5AUX who was one of the first hams at the crash scene, and Jim Haynie WB5JBP who manned the City of Dallas Emergency Operations Center,
There were 94 survivors and 13 fatalities in the crash.
87-139
Extension
Hams have been granted an 90-day extension to the com* mentary cutoff date on PR Docket 88-139. This rule-making seeks to streamline the rules governing the Amateur Radio Service. The new cutoff date was changed to 29 November. This came about as a result of many hams1 concern about a part of the rewrite pro- posal which would give ihe Com-
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 9
QRX. .
mission sweeping authority to restrict a ham from operating if his station caused any RFL If passed as written, there would no longer be a system of checks and balances of FCC per- sonnel handling RFI complaints. They could simply order hams oft the air without appeal recourse
Dead Sputniks
Leonid Labutin of Moscow, a prime mover in the Soviet Radio Sputnik (RS) program,
reports that on 15 July, the first Western ama- teur visited the USSR RS command station RS3A in Moscow. Danny Kohn SM0NBJ of AMSAT-SM, visited UA3CR during his recent stay in Moscow Danny interviewed the chief operator there, Leo Makhakov RA3AT; made tape recordings, and took pictures.
Danny will likely make an extensive report on his visit to RS3A after reluming to Stock- holm. Perhaps the most interesting news he learned was that, according to the operators at RS3A, RS~5 and RS-7 are now definitely out of operation, RS3A gradually lost control over these iasl two active RS satellites of the RS-3 to RS-8 series. They are convinced that the batteries in RS-5 and RS-7 are dead and so expect no new activity from them. RS-3 through RS-8 were launched together on 17 December 1981.
Amateur Radar?
Nick Leggett N3NL continues his campaign
with the FCC to obtain permission for ama- teurs to experiment with radar, He has now asked the FCC to modify Part 97 of the rules so that all RACES radio stations and all com- mercially built amateur equipment be protect- ed from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). Leggett claims that, to date, only a few select- ed military systems are shielded from EM P. He claims communications equipment can be protected from EMP by conductive shielding and active bypass devices. He asks that Part 97.4 require that all amateur stations manu- factured or sold after 1 January 1990 be so protected.
Japan under the auspices of JARL branches and JARL-affiliated clubs.
88 and 73
Japanese T-Hunting
T-hunting is quickly gaining popularity in
Japan. Last year, the first National Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) Competition was held in November 1967, with amateurs from the People's Republic of China (CRSA) and the Republic of Korea (KARL) participat- ing, ARDFf whtch was introduced to Japan from Europe, is attracting the interest of many Japanese hams. ARDF events have already been held in various locations throughout
10 73 Amateur Radio • Dece m ber , 1 986
The numerals 68 and 73 have been a tradi- tion in communication languages for almost 130 years. The older of the two, 73, appeared
in 1853 meaning "My love to you," In 1857, the first official definition made it a "fraternal greeting between operators." Two years later, in 1859T Western Union made 73 a part of their iJ92 code" to indicate "Accept my compli- ments-1 ' The final change came in 1895, when 73 meant "Best Regards1' for the telegraph, and later for radio, operators.
88 never received the formality of an official listing until it was adopted as one of the ham abbreviations. It had been one of the telegra- pher operator's traditional terms since well before the turn of the century. During the First World War, 88 was used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, again strictly as an operator's abbreviation in unofficial communications. But at the close of the First World War. 88 achieved official status as part of amateur ra- dio terminology, "Love & Kisses/'
Not-So-Secret Service
Ever wanted to listen in on the men in shades during a presidential visit? It's eas- ier than you may think!
Most frequencies used by the Secret Ser- vice/presidential protection agents are in the UHF range, and most of the transmissions are unscrambled voice narrowband FM. It ap- pears that as many agents use plain English, as those who use code and ciphers. The secret service has also been known to use portable repeaters. Frequencies used in the past (either repeater output or simplex):
Air Force One/Two in the air—
171,235 MHz Air Force One/Two on the ground —
171.285 MHz Presidential Li mo— 164.885 MHz Secret Service agents— 165,375/
,685/. 785, 166,700. 167025.
169.625/.925. 171 .235/285 MHz
France
On 6 Meters
France has authorized its amateurs the use of the 50-51 MHz band on a permanent basis. The band will be available only to ama- teurs living more than 100 miles from a televi- sion transmitter. Three watts ERP at a dis- tance of 150 km from a channel 2 transmitter is permitted- extending to 10W at a dis-
tance of 200 km. For channels 3 and 4* the protection zone is the signal coverage area of the television station. CW, SSB, RTTY, and packet are authorized to fixed stations only.
Repeaters in China
Members of the Boeing (Seattle) Aircraft ARC were in China demonstrating FM, repeaters, and interlinking systems on the am- ateur 2 meter and 1 V* meter bands. According to Yaesu USA Vice President of Marketing C.R "Chip" Margelli K7JA, the Seattle ama- teurs took with them repeaters from I COM and Spectrum Communications, antennas from Larsen, and a number of Yaesu handhefds that are being used to demonstrate all aspects of VHF-FM operation. Including autopatching, They also took along packet radio gear from Advanced Electronic Applications, and vari- ous peripherals supplied by a long list of man- ufacturers.
The demonstration was a joint effort of the amateurs from Boeing working with the Ama- teur Radio Manufacturers and Publishers As- sociation.
Navy Testing
at Va Capes
If you live near the Virginia Capes or will
be on a boat near there, be sure to listen to the maritime notices about the Navy test- ing going on in that region. The Navy is simu- lating nuclear blasts to learn about its effect on radio equipment. Make sure your gear is well shielded!
NBC Hams
Hams who are current or former employees of the National Broadcasting Company can keep track of one another over the 20 meter NSC Retirees Net. Hosted by Tony Rokosz W5RFOT the net meets daily at 1 0 AM Eastern time on 14.242 MHz. Rokosz, a former NBC Maintenance Supervisor, runs the conclave from his home in Rio Rancho Estates, just north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information on the net, write Tony at: 1523 Sara Rd~. Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124, or caJI him at (505) 892-8308.
A Hearty Thanks
to the cast of thousands who helped supply this month's QRX items. Among them are: Westimk, ASR. FSAARC Newsletter. TSRAC e-fV-7, QRZ Newsletter. CAREN's World, 3irmingHamt JARL News, WertdRa- dio, Great Faffs AARC Newsletter. Mike & Key, NABET News, CARF. W70IO. and GB2RS.
73 Review
by Jennifer Roe WA 60HX
Number 3 on your Feedback card
The TE-144 Deluxe CMOS Keyer
TRAC down this good value keyer.
TRAC Electronics, Inc,
PO Box 7685
Charlottesville VA 22906
PH: {804)973-3669
Price CJass: $76
The TE-144 is a deluxe CMOS electronic keyer from TRAC Electronics, Inc. There are six different models of keyers that TRAC manufactures, of which the TE-144 is the mid- dle-oRhe-line. It offers dot and dash memory, sidetone, a tune function, and speed (5-50 WPM) and weight controls.
Dot and dash memory only remembers that a dot/dash is sent in a specific order and out- puts if in the proper order, (if the operator gets ahead of the output), This memory assures accurate output, but can't be recalled or pro- grammed. The sidetone feature includes a
"The sidetone has tone and volume control. ff
tone and volume control. Sidetone capability permits the keyer to be used as a practice code oscillator. If sidetone is not required, TRAC suggests turning the volume to mint- mum to prolong battery life. The weight con* trol allows you to add a distinction, or thick- ness, to the dot and dash for different operating conditions.
The input and output are Va " jacks. In the TE-144, the tip of the plug \s common, a somewhat unusual configuration. The sche- matic and instructions do not specify which connector is for the dot and dash, which re-
quires a little detective work.
To tune, put the semwu> TOfAUTO switch (positioned in the back of the box), in the semi-auto position. This is somewhat awkward if the back side of the box is not easily accessible in the shack. The only other adjustment on the back is the fos/neg (grid block) switch. Unless there are other changes in the shack, it only needs to be adjusted at installation.
Circuit Workings
The CMOS circuitry allows the TE-144 to draw low current from the battery, thus elimi- nating the need for an on/off switch. A single 9 vott battery will last one year under normal operation.
The circuit is described as follows: A clock oscillator establishes the basic speed of the dots or dashes selected by the paddle-con- trolling IC. A clock division in another IC es- tablishes precision timing control of the dots' mtra-character spacing and the dashes. A third IC with its weight control, allows some "stretching" of the dots and dashes as de- sired by the operator. This weight-modified code gates on the audio oscillator, whose tone (frequency) is operator-variable with the tone control. This audio version of the code is
brought to a suitable output level by a tran- sistor amplifier using volume to control the level. A fourth IC, in addition to gating on the audio oscillator (sidetone), controls the tran- sistor switch MPSA92 and MPSA42, which provides contact-to-ground output for one SW (pos/neg grid block switch) position and a posi- tive output voltage for the other SW position (for the requirements of the transmitter to be operated).
All the chips are on sockets and solid wire is used for all interconnects. The unit is housed in a heavy aluminum box with "feet" on the bottom to prevent marring. (I recommend scraping some paint away from where the cas- es connect (at the screws) to improve the bonding.) The integrated circuits (ICs) are easily available at most electronics stores.
With the TRAC TE-1 44 connected between my Bencher Paddle and IC-430S, the keyer functions well and reliably. The TRAC TE-144 is competitively priced and is a good looking, good operating piece of equipment.
Photo A, internal view of the TRAC TE-144,
Photo fr The hack panel showing the positions of the switches.
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1938 11
Number 4 on your Feedback card
CIVIL AIR PATROL
Best kept secret in the world.
by Phil Nowak KA9KAF
What kind of radio operator's li- cense can you obtain without having to wade through either code or theory? CB is such a license— but it lets you operate only on a few channels, and with very limited power. Yet there is a license that allows considerably more scope—one hundred and fifty watts on 26,620 MHz, opera- tion on HF and VHF subspeetra, and oper- ation in a number of modes, including voice and RTTY, Much ham gear nowadays is easily convertible to fre- quencies in this Service, Licensing starts at fourteen years old. If you're lucky , you might even get a couple of weeks of an all-expense- paid vacation in a foreign land.
No, I'm not suffering from code-induced delusions. This service actually exists, and quite naturally, thrives. It is the Civil Air PatroL the US Air Force Auxiliary. CAP has over seventy thousand members, many of them cadets under the age of eigh- teen. Senior members are generally twenty- one and older.
The Waukcgan Civil Air Patrol squadron is an outstanding example of what can be done to interest young people in amateur radio. Based at the local airport, the Waukegan squadron boasts its own communications building equipped with a complete radio room, A CAP group consists of several squadrons. Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Bromstead WB9MTC is the communications officer for both the squadron and Group Twenty -Two. Col. Bromstead, a CAP mem- ber since 1952, was chosen CAP Communi- cator of the Year for 1986, He has been the * 'Elmer* for dozens of young people in his area and conducts ham classes in his home. Over thirty people have become amateurs as a result of these classes.
CAP Hams
Ted Mathis N9HJN is a sixteen year old ham. *I was interested in radio as a small
12 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
Photo A. One of the many activities of CAP. Mitch Mali f 'Red Fox 271 ' * copying traffic.
boy. After I joined CAP* Col. Bromstead encouraged my interest in communications/ Ted is the only licensed amateur in a high school of 5000 students. When he carries his handie talkie to school, other kids think it's some kind of CB. He notes that "Most school kids have never heard of ham radio/ Ted, who has recently upgraded to Technician , remembers what launched him into this fasci- nating hobby; "I wouldn't be in ham radio had it not been for CAP/"
"CAP has
over seventy thousand
members/9
Mitch Hall age fifteen, who holds the CAP call "Red Fox 271," also recently entered the ham ranks as a Novice licensee. He concurs with Ted: **I wouldn't have even thought of a ham license without CAP/ Mitch has also had a wonderful time with CAP, and really appreciates the hands-on practice. Asked if there was a ham club in his school, he answered with depressing pre- dictibility: "No, and most of the kids have
never heard of ama- teur radio/*
Best Way to Go
Why is amateur ra- dio activity in schools on the wane? For one, it's very hard to get teachers to run ham clubs. Len WB9MTC feels that the main reason, however, is thai ham clubs don't offer enough initial excite- ment for young peo- ple. In a CAP pro- gram, cadets often ride on Air Force air- craft, such as the C- 130 Hercules. They take camping and hiking trips. Cadets visit Air Force bases (Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, and Strategic Air Command at Offut AFB, for cadets from the Chicago area) , CAP has three primary purposes: aerospace education, emergency services, and the cadet program. Cadets participate in all three.
'Young people are introduced to radio- communications, in the midst of all the excitement, and so they develop a good asso- ciation with it/' continues Len, "This helps them appreciate amateur radio that much more when they start getting involved with
It.
Cadets are encouraged to study aerospace. They lake periodic exams and are rewarded for good marks by promotion to higher rank. A cadet can progress all the way to cadet colonel.
The US Air Force sponsors several CAP search and rescue missions each year, Group Twenty -Two cadets are capable of handling mosl of the communications workload of a mission, both in the radio shack and out on the flight line. They talk to pilots, flying observers, and ground personnel. Pretty ex- citing stuff, especially on an actual mission.
Plenty of Incentive
A very nice feature of CAP is the interna- tional air cadet exchange program. Every summer, a few lucky cadets, along with se- nior member chaperons, spend two weeks visiting foreign countries— at government
expense . The cadets chosen to go are the ones who are very active in their units.
Aviation is a big drawing card. Angela Greanias "Red Fox 311/' a fifteen year old female cadet* joined CAP to enter a flight training program at reduced cost. She stresses, "CAP doesn't have to lead to a military career. I personally have no desire to join the military, but that doesn't keep me from having a lot of fun with CAP." Angela is the Cadet Personnel Officer for the squadron. Angela's made many new friends in CAP, and she feels it's developed her lead- ership abilities. Angela operates a Regency VHF crystal-controlled radio for her CAP communications . She's now studying for her ham ticket to broaden her communications horizon.
RDF Activities
What bearing does CAP have on foxhunt- ing? Plenty! There are many simulated downed aircraft searches. In the Waukegon group, CoL Bromstead conducts ELT (Emergency Locator Transponder) search exercises* An ELT is an automatic on-board transmitter used to locate downed aircraft. A radio operator at a base station directs cadets in a car to a target location, A senior member drives the car and follows the direc- tions of the lead cadet. When they reach the target, they identify it. The next cadet in the car gets to be the lead cadet, and they search for another target. Everyone gets a turn.
". , .most of the
kids have never heard of
amateur radio/'
Cadets also participate in actual ELT searches. A ground team goes into action looking for the target. Ninety -seven percent of the time it is a false alarm— bur thev often save lives in the remaining 3 percent of true alarms.
Opportunity and Fun with a Structure
Cadet squadrons meet once a week. This provides an ongoing structure for both cadet and senior members. When someone Like CoL Bromstead takes an active role in re- cruiting, motivating, and training young communicators, it is inevitable that the ham community benefits.
Kids aren't the only ones becoming hams, either. Carol Szarfinski KA9PRE is a captain in CAP. She is a senior member and a gradu- ate of CoL Bromstead 's ham class. She told me, bM heard about the week long CAP communications school held annually by the Great Lakes Region. I joined CAP to go to that school.* Her husband. Mike KA9ATL, and her father WBNSW, are pleased at the new hams, Now, as Red Fox 277, she conducts the Tuesday night CAP northern Illinois VHF net She can now keep
Photo B. Several coders getting the low-down on a Canadair Challenger from the co-pilot , Charlie Tenmtedt.
in touch via ham radio with her rather. Milo W0NSW, in Kansas.
Indeed, CAP and amateur radio activities often support each other, For example, the Waukegan squadron runs an annual hamfest, "It has been profitable every year we have held it. The proceeds go to fund squadron activi- ties thoughout the year. ' '
CAP Lingo
While there is a lot of em- phasis on hands-on training, formal communications procedures are also taught. The student learns the use of prowords. These are words with specific meanings that communicators recognize, such as "Over," "Roger,41 and "Out. " The CAP radio operator takes an exam on communications and opera* Ltonal procedures at the end of the class. If he passes, he receives a Radio Operators Permit. This allows him to talk on any CAP radio with all the privileges mentioned earlier.
Just the Beginning
The CiviJ Air Patrol offers many ex- citing activities for teenagers and adults
alike. Communications is an integral part of the entire process. While it is much easier to gel an ROP card than it is to get a ham license, there are just a few frequencies that you can use, Your audience is also quite Limited, Rag -chewing is not encour- aged, since these are military frequencies* Once CAP radio operators gain some ex- perience using the radio, they often want
Photo C. Cot. Bromstead, flanked by Angela and Veronica, holding his "Communicator of the Year "trophy.
to talk to more people on more fre- quencies.
Get Involved!
Sound appealing? Look up CAP in your
telephone directory. Can't find it there? Send a postcard to HQ CAP-USAF/PA. Maxwell AFB. AL 36112-5572; ATTN: Tsgt. Scon and ask them to put you in contact with the unit nearest you. Too impatient to wait for the mail? Cal! 205-293-5463 and ask the same question. Tell them you read about it in 73 magazine. Break and end. This is Red Fox 197. out.
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 13
Number S Oft your Feedback card
RS-232 Port For The C-64
Allows easy file transfer to and from the C-64.
There were many text files on my old C-64 computer I really wanted to trans- fer to my Amiga. Unfortunately, this wasn't easy to do. I transferred the first files by uploading them to a local BBS, and then downloading them with my Amiga- This works, but it is time consuming, and requires two modems* one each for the C-64 and the other computer.
For the Amiga, it is more convenient to use a program that allows the computer to read C-64 files. However, the disadvantage is that to use the program, you must have a 5 W " disk drive attached to your Amiga, not a popular drive for the Amiga.
A third possibility, and the one 1 prefer, is to use a null modem. For most computers, this is simply an RS-232 cable running from one computer to the other via ihc serial ports. This will not work for the unmodified C-64 because it has no RS-232 serial pons. With a little work and time, however* you can build an RS-232 port for the C-64. But first, you need to know a little about how the RS-232 works.
A Little RS-232 History Several years ago, an industrial committee
5V0C (Z)
ICVF
6
5V0C TO -5VDC CONVERTER
ICI 7660
5 -3V0C '
~jr f°*
PA2* CM)
IC2 148B
9VAC (10-11)
PB?
(U
1N400I
-w—
14
PB2*
m
FLAG Z
ft?
IOOjiF
by Ralph Neal
agreed to a standard interface for serial trans- missions. They agreed that -3 to -25 volts would represent a logic of 1 ? and +3 to +25 volts would represent a logic of 0. While the C-64 is quite capable of sending and receiv- ing serial transmissions, it does not do so at these voltage levels. The C-64 uses a TTL standard in which I is defined as a voltage between +2.4 to +5 volts, and 0 as a voltage between ground to about 0.8 volts. There are several ways to to make the TTL standard compatible with the RS-232, They range from discrete circuits composed of transis- tors, optical isolators, and the like, to ICs designed just for that purpose. In this article I chose the latter, using the MC1488 line driv- er and the MC 1489 line receiver.
The Circuit
See Figure I . This is a relatively simple arrangement, requiring only three ICs for its operation. However, the voltages needed to power the MCI 488 line driver range from + 15 volts DC to +7 volts DC on the positive side, and from - 15 volts DC to -2.5 volts DC on the negative side. In fact, there are no usable voltages for the MCI488 line driver, plus or minus.
It was not hard to generate the required voltages. I obtained the negative power with a special purpose IC the 7660 voltage inverter. Using two lOpF capac- itors, this TC takes +5 volts DC and converts them to —5 volts DC. ■^^^ L"n The positive voltage
*** was even simpler to ob-
tain. While the user I/O has nothing greater than 5 volts DC, it does have a 9 volt AC source. With a diode
TXD
470 pF
ffr
3,6,7
DSR/ DTR
470 pF
m
|
RS-23 2 |
RS-233 |
||
|
T*0 flxD SIGNAL BM0 |
RED TM0 SIGNAL GN0 |
||
|
COMPUTER U 1 |
COMPUTER I2> |
Figure 2. RS~232 cabling wiring.
and small filtering capacitor, I was able to half-wave rectify the 9 volts AC and obtain about 12 volts DC well within the 7-15 volts needed.
When building this circuit, you will notice that only seven of the 14 pins are used on the MC1488 and five on the MC1489 ICs. Often it's a bad idea to leave your inputs dangling, as in TTL and CMOS logic, but in this case it does not seem to hurt. I have used this circuit several times now. with good data transfer each time-
Now refer to Figure 2. To use the RS-232 interface as a null modem, connect the TXD (transmit) pin to the RXD (receive) pin and the RXD pin to the TXD pin. You may need a third line, marked DSR/DTR (Data Set Ready /Data Terminal Ready), to inform the other computer that the C-64 is alive and ready. The fourth line from the RS-232 inter- face is attached to the signal ground from the other computer's RS-232 interface. Once the null modem cable is configured correctly, you will need to load terminal programs into both computers. Then you should be able to communicate from one computer to the oth- er, as you would in communicating with a BBS.
In closing, I would like to point out that this circuit has other possible uses besides that of a null modem. It should be possible to con- nect RS-232 modems and printers to the C-64 using this interface. Perhaps someone read- ing this will be inspired to do so. Happy building!
PBOh*. CO
PB3* (F)
H*
+5VDC
IC3
1489
RXO
+ 5VDC *
I5K
j
470pF
GND (l,2,A,N)
C-64 USER I/O PORT PINS SHOWN IN PARENTHESES
GND
Figure /. C-64 RS-232 port interface schematic.
14 73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1968
|
User I/O Port |
t |
||
|
Pin |
Type |
Pin |
Type |
|
1 1 |
GND |
A |
GND |
|
2 |
+ 5V |
B |
FLAG2 |
|
3 |
RESET |
C |
PB0 |
|
4 |
CNT1 |
D |
PB1 |
|
5 |
SP1 |
E |
PB2 |
|
6 |
CNT2 |
F |
PBS |
|
7 |
SP2 |
H |
PB4 |
|
8 |
PC2 |
J |
PBS |
|
9 |
SER.ATNIN |
K |
PB6 |
|
10 |
9 VAC |
L |
PB7 |
|
11 |
9 VAC |
Wl |
PA2 |
|
12 |
GND |
N |
GND |
GET YOUR BEARINGS STRAIGHT
'
mi lasf ! A map dedicated to the radio amateur. Announcing the Azimuth* Equidistant wall map from /mthe Great Grde Map Co.
An azimuth map provides information about heading and range to any place on Earth. No longer will you have to guess at which way to aim your beam antenna for that rare DX.
Each map is specially drawn with your station at the exact center. The rest of the world is spread out around you. To use the map, simply find the target station and read the compass heading from the border of the map. To find Lhe range, count the number of rings from I he center, Each ring js spaced I 000 miles apart. Votia! You now know the true heading and range to the target station.
The maps are custom drawn with computer accuracy for your location and are personalized with your station's call sign at the lower right. Each map measures 35" x23". is brightly colored, and is printed on high quality poster stock making it suitable for framing.
To order, send S39 check or money order and your station's call sign and location (if you Jive in a large city, state which side oNown Jto: /r /f~ ifrt **-
P.O. Box 69 1 40 1 • San Antonio, TX 78269
DEALER
iriOUiKilvS ir+vili D
CIRCLE 346 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Printer Productivity
reman u f act u res your toner cartridges We disassemble, manual- ly clean and inspect the cartridge then fill with premium quality toner. Printer Pro- ductivity is backed by
SAVE MONEY
Why throw away your toner cartridges?
SAVE A BUNDLE
WITH US
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A SPECIAL HAM
over 20 years experi- ence in the laser printing industry. We offer free shipping via UPS far prepaid orders
ARE YOU READY TO START SAVING MONEY?
1 . Place cartridge AND green cleaning wand In as much original packaging as possible.
2. Clip this coupon and include wilh order to receive $1 0 off prices below
Series I or II $79
All Canon PC copiers $59
Brown or dark blue $149
3- Snip to |^jTER PRODUCTIVITY
316 Creek Bend Drive Woodstock, Ga, 30188 (404)923-1587
-Laser Printers 30-50% more copies lhan a new car- tridge
-Canon PC copiers: 100% more copies than a new car- tridge
-Cartridge can be remanuf achjfed 5-8 times
-Higher quality prints
-Colors: Black, Ultra Black, Brown, Blue
- New carl ridge — 5 c per copy, Rem an uIgcIu red cartridge —less lhan 2c per copy
-1 00% unconditional guarantee
Printer
PRODUCTIVITY
CALL SIGN CUPS & MUGS
Put your amateur radio callsign on our dis- tinctive ceramic 10 oz. coffee or 15 oz. beer mug, with the ARRL logo on the flip side.
Let people know you Ve proud to be a mem- ber of this lime-honored fraternity!
Get one for the shack and one for your workplace. Cup or mug pairs can have the same or different callsigns.
^ — — ^^^m
1 0 oz. mug $5.95 2 for $1 0.95 15 oz. mug $7.95 2 for $14.95
{Sbpg Ahandtg $1 50 per mug or mug pair)
SEND YOUR ORDER TODAY
Orders received by Dec \Q are guaranteed delivery for Christmas Regular delivery 4 weeks .
CALL SIGN CUPS
P.O.Box 17062 Raleigh, NC 17619
NC res. add 5% sales lax Attention clubs* Write tor special <ates win your club kigo
CIRCLE 87 ON READER SERVICE CARD
gms 403
^
FOUNTAIN at YOUTH tor NiCad BATTERIES
Automatically erases memory and rapidly charges NiCad batteries up to 15 Volts. Allows batteries a long life with maximum capacity. Helps restore a tired battery. Full 2 year warranty. Cost effective, saves money. Ponce de Leon never had it so good.
uctt Unlimited, Inc.
5 Somerset Dr.. Coaiesville. PA 19320 (215)383^6395
New Scanner byAOR
100 Channels 800 MHz
■v v
a
>
. v>.
.**>
^
O'
" V
<3f
Of <£
<y
i-Sji
U.
• Includes uuenna.
rechargeable battery. c harger ■ adaptor & bell clip, Full range of optional accessories available
• Cover* 27 54 MHz, 108 17-1 MHt 406 -5 12 MH& and 3GO-950 MHj
AH9Q0 * 5 Scan Banks and 5 Seaicfc Banks
Tau. tvu* t mgAi hfpud * 25 Day Sa nriacncn Guarantee. !&«**■ S***p*jC**»*i M Refund if i^ Satiifiml
§^Jl\Cj-O0 * nto Frequencies cut out
£g J/ J/ * Size 2 M $¥*' * IW wt 12 ckl
COMMUNICATIONS 10707 E. 106th St. IndpU. IN 46256
Toll Free 800-445-7217
Visa and MasterCard (COD slightly higher)
In Indiana 3 17-849-2570 Collect FAX {317} 649 8794
CIRCLE 355 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988 15
INTRODUCING THENEW10-Hz-1.4GHz
<DATASCAI>J> FREQUENCY COUNTER
from B & B INSTRUMENTS
MADE IN THE U.S.A.
COVERS ALL BANDS 160-2 METER 150-220-450 850-1296 MHz
THE ULTIMATE IN QUALITY - ACCURACY - SENSITIVITY - RELIABILITY
will meet all your frequency measuring needs from mobile,
marine, bilitopping and on the bench.
* Delivers years of reliable service, constructed of a rugged all-metal case with 8 digit display.
* Adaptable for any Job, operates on 8 AAdry cells*, li-18 V DC, 110 V AC adapter or with optional nicad pack.
* You can use it to check disc drives* VTR's, TV's, HT*s or tune your HF rig to meet a special QSO.
* The C 1400 also comes with a built-in IS dB preamp for increased sensitivity. You can even add an optional sniffer probe for finding local OSC and multipliers.
|
w-:--f |
fVc* |
Urn/trwttw J~ |
type 5lEB |
10 Hz AfHUMP |
incMti |
Heq |
|||||
|
150 UKr |
t40MHi |
M»i |
|||||||||
|
C900 |
139.95 |
] PPM TCKO |
»w |
35 MV |
\ |
■'■'■■+.-■ 4 in LED |
lOHr 5MH; |
u 5J2M-HJ |
6NC 50ft Pre 1 M'V IJ 1 |
1 1 7 VAC li-iavDC 8 AA Dry CflilDitl |
AflMCUl Pf i bhlPlUKl |
|
C1200 |
169.95 |
I PPM TCXO IW-40-C) |
1&MV |
25 MV |
3SMV |
BDtgit Win LED |
10 Hi in SMMl- |
:",MH,' to 1000MH# |
2BMC 500 Pra |
All (WK-Ifll Case |
|
|
C1400 |
199.95 |
5MV |
15 MV |
20 MV <50MV f X' M>tf |
B Dtg"! Witt TSlflncn* LED |
to 5MHf |
5MHj to 1400MH,- |
NtOdn |
ALL UNITS ARE COVERED BY OUR 5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
ALL MODELS INCLUDE: AC Adapter plus Antenna
ACCESSORIES
BAC-S 8 AA Nicad Pack $19.95 SPECIAL $10 WITH ORDER
Sp-2 Sniffer Probe (HI Z) $19.95 AM 12oo X10-X 100 Audio Multiplier . . . . , $49.95
ORDER TODAY
(619) 579-2258 or send check or money order to: your frequency
TERMS: Shipping, handling and insurance please add 5% (52.00 minimum) to a max- imum of $10.00 each order. CA res. please add6 sales tax.
'Battene-5 nol included *Micad not available with model C900.
manufactured by
B&B INSTRUMENTS
408 La Crest a Hgts Road El C*Jon, CA 92021
P-7V
DTMF/steel keys!
sealed gold contacts!
• COtOR: Alt Keyboards come in SLACK
OPTIONAL: Specify DARK BROWN • Comacti
are; WATER PROOF/DUST PROOF * C&mptelely
self contained - NO RFI • Simple 3-wlre connection •
Output lejvist ad|. * Wide operating range 4 to 16 VOC *
Wide temperature range ■22'-' to * 16Q°F • Supplied wl|h
instructions, schematic, template & hardware
J-0 20
1.50"
P-7V 12KEY VERT. $53' P-7H 12 KEY HORIZ, $53' P8V IB KEY VERT. iST1
CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG
'Request quantify prtctng
Mail Order
^ipocCommunications
Emphasis is on Quality & Reliability
P.O Box 2020
Poifock Pmes, California 95726
916-644-5444
FAX-916-644-PIPO
CIRCLE 66 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CITY
iCommuruc*lior\» for the Future
• Dan "KBOXC" * Dave "WBGSNM"
- Defiise "YL" - Maline "XYL"
* Dan E "SO0NP ■ Louis 'KAOIPN'
YAESU
, EQUIPMENT
(till Duple*
-.cX<°
2&
£&4
1579.95 Call
899 95 Call 44 95 Call "29.95 Call 95 Call
95 Call
15 Cafi
1 CaJi-
Call
Ant-ti
2M/76*
430/707
440/767
FRG-8800 iSrVSOMH
FRV89D0 118-1 74 MHZC
FRA7700 ACTVANT
FRT-7700 ANT-T' » FRG-9600 &
VU-9600 NT
SP-55 Remote
HAN FT23R
FT23R/TT - J FT33R2r FT-33F FT-73R FT-73F
FTT4
FTS1
NC29
FNB10
FNB11
FBA10 1 FT109RH FT 209 RH FT709RH FT727Dua
FNB-4A/ NCI
J 95 Call
9 95 Cafl
9 f« CaU
49 95 Call
559 95 Cafl
129 95 Call
59.95 Call
64.95 Call
699.95 Call
25.00 Cafl
[4.95 Call
19.95 Call
14.95 Call
^,95 Call
L95 Cat!
j waii
iCaJI
FT-G90R/N FT-790 R/l* - FT-4700RII FT-211RH2m FT-31 1 RM 220 MF FT-71 1 RH 440 MHZ
j Call
5 Call
:95 Call
.2.95 Call
399 95 Call
389 95 Call
389.95 Call
439 95 Call
4995 Call
64 95 Call
69 95 Call
39 95 Can
49.95 Calf
>99.95 Call 69 .95 Call '99 95 Call TBA Call "B9 95 Catl 29 95 Cafl /' **5 Call
ALINCO &Z
ALR-22T 2m ALR-22 HI 2m ALR-72KT400MHZ ALD-24T Dual Band AL8-2T 2m /
ELH230G 2IVTrRAfncj
ELH230D2MTRAn7J ELH260D2MTR5tfi
*****
Q/ftt
1-800-426-2891 metro 612-754-1200
HOURS M-F 10-3 Sat 10-5
Prices subject to change and availability. 12561 Central Ave. N E . Btarne. MN 55434
16 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1938
332 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Feed b a ck
In our continuing effort to present the best in
amateur radio features and columns, we've decid- ed to go directly to the source— you. the reader, Articles and columns are assigned feedback num- bers, which appear on each article/column and are also listed below. These numbers correspond to those on the feedback card opposite this page. On the card, please check the box which honestly rep- resents your opinion of each article or column.
Do we really read the feedback cards? You bet! The results are tabulated each month, and the edi- tors take a good, hard look at what you do and don't like. To show our appreciation, we'll draw one feed- back card each month and award the lucky winner a free one-year subscription (or extension) to 73.
To save some money on stamps, why not fill out the Product Report card and the Feedback card and put them in an envelope. Toss in a damning or praising letter to the editor while you're at it. You can also enter your QSL in our QSL of the Month contest. All for the low, low price of 25 cents?
Feedback* Title
1 Never Say Die 2QRX
3 Review: TE*144 Deluxe CMOS Keyer
4 Civil Air Patrol
5 RS-232 Port for the C-64
6 Review: Home-Brew Fun!
7 Don't Lose Your Memory!
8 Packet Tuning Indicator
9 Midland 13-509 Modifications
10 Decatur Ham Launches Satellites
11 Charging Wilhout Over-Charging
12 New Products
13 Review: Communications Concepts
14 Review: Carolina Wi adorn Antenna
15 Homing In
16 Index: 12/36
17 ATV
Feedbacks Title
18 Buyer's Guide
19 Aerial View
20 Hamsats
21 Letters
22 Review: Full Duplex in a Hand-held
23 QRP
24 Ask Kaboom
25 Above and Beyond
26 DX
27 Review: B & W PT-2500A HF Linear Amp
28 Special Events
29 QTH DX
3CI Barter 'np Buy
31 Yearly Index
32 Tech Tips
33 Ad Index
34 Dealer Directory
35 Looking West
36 73 International
37 RTTY Loop
38 Propagation
FELLOW RADIO AM A TEURS,
You've discovered the greatest hobby in the world. And 73 Amateur Radio captures the excitement of amateur radio like no other ham magazine in print today. WUh 73 , you'll have fan discovering the thrills of this great hobby. And while you* re ai it, you'll also I earn more about ham radio,
Don 't take the risk of missing oul on all 73 has lo offer. You can have your issue of 73 delivered lo your home every month for just $19,97 (12 issues)— that *s 43% off the cover price f
And with every paid subscription we'll send you a FREE GIFT: a great looking 73 baseball cap.
A home delivered copy of 73 means you II never miss out on these tremendously popular monthly columns: •Cons! ruction projects: The most homebrew projects anywhere. ■ Product reviews: Belly-to-belly matchups of new gear. •Aerial View: Everything you'll ever want to know about antennas. •QRP; For low power aficionados. •WEATHERS ATS: Get the latest fax on the weather, •Never Say Die: And you bet I won*!.
•73 International: 73 Amateur Radio is the only ham magazine VI ith monthly news from every corner of the world,
r.
pi Y^T"! HI l want to receive my copy of 73 Amateur Radio at home L— I uj| every month. Please start my subscription immediately: I year (1 2 issues > for $19,91 and a FREE 73 BASEBALL CAP!*
Name, ,
Address
City
State
Zip
SUBSCRIBE TODAY.
And remember— with every paid subscription order, you'll receive a FREE 73 BASEBALL CAP. and SAVE 43% OFF THE COVER PRICE!
i" Bill Me Account # , DMC Signature
D Check Enclosed
D Charge my credit card
DVisa
n Amex
i i
1 Signature .
Offer v*lkJ fur j limited lime only . Canwlun una foreign Hirfaee order* 127 per >«r « 1 2 ivttftt) U.S. finds. Please allow 4-6 week* tot deh*er> of fir vi ivwe- 'Free gift* are sera lo pud uttatnberv only Mail Coupon lo: 73 Amateur Radio. P.O. ftn 931 , Karmmjtdak. NV 11737-9*31
Exp. Date
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 17
Affordable High Resolution FAX
The Info-Tech M-800 is the inexpensive way to receive high reso- lution facsimile prints on your compatible plain-paper dot matrix printer. No computer required. Receive shortwave and satellite
maps, weather information, marine charts and press photos. Line or gray mode, alt speeds and lOCs. Write for a free spec sheet, list of compatible printers and a free pamphlet titled: Receiving Facsimile on Your Shortwave Radio,
Rcg.S3.i9.OG OB Sale$50Om
Only $299.00
J^
Books on Facsimile
Guide to Facsimile Stations 8 th Ed. by J. Klin gertf uss S 1 5 . 95
Shortwave Facsimile Frea, Guide by Balncger& Schtay 514.95
Worldwide Marine Radio Facsimile Guide by L3SN S 1 4.95
Guide to Ut ifily Stations by J . KJ ingen f u ss (Km- cw- fax) $24.95
i r— -, . , — , r-"— — i ■ i i i 1 . . ....._..,..,,,, ...... .,. ... . . , . , r^-i
c-:
■m
Mi
Universal Radio
1280 Aida Dr. DepL 73 Reynoidsburg, OH 43068 Toll Free: 800 431-3939 In Ohio: 614 866-4267
Shipping: M-tiM tHM, books $1.00 each, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and checks accepted. New 7fl page S WL cata- log sent with each order or $1,00 without order.
wmmmm
An ETCHED circuit board from a Printed PAGE in just 3 hours
The ER-4 PHOTO ETCH KIT gives you ihe tools, materials and chemicals to make your own printed circuit boards The patented Pos~NeQw process copies artwork from magazines like this one without damaging the page Use the circuit patterns, tapes and drafting film to make your own 1X artwork Or try the Direct Etch1* system (also included), to make single circuit boards without artwork The ER+4 is stocked by many electronic parts distributors, or order direct, postpaid
ER-4 PHOTO ETCH KIT iNJ and CA residents add sales tax) . $38 00
DATAK S COMPLETE CATALOG lists hundreds of printed circuit products and ar! patterns. Also conta ms dry transfer letter sheets and electronic title sets for professional looking control panels WRITE FOR IT NOW!
DATAK Corp. -3117 Paterson Plank Rd- • N. Bergen, NJ 07047
CIRCLE 352 ON READER SERVICE CARD
here is the next generation Repeater
MARK 4CR
The only repeaters and controllers with REAL SPEECH!
No other repeaters or controllers match Mark 4 in capability and features. That's why Mark 4 is the performance leader at amateur and commercial repeater sites around the world. Only Mark 4 gives you Message Master tm real speech • voice readout of received signal strength, deviation, and frequency error • 4- channel receiver voting • clock time announcements and function control • 7- helical filter receiver • extensive phone patch functions. Unlike others, Mark 4 even includes power supply and a handsome cabinet.
Create messages just by talking. Speak any phrases or words in any languages or dialect and your own voice is stored instantly in solid-state memory. Perfect for emergency warnings, club news bulletins, and DX alerts. Create unique ID and tail messages, and the ultimate in a real speech user mailbox — only with a Mark 4.
■■••Ofcttl
Call or write for specifications on the
repeater, controller, and receiver winners.
TELEX: #4932256 KENDECOM FAX: #5083737304
MICRO CONTROL SPECIALTIES
Division of Kendecom Inc.
23 Elm Park. Groveiand, MA 01834 (508) 372-3442
■£> ! * *
2 meters 220 440
IS 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
CIRCLE 295 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Number 6 on your Feedback card
73 Review
by Allen Short WA9FPV
Home-Brew Fun!
Bel-Tek's CMOS key er kit.
Bei-Tek
PO Box 125 BeloitWI 53511
Price Class; $10 Add-on memory: $15
i 1 1 1 r
TT
*
* •
a off
Ittttftt
*
J
Photo A. The board and parts before as- sembly.
Are you a new Novice in need of your first keyer? Or perhaps an experienced Extra looking for a bargain in ham radio? I spotted an ad for (he Bei-Tek CMOS keyer kit that described a unit that seemed to fit both bills, in the November 1987 issue of 73 Magazine. It mentioned neat features such as a triggered clock to eliminate start delay, circuitry that automatically inserts a dot or a dash between tones, acceptance of any power voltage be- tween five and 1.2 volts DC. accidental polarity reversal protection, operation between five and 50 WPM, adjustable 800 Hz sidetone vol- ume, and compatibility with grid block, cathode keyed, and solid-state transmitters,
All this sounded pretty tempting. The low cost of the kit— $9.95— finally convinced me to give it a go.
First Look
The printed circuit board for the keyer was small (2.5* x 3 5'), and it could be placed into many low band transceivers, but I wanted to us© it with several different rigs.
When I started the CMOS keyer, I wanted to see if the cost of the project could be kept tow while still providing a nice piece of equipment when finished. As I looked through the well stocked junk box, I found the following parts: a speaker, a battery clip, a battery power lead, a switch, all of the hardware, the decaf kit. and
the paint, I had some extra boxes, but they weren't the right size for the project So one night after work, I stopped at Radio Shack and bought the box shown in Photo C. It has a Radio Shack part number of 270-238, and it just fits the project.
Bei-Tek did a nice job on the kit for Ihe money. They provided the board and the parts, with a set of instructions on building the board. To solder the board, I used a small iron to make the connections, but I didn't put in the CMOS chips until all soider connections were made. After building the board. I had a trial run to see if it worked. I have an old HW-16 CW transceiver that I used for ihe test. The keyer worked Just fine. The only problem was thai, when powering up the keyer, it would only send a single dash. I didn't find this to be a problem since I have heard other keyers do this same thing- Final Touches
After the test run. I did get into another problem of my own doing. Some of my friends know me as a very conservative fe*lowh or just plain cheap. What happened is that I tried to use an old nine volt battery, and it wouldn't work. So I went out and bought a new nine volt battery just like the instructions sheet said to do.
Once aJI of Ihis was brought under control, it was time to begin the final assembly. The box was made of soft aluminum* so I used my old drill press to do all of the drilling. I had a can of
Photo C. The front of the finished pr<
Photo &. Getting ready for the test run of the keyer,
spray paint from K-Mart that had a Fanspray valve on it, to give a very nice finished paint job at a low cost. After the paint had set up. 1 baked the box in the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees. This gave a nice baked paint job on the box. The decals were cut out and placed on the box to complete the finishing touches.
On the back of the box, I have two terminal strips, one for the transceiver, and the other for the key. The small jack is for external pow- er for the power supply used as long as it is five to 12 volts DC, and of adequate current. I thought this would be a worthwhile addition, so that another type of power supply can be used other than the built-in battery. Have you ever been in a contest and had a battery die at a very late hour of the night?
The keyer is very easy to switch between grid block and cathode keying. Simply reverse the leads on the transceiver terminal strip. It doesn't need any modification to the equip- ment in the set-up.
The goal of the low cost keyer was achieved. The cost was as follows; the Bei- Tek kit $9.95 postage $1,50: the box $2.50; the battery $1 . Total cost: $14.95.
En Sum
I think the keyer will give many years of service at low cost. It was a rewarding experi- ence to build it and I woutd encourage the newcomers to amateur radio to give this pro- ject a try. It is a first homebrew type of project and from this, try something a little more diffi- cult. I feel that this keyer is a good way to break into homebrew.
7$ Amateur Radio • December, 1988 19
m
Number 7 on your Feedback card
Don't lose gour memory!
End the backup battery problem in the ICOM IC-R71A receiver.
Bob Roehrig K9EUI
• ne of the most outstanding communications receivers on the market today is the [COM IC- R71 A, It has all the features you could want in a receiver, whether you are an SWLcr, amateur, or commercial user.
The big drawback of this re- ceiver is that the necessary infor- mation to its operation is stored in RAM, and it depends on the lithi- um backup battery to retain this information. If this data is lost, the radio simply will not work.
The lithium battery is supposed to be good for several years (I have heard that the expected life may be as long as 7 years). What if you were using this receiver, however, during a DXpedition, or during a contest, and suddenly the radio went dead? The manual says "Contact your dealer or ICOM service center.** 1 learned that, for S25. ICOM will replace the batten and reprogram the board it you send it to them. I figured there had to be a better way. and indeed there is.
Some other ICOM models have the same RAM board- and so have the same problem. The ideas presented here will likely also ap- ply to this equipment.
Choices
There are other options to handle the bat- tery problem besides sending the board to ICOM. You could change the battery your- self before it goes dead. To replace the bat- tery, simply remove the board from the re- ceiver and power it from a 5 volt bench supply. You might consider changing over to
Photo A . The new hoard in K9EUI 's receiver
a more standard type of battery , such as three A A alkaline penlight cells. As long as power is applied to the board, the batteries can be replaced without losing the memory,
To understand what is going on in the re- ceiver, look at Figure 1 , the schematic of the RAM board. There are apparently two ver- sions of this board. The board layout drawing in my manual is different than ihe board in my receiver. One version uses an iS-pin RAM and the other uses a 24-pin device. The result is the same so it doesn't make any difference which one you have. (Figure 1 shows the 24-pin version.)
Power and addressing connect to the board via J L and the data lines, write, and ground are on J2. Notice that only four data lines are used. When the receiver is turned on. the RAM IC is powered from the radio's 5 volt bus through diode Dl. When the receiver is
|
PROM Program |
|||||||||||||||
|
00: 0, |
0, |
F. |
1. |
F. |
F. |
1, |
F, |
F 1 t |
0, |
o, |
2, |
F, |
F. |
F, |
F |
|
10: 0, |
0. |
0. |
B, |
5, |
9. |
6, |
8. |
6, |
o. |
0. |
0. |
0, |
3, |
2, |
0 |
|
20: 0, |
5. |
9. |
3, |
0. |
0, |
0, |
5. |
0, |
0, |
0. |
0, |
0, |
0, |
0, |
0 |
|
30: 0. |
1. |
0, |
0, |
0, |
o, |
o, |
0, |
3, |
0, |
0. |
0, |
3, |
0. |
0. |
0 |
|
40: 1. |
0. |
0. |
0, |
0. |
0, |
0. |
0. |
3. |
0. |
0, |
F, |
F, |
F. |
F, |
F |
|
50 Through |
IFF: |
Data |
is all |
■■p' |
Table L
turned off. the RAM is kept alive by battery voltage through D2t and the chip select lead is held positive by R I . This disables the IC and puts it in a high impedance state, The current drain is almost not measurable in this state.
Also notice that address line 10 is not used but grounded. Thus, only half the available memory is used. Only the lower 256 memo- ry pnsi lions contain the informa- tion that cannot be lost. The rest of the RAM holds the frequencies that are stored in memory, and the last frequencies (and mexk used by the two VFOs, When the lowest 256 addresses are being used, both A8 and A 9 are low. The output of IC2-C remains high which inhibits writing to the RAM. If either A8 or A9 or both are high (above address 256) Ql is turned on to permit writing to the RAM,
If the battery does go dead, you can repro- gram the board yourself. Table I shows the listing of what is in the lower 256 bytes of memory. Figure 2 shows the circuit for a manual programmer. Switches S I through S8 select the address, and S9 through S 1 2 are the data switches, A simple adapter can be made using a piece of perf board and stiff wires to mate with J I and J2. After the battery has been replaced and the board is connected to this programmer, apply power and close the prog switch. Step through the addresses, one at a time, select the correct data for each address, and press the write button .
RAM-Onlv to RAM and ROM
The best solution to the problem is to re- place the present RAM board with a new board containing both RAM and ROM. The essential receiver information is put in an EPROM and the RAM is used just to store the memory/VFO information. So if the battery does go dead, you do not lose the operating data itself.
You can manually program the EPROM programmer with the data in Table 1 or you can build an adapter that allows the data to be
20 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
wtour
dt
[ntagratBd
*r V
A
L L
IMU Base / Status Window
M O D
E
iD<stai:uoftec nau*: i:nfl«_ cit«: Denver Slate; CD
Bar*?: OQ-io-Be Beyin: £ls05 End «so; ?l:07t24* Frr<t:£Q 4BS,0i
fill** <Hade>:use My HST; His RST ; 59 Pp«e*: «JSL;
D*"*r 5" [Data Base / 'Statins Window
itafata ri/fti f£L*l M*nt^l Hod* ICLC1 CSi
too of HV2I
UOAIX DENVER CHARlTE
HONE BCtli KMIR, 3 ELEHCN1 TRIBflHOER* LIVES NtM? UNCLE JOE
Scratch-Pad /
Term Unit I/O Window
CW/firrY/AHTOit type ahead Window
S
o
F
T
W
A
R
E
n^Dsszcima
\ \C tiEJMffi2S5£& CTT^Em/TT'^CsSTTTa^B^ VkU 0KT33SE3
FOR IBM PC/XT/AT PS/2 & COMPATIBLES - $89.95 •
/Aries— !•••
_ hstrts 0*lf / (•€ from Compiler - fRifiUJCY / UCOf lro*n transceiver (cerloh Kenwood and Item models} into log.
... hierfocts rih Xanlronin KAU and AEA PK-?J? Tcntiinol Unit* for Ma% ntr^trt 0N-SCR[[NI/0.
„ tort* aft « Mouse ond/or fwcfon Key) 1w fosl <jtnJ ecsy cwtraf of Iemwol Units wd Date. Entry.
_ h usefd «ih of ■ithcul inlertocnq to Irrrrwiri tttfs ond tranxtw^
... Qtange* TU Mod^ ceding porwnelet* wtf ties data into (he tog lie win Itie p*ess of o (*y or (he cfirt of o mouse.
— Has a Contest Mode and ovlomulc siring replacement capflbily uhich tptt nev meannq lo quart e«dumqes.
„. Has Aulomolic Dup checking and the abily !o search / p/inl ctclo Iwse by ColT Country, Freq, 051 info, etc.
„, Le(s yrjy run other proqrgms (or occess DM) *hfc slaying resident in mrmory afonq with your date.
„. Logs voice conlocls. while smullijnewKJy corrected to o packet mail cost and down-loading messages into a ccptore We,
An Extremely useful program I Most Aries- 1 Users "fir© up" the program when- ever they are in the shack. Whether operating Voice, AMTOR, Packet or any other mode, you will enjoy having your Log available on screen simultaneously with your Terminal Unit and access to your other ham software just a keypress away.
VISA - - Our I Oth Year of dehiermi Quality Software to the fntenuiiioftai market - - Ifaiterford
PACKET RADIO SOFTWARE
FOR COMMODORE 64 / 12S COMPUTERS
PACKET TNC INTERFACE PROGRAM ($34,95)
TNCLINK-64/128 provides a menu-driven operating environment for Packel Radio operation of any TNC requiring external software. FAST Machine Language program is more than a terminal emulator. Features include;
• Computer data transfer rates of up to 1200 baud
• User defined split-screen size and colors
• Complete Disk and printer support
• Operating setups can be saved on disk
• Ten 256-character message buffers
• 6192 character receive and transmit buffers
PACKET NETWORK HAPPING PROGRAM ($29,95)
PATHFINDER-647128 monitors a Packet frequency and forms a table of all active paths between stations heard Up to 128 calls are stored in a table wNch can be saved on disk. This allows you to quickly find the best paths to use for accessing stations, Features include:
• Find all stations and digipeaiefs available to you
• Find one or two digipeater paths between stations
• Highlight stations used as digipeaters
■ Print lists of calls, paths, or digipeaters
WRITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
To
crivck 9 Mqtwy Odr Moray dk* 5% sites tat Add %2 50 sapping p*r
ZELTWANGER ELECTRONICS
P.O. BOX 4995
NATtCK, MA 01760
PO Box 1067 - Vestal. NY 15851 - (607-748-9028)
CIRCLE 339 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 351 ON READER SERVICE CARD
313-469-4656
28360 South River Rd. Mt. Clemens, Ml 48045
WE NOW HAVE
SALES
SERVICE
•ALL PRJCES SUBJECT TOCHANGE
icon
£-J*i
• < root
IC-27A (C-S7H lC-3?A tC-*TA
CJ9M
C-3SA CAM
I sap
15 IQfX mHx HClTWtiRg iF»* Tfie Sup** Sr*nn#r"i
25w 22D mobile wim Df MF mic 2'j+f diD nwtsilB wiHi Df MF inic
CofneKf &* ZJCr ■JimilOTU
MCLUOE THCCTCUfPUffl
C-«7I* «■
JC^AT
iC-3*T
■d-aa*?
IC-uMT
■ | ,i e its JO
PWCCD TD CLEAR I HE V OUT'
Ml W 220 aO *nodiU;5*ipi Aioihef firH Iram COMt
NEW ?Ocm ill mad^&Wpn
NEW iOOw 70cm ill mtid"/pB Tfi* fiigg«l gun lot UHFi
Nl W ipintHe Duntml (nuim-bina FM xci/r MMH1
1 Jwjtfi ijrtHflftiiJWj MT
Tn» iC-JAT hat M+fnfi production, tor^^f ' ihun iitycrthar NT prottuc m ror rrw m*™ rr-(»r» rt Tiitw rraiMi itiwd *nc tm*""
ftM
;>^HltVUOri*liMt3flCW«" M*«
M<** 2" tiiteKM'DTWmw'TS 3QVK
W.ri. MO *nAoLMrOTMTfn»™ 3*9 00
Lnokl^g far i unitt M wilh big I»lur»i7' Chveta out th# ICOM UICHO line ht«.
IH*fBT f>*4lBT
mjosAT
TI+21IAT
1H-3ISAP
TH.*15Af
TM-?21A
TM 3?1A
TU^SlA
m-7S1A
IB-7T1*
jacimO^PTur
4HI5 *Tt45
■ iifiT
TMTNtSttEC KT"'
5in .]* WlO Tnmori(rtrt«B*
I "iw 44D hlM 0 mflmft,'clc«
A5* Fttobllfl w^DTMF rule
7JtlM«^wnft12^1
fi> rftot* 44Q -lOTllie ffOD
^ ^.^ — - — — — -j -
DMm 2^1 pi i'u> ia/frt
IHift
in it
Mil
nut
B*JS
2»C» J«S5 319 H J34.M
J34 9& 3B9.9S
aw 05
wit
■3S9K lQOi *5
3W»
m m
449 M
OO SATCUJTI H A mQ WAV • US£ TK KfinVDOO TmS - 71 lflll 11 «E fTOQC A GOWlftE UHE OF KEMSOOD ACCE3$OAt$
TEMTK MSPAAAOCm MT CQRSAIR I)
ww AftocrSTf n
PK-32S
mf ififlicaivir toofwrry HF (rinedm**- Cp<npac[ gnrl cvrg rcM« O^i-nllitn aiaimn
THE:
224&00
144S00 74100 Bit 00
540d0
104 9Sr
BQB.«
S74.IS 1/4 36
Wt: STOCK tut FULL LINE 0? TEH TEC ACCESSORIES -CA4.L US FOH lP*FOP tf ATlON RECOMMf MOTIONS . AND OUH tliSCOUNT pfllCE 5"'
30196.
■teuto
2«K 3*9 95
SHIHtlllBTTEa COvEJUCC-
999 1$ S»«
<AE5U
—■—~
FT-743GK
to VHFflJHF
A-ngo
ru-^Oft
TMZtfe
TM.JJTO
Wf STOCK AfULL LINK OF ACCESSORIES F OP T»E >COH ONES CALL FOR IWQMNIATFQN RECOMMtENOAUOHB AMD OUR DI5COUNTEO PRICES'-'
rJl3«4@-tfi&G KEWHOOO tr4T
TS4«0l SiMjvgnfDp^HHr TftB LPUn^ Viiiwi i' m*M H4lt
■iwM 21*94
T943Cs r^ ef.^hw. »«pic4iHnr Mtesv
IS4MI
W4E
■ ■ : ■
C4Wp4)Cl 9"' k-**U *C^ OJclfing pnecjini
111994 4»«
■ i«95 9H3S
7STSS
23n 2*n nwdtWDf MF 45wZm mptnt*iOTMF 7Dw 2m mohih4irtlTMF
POCKK'I" HANDHKLDS
TUE WEDS 10-6
THU FRJ 10*9
SAT 10-4
Fn&jHO
FT-TZTflH FT-l09Rir'
n-zQflRM
FT-TOTPH
FT-Z3B
F1-33R
rr-73ft
F1-211RH FT311RM FT^rnRH
FT TURN
WFlCvfl
Wh*4>*
»pa440 rrt tew cnn n»
SO rtTfSirtr»nniflgrti^niOj^< Jm MT^^innriing/ri«mar>iri *4<J HTflw'6Ciinni'ioJi^>fim©rin MiinJrn HT/OTMF tWhtll 220 UTi'DTUF
ym ihn auIOdialfl*- riACnlt 7WI 2!iw rtraan FT-S1! iflM 44Q»aFU4dA«MAf
L*T*4BD
f4ri»45-** fi
HfW
USI OUHSJ
19»95 1994 95
1 L» 9* 97* B5
9S1« VB
174S.B 1 49*95
iW9l 369 94 334 9S 3HB« 34BM
«9»J1 4T9 «5
*»9S 499 9S
US 95
J?9 K
3»95 JiQ 45 323 95 tit 95
414 95
M 91 43495
Aita70CKAC<s*t£Tf t«EOFVA«Su*CCESSOfl*S
CAiXUS'ORJNKnuriOM PCCO««Erf>*TO»<<,4«D OL.fi U5WP««S-'
9llt4*M9»l
CIRCLE 162 ON READER 5ERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 21
read from your RAM board directly into the EPROM programmer. Figure 3 shows such an adapter. The adapter simulates a 2716 EPROM for read-only purposes. The highest four data bits arc not used and are grounded so that zeros result. Even though the pro- grammer expects 2048 bytes , we only need the lowest 256, and that is all the new 2716 EPROM is programmed with.
Figure 4 is the schematic for the new re- ceiver board, J 1-11 switches low when the board is addressed. When both A8 and A9 are low, the 2716 CS pin goes low to select the RAM. If A8 and/or A9 are high, pin 18 of the 6116 RAM switches low. enabling this IC, The data and address lines of IC 1 and IC2 are paralleled. I used a Hitachi HMS-6116forthe RAM chip. This is an inexpensive device and the pinout is similar to the 2716 EPROM. While most of the 2716 is not used, this is a popular EPROM that most all programmers can handle. Other RAM and EPROMs can be used if desired.
There are devices available called NOVRAMs, that can be used in place of the 61 16, These devices need no separate battery to retain their data, I don't know the life expectancy of them, but the idea is certainly attractive. There is a NOV RAM that is pin- for-pin compatible with the 61 16.
Power for the 6116 RAM is obtained via Dl or D2, as on the original board- I used a pair of germanium diodes to minimize the voltage drop.
The second advantage of using this circuit in the R71 is that the number of memory channels can be doubled to 64, Since the highest address, A 10, is not used by the re- ceiver, only half the available storage is used. By switching A 10 of the RAM high, we now have twice the storage capability. If you do not have the remote option board in your receiver* the remote switch on the front panel docs nothing but light the remote LED. Pin 4 of J 12 on the matrix board switches to ap- proximately 13 volts when the remote switch is turned on. Connecting this pin to Q2 of the new board permits selecting another bank of 32 memory channels with the remote switch. When scanning, only one bank can be scanned at a time,
For a backup battery, I used a Radio Shack holder with three AA alkaline cells. The standby current of the 6 1 1 6 is in the microam- pere region so the battery should last for some years, Do not forget to check for corrosion occasionally-
The photo shows the new board installed in my receiver. There is not room to install it in place of the original board, so it is mounted on a metal plate above the logic unit. 1 re- placed the original plate with one of sheet metal about 1 inch longer. The old plate was used as a drill template for the four mounting holes and the scan rate control access hole. Slots for the connectors were cut in the plate with a nibbier tool, The cables for J 1 and J2 have amp connector strips on the ends and were taken from a surplus computer board. The pins have 100 mil spacing and can be obtained from many supply houses specializ- ing in computer accessories. My board is a lot
22 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
JI-12 •>
JZ-I •-
Jt-2 #-
3VDC StiPPlT
J 1-4 » Jl-S *■
Ji-IQ ■■
J2-* *-
$1
SB fh
n
ll«
«> «
ill
ADDRESS
S9
—4—
JZ-1 ■■
■X-
—
na /**
\
41 4
DATA
-**v*
L
i
ALL RESISTORS IDK
h
WRUE
Figure /. Schematic for the l€~R7tA RAM board.
larger than necessary but it allows for adding
future modifications.
With this new board in your receiver, you no longer have to worry about your radio losing its essential operating data. The re- ceiver itself is not modified in any way and can be restored to its original condition in minutes, if desired.
If you wish to build this board and need the programmed EPROM, contact me at 3 14 S* Harrison St., Balavia, 1L 60510 and send a SASE for details,
Thanks to AJ9S and WA9FVP for their comments on the R71 and special thanks to W9DJN for the use of his PC/XT and EPROM programmer.
Figure 2. Manual programming setup.
i.4 PJN HEADER PLUG
Jl-S *- Jl-T *-
JI-6 m-
41-5 -
JE-1 *"
m
ii
i?
— c* —
at.
AS A4 Al i£ Al AD
DO
01
OS
ftfl Al li
91
AID
ci
if
04 S3 04 01
2*
2J
ii.
£■•
-ji-*0
Vs-
<■
-*J!-I1
IT
it
A
14
L3
-*J2-4
Figure J. RAM board to 2716 EPROM read adapter.
+ 5V
to m
■*«•« yJ51 flOAKD^
JI2-4
n
4SV
-
-*4 -*5
-*f
IT*
_J
j l P|NS
ffH
"*B
i
it
•' r*L50C
TO ADDRESS LINES ABOVE
I
J2Pi*5
Pi
ci
AG D3
At 0t
U DO
** 1CI
AT +
A9 AtO
Jl.
t
TO DATA LINES ABOVE
M
*5V
J
Tr
Figure 4. Schematic for the new R71 memory board.
CALL FOR ORDERS
1 (800)2313057
1-713-520-7300 OR 1-713-520-0550
TEXAS ORDERS CALL COLLECT FAX 1-713-771-7759
ALL ITEMS ARE GUARANTEED OR SALES PRICE REFUNDED
New I com X 761 Trades wanted
Kenwood TH21 5A. TH25A 1 . Trade in your old HT New Kenwood TM-621 A. 144/220 MHzFM Gall
New Kenwood TM 721 A mobile [COM 2BHfTTM
Call 41000
\\^- ryfl . j •■.■■■■! t - - ■■■-,- immm mrmma . . udl I
teom761 230000
Shure 4AAD - 56 95
H E I L 8M 1 0 Boom Mite, wired 8 pin 69 00
NEIL HM5 Desk M.ke 62 00
NYE MB5A Tuner ... .... 569 00
Alpha Defla Transirap NV _~.33 00
CSI Privaie Paten IV 469 00
Ameco PT 3 Pre Amp ...... B9 00
Larsan 2-meter or* gtess 4995
Amoco 3M5/A Mag Mount, Comp 25 00
Van Gordon G5RV 44 00
Valor ABSmobie- 79 00
Thousands of panel meters . 3 95 up CALL
Aerovo* 1OO0 pr/5QG V feetfthfougn caps 1 95 Transformer l20VPn J050VMA (Sec fiBWi/e) .50 00
100 rnloV450V Axial Cap .. . 2 20
t 20 mf d/450 V Ax ial Cap 3 00
Ar ista S WR Bridge 3 30 M M i 1 9 95
83 1SP-PL259 Silver plate (Am phenol) 150
82-61 N Male (Amphenof) . . .3 50
82-202- 1 006 N Mate (99 13) 3.50
Double Female UHF. 1 00
UG176RG6X ..... eacn 40
Receiving lubes 50-90% off lis! price CaH
Saniec Boom M ike/Headsei (tits ICOM) 20 00
Bonn SA 25G 67 (67 jrvs*de arm) .....each 1 25 00 USED EQUIPMENT
AM equipment used, dean wrtn 90 day warranty and 30 day trial S™ months tuA trade ag&nsi new equipment Sale prce refunded * not satasfi&d
Cal lor laiesi used gear {800} 231 3057
Don 'a Com**:
Have you tr«d the new Delta L oop Amentia?
I have and rt wqrKs great1
Contaci Delia Loop Anienna
PO Bo*ao63
NewFairf^d CT06B12 See CO June 'SB Review
GNU PROD
TE Systems 2m Amp 30 1 60 waits Ga As fat $229 .00
POLICIES
Minimum order 110-00. Mastercard. VISA, or COD All prices FOB Houston, except as noted Pf ices subject to change wiihoul noice Hems subject to prior sate Call anyume to check the slams of your order Texas residents add sales (a* Ail rtems full fac- tory warranty oius Madson warranty Bird and Bslden products in stock;. CaH today.
Electronics Supply
3621 FANNIN
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77004
CUSTOM EMBROIDERED
QUALITY HAM HATS
Display your name, call and hometown on our top quality summer mesh cap with white seamless front and matching bill in royal blue, red or brown with matching thread . a 95
WINTER CORDUROY also available s8ii m red or navy blue with white thread Please send: first & last name (max, 14 ttrsj call {max, 6 Itrs). city & state (max. 14 Itrs)
Visor available with call sign only white with navy thread . %£t
BE SURE TO INCLUDE COLOR
Sand Check or Money Order, Plus $3,00 Ship ping and Handling Per Order. Add 25c for each add'l cap ordered.
ALLOW 3 TO & WEEKS FOR DELIVERY. MO RESIDENTS ADD 5% SALES TAX
C inmoidetij Wa^ehous*
PO Bern 1476 # Sevens Patk MD 2i 14£
A /4c£ Sy&&mx, A
™ INTRODUCES
the Opfo 'Key&i
OFFERING
** BUILT-IN SPEAKER »- BATTERY OPERATED
* OPTO ISOLATED OUTPUT WITH NO MECHANICAL T/R
SWITCHING
P* REVERSE POLARITY PROTECTION
+ SELF COMPLETING DOTS AND DASHES
*■ POWER LOGIC LED INDICATES KEYING
AND BATTERY STATUS OUR WARRANTY IS THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS: All products guaranteed for 1 year under our ZERO CUSTOMER COST warranty. No charge for shipping and repairs.
SPECIAL INTRO:
S&HS3
/4c£ S<f4&mL A 18141 96 5-593 7
RD1 BOX 83; WILCOX.PA 15870
CIRCLE 335 ON READER SERVFCE CARP
■
brdable Packet
TINY- 2 is our new low-cost high- performance standard for packet con- trollers. Thousands already in use, worldwide, A perfect beginner's unit Complete, wired j-a *|{Y 95 and tested, only XX^/*
BENEFITS and features of both units:
□ Optional personal message system (mini BBS) Add $10. 00
D Tiny enough for briefcase v f portable* yet large enough for easy experimenta- tion or repair.
□ 1-year limited warranty, excellent customer support.
□ RS-232 and TTL compatible—all connectors supplied.
D Latest AX. 2 5 software,
TCP/IP (KISS)
module included,
MICROPOWER-2 is our remarkably compact, IS-otmce unit using upgraded TAPR TNC-2 technology that reqt4ires less than 40 milliamps! for ven portable operation, solar or battery, you need not pay more for a TXC that & about the size of your HT/ Was $r9 95, $<| ^Q 95
now at a low
159;
Z. Fully compatible with ROSE & NET/
ROM EPROMs □ 32K RAM, 32K ROM, 4. 9 mliz CPU D Xtai controlled modem, compatible with use on I()m HFfVHF/UHF. TO ORDER, toll-free with major charge card, call : 1-800-223- 3 511
Technical support tine: 813-8^4-2980
UfJrea
mm
Pac-Comm
3652 West Cypmss St., Tampa FL 3360^
Please send D Tiny 2 □ MicmFtmer-2 U TNC220 info D FREE Packet Catalog
C&ti
City
Zip
Card Sumter
Exp. Date
Money Back Guarantee, Md $$. skipping/handling per nrder. Ft addresses atld 6%. Major Credit Card, give number expiration and signature, FAX: 813-8^2-8696
CIRCLE 2B ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 152 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1986 23
NumberSon your Feedback card
Packet Tuning Indicator
Dead-on HF packet tuning for $15.
by Ronald B. Koester W2EKY
Many packet stations, including this one, got their feet wet on the VHF bands, where tuning is just a matter of button* pushing. Sooner or later, the old DX bug bites and the temptation of HF DX oper- ation arises. This is where the trouble be- gins: no buttons! Tuning in a packet station on the 20 meter band without a tuning in- dicator can be exceedingly aggravating be- cause you must tune to the 2025 Hz and 2225 Hz modem frequencies directly. The slightest mistiming leads to no received packets on HF.
You can buy commercial tuning indicators for around $40, or build one for less than half that. The unit deserihed here can be built for about $15, depending on what the old scrap box contains.
The Circuit
The circuit consists of two identical phase- lock loop (PLL) decoding ICs (see Figure 1), Decoding is a function of the timing compo- nents R1/C7 and R2/C8, The outputs of both
Ci
Y
CI
en
C3
I
fti
C6
-K-
iCI
HI
CJ
If 6 1
IC I and IC2 feed a resistor transistor N AND gateQL
Rl and R2 are 5kO 10-turn potentiome- ters. (I used lOkQ in the original design due to availability, but they required more critical tuning.) Both pots should be preset to 3k across the unshoned portion before sol- dering.
The tuning indicator fits on a PC board measuring 2* x 3* , Should you decide to use a different type of construction* you should find little difficulty at these low frequencies. You can house the completed unit in a plastic or metal box.
A few more construction hints: note the use of a jumper directly above R3, and use a shielded cable for signal input.
You can find all the parts you need at most Radio Shack stores. 1 listed below the parts by value and corresponding Radio Shack numbers.
Adjustment
This is best done using an audio signal generator and frequency counter, shown in Figure 2* Adjust the output of the generator to
2025 Hz as read on the counter. Adjust Rl on the decoder until the red LED I lights up. Keep reducing the level of the signal by ad- justing control RA and repeated adjustments of RL This adjustment is critical for proper performance. Repeat the same procedure with R2, but use a frequency of 2225 Hz for LED 2 , There's a small amount of interaction between IC I and IC2, so it pays to repeat both adjustments.
Lacking a signal generator and counter, you can tune the circuit by carefully adjusting your receiver until you are consistently re- ceiving packets. Next, alternately adjust Rl and R2 until they light at the lowest possible volume level . In operation, the correct recep- tion of a packet station will result in both LEDs flickering, and the corresponding lighting of the green LED 3 . In normal opera- tion, the red LEDs 1 and 2 are dimly lit in absence of a signal.
Have a spare fifteen bucks and an eve- nine? You can go out an have a (modest) meal with a friend. Or— put together this pro- ject and enjoy worldwide packet with dead- on tuning!
it?
tr3
X
m
ca
ft*
1
f
«"
■WW
■i
:■•
>*izv
X
• T
?
I.EM
Quantity Part//
2 C1-C4
2 C5»C£
2 C7-CE
2 R1-R2
2 R3-R4
2 R5*R*
1 R7
1 RS
Parts List
Value
Radio Shacks
272-1 434B
272^1012
272-1069
271-343/1 OK Sub.
271-1342 271-012
Figure I. Schematic for the HF packet tuning indicator.
|
1 |
Q1 |
MPS 3904 |
276-2016 |
|
2 |
IC14C2 |
LM567 |
276-1721 |
|
2 |
LED1-LED2 |
Red |
276-026 |
|
1 |
LED3 |
Gr&en |
278-037 |
|
1 |
21 |
9.1 Zener |
276-562 |
AUDIO GEN
0
T t
FflEQ COUNTER
-*
iO* TD DCCOOCft
*
$io m
[r \r
HI *f
I
is- IDI
I I
ct cm
1 I
l
f 1 c*
CI C2 C* C3
1 I I It
cs
1. 1 C I
lias
HQ
o
P2
-I?
INC
I 4)7
I -rroi
44-
u u u
LCDS
Figure 2. Alignment set -up for the tuning indicator ;
24 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
Figure 3. PC hoard foil diagram.
Figure 4, Parrs placement diagram.
THE MOST AFFORDABLE
REPEATER
ALSO HAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE FEATURES
(AND GIVES THEM TO YOU AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT!)
KIT, ONLY $675
WIRED $975
VHFORUHF
FEATURES:
• SENSITIVITY SECOND TO NONE! GaAsFET front end on vbf
modefs gives 12dBSINADof0J2uV{vhf)i0.15uV(220), UHFmodel <D,25tiVstd, 0.1 uV with optional helical resonator pream p. •SELECTIVITY THAT CAN'T BE BEAT! Both 8 pole xtal filter & ceramic filter for > 100dB at only ± 12kHz. Helical resonator front end to combat desense & intermod.
•CLEAN, STABLE TRANSMITTER, up to 18W output standard; 5®W with accessory power amplifier.
•FCC TYPE ACCEPTED for commercial high band and uhl •Courtesy beep, field-programmable CWID. flutter-proof squelch, automatic frequency control to compensate for off-frequency trans- mitters (all standard features).
•Full range of options available, such as autopatch, phone line or radio remote control. sub*audib!e tones, duptexers.
HIGH PERFORMANCE TRANSMITTERS
& RECEIVERS FOR REPEATERS
AUDIO & DIGITAL LINKS, TELEMETRY, ETC.
•FM EXCITERS:
K/ts $99. W/t $179, 2W
continuous duty, TCXO&
xtai oven options available,
•TA51forieM.6M.2M,
150-174. 22* MHz.
«TA451fOfuhf.
FCC type accepted for commercial bands.
•Calf for latest information on 90© MHz transmitters.
*VHF & UHF AMPLIFIERS- For FM, SSB, ATV, Output from 10
to 5® Watts, Several models, kits starting at $79.
•R144/R220 FM RECEIVERS for 2M.
150-174, or 220 MHz. GaAsFET
front end, 0. 1 2uV sensitivity f
Both crystal & ceramic
filters plus hehcal resonator
front end for exceptional
selectivity; > 100d8 at + 12kHz
(best available anywhere)!
Flutter-proof squelch. AFC tracks
drifting transmitters.
Kit $149, W/t $229-
•R451 UHF FM RCVR. Similar to above. Tuned line front end.
0.25uVsens. (0.1 uV with optional hel. res. preamp). Kit $149,
w/t $229.
•R9tl FM RCVR FOR 9M MHZ. Triple-conversion. GaAs FET front
end. 0.2uVsens. Kit $169f w/t $259.
•R76 ECONOMY VHF FM RCVR for 10M, 6M, 2M, 220. Without hel
res or afc. Kits only $ 129.
•Weather satellite & AM Aircraft receivers also avail.
FCC TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSMITTERS & RECEIVERS AVAILABLE FOR HIGH-BAND AND UHF. CALL FOR DETAILS.
Send $1 for 36 page catalog by return mall.
(Send $2,00 or 4 IRC's for overseas mailing)
Order by phone or mail * MIn $3 S & H per order Use Visa, Mastercard, Check, or UPS COD*
GaAs FET PREAMPS
at a fraction of the cost of comparable units!
LNG-(*)
GaAs FET PREAMP
ONLY $59!
Wired/twtftd
FEATURES:
•toy Low NoIm: 0 7dB VHF. «.8dS UHF
•HWi Gain: 1 3-2«dB. depending on frequency •Wide Dynamic Range: to resist overload •Stable: new type dual gate GaAs FET
* Specify tuning range desired: 26 30. 46-56. 137-150. 150172, 210*230, 400-470, Of 300960 MHz.
LNW-t*)
MINIATURE
GaAs FET
PREAMP
0NLY$24/kit
$39 Wired/tested GaAs FET Preamp
similar to LNG, except designed for low cost & small sue Oniy 5/8"W x 1-5/8 1 x 3/4 'H,
Easify mounts m many radfos.
* Spectfy tunmg range destred' 25-35. 35-55, 5590, 90-12& 120-15Q. 150-200. 200-270. Of 40O-50O MHz.
LNS-(*)
IN-LINE
PREAMP L^#
^ML_m
ONLY $79/kit
$99 Wired/tested
GaAs FET Preamp witft features similar to LNG series, except witotnaticafy twitchat out of line during transmit Use with base or mob i le
transceivers up to 25W,
""Specify tuning range desired: 120*175+ 200-240. or 400-500 MHt.
HELICAL RESONATOR PREAMPS
Low-noise preamps with hel real resonators reduce intermod & cross-band interference in critical applications MODEL HRA-H, $49 vhf. $64 Uftf.
# Spectfy tunmg range desired: 143-1 50, 150- 158, 158 162 > 162 174 \ 213-233, 42Q-45G, 450-465. or 465-475 MHz.
HIGH-SPEED DIGITAL RF
You've waited a long time for a simple, reliable, low-cost 9600 baud PACKET NETWORKING system. Now you've got it! Our new MO 96 MODEM and direct FSK Transmitters and Receivers for 220 or 440 MHz poterface directly with most TNC's. Fast diode switched PA's output 15 or 50 W Call for complete Info on the right system for your application.
'■MJ*H.I:1I*
•COR-3 Kit Control ckts and audio mixers needed to make a repeater. Tail & time-out timers, local spkr am pi, courtesy beep
£49
•CWID Kit. Field programmable.
timers, the works $59
•TD-2 DTMF DECODER/ CONTROLLER Kit. Full 16 digits, switches 5 functions, toll call restnetor, programmable, much more. Great for selective calling
too! , .. $79
•AP-3 AUTOPATCH Kit. Use
with above for repeater auto- patch. Reverse patch and phone
line remote control std $79
•AP-2 SIMPLEX AUTOPATCH TIMING BOARD Kit. Use with above for simplex auto patch
. $39
. . r § . | » t .
* + 1 * *■
• M 0 -202 FSK DATA MODULATOR Kit. Run Up to 1200 baud digital signals through any fm transmitter with full handshakes. Radio link computers, telemetry gear,
etc , $39
• 0 E - 2 0 2 FSK DATA DEMODULATOR Kit for revr end of link . » . . , * . , $39
RECEIVING CONVERTERS
in|MflH«ri£p Output
* 0
VHF MODELS
NmtftCn*
UllttlCVK
UHF MODELS
I w.i'cas*
144-1'B
2B-3Q
1U-1U
IS 3D
2SJD
»■»
199
433-4M
««41? 21-3G
4 334M 144- 1*6
i»4M SO-5J
4Ji?ft ft 1:25
#03421 433-444
*QJ«J 4JO-4M
S*« catalog for full tm Qi2w transmitting
convariwrs for vhf&unf* HitM only $79.
Linear Amplifiers avail up la 50 w.
Our m 2Sth Anniversary
mironics, inc
65- J MOUL ROAD'HIL TON NY 14468-9535 Phone:716-392-9430 *—««*.• *,»^i«**»- -
TRAVEL FIRST CLASS,
PAY COACH.
SG-789 M5-101
Now, full feature 9, 1 0, and 12 Band World Receivers in a convenient shirt pocket size. Priced right for your budget including FREE Stereo Headphones. 1 year Limited Warranty on parts and labor. For a FREE full color catalog call 1-800-232-2929 (outside California), or 1-818-288-1661 (in California).
m'V
A World of Listening
9060 Telstar Ave., Suite, #202 B Monte, CA91731 Telephone: (818) 288-1661 FAX (818) 288-8231
CIRCLE 14 ON READER SERVICE CARD
7a
Rob. WA3QL
PRACTICE CODE
m
AT HOME IN CAR AT LUNCH
• Fits in Pocket
• Long Lasting Batteries IncL
• Clear, Crisp Tone
• Free Wollet-Size Code Card IncL
vrsA
Now you con turn Iree lime into powerful
code building time. For novice, CWr and advanced
ORDER TOLL FREE- 1-900-346-72S3
Or Mail Chech. Money Order lo ■ s ■
STARTONE ELECTRONICS «J«
P.O. BaHM.Aploi . CA 95001 0404
Rijib Shipped, I si Cl-nss Each order odd $3.50 s-tiip JIidihL
.
BEST NOVICE KIT! $19.95
SAVE!
BUY BOTH
2 Code Taptf
112 pg Sludr Gu*
FCC Test ttawi rUK UNLT
**** ^ $39*95
Coupons y %
a*.* ^StafTone
^i elect mm jcs
CIRCLE 37 ON READER SERVICE CARD
I • ■«?
Paul, WA3QPX
AEA • ALINCO • AMERITRON • CUSHCRAFT • ICOM
• KANTRONICS • KENWOOD • MFJ • MOSLEY • SANTEC
• TELEX HY-GAIN • TENTEC • YAESU • AND MORE! 71 Meadow Road, New Castle, Del. 19720 x
Factory Authorized Deafer!
9-5 Daily, 9-8 Friday, 9-3 Saturday
Ce/efara,ln 10w»Annive
ngour ersaryi
Large Inventory. Daily UPS Service
: Wiffi E E BriHH:
therine KA3I
New Equipment Order & Pricing
302-328-7728
SERVICE, USED GEAR INFO NO Sales Tax in Delaware! one mile off 1-95
Prices are subject to change without notice or obligation. Products are not sold lor evaluation
Please send all reader inquiries directly.
26 7$ Amateur Radio • December, 1988
Number 9 on your Feedback card
Midland 13-509 Modifications
A few fun and useful mods.
by Klaus Spies WB9YBM
FROM R59-R60
SQUELCH IN
Although the Mid- land 13-509 radio has not been in pro- duction for ten years, many still consider it the 220 radio be- cause of its reliability and versatility. Even today* it's the rig of many repeater links. Therefore, it's inevitable that more modifications and improvements are be- coming available for it. The type of tran- smit and receive boards used in the 509 are also used in similar radios, such as the Clegg,
Better Squelch Performance
The first circuit described here, the "High- Z COR," came about primarily because the squelch circuit in the 509 (R59-60 is the typi- cal place where the signal is obtained) is rather sensitive, It is prone to making the squelch sound strange when loading occurs, even when the load is buffered by a 2N2222A transistor. What is therefore needed is a high impedance load for the squelch circuit, so i hat there will be no degradation in its per- formance when an additional signal (as for a COR function) comes from the squelch circuit.
There are two ways to bring a high impedance load to the squelch circuit, You can use a high -gain Darlington transistor with a large base resistor (wire the Darlington as a common-base switching amplifier}* or use a component with a naturally high input impedance, such as a FET or an IC with a FET input. This way, the loading on the squelch would be light enough to not affect the performance of the squelch, while provid- ing enough Amplification and current capabil- ities to act as a COR. It is practical to use an IC rather than a FET. An IC, such as the LM393 comparator, has gates left over which you may want to use later for other circuits.
The squelch circuit of the 509 provides 2.5 to 2.65 volts when the squelch opens (either at a received signal, or when the squelch is manually opened by turning down the squelch potentiometer), and a few tenths of a volt when the squelch is closed. PI is biased for approximately 1.5 volts. Even though the LM393*s specifica- tions claim it can operate within a few tenths
+I2V
C.0,R.
OUT
Figure I, The high hnpnhmic It mil for the u/utlth circuit. Tins ensures no audio degradation when an additional signal (as for a COR function) comes from the squelch circuit.
of ground, it isn't always wise to operate an IC near its limit. It's wise to bias it up. A potentiometer makes setting the voltage easier. You don*! have to calculate voltage dividers or experiment with resistor toler- ances.
The output of the LM393 drives a transistor which can handle higher currents than the IC. I have used this circuit to actuate the RE- MOTE on/off function of a tape recorder for logging signals when the squelch opens in my 509, and it works flawlessly.
Are You Really TX?
The second circuit, the TX Light Control* developed through a two-stage modifica- tion. In the first modification, the 5Q9"s small transmit light bulb was replaced with an LED, In the second modification, I real- ized that the 509*s transmit indicator (now an LED) went on whenever the PTT line was toggled into transmit, and not neces- sarily when the radio itself was transmit- ting. There is a difference between these two functions. When the relay used in the radio's T/R section becomes worn,
+ I2V
RFIN
Dl
SIGNAL R|
DIODE )00K
"X
1
Figure 2. Circuit to drive the TX light, it samples outgoing RF from ihe antenna.
the radio will not necessarily toggle in- to transmit mode, even though the TX light comes on. Just because the radio toggles into transmit, it doesn't mean it is trans- mitting.
In effect, therefore, the TX light was actually a PTT light — which is a bit mis- leading. The easiest way to turn this into a regular transmit light was by checking the antenna for outgoing RF. That was done as follows: a signal diode of the 1N914 variety was connected to the RF connector on the back of the radio (on the inside!!), using the shortest possible lead lengths; in series with this, a 100 kQ resistor provided (again, using the shortest possible lead lengths) high impedance isolation between the antenna cir- cuitry and our sampling circuit. With this high impedance and short lead lengths, effects on the antenna circuit is kept at a minimum.
I added a 3.3 Mfl resistor to keep the transmit LED from staying on, espe- cially in the low -power position. Mount this resistor as near as possible to the an- tenna coax connector, with the shortest lead length possible. From this point on the radio's back panel, to where the LM393 is mounted, I used very thin, shielded coax, for two reasons: to minimize the reception of any unwanted signals from inside the radio, and secondly, to prevent RF still on the line from creeping into the radio's cir- cuitry.
Adjust PI so that the LED lights with the radio on low power. In all other respects, this circuit operates the same way as the high impedance squelch circuit previously de- scribed.
The LM393 dual comparator is a very ver- satile IC you can use for many applications. It is commonly available as a quad package
from Radio Shack. I purchased the dual package from Jameco Electronics in Califor- nia for 39c, A very reasonably priced IC for the experimenter. You can use either the quad or the dual LM393 in these cir- cuits.
So, there you have it: two useful mods for a very popular rig. Have fun and en- joy improved opera- tion!
01
2N2222A
73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988 27
IF YOU BUY, SELL OR COLLECT OLD RADIOS, YOU NEED...
ANTIQUE RADIO CLASSIFIED
Antique Radio 's Largest-Circulation Monthly Magazine
Articles - Classifieds - Ads for Parts & Services
Also: Early TV, Ham Equip,, Books,
Telegraph, 40s & 50"s Radios A more...
Free 20- word ad each month. Don't miss out!
Free Sample, 6-Month Trial* $11* 1-Year: $19 ($28 by isl Class). Foreign - Write.
A.R.C, P.O. Box 2-E4, Carlisle, MA 01741
Half-Square QRV-DX MoriQhan<Jers_ f
Work DX w::;. s Tower and No Amplifier. ^ Cut noise, cur nearsigs. buiU DX sis^. kill QRM.
0 Meters 15 \Ut*rt 20 Meter* 40 Meter*
S29.95 S39.95 549,95 S69.95
Ctfax Fe*J. BroaJsiiie Pailcrn, Low rVtsk, FUaJv To Uw
^
Bos 5G0£2 $> Prove
Highesl DX Gain per Dollar
To order add &5 Prtiige A' RinJlisg
UT *-W05
* HOI i 373*425
* j
CIRCLE 90 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 27 \ ON READER SERVICE CARD
I THIS MONTH'S GOODIE ROM THE CANDY STORE:
KENWOOD TS-940S
INDER
$1900.00
iDranherONLYl
SIMILAR SA V IVGS ON KF-MYQOE). IL'OM, \ \r.Sl . in < » Vf\ ETC. IL1LJ.O. ASTRONfLV20Att7,<»Q
uvi:R«rMMAMNi;j.ATEOiTiwiii»«mai mi rttce iBrtonw
Mi if" i|lfs Mil lllK,'ldhkl>-i'i|
iiiiiKiNi.roi^ii'.iMiiiNrrNorru.ii n1 i ui.uH^HirK
ROSS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY <p o b« 234qj
78 South Scale Street. Preston. Idaho 83263 Teleptiong (2Q8) B52-Q830 WeCtose al 200 on MQN a SAT
CIRCLE 2S4 ON READER SERVICE CARD
p
Entry Level Price. Extra Class Performance.
New Optional Scanning Microphone
Now Novices and Technicians can enjoy their new 10 Meter phone privileges and DXing with our new Ranger AR 3500 Mobile Transceiver!
• Two Models to Fit Your Budget & Power Needs: 30 Watt & 100 Watt * Microprocessor Controlled Circuitry * Exceptional RX Specifications
• Very Compact • Manufactured in Japan & Quality Checked in U,S. • Low Breakthrough Price • New Optional Scanning Microphone
> East Coast Warranty ORDER TODAY Christmas Speciai
Center
• gSfSSE- RFMicroTech SM,Q5°
■ %SS*"" «• (508)667-8900
4 Carmel Drive N.Billerica, MA 01862
fc
SUPER PERFORMANCE RATTERIES
SUPER KENWOOD
SUPER ICOM
SUPEH ICOM IF-7&13 2 volts 900ma. double tht capacity of the itom 8F 7.
5* output
SUPER ICOM 8P BS. 96 volts, t20Gma, 50% more capacity than the I com 8P-8
Both are rapid base charge only, or slide in wall charger 4 inches high BP 7S or BP-BS S69.00a
BY POPULAR REQUEST
SUPER KEJfWOOO P8 2SS/P8 26S. 8,4 volts, 90Qma. doubfe the capacity of the PB-25/PB-26 for Ihe 2500/2600/3500/3600. Charge with either the standard wall charge/ or drop in charger 3 inches tmjti S6S0F
Exaci replacement FNB-2 Nicad pack tor Ya&SuFT-4tMR/207R/20flfl/70efl $27.00*
"Add M 00 shipping & handling, CT residents add Wfr tax
Complete line of NICAD replacement packs tor (com. Kenwood, Vaesu, Tempo, Santee, AzrJen. Cordless Tefephonm Alkaline, Nicad and Gelt Celts. All NICAD packs include a 1 year guarantee. Commercial Radio Packs also available. For all your battery needs, write or call today for a complete catalog. Dealer inquiries invited.
illlPeMPHOK inc.
149 Palmer Road » Soulhbury CT 06488
(800) 634-8132 In CT (203) 264-3985
|
KM»mpi-&m.zfi |
12400* |
|
IgmBP-3 |
t22iO0* |
|
teem BP 5 f500mi| |
oaoo* |
|
team BP 7 fSOOmaj |
13500- |
|
■cam BP-8 |
13400' |
MoitvrCofd
28 73 Amateur Radto ■ December, 1988
CIRCLE 68 ON READER SERVICE CARD
QEP's NOT TOO LATE SALE
Your not too late, copper prices WILL drive up the price of coax even more. Better buy it NQW»
• BELDEN 9913 low-loss
500 ft Roll S200.00 or 42*/ft.
• DELDCNQ214 (fumu) WA
500 ft Roll JI65.0G or 36</ft.
• DDLDCN 0367 RO 213 WA
500 ft Roil *200.00 or 46c/fti
PL-259 US-21D UG-21D UG-23D UG-39A UG-57B UG-58A UG-83U UG-146
AMPHENOL SPECIALS
filled) Si. 25
le end 2.75
for 9913) 3.50
able end 3,95
Jack-Jack) 4,60
plug-plug) 5,20
receptacle 3*50
UHF Jack 8,00
UHF Plug 6.9$
liver (mica N" male cab (fitted female c Barrel ( Barrel ( Chassis Plug to Jack to
N1
N' IT N> N1 N*
Copper-clad 14 ga. (7x22) 7$ a foot (any length)
Identical to Bel den 800 0
VISA & MASTER CAfiD ACCEPTED SHIPPING IS ADDITIOHAL Call TOLL FREE
1-800-USA-9913
la NJ 201-887-6424
110-4 Route 10 East Hanover N.J. 07936
»■■■ SAME DAY 1HI JIM N2GKW
HMIf
SHIPPING
& BILL KA2QEP
CIRCLE 30 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Next Day
QSLs
— — - -c^i
Two-Co for iCoil Today * | RniHPOH Assotttth *»t ^ H> Ship Xrxrbn ' 2nd Sy AUP
100 SI9-95 SH9< S19,*5 200 S 1***5 S14.»? 52*-*5
E
3
i>i
AntennasWest <SOli 37J-W25
S4*9?
S54.*5 S**,*5
&4J,*? S4***5 M*.*5
SJ*-*5 544**5 S7f.f$
.\H r Jkr^ fpd li-i !•', ut rn--nr, mul
Bos 5O061 Pr.no. UT MWI5
CIRCLE 89 ON READER SERVICE CARD
NEW ONLINE CALL DIRECTORY
Our new HAMCALL service gives you 494/114+ Hams, vra your computer. $29,95 per year— unlimited use!
BUCKMASTER PUBLISHING
Mineral. Virginia 23117 703: 894-5777 800: 282-5628
CIRCLE ISC ON READER SERVrCECARD
■HI-PERFORMANCE DIPOLES-i
•»>■!> '•
4nl«rutRn (Hfll wijrfcl Cvlldtn aSGmm&lMd lu ynuP c+mmr Irr-n na trtmt ikdvtH til nl rwvi-m anl nuch on0 luaq «a imeOBO "V hfMUMlal. *sri iJIcni'l?.
atPOV
iAS.1 rof r.jtalogu* *H 1U ^lloohH »lo^i«i. am) (pace i^nhfig. wthyiH ■nlaont*
W?fMN AHTEHKAI ■ OK 393 Ml. f tOSPECT, <L 6flOSft
31 J -3*1 -3414
CIRCLE 38 ON READER SERVICE CARD
KENWOOD S3 ICOM yaebu
We want to be Your Radio Store
F u Hi. t ne of A mate ur Rad 10 ■ mt C omf>wl*r I nte rtac ing A Accessories * Tim W7IQY Of Pfeben K7KMZ CALL NOW FOR OUR CHRISTMAS SPEC IALS
I^RI* (801)467-8873
1057 E. 2100 Sa Sail L»fce Ci*y, UtJfri 84106
CIRCLE 343 ON READER SERVICE CARD
N umber 10 on yogr Feedback card
LLauL iai
A most unusual college project
by Mark Lambert WB8UUE
In 1957, a photo of 12-year- old Frank Wiesenmeyer and a few other hams ap- peared in their local newspa- per. Sputnik, ihe world's first satellite, had just been launched by the USSR, and Wicsenmeyer's radio club was the only one in the area that knew where to listen for the beep-beep -beep of the space beacon. Now Wiesen- meyer K9CIS, and a group of 12 others in Decatur. Illinois, are the creators of their own satellite!
Educational Bird
EDSAT, an eight-sided satellite a little larger than a five-gallon patL is expected to be launched by this group of Central Illinois enthusiasts in early 1989. The Space Shuttle will deploy this in the low-cost Getaway Special program offered by the Na- tional Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (See sidebar.) The satellite will feature a CW beacon and an amateur radio transponder, It will receive signals on two meters at 146 MHz and trans- mit on a 436 MHz downlink, A CW beacon will transmit on 436J MHz.
Once the satellite is built, the EDS AT team will trans- port it to Goddard Space Cen- ter in a special five cubic foot container. The satellite will then be transferred to a Getaway Special (GAS) can for its Space Shuttle ride.
After the Shuttle reaches the desired or- bit, the satellite will be shot out of the opened GAS can by a simple spring-load- ed pedestal. It will have a 57-degrcc inclina-
Photo A. Frank Wiesenmeyer mth a model of the EDSA T satellite* expected to go up in eurh- 1989*
tion at its high point and will orbit at an
altitude of at least 350 kilometers. Because the simple device will not have any boosters to adjust its altitude, EDSATs final posi- tion in the atmosphere won't be known until after launch.
The special launch canister was designed to spring a simi- lar satellite into orbit in 1985. A team at Weber State Uni- versity in Utah used a GAS can to launch NUSAT, a small satellite designed to calibrate radar for the Federal Aviation Administration.
EDSAT, Wiesenmeyer said, will be an educator's tool. The acronym stands for Educational Door to Space and Technology. "There were all kinds of interesting science experiments with the OSCAR scries/' Wiesen- meyer said, referring to the popular amateur radio satel- lite program. Of particular scientific interest was the telemetry, which included temperature readings, solar panel array current readings, and other related information. Wiesenmeyer is an associate professor of electronics tech- nology at Richland Communi- ty College in Decatur, and he used OSCAR to introduce space to his students. For ex- ample, he taught them how to plot Doppler frequency shift as the satellite whizzed by , us- ing it to calculate the satel- lite's altitude, VttL k4It fit in perfectly with
^jfc me/4 he said, "It provided an
interest in space science, filled the bill for extracurricu- lar science activity, and gave us an involvement in antennas and communications/1
With the death of OSCAR 8 in 1983, how- ever, Wiesenmeyer said the emphasis on edu- cation also died. Today's amateur satellites, he said, are intended more for communica- tion and not as a space science tool He
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 29
hopes EDSAT will restore the educational
aspect to ham radio satellites.
EDSAT will use a speech synthesizer to speak directly to students. The voice
messages will include the spacecraft's tem- perature, the condition of the battery and electronics, the satellite's position* and other data. As it orbits the earth, it also will trans- mit voice bulletins to users. A high-speed digital transmission mode will be available for advanced users with access to a personal computer.
Cheap (Relatively)
Wiesenmeyer said they designed the satel- lite with as many commercial off-the-shelf components as possible, to keep costs down and to encourage others to try satellite build- ing on a limited budget. Donations of materi- al also have been invaluable. General Motors donated the high-quality aluminum for the satellite shell, and Motorola donated radios for the bird's transponder, Even so, it will cost the college team $25,000 to launch the satellite. The device itself will be valued at $100,000,
Satellites have been the topic of discussion around Wiesenmeyer's small electronics lab
"He (Wiesenmeyer)
hopes EDSA T will
restore the educational
aspects to ham radio
satellites."
since NASA announced the Getaway Special program in 1982. It wasn't until 1985. how- ever, that the right combination of space enthusiasts came together at the college to get the project off the ground.
Twelve people form the EDSAT design, engineering, and advisory team. There are other instructors, local businessmen, farmers and students involved in the project. The team has completed design of the satellite and is beginning to bolt the hardware together.
Funds Needed
Now the real work begins. The group will launch a fund-raising drive this summer to come up with the S25.000 needed to put its creation in orbit. "It looks like our experi- ment is way up the ladder, and we will go soon after shuttle flights resume, so we need to be ready/ Wiesenmeyer said, He talks about the launch with restraint, but it is obvious he is excited.
"Think about what went on in the seven- ties! We launched satellites and payloads to Mars and Venus, and Voyager went to Jupiter. Saturn, and on out to Uranus and Neptune/ Wiesenmeyer said, "All those successes have had no real follow-up,
"We are obviously in a period of declining space activity, and that is something we hope to change/ T
Getaway Special
The Getaway Special (GAS) program was never intended to launch satellites. It was designed by NASA to carry science projects on the Space Shuttle and return them in an unopened cylinder,
A group of college students at Weber State College in Utah, however, requested in 1985 that a hinged lid be made available on one of the cans. They had done the unexpected, designing a satellite small enough to fit inside the 28-inch high cylin- der. A hinged lid and a spring-loaded base inside the tube were needed to launch the bird.
The team successfully launched NUSAT in April of 1985 from the Space Shuttle Challenger. Already, the team led by an amateur radio operator at Richland Com* munity College in Decatur, Illinois, was planning the second use of the modified can to launch another mini-satellite.
Getaway Special got its start in 1983 when 10 experiments by college students flew on the shuttle. Things like ant colonies and hybrid corn seed traveled up and back in sealed cans to test a variety of scientific theories, Since that flight, dozens of other experiments have flown, and reservations for hundreds more are waiting for shuttle flights to resume.
There are two sizes of GAS cans. The one used by each of the satellite groups is a five cubic foot cylinder which is 28 inches high. It will hold 200 pounds of material, and costs $10,000 per launch. The hinged-lid version costs about $25,000.
For experimenters with less grandiose projects, a 14-inch high cylinder is also available, (t holds 2 V2 cubic feet cf material. If you stuff it with 100 pounds of payload, it will cost you $5,000 per launch. Limit the baggage to 60 pounds and pay only $3,000.
According to NASA, sponsor of the program, GAS cans are leased only to non-profit groups to carry out space-related research and development. Foreign groups are welcome to rent a canf but each project flown must be "peaceful in nature' ' Shuttle astronauts will assist with a maximum of three remote on-off commands for each can.
Interested participants must classify their project in one of three categories: Governmental, Educational, and "Everything Else." A contract is signed with NASA and each group must pay $500 earnest money. NASA then sends each participant a videotape and manuals describing their responsibilities,
Projects are flown on a "space available" basis, and the fee must be paid in full before launch. If you are interested in learning more, contact: Getaway Special, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD at (301 ) 344-6760.
EDSAT
Block Diagram
w
tW/T0W BURST
MODE E
I
146 MHz TuRnSTYlE
V
♦ 36 Mr*; MONOPOU
SWREP
COMMAND RCVR I46MH2NSFM
TELEM XMTR 43&MHfHefM
~CWB£ACON 436 1 MM*
cw
KEYM
I
E-SEL
BURST CONTROL
-uZ' C
DIGIT A4.KER
FSK TELEM
1
i
->^
AFSK MODEM
VOICE SYNTH CONTROL
« DATA
i
MICROPROCESSOR
controller *aK ram
m ROM f 3£ VO
J-SEi
1
MODE J
COMMAND RCVR"
ueMHz
LINEAR TRANSPONDER t4£ UK* Uf>r*38 MHz DOWN
CW BEACON 43G1UHX
CW KEYING
24CHCW TELEM ENCODER
I
ANALOG TQ DIGITAL CONVTH
TELEM SENSORS
mo*
aSOLAR ARRAYS
18 WATTS
BATTERY CHARGE REG
LEAD ADD
BATTER v
fi CELL 5 AH
r
>TRUMENT MTCHMG
REGULATORS
30 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
National Tower Company
P.O.Box 15417 Shawnee Mission, KS. 66215
Hours 8:30-5:00 M-F Price Subiect to Change Wilhoul Notice
913-888-8864
ROHN
FflEE BASE STUBS WITH EACH BX SERIES TOWER
?5G
25 AG 2 & 3 25AG4 493 45AG3 4 4
55G
mm
BX-40 BX 46
BX56
BX^64
H BX-40 KB&46 HBX-56
HDBX-40 HDBX-48
3/16EHS 1/4EHS
HYOAINf TELEX HF ANTENNAS
6 sq.fl.] 6 sq.fl/ 6 sq.ft. [6 sq.H.
10 sq.lt. 10 sqtt-
10 so,, ft 18 sq.ft. 18 sq
TH3JRS
TH5MK2S
TH2MK3S
TB7DXS
EXP 14
0K710
103BAS 105BAS 155BAS 2Q4BA5 2Q5BAS
7-1 S 7-2S 7-3S
18HTS
14BMQ
18VS 12AVQ5 14AV0/WBS 18AVT/WBS
18TO 2BD0S
5BDQS
3
5 2 7
eiemeni element eiemeni element
23BS 25BS 28BS 214BS
648S V-2S V-3S V-4S GP&2A
HRT44GRI HB144GRI H6144MAG BN86
21 5S 21 8S
10' section
model 2 of 3 lop section .
model 4 top section
10' section
model 3 or 4 top seel ion..
10' section
10' mast, 2"o.d. 40 'self supporting 48'self supporting 5&'seif supporting 64'seif supposing 40 'self supporting 48'self supporting 56 'sett supporting 40 'sell supporting 48 'sell supporting
* GUY WIRE SPECIAL 500' galvanized 7 si rand.. 500' galvanized 7 sirand
ANTENNAS
Tri bands
'Junior Th underbid',.
'Thunderbird'
'Thunder bird"
■Thunderbird'
Explorer 14 triband beam
30/40 M conv. Exp 14
Mono band 'Long John' 3 element 10 mtr
"Long John' 5 element 10 mlr
'brig John' 5 element 15 rntr...
A element. 20 meter
'Long John' 5 element 20 mtr
'Discoverer" rotary dipole 3Q/4Qmtr.. 'Discoverer' 2 elem. 40 meter beam.
converts 7-2S to 3 elem. beam
Multftand Verticals
'Hy-Tuwer' 10 Ihru 80 meters
roof mt kit tor 12 AvUHAVQ and
IfiATV/WB
base loaded, 10 thru 80 meters
trap vertical 10 thru 20 meters
trap vertical 10 thru 40 meters
trap vertical 10 thru SO meters
Miiltiband Doublets portable tape dipole 10-80 meters....
trap doublet 40 and SO meters
trap doublet 10 thru 80 meters
fleams & Verticals
rneier 3 element beam
meter b element beam. ..,
meter 6 element beam.
meter 14 element beam
4 element 6 meler beam.....
colinear gain vertical 138-174 MHz..
colinear gain vertical 220 MHz
colinear gain vertical 430-470 MHz..
base. 2 mtr. ground plane 3 dB
VHF A UHF Mobiles ligergiass 2 mtr. 6dB gam 3/8-24 mt Hy Bander 2mtr 6dB gain 3/B-24 mt. HyBander 2 meter., lerrite balum for 10-80 meters. OSCAR LINK ANTENNA
70cm, 435 MHz
Complete Oscar link system....
$56.50
I66.QD $73.50 $133.00 $136.00 $166.50 S13.50 5196.00 $250.00 $334.50 $431.50 $226.50 $308.00 $39?. 50 $2B4.50 $384. &0
$40.00 350.00
o
>
Tl
o
VHF ANTENNAS
2
2
2
2
*
CUSHCRAFT ANTENNAS
A0P-1
AP8
A3
A743
A744
4218XL
R4
A45
AV4
AV5
ARX2B
ARX450B
A144-11
A 147-11
A1 47-22
A144-10T
A144-20T
215WB
22QB
?30WB
32-19
424B
1Q-4GD
1MCD
2D-4CD
HUSTLER
4BTV 5BTV 6BTV ROTORS
Alliance
Alliance
TELEX
TELEX
TELEX
TELEX
CABLE
complete Oscar Link system .... 8band Yiwave vertical.
3 element (riband beam
7 & 10 MHz add on kit fof A3
7 & 10 MHz add on kit for A4 .. 18 element 2 mtr, 28 8' boomer 10, 12. 15.20 mater vertical
4 element triband beam
40-10 mtr. vertical -
80-10 mtr. vertical
2 mtr. 'Ringo Ranger'
450 MHz, 'Ringo Ranger'
144 MHz. 11 eFe VHF
11 eiemeni 146-148 MHz. beam
Power Packer'
2 mlr 'Oscar'
2 mlr. 'Oscar'
2 mtr. 'Boomer'
FM 'Boomer"
30 element
mtr. Boomer'
22 element 10 element 20 element 15 eiemeni 17 element 144 -148MHz 19 eiemeni 2
24 element 'Boomer'
4 element 10 rntf. 'Skywalker' 4 element 15 mtr. "Skywalker7 4 element 14 MHz 'Skywalker' ANTENNAS
40-10 mtr vertical
8O-10 mtr vertical .
6 band trap verticaF
HO73[10.7sq.ft.I
U110
AR40TV, 3sq ft
CD45-II [8.5 sq.ft.]
HAM IV [15 sq. It.]
T2X [20 sq. fi.]
2-18 & 6-2?] 4080 - per loot
2-16 & 6-20] 4090 - per loot
1108 AG8LI Mini 8 low loss foam per fool .
1198 RG8U Columbia su pert I ex 100" 1 180 RG8LI Low loss 100% bonded Foil shield 66% tin copper b'aided sheild -per foot
$169.00
$152.00
$246.00
$81 00
$81.00
$125.00
$204.50
$344.00
594,50
$111.00
$39.25
$39 25
$50.50
$50.50
$141 75
$54. OD
$77.50
$81.00
$101,25
$21600
$101.25
set oo
1124 75 S145.00 $310 50
$79.00 $105.00 $124.00
$104,00
$47.00 CALL CALL CALL CALL
SO. 18
$0.35
$0.17
$31.00
$0.35
RANGER
IOmeter TRANSCEIVER, 25 watt, can be programmed to split transceive. SSB, CW. AM, FMJ programmable scanning, fulty automalic, noise blanker 2 3/8H, 7V,W. 11D. oaQ QA
uniden
25 WATT 1 0 Meter Transceiver, all mode operation, backlit muiti funcj tion LCD meter, frequency lock, auto squelch. NB. RF gain, PA, external speaker jack. 7l/+Wx9l/*Dx2 3/BH.
HH2510
$249.90
T
MAXON....$26.95
Model 49SA ■ 49 MHz, FM 2-WAY RADIO hands free operation, voice activated transmit up to V? mile. Batteries optional
model 49B $34.95
seme ieatures as 49SA except uses " AA " mead batteries and comes with battery charger
ASTATIC
0104 SILVER EAGLE $69.90
Chrome plaied base station amateur microphone Factory wired to be easily converted to electronic or relay operation. Adjustable gain for optimum modulation
ETS D104 SE . $89.90
NEW. same as above with end of transmislon 'Roger fieep'
RADAR DETECTORS
UNIDEN
ROS00 $69.90
Dual conversion superhet. city/riwy. LEDs. audible a Jam. compact.
RD9 $114.90
2 power cords, travel case, dual conversion superhet, ctiy/hwy. audible fi LED alerts, mrni size
HD7 $79.90
Dual conversion superhet, mini size, LED's, audible alert.
RD9XL $149.90
Superhel w/two power cords carry case, City/Hwy, mini size.
BEL
XKR100 ...$43.90
LED alert, tone alert, X & K band, dash/visor.
876 VECTOR $94.90
GAas diodes, sequential LED, City/Hwy, audio alert
S47 $134.90
EXPRESS REMOTE, V 4 Vband," Superhel! 2-way filter, LED & audi- ble alerts.
HAXOH
Wm mm Hto wm i + ■ h + t¥»***w + ****»*» + & ■ ^ *F v ■ v mr
Superhet. X & K band, audible & visual alerl, city/ high way seJtmg.
RD3 . . . $59 90
Long range dual conversion, .x & K band, LED's. audible alert w /volume control, antFtalsmg, city/hwy, dash/ visor.
FTO21 $54.90
Mini size, audible & visual alert, omni -polarity guard, dash/ visor
RD25 S79.90
Deluxe mini, same as above with sequential LED's
rdxl ;;:,;;,,-•; :.!.;.. $129.90
CORDLESS, X & K bands, anti talsing, sequential LED's, audible aFert. city/hwy. cfark/mute swilch. with carry case
TENNA PHASE III POWER SUPPLIES
F$3 $15.fJD
Output:13.8V DC - 3 amp constant 5 amp surge, electronic overload protection w/in- stan t auto reset, (use protected
PS4 $1990
Fully regulated, 13.8 VDC - 4 amps con- stant with surge protection, overload pro- lection w /instant auto reset.
TO 9 ■■■: ■■■■■■■ ■ r «■■■■■■■!■! fll-S^^Sf U
Fully regulated , 7 amp constant, 10 amp surge capacity.
PS12 $34.90
Fully regulated. 10 amp constant 13 amp surge, eFectronic overload protection w/instani auto reset.
PS20 564.99
Fully regulated. 20 amp surge capacMy. 13-6 VDC. 17 amp cons- lant, with meter
PSZ5 -. $79.90
ReguEaied 4.5-15VDC-25 Ampconsianl 27 amp surge, instant auto
reset, dual meter tor current & voltage.
PS35 S99J0
Same as above except, 35 amp consiant, 37 amp surge, adjustable from TO to 15 volts.
unlden
BC800XLT . $239.90
40 Ch 12 band, 800 MHi, aircraft &
weather, priority, track tuning, scan delay, auto search, direct channel
access, auto squelch, channel lockout . AC /DC
BC55XLT
$114.90
10 Cnannel 10 band,, prog ram - mabte, keyboard lock. 2 digit LCD display, review,
channel
battery
dicator,
backup,
delay.
channel
lockout, low m-
memory built-in direct
access,
track tuning, ac- cepts nicad bat- teries.
BC145XL . . . $92.90
16 Ch 10 band, programmable. 2 digit LEO, priority, review, direct Ch access, track tuning, built-in defay. memory backup. Channel lockout, direel channel access, weather, AC/DC
BC5B0XLT$ 189.90
100 Ch 11 mobile, sery ice search, weather, priori! y. charrnei lockout, scan delay, auto search, il- luminated, programmable, track tuning, direct channel access
BP55C Baltery pack & charger for BC55XL $29.90
BC100XLT 100 CFi It band hand held $199.90
aircraft, ch lockout, auto search, programmable, with battery pack. AC charger, carry case & earphone
BC200XLT 200 Ch 12 band, hand held. $269.90
WITH SQOMFfz band, priority, ch lockout, auto search. Iracfc luning. direct ch access, with battery pack. AC adaptor. Garry case.
BC175XL 16 ch 11 band aircrah $149.90
weather, ch lockout, auto search a squelch, delay, track tuning, memray backup, high/low scan speed, direct Ch access. AC/DC.
BC210XLT 40 Ch. 11 band, aircraft & weather. $179.90
Ch lockout, priori ly, scan delay, auto search, programmaOFe, track tuning, direel Ch access, AC/Dc with mobile mounting bracket.
BC560XLT 16 Ch 10 band mobile, $99.90
LED display, review, priority, memory backup, direct 'Ch access, weather search, built-in delay, Irack tuning, eternal speaker jack
BC760XLT 100 Ch 12 band mobile. $279.90
WITH 800 MHzu wealher & aircraft base/mobr-le. priority, service scan ch lockoul, scan delay, auto search. programmabEe. track tuning, direel Ch access, memory lock, memory backup, ext speaker jack.
BETTY BEARCAT Frequency Directory
BCFB-W BCFBE .
Western LIS . , .
. Eastern US , . . .
$9.90 $9.90
INF5 . . . $89.90
AC Powered TURBO SCAN* . pre- programmed by state to receive any type of poFfce transmission plus fire and weather, scans at 50 channels pee second, digiial display, in- stant wealher.
INF1 $144.90
Preprogrammed mobile, receives all 50 states police, plus instant weather, scans 40 channels per second. DC
SUPER CONUERTER
installs on any scanner and is designed to receive frequencies belween 810 MHz & 912 MHz and convert them down to 4 TO MHz thru 512 MHz, easy to install
Z45 $99.90
45 Channel 7 band w/aircrafl. programmable, 45 preprogramm- ed channels search or scan, alarm clock, priority, permanent memory backup, ch lockout, scan delay, AC/ DC with both cords
R1070 $89.90
10 Ch 6 band, programmable, permaneni memory backup, dual level digital display, channel lockout, step contfol, AC oniy.
CIRCLE 323 ON READER SERVICE CARD
NYE
Takes the fear out of full power antenna tuners, and the guesswork out of PEP measurement with these two MUST SEE PRODUCTS!!
V-A
RFM-003
.*njp^*
1 la*** i*'-**
Discover this durably bui Lt, feature packed MB- V-A Antenna tuner. You'll find operating conveniences that make antenna tuning a snap and value engineered to do the job over wide operating ranges. Compare quality, features and the NYE VIKING TWO YEAR WARRANTY.
Get correct easy to read measurements of PEP for SSB, AM, and PuLse along with full time completely automatic SUR display with this unique Power Monitor System. Two models to choose from: The RFM-003 for 3KU indication and the RFM-005 for 5KU.
CHECK THE FEATURES:
* Pi Network. Low Paaa Pi Network timing 15-30 UHr. Heavy duty silver pJaled continuously variable inductor with 25:1 vernier dial, 71)00 volt variable capacitor and lO.OOOv switch selected fijttd capacitors on output side. Tunes <0 -3000 ohm loads. Good harmonic suppression!
+ AllLonidlic SWR. Hands free metering of SW1L No read, or calibration needed. Separate power melcr- 300 or 3000 i La. automatically switched Easy to reed ZJ5" recessed and bsek-tigjiled Unit band indent
* Antenna Switch. PUSH-BUTTON antenna switching to (4) antennas {Z coei, single wire iui twin lead). Coei bypassed on first coax output. 1 e designed this switch to take the power. Rated at 10KV and 30 amps.
1 3 KW Balun. THfilar wounnd triple core torroid fives balanced output to twin feeders from £00 to LOOt) ohina and unbalanced output down to 30 ohms,
* Maximum Power Transfer, Welch your transmitter output impedance to almost any aoteimu system for maiimum power transfer Amplifiers only run at their designed Q when properly matched.
T Model Options. UB-IM1 includes all WB-Y-A features less antenna avilch and balun. UB-IV- A2 is identical to MB-IY-M with the addition of a triple core balun.
* 1.0 MHz. will not tune on some antennas,
* (3) Modes - Peak Awrege and Peak and Hold with a unique non-drift Sample A Hold Analog memory circuit.
+ (2) Ranges - Automatically switched power scales to 5 Kf .
* Fully Automatic SWR - Full time meter displays rata directly without ML
* TllJ il L — 111 AtjQ - Protect your amplifier tube investment with Uiis fast acting lookout
* Rc fHOle Couplers - Six feet remotes the interchaiujcahle calibrated couplers,
* True RMS Conversion - H.F. couplers U3e forward biased full wave detection.
* Rugged Construction - Heavy gauflc aluminum construction, Top quality glass epoiy PCB. This meter is built to last.
* Accuracy - Guaranteed to ±_h% P.S>
1 Warranty - TWO FULL YEARS -
* Added Features - Are swiUhable rewrae power all mode metering - Full status 1ZL1 Display - Adjustable? AID a swilriiabJe SWH/KS^ power - Heavy duty Nitad batteries charged by the applied RF for the field and a charger is supplied for lost charging and backlighting of the taut baud meters for the ham shack.
OTHER NYE VIKING PRODUCTS
Phone Patches - Electronic and Memory Keyers - Squeeze Keys - Straight Keys - Code Practice Sets - SWR Wattmeter for the blind - Low Pass Filters - All Band Antenna and more
ASK FOR A FREE FULL LINE CATALOG.
TO ORDER, CALL YOUR FAVORITE DEALER
Amateur Electronic Supply
Ham Radio Outlet
Henry Radio
Madison Electronics
EGE
R & L Electronics
Barry Electronics
C-Comm
Ross Distributing
Quement Electronics
LaCue Communications
Ham Station
Wm. M. Nye Co, Inc.
1614 130th Ave N.E. Bellevue, WA. 98005 TEL; (206) 454-4524 FAX: (206) 453-5704
CIRCLE 353 ON READER SERVICE CARD
uniden
$III$M$I$I$
$12,
Scanner Sale
Uniden Corporation of America has pur- chased the consumer products line of Re* gency Electronics Inc. for $12,000,000. To celebrate this purchase, we're having our largest scanner sale in history! Use the coupon in this ad for big savings. Hurry... offer ends December 31. 1988.
• * * MOMMY SA VI HO COUPON** •
Get special savings on the scanners fisted in this coupon. This coupon must be tnciuded with your prepaid order. Credit cards, personal ch&cks and quan- tity discounts are excluded from thts otte r 0 tfar valid oniy o n prepaid orders matted directly to Communications Elec- tronic s fnc, RQ Bom 1045-Dept. UN 11 f, Ann Arbor, Mich igan 4 8 1 06- 1045 USA Coupon expires December 31, 1968 Coupon ma y not be used in confunctio n with any other otter from CEL Coupon maybe photocopied. Add S 9.00 tor ship- ping in the continental U.S. A
Regency TS2-T . . $259.95
Regency INF1-T ..,$119.95
Regency INF5-T 579-95
Regency R1090-T S114.05
Regency UC1 02-T S1 09.&5
Regency RH6068-T $413.95
Regency RH25GB-T..„, $294,95
Bearcat 200XLT-T $249.95
Bearcat 1 00XLT-T , . „ . $1 84.95
Bearcat S0OXLT T $249.95
Uniden TALKER-T $179-95
• * * • VALUABLE COUPON + + **
NEW! Bearcat? 760XLT-T
List price $499.95/0 E price $244. 9 5/ SPECIAL f **«m4 lOO Channel e Crymtallaaa e AG/ DC
Frequencyrange: 29-S4, If a-} 74, 406-5 1ZBQ6+956 MHz Excludes 823 9875-B49 0125 and 868 98 7SB94.Q 1 25 MHz
The Bearcat 760XLT has 100 programmable chan- nels organized as five channel banks for easy use, and 1 2 bands of coverage including the 800 MHz. band. The Bearcat 760XLT mounts nealfy under the dash and connects erectly to fuse block or battery. The unit also has an AG adaptor, flip down stand and telescopic antenna for desk top use. 6- 5/1 6" Wx1%"Hx 7% " D, Model &C 590XLT-T is a similar version without the 300 MHz. band for only $1 94 95, CTCSS squelch option now available.
SALE! Regency® TS2-T
List price S499.95/CE price S269.95/SPECIAL ta-Bmndt 73 Channel e Crystalteae a AC/DC
Frequency range: 29-S4. It 8-1 75, 406-5 12, 806+950 MHz The Regency 1S2 scanner rets you monitor Military, Space Satellites, Government, Railroad, Justice Department, State Department Fish & Game. Immigration, Marine, Police and Fire Depart- ments, Aeronaut tea I AM band, Paramedics, Am- ateur Radio, plus thousands of other radio fre- quencies most scanners can' l pick up. The Regency TS2 features new 40 channel per second Turbo Scan"" so you wont miss any of the action. Model TS1 -T is a 35 channel version of this radio without the 800 MHz. band and costs only $ 199.95
Regency® RH256B-T
List price S799 95/CE price S299.95/5PECIAL fa Chmnnmi • 23 Watt Transceiver • Priority
The Regency RH256B is asixteen-channel VHF land mobile transceiver designed to cover any frequency between 150 to 162 MHz. Since this radio is synthesized, no expensrve crystals are needed to store up to 1 6 frequencies without battery backup. All radios come with CTCSS tone and scanning capabilities A monitor and night/ day switch is also standard, This transceiver even has a priority func- tion The RH256 makes an ideal radio for any police or fire department volunteer because of its low cost and high performance. A 60 Watt VHF 1 50*162 MHz. version called the RH606B»T is available for $429.95, A UHF 1 5 watt 1 6 channel version of this radio called the RU1 58B-T is also available and covers 450-482 MHz. but the cost is $454.95,
• •• Uniden CB Radios •••
(g) The Uniden line of Citizens Band Radio transceivers is styled to compliment other mobile audio equipment. Uniden CB radios are so reliable that they have a two year limited warranty From the feature packed PRO 8 1 0E to the 3 1 0E handheld, there is no better Citizens Band radio on the market today.
PR031 0E-T Uniden 40 Ch, Port able/Mobile CB SS3.95 PRO330E-T Umdan 40 Ch- Remote mount CB. . 5 104.95
PROSOOD-T Uniden 40 Channel CB Mobile $3635
NINJA-T PRO310E with rechargeable battery pacK.S99.95 B10-T 1.2V AA MJ-csd battery lor Ninja (set of 10). £20 95
KARATE- T Umdan 40 channel rescue radio $5395
PROS 1 0 XL-T Uniden 40 cha n n« i C9 Mobile $38. 9 5
PflO520XL*T Uniden 40 chennet CB Mobile. $56 95
PRO540E-T Uniden 40 channel CB Mobile $97 95
PROMO E-T Uniden 40 channel SSBC 8 Mobile Si 37 95
PRO710E-T Uniden 40 channel CB Base ST 19.95
PR0610E-T Uniden 40 channel SSB CB Base S1 74.95
* * • Uniden Radar Detectors* * •
Buy the fines) Uniden radar detectors from CEI today
TALKER-T Uniden talking radar detecto* Si &4 35
RD7-T Uniden visor mount radar detector 599,95
RDft-T Uniden "PasaporT size radar detector S1 14 95
HOBKL'T Uniden "micro" size radar detector . . . $144.95
RD25-T Uniden visor mount radar detector , . . . £54.95
RD500-T Lfnldan viaor mount radar delect or. . . $ 74,95
Bearcat® 200XLT-T
List price $509.95 CE price S25495/SPEC1AL 12- Band, 200 Chmnnmi * BOO MHz. Handheld Search m Limit m Mold a Priority a Lockout Frequency range: 29-5< MB-l 74, 406-512. 806-956 MHz Excludes B23 9B?S-849.0r 25 and 86S9876-894.01 25 MHz.
The Bearcat 200XLT sets a new standard for hand- held scanners in performance and dependability. This full featured unit has 200 programmable channels with 10 scanning banks and 12 band coverage. If you want a very similar model without the 800 MHz. band and 100 channels, order the BC 100XLT-T for only $189.95. Includes antenna, carrying case with belt loop, ni-cad battery pack, AC adapter and earphone, Order your scanner now
Bearcat* 800XLT-T
List price $549, 95/C E price $259 . 95/SPEC I A I wM-Bmndf 40 Chmnnmi • Nccryatat acannmr Priority control * Search/Scan * AC/ DC
Bands: 29-54, 1 18-174, 406-512, 806-912 MHz The Uniden BOO XLT receives 40 channels in two banks Scans 15 channels par second Size9V*"jt4^ " x 12^.( If you do not need the SOO MHz. band, a similar model called the BC 210XLT-T is available for 51 76.95
Bearcat® 1 45XL-T
List price S189.95/CE price $94.95/SPECIAL lO~Bmnd, 16 Chmnnmi • Ho-crymtml memnnmr Priority control • Weather aearch • AC/DC
Bands: 29-54, 136-174, 406-5 72 MHz. The Bearcat 145XL is a 16 channel programmable scanner covering ten frequency bands. The unit features a built-in delay function that adds a three second delay on all channels to prevent missed transmissions. A mobile version called the BC560XLT-T featuring prf- ority, weather search, channel lockout and more is available for $94,95. CEfs package price includes mobile mounting bracket and mobile power cord
Regency® Informant*1' Scanners
Frequency coverage: 35-54, 136-174.406-5 12 MHz The new Regency Informant scanners cover virtu- ally all the standard police, fire, emergency and weather frequencies. The INF1 -T is ideal for truck- ers and is only Si 29. 95. For base station use, the INF5-T is S84.95. Order your scanner today,
NEW? President* HR2510-T
List price $499<95/CE price $239. 95/SPECIAL i O Mater Uobllm Transceiver m Digital VFO Full Bond Coverage » AthMode Opmrmtlon Back fit liquid cry a tat dleplmy * Auto Squelch HIT • Preprogrammed 10 KHm. Channels FreQuency Coverage: 28QQ0Q MHz, to 29 6999 MHz.
The President HR25 1 0 Mobile 10 Meter Transceiver made by Uniden. sets a new standard in amateur radio communications. Fully Featured-The HR2510 has everything that you need. Up to 25 Watt PEP USB/LSB and 25 Watt CW mode. Noise Blanker PA mode. Digital VFO. Built-in S/RF/MOD/SWR meter. Channel switch on the micro phonet and much more? The HR2510 lets you operate AMh FMf USBf LSB or CW. The digitally synthesized frequen- cy control gives you maximum stability and you may choose either pre-programmed 10 KHz. chan- nel steps, or use the buitHn VFO for steps down to 100 Hz, There's also RIT (Receiver Incremental Tuning) to give you perfectly tuned signals. With receive scanning, you can scan 50 channels m any one of four band segments to find out where the action is. Order your HR2510 from CEI today.
BC760XLT
6O0 MHz.
mobile scanmar
SPECIALl
• * * Facsimile Machines A Phonmm * * * If you need an excel tent facsimile machine, CEi has the full featured Fa*tel 3300 fax by Pactel at a special price. FAX330O-T PacW Fax machine wrth phone . . , $t. 099-95 XE750-T Uniden Cordless Phone with speaker. . £99.95
* * * Extmndmd Service Contract * * * rf you purchase a scanner. CB, radar detector or cordless pnon© from any aiore m the u.S Of Canada wimm the Last 30 days, you can gel up to three years of extended service contract from Warrantech. This service extension plan begins after the manulacturer's warranty expires Warrantech will perform all necessary labor and will not charge tor relurn shipping. Extended service contracts are nol refundable and apply oniy ic+ih© original purchaser A two year extended con- tract on a mobile or base scanner is $29 99 and three years ts $39 99 For handheld scanners, 2 years is $59 .99 and 3 years is $7 9 99 For radar detectors, two years is $2 & 99 For CB radios, 2 years is $39 99 For cordless phones, 3 years ks £34 99 Order your extended service contract today
OTHER RADIOS AMD ACCESSORIES
BCS5XLT-T SeargsMO channel scanner $114.95
AC70XLT-T Bearcat 20 channel scanner . S 1 59,95
BC1 75XLT-T 9earcaT 1 6 channel scanner ... S 1 56.95
R1 DOO-T Rsgenc y 45 cnannet scanner $ 11 9.95
UC! 02 «T Regency VHF 2 ch. 1 Watt transcerver S l 1 4.95 BPS5-T Regency 16 amp reg. power supply. . . $1 79.95 MA640-T Drop-In chargef lor HXl 200 £ HX1 SOO . , . $59,95 MA51 8T Wall charger f or HX1 500 scanner ......* 1 4.95
MA553T Carrying case for HXl 500 scanner. . . % 1 4.95 itAfi17-T NrCad battery peck rof HX 1 000/1200 , $3995 8P2O5-TNi-Cadbattpac*(torBC200/BC100XLT 149.95
BS-T 1,2 V AA Nf-Cadbattenestsel of eight) $17.95
FBE-T Frequency Directory for Eastern U.S.A,. , $14.95 FBW-T Frequency Directory for Western USA . . 114.95
ASO-T Air Scan Directory J 1 4 95
SRF-T Survival Radio Frequency Directory $1 4,95
TSG-T "Top Secret" Registry of U S Go*1 Freq. . . S 14.95 TTC-T Tune in on telephone calls $14 95
C 8 H-T Big CB Handbook/ AM/ FM/Freeband. ... $14 95 TIC-T Techniques tor Intercepting Comm 1 1 495
Rflf'T flailroad frequency direclory .. $14 95
EEC-T Embassy & Espionage Comm unseat lone . $ 14.95 CIE-T Coven InteMigenct Elect Eavesdropping , 114.95
MFF*T Midwest Federal Frequency directory $14.05
A30-T Magnet mount mooiie scanner antenna . $3595 A70-T Base station scanner antenna 135 95
A500*T 10 S 11 Meter- SOO Wan antenna $38.95
A13©0*T2S MHt-1.3 GHz DiSCone antenna . . Si 09.95
USAMM-T Mag mount VHF ant. w/ 12' cable 13995
USAK T ^ hole mount VHF ant. w/ 1 7 cable $3595
USAK450-T^'< hole maun tUHFani.w/ 17 cable. . $35.95 Add 14 00 shjpptng for all accessories ordered at the same time- Add $9.00 shipping per radio and $4.00 per antenna
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE
To get the faateat delivery trom CEI of any scanner, send or phone your order directly to our Scanner Distribution Center" Michigan residents please add 4% sales tax or supply your tax !.D. number Written pur- chase orders are accepted from approved government agencies and most well rated firms at a 10% surcharge for net 10 billing. All sales are subject to availability. acceptance and verification. At I sates on accessories are fmaL Prices, terms and specifications are subject to change without notice, All prices a re in U.S. dollars. Out of stock items wiir be placed on backorder automatically unless CEI is instructed differently. A $5,00 additional handling fee will be charged for all orders wrtn a merchandise total under S5O.0O- Shipments are F.O.B. CEi warehouse in Ann Arbor. Michigan. No CQDV Most items listed have a manufacturer's warranty. Free copies of warranties on these products are available by writing to CEI. Non-certified checks require bank clearance. Not responsible for typographical errors.
Mail orders to: Communications Electron* icsr Sox 1045, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 U.&A. Add $9,00 per scanner for U. P. S. ground Shipping and handling in the continental US. A For Canada* Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, or APO/FPO delivery, shipping charges are three times continental U.S. rates. If you have a Discover, Visa, American Express or Master Card, you may call and place a credit card order. 5% surcharge for billing to American Express. Order lolMree in the U.S Dial 800-USA-SCAN. In Canada, dial 800-221*3475. FAX anytime, dial 313-971^6000. If you are outside the U.S, or in Michigan dial 313-973-8888, Ordertoday.
Scanner Distribution Center* and CEI logos are trade- marks of Communications Electronics Inc Sale dates 1 0/1 5/dd — 1 2/3 V88 AO * 1 1 01 83-T
Copy rig ht £ 1 968 Communications Electronics I nc.
For credit card orders call
1-800-USA-SCAN
COMMUNICATIONS
ELECTRONICS INC. Consumer Products Division
P.O. Box 1045 D Ann Arbor. Michigan 46 106- 1045 USA, For orders call 31 3-973-8888 or FAX 31 3-97 1 -60G0
CIRCLE 121 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Number i 1 on your Feedback card
Charging Without Overcharging
This circuit conserves AC and charges — not chars—station batteries!
by Dennis Knittel WB8VQR
It's always a good idea to have an emergency power source for the ham station. Hams are often need- ed the most during power outages. Auto batteries are good to keep the 12 volt station running, but deep- cycle marine batteries from GNB, Sears, and others are ideal. Auto batteries are designed to provide a whopping current (100-200 am- peres) for very short periods. *uch as needed to start a car. and to float the load— lights ignition, radio, and so forth— against the alterna- tor the rest of the time.
The deep-cycle batteries, on the other hand, are designed to be ful- ly charged, and then to provide a steady, medium range current (10-20 amperes) until discharged. Thus the deep-cycle is more appropriate to this appli- cation, but if the automobile batteries are free "putl-outs," or nearly so , . .
More Than Just Trickle Charging
A popular method has been to trickle- charge auto batteries while running gear off a power supply. When the power goes out, the battery takes over automatically, The prob- lem with this is that unless the charging voltage is set cxacdy, and the condition of the battery monitored occasionally with a hy- drometer, the battery will be either under- charged (leaving less reserve in an outage) or overcharged (driving off water and eventual- ly killing the battery),
The circuit shown in the schematic uses two batteries alone to supply the station. When their voltages drop to a preset point, a control circuit activates the charger. One of the batteries begins to charge while the other continues to supply the station. After the first battery is charged, it powers the station while the second battery charges. After the second battery is charged, the charger shuts off and the station runs from both batteries. The charger draws AC only when needed. The charger doesn't need to be well -filtered be- cause it doesn't run the station directly.
Since the equipment is not endangered, this method also allows the batteries to charge at 15.5 volts. Once the charger is removed, the batteries will be at about 13.5 volts. Charged at only 13.5 volts, the battery voltage would be only about 12 volts after removing the charger. In the following text, you will note that the set points of 12.25 volts for starting
34 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
charge, and 1 3.50 for stopping, are values for new batteries. If your batteries are older, you could use lower numbers tike 1 2 and 13 volts. This just means slightly different settings on R6 and R5, respectively. Be aware of voltage drops due to the voltmeter when adjusting the potentiometers.
Outage Warning
During an outage, the station continues to operate from the batteries. When the con- troller begins to charge the batteries, howev- er, it discovers the outage and sends a pulsat- ing audio warning to indicate trouble. This audio can be piped to useful locations, such as to a speaker in the ham shack, or through a transmitter audio input at a repeater site. The controller can also switch the equipment to low-power operation during the outage. It won't allow the batteries to over- or under- charge. The batteries power the controller, which, due to its mostly CMOS circuitry, draws under 2.5 mA.
Voltage Reference
The controller circuit requires a voltage reference. Voltage reference criteria are: sta- bility, low current draw, and over- voltage detection. Over-voltage protection is set a little above the normal peak charge. If, for example, the batteries arc charging at 15.5 volts, a good over- voltage point is 16 volts-
It's easy to derive a stable 16 volt reference from batteries that fluctuate between 12.25 and 13.5 volts. A 723 voltage regulator chip (U2), powered from the batteries, is set for an 8 volt output. A voltage divider (R40. R2, and R41 ) divides charger voltage in half and
compares it to the 8 volt reference from the 723. If the divided charger voltage goes above the reference voltage, the controller removes the charger from the AC line and begins the audio warning. It remains this way until manually reset. This over-voltage protec- tion keeps the batteries from over- charging, and protects the equip- ment from what might well be a fatal over- voltage.
An LM339 voltage comparator chip (U3) monitors four voltage points. The four points are: 16 volts (over-voltage), 1 1 volts (un- der-voltage), and the two inner limits of 12.25 and 13.5 volts, which control battery charging. All reference voltages for the 339 come from the 723 voltage regulator, and are separately adjustable. The capacitors and the series re- sistors, which are after the battery and charger voltage dividers, smooth out any spikes caused by load changes so that the comparators are not accidentally tripped .
Circuit Operation
Normal operation begins with comparator U3c. When it detects that the batteries have run below 12.25 volts, it sets flip-flop #5 (FF5). This starts the 600 Hz oscillator, and the 4020 and 4017 divider chips. FF5 also causes Darlington pair #1 (DPI) to ground relay # I ( K 1 ) , that connects the charger to the AC line. The lime when FF5 starts the di- vider chips is the time reference for other events described later. The 4020 is a unique CMOS chip in that it is capable of division by as much as 16,384. Its last three outputs di- vide the 600 Hz down to one cycle every 6.83, 13.65, and 27.3 seconds.
This explanation uses the 1 cycle/6.83 sec- ond output. It gives 54.6 seconds of charge to the battery during each cycle. The 13.65 sec- ond output gives 109.2 seconds of charge, and the 27.3 output gives 218.5 seconds per cycle to the battery. If the batteries require longer charging cycles, the 13,65 or 27,3 second outputs can be used, giving the longer times. Select the desired output with a jumper on the printed circuit board. The circuit recy- cles on each battery until it is fully charged, eliminating the need to worry about under- charging. Using too short a charge cycle, however, causes the circuit to test the battery voltage before it stabilizes. This fools the
I
5*
X
m
J 5 «*-
■■■ vlv-
h?
=g
s?
5*
3
if* *
r
S5
it
j-
Ji ^ ;. S^
■- 5
5*
a — ji-
?I III
to £g*
Wft > i
i
--^<
* ■-
*
l«
B
•a —
*-:
P
■1 5
»ri^LATQIt
«-"
1 ■ »*■
*->Hi
5
•E5-.i':" 1ES5E
E^1
S5
Is
■ V — *^^^" ^^ ^
* r 1 —
1 1 — w> ■ w* — i
4 «**■
■-.-i-r-
|
*x |
4 a |
|
-••■ |
-*** |
|
n -S* |
*W |
^ :: k
HP
_ri
c
rf\^
r
Tt
» tf
■
I
1 i
_ Iv — t *
•1 ° "is
3-i
711
Si
3-1
(5
9
~| BL_
41 o>
(5
t^fr
^h
*
o5
-ui
o?
*
6C?
A
9tn
r
IL
rfi V
a
» «.
cm
rv
6
n
nr 1
Vs
— w
o
01 31
^3
L^a
Mr|
I*
If
|
52 |
1 |
||||||
|
g |
5 |
||||||
|
V |
>^ |
||||||
|
■" r 0 ¥ c 0 |
n n |
||||||
|
0 — c |
-1 c *4 |
||||||
|
• |
|||||||
|
frC 1DAA& |
~ |
•i |
|||||
|
COVPQHtPfTS tH"»J «"**:. |
-: s; |
6^**0 |
|||||
|
4 |
|||||||
|
i |
t |
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1986 3S
ma
circuit into prematurely thinking that the batteries are charged, causing unnecessary cycling and relay wear.
We now have a 6. 83 second cycle from the 4020 (U7) clocking the 4017 (U6). Each out- put of the 4017 starts with output #0 and will sequentially go higher for 6. 83 seconds while all others remain low. At 0 seconds (when FF5 sets} output #0 goes high. At 6. S3 sec- onds output #9 returns low and output #1 goes high. At 13.65 seconds, output #1 returns low and output #2 goes high. This continues through output #9 and then begins over again at output #0,
When output #0 goes low at 6,83 seconds, it causes a one millisecond negative output pulse from the capacitor-resistor network (CI 5 and R32). This pulse sets FF2 and FF3, causing DP2 and DP3 to ground K2 and K3. This means that 6.83 seconds after FF5 sets and the charger comes on and stabilizes, the first battery begins charging. The second bat- tery continues to supply your radio equip- ment. At 61.44 seconds, the 40 1 7 output #8 resets FF2, releasing K2, and stops the charg- ing. At 68.27 seconds, the 4017 output #9 causes a voltage check on battery #1. If the voltage is under 13,5 volts then at 75+09 sec- onds Ehe 4017 output #0 sets FF2 again and reconnects battery #1 to the charger for an- other round. If voltage is over 13.5 volts then FF3 is immediately reset, causing battery #1 to return to supply the load. At 75.09 sec- onds, FF2 and FF4 cause battery #2 to begin the same charging cycle that battery #1 had used, At 129,71 seconds, FF2 resets and re- leases K2, stopping the charging of battery #2. Its voltage is allowed to stabilize and at 136.53 seconds the voltage is checked. If under 13.5 volts, the charge cycle for battery Wl begins again at 143.37 seconds. If over 13-5 votts, the entire circuit resets immedi- ately. The charger is disconnected from the AC line, and everything waits to be called into action again. If battery #1 has fallen below 12.25 volts by the time battery #2 is checked and found to be over 13.5 volts, the charger will not shut off. Instead, the se- quence restarts by charging battery #1 and then battery #2. This means that if there is a heavy load, the batteries will continue to charge alternately.
Over- Voltage Protect
If over-voltage should ever occur, FF1 will set, causing DPI and Kl to disconnect the charger from the AC line. FF1 also causes the Conserve output to go to the high state. This output can advise the equipment to go to a power saving mode. FF1 also sets FF5 via the diode, starting the oscillator, and allowing the audio output to send out a pulsed tone to indicate trouble.
The over-voltage circuit is reset by applying a LMow** to the reset input of FF1 . This stops the beeping and restarts the charging, The reset can be remote controlled unless the remote reset continuously trips out, which means a trip to the remote site to correct problems. The conserve and audio outputs will also operate if voltage doesn't reach point A, (due to AC power line failure,
36 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1
charger melting, etc.), when a charging cycle begins. In this case, an attempted reset is ineffective, Everything will return to normal when voltage does reach point A (the power comes back on or the charger is replaced), this time with properly sized fuses. The one megohm resistor (R48) between point A and the AND gate input is to insure that the gate is not destroyed by its input, (which is being forced higher than the B+ supply to the chip). The one megohm resistor (R49) and the one micro- farad capacitor (R49, C6)> on the output of that gate, causes a delay to prevent falsing of the audio.
If the controller is beeping and is not at- tended to, the battery voltage eventually drops to 11 volts. If this happens, the output of the comparator U3d goes to a low state. This causes DP5 to ground K5, which in turn shorts B+ to ground and blows the B+ fase. This feature is provided to pro- tect equipment that may be damaged by over- ly low voltage. The beeping that begins, as the batteries drop below 12,25 volts, should give enough time to correct the problems before the 11 volt "self-destruct" point is reached. There are other uses for U3d and K5, such as starting a back-up emergency generator or changing the beep rate (to indi- cate the batteries are really on their last leg).
A second 723 Ul is provided on the board for regulating your charger, It can control a string of 3055s, The 723 does not have to be used, but if it's not, it still must tie point A to the charger output. The circuit is able to continue detecting the power line or charger failure. Capacitors placed off the printed circuit board pins are used for sens- ing and regulator output to keep the 723 stable,
A third battery can be added after the relays but before the B + fuse. Once a heavy load is applied, a third battery will help prevent ex- cess voltage drop caused by wire and relay contact resistances. It may also save your equipment's volatile memory from loss due to dirty relay contacts. The third battery will remain charged by the first two.
The contacts of K2 should be able to handle the current power supply charging the batter- ies. The K3 and K4 contacts should each be able to handle the largest current that the equipment will demand of the batteries. Don't forget the reverse surge protection diodes across all relay coils.
I recommend using larger (500 Ah+) bat- teries. They hold a charge longer and require fewer charging cycles,
I hope you will find this project useful for setting up a more secure and economical battery backup system
Parts List
|
Quantity |
Parts number |
Description |
|
2 |
2N3055 power transistor |
|
|
11 |
2N3904NPN transistor |
|
|
3 |
D1-D3 |
1N4001 diode |
|
2 |
D4-D5 |
20 amp 50 V on beatsinks |
|
2 |
U1-U2 |
723 vantage regulator |
|
1 |
U3 |
339 voltage comparator |
|
2 |
U4-U5 |
4011 |
|
1 |
ue |
4017 |
|
1 |
U7 |
4020 |
|
1 |
U5 |
4044 |
|
1 |
U9 |
4069 |
|
1 |
U10 |
4071 |
|
3 |
C1-C3 |
22uF electrolytic |
|
3 |
C4-C6 |
1uF |
|
3 |
C7-C9 |
,1uF |
|
6 |
C10-C1S |
.01uF |
|
7 |
R1-R7 |
20kQ |
|
5 |
R14-R18 |
470Q V* resistor |
|
11 |
R8-R13, R19-R23 |
lOkfl resistor |
|
1 |
R24 |
39kQ resistor |
|
9 |
R25-R33 |
47kO resistor |
|
1 |
R34 |
&6kQ resistor |
|
1 |
R3S |
68 kO resistor |
|
1 |
R36 |
91 kQ resistor |
|
1 |
R37 |
110kQ resistor |
|
1 |
R3S |
20GkQ resistor |
|
1 |
R39 |
220kD resistor |
|
4 |
R40-R43 |
240kQ resistor |
|
1 |
R44 |
27Qk0 resistor |
|
1 |
B45 |
300kQ resistor |
|
2 |
R4&-R47 |
330kQ resistor |
|
3 |
R48-RS0 |
ImQ resistor |
|
3 |
K1.K2.K5 |
Relay 12 volt coif 20-25 amp SPST contacts |
|
2 |
K3S K4 |
Relay 12 volt coil 20-25 amp SPOT contacts |
|
5 |
200 voit amp snirbber diodes for relay coils |
|
|
1 |
T1 |
Power transformer |
|
1 |
F1 |
Fuse 5 amp |
|
4 |
F2-F5 |
Fuse 20 amp 3 AG" |
A surplus 3-phase magnetic circuit breaker can be substituted for fuses F3-F5 to disconnect all power in case of overcurrent in any leg. Remove B+ (coming through F5> also disables AC input through the contacts of K1 ,
*Oo not substitute slow-bfow for F5.
THEY'LL THINK
THEY'RE JUST
HAVING FUN
YOU'LL KNOW THEY'RE
LEARNING
Carole Perry's (Dayton 1987 Ham of The Year)
"Introduction To Amateur Radio" package allows children of all abilities to achieve success.
Reody-to-teach package contains: Teacher's Manual with 26 lesson plans, Code Practice Oscillator for Morse Code practice, Spacecode audiocassette which follows
lesson plans.
D Any motivated teacher can teach the program.
□ Ham Radio program is used as a motivational
toot to teach skills in other subject areas.
D 24 hour Hotlrne is available for help and questions.
□ High motivational activities, tromeworksr fund raisers, quizzes, & reproducibles included.
- Media =
- M@nton
P.O. Box 131646 Staten Island
r i i i i i
i i
pq.
inc
.NY 10313-0006 {718)983-1416
LIMITED TIME ONLY-FREE VIDEO
CASSETTE SHOWING
CLASSROOM USE
n
CHECK ONE
□ Payment enclosed (shipping and handling FREE) G Bill me; school address only (shipping and handling wilt be added) Please send me one package of ' Intfoduction To
Amateur Radio' at only $99.95
Please send me additional Codekey
1000s at only $19.95 each $ _
ptease send me additional Spacecode
qudiocassettes at only 36.95 each S
Take discount of 10%, with orders of 5 or more oi the same fern.
TOTAL PRICE
Please include fa* exempt number where a ppli cable Name
TiHe./Po5tliDn
School/Organization.
Street Address.
City
Zip.
.State.
.Daytime Phone.
J
CIRCLE 241 ON READER SERVICE CARD
The HF5B "Butterfly"™
A Compact 2 Element Beam
for 20-1 5 1 2-1 0 Meters
Operate As A Di-Pole on 1 7 Meters
Butternut Verticals
Butternut's HF verticals use highest-Q tuning circuits (not lossy traps!) to outperform all multibarrtf designs of comparable size!
Model HF6V
•60. 40. 30. 20 15 ana 10 meiers automatic bsndswtlchmg.
•Add-on kjl fpr T7 and 12 meters, available now •2G n mii
Unique design reduces stz< but not performance. No lossy traps; full element radiates on all bands. Turns with TV rotor 19 lbs.
Model HF2V
■Designed to* the low- band DXer
•Automalrc bands wil en ing on 80 and 40 meiers
■Add-on units for t60 and 30 or 20 meters
*12 feel la 1 1 ■ may be top loaded for additional bandwidth
For more information see your dealer or writs for a free brochure
fc^
n
H
BUTTERNUT ELECTRONICS CO.
405 East Market, Loch hart, TX 78644
New Mod Kit
for Bird Model 43 Wattmeter
MEASURES PEAK POWER
OF SSB AND OTHER AM SIGNALS
Bird Model 4300-400 modification kit quickly adapts any Bird Model 43 Wattmeter to measure audio peak power
of single sideband
and other AM modu fated signals.
The 4300-400 kit pc board mounts inside the Model 43 housing, on the meter studs. Estimated conversion time is only 15 minutes from start to finish.
Once modified, you can measure peak power to an 8% RS. accuracy, without affecting cw operation or accuracy.
And, the Model 4300-400 is surprisingly inexpensive. Contact your Bird distributor or factory for details.
30303 Aurora Rd., Cleveland (Solon), Ohio 44139 — 2794 216-248-1200 TLX: 706898 Bird Else UD FAX: 216-246-5426
WESTERN REGION OFFICE: Bird Electronic Corp. 621 Ojai Ave. , Suite E P.O Box 28. Ofai. CA 93023 805-646-7255
Electronic Corporation
CIRCLE 176 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 37
RF POWER AMPLIFIERS
• Lowest NF GaAs FET Preamp
• Finest Quality Military Construction • Off-The-Shetf Dealer Delivery
For the past five years. Amateurs worldwide have sought quality amplifier products from TE Systems. Renowned for the incorporation of high quality, low-noise GaAs FET preamplifiers in RF power amplifiers, TE Systems offers our fine line of products through select national distributors.
All amplifiers are linear (all-mode}, automatic T/R switching with adjustable delay and usable with drive levels as low as Va Watt, We incor- porate thermal shutdown protection and have remote control capability. All units are de- signed to ICAS ratings and meet FCC part 97 regulations, Approx, size is 2,8 x 5.8 x 10,5" and weight is 5 lbs.
Consult your local dealer or send directly for further product information.
TE SYSTEMS
PO. Bow 25845
Los Angeles. CA 90025
{27 3) 478-0591
SPECIFICATIONS
Freq. MHz
Model
Q50BG
05100
14Q9G
1410G
1412G
Power Preamp DC Powar RF
Input Output NF-dB GairvdB +Vdc
50-54
5054
144-^48
144-t48
144-148
170
170
160
160
160
2210G 220-225
2212G
44tOG
4412G
220-225
420-450
420-450
130
100
too
13,6
13.6
13.6
136
13,6
13.6
13.6
136
13.6
Conn
UHF
UHF
UHF
UHF
iiMF
UHF
UHF
Models also available without GaAs FET preamp (delete G suffix on model #). Air units cover lull amateur band- specify to MHz bandwidth for 420-450 MHz amplifier
Amplifier capabilities: 100-200 MHz, 225-400 MHt 1-2 GHz. Military f28Vl Commercial, etc also available - consult factory.
Look at our
- - .
"ON WINDOW" Line
VHF (140-175)
• No Hole
• Easy to Mount
• Rugged
• Supenof
Performance
• Radiator S/iaps
On and Off
• Competitively Priced
F
PATENT-
UHF (420-520)
• 3 db gam
• No Hole
• Easy to Mount
• Rugged
• Supenor
Performance
• Radtator Snaps
On and Off
• Competitively Priced
232 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CellularTrunking (800-395 MHz)
• 3doGatn
• No Hole
• Easy to Mount
a Rugged - Goes through Car Wash Without Removal
9 Superior Performance 9 Broad Bandwidth
• Smalt Size
• Competitively Priced
mm
1 SIS u X* If IrVL.
COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNAS
3900-B River Road SehHIerPark, I L 60176 312-671 -S690
brings imagination and innovation to
antennas and has been
since 1948 ft
CIRCLE 163 ON REAPER SERVICE CARD
38 73 Amateur Radio * December; 1988
LET THE SUN DO THE WORK
y Electricity
from the Sun with
SO!
SofarSystems
tw
Charge batteries on stored machinery
Light your tent
Run fans
Run remote trans- mitters
Light signs
Pump water for your animals
Power for your motor home
Run your radio without
batteries
Light your home
Yard lights
Charge flash light bat- teries
Light your cabin
Run electric fences
Charge your boat battery
Run appliances in your home
Charge hand held radio batteries
Fish shanty lights
Charge your Cam- corder battery pack
ALSO: OUTSTANDING PRICES ON IBM XT COMPATIBLE SYSTEMS!
SHIP PI NQ I NP0RUATTON; PLEASE INCLUDE 10 % OF OflOE R FOR SHI P PING AND HANDLING CHARGES {MINIMUM « 50. MAXIMUM 110) CA- NADIAN ORDERS. ADDS? S01N US FUNDS MICHIGAN RESIDENTS ADD 4 % SA LES TAX FOR F flff F LV E R, S E N D 22% STAM P OR S ASE
HAL-TRONIX, INC. (313)2817773
12*71 Dlx Toledo Hwy ^Q? 6:00 ^ MQnSm{
BOX 1101 "HAL" HAROLD C NOWLAND
Southgate, Ml 4819S wbzxh
CIRCLE 175 ON READER SERVICE CARD
:7:r,H4'J:H:Cii;(»]:T«E
Quality Test Gear & Electronic Kits for Professionals and Hobbyists
COM-3
T
$4995
wlfitf Ifldudtt K ifliptnr PR^kil
THE COMMUNICATIONS 00 SERVICE MONITOR THAT WORKS HARDER FOR LESS.
Introducing COM-3 .... 1 he new se rv ice mo n itor des ig n ed by ser v i ce lech n ic tan s f 0 r service tochn tcia rts 1 1 wot ks ha rd e r for less g 1 v ■ mg you advanced testing capabilities at a very affordable price FEATURES • Direct entry keyboard with programmable memory • Audto i transmitter frequency counter * LED bar graph fre- quency/error deviation display • 0 1 10.000 ^v output levels • Htgh receive sensitivity, less than Spv • 100 KHz to 993.9995 MHz Continuous frequency coverage • Transmit protection, up to TOO watts * CTS tone encoder, 1 KHz and external modulation
$699S
W I ' |fl
$3995
PR-2 COUNTER PREAMP
$W#$ from *lo. 000 Iftu • Hat
OV|| " ■ BNT '" "''" •>•"""-• ■ Ml Por Miffing RF * idMl r«ei wt irTV pr»^*3dbNF
PS-2 AUDIO MULTIPLIER
TRt PS*? « Harty tor too* nmmmm
mjfopiq Ufrm frmmncy * grea* if
Ot 10orU)*QrjiH/rfsotutnfi& tnjiit-rn signal pKeamp/condit igrrar
PS-IOR 1.5 GHz PRESCALER
Erind! rne ranpe ol yo<* *z«a
■ .- , ,, ^ Mi iniytiT
w«wr»«¥ftmii*_ CfflwndOf»*tSG«rw iSMKzotfl * dnwrt any raumtf
CT-70 7 DIGIT 525 MHz
CT-90 9 0IGIT600HHZ
icucm
M 39.95
CT-50 8 DIGIT GOO MHz
ICHlPTIft
H69.95
CT-125 9 DIGIT 1.2 GHz
FREQUENCY COUNTERS
Ramsey BKBuma nas oeen m»iu.'ii*ciu' rng eiecvonic lesl gear Tor
fhrpe?! pros. Afl el our (t^nt»fi 1 Ml « ynr *arran<y on f a ■ 'i and w»r We lafet fr**. pride * Dung
IMt gf to« C091 CflyolPI Ml H« Kifl USA C^'COu'nE^apttu«ltaibria.fTart;jw^iQO>ffl««nFETh«jti » mpedjnce input pmpif *■« sJiapf no ;itftn»¥ amf OVdMe h»on
OMlrry epory glass, plited-ltiru PC fioanJ Boretrudian AH unrts are iixi tFacti mr In me usa
5189.95
ACCESSORIES FOR COUNTERS
M 89.95
UlU'lli
anie nna-BlfC plug ~ prooe iigm loadmc ic* jass profit, audio use
OffKt P*O0* Otflfra' purpose krte
cmao&ss
CT7U 3D i 125
■!■■■■■■■'■•
IBK
TUB IS
|
MMtL |
n^iMS |
SBNHrtTTT |
ACCUflACr |
NBT3 |
FtESOLUTWI |
rwci |
|
|
CT-TtJ |
arjHj.sMMHi |
\. ■ ■ '• ■ • MHi |
lPPM |
7 |
1Ha,lDHi,iprjHj |
1M-95 |
|
|
CT-90 |
10 Hi -600 MHz |
<150fnvTpfjfWrVif'/ |
1PPM |
9 |
O.IHI. 10HJ 100 H; |
188.90 |
|
|
CT-M |
SHz-WQWH? |
LESSlKWJ?bmv |
1PPH |
| |
1HI. 10MI |
10*95 |
|
|
CT^IZS |
10 Hi- t asm |
< rSmvfrSttHAHj <VJODW00OOMHi |
IFfM |
9 |
01HMH7 lOMj |
1MUB |
|
|
with mi opt» |
*)Hf-tiQGUtti |
<£Q**'bflOOMKz |
QIPPV |
9 |
GIKLIKMQH* |
— |
MINI KITS-EASY TO ASSEMBLE-FUN TO USE
H*
r*ta?Q turn pot wit-
rannti
«gt rigutaiHiT 567C Useful tor tone* irjne Durst ceteclran F5K. etc Can jlsn tn used as a srank lone encoder fflu-ns
CornplBiEhil M' 1
$5.95
«OWATT2mlr
PWRAWP
S«i9to Ctes C tomet am
mvmptmetmWmfraptiLimm
IDT Bam 5« n ^f « WgtfL Mb a^pM
c*S0W •ncredibitwaiuf complefe *iin
if r pa? t3. kas uttmd r-3 r - j j^
PA'i.4DWp*fampNit S27.95
tB-l.flF-senMflT-nrfliaviiii 6.95
COt OH ORGAN
See finite cpme aJiv»<3
Qifircmi fcgflts flicker
JCL„
Eacinnrirwdlu" dims up) io3G0W mnt
oniJOWC
MLIhil S8.9S
VOICf ACTIVATED
SWITCH
Voice ati 1 vatrt snuicn
patekivvpioiOQisA
C*tflri*r relays.
vS-r kit
let- Nuns 1
VIOfOMOOULRTX
. ■ ■ Yi y TV
idee "lamiar Supei
rtv44 aurtSQn5rttV
anil Beslunftoniht
$795
LEB Ht* K T H IT AnamaWy HasBgs ? lumtoLiOs Use lor
name badges. buitoriH *amiU0jfcinei lights fluilsnn3l,o15vcllb
■ iKii
$2.95
$6.95
UWVLrLSALTINIEn
Ptowdis Kt base pam = ■ - :• - 1 ■•-_-„ ■ 1 ■ OTh-ide a sol*cc dprt- osvm aaji pubi generation Usts5fi& OfMi JC jfmJ wchnlesa rangn ol pirEs for masl liming: nMtfls ^e ne Ul'jhn $5.95
MAO RUST IK PtoitJHS LAID far Stes- ttnng and Jtfeni i>n kt- ting &rr4fi like Kh,nd Can ^Lpplyuplo lL waElsnf □bnc-KiDUiiiiiijdio Huns onf>!5VJ3C
Vig-lK,r S4.95
«i#jw*iicnwrllpiclnipa nndnjpattittett&FtAI
lor rnonilDrmg tUttiyS ropmor a? general pu? - (Hieamplifier full2W rmsouipul 'u!isfi!!.!i. ftvfliis.w*iMienm igwafcr
m 5* S5.95
Rum ofl 5-tS vTJC
Lowcurnrrrffaffiaj ImrnvmonTn ^ecurjey
rue Kn $5.50
Hl-'jA«.5y 59*95
TELEPHONE TRANSMIT TEH
LowLU:.1*lllipro(as imnal jjprlnirnance Ftd iwrHniciutfe.seirpnon* bmpQwBfEd.iimabte
IIBflVe*
BnavpaneMEor M*M Ml mtrufMnt
lt5B«
PB-1RH
$14.95
FMHECCIVfH
Fc-f-JuiM-in,ipplKj(iQni nc hobby &Kpnfimenta- liun.Fullltirdqnd&UQET- Ntnudyni! receiver 'nifrovohiefiiilivily. *}7VimS imegraied
CrCUftdCfKtOr *£>nt» 9V
WLTEK
on&landani FUbroadcttfbmdas weff as large portions nn eacn sifle compact rtT sguareKlorftugdetec-
"™ $14.95
VNlSPiRLJSMT AnirArE$&Bgkil
iqwrtietooorme wnl. (fit Of igNrt? me tight Includes nuae, ton- Iro^s up to 300 W. runs on no VAC
FM
WIRELESS
MIKE
tattsnosyptpJQHo 1 wiKoafcajtiadio wMsapytvpeotm^e
fl«nSflrl3lo9V TytM'FM
?nas added sen5»hve ffuKcpreamostBgt
FM-IKil S3 .95 FM-ZHit $4.95
A an per nigh pertof mance FMwirfllessrfiikohr1 Ifiiniiiints a stable Mgnai up to 300 yards with im n rr pi mna I and m qu *I ijy by means ol its buiH tn eUctfttmAt MKKtofles mM. on-gll i*rtcft
HjgtraE&ucMns TMsis
cntiinesiiinil».jJaDie
fM3Ki! S 14.95
FM3Wrred and Tested
19.95
MICROWAVE INTHUS ION ALARM
ArsalmlcrDwave dappim sensor that *■ 1 1 delect a human as lar 11 Dleeltapiy Dperam onUGHzanS^net
v
Si REN
Produces 4*w ar cartf immmmimm t, peaA awMo oripul runs ona-CvoKs u*tt3-G
onm speaker
Complete ii 1 t.SM -3
$2.95
SP1H3H SOUMILEII
OownmncaW «n MtW mimcf ff*r jflwf Hat- phona oMaAo Ttc scambtr ltd leatwes hill dupiei Dpttalion usmg waqtjancv mvei- siDn.flunsona&VDir. Patle.'v BplhmiKEa^d lineoTspea^fi QMipul' mpuls M*y to tonn«l lo any rad<&— te*eprwne
ALL NEW KITS
hit SG-7
PERSONAL s89.95 RADAR
New irj* DH1 n-,i',.'ii*jrt dopplc< *adai iurcJoc*ii"cirrl, pianK txals norsefi tx^e& Oa*rbal« modfb, tumieis or *w1m*Hj anyilung inai mtwes Oper am al 1 6 GrV *mv ft: n* rflrft rang* l£$dxj^wMloifl displays ij>e«ds at
thus T*o 1 McoHuf cans Mf antenna mm mmmQuH and *ur*s on E VDC tnvrgotniG-aumci'Owavecircuinv^ ItstriphnE Kit inclwttadeliJieABS Flaatic case mtn
speedy grapn-i. 1 1 r a pfatessionai lot*. A *try irseful and Inil-iil-funkii
RADIOS
40 & 80 METERS HAM RECEIVERS
SensiUve all rnodff At*. CW SSEJTecaimrjIai 5 5— 4.0 fir 70- ?S MHz Oimtt conversion design using NEGO? IC as lealu ■ rd in 051 ane a flRL nandfeooks im rnan 1 ^ v icnsiti «ti y varacior diode Tuned 50 mp auda Ouiju-l HiftSon9Vtx: luvHFgamronlrol TN* Mawy easy lo bmld toll 01 *un and aduaiwrtaJ jdtWiioiitieaeg^wef print eM pro TiwopinnaiffiatbMg tasekrtf
' rOCewcr SO McHfr reOBwCT
htw^ "S24-95 W-HM f24.95 ^°^ * 12,95 QRP TRANSMITTER KITS, 40 & 80 METERS
Dpeiali! IRMM hanishiiLk These MiieCWngsiiiEidtal mx\vs too^r 40 ariiJfHjmeiei itmmtut FEaiore> iWuC.t smcKiif. vanablo tunn^g ojut watt oolpol and (nceilent keying fnafacienBiics ftyiisDn^vOCandiiV'SwPpJoiected Swrm*^ you can jfterch vo*j' Signal w«h one oi tnes* mm rigs 9in«MA3S casts arr available
f^QRp^o s24.95
w« *24.95 a"" *12.95
AIRCRAFT RECEIVER KIT
Hear wtiUrtg aircraft commumcalions— picks up planes up In 10D miles away Receives 110 136 MH| AWaFtoafld ^aiaclo^ lunediuiinhel design wilH AGC ceramlLliilBr and adjustable sqtrelcn Riim on W i>»neiy SD mw audipouipur 1 m iffiniivi(r Dpi ion jI matching ASS pi.i case «t ^ yog take « anywtiere teaiurn screened graphici and mact^neo jiuniinuin knom fa' a reatpioteisionaDfwa CaiRfia£.*--g'eauor arr*na«rs p *0> msl pum runp^ng (tourKjov afrport
S24.95
Roomer case kit CAA-1
1 12.95
SHORTWAVE RECEIVER KIT
A tantiHiic receiver Ihaj captures the wnrU with jusi a t?" anterina1 Hecaivet r4-ti mil in? MHr band* vaiatto* lunerj &ypt'tttl design wiiti AGC. RFga^tqsi irai am]»m* audio outotji UssnewS^nelicsrrBje* cn«lor less man t nucjovoirsensdiv- n> rttrn on 9V patwry f«rsAaf0scuiaiirigKAi.scnoolorciubiFOieci andimdproii^endMFs efiianiAMRWnostwmouilDCv AddthtoiitianaiuwMandywTtaiva^caiJiittioolcAg smwtmwmm.
kit 5ft i
*24.95
M C5R.1
si 2.95
PACKET RADIO
Commodore 064/128 packet* a dto mterldice Uses farnnus . airman Digicom son ware Fea lures EKAHlDchipsetlorrehdljip uperalion-funsHFor VKFIones IncSudesFWEEdiiilisollwaie PC braid all nEcessary paiti and ful! dc-cumfnlation
CometeM Mt PC I £49 . 95
EM COMMUNICATIONS/2 METER RECEIVER
StflStlrvf )upemetFUrccirvcT mnrs any iMH*segnwnf from t3£>— iTSMHr Lister to 2 mu
haJd operations, high Oand pohce calls, weairn!- cr mobile phone call*;' Easy fu guild recerw leaturts varaclor lunmg. |C mine r slagt, cm jitnc IF tiHers jinctdyiaT con^srbion design witn ad|u»nblesquelcn Lessin.ni i j.vseivuiivny. r nm on gv battery, wirn 50 mw audio oulpui Qp1ion4'il Abs cast with scteened graphic* and macrmKHJ aluminum knobs provide a nice pro-
iessn>nalir-fii ^ ... _
tnn Ac Rec- - tin nc
S29.95
NEW MINIKITS-NEW MINIKITS
T2VTX
Cum pie I g »«r rtC
KH.Mua *lb.9b
bWH.ustsCOellar- CanarSOMcocd
com scrarobkrs.
Compieti
kll.SS-7 Casern. DS5-7
S29.95
12.95
BROADBAND PREAMP
A sens-jiivq ntl purpose preamp idea I for ^r.anntrs, TVseli VHF UHf tigs counted etc Feattutes low nqrse 4 do KF 2Ddb<g«.»i nxi ntt— t f>/ operalaqB Rwsong-BVrC 50 Otms input
aa? *i2.95
LIGHT BEAM COMMUNICATORS
Transmits modulated mlrattid hghl up lo 3D leal wiinoui inn$«L u p lo 1 1 i niiio using lenses. Utei 30 KHz carrier fot hum-lreeoi- lion transmrfs mru *md«n eit Be* tor ' Pugs" or ksfeamg to « tejso*«mfJt*i rraasauttef nas
on
'Butpul uiurs
Transminer m LB-6
FUicaiverfetil. Lfl-S
*8.95 «9.95
HIGH POWER FM WIRELESS MIKE
A high pw ttnsMhal wtll |ran^mnurJtoi.f?miiritQiiriy FM In ojdcasl rad»o SeMnEive inpyi atceptsany type ol nuke mil pek up nomal voicet Kieetaway using
9-QVDC
FM4*.T
Sen^HimO
ivisiaphone carrrirjigf!
«9.95 ^2.95
2 MTR & 220 BOOSTER AMP
VISA
TERMS. • uiisladion guaranteed * eximine lor 10 days II PUniMEnRnFDQf
flmni return mgrig i ml Irrro for reiund * add F*\m rnUIlL tfnULlliJ %
jrance Id a nainnai «l STO 00 * lartign add aajj 0% an |M^% J"fc ^
._m*CODiddei0|O0DinUSAonrvl* / hanXha 4^1
SZOOOaddtpSO •KYwdenbiddrialc* f IU WUU WV
Hi • 90 days parts wirnnly grt ill km * 1 year Darto** Mv-na? car* a-uta
lifjgr warranty an 3.1 1 m red units. rA A / 1 b- DOO-4 / D4
RAMSEY ELECTRONICS. INC.. 2575 Baird Hd.p PenfieldP N.V. 14526
(
• 30 WATTS OUTPUT
• LOW NOISE PREAMP
• LOW COST
• RUCGED CAST ALUMINUM CASE
• ONE YEAR WARRANTY
Here's a n1^1 booster for any 2 meter or 220 IIHz hand-teld unit, i hes* pcrwir booirdfS deliver aver 30 wans of output ajlowtnd you lo hit Ltie repeaters full quieting while the low
noise preamp remarkably improves recep- [ions. Ramsey Electronics has sold thou- ?ands ot 2 inti amp kits but now, we offer completely wlrerj and tested ? mtr as well 220 MHz units Bolh have all the features of int high priced boosiers at a ft action of trie cost.
PA-IB 2 MTR HIWER BOOSTER I TO K pow gaim Fully wired 1 lESltfl . J59 S6
PfV?0 Z2Q MK/ PfJWEfl BOOST! R \W powuifii Fully wired & lested , . 559.95
HIGH PERFORMANCE PRESELECTOR-PREAMP
The solution to most interference, intermod, and desense problems in AMATEUR and COMMERCIAL systems.
• 40 to 1000 Mfriz - luned to your frequency
• 5 large helical resonators
• Low noise - High overload resistance
• 8 dB gain ■ ultimate rejection> 80 dB
• 10 to 15 volts OC operation
• Size - 1,6 x 2.6 x 4 75" exc. connectors
• FANTASTIC REJECTION!
Price ■ CALL bipolar w/RCA jacks Connector options: BCN S5> UHF $6,
N $10 SUPER HOT? GaAs Fet option $20
Typical rejection: ±6D0Khz@144 Mhz: -26dB ±1 6Mhz@220Mhz; -40dB ±5 Mhz@450Mhz -50dB
AUTOMATIC IDENTIFIERS
ID-t
ID?
• For transceivers antf repealers ■ AMATEUR and COMMERCIAL
• Automatic operation - adjustable speed and amplitude
• Small size - easy installation - 7 id 15 voils DC
■ 8 selectable, reprogrammable messages - each up to 2 mm long
■ Wired, tested, and programmed with your message^)
Model ID-1 • $5495 Mode! ID-2 w/2 to 10 minute timer - $79.95 We offer a complete line of transmitter and receiver strips and synthesizers tor amateur and commercial use.
Request oar free catarog. Ma&tefcard antf \fl$A welcome
GLB ELECTRONICS JNC
151 Commerce Pkwy., Buffalo, NY 14224 716-675-6740 9 to 4
CIRCLE 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD
AMATEUR TELEVISION
SMILE! YOU'RE ON TV
Only
$299
Designed and built in the USA
Value + Quality from over 25years
in ATV...W60RG
With our all in one box TC70-1 70cm ATV Trans- ceiver you can easily transmit and receive live action color and sound video just like broadcast TV. Use any home TV camera or VCR by plugging the com- posite video and audio into the front VHS 10 pin or rear phono jacks. Add 70cm antenna, coax, 13,8Vdc and TV set and you are on the air, jt's that easy!
TC70-1 has >1 watt p.e.p. with one xtal on 439.25, 434,0 or 426.25 MHz, runs on 1 2-1 4 Vdc @ .5A, and hot GaAsfet downconverter tunes whole 420-450 MHz band down to ch3. Shielded cabinet only 7x7x2.5". Transmitters sold only to licensed amateurs, for fegal purposes, verified in the latest Callbook or with copy of license sent with order.
Call or write now tor our complete ATV catalog including downconverters, transceivers, linear amps, and antennas for the 70, 33, & 23cm bands.
(818) 447-4565 m-f 8a m-5 :30 pm psl.
P.C. ELECTRONICS
2522 Paxson Ln Arcadia CA 91006
Visa, MCf COD
Tom (WGORG) MarvarrnfWBSYSS)
■U
3jP
HC-Wi ■** + ' J * J # 'ji 1 1
mm mm
2H£';_.'
■ 'JvMSjG
5?#
i
wnrppfTTTrr
'■■->:-:->^':*:*:*:v;\
3 fr
Program Feature*'
| Copyn^rt ® 19A& a* H4G*T
Runs on IBM Personal Computers and compatibles with minimum
2S6K RAM and CGA EGA or VGA graphics capability.
Contains entire question pool for each I Ice rise class. The Extra
class version contains the quasi ion pool that will become
off active in November 1, I960,
Work with the entire pool or selected areas, ie. * Rules and
Regulations*. 'Practical Circuits* «tc Includes full screen graphics on appropriate questions. Logs multiple study sessions and allows resuming at a later
lime
Returns to review missed questions rl desired, Creates ram don fy generated sample tests and analyzes resutrs
showing areas for additional study.
*- After tmuewitJIy tying the Tacfmoem teal iwcf, I paued w**i a peftac? tcort bf wwng
your Mar*
-'"Thar*! lor funking of in hams Your program hat aaminaled tie wrry tA the Theory part ol fw test for me"lt«*HW
■"At ft computer proleauonal, I un rocogm* * quality piece o! software. At ■ »iuO*nt I can appreciate a itudy tool thai helps me gain the confidence I need to pats Iho amaieur en ami. By the way. I pattvtf with 100% ot trie que stent tnowered correctly * Dan Darenc* Jr.
Public Domain dltk alto evelleol* corn a in* ikc alien) niorea code tutor He wall a confeii laQfler, propeyitlon prscMcton. beam punt mi and oih*r«r Con If 11 to cover malerlale end handling! $2 If inipped ertlh OSQ TUTOfl.
Call or wrtta to order
QSO Software
206 Partridge Way
Kenneu Square. PA 193*3
215-347-2109
^Icg/ffc.oz/
visa* uc mttpma
%
/ Class
?A
ado 4^*
CIRCLE 145 ON READER SERVICE CARD
NOW HEAR THIS
FINALLY! *
High-Powered Sound from your HT.
• 10 DB of Audio Gain
• 3.5 inch Oval Speaker
• Automatic Shut-OFF
• Internal NiCad Charger
• External Power 5-15 VDC
HT AUDIO BOOSTER
I
UTS t
%
Model HTS-1
ELECTRONICS INC.
54 17 Jet View Circle, Tampa. Florida 33634
Phone: {813) 885-6091 Telex: 289-237 (MAVL UR) Fax: (813) 885-3789
CIRCLE 349 ON REAPER SERVICE CARD
40 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1986
&
ASTROIM
CORPORATION
9 Autry
Irvine, CA 92718
(714)458-7277
INSIDE VIEW — RS-12A
MODEL RS-50A
ASTRON POWER SUPPLIES
HEAVY DUTY » HIGH QUALITY • RUGGED * RELIABLE
SPECIAL FEATURES
• SOLID STATE ELECTRONICALLY REGULATED
• FOLD-BACK CURRENT LIMITING Protects Power Supply from excessive current & continuous shorted output
• CROWBAR OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION on all Models excipt RS-3A, RS-4A, RS-5A.
• MAINTAIN REGULATION & LOW RIPPLE at low line input Voltage
• HEAVY DUTf HEAT SINK • CHASSIS MOUNT FUSE
• THREE CONDUCTOR POWER CORD
• ONE YEAR WARRANTY • MADE IN U.S.A.
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
• INPUT VOLTAGE: 105-125 VAC
• OUTPUT VOLTAGE: 13.8 VDC ± 0.05 volts (Internally Adjustable: 11-15 VDC)
• RIPPLE Less than 5m v peak to peak (full load & tow line)
• Also available with 220 VAC input voltage
MODEL RS-50M
MODEL VS-50M
RM SERIES
MODEL RM-35M
19" X 5Va RACK MOUNT POWER SUPPLIES
MODEL RM-12A RM-35A RM-50A
Separate Volt aod Amp Meters
RM-12M
RM-35M
RM-50M
Continuous Duty [Amps]
9
25
37
9
25
37
IDS*
(Amps)
12
35
50
12 35 50
Size [IN] H x Wx 0
5V< X 19 X Btt 51/4 x 19 x 12^
%% x 19 x rite 5% x 19 x av4
5"A x 19 x 12ft 5Y* X19X 12ft
Shipping
m. (lbs. | 16 36 50
16
38 50
RS-A SERIES
MODEL RS-7A
MODEL
RS-3A
RS-4A
RS-5A
RS-7A
RS-7B
RS-10A
RS-12A
RS-12B
RS^20A
RS35A
RS-50A
Continuous Duly (Amps)
2,5
3
4
5
5
7.5
9
9
16
25
37
ICS*
(Amps] 3 4 5 7 7 10 12 12 20 35 50
Size (IN] H x W X 0
3 X 4% X 5Y* 3% x 6ft x 9 3ft X 6ft X Vk 33£ X 6% X 9 4 x7ft X 10% 4 X 7ft X 10*i
4ft x 6 x 9
4 x7ft x 10V*
5x 9 X 10ft
5x11 x 11 6X 13% X 11
Snipping Wl. {lbs |
4
5
7
9
10
11
13
13
18
27
46
RS-M SERIES
MODEL RS-35M
MODEL
Switcriable volt and Amp meter
RS-12M
Separate volt and Amp meters
RS-20M
RS-35M
RS-50M
Continuous Duly (Amp$|
16 25 37
ICS" (Amps}
12
20 35 50
Size |IN] H x W x 0
4ft X 8 X 9
5 X 9 x 10ft
5 x 11 x 1t
6x 13V4 x 11
Snipping WL [lit,]
fj
18 27 46
VS-NI AND VRM-M SERIES
Separate Volt and Amp Meters • Output Voltage adjustable from 2-15 volts • Current limit adjustable from 1.5 amps
MODEL VS-35M
to Full Load
MODEL
VS-12M VS-20NI VS-35M VS-50M
Variable rack mount VRM-35M
VRM-50M
Continue us
Duty lAmps]
@13,BVDC @10VDC @5V0C
9 5 2
16 9 4
25 15 7
37 22 10
supplies
25
37
15 22
7 10
ICS*
(Amps) @ 13.3V
12
20
35
50
35 50
Sittflff) H x W x 0
4ft X 8 x 9
5 x 9 x 10%
5x 11 x 11
fix 133/< X11
6ft X 19 X 121£ 5Vi X 19 X 12Y2
Shipping Wt. (lis.]
13 20 23
46
38 50
RS-S SERIES
Built in speaker
MODEL
RS-7S
RS-10S
RS-12S
RS-20S
Continuous
Duty |Amps|
5
7.5 9 16
ICS*
Amps 7
10 12 20
Sizi |IN| H xWx D
4 x 7ft x 10ft
4 x 7ft x 10ft
4% X 0 X 9
5 X 9 X 10%
Slipping
Wt. (lbs.] 10 12 13 18
MODEL RS-12S
*ICS — Intermittent Communication Service (50% Duty Cycle 5min, on 5 min. off)
CIRCLE 16 ON READER SERVICE CARD
RADIO TELEGRAPH TERMINAL
♦ • m m •
MORSE CODE DECODER
ELECTRONIC KEYER
^R501
MORSE CODE TRAINER
$229.00
DECODER
Input level Input impedance Decoding speed Audio filter
• 10mV to 2V RMS.
• 8 to 1W1— 6O0Q typical
• 5 WPM to 30 WPM
• 800 Hz ± GO Hz Actrve and PLL filters
700 Hz to 900 Hz fntemalty adjustable
TRAINER
Code generator Speed
• Random code generator 5 characters, code group
* 5 WPM to 30 WPM 1 WPM increment
ELECTRONIC KEYER
Paddle input
Key input
Keying speed
Keyer output
• TTL level — LOvActuating, Hi/Stop Contact input
— ON/Actuating, OFF/Stop
• TTL level
— LO/Mark, Hi/Space
Contact input
— QN/Mark. OFF/Space
• 5 WPM to 30 WPM I WPM increment
■ Transistor switching. Open collector type
SPECIFICATIONS
Model
Power source Size
Controls
Display Indicators
Front connections
Rear connections
•AR-501 Radiotelegraph terminal
• DC 12V to 13.8 V— t65mA
• 45"-Wx2,24"-Hx6.25M)
• 125 oz. (358 g)
• Power On/Off
• Random code generator On/Off
• Print-out On/Otf
• Monitor speaker level
• Electronic keyer mode select
• Speed Up & Down
• LCD 32 characters— 16 per line
• Power On — Green LED
• Tuning — Red LED
• ParJrJIe — Standard/Iambic
■ Ordinary telegraphic key
■ Headphone'Earphone
• DC llfiV Input
• Audio input
• External speaker
• Keyer output
• Printer output
PRINTER
• Compatible with Centronics 8-bit parallel printer, At least 4K byte data buffer is required in a printer.
BACK TO BASICS - • — * But far more advanced • -
The AR-501 , triple mode CW terminal in a small package, is a powerful gear to practice and play with. For the Novice, SWL and Ama- teur radio operators it detects Morse code between 5 to 3GWPM. Just plug the AR-501 to your receiver to start translating the Morse code onto full 32 character LCD display. Very simple and easy to operate. You ask; for code practice?, both receive and transmit? Yes, the AR-501 does just that It will improve your cord reception and keying technique at the speed you want More?, it operates as an electronic keyer both standard and iambic. More Yet? How about a printer port? You bet the AR-501 provides parallel printer port for hard copy, You can Log the QSO, and Practice. It will help you immeasureably. We even offer a standalone Nicad operated thermal printer as an option. ACCESSORIES SUPPLIED: The AR-501 Radio telegraph terminal comes complete with Receiver cable, DC Power cable, Miniature Phone plug, Miniature stereo phone plug. Spare fuse, Wall receptacle style power adaptor and Instruction man- ual ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE: CC-501 Parallel printer cable — $3<hOO/DPU-4J] Standalone Thermal printer with 8K buffer— $235,00
ORDERING INFORMATION: For fastest service, call 800- 523-6366 from 9 AM. to 4 P.M P.ST. Send mail orders to: ACE Communications, Inc. 2251 1 Aspan Street, Lake Forest, CA 92630. VISA and MasterCard orders and certified or cashiers check or money order shipped within 48 hours of receipt Rush service by UPS/Overnight CJPS'2nd Day Air and Federal Express is available at extra shipping charges. Purchase orders accepted from Government agencies, CA residents add 6% sales tax. COD is 53.00 extra* WARRANTY INFORMATION: The AR-501 covered by One Year War- ranty. Extended warranty service available at the following rates: 3 Years — $25.00, 2 Years* — $ 1 5,00, SATISFACTION GUARANTEE; If, for any rea- son, the ORIGINAL PURCHASER, is not satisfied with the unit purchased, a hilt refund of the purchase price will be issued if the unit and all accessories are returned to us UNDAMAGED WTTH1N 25 DAYS of the date of original purchase (Invoice date). This policy excludes any additional freight that may be incurred, and in no event modifies or limits the limited warranty.
Communications 2251 1 Aspan Slree flake Forest • California •92630-6321 • (714) 581-4900 • Toil Free 1-800-523 6366
CIRCLE 279 OH HEADER SERVICE CARD
I
fit ft'
Si
m
sr
Ln
i+*
■**
i»*
i%
L*t
m ss
L*»
m
m m
Mi 3G
SI
fil
Si
For
call:
the best buys in town 21 2-9257000
Los Precios Mas Bajos en Nueva York
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE!
KITTY SAYS: WE ARE NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK.
Saturday & Sunday 10 to 5 P.M.
Monday-Friday 9 to 6:30 PM Thurs. to 8 PM Come to Barry's for the best buys irt town.
ONV Safety belts-in stock
ttmmh'.
Santa Kitty says, * 'Seasons Greetings To All" See you Dec. 4, 8pm-BARA (speech), Paramus N J (Bergen CC)
ii KENWOOD
YAESU
FT-23/73/33/727R
Fl-2tltJ09RM
FT-1 903/1 123
h . FTH-2005/7005 A-Sr AE3, Cus-hcrafl, Hy Gain,
Hustler, KLMr METZ, Mosley,
M00UBLOX.TONNA
FT-767GX, FT-757GXII, FT-311 RM, FRG-0800, FT-736, FRG-9600, FT- 711RH, FT-4700RH, FT212/712RH.
LandmobHe HTs
Antennas
(COM
IC2AT/12AT
1C02AT-32AT
IC2/4GAT
IC-A2/U16
ICOW: U16, Hie.VtM. U4QO MAXON, MOTOROLA, YAESU: FTH 2005/2007 UNIDEN, REGENCY, KING, TAD MAR I ME JCOM: MS, M55r M700 AVIATION ICOM: AEOH.T,
TS440S/AT, R-5QO0, R-2QO0, TS-940 S/AT. TM 221 A/421 A. TM-2570A/50A/30A, TR-751A, Ken^ wood Service Repair. TM-721A, TS-711/811A, TM353QA, TH205AT, TH215A, TM-621A, TM- 321 A, TS14GS, TS6S0S, HZ-1. TS-790A
Budwig ANT. Products
NELTECHOVK-100 Digital Voice Keyer FLUKE 77 Multimeter
Media Mentors—
Amateur Radio Course $99 95
VoCom/Mirage/Alinco
Tokyo Hy Power/TE SYSTEMS
Amplifiers &
5/8XHT Gain Antennas IN STOCK
MICROLOG-ART 1 v Air Disk, SWL, Morse Coach
Soldering Station 4dVVatts $68,
RF Concepts
m
ft
ft
ft ft
m
[ICOM!
IC-R71A. 751 A, 781. 28A/H, 38A, 48A. Micro2/4, R-7000, IC-761 , IC-375A, 275A/H, 321 0A, 475A/ W H, 735, IC-900, IC-228H jy
ft ft ft
ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft
SMART PATCH
CES-SimpLex Autopatch 510 SA Will Patch FM Transceiver To Yoyr Telephone Great For Telephone Gaits From Mobile To Base Simple To Use. 510SA/51OSAII
,j .uj.ij.uujjjj1a,u.i.«.
PRIVA TE PA TCH IV, Duplex 8000
TUNERS STOCKED:
NYE MBV-A3 Killowatt Tuner
ALINCO ALD 24T DJ-100T
m
*;
**
Computer Interfaces Stocked: MFJ-1270B MFJ-12741MFJ-1224,AEA PK'88,MFJ-1278tPK-232 W/FAX,
FREQUENCY
COUNTERS:
1MH£- 1.3GHz
St 69-95
COMMERCIAL
&HAM
HEPEATEflS
STOCKED.
WRITE FOR
QUOTES
KANTRONICS UTU, KAM, UTU-XT KPC 2400, KPC IV KAM
MFJ-989C
MOTOROLA AUTHORIZED DEALER KACHINA COMMUNICATIONS DEALER
SHORTWAVE RECEIVERS STOCKED
Ten-Tec Tuner 229B
ft
•S
n
M
METRON NIA-1 000 B STOCKED
EIMAC
AEA 144 MHz AEA 220 MHz AEA 440 MHz
ANTENNAS
3 500Z
572B. 6JS6C
12BY7A& 6146B
BIRD
Wattmeters & Elements ^ In Stock =£
COMET ANTENNAS STOCKED
DIGITAL FREQUENCY COUNTERS
Optoelectronics model 1300H, 0-1 3COM Hz Trionyx. Model TR-1000, 0-600 MHz
Long-range Wireless Telephone forexoort in sioqk
BENCHER PADDLES,
BALUNS, LOW PASS FILTERS
IN STOCK
MIRAGE AMPLIFIERS
ASTRON POWER SUPPLIES
Saxton Wire & Cable, Int'l Wire
HEIL
EQUIPMENT IN STOCK
SANGEAN Portable Shortwave Radios
Hy-Gain Towers & Antennas, and Rotors will be shipped direct to you FREE of shipping cost.
New TEN-TEC Corsair II, PARAGON
AMERITRON AUTHORIZED DEALER
S MAIL ALL ORDERS TO: BARRY ELECTRONICS CORP. 512 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY, NY 10012 (FOUR BLOCKS NORTH OF CANAL ST.)
LARGEST STOCKING HAM DEALER
ra^w f ym Uliy 9 COMPLETE REPAIR LAB ON PREMISES
"Aqul So Habla Espartol"
BARRY INTERNATIONAL TELEX 12-7670 MERCHANDISE TAKEN ON CONSIGNMENT
FOR TOP PRICES
Monday- Friday 9 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Thursday to & PM. Saturday & Sunday 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. (Free Parking)
IRT^LEX -"Spring SL Station". Subways; BMT- "Prince SL Station". IND-"F' Train-Bwy Station" Bus: Broadway #6 to Spring SL Path-9th St. /6th Ave. Station,
COMMERCIAL RADIOS STOCKED: ICOM, Motoro- la, MAXON, Standard. Yaesu. We serve munici-
palilies, businesses, Civil Defense, etc. Portables, mobiles, bases, re- peaters...
ALL
SALES FINAL
We Stock: AEA, ARRL, Alinco, Ameco, Ameritron, Antenna Specialists, Astatic, Astron, B&K, B&W, Bencher, Bird, Bjtternut, CDE, CES, Cushcraft, Daiwa, Eimac, Henry, Neil, Hustler, Hy-Gain 1 1 com, KLM, Kantronics, Larsen, MJF( J.W. Miller, Mirage, NyeT Palomar, RF Products, Saxton, Shure, Tempo. Ten-Tec, TUBES, Yaesu, Vibroplex, Duplexers, Repeaferst Scan- ners, Radio Publicati on s, Uniden, Kenwood, Maxon, RFC.
WE NOW STOCK COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS HAM DEALER fNQUIRES INVITED PHONE IN YOUR ORDER & BE REIMBURSED COMMERCIAL RADIOS stocked A »«rvJc»d on or«mls«».
Amateur Radio Courses Given On Our Premises, Call
Export Order* Shipped Immediately. TELEX 12-7670
FAX: 212-925-7001
m m
m
n
m
**
il*M<*J
W
"iJ"
iyi
f**i
i**»
•j
%*
!■*!
u
M#)
l*+l
P«*MH«*1
'(JJ
i>*J
'tfJ
Number 1 2 on your Feedback card
New products
Compiled by Linda Reneau
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
AMERICAN ANTENNA
American Antenna has a new 10 meter antenna, the Ham-Ten, whose design is based on their K-40 CB antenna. It will handle power input up to 1500 watts when property installed, and has a bandwidth of 1.5 MHz between 2:1 SWR points. The Ham-Ten complements all the single-band 1 0-meter rigs currency on the market. An adjustable trunk lip mount comes with the Ham-Ten, or you can use American Anten- na's Magnamount.
Price for the Ham-Ten is $45.50. For further information, write A merican A ntenna , 1575 Ex- ecutive Drive, Elgin IL 60123.
WA9YW J PRODUCTS
WA9YWJ offers a custom photo engraved callsign plaque on XM" thick glass in a gold-colored frame. You can choose a red, blue, black, or green velvet back- ground, The callsign plaque is 7" long x 2W wide. WA9YWJ guar- antees its craftsmanship. Price: $24,95 plus $2 shipping, WA9YWJ Products, 907 Baxter Ave., Superior Wt 54880.
Private Patch I
CONNECT SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
CSI's Private Patch V can be programmed in four modes: Sam- pling Patch (VOX enhanced), VOX Patch (with remote), Duplex Patch, and Repeater Controller with Duplex Patch. It has a built-in keyboard and digital display, a 90- number auto-dialer, redial, re* mote hook-flash, programmable CW ID, toil protection, 1-5 digit
access code, 2-5 digit secret toll override code, telephone remote base, remote controlled relay, and regenerated tone/pulse dialing. Options include a plugnn CTCSS conversion board and an electron- ic Voice Delay board.
Price is $500. Contact Connect Systems, Inc., 237$1 Madison St. , Torrance CA 90505. 213^73^803.
dbx PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS
dbx announces new software enhancements and price reduc- tion (from $6,950 to $4t500) for the RTA-1 Professional Real-Time Analysis System. The features in- clude enhanced room-response curve capabilities, and cus- tomized printout. Present owners of Ihe RTA-1 will be able to up- grade their equipment. The new version, designated RTA-1 V.1.5. also offers improved confidence indication and faster automatic gain setting. Direct readout of
dB SPL is now possible, and the V,t,5 stores information for up to ten microphones, allowing cali- bration for any microphone and use of a microphone calibrator for automatic correction. Users may enter a 1-42 character banner at the lop of the printout. Printouts also contain an area for location, date, time, and other notations. For more information contact dbx Professional Products. PO Box 1Q0C, Newton MA 02195. Or cir- cle Reader Service number 207.
HEATH COMPANY
The SB-1400 All-Mode Trans- ceiver is now available from Heaih Company. It provides all-band, alt- mode coverage with 100 watts of transmit power on all nine HF am- ateur bands. Maximum AM output is 25 watts. The SB-1400's receiv- er has 0 25 |iV (or better) sensitive ty, dual VFOs, RIT, a built-in 500 Hz CW filter, "split" operation, squelch in all modes, 20 memo- ries, front panel controls and AGC
action, and computer interface. Available accessories are: 20 amp power supply with speaker, FM module, hand-held microphone, mobile bracket, and switching relay. The SB-1400 is a no-frills transceiver with all the important features. Price is $800. To order, call 800-253*0570 or 800*44- HEATH, or write for a Heathkit catalog at Heath Company, Department 350-036, Benton Harbor Ml 49022.
ADVANCED COMPUTER CONTROLS, INC.
Advanced Computer Controls* new RC-850 Repeater Controller Computer Interface allows remote control, programming, and infor- mation access to FM repeater systems from a home computer or terminal via modem or packet TNC. Controller commands may be entered through the remote terminal with responses displayed on the terminal screen. The con- troller stores programmable speech and Morse code mes-
sages. The menu-driven RC-850 has two additional Touch-Tone decoders to offload the main shared decoder for full-time cov- erage of links and remotes.
The RC-850 Interface is $350. For $75 more, the Vocabulary Ex- pansion Option increases the syn- thesized speech to 530 words. Contact Advanced Computer Controls, inc> 2356 Walsh Av- enue, Santa Clara CA 95051. 408- 727-3330.
44 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
HOWARD W.SAMS & COMPANY
Mastering Packet Radio: The Hands-On Guide, by Dave Ingram K4TWJ, Is now available from Howard W. Sams & Company. The book covers basic concepts as well as the more technical ar- eas of this mode, ft describes what packet is, how it works, why it is, and the hardware involved. Dave Ingram K4TWJ has written twelve books and over 300 articles for amateur radio magazines. He holds a First Class Radiotele- phone Commercial License and an Amateur Extra Class License. Mastering Packet Radio retaifs for $13 and is avaifable at book- stores, computer stores, electron- ics distributors, or direct from Ihe publisher by calling 800-428- 7267. Howard W. Sams St Compa-
ny. A division of Macmilian, Inc.. 4300 West 62nd Street, Indiana- polis IN 46268. 3 1 7-298 5400.
HUSTLER JNC
Hustler, Inc., has a new version of Quick Disconnect, the Model QD<2. The QD-2 is simitar to the original Model OD-1. but it fea- tures a new design for the lower hall. Milled from a solid piece of stainless steel, the new design is virtually indestructible. The war- ranty extends to two years. For more information, contact the Sales Department at Hustler. Inc., 1 Newtronics Place. Mineral Wells TX 76067.
ULTRASOFT INNOVATIONS, INC,
ULTRALUCENr\ from Ultra- soft Innovations, Inc.. is a screen restoration product that elimi- nates haiiiine and deep scratches from the hard plastic display of any laptop or notebook computer. It comes in a standard kit that in- cludes 6 re-usable, color-coded,
abrasive pads, anti-static finish- ing cream, application foam block, wiping towel, and complete instructions for $20, For minor touch-ups. and for laptops with soft plastic displays. ULTRALU- CENT EL is available for $15- Ut- traSoft Innovations, tnc.f 76 Main Street t PO Box 247, Champtain
NY 12919, 514-487-9293.
CURTIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.
Curtis Manufacturing's Anti- Glare Filter for computer monitor screens is made of distortion-free optically-coated glass, ft absorbs 95% of reflected light internal and external to the computer monitor. The all-glass Anti-Glare Filter in-
creases contrast and character resolution. The Filter comes in seven sizes to fit most color and monochrome computer monitors. It carries a lifetime warranty. Sug- gested retail price is $60. Curtis Manufacturing Company r Inc., 30 Fitzgerald Drive, Jaffrey NH 03452. 603-532-4 123.
RADIO TEL
Radio Tel offers a full duplex private mobile phone as an exten- sion of a regular home or business phone up to 30 miles away with no separate monthly phone bill. Send or receive calls from anywhere in the world. Outgoing calls appear on the regular phone bill. This sys- tem operates on VHF (138-174 MHz) or UHF (440-512 MHz) with a 5 MHz transmit/receive split for duplex. Optional features are voice scramblers, intercom, and selective calling for multi- users Prices start from £2,995 for the
entire system, Radio Tel 1025 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles CA 90019.213-937-6766.
MOTOROLA INC.
The KDT portable data terminal provides communication between the people in the field and the cen- tral computer data files, it features a 4-line by 40-character super- twist, backlit LCD display. The terminal is battery-powered and contains an integrated radio transceiver for cordless opera- tion. The unit weighs 30 ounces and is small enough to hold com- fortably in one hand. The KDT has up to 96K of memory. Code read- ing and other accessories are
available. The terminal is compat- ible with Motorola's Data Radio Network.
Price for the data terminal is $3300. Contact Motorola, Inc. 1301 E+ Algonquin Roadt Schaumburg IL 60196. Attn: Nadtne Sudnickr 312-57&6640,
BUCKMASTER PUBLISHING
Originally designed for librari- ans, the Place-Name-Index CD- ROM from Buckmaster Publish- ing contains information valuable for amateur radio operators. It of- fers quick access to more than one million place names collected from the quadrangle maps of the US Geological Survey. Each record on the Place-Name-lndex contains the state, county, feature type, FIPS code, elevation, longi- tude/latitude, and quadrangle map name. Search on place
name, mufti-word phrases, wild- cards, and other terms. The user can find the longitude and latitude of a contact in seconds.
The Place-Name-Index CD re- quires a Hitachi, Phillips, or Sony CD-ROM drive. The user can store search results on disks or printouts. The Place-Name-Index CD-ROM leases for $295 and sells for $! p495. including retrieval soft- ware. Buckmaster Publishing. Whitehall, Route Three. Box Fifty- Six, Mineral VA 23117. $00-282- 5628 or 703-894-5777. Jack Speer N 1 BIC. President
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 45
73 Review
bv Pete Put man KT2B
Number 13 on Feedback card
Communications Concepts 335A-
2 meter 35 watt amplifier kit
Communications Concepts Inc.
121 Brown Street
Dayton OH 45402
(513)220-9677
Prices: $79.95 kit
$109,95 assembled
Communication Concepts Inc. has ad- vertised this amplifier for several years. Basically, it is a gain block with T/R switching to boost a low-level 2 meter signal, such as a handheld, from 1-3 watts up to the 30-35 watt range. Unlike other amplifiers made by RF Concepts, Mirage, and THL. no preamplifier is available. It is strictly a no-frills way to add better than 13 dB to a handheld, (This review is somewhat unusual, as the product is sold as a kit, but the review unit arrived completely assembled.)
The circuit is straightforward. A Motorola MRR24Q is used in a g rounded-emitter con- figuration, running Class AB1 bias for true linear operation. Hence, this amplifier can be used on sideband as well as FM and CW. The disadvantage of this is that idling bias current is always drawn, and there is no power switch. This means the user has to tie into a switched DC line when using the amplifi- er in a car, or else the battery runs down in short order.
Photo A shows the PC board. Workman- ship on this model is good quality, and the component layout, plus simplicity of design, should allow any experienced builder to achieve similar results. All the components mount on the top plane of the PC board, ex- cept the bias regulator Q3t which mounts be- low. The layout is uncluttered, as only small components are used. RF keying switches the antenna relay, but there's no provision for hard-keying.
The DC power connector is a standard 4-pin TRVWJones type, but only two pins are need- ed. This might be a good place to bring out a
|
Performance |
|
|
Input |
Output |
|
3W |
3.0 W |
|
1-2W |
25 W |
|
23 W |
30 W |
|
Note: Maximum |
input specified by |
|
manufacturer to be 5 watts. |
hard keying line, which could be nothing more than a 4.7k resistor to the base of Q2. Input and output RF connectors are BNC types. SO-239 connectors would have been better choices, since they hold up better in mobile nvironments.
uai is so thorough that inexperienced builders might want to try it as their first RF project.
Conclusion
The CCI 335A-K is a no-frills amplifier kit that appears to be easy to construct and uses
" . . . the manual is so thorough that
inexperienced builders might want to
try it as their first RF project "
Instructions
The instruction manual is well written and contains a check-off box for each series of instructions (a la Heathkit)* The tune-up procedure is simple but does involve a trial- and-error method of soldering and resoldering the chip capacitors, along the etched lines to obtain lowest VSWR. The manual does include several pictorials and a component layout to speed things along. In fact, the man-
top-quality components. An amplifier such as this can serve many purposes. For exam- ple, it could be used to provide higher drive for grounded grid amplifiers, such as the 3CX800 or 8877 tubes which need at least 30 watts or more to really perk, it could also be used as a booster amplifier for QRP con- test work, and, of course, it can be used to kick up the signal from a handheld while portable, at home, or in the car.
Photo A. Interior of the assembled 335A-K amplifier. Note the uncluttered PC board.
46 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1968
83
SEN0FOK
49 CATALOG-. 5g PAGES
^SCOUNTPWC^
* FAST SHIPWHG
ffiy^i
COBS
WE STOCK OVER 4,000 ITEMSrrr CALL OR WRFTE FOR OUFI
FREE
CATALOG OF PARTS!
RESISTORS - CAPACITORS - OIOQE 5 ■ CABL ES *
BFUDGE RECTlFiEfiS ■ CHOKE -COILS - CRYSTALS *
CRl^MP COW^ECtOrS- LAMP 5 ■ HEAT 5INK5 ■ MO'
TORS * SUB MlNlATUHE D CONNECTORS ' TRANEtS-
TORS - IC.'S ■ mOTO BOAROS - POTENTIOMETERS ■
PQwEH SUPPLIES - JACKS ■ PLUGS ' SWITCHES *
PERf BOARDS ■ FANS - FUSES < SJHRtNK TUBING " TIE
^RAPS ' T OOUS ■ KEYPADS - ViDEO ACCESSORIES
■ RELAYS ■ S.C R'S ■ TRANSFORMERS * TELEPHONE
ACCESSORIES ■ RIBRQN CABLE - CIRCUIT
BREAKERS- VOLTAGE RFGULATORS'
AND MANY OTHER [TEWS .
PIEZO WARNING DEVICE
M -:r.i ■";■: r
PKRe-4AQ
High pdtfmO
Xi&Wa glflrm
Op«rJtrt tn
fj-govdc^aprra 1" Ngn J( 7.-6" tliFi P C board rtioiiw CAT* PR7-Q4 1 1 75 ••Cf
XENON TUBE
^
uripi 3 1 .'?" rud and black tettte Ideal lrjrfli»cl/onic
lliEh OT tf rtrtW prpjc-riii CAT* FLT-3 2 lor 51.M
HiCKEL-CAD
{RECHARGEABLE) BATTERIES
SPECIAL *
AAA SIZE
PanibJOnK P JMgAAA
' :• vpil (S1 1 flD rr A'l
CAT* NCOAAAK
51 50*(Wft
lOtor *13.»
100 far Sl2!i.QQ
LARQE QUANTITIES,
1 25 Vort 500 mAh CAT J NCB-AA
AA SIZE- $2.20 each WriH SOLDER TABS CAT* HCB-5AA
C SIZE U.26 each
i 3 Wito iSMmAiv
CAT* NCB^C
DSIZE $4.50 each
i 2 VflUs lHJGmMv CAT* NCB-D
SOUND ACTIVATED BOARD
fie&gned :d rsad lc n.gh porhflrt icundil Board conlarne many uwM (M(t5 including a conden^a* *niife Ccerales on 6 Vet. InsinjcuonE mended cat* Sab ta-.So eao
Eaeri
TRANSISTORS
11PI
WW PNf FNP PHF
]"l rWZW
,-'^.,:> PHBSSI7
.'I..
PN3M9 £«}*]+ Z*434Dt
2W44n£ ••-I- ■:::■
2-4 MS? MJ215E- MJEZ95ST TWP MJ€M55T KIFh
MPN NPU
PNP
NPtJ
PrrP FNP
FNP rnPN
T|Wl T1R3J
riF*i
ripiai TiPl2»
NFh HFN FhP NFr> PNP NPK
Pr+J*
TO-fl? TO-S TO -19
TO-ea
TO-S
tmjj
Tr>-pi
T(W2
TO-SB
JtMS
TQ-«
TO-3
TO-J
TD-3
TOtftt
T0-i!O
TO-iiLT
TO-iiO
TO-Z2D TO-.ZEU
TQ-ajo
TO-J2U
5 tor. ft
'■:: tl :•: JlgrJI.W
5 to .5ft E ha 7ft SEW 7? n (cv TTi E to* .?5 4 *Of(1 0D
I EG aach 7? -.!::', 7?»i(* .7S «BC*l 75«».:j.
7S«*cn
'LtJlh 7 = ^i:P
10 AMP
SOLID STATE
RELAYS
ELECTRON 52 1B1
COMTROL: Rahul f, 5 10 10 VOC will gparSL* (ifi 3-3JJ VdC'l LOAD: 1 0 Amp @ 24D Vac 2 1r4"K 1 3;4-> TVS- CAT* SSHLY-IOB
i-j K-D aactt ^yi^nTr pJscey^T (CHortttUO J5 lor $1 ?t on
100 re 1500.00
NEW! STROBE KIT
y'.i\ .-,::• ,t iJlii iUubb> kil. 11fi£n-
FS UtHviNnin &0 10 120 lirTti
per rninijrH- Mill OpijiilU i.i
■#iir 8 or 12 VdC rjsp^nding
upon n(M VOL! wire 1ho CirOirt
Comfis compleifl wirh P.C
board and mslrucligns Idr
easy assembly
CAT* STflOBE-1 57. EO t?acH
WALL
TRANSFORMERS
AU PLUG DfRECTLV
120 VAC
ounsr
6 Vdc @ £00 rna. $2.2fl
CAT! DCTX-620 6 Vdc £SJ 7S0 ma, $3,50
CAT* OCTX-fiTS 9 Vdc @ 2S0 ma. $2 50
CAT* 0CTX-B2& 12 Vac @ M0 ma. S^.Sfl
CAT* ACTx-1293 1 B Vac @ 1 Amp. S-3-.50
CftT#ACTK-1BB5
SOLDERLESS BREADBOARD
24 VQLT DC, SOLENOID
fiermineni dt^y cyde. 2*0 onm cdt
Mounlina Hgngg ^ 1 1f&""wtffl.
Solenoid Cod^ 1 lizTX 1j^ K i/?1
CAT* SOL-J1 Si .00 eac-^ - 10 tar 5a 03 1 00 tof E "5.00 LVa1^ Quantity A yjasJa
SOUND & VIDEO MODULATOR
fl* ,1-1:33- '
Daaigiifid 1or use wilhT.I. CQrDput- i>r= CAfi b* uStnJ with vidto sama- ras, Samps. W nlher fiudiO'' video swj ices B-jui.n a.'B Bw^lcn enables
UBBrlO SWifeh
Imrn T [i ^rvKjnna wr|hgy| dti- connection Opsrsl^ri <?ti c';i-' r-fli 3 or *■ Rnqyir** T3Vdo Hoc* up OaaAnni includnd. CAT* AVMOD S5 00 *aeh
LurgS fhOwgA t>
mK;:<iri.TiiM '.il CiicicuilS Thia brea<SMaricI
meas^ r?s
6 a* X 2 1/2*
Contains mam board
and iwq pc-A ■■ ■
Dusft slips CAT* PB-10T
WIDE BAND AMPLIFIER
MFCfUFCl&SIQ
I PM M^ (Jp 3 db C3*n 1ft*#f-5MI>l: 5 rth apc<aliaii Srnnh padij^it 4-nrr- di x I.D mm (hick C*T* UPC-tCSt J^rKfJO
^
LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (L.E.D.)
LED
STANDATIO JUMBO
rjIFfUSSD
t 1 ■!■•< Hiu
RED latofJiW
CAT* LED-l 100 1or 113.00 I0«fortll0,»
FLASHING LEO wilh tkiitt in Hflifmg orail
RED I'DOeat;"
CAT* L6C4 lOlgrfclSO
LED HOLPER
Twg pmCh holdDi CAT* HLED
Q
GftEEif CAT* LD4
YELLOW CAT* UED-J
1D1OTS2 00
l«.|grSl7.M
1000 lor 11 50 00
10 IW ta.ca T001OfSl'.T.K!
mxo re* tiEJj.m
GfiEEH CAT! LEDJG
H.O&flacn
y
BhPQLAfl LED
liputB RED on« -ff*
dirugiEfi, GREEN Ihu Oir*r r^> IfladS CAT* LED^ ?fo?tl7Q
CUPLITE LED HOLDER MaKM a L.E.D. ksdk like a lai'Cv mdicalor RtsT l-3M-?iz* LED. CLEAR CAT* HLOCL'C RE]D CAT* HLDCL-R
GREEN CATl NL0CL-G VFtLOW CATf HLDCL-Y
FULL WAVE
BRIDGE RECTIFIERS
10 AMP 200 P.I.V.
5,'a" SQUARE
CATf FWI-1O20
t1 00*ach,- 10 lor 19 00
iT
25 AMP
RATING
1 1 ."fl- Sqg are metal epojcy bll^d
200 P.IV- S2.50 sach CAT* FWB'252
40QP.I.V. S3 00e3.<;h CAT* FWB-55J
600 P.I V.0. 50 each CAT* EWB-256
GRAB SAGS S1.CHJ EACH
SO ASSORTED
DISC CAPS.
Old IWd*. MSrtjr
CXJmrnon vjti*??,
some an 500 votw-
CAT* CRAB DC
ASSORTED 1.'4 WATT HESISTCBS
flppidKiniaiely 300
pitMS Ol &££<l4#d
values, tome Cut eJ'JS. CAT* ORES
ASSORTED PARTS
S:npr; at 100 aS.^SiIdd
pans Each strip cKnttojiii *it *Hflmeml
0' mailers, Ljpucibiris
diod&s, C0;l3.
t!k: 1DDpieee£.
CAT* GRABTH
IS VALUES OF ELCCTTRCLYTICS
is&ctment coniains
!& vai^w irf r mid auJ
up. SoTifli £uL leads.,
CATf GRABCP
N-CHANNEL MOSFET
iRF-si 1
TO-220 casa
CATf IHF 511
Si.CC ta/Jti
lOrorSd.CO
iARPf QUANTITY
AVAilAfite...
MAIL ORDERS TO:
ALL ELECTRONICS
P.O. BOX 557 VAN NUYS, CA gi403
TWX-51D1G10163 {ALL ELECTRONIC)
QtJTSrDE THE U,S.AH
SEND SI 50 POSTAGE
FOR A CATALOG!!
SWITCHES
MINIATURE TOGGLE SWITCHES
all rated S Ainpa
S. P.D t,ior>-on| is-der lug tannlnalB. CATf MT3-4 $1 .00 each lOifti S9O0
S.P.D.T.{on^on)
Nqn Mi^iaddd buii-n-g
P.O. mount
CATf MT3-4QPC
75*#ACh
10 fOf 57.00
Dn,P-D-T.(an-on)
Snldtir !jg Hirrilin^fi CAT* HTS-6 J3 W each 10 far SE9.00
MINI PUSH BUTTON
S. P. S. T. fnomaniary Push lg m*ku. MA' U Ihrundud bulhing. &*
RfidBvllOfl. QAT* MPEt-1
35t«*Ch ■ 101or$3.25
ITT PUSH BUTTON
ITT MDPL *ffM£ 3,'4" X 1 .'S" ■gi;w r*eianguliil key iap. S P S T M.O. Pwh ID chJ?" FLATED- C ianv
0.25 amp
carry curram. P.C. mount CAT* PB-a £Sf each 10 for 53.00 ■ tO0 tor 550.00
HALL EFFECT SWITCH
MICROSWITCH #4BE3 Sl^ntiKi kaytMam swiich Aich Hall m*!frL-t Bdr'iii: 3n;]|)K irilrj S-S' w;..ji« chiuisia
"Ulll. "ili,l?lL-L-
sensor slides »?*flv fr*in sniteh and o,r. tiw used in crhfrr fljKiiicrilidna
CATfHESW 4brf10Q
10lof S2.00 iMterSiSOO
10 POSITION MINI-ROTARY
SWITCH Ora-yhiii* S6P36-01-1-10*I'C MiriiaiL,™
rijl :i"t iw.it*
Non-shiMing. 1 deck. lOpoanons .125-" d<s 5h*ttK
375" long.
377'lWhndtlSft
paries depth
P.C pns
CATf UHS-10
t2.50 each
NO VEX Speaker Mies
*Ji
TOLL FREE
800-826-5432
{eiB)904-(}S24
INFO
FAX; (B1flJ7BV2653 MINIMUM ORDER 3 10.00 DUAMTJIIES LIMITED
CALIF. ADD SALES TAX USA: 13.00 SHIPPING FOREIGN ORDERS INCLUDE SUFFICIENT SHEPPJHG.
NO C.O.D.
High quality audio * Privacy earphone jack Rotatable lapel clip • Hi-Lo volume switch
3COM CMC 5371 KenwrjQd DMC 537 K Yae&u DMC 537Y
SUPER VALUE only $19.95
ti Shipping * lin:i.;|Ur.j
NOVEX Handsets
PTT handset * backlit DTMF * Private !i^t€mitig
Wired for most current I COM, Kenwood, Yaesu
Si. others (on special request)
[COM IICS70IL, fcsmVCfld 1ICS70IK, Yaesu HC570IV Available for many oihpf radios at s-lightly highur prtccs.
Introductoiy price $79.95
li ii|.i l-pii-U A liHii:E|inj
Orders: 800-368-3270 L%
,: it lech info 7CJ-M8-33^
Electronic Equipment Bank
51&& Mill Si. NEt Viennjr VA J22ISO
(juet ininuVcp froni Wa-jhirntuii, LH'l
STORES:
LP7 *MCH L3
VA S. VERMONT AVf
LOB AKQELES, CA «D[HM
jJli)l*O-»0BO
VAN NUTS
1771 HPU>L*EDA fLvO.
VAH HUFB, CA 11111
l*H!f«T-1IPI
***** PRESENTING *****
TV DESCRAMBLERS
***** STARRING *****
JERROLD, HAMLIN, OAK
AND OTHER FAMOUS MANUFACTURERS
• FJNtir \WAFRArVTT PROOilArVI AVftlLA^LE
• LOWEST RETAIL/WHOLESALE PftlCES IN US,
• QftDEft$ SHlPpf D FftOSfl StOCK ttTTHPIV 24 HOUftS
FOR FREE CATALOG ONLY 1-800-345-8927 FOR ALL JN FOR MAT JON 1-Slfl-716-59T4
CIRCLE 194 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ATV CONVERTERS • HF LINEAR AMPLIFIERS
DISCOVER THE WORLD OF FAST SCAN -h. . TELEVISION
>R01A BUUETIMS FEFRfflS^MPt PtV'CK
AMATEUB TELEVISION COWVERTEftS
ATV2 420-ISO. 1 44.95 Kk
ATVJ 420— ^&0 |GaA5-FET) S 40 95 Ki;
AT Vi 902 -92S (Oh AS -FETj I 50 95 K ii
A.yrjlOSQ\ SIL
farATV.
... 139 95 Kil
2 METER VHF AMPLIFIERS
3S Wilt MtKbl 335A I 79.95 Kit
75 Watt Model B75A tl 13.95 Kit
Awdjhi>le in kil Or W\tfiA apd Tilted
Campleie Parts List for HF Amp-lrfif s Detcribsd in the: MOTOROLA Bultrtins
Ata7S6 3MW I16O..0 E Be J HOW 1 &B,65
AMJ« HOW * W.M EB27A 3«w f t» SO
AN779 SOW (U.W EBlO* WOW .(44&.1S
MEWU 300 WATT I0-15P MHg AmpJititr
POWER SPLITTERS fni COMBINERS
|2-30MHi)
600 Watt ?-Pwt 159.95
120O WjU *-P*fl > 69.95.
i «>0 W * 20-1BO MH. PUSH-PULL LINEAR AM PLIFIER - Sgp-FM-ATV
KEB67-PK (Kit] ...........
HEB&7-PCB (PC Board)
KEB67-I {MjniuiS)
* 129 55 t «0O
I 5.0O
For detailed infermjtiirt irtd prieif, call br *ritt fof our fr,ae catalog
VK2CO-20ir4fi JIF Choke
56-590"eS-3B Feriite B*ad
HJAT SINK MATERIAL
M«J*I 99 H»l Sink (6 5*12*1.6)
CH5-6 Copper Spreader [fixfei! 1/4)
Add t? 00 additional shipping.
We mtta >t<nfc Hard— Is— Find writ
CHIP CAPACITORS METALCLAD MlCA CAPACITORS RF POWER TRANSISTORS
MftFHlG
MftFlSir;
MINI -CIRCUIT MIXERS
SDL-1
SBL-1X
ARCO TRIMMER CAPACITORS
Add I 2.D0 for ahippin( an4 handling
I 20 20
122 00 * IB 00
.1209 20 SJ 86,10
6.50 7.95
CCI
Communication Concepts Inc.
tli Brown Street * Doyton.Ohio 45402 " (513) J20-4&7T
£
PACIFIC CABLE CO. IMC
7325 Vi; RESEDA BLVD.. DEFT, 1822 RESEDA, CA 91 335
CmCLE 1 7» ON READER SERVICE CARD
iiicKit^SRV, Loop, & Dipok Kits
Fait & Ea*\ to Build
* Evcr-'rhing incluJ^d
1 Fail salt visual LflsiruCCofts
* N^ measuring./ curtfit?:
■ FtrusJi ani^nria in mijutTts
Quality Components
■ Prc*olJ«rtd Am^KO^I PL:59
■ KJiikp rcvif Su p<rtl ex wir*
■ Fully insulat«di. -w^ wakJ, no-cojTi>d.<r, low nois.e Jtstcit
Fasttsl Antennae in Ihr W«l
AntennasWest
*
•FuHSizeG5lft' SJ-U*5
Jip->Le Coverage JS0- 10 •HaEf SEz*G5RV S24.^
* Qiwirfcr Sizf GsR" S 19.9? Jir1^]* C4\'#n§;« -0-10
* MiTircntit .AiiirireT- kit S 4.95 " An rcRita L 3 u n cIk r kit S 1 4,95 - :0C Dacron 250#Ji« S3 1.95 ■ Lci?ps. dr.poka, t«jlin.e*. <rrv.
A3 J S5 SrAippin^Jt H^nJLinj CAiiLi>* Si bv l^tcJa^s. mail
CIRCLE 99 ON READER SERVICE CARD
^JJOl) 373-8425 B<?^ 50062-5: Frovo. UT SA605
CIRCLE 302 ON READER SERVICE CARD
^ NO TUNERS!
NO RADIALS!
NO RESISTORS!
^^^^^a\0^ NO COMPROMISE!
THREE EXCELLENT REVIEWS JUST
DON'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE, CALL US FOR A FREE CATALOG
BILAL COMPANY
J 37 Manchester Di. r loHsutnt . CO SOS 16 r H : 7 I 9 6S 7 06 SO
iSfi
CIRCLE 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 47
Soft-Control
Power!
Software to
* Manage your radio's memory channels from a PC
* Control your radio's functions from the PC's keyboard
* User friendly operation
Available NOW for Kenwood TS-440S, TS-940S and IBM PCT AT, or compatible. Inquire for other radio/PC combinations.
ONLY $59.95
Rad'Com
P.O.BOX 1166 Pleasanton,CA 94566 (415) 462-4609
CIRCLE 356 ON READER SERVICE CARD
SPECIALISTS
IN FAST TURN
P.C. BOARDS
PROTO TYPE P.C. BOARDS
AS LOW AS $25.00
• SINGLE & DOUBLE SIDED
• PLATE THROUGH HOLES
• TEFLON AVAILABLE
• PC. DESIGN SERVICES
FOR MORE INFORMA TION
/Midland
Technologies
/T
34374 EAST FRONTAGE ROAD BOZEMANf MT5971 5 (406) 586-1 1 90
CIRCLE 252 ON READER SERVICE CARD
MISSION CONSULTING, INC,
MISSION COMMUNICATIONS
11903 Ahefdodine Suite 500
HOUSTON TEXAS 77082
COM
WE HAVE EXPANDED AND NOW STOCK MANY NEW PRODUCTS, WE CARRY: AEAr ALINCO. AMECO, AMP SUPPLY, APHA DELTA. ANTECQ. ARRL, B&B INSTRUMENTS. BARKER & WILLIAMSON, BENCHER, BOMAR. BUTTERNUT; BEE, CUSHCRAFT COMMUNICATION SPECIALISTS, CRB RESEARCH, DAIWA, DIAMOND, HENRY HUSTLER. HAM RADIO. INTL. CRYSTAL, INTL. WIRING £ CABLE, KANTRONICS, KACH1NA KENPRO, KDK. KLMMIRAGE. LUNAR LARSON, MOBILE MARK. MFJ. NEUTECH, NCG. NYE.PEfllPHEX QST, RF INDUSTRIES, RADIO PUBLICATIONS, RADIO AM CALLBOOK, SAMSON, SPlflO, SMJ LEY ANTENNA, SANTEC, SYN TEXTILES, 75MAG, STANDARD, TAD, TENTEC, VALOR, VECTOR GORDON WEST. WELZ. YAESU, AND ICOM.
tn house service available, {713) 879-7764
Just mite, or give us a calf! Ts'tsi 166672 MCQN UT
THE ORIGINAL
DIGITAL VOICE KEYER™
"Thee hoiee of conteste rs worldwide . ' '
Discover
Suggested Amateur Pet Price S2 60-
DVK-1Q0
Now for the first time you C3I1 enjoy (ho truly unique operation Off a DigiiaL Voice Announuumcnt System, designed specifically for Ama- teur Radio conimuniicatigns. Thi.: DV.K 100 represents ihe latesr technology in digital audio processing.
Create yrtur awn nuturai voice COllte&t cells, CQ'sste, Vour vmcc is sioreyi in digital memory, ready to be plflyed ba-qk at the touch of a key.. The Digital Voice Keyer is not a lape eecorder or robolic sound- ingsyiithesi-ier but a true full fidelity natuTj] voice recardfptayback system
The DVKlOO, is a mus.1 for the avid conlesler and great audio accessary for any Ham !>haek.
FEATURES •Superinr nutuml inner quality •Selectable TTWSmpe repent 1 Microprocessor CCWl rolled 'Seleetahle audio eumpri.'ttSur
*12 sraunds of iiitssaKf [Jrtrt: *FTT',VO\n|H!rati(!n 'IViinmk/condtiisor mike mp«t •Sdi-L'tabk' mimiter amplifier •I'osilive.'iiEgalii.e ITT keying
•Selectehle #nrf of transmi^u^
tunc Hrtricratui' •Scaled mcrnlirauE.1 keyboard
-4 in(ii']KiulLHl voice mm merits • Remote keyboard connector
The sound of i he future ij, here today Conhn I J nui IjOCal AmaieuT radio ilculer nr NTL for further information.
Digital Voice JCeyer** n u trademark of Nel-Tech I jtw-
m
NEL-TECH LABS INC. P.O. Box 1030 Londonderry, NH 03053 (603) 434-8234
CIRCLE 130 ON READER SERVICE CARD
A complete facsimile reception system lor your IBM PC or compatible Receive grayscale images .in up to 1 6 shades or psueeto color depending upon your graphics card and printer. Includes:
50 Page Manual Tutorial Cassette
Demodulator Software
HF receiver Graphics card
PC with 320K Serial port
Software Systems Consulting 1303 S.Ola Vista San Clemente, CA 92672 (714) 498 5784
CIRCLE 250 ON READER SERVICE CARD
RC-1 000
REPEATER CONTROLLER
From Micro Computer Concepts
Complete RX-TX-Phone One Interface
* Repeater Control *CW ID
* Remote Base/Tape
* Reverse Patch •Pulse^Tons Dialing
• Autopatch •Tailbeeps
•12 V AC/DC Oper. •DTMF Decoder
• 90 Day Warranty
Wired & Tested w/nnanuat .,.$219,95
Distributed by:
R & L Electronics
575 Main St. / Hamilton, OH 45013
1-800-221-7735
in Ohio 51 3-868-6399 VISA
VoLir Passport Td a world Of new Idees And exceptional RF wire antennas
Rugged new baJuns Full range of HF, VHF mobile antennas, ducks., wltet coax, parts, line, accessories.
SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW!
Contact Jim, W4THL— free discount catalog
5end $1 for catalog by 1st Class mall.
Box 6159, Portsmouth. VA237G3
(Dealer Inquiries Welcome*
804*484*0140
CAROLINA WINDOM
SEETHE REVIEW IN JUNE '88 WORLD RADIO MAGAZINE.
Enthusiastic users say itrs the best wire antenna. Outper- forms wire antennas previously used. Knock-you-socks-off performance on BO- 10, A $70 beam?
If you hear one, you'll want one. Made with pride by the RADIO WORKS in VA/USA
CIRCLE 150 ON READER SERVICE CARD
THE RF CONNECTION
"SPECIALIST IN RF CONNECTORS AND COAX'1
Part No.
PL-259/U5.A
8345MC50
£3-822
PL-259/ST
UG-175
UG-176
UG-21DW UG-21QAJ
99137PIN
UG-21D«913 UG-216/9913 UG-146/U UG-83/U
Description
UHFMale PhenoJie, USA made PL'259 Phenohc, Amphenoi Pl-259 Teflon. Ampheooi UHf Male Stiver Teflon. USA Reducer for AG- SB R*du«r for RG-59& MINIS
N Mateftfi-8. 213. 214. Amphenol N Male RG-6, 213,214, Kings IN Male Pin for 99 13, 9086. 8214
fitsUGr21DflJ&UG-21BrUN,& N Male for RG-ewiSh 9913 Pin
NMatetorflG-B with 9913 Pm N Male to SO- 2 39, Teflon USA N Female to PL 259. Teflon USA
Price
$ .60 .85
1.50
1,50
.20
.20
2.95 4.00
150
3.95 4.75 5.00 5.00
"THIS LIST REPRESENTS ONLY A FRACTION Of OUR HUGE INVENTORY"
THE R.R CONNECTION
213 North Frederick Ave. #11
Gaithersburg, IVID 20877
(301)840-5477
PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE VISA, MASTERCARD, ADD 4%
UPS COD. ADD $2.25 PER ORDER
CIRCLE IIS ON READER SERVICE CARD
( "-!>Q
^■s.H#S
CONTACT YOUR DEALER
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Amateur Radio Baluns- Traps-Remote Coaxial Switches
NOW MFG. JAMES MILLEN ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
UNAD1LLA DIV. of ANTENNA'S ETC.
P.Q.BOX215BV ANDOVER, MA01S10 508-475-7831
CIRCLE 187 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 348 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 13G ?M READER SERVICE CARD
73 Review
Number 14 on your Feedback card
by Bill Clarke WA4BLC
The Carolina Windom Antenna
Improvement on a tried and true design.
Radio Works
PO Box 61 59
Portsmouth VA 23703
PH: (804) 484-01 40
Price Class: $70
The Windom antenna was first invented in 1928 by W8G2, and immediately became popular. Like many older types of antennas, however, it eventually faded into obscurity. Although the Windorn popped up from time to time with a new twist or two, it never became really popular again, mainly due to the inherent feeding problems.
The last Windom I saw in every- day use was in 1972, which belonged to a fellow in Cape Cod. It was a 1928 classic, fed with a single conductor. He used it only on 75 meters AM phone. It put out a loud signal heard regularly in Virginia.
The Windom has reappeared once again, reinvented by Joe Wright W4UEB, Jim Wilkie WY4R. and Edgar Lambert WA4LVB. So much has changed with this new version, thought that they now call it the Carolina Win- dom—'Carolina7' for that beautiful part of the country where much of the improvement on it was done, and "Windom" for the basic off- center feed concept.
Theory of Operation
The only real resemblance the Carolina Windorn has to the original is the off-cemer feedpoint. The off-center feed creates an im- balance, which causes the feedline to radiate. The feedline and antenna then produce both
49 M. & j«.
DEDICATED MATCHING
UNIT
2211. RG 8* COAXIAL VERTICAL RADIATOR
02 ft lOin,
I
SOOHV
LIHC
fM-LAIQS
F£E0U»£ TO STATION RECOUmrHDED TOfL HIHIHUH
The Carolina Windom Antenna.
vertical and horizontal polarization patterns — horizontal along the wire elements, and verti- cal from the feedline. The manufacturer claims that this combination of radiations is what makes the Carolina Windom successful.
While most transformers try to eliminate feedline imbalance and radiation, the Win- donVs matching transformer, at the feedpoint, is designed to encourage feedline radiation. But this radiation must be controlled . A line isolator, installed twenty-two feet from the horizontal element's feedpoint, acts as a brute force RF choke, to limit the vertical radiator at a predetermined length and to keep RF out of the shack.
The overall design provides an antenna that is usable across the entire 75/80 meter band without an antenna tuner. Operation on other HF bands requires a tuner. 40/75/00 meter
patterns are horizontal with verti- cal components- 20/15/10 meter radiation is primarily vertical. On the higher bands, the effect is an upside-down vertical with the hori- zontal elements as the radials, and the feedline as the vertical element.
Installation
I installed the Carolina Windom as a sloping dipole. with the apex at a height of fifty feet. I oriented it the same as my trusty 160/75/40 meter fan dipole, figuring this would afford me a chance to make comparisons. I used seventy-five feet of feed- line (seventy feet or more recommended) and placed my tuner in the line. After an initial smoke test, I compared my results with the Radio Works SWR curve (see Figure 2). They displayed the same general curve , but my SWR curve was one full point higher than the one shown in Figure 2.
I then tried to load the antenna on other bands by using the tuner. All was well except for 15 meters. There, it was no-go under any circumstances. I decided to change feedlines and put a forty-five footer on, It worked great, All bands tuned up easily, and the SWR on 80 dropped to where the book said it should be. I checked the feedline, and have since placed others of varying length in service. Evidently , the Carolina Windom antenna is "feedline- length" conscious.
|
Specifications |
||
|
(as stated by |
the manufacturer) |
|
|
Coverage: |
80-10 meters |
|
|
Gain: |
3-5 dB gain over a dipole |
|
|
Radiator Length: |
Horizontal 132": Vertical 22+ |
|
|
Feedline: |
SOD Coax |
|
|
Matching Method: |
Dedicated Matching Transformer & User's |
|
|
Transmatch Requirements: |
40-10 meters |
|
|
Power Rating: |
1 500 Watts |
|
|
Recommended Height: |
Above 35* |
|
|
Radials: |
Not Required |
Figure 1, Diagram of the Windom antenna.
Table 1.
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 49
|
t.Q 1.5 1 O |
||||||
|
i |
.1 |
36 |
3.7 |
3ft |
3.$ |
40 |
|
Z-CJ |
||||||||||
|
1.3 |
||||||||||
|
JO 3 |
||||||||||
|
.3 |
3,6 3.7 |
18 |
S3 |
4.0 |
Figure 2. Typical 75/80 meter SWR curve shown in the Radio Works instruction sheet. The curve this reviewer came up with, using 75 feet offeediiner resembled this figure, but was a full point higher.
Operation
On 75 meters ! found that the antenna con* sistently performed as well, or slightly better, than my dipole. When working stations with 20 + over nine signals. I could hear only small differences between the dipole and the Win- dom Reception reports indicated about the same for my signal. However, very obvious performance gains were seen when working stations at S-5 or S-6 levels. The Windom won every time.
Since the initial installation, I have used the Carolina Windom on 10P 15, 20, and 40 me* ters. All tests have indicated that the antenna performs as advertised. On 40, it consistently performs better, on the long haul, than the dipole, no doubt due to the vertical radiation component, On close contacts, it is always at least equal to the dipole. When I compared the Windom to a tribander. I found that what it lacked in directional capabilities, it made up
Figure $. SWR curve of the Windom on 75 meters after slightly shortening the two elements.
for with vertical polarization. Signal reports were generally better on the beam than on the Windom, and I could not turn to get away from offending QRtVL However, I had no problem working stateside or DX stations.
Changes
In the booklet that accompanied my Caroli- na Windom, I saw a brief mention of optimiz- ing the antenna for the 75 meter band. I took this to heart and reduced the shorter ele- ment's length by one foot, and the remaining element by three feet The results were trans- parent on 40-10 meters, however the 75 me- ter SWR dropped down to that of my dipole. This is a worthwhile adjustment (see Figure 3),
Impressions
First impressions of the packaged Carolina Windom are good. The package contains two custom-made assemblies (feedline trans- former and isolator}, quality end insulators, stranded #14 copper wire, pre-bullt vertical
Figure 4. Typical SWR plot of a full-sized 75/ 80 meter dipole.
coax element, and even a pack of coax seal.
it offers unusual bandwidth on 75/80 me- ters, something my dipole cannot do (see Fig- ure 4). Though the antenna is about the same size as a full-size 80 meter dipole. and is fed with a single coax feedline, you can work all bands with a tuner. Using a plain, 80 meter dipole and a single feedline, you cannot effi- ciently do this.
The $69,95 price tag is reasonable. After all, you could invest more than $45 in the materi- als alone, if you could find them all, and you would still have to measure and cut the verti- cal and wire elements, install the coax con- nectors, solder the cut elements to the center insulator, put the end insulators in place, and then build your own RF isolator. How much is your labor and time worth?
The Carolina Windom would make an excel- lent ' 'take-along" antenna for vacations and field day. If you are looking for a good wire antenna that can do it all, and don't mind using a tuner on the higher bands, the Caroli- na Windom is likely for you, H)
\
29th ANNUAL
TROPICAL HAMBOREE
A.R.R.L FLORIDA STATE CONVENTION
FEBRUARY 4-5, 1989
TAMIAMI PARK FAIR GROUNDS 10901 S.W. 24th Street (Coral Way), Miami, Florida
HOURS: 9 A.M.-5 P.M. SATURDAY • 9 AM -4 P.M. SUNDAY
FREE PARKING 15,000 VEHICLES
1,000 INDOOR SWAP TABLES
300 CAMPSITES WITH FULL HOOKUPS
200 COMMERCIAL EXHIBIT BOOTHS COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE LICENSE EXAMS
Registration: 55.00 Advance - 56.00 Door. Valid Both Days. (Advance deadline January 30th.)
Swap Tables, 2 Days: 516.00 each. Power: 510.00 per User.
All swap table holders must have registration ticket.
Campsites: 512.00 per Day • Includes Water, Power, Sanitary Hookups & Showers.
(All RV vehicles, tent campers, vans, trailers welcome — no ground tents, please.)
Headquarters Hotel: Miami Airport Hilton, 5101 Blue Lagoon Drive, $75.00 Single or Double Alternate Hotel: Airport Lakes Holiday Inn, 1 101 N.W. 57 Avenue, $50.00 Single or Double
Reservation forms available through Hamboree Chairman, December 1st
Make Checks for Registration, Swap Tables & Campsites Payable to: Dade Radio Club
Mail to: Evelyn D. Gauzens. W4WYR, Chairman. 2780 N.W. 3rd St.. Miami. FL 33125
50
Exhibit Sooth & Program Booklet Advertising: Call Evelyn (305) 642-4139 (Home) -or -(305) 233-0000 (Office)
(BROCHURE WITH FULL DETAILS AVAILABLE DECEMBER 1st)
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
HITACHI SCOPES AT DISCOUNT PRICES 1 RF POWER
w*&
H . , i
V-212
$379
List $560 Save $181
20 MHz Dual Trace Oscilloscope
All H-tfp.fi hi scopes include probes-, schematics and HUacnl's 3 year guaranty pn parts and labor. Many accessories available (or all scopes.
V-425
List $995
$835
PC to JOMHz Dual Cnannsi CRT Readout Cursor Vlea-j DC Offset Alt Magnifier Compact Size
V-1060
Ll*t$159& *1^00
DC to 1WMHz
Dual Channel D^viyei: ci>vr?Br:. CRT Ft#adDut Sweep Time ALiLirarguig Trigger Lock 2mV S&n&Mivity
v-.m arjMHi dt. imy
VJ32 4DMHJ D.T., ImV
V-423 +0WHi &.T., taV
Y.fJW flflMNz D.T,2rr,V
V-106S iOOMKj D.I..2«nY
V-110QAK»MKz O.T.. ImV
Y-llM tMMHi G.T.r1mV
■_i$i
5en>, 0*tay« Swnp, DC Qff»Bl. Verl Made Trigger 1770
SWi. PCOrrjet V(rt Mod* Triflgsr. Art Mag tflf 5
san-s, 0»l*y«l Swefrp, DC O'f 3«t, AH Mag SKi.
sons, Delayed SweSp, CRT Readoul H.195
sens Delayed Sweep, CRT fleadcur, Cursor Meaa ?1 ,BB5
aa!»&, Darajred Sweep, CRT P.eadoul, aw. Counter S2 295
sana, Delayed Sweep, Cura-cf Weas. DVM, Covnl&r }H lOfi
^l-Lc SSBJ
mm
tt.575 *1 .BBS
s&hs
SrtVb !■'!.,
tieo *5fis *33o
SW5
ELENCO PRODUCTS AT DISCOUNT PRICES
2DMHz Dual Trace Oscilloscopa
$349
• ■ i «.
1251
S" CRT Bui Ft in compcHwril
TV Sync
SCOPE PROBES
P-1 eSMHa.ixJQx P-310aMH2.Ui. 10*
wllfr 5 aCCflSS(¥lS&
10 Mag ohm input
i.Tipedarca
Fits als scapes with
BNC connector
TL-3BNC to Minigrabtar $3.49
a 4*
Top Quatity scopes at a very reasonable price. Contains all desired f&atur&fi
35MHz Dual Trace Oscilloscope
$498
I MO-1252
» High luminance 6-" CRT ■ tmV Sensitivity
* SKV Acceleration Voftage
- t-Ong fflae Time
* XV Operation • Z Ax.ls
- Delayed Triggering Sweep |
10k probes, diagrams and manual. Two year guarantee
fieftf Autgranglnq DMM M-50D0
^BHMMKr
9 FgriLliUiiS Memory *nd Para hold tt % batiC sec 514 d»gil LCD
AC Clamp-Ori Current Adapter
ST-Z65 S2Z
O-1OC0A AC
Works wiin most DMM
True RMS 4Vi Digit Multlmelar
_ W-7000
.05% OC Accuracy ,1% Resistance S(ivtth Freq, Counter arvrj deluxe case
|
I |
|
|
I |
m ■ , |
Muillmalar with Capacitance and Tram]*lor Teller
$55 CM-1S0OA
Reads Verits, Onms, Current. Capacitors, Translslcrs and D-lodes with case
NEW! Bench 0MMS
M- 3 500 M 4500
3vj dlfli! S1 25 4Vs- digit St
l % accy
.M% accy
y0S Wide Band Signal Generators
3G-900Q $119
j^"^Sf!g^v'
RF Req iQGK-450MHz I AM Modulaliofi of 1KHZ *. , ' N Variable RF outpul
SG-9&M with Digital Display and 1 50 MHz built-in Fraq Clr $240
Digital Triple Power Supply
XP-765 $249
SV at 5A
FvNr Rogylanitl 5-hnit circuit prelected with 2 Limit Cuf>t., 3 Separaf* ^upplks
XP-S60 with Analog Maters $175
GREAT ID
SOMHi Logic Probe
LP-700
$23
Logic Pulsar LP-fiOfl $23
Digital Capacitance Meter $58.95
H Ranfle-g .ipf-?r}.000ufd .5% basic accy Zero control with ceee
Solderless Breadboards
*4™
1,100 p-nslla
B*3*
2,170 pin?UB
a,seop.ns*35
AH hjwg color coded posts
B42G SHOWN
Digital LCH Meter ICO ADO $138
Coil? HiH 200!- I Caps .iBf-2OTu'| RfiK D1-20M
Low Cost Multimeter
hw M-1600
$25
3W digll tCDj \°& DC Accy
tOA Scale Aulo zero
/polarity
3Vi Digit Probe Type DMM
ConvflP'Onl- jynti hand vp&\&t.iti':- Measu'ea DCV, ACV, Ohme Audible co-niinuiiy theok, Data hd!d
M-1S0O
$45
*Hfl III'. ■•!.= :.
and cas*
xp-seo
$59.95
2-20V at 2 a tSVat 1A SVataA 5V at 5A
Fully regulalacf and
short circuit protecisrj
XP-S75 without meters $44.95
GF-6016 Function Generator wttfi Frtqr Counter
$239
Sine, Square, Triangia Pulse, Ramp, .2 to 2MHz| Fr*q Counter .1 - 1OMH2
GF-B015 without Frag. Meier $179
Four-Function Frequency Counters
F 100Q 1.2GH S259
F 100 120MH
"!! $179
Frequency, Period, Totarrze.
Sell Check wilh High Stabilized Crystal Oven Oscillator, 8 dEgll LED display
EA" FUNCTION BLOX FOR EASY BREADBOARDING
All bio* Interlock to make yaur desigrn work a snap. You can change the cqqri$ujeUpn
S5S0 7, SO |
:*- Jft_'^
B6O0 28.95
FUNCTION tSEHERATOH .1 Io IMH-e sine. «q wave
0eiO IB. 35
RESISTOR DECADE BLOX 20 reaiaipra tT-IW ohm
{1620 1 H. 9 5
CAPACITOR DECAOi BLOX 30 capscrto-fa 47pf-10mtd
9630 22.95
DIGITAL CLOCK BLOX pul»«i fro* ^Hi lo &0Mhe
LOGIC PROflE BLOX 4 SOfllc leva) iriio
HBO 19,05
POWER BLOS 5^ at 1A -5 ait 4A 12V *1 .3 A
WE Will NOT BE UNDERSOLD!
UPS Shippings US 5% , rK^
($10 Max) IL Res,, 7% Tax
C & S SALES INC.
1245 Rosewood. Dcerfivld. II. 60015 (800) ^02^7711 t3l2) 541-0710
15 Day Money Back Guarantee 2 Year Warranty
WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG
CIRCLE 356 ON READER SERVICE CARD
. . .at lost . . . your shack organized!
A beautiful piece of furniture — your XYL will love it!
$199.50 S-F RADIO DESK Deluxe - Ready to Assemble
l-^t
Also Available .
F3oor Space: 51 " Wide by 30" Deep
S219.95
Designed with angled rear shelf for your viewing comfort and ease of operation
FINISHES: Walnut or Teak Stain,
Floor Space; 39" Wide by 30" Deep
Additional Information on Request,
Checks, Money Orders, BankAmeritard end Master Charge Accepted.
F.O.B. Culver City. (In Calit. Add 6% Sates Tax.)
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
S-f Amotevf Radio /kmm
SI
^^38^CEYSTON^VENUE^ULV^
CIRCLE 73 ON READER SERVICE CARD
TRANSISTORS
We stock a full Una of Motorola & Toshiba parts for amateur, marine, and business radio servicing
Partial Listing of Popular Transistors in Stock
SEE YOU AT THE
MIAMI HAMFEST
|
P/H |
NeVE* |
P/iV |
NeVEs |
|
BFR9B |
S 2.75 |
2N1522 |
11.95 |
|
J310 |
1.00 |
2N3553 |
2,25 |
|
MRF134 |
16,00 |
2N3771 |
3.50 |
|
MRF137 |
24.00 |
2N3860 |
1,25 |
|
MRF138 |
35.00 |
2N404S |
11.95 |
|
MRF150 |
87.S0 |
2N4427 |
1.25 |
|
MRF174 |
80.00 |
2N5109 |
1,75 |
|
MRF208 |
11.50 |
2N5179 |
1,00 |
|
MRF212 |
16-00 |
2N5589 |
7.25 |
|
MRF221 |
11.00 |
2N5590 |
10.00 |
|
MRF224 |
13,50 |
2N5591 |
13.50 |
|
MFTF226 |
14.S0 |
2N5641 |
9.50 |
|
MRF227 |
3.00 |
2N2642 |
13,75 |
|
MRF237 |
2.00 |
2N2G43 |
15.00 |
|
MRF23B |
12.50 |
2)45945 |
10.00 |
|
MRF240P/A |
15.00 |
2N5946 |
12.00 |
|
MRF245 |
27.50 |
2N6O80 |
6.25 |
|
MRF247 |
28.00 |
2NS081 |
8.00 |
|
MRF260 |
7.00 |
2N6082 |
9,50 |
|
MRF262 |
8.7$ |
2N&083 |
9.75 |
|
MRF264 |
10,50 |
2N6084 |
11,50 |
|
MRF317 |
50,00 |
2SC1307 |
3,00 |
|
MRF421 |
24.00 |
2SC1946S/A |
16.00 |
|
MRF422 |
36.00 |
2SC1947 |
9.75 |
|
MRF428 |
50.00 |
2SC1969 |
3.00 |
|
MRF433 |
11.00 |
2SC2075 |
3.00 |
|
MRF450 |
13.50 |
2SC2097 |
28.00 |
|
MRF453 |
15.00 |
2SC2166C |
3.50 |
|
MRF454 |
14.00 |
2SC2200 |
16-7S |
|
MRF455 |
11.75 |
2SC2312 |
4.95 |
|
MRF45S |
20.00 |
2SC2509 |
9,00 |
|
MRF460 |
44.00 |
2SC2630 |
28.00 |
|
MRF475 |
3.00 |
2SC2641 |
16.00 |
|
MRF47S |
2.75 |
2SC2879 |
22.00 |
|
MRF477 |
11.75 |
3N204,3N211 |
2.00 |
|
MRF479 |
10.00 |
;05S2 |
7.50 |
|
MRF465 W-KEH |
18.00 |
OUTPUT MODULES |
|
|
MRF492 |
16.00 |
SAU4 450 mix |
55.00 |
|
MRF497 |
14.25 |
SAU17A KJJrWrfj |
50.00 |
|
MRF515 |
2.50 |
SAve mmii |
42.50 |
|
MRF555 |
3.00 |
SAV7 146 MHx |
42.50 |
|
MRF607 |
2.50 |
SAV12 UGHHzH.T |
23,50 |
|
MRF630 |
4.25 |
SAV15^2A»rfr |
48.00 |
|
MRFS41 |
1 8,00 |
M57712,M57733 |
ute |
|
MRFS44 |
21.00 |
M57737, SC1019 savj |
|
|
MRF646 |
25.00 |
SCI 027 |
uxeSAUi |
|
MRF64B |
31.00 |
MHW71 0-2/3 |
61.00 |
|
MRF660 |
10.75 |
MHW820-2 |
89.50 |
|
MRF837 |
2.25 |
TUBES |
|
|
MRF843 |
22.50 |
6146B |
12.95 |
|
MRFB46 |
37.75 |
6HF5 |
13.95 |
|
MRF873 |
24,50 |
6JB6 |
10.95 |
|
MRF901 |
1.25 |
6 J see |
14.95 |
|
MRF966 |
275 |
6LQ6/6MJ6 |
15.95 |
|
NE25S37 |
2.75 |
12 BY7A |
7.95 |
|
NE41137 |
2.50 |
572S/T160L |
69.95 |
|
PT9S47 |
21.00 |
7CX25QB |
79.50 |
|
RF120 |
22.00 |
4CX250B |
79.50 |
|
SD1 27S-1 |
13.75 |
3-5002 |
114.50 |
|
SD1407 |
25.00 |
8950 |
18.50 |
|
SRF2072 |
12.75 |
We stock: |
(call) |
|
SRF3S62 |
24.00 |
4CX340A, 3CX800A7 |
|
|
SRF3800 |
17.50 |
3CX1200A7, 8874, 8875 |
Hi-Gain, Matched, and Selected Parts Available
MATCHED TUBE FINALS IN STOCK FOR HAM EQUIPMENT
WE SERVICE ATLAS, & SWAN-CALL FOR INFO
RF Power transistors In stock for Atlas, KLM, Collins, Yaesu, Kenwood, Cubic, Mirage, Motorola, Heathkit, Regency, Johnson, loom, Drake, TWC. Wilson, GE. etc. Cross-reference on CD, PT, SDf SRF, JO, and 2SC PNs.
Quantity Pricing Available COD i VISA / MC
Ship, Hand, 1 lb. U.S. or Foreign Sm Pkt Air 8 oz. 55,00
Orders received by 1 PM PST shipped UPS same day. Next day UPS delivery available
PARTS ORDERS ONLY - NO TECHNICAL
(800) 854-1927
ORDER LINE and or TECH HELP
(619) 744-0726
FAX 619-744 1943
SPS
RF PARTS
1320 Grand Avenue San Marcos CA 92069
73 Amateur Radio ■ DecembeM9S8 51
Ho
Number 15 on your Feedback card
MING IN
Joe Moell PE KQOV PO Box 2508 Fullerton, CA 92633
Loops:
A Love/Hate Relationship
"What equipment do t need for T-hunting?" That's the most com* mon question I hear. This month we'll begin to look at the many types of radio direction finding (RDF) gear. Stick around for plen- ty of no-nonsense advice on what equipment to choose for your par* ticular hunting needs.
Would-be T-hunters have had trouble finding information on the sport in ham magazines. Of the few articles that have made it into print, a targe percentage of them have been about making and using loop antennas. It's easy to see why.
Loops are the simplest RDF an- tennas to build. They're small and easy to mount, or you can hold them out the car window; They
Radio Direction Finding
can be made for any of the popu- lar ham bands. In an hour or so. you can have one ready to go.
T-hunt loops aren't like the full- wavelength square or delta loops OXers use< Loops for RDF are small, usually less than 1/10 wavelength in circumference. Electrically, they behave more like a coil than like a wire antenna.
I have a file folder full of articles on simple RDF loops, taken from major magazines and club newsletters. It's fun to read the authors' claims. Here's one for two meters that says, 'Throw your competitors for a loop! A little practice will make you an expert, and you'll be able to invite your fans, family, and friends into your trophy room, „.**
These Claims are reminiscent of the "hidden antenna'' articles in which the author says he worked DXCC in a weekend after hooking his rig to a downspout through a tuner made of old bedsprings.
STOP! Time for a reality check. It just isn't that easy.
Left or Right?
The biggest problem with sim- ple loops is that they're bkiirec* tional. As you rotate the loop 360 degrees, you get signal peaks when the plane of the loop is in the direction of the source, and nulls (minimum signal points) through the loop at the source. The peaks are broad and the nulls are sharp.
too much time and mileage. You could circle in from the edge of the hunt boundary area, instead of starting at the center—but even if the hunt rules allow you to do that, you'll probably lose time or mileage because you have to pick the most distant edge. Or you could watch to see which way the hunters with uni-direc* tional antennas start out. But you don't want to follow them, do you? Though there are ways to
"The biggest problem with simple loops is that they're
bi-directional. "
so the nulls give greatest RDF ac- curacy. Bui there are two nulls. and they're in exactly opposite di- rections.
How do you figure out which way to go when the RDF system has 180 degree ambiguity? You could take bearings from two widely separated locations and triangulate, but that would involve
The surplus A T-339/PRC loop and a portable receiver make a nice mobile or hand*camed RDF system for 6 meters. George Stokes WT6U and Bob Miklos KdLPFare ready to hunt.
52 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
electronically solve the bi-direc- tionality problem at 2 meters, none of the VHF loop designs I've seen in the magazines have such a feature. Parasitic elements, tike directors and reflectors, will not work on a fractional wavelength loop antenna. Shielding methods, such as screens and metal plates won't make them unt-directional, either. The most effective way is to add a nondirectional whip to the antenna system. Then sum the whip and loop outputs with just the right amplitude and phase rela- tionship, to either enhance one lobe or create a cardioid (heart- shaped) pattern. For decades, this loop/sense scheme has been standard for RDF below 60 MHz. It's tricky at 2 meters, but it can be done. (For details of a simple loop/ sense system for 2 meters, see page 27 of Transmitter Hunting- Radio Direction Finding Simpli- fied, TA8 Books #2701. available from Uncle Wayne's Bookstore,)
Loops Hate Multipath
It is common in VHF transmitter hunting for the signal to arrive from more than one direction. This is called "multipath." It oc- curs because features of the ter- rain, such as mountains, hills, and buildings, reflect VHF signals. Good performance in multipath situations is an important feature of a successful RDF system,
Null-hunting with a loop can be very frustrating when multipath is present. As the hunter sweeps his loop past the direct signal, trying to find the exact null direction, the null is filled in by a signal arriving from the reflection. Even if the re- flection is much weaker than the
Continued on page 54
r
ICOM
WatHwCOrd
A:vhf
COMMUNICATIONS
FEATURING W2DRZ 902 MHz TRANSVE RTER NOW ONLY 9299 FREE WITH PURCHASE 140 MHz 3W AtTENUATOR A .$49 VALUE DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED ICOM AEA. LARSEN VAN G08DEN, VI8R0PU*. NYE-VIMING. FALCON CDMM, LEADING EDGE, ARRL PUBLICATIONS, KAGLO. HAMTRQNICS, PROWRlTER, ELEPHANT DISKS. DEBCO. TRIONYX
915 North Main Street Jamestown, New York 14701
M/"jjr*7w.Virfc' York j -fitir.u amatMor Ww dra/cr.
PH. (716)664-6345
1
BATTERIES
Nickel-Cadmium. Alkaline. Lithium. Etc. INDUSTRIAL QUALITY
YOU NEED BATTERIES? WE'VE GOT BATTERIES!
CALL US FOR FREE CATALOG
E.H.YOST & CO.
EVERETT H. YOST KB9X1
7344 TETtVA RD
SAUK CITY. Wl 535S3
ASK FOR FREE CATALOG
(608) 643-3194
CIRCLE 1 12 ON READER SERVICE CARD
N6KW QSL Cards
The fi nest QSL Cards at reasonable prices. Bask cards, map cards, cartoon cards, photo cards and more, "tour idea converted to ink, or use standard designs. 525 ink colors^ any type of card stock. Photos in b/w or beautiful color Have a card that fits your style. Call or write for free samples and details. Postage appreciated.
Chuck Miller N6KW KW Litho - Dept. 73
RQ Box 17390 Ft, Worth, TX 76102
(817) 332-3658
MAO Electronics Company
P0 BOX 6871, ALEXANDRIA VA 22306 CHUCK 703-360-5145 MARY MICROPROCESSOR. DIGITAL, k UNBAR iCpS FAST AND COURTEOUS SERVICE
MAIL ORDER SPECIALS
FRANKLIN ACE 1000/1200 KEYBOARDS f 15
ACECALC OR DATAPERFECT SOFTWARE tlO
80 COLUMN CARDS $40
7.37 MHz TURBO KIT FOR IBM PCS $50
HARDWARE RESET KIT FOR IBM PC/XT $10
27256-20 $5 68764 $6 80287 $100
SSI -201 k SSI-202 DTMF CHIPS $7
NO MINIMUM ORDER, LIMITED QUANTITY
CIRCLE 320 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 29fi ON READER SERVICE CARD
SYNTHESIZED
SIGNAL GENERATOR
MADE IN USA
MODEL
SG-100F
$429.95
delivered
• Covers 100 MHz to 199,999 MHz In 1 kHz steps with thumbwheel dial • Accuracy w- 1 part per 10 mil- lion at all frequencies * internal FM adjustable from 0 to 100 kHz at 3 1 kHz rate • External FM input ac- cepts tones or voice * Spurs and noise at least 60 dS below carrier * Output adjustable from 5-500 mV at 50 Ohms * Operates on 12 Vdc <g Vfr Amp • Available for immediate delivery • £429.35 delivered * Add-on accessories available to extend freq range, add infi- nite resolution, AM. and a precision 120 dS attenua- tor • Call or write for details * Phone in your order as fast COO shipment.
VANGUARD LABS
196-23 Jamaica Ave., HoJNs. NY 11423 Phone: (716) 466-2720 Mori. -Thu rs
CIRCLE 79 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CB-T0-10 METERS
We specialize in CB radio modification plans ami hardware. Frequency and FM conversion kite, repair books, plans, high-performance accessories. Over 12
years of satisfied customers! Catalog $2.
CBC INTERNATIONAL
P.O. BOX 31500X. PHOENIX, AZ 85046
- * OMAR ELECTRONICS * "|
FOR ALL YOUR AMATEUR NEEDS SPECIAL PRICES on alt
| MFJ PRODUCTS * A.FLR.L. PUBLICATIONS and other Ham Radio equipment
I W 404-466-3241 ^ '
I OMAR ELECTRONICS* Omar PupoWASFOT
| HTE 1 HIGHWAY 81 SO. • LOGANV1LLE, GA 30249 j
CIRCLE 29Z ON READER SERVICE CARD
LOGWRITE"
Are you tired o< waiting your time and money <m vuh par tagging program*1 Bring, your itaiiun :n*o the computet a£e LCXitYftTH ibt! (pMliFf menu rjcjldii ma ^vnii. logging program written bf Ed Tray |NG IV i LQGtt KrrE is I he perfect accessory for (he Lomplcle ham stdtiun It limpLV- tio% your operation and gives Y&** lr*e competitive edge in nm testing and DXing. LOG WRITE works with ail IBM PC* ami izompatihtes.
l.OGWRITE"* unique split screen Iraltirt' nlkjw* hir sunulla neous logging ind text processing. Logging features include;
- Instam caJlugii or prefx* search
- Print . Edit Of View records -Plenty of room lor note* & addresses -Automatic time' dale ititinping
Text prtice&aor features automatic word wrap h^ksjMce cor red. and *en»llm^ Throw aw&y your pen and paper *
To order your copy of LOG WRITE, complete with instruction niuouiiL, send 124.95 [f*a. residents mid S I .SO sales let* J to:
Aerospace Consult r t ig P,0 Box ISO. Gwyoedd. Pa 19436
30 day money back guarantee
Or call 1 {800) 3454156 «t S* toordet with Visa Mastercard t Please specify 3 5 or 5 *5 inch, floppy >
NO VEX
DM4061 Dip Meter every ham needs One
A mint for every him shock - chpek coils, tartk circuit! „ snifnn.w, use a* RI: aenenior , internal modulation., look far harmonics. I } - 2 JO MHr 6 plug-in cod J
only 179.95 + %A $&H
5WR-3P SWR/Pow*r/Fie!d Strength
^mm^^mim^^^^^^^^^ "'lenurea ou-lpu! S*"R,
while on the an
• 10 & [00 watt scale* - I? to I JO Mil/ » SO 2 39 compters
* y *hip antenna
only $19 95 +14 SfeH
PM330 RF Power Meter/Dummy Load
only 199.95 * U S&H
I (I io 500 Mttt 50 ohms *N*r 5/30/ 1 20 watt ranges measures your HF 4
HT pa^ei output
FC5250 Counter know your transmit frequency
■ 10 Hi to ISO MHz
* 7 digits
* Accurate to 1 1 counl
* Gate time* I or J aec, - HF & VHF inputs
* Excellent Tor audio
* AC power adapter PA*P included
only 1129 95 + $4 SfcH
A. luk
Orders: S0O36S~3270
Electronic Equipment Bank
JI&S Mill St NE« Vieniu. VA 22 ISO
IJmt nunwtw trmi> Wuhimmii, QC]
w
™
here's the Beam?
Unobf ruu% e DX Gain AnTenni* U>r &Q Ehru 10 • Easily hidden ■ imtall Fait * Fixed or Portable *
Tne«'» a 30 e«ter anc* nm wita red DX Puftil tiJiien ill this pkmrc Y^u caq"! ice it* an J y< ur nuphhori ean'l *ith*r. But it work* DX barefc^t
ftnywiy. H*w abnjjt a low profile ^0/40/50 tri- bander? Or* Zelcmtnr raoB^KanJerf^rtheajiliv? All ejjily fit tb* povLertKwL-Ph^*^ S29 re 19*.
Work DX t*4rJiooi telling the nriehbor*
.\itmaii m^k k s s AtttennasWcst
Bcncx\>:-5 Prcrvo. ITT>4^ (8Q1 ) 373-84:^-
CIRCLE 107 OH READER SERVICE CARD
ETCHED GLASS ll
|
CALL SIGN MUGS |
■ t^-ta*£_rk |
|
TODD |
|
|
$7.95 PLUS 12.50 |
i jaiiiiw |
|
SHIPPING 4 HANDLING |
•jafcmiW |
COMPANY LOGOS CUSTOM ORDERS tfELCOMF MREIE FOR QUOTE
CLEARLY PRINT YOUR CALL SIGN 4 NAME
MONEY DROtRS 4
CHECKS PAVABLt TO i TODD y. SrtOGEN P.O. B0I 3025 FOX WLLEY STATION AURORA, ll- 60504 (312) 8Q5-597Z
CIRCLE 88 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ILLINOIS RE 5 ] nt N T S ADH 6 . ?S* SALES TAX ALLOW 2 - A MEEKS TOR DELIVERY
CIRCLE 26S ON REAOER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 53
Homing In
Continued from page 52
direct signal it may be impossible to get a correct bearing on the di* rect signal.
Hunters using beams can dis- tinguish the peaks of direct and reflected signals as Jong as there is sufficient signal level differ- ence. Furthermore, when the sig- nal is weak, the higher gain and larger capture area of the beam make it a much better performer than the loop.
Forget Loops?
Were all those guys who wrote glowing descriptions of their 2 me- ter loops wrong? No. just overly enthusiastic. Either they didn't have serious competition, or they didn't realize how much more suc- cessful they'd be with a better setup.
The loop is not the best tool for the task. It may be your idea of fun to enter a 20 meter DX contest with a QRP rig and a grounded vertical, but you wouldn't do it with the expectation of winning (unless ev- eryone else in the contest had QRP and a vertical). You need some- thing much better to be truly com- petitive against the big gun sta- tions. In T-hunting, it's the same.
Several years ago, Dick Reimer W6ET knew there was a 2 meter repeater jammer in his neighbor- hood, because the jammer had a strong signal on the input, Dick didn't have RDF gear at the timer so he spent a couple of hours building a simple 8-inch diameter loop. It gave good nulls, and its 0,3 wavelength size gave it good sen- sitivity. The jammer cooperated (unknowingly) by staying on the air and being in a location free of multipath. W6ET tracked him down in short order, and ended the problem.
tests. I don't do that any more- Loops have their place, but com- petitive 2 meter T-huntmg around Los Angeles tsn't one of them. Signals are too weak, and the hiders usually pick spots in the hills or in urban areas that make the signal ricochet around like a ping pong ball.
If you want to get started simply and cheaply in 2 meter hunting, and you want a fighting chance against big gun hunters, my ad- vice is to skip loops and use a simple qu d or beam. It's a bit more wor t, but there'll be no
diNuif-hunting with a loop can be very frustrating when multipath
is present/'
In that situation, a loop can do the job well but the serious sport hunter would not want a loop as his primary RDF system on a com- petitive hunt against experienced hunters. W6ET knew that, so he later got a commercial Doppler RDF for serious hunting.
As part of my T-hunt talks to local radio clubs, I used to demon- strate W6ET's loop as an easy way to get started on T-hunt con-
null-fill or bi-directionality prob- lems to worry about. You'll get much more signal, too.
Try a Loop on HF
Loops are far more success* ful on € and 10 meters, since there is much less multipath on these bands. Signals are stronger because they must overcome atmospheric noise to be heard. The Southern California Six Meter
Club sponsors a monthly dual- band 6 and TO meter hunt in the Orange County area. Many of the participants use loops.
The most popular 6 meter loop is the low-cost Army sur- plus AT-339/PRC (see photo). Ruggedly built for field use, it tunes 38 to 55 MHz with a built-in attenuator for strong signals, and a sense circuit to resolve the back/ front ambiguity, You can find oth- er models with a little scrounging, including the older AT-249/GRD, which also covers the same range. The AT*340/PRC looks just like the AT-339/PRC, but it's for 20 to 39 MHz, making it suitable for 10 and 1 1 meter use.
What's Better Than a Loop?
In summary, a loop is a poor performer for serious RDF work above tOO MHz. In future columns, we'll look at the methods that top-notch hunters use on the VHF bands, including beams, switched antennas, and dopplers. Well compare their performance in a variety of hunt situations.
If there's a T-hunt topic you'd like to see covered, please drop me a line, I am also eager to hear about hunting activities in your area.
DEALERS
Sell 73 Amateur Radio
Selling 73 Amateur Radio will make money for you. Consider the facts:
• If you carry 73 Amateur Radio it will increase your store traffic— and our dealers tell us that 73 is the hottest selling amateur radio magazine on the newsstands today,
• Increased store traffic means increased sales
for you. Hams will come into your store to
lick up the latest 73 and end up buying the
atest all-band, all-mode transceiver (or at
least a few feet of coax).
* 73 Amateur Radio guarantees each issue— you pay only for the copies that you sell. We pay tor all shipping.
For information on selling 73 Amateur Radio, call Peter Murphy at 800-722*7790, or write to 73 Amateur Radio, WGE Center, Peterborough, NH 03458.
Amateur Radio
WGE Center, Peterborough, NH 03458 800-722-7790
AMATEUR TELEVISION
NOVICES: NOW YOU CAN TRANSMIT
VIDEO WITH OUR NEW TX23-1
Did you know that you as well as all classes of licensed amateurs can easily transmit live action color and sound video just like broadcast TV with our TX23-1 transmitter Use any home TV camera and/ or VCRT computer, etc. by plugging the composite video and audio into the front 10 pin or rear phono jacks. Call or write now for our complete ATV catalog including downconverters, transceivers, linear amps, and antennas for the 70, 33, & 23cm bands.
Only $299
Designed and built in the USA
Value + Quality from over 25 years
in ATV,..W60RG
TX23-1 one watt ATV transmitter cryststed for 1289.25 MHz runs on 12-14 Vdc @ 5A. PTL T/R switching. 7x7x2.5". TVC-12G Downconverter $109. Transmitters sold only to licensed amateurs for legal purposes verified in the latest Calf book or with copy of license sent with order.
54 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
(81 8) 447-4565 nvf aam-5;30pm pst,
P.C. ELECTRONICS
2522 Pax son Ln Arcadia CA 91006
Visa, MC, COD
Tom (W60RGJ Maryann (WB6YSS)
Atv
Number 1 7 on your Feedback card
Mike Stone WBQQCD POBoxH Lowden, IA 52255
ATV for Weather/Packet Public Service
The ATV mode can be especial- ly helpful in aiding already estab- lished weather storm alert and emergency weather nets com- monly held on 2 meters across the country, All our local amateur weather spotter nets were doing an admirable job over the years, protecting and serving lo- cal law enforcement and city/ county officials with storm spot- ting information updates. Many of the amateurs realize that they lacked professionalism in two ar- eas: 1) passing witnessed "spot- ter" messages and sightings on to nearby counties and states, and 2) getting advanced early warn- ings to all affected areas, prior to establishing the weather watch spotters nets.
Two years ago, our BRATS ATV club installed on our remote trans- mitter and repeater system (N9CAI ATV/RT/R) a Kavorus Color Weather Radar feed for 910 MHz. We obtained this feed from a focal NBC TV sta- tion (KWQC-TV) which em- ploys a coupte of our ATV club members. We got permission from The Kavorus Company in Minnesota for just such a non- public view feed. These feeds and other types of radar ser- vices, including Doppler, are available in many area TV and radio stations or at National Weather Service facilities, They are also available at some commercial business fa- cilities, such as local Airport Flying Services or other busi- ness that use weather radar equipment, Once a weather radar feed source is captured on the ATV repeater or remote transmitter, your ATV system wilt blossom with new interest, members, and public service projects!
EARWARN
We established a brand new inclement weather early warn- ing group that comprised county-appointed ARRL EC and assistant ECs, RACES personnel, county and state disaster services officials, lo-
Ham Television
cat and county law enforcement department, ESDA directors, and weather observers. The basic pur- pose of this new group was to provide early warning and storm advancement information to alt the local weather spotter nets. We chose a wide-range, hardly used, quiet 2 meter FM repeater (in Maquoketa on 147.06 MHz), to conduct our meetings and nets rather than interfere with the ongoing local weather spotter nets. Assigned members from these nets come to our frequen- cy most of the time and thus re- port back into their own nets with updated information. We also hold a regular Sunday evening EARWARN NET at 9:30 PM after all other local nets are over. This new gfoup met monthly at dif- ferent locations to get things es- tablished, and eventually voted for quarterly meetings. We have our own newsletter — Take Cov- er—funded by donations from other local amateur radio clubs and groups.
The Tri-State EARWARN Group works this way: Members of the local Fast Scan gang observe incoming inclement
weather on a regular basis on the ATV weather radar feed. Once bad weather threatens, packet ra- dio beacon messages (145.01 MHz) are sent to designated EAR- WARN relay dtgipeaters in the projected path of the storm. We also go on FM voice to several of the local 2 meter repeaters in the area and announce what is hap- pening to local EC or RACES per- sonnel. The ATV radar feed and television transmitter is 'locked on" for all to see during the entire span of the storm period. Packet radio beacon (unconnected) mes- sages are constantly sent up through the digi relay stations. We also man the mentioned EAR- WARN 2 meter FM frequency for general WX related talk discus- sions and updates.
We are doing something on packet radio that relates to the used FSTV mode and is quite in- teresting and perhaps a "first1* for packet use around the country. We designed a video screen map of Iowa and Illinois counties and placed around this map (across the top), an A-Z and (down the left
artiwntal S-E- lot** County ATV mvtm*ez ::vi^'i: -i -fOE? RADIO Hap by Cr«i3 riS>«QLJ and IHh« HBOQCI =- ?<-!-£?« -ft £££ttA3M Cmr*nng A.R.E.5. Districts II, III* V> 4*3 '■' SB CgIuAO TtBt Print R*quir«c August 9th, lr
A B
t
5 h 7 9
I© 11 12 13 I* 13 lb 17
CDC
B H
n N
* BLACKHAWK • BUCHANAN
C-ELftUflfrE
* DLIB'JCUE
ft • ft
ft'
» 0ENTON
LINN
• JONES
• ;*Cr:sQN
if 2»
21
• SCCTT t
• I _J
2*
lb 27
* b L
* KEOKUK
■
* WASHINGTON *
* nuSCATINE
ft LOUISA
Iftftftftfttt
K
*•**•<■«■*•»
N □ £> Q R
. / niifiet*
LEVEL It Lt. Run
LEVEL Zt Hod. ftun
LEVEL 3i Heavy Rain
LEVEL 4s HRain/Windft
LEVEL 5 i Hail Pass.
LEVEL 61 Vei*y Sftvara
T U V W X ¥ I
STATISTICAL STORM WATCH I NFORttAT I ON t
Tin* a* WK RADAR display* Gsnvrsl Direction of Star* Ctllli) Estiafttvd $f>**d •^H o* Storaj WARNINGS in *HKt fori Additions! Cpwinti:
ti
Conv*rtf4 (roa ATV to PftCkat fcyt
Courtftfty BPATS ATV/P*Ck»t CluO fc Trt-5t*t» EAfiWAAN 8RQU>
KMQC-TV HSCb - noiirur Wition*! W**th*r Bureau at DC Airport* rtalina, IL.
Map obtainable from packet radio on which observers pfot the tocation and movement of storm celts.
side), 1-20 numbered grid refer- ence index for marker indicators. We distributed copies of these maps at meetings and may also sit on local BBSs for packet opera- tors to download and print out on their own personal computers, (We have, by the way. a KA Node designated weather BBS estab- lished (KOOQP-3) thai takes and stores all weather-related mes- sages, announcements, maps, charts, etc) At the ATV radar viewed station, and with these maps stored on disk files, the packet maps are filled in with XXXs and various NWS storm warning level indicators {222, 333, 444, etc-) on the TV screen as to exactly where the inclement weather is located. Then this now updated. filled-in packet infor- mation map is sent over pack- et, oi\ on voice, is described in exact detail using the provided A-Z and 1-30 grid locators. Even those in the net without ATV capa- bility then has on paper a map showing where the inclement weather storm cells sit. This hard- copy is especially useful for pass- ing on to County Radio and Disas- ter Services Officials for their judgments and decisions. The of- ficials now have something to back up their decisions which may be controversial by the public after the storm period passes. All maps also include, among other information, low* er page time, direction of storm, and estimated storm movement speed. There's nothing like hardcopy evi- dence of Level 5 and 6 intensi- ty buitd-ups to set storm warn- ings in action!
The work of being able to harmonize several Amateur Radio Groups together for in- clement weather situations (ARRL District DEC), is similar to the job of a county disaster services director. It is impor- tant to understand the opera- tions and needs of all of the local groups who are all trying to accomplish the same goals, ATV radar is the vehicle to do it. It is up to someone, or some newly established EARWARN type group, to take charge and blend these groups and ser- vices.
For more information on this type of service, the EAR- WARN Take Cover newsletter is available. Send $1 and your SASE to Kurt Johnson K0OQP, c/o Cedar County ARC, Cedar County Court- house, Tipton, Iowa 52772,
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 55
HF Equipment Regular SALE
IC-781 Xcvr/Rcvr/ps/tuner/scope„. 5995.00 Call
IC-761 Xcvr/Rcvr/ps/tuner
HM-36 Scanning hand microphone SP-20 ExL speaker w/audio filter ..
FL-101 250 Hz 1st IF CW filter
FL-53A 250 Hz 2nd IF CW filter ....
FU02 6 kHz AM filler
EX-310 Voice synthesizer
2699.00 2369
47.00 149.00 139*5
73.50 115.G01O9*5
5900
5900
.wHU-4^ ■ ^ WIIHL
*Vto#PX -iv'S^Btw 4*- '*-»:i
>-^ E HP :•
•"■ ■'. " ••• & • \1
rcvr
IC-751A 9-band xcvr/.l 30 MHz PS-35 Internal power supply ,<,.*.* FL-32A 500 Hz CW filter (1st IF). .„ FL-63A 250 Hz CW filter (1st IF)
FL-52A 500 Hz CW filter (2nd IF).., FL-53A 250 Hz CW filter (2nd IF) ...
FL-33 AM filter. ...._... ...
Fi-70 2.8 kHz wide SSB filter „..„ RC-10 External frequency controller
1699.00 1469 219.00 1999*
69.00
59,00
115,00 109" 115,00 109"
49,00
59,00
49.00
1C-735 HF transceiver/SW rcvr/mic 1099.00 949" PS-55 External power supply....... 219,00199"
AH50 Automatic antenna tuner ,.. 445,00 369"
FL-32A 500 Hz CW filter 69.00
EX-243 Electronic keyer unit 64.50
UT-30 Toneencoder 1850
Other Accessories
IC-2KL 16015m solid state amp w/ps
PS45 20A external power supply
PS-30 Systems p/s w/cord, 6-pin plug MB Mobile mount. 735/751A/761A.
SP-3 External speaker
SP-7 Small external speaker T.
CR-64 High stab, ref, xta! for 751A..
PP-1 Speaker/patch
SM-6 Desk microphone
SM-B Desk mic ■ two cables, Scan.., SM-10 Compressor/graph EQP 8 pin mic AT-100 100W 8-band auto, antenna tuner AT-500 500W 9-band auto, antenna tuner AH-2 8-band tuner w/mount & whip AH-2A Antenna tuner system, only.... GC-5 World clock
Regular
1999.00
175.00
349.00
25.99
65.00
51,99
79.00
179.00
47.95
89.00
149.00
445,00
589.00
659.00
519.00
91.95
SALE 1G99 159« 319"
164"
139" 389" 519" 589" 449" 79"
I COM
+ Large Stocks it Fast Service * Top Trades
at
VHF/UHF base multi-modes IC-275A 25W 2m FM/SSB/CW w/ps
IC-275H 100W 2m FM/SSB/CW
IC-375A 25W 220 FM/SSB/CW (c/o) IC-475A 25W 440 FM/SSB/CW w/ps
IC-475H 75W 440 FM/SSB/CW
IC-575A 25W6/10mxwr w/ps„,„. IC-575H lGOWfi/lOmxcvr..:.
1C-471H 75W 430 450MHz base (c/o)
PS-35 Internal power supply
AG-35 Mast mounted preamp
AG-35 (Purchased with IC-471H)
SM-6 Desk microphone . . +
EX-310 Voice synthesizer . ,
TS-32 CommSpec encode/decoder..., UT-15 Encoder /decoder interface...
UT-15S UM5Sw/TS~32 installed...,.
VHF/UHF/1.2 GHz Mobiles
IC-37A 25w 220 FM/TTP mic... (c/o)
IC-47A 25w 440 FM/TTP mic. + (c/o)
PS-45 Compact 8A power suppfy . . ,
UT-16/EX-388 Voice synthesizer .. .
SP-10 Slim-fine external speaker
IC-28A 25W2mFM,TTPrnic
IC-28H 45W2mFMinPmic.„.
IC-38A 25W 220 FM, TTP mic
IC-4&A 25W 440-450 FM, regular mic 1C-48A 25W 440 450 FM, np mic . . . .
HM-14 Extra TTP microphone
UT-28 Digital code squelch UT-29 Tone squelch decoder HM-1& Speaker/microphone
IC-22BA 25W2m FM/TTP scan mic
IC-228H 45W 2m FM/TTP scan mic
UT-40 Pocket beep function.....
IC-900A Transceiver controller
Regular 1299.00 1399,00 1399 00 1399.00 1599.00 1399.00 1699,00
SALE 1069 1129 899" 1099 12&9 1129 1499
+ p + ■ + ■ +
d P * -I I- I
1399 00 98955 219.00 199"
99.95
99.95 9"
47.95
59.00
59.95
34.00
96.00
Regular SALE
499.00 349"
549.00 399"
145 00 134"
34.99
35 99
469 m 409" 499.00 43995 489.00 349" 459,00 369^ 509.00 449"
59.00
39.50
46.00
34 00
509 00 449" 539.00 479"
45.00 639.00 569"
+ Package Special . . .
IC-900A Transceiver controller with UX-29H 2m/45W and UX-39A 220/25W band units.
$96995
W P 4 ■ ■ P *
UX-19A 10m 10W band unit
UX-29A 2m 25W band unit
UX-29B 2m 45W band unit
UX-39A 220MHz 25W band unit....
UX-49A 440MHz 25W band unit
UX-59A 6m 10W unit
UX-129A L2GHz 10W band unit...
KM2O0A 10W 1,2GHz FM Mobile
IC-3200A 25W 2m/440 FM/TTP (c/o)
UT-23 Voice synthesizer
IC-32I0A 25w 2m/440 FM/TTP
AH-32 2m/440 Dual Band antenna ,.,
AHB-32 Trunk-lip mount
Larsen PO-K Roof mount
Larsen PO-TLM Trunk-lip mount,,,,
Larsen PO-MM Magnetic mount — RP-1210 1.2GHz 10W 99 cli FM xcvr
RP-2210 220MHz 25W repeater
RP-3010 440MHz LOW FM repeater.,.
299.00 269" 299.00 2G995 349,00 319" 349.00 289^ 349.00 319" 349.00 319" 549.00 499" 699.00 549" 695.00 499"
34 99 739^00 649"
39.00
35.00
20.00
22.00
22.00 1529.00 1349 1649.00 1469 1299.00 1149
Due to the siie of the fCOM product line, some accessory items are not listed. If you have a question, please call. All prices shown are subject to change without notice.
Hand-hekh Regular
1C-2A 2 meters 289.00
IC 2AT with TTP ,. 319 00
IC 3AT 22D/TTP(c/o) 349 00 ICMAT 440 MHz, TTP 349.00 IC-02AT/High Power 40900 IC-03AT tor 220 MHz 449.00 IC-04AT tor 440 MHz 449.00 IC-U2AT for2mw/TTP 329.00 ICu4AT 440 MHz, TTP 369.00 IC-2GAT for 2m, TTP 429.00 IC-4GAT 440MHz(TTP 449,00 IC-32AT 2m/440MHz 629.00
SALE 25995 27995 269" 299" 349" 289" 389" 28995 299^
379*s 3999h 559"
IC-u2A for 2m w/o TTP Reg $239 Closeout $2499S
IC-12AT 1W 1.2GHz FM HT/batt/cgr/HP 473.00 369s5 KM2GAT Dlx I/7W 12GHz FM HT/TT? 529.00 469" Aircraft hand handheld* Regular SALE
A-2 5W PEP synth. aircraft HT 525.00 479"
A-20 Synth, aircraft HT w/VOR 625.00 569"
Accessories for all except micros Regular
BP-7 425mah/13.2V Nicad Pak - use BC-35 79.00 BP-8 800man/8,4V Nicad Pah- use BC-35... 79.00 BC-35 Drop in desk charger for all batteries 79.00
BC-16U Wall charger for BP7/BP8 „ 21 25
LC-11 Vinyf case for Dix using BP-3 20.50
LC-14 Vinyl case for Dlx using BP 7/3 20.50
LC-02AT Leather case for Dl* models w/SP-7/8 54 50 Accessories for IC and /C-O series Regular BP-2 425mah/7.2V Nicad Pak - use BC35..., 49.00 BP-3 Extra Std. 250 mah/8.4V Nicad Pah .... 39.50
BP-4 Alhaline battery cas^ .*..« 16.00
BP-5 425mah/ 10.8V Mi-cad Pak - use BC35 65.00
CA-5 5/8-wave telescoping 2m antenna , 19,95
CP 1 G|, lighter plug/ cord for SP3 Of Dlx 13.65
CP40 Battery separation cable w/ctip 22.50
DC-1 DC operation pak tor standard models 24.50
MB-16D Mobile mtg. bht for all HTs 25,99
LC-2AT Leather case for standard models...,, 54.50
RB-1 Vinyl waterproof radio bag..,.. ,. 35.95
HM-9 Speaker microphone. 47.00
HS-10 Boom microphone/headset „ 24.50
HS-10SA Vox unit tor HS-10 & Deluxe only 24.50
HS-IOSB PH unit for HS-10 24 50
SS-32SMP Cummspec 32 -to ire encoder 27,95
For other HT Accessories not listed please CALL Receivers Regular SALE
R-71A lQOkH* to 30MHz receiver $999.00 86995
RC'll infrared remote controller..,, 70.99
FL-32A 500 Hz CW filter
FL-63A 250 Hz CW filter (1st IF)...
FL-44A SSB filter (2nd IFJ..., „
EX-257 FM unit....... ,,.,
EX-310 Voice synthesizer 5900
CR-64 High stability oscillator xtal 79.00
SP-3 External speaker He.. 65.00
CIW0{EX-299) 12V DC option 1299
MB-12 Mobile mount... 25.99
R-7000 25MHz to 2GHz scan rcvr..... 1199 00 1049 RC-12 Infrared remote controller,... 70,99
EX-310 Voice synthesizer ,,.. 59.00
TV-R7000 ATV unit 139.00 12995
AH-7O00 Radiating antenna 99 00 (16J
69.00 59 00
178.00 159** 49 00
HOURS * Mon. thru Fri. 95:30; Sat. 9-3
Mrlwaukee WATS line: 1-800-558-0411 answered evenings until 8:00 prn Monday thru Thursday. WATS lines are for Quotes & Ordering only, use Regular line for other Info & Service dept.
Order Toll Free: 1-800-558-0411
in Wisconsin (outside Milwaukee Metro Area)
1-800-242-5195
T
I
T
4828 W. Fond du Lac Avenue; Milwaukee, Wl 53216
AES® BRANCH STORES
Inc.
Phone (414) 442-4200
Associate Store
WIGKUFFE, Ohio 44092 28940 Euclid Avenue Phone (216) 585-7388
Ohio WATS 1-800-362-0290
°^e 1 800-321-3594
ORLANDO. Fla. 32303
621 Commonwealth Ave,
Phone (407) 894-3238
Fla. WATS 1-800-432-9424
ffia? 1-800-327-1917
CLEARWATER, Fla. 34625 LAS VEGAS, Nev. 89106 CHICAGO, Illinois 60630
1898 Drew Street 1072 N. Rancho Drive ERICKS0N COMMUNICATIONS
Phone (813) 461 4267 Phone (702) 647-3114 5456 N. Milwaukee Avenue
No In-State WATS No In-State WATS Phone {312} 631-5181
No Nationwide WATS 8^1-800-634-6227 ?Se 1-800-621-5802
ft Holiday
Hiuers Guide
ICOM
The (C-32AT 2m/70cm dual band hand-held is new from ICOM, It is a full-featured HT. The 32AT has five watts of power output on UHF, and five and a half watts out on VHF. It has out-of-band reception (138-174 MHz and 440-450 MHz}. The 32AT also has full duplex capabilities when the two channels are in dif- ferent bands.
There are also many memory features. The 32AT has 40 simplex memory channels, that allow storage of up to 20 duplex frequencies. Each independent memory stores fre- quency, offset, and subaudfble tone. It al- so has programmed scan. The memory scans all the channels except the one you have locked out. The optional UT-40 tone squelch unit monitors busy channels and beeps and flashes when the subaudible tone is received. By pushing the monitor swatch, you can check the repeater output. All ports have rubber plugs that insert into them when they are not in use. The IC-32AT also has priority watch, that monitors the call chan- nel every five seconds while operating on an- other frequency. The IG-32AT is available for $629. For more information, circle Reader Service number 230.
The IC-781 HF base station transceiver operates all modes and bands 1 60-1 0 meters, and receives continuously from 100 kHz-30 MHz. Its prominent feature is a band spectrum scope that displays signals in a 50/100/200 kHz range of the operating frequency. This all displays on a built-in five inch CRT screen. This screen displays frequencies, modes, memory contents, operating notes, RIT, two memo screens, and subdfsplays for Packet and RTTY. The JC-7S1 also features dual band watch, twin passband tuning, 99 tunable memories, all wide and narrow filters ,
direct keyboard frequency entry, 150 watts output, built-in power supply, dual noise blanker, five multi-function timers, and two internal clocks.
Suggested retail for the 781 is $5,995. For more information on this and the IC-32AT, contact ICOM America, tnc,t Corporate Headquarters, 2380 116th Ave. NE, PO Box C~90029t Belfevue, WA 98009-9029; 206-454-8155. The Reader Service number is 229.
KENWOOD
The new TH-25 2 meter hand-held is similar in size to the BT hand-held series. The TH-25 puts out 5 watts on the high setting. The fre- quency coverage of the TH-25AT is 141-163 MHz (RX) and 144-148 MHz (RX and TX). It has a front panel DTMF pad and 14 memories. Other features include automatic offset selec- tion, mufti-function LCD display, rotary dial for memory, tone alert for quiet monitoring, band and memory scan, automatic power-off cir- cuit, and a CTCSS encode/decode unit (op- tional). It is also water-resistant. The price is $329.95.
The TM-621A is the first 144/220 MHz FM dual-bander* It in- cludes a dual channel watch function, se- lectable full duplex op- eration, 30 memory channels, extended frequency coverage on receive (138-174 MHz and 215-230 MHz), large multi-color LCD display, and pro* grammable scanning. The 621 outputs 45 watts on 144 MHz and 25 watts on 220 MHz. Also included is an au- tomatic offset selec- tion on both bands, and dual frequency dis- play for main'1 and 4sub-band" with automatic band changes. The suggested re- tail price is $700, For more information contact Kenwood USA Corporation, Communications and Test Equipment Group, 2201 E. Dominguez Street, Long Beach CA 90810; 213-639-4200,
YAESU
The FT-747GX is a compact S3B/CW/AM and FM (optional) transceiver outputtlng 100 watts PEP on all HF amateur bands. It also has general coverage reception continuously from 100 kHz to 30 MHz. Features include operator selectable coarse and fine tuning steps optimized for each mode: 25 Hz and 2.5 kHz for SSB and CW, 1 and 10 kHz for AM, and 5 and 12.5 kHz for FM (with the optional FM board),
The 747GX has a dual VFO, along with 20 memory channels, which ateo store mode. You can choose frequencies, too, over which the scan skips. Scanning can be set for auto- resume. Memories are selectable from the mi- crophone upfoowN keys, Eighteen of the mem- ories can also store independent transmit and receive frequencies for non-standard split-fre- quency operation. Suggested retail price is $890, Circle Reader Service number 228 for more information.
The FT-767GX from Yaesu receives from 1 00 kHz to 30 MHz continuously and transmits on all HF amateur bands. The receiver design is an upconverting triple superheterodyne. The PLL includes a modular temperature- compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO), to minimize frequency drift.
Features include memorized pro- grammable tuning steps for each mode, from 10 Hz to 100 kHz; digital wattmeter and auto- calculating SWR meters; and selectable VFO tracking, where both VFOs tune together (for convenient repeater operation). Ten memo- ries include modes and a check function, by which memory contents may be displayed without affecting simultaneous operation on a VFO. There is also band, memory, and limited band scan.
The FT-767GX has a built-in automatic
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 57
M
antenna tuner. The automatic HF antenna tuner includes one memory per band, The contents of this memory automatically returns the settings to their previous positions for quick settings when changing bands.
Suggested retail price is $1 ,930. For more information, contact Yaesu USA, 17210 Ed- wards Roadf Cerritos CA 90701. Circle Read- er Service number 227 for more information.
\
HEATH
Heath's new SA-2060A deluxe antenna tuner wiii effectively tune and match balanced or unbalanced feedlines and single-wire and ladder tines up to 1 kW, on the 160-10 meter bands.
It features a dual wattmeter, single switch antenna selection, and total front panel con- trol. With a single switch, the user can select a dummy load, or any of three permanently connected antennas, including a long-wire antenna.
Dual wattmeters read both forward and re- flected average power, and in two ranges. The wattmeter section of the antenna tuner installs directly into a transmission line to measure the power on all frequencies between 1 ,8 and 30 MHz. It measures output up to 200/2000 watts in the forward direction and up to 50/500 watts reflected. The antenna tuner handles power input up to 2000 watts PEP on SSB, and 1000 watts on CW< The suggested retail price is $270. Circle Reader Service number 226 for more information.
Heath's HK-21 Pocket Packet TNC is the latest and smallest TNC available.
If your hand-held transceiver uses a mini phone jack for speaker output and a sub-mini for microphone, you can immediately connect the transceiver to the Pocket Packet unit at any time with the two shielded cables sup- plied, The HK-21 includes a built-in mini bul- letin board. The HK-21 requires a 9 to 13.8V supply at 40 mA nominal current. The price is $219.95. For a free catalog and more information contact Heath Company, Dept 01 1-652, Benton Harbor Ml 49022. For this product, circle Reader Service number 225 for more information.
MFJ ENTERPRISES
The 3 kW Versa Tuner Model MFJ-989C is a full-featured HF antenna tuner. It has two large transmitting variable capacitors that can withstand 6000 RF volts. The 250 pF cap gives an extremely wide matching range, even on 160 and 10 meters. It also has a roller inductor. A three digit turns counter and a spinner knob give precise inductance con- trol. You can use this tuner from 1.8 to 30 MHz, including MARS and all the WARC bands.
Retail on the MFJ-989C is $349.95. For more information contact circle Reader Service number 224.
Also from MFJ Enterprises is the new MFJ- 986 2-knob 3 kW Differential-T Antenna Tuner with peak and average reading cross-needle SWR/wattmeter. The T-network tuner uses a single differential capacitof in place of two variable capacitors. It covers 1.8 to 30 MHz continuously, including MARS and all the WARC bands. The user adjusts only two con- trols. The MFJ-986 is broadband, which elimi- nates constant retuntng. A three-digit turns counter plus spinner knob gives precise in- ductance control.
A lighted two color peak and average reading cross-needie SWR/wattmeter lets the user read forward and reflected power and SWR . It also has a new di rectional coupler that gives more accurate SWR and power readings over a wider frequency range. The six-position antenna switch lets you select two coax lines and/or random wires {direct or through tuner), balanced line, and external dummy load.
A new current balun for balanced lines re- duces feedline radiation that causes RF in your shack, field pattern distortion, and TVI. Ceramic feedthrough insulators for balanced lines withstand high voltages and tempera- tures. The new MFJ-986 3 kW Roller Inductor Differential-T Antenna Tuner comes with MFJ's one year unconditional guarantee. The suggested retail price is $239.95. For more information contact MFJ Enterprises, inc.t PC Box 494, Mississippi State, MS $9762; 601- 323-6551, Circle Reader Service number 214 for additional information.
GORDON WEST RADIO SCHOOL
Gordon West Radio School offers cassette theory courses for the following amateur radio license categories: 1) Novice-two cassette theory and two cassette code; 2) Technician- four cassette theory and textbook; 3) Gener- al-four cassette theory and textbook; 4) Com- bination Tech/General-four cassette theory and textbook; 5) Advanced-four cassette the- ory and textbook; 6) Extra-four cassette theo- ry and textbook.
Each theory course features the new re- vised question pool that parallels the actual VEC-administered examination. Questions are covered on the cassettes in the same or- der as they are in the book.
Visually impaired will especially appreciate the fact that this course can be followed with- out any visual aids. The included textbook assists, however, in better understanding some schematic diagrams and block dia- grams.
Each cassette course with its accompany* ing textbook is $19.95, plus $2,50 postage and handling, when ordering directly from Ra- dio School. For more information write; Gor- don West Radio School, 2414 Coiiege Drive, Costa Mesa CA 92626; 714-549*5000. Reader Service number 223.
WILLIAM M, NYE CO,
The Nye RF Power Monitor System con- tains many features. It gives peak, average, or peak and hold readings at a flick of a switch It has a sample and hold analog memory circuit capable of displaying for up to 20 seconds the correct peak power readings of a single 1 ms pulse. The power monitor automatically switches power scales to 5 kW. It has a built-in adjustable ALO, It comes with a directional coupler that goes in-line with the coax, and is connected to the meter with a four-conductor flexible cable. This lockout circuit for your am- plifier will operate from either SWR or reflect- ed power. It uses heavy duty relays with isolat- ed contacts rated at 5 A at 120V AC/28 VDC. The monitor is available in two models, the RFM-003 and RFM-005, which differ only in
58 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
wattmeter scaling. The models are priced the same at $297t and backed by the Nye full two-year warranty. For more information, contact: William M. Nye Company, 1614 130th Ave, NE, Bellevue WA 98005; (206) 454- 4524. Circle Reader Service number 222.
KANTRONICS, INC.
Kantronics has combined the features of the KPC-2 and UTU-XT to create a true All- Mode unit, the KAM (Kantronics All Mode). It functions with VHF packet, CW, RTTY , ASCII, and AMTOR.
KAM features HF and VHF radio ports, simultaneous HF and VHF packet connects, digipeating, and VHF/HF gateway.
KAM also features bargraph tuning, user- programmable Mark and Space tones for RTTY and HF Packet, and limiter/limiterless operation on HF for weaker signal operation, KAM's separate CW demodulator is also center frequency and bandwidth pro- grammable. The price is $319. For more in- formation contact: Kantronics, inc.t 1202 E. 23rd Street, Lawrence KS 66046. Circle Reader Service number 221 for additional information.
ALINCO
Alinco Electronics, Inc., has introduced the DJ-100T hand-held 2 meter transceiver, The DJ-100T puts out about 3 watts in the high-power mode. A number of accessory batteries are available, which wifl supply up to 6,5 watts of output power.
The DJ-100T has a frequency coverage of 144-148 MHz, and is easily modified for CAP and MARS sim- plex operation. Also in- cluded are 10 memo- ries, automatic battery saving feature, a func- tion and frequency lock, and a subaudible tone encoder.
The price of the DJ-100T is $299, For more information on this product, contact: Alinco Electronics, fnc, 20705 S. Western Ave.t Suite 104 ij Torrance CA 90501; 213-618-8616. For additional information circle Reader Ser- vice number 220,
HAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP.
The ST- 7000 is specifically designed for 300 baud HF packet. Techniques developed for the government and military ST-8000
(MD-1232/G) HF Modem are applied in the ST-7000 for the unique problems of high fre- quency packet radio operation,
AGC-controlled AM signal processing is used, providing a very wide dynamic range. All filters and detectors in the ST-7000 are optimized for 300 baud HF packet. The user has the choice of two modes: the standard 200 Hz shift mode, and the 600 Hz shift mode. Both shifts are fully supported by separate optimized 6-pole input filters and a 40 dB AGC system. The standard 200 Hz shift mode uses an optimized phase-locked loop (PLL) detec- tor, whereas the more optimum 600 Hz shift mode uses separate 4-pole Mark/Space fil- ters, active detectors, and a 3-pole post-detec- tion filter. The transmit tone generator uses a proven crystal-based sine-wave synthesizer circuit to assure minimum phase distortion and spectrum splatter. The ST-7000 has three different packet controller (TNC) interfaces: RS-232C, TTLh and TNC Audio, making it fully compatible with all existing packet controllers on the market.
The R4030 is available for $399 from Regency, Uniden Corporation, 4700 Amon Carter Blvd., Ft. Worth TX 76155. Circle Reader Service number 218 for additional information.
ST-7000 operates from +11 VDC to +15 VDC at .25 A. It is available for $299 from Hal Communications Corp., Government and Commercial Products Division, 1201 West Kenyon Road, PO Box 365, Urbana IL 61801* 365; 217-367-7373. Circle Reader Service number 21 9 for more information.
UNIDEN
The new Regency R- 4030 Programmable hand-held Scanner has many features. Among them are 800 MHz coverage with 12 bands including 806- 956 MHz; 200 channel capacity; 10 priority channels to keep a close watch on up to 1 0 channels; 10 channel banks to store frequen- cies for convenient use; rechargeable bat- teries with a detach- able battery pack; weather search to find the NOAA weather channel that is active in your area; keypad lock; channel lockout to lockout unused or busy channels to con- centrate on others; and a track tuning fea- ture that gives perfect tuning on every chan- nel for crystal clear reception.
UtHl IMK H**t-
|
W&8& |
I ■■ ljlb""1 = 1 ■J m -J^H^^ij I " aa«_» rani, g 1 ■aaaB = 1 I I ^^^^™ » ^HaaaaaV "-"" "" |
K irWiflJWWHI' » 1 " 1 ■ -jj : ■ _^a£i mc i UKX ■ ■ 5 is Quad |
|
TtDti |
ENGINEERING CONSULTING
The new Model TSDQ four digit sequence decoder replaces the popular TSD decoder and adds several new features, including a DPDT 2 A relay, on-board 5 volt regulator, and digit valid indicator and expansion connector. Board connections are via a 24-pin card edge connector, which provides quick disconnect and the added feature of expansion with the new Model "Quad1' four relay expansion card.
The TSDQ operates as a stand-alone two to four digit touch-tone sequence decoder. The output may be either latching or momentary control of the DPDT relay. All 16 digits output to the card edge connector and can be used for single digit commands. The relay is turned on with a four digit code and relays which may be turned off with individual access codes, A master on code followed by the relay will turn on a relay while a master off code followed by the relay number turns the relay off. These relay on/off codes can be a total of three to five digits in length. In addition to the relay out- puts, there are four transistor outputs that can be used to provide LED read-outs of the relay states, or as control voltage for other devices. All output connections are via a 24 pin card edge connector using the same pin numbers for all inputs as the TSDQ card, This allows instant compatibility when adding the Quad expansion card.
The TSDQ and quad specifications are: +8 to +20 VDC of power, 200 mV-3 VAC of au- dio, 2 amp double pole relay for output TSDQ, 1 6 individual digits (0-5V), and 2 A 4DP relays for logic output quad is four double poJe relays with 2 amps. The price for the TSDQ is $79.95 and the price for the Quad is $99^95. For more information contact; Engineering Consulting, 583 Candfewood Street, Brea CA 92821; 714- 871-2009, Circle Reader Service number 217 for additional information.
NEL-TECH LABS
The NTL Digital Voice Keyer (D VK-1 00) is a state-of-the-art microprocessor controlled dig- ital voice storage and announcement system. It has been designed specifically for amateur radio communications and represents the lat- est technology in audio processing.
The D VK-1 00 provides four independently selectable, variable length, voice storage memories. It also contains a built-in selectable audio amplifier capable of driving an external 80 speaker, with mute and high/low level
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 59
control. It also includes a selectable audio compressor and end of transmission tone generator have been included.
The DVK-100 is virtually compatible with all transceivers, It will accommodate both dy- namic and condenser mikes and both positive and negative PTT transceiver inputs. The DVK-100 suggested retail price is $260. For more information contact Nel-Tech Labs, inc., PO Box 1Q3Q, Londonderry NH 03053. Circle Reader Service number 216.
^^^^^—^^^^^
STONE MOUNTAIN ENGINEERING CO
Stone Mountain's KW-QSYer for Kenwood rigs provides high speed keying and easy fre- quency selection. Its full-size keypad is in- clined at a 1 0 degree angle for comfort as well as speed. It is popular with contesters and blind operators. It has an internal speaker that sounds a different tone for each key. The KW- QSYer works with the TS-940 series (with the Kenwood IF-10B interface), the TS-440 series (with the tC-10 interface), the TS-140 series (with the IF-10C interface^ theTS-71 1/81 1 se- ries (with the IF-10A interface), and requires an 8-1 6V, 100 mA, external DC supply. The sister models are available for the 757GX, 757GX-II, 767GX, and the IC-735. Priced at $89.50 plus $2,50 shipping. A companion 12- voit DC wall suppiy for the KW^QSYer is $10. For more information contact Stone Mountain Engineering Company, Box 1573, Stone Mountain GA 30086, 404-879-0241, Circle Reader Service number 215,
CALL SIGN CUPS
Call Sign Cups wi II personalize 1 0 oz. coffee mugs and/or 15 oz. beer mugs with your call
sign. Ceramic decals are placed on stoneware mugs. They are machine washable and mi* crowave safe. The prices are $b.$b for the coffee mug and $7.95 for the beer mug, plus shipping and handling. Quantity discounts for clubs are available. For more information con- tact Call Sign Cupst PO Box 17062, Rafeigh NC 27619.
EPSILON COMPANY
Epsilon Company announces Vertical Prot software that enables you to design medium wave and short wave vertical arrays. By mod- eling several possible antennas before build- ing, you can decide what to build on an objec- tive basis. Vertical Pro gives you the capability to design your own at an affordable price. Modeling the antenna first will stimulate cre- ativity in finding better solutions given limited resources,
The Vertical Pro gives a sinusoidal projec- tion of the radiation pattern. This is a flat pro- jection of the three dimensional radiation pat- tern, color coded according to signal intensity. The projection can be explored with a mouse or cursor keys and the gain can be read at a particular azimuth and take off angle in a win- dow below. Antennas modeled with Epsi Ion's software can be modeled over your choice of ground types such as: sea water, fresh water, moist, average, or dry earth. The projection is displayed in the center of the screen, the origi- nal grid is on the upper left, and a report is on the upper right. By moving the cursor over an element on the grid, the resistance , reactance and element parameters are displayed on the bottom, Moving the cursor over the sinusoidal projection will display the gain at a particular take-off angle and azimuth.
lit--*;* - urftUft4
9 tot
& £ 1 H11 I h
TOfl
tl lamp fey- . t)l m
mm*
£haraotf>p, sties of ra<S >* t rt r* ,
.:
Epsilon software runs on IBM-PCs and com- patibles with at least 256K (640K recommend- ed), DOS 2.0 or higher. CGA or EGA needed. The programs can make use of a 8087/80287 math co-processor and a mouse.
Vertical Pro sells for $80 plus $5 for interna- tional shipping. Order by sending a US check or International money order in US dollars to Epsilon Co., PO Box 715, Trumbull, CT 06611; 203-261-7694. Circle Reader Service number 213 for more information.
S-F AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES
The S-F Radio Desk STD-36, from S-F Ama- teur Radio Services, eliminates clutter by providing enough space for a complete radio station. It has enough space for antenna tuners, VFOh CW keyers, filters, telephone, and log books. It will support over 200 pounds.
It comes as a quick-assemble kit. The rear shelf is angled at 1 5 degrees for better viewing of the displays. The S-F Radio Desk is 50" high by 39" wide. The suggested retail price is $200. For more information contact; S-F Amateur Radio Services, 4384 Keystone Ave., Culver City, CA 90230; 213-837-4870. Circle Reader Service number 212 for more information.
S-COM INDUSTRIES
S-COM Industries introduces an option display cabinet for the S-COM 5K repeater controller. This cabinet may be retrofitted to the 5K controller without soldering or rewiring. The front panel is made with non-chipping black anodized, with white graphics and hidden fasteners. The red Hewlett-Packard AIGaAs LED lamps inform the viewer of impor- tant circuit status dataf e.g. receiver COR, transmitter PTT, CTCSS decoder, control receiver COR, DTMF data valid, power on, logic inputs 1, 2, and 3, and logic outputs 1 1 2, and 3. These LED lamps draw only 1 pA each.
A conductive iridite-plated chassis box reduces RFI and houses the 5K board, display board, and an optional audio delay module. The cabinet provides cutouts for the 5K's power and input/output connectors, and uses PEM fasteners to eliminate troublesome nuts and standoffs. A ribbon cable assembly attaches to connectors located on the 5K and display boards, making for easy installa- tion. The assembled and tested display cabi- net is priced at $69 plus $5 shipping and han- dling, A similar cabinet is available without the display feature. Contact S-COM Industries, PO Box 8921, Fort Collins, CO 80524; 303* 493-8316. Circle Reader Service card number 21 1 for more information,
60 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
MFJ ENTERPRISES
MFJ Enterprises Inc. has a new MFJ-T09 World Time Clock, This clock features a slid- ing indicator you can set to learn the times of any of 24 international cities. It has a 24-hour world time display and a local time display. The LCD characters are % " high.
The MFJ-109 also has a Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) pointer for instant access to the international standard. Other features include alarm with snooze, night light, daylight sav- ings time adjustment, date change indicator suede-like carrying case, and flip stand. The MFJ-109 World Time Clock comes with a one year unconditional guarantee. Price is $18,95 For more information, contact MFJ Enterpris- es lnc.r PO Box 494, Mississippi State. MS $9762; $01*323-5869 Call $00-647-1800 to order Circle Reader Service number 210 for additional information.
SIBEXINC.
The VR-1 is one of the new lines of portable test equipment from Sibex Inc. The VR-1 is a battery-powered voltage calibrator. The user can select us output from 10 mV to 10 V in a 1-2*5 sequence, using the 11 position switch Both + and - voltages are available at the output terminals. The front panel has a tow battery indicator. The VR-1 can be used for equipment servicing and calibration, R&D work, instrument calibration, and recorder cal- ibration, to name a few applications.
It is housed in a pocket sized plastic case, shaped for convenient holding. The power is supplied by a standard 9V battery contained within the case. VFM is available from stock at $89.95 For more information, contact Sibex inc., 1088 Kapp Drive. Clearwater, FL 34825: 813-441-8525. For ad- ditional information, circle Reader Service number 209.
CUSTOM TECHNOLOGY
Custom Technology now offers a line of wideband RF BALUN antenna auto-trans- formers. The trans- formers match unbal- anced loads (coax) to balanced loads (antennas and ladder transmission lines).
The BALUNs are rated at 2 fcW (PEP) from 1 .8 to 30 MHz continuous. The cores ate pow- dered iron toroidal types covered with glass tape. Windings are high isolation magnet wire to ensure maximum performance without breakdown even when subjected to high SWR conditions.
Available ratios are 1:1, 1:4, 1:6, and 1:9. Coaxial termination is made with a UHF S0239 receptacle. The coaxial connection is housed m a PVC cover. An "N" type recep- tacle is available at extra cost as a special order. The 3" x 4" BALUN is made of cadmi- um steel; the termination is made of flexible copper braid. The complete BALUN assembly is potted in epoxy backfill for ruggedness The price for each BALUN is S25. Multiband antenna kits are available for $35 each, plus $3 for shipping and handing. Product litera- ture is available on request from Custom Tech- nology, 8385 Locust, Kirtiand OH 44094. For more information, circle Reader Service number 208,
ter on-off lighted switch, the Model SP4M has a surge failure light which indicates abnormal voltage or noise This UL listed unit includes a resettable circuit breaker and a six-foot heavy duty cord. The Model SP4M Surge Protected Outlet Strip is $89.95. Scooter Products, Ohm/electronics, inc., 746 Vermont St.. Palatine IL 60067. 800-323-2727 (Illinois. 312- 359*6040); FAX number is 372-359-9686- For more information, circle Reader Service num- ber 206.
SCOOTER PRODUCTS
Scooter Products' Model SP4M Guard-It™ Surge Protected Outlet Strip protects modular FAX, modem, and electronic equipment and peripherals from surges and noise Model SP4M has an anti-static grounding jack for your anti-static accessories, such as touch pads and screens. There is full MOV protec- tion on the power sockets to protect your equipment.
Model SP4M handles peak surge currents up to 6000 amperes with a clamping time of less than 1 nanosecond. In addition to a mas-
SOLAR ELECTRIC
Hams and other radio operators can keep their batteries fully charged with Solar Elec- tric s new line of solar battery chargers Mea- suring only a few feet square, the Maintainer 2 model is portable enough to bring almost any- where. The panels will keep storage batteries charged orvsrte, or power the devices directly during daylight hours. The new generation of solar panels are also more sensitive to low light levels and more efficient in high tempera- ture sites. The Maintainer 2 is available for $89 95. For technical details, write or call So- lar Electronic, 175 Cascade Court, Rohnert Park, CA 94928; 800-832-1986 or 707586- 1987. Circle Reader Service number 205 for additional information.
GUARANTEED TO OUTPERFORM"
THE
OR YOUR MONEY BACK!
HAM
■
CUTAWAY VIEW OF THE HAM 10
TEN METER HAM rTM ANTENNA
The riHAM 10M ten meter antenna is designed and manufactured by American
Antenna, makers of the world Famous K40 Antenna. With a power handling
capacity of 1500 watts and a band width of 1.5 mhz between 2; 1 Swf? points
the "HAM 10* is the perfect compliment to ail single-band ten meter rigs
me stainless steel base of tne 'HAM io~ Is supplied with an adjustable
trunk lip mount. Also available Is an optional adaptable heavy duty
magnamount Por a free brochure, call 1-800-323-6768 in
_" Illinois 1-80G-942*ai75
EXCLUSIVE FEATURES:
© HANDLES UP T0 1500 WATTS!
® MEATALPLAS CONSTRUCTION.
® 30° ROTATION OF BASE.
® STAINLESS STEEL WHIP AND BASE.
® MOUNTS ANYWHERE ON ANY VEHICLE!
® FULLY ASSEMBLED WITH 18' Of RG-58 COAX.
© COMPUTER DESIGNED ISOLATION CHAMBER.
For A Free Brochure, Call:
1 800-3K-6768 IN IL 1 800-942-8175 TLX# 6871370 K40INTL
..{Or Write) AMERICAN ANTENNA 1500 EXECUTIVE DR. ELGIN, IL. 60123
CIRCLE 235 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio • December. 1988 61
You ' re Breaking Santa's Heart
How could you?
After all he's done for you, you still haven't sub- scribed to 73. Month after month, Wayne and his little elves churn out the finest ham maga- zine in the land, working long into the cold New Hampshire nights. Hey! The Waynedeer are getting westless,
f
•Santa's Clause:
Just because it's Christmas, Santa's going to give you a break. When you subscribe, he'll dig into his bag of goodies and send you a free yule tide present: your very own Giant DX Map of the World! Normally 15, this 38* x 25* map is the most up-to-date available, pinpointing nearly 400 DX countries. It's the ulti- mate wallpaper, and it's yours free when you subscribe!
r
IYES,
I
I can't stand to see Santa
SO sad! Here's $19.97— send me a full year of 73 Magazine and my
FREE Giant DX Map!
Name
| Call
I
Address
I City I
State
Zip
DAE
Card#.
□MC
I I
For immediate service, call our smiling 800 operator: (800]-525-0643
nffint utkUri fnra limited tim* O/llv 58 D6
□VISA Exp. Date
□Check
Offer valid fore limited tima only.
Put my friend's name on Santa's list, too! Here's $ 19.97— send this person a year of 73, a Giant DX map, and a card saying what a wonderful friend I am to give a gift subscription!
Your name
Call
Your friend's name
Call
Address
City
_ State
Zip
DMC
Card*
□VISA Exp, Date
□ Check
Call our 800 operator: (800] -525-0643 Offer valid for a limited time only
58D6
J
Mail to: 73 Magazine, Circulation Dept,, WGE Center, 70 Rte. 202N, Peterborough, NH 03458-9995
62 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
Number 1 9 on your Feedback card
ERIAL VIEW
Artiss Thompson W7XU RR 3, Box 224
Sioux Falls SD 57106
Transmission Line Transformers
The column covering transmis- sion line transformers in the Au- gust 1986 issue of 73 generated more feedback than any previous installment of Aerial View. This month's column will be devoted to answering some questions and making comments of general in- terest to all readers.
Many attempted to run the BA- SIC program listed in that article. but had problems with it. Readers alerted me to several problem ar- eas, Joel WB0OGF pointed out two errors in the program fisting. First, there are two tines num- bered 220. Change the first line number to 200. The second error in the listing ts in line 470. In this line, change "nad" to "and."
A number of persons com* plained that while they were able to get the program to run in the quarter-wave transformer mode, they ran into difficulties when they used the series section mode. The general theme seemed to be that, in the program, the impedances of the matching section and the main transmission fine were too close in value. Since some of these comments came from users of IBM clones and GW BASIC (the same version of BASIC that I use), the difficulty probably arose from constraints imposed by the pro- gram and its equations.
Impedance Values
Recall that the impedance of the matching section cannot be too close to that of the main trans- mission line- Program tines 230- 280, and line 340, involve some calculations that determine if those two impedances are too close in value. The general rule is to first calculate the SWR that would exist if the antenna and main transmission line were not matched. If the square mot of that number is greater than 1 , then the impedance of the matching sec- tion should be greater than the square root of the SWR multiplied by the impedance of the mam transmission line,
Next, reverse the numerator and denominator in the SWR cal-
Antenna News
cuiation The impedance of the matching section is now accept* able, being less than the square root of the SWR times the im- pedance of the main transmission line. For example, say the anten- na has an impedance of 200Q and the main transmission line has an impedance of 5GfX Without matching, the SWR would be either 4/1 (that is, 4:1) or 1/4 (nor- mally SWR is calculated so that it fs always greater than 1 . but we must make an exception in this case).
The square root of 4/1 Is 2. Therefore, the matching section must be greater than 2(50) = 100O, or it can be less than the square root of 1/4 times the main tine impedance. With this exam- ple, that means that the matching section impedance would also be acceptable if its impedance was less than 1/2(50) = 25Q. If you have difficulty with this, try work- ing through the examples that ap- peared in the column. The an- swers in the examples were calculated by the listed program. If you have problems with the ex- amples, check your listing for the above corrections.
BASIC Problems
An ever-present hazard of writ- ing programs in BASIC is that dif- ferent computers frequently use different versions of BASIC. For example, a BASIC program writ- ten on an IBM clone may not run perfectly on a Commodore ma- chine. In fact, it may not run at all! Larry W8VLN wrote that his Com- modore 64 consistently gave an error message when he tried to run the series-section portion of the August program.
Speaking of BASIC dialects, I know of at least one book which can help you translate different versions of BASIC— The BASIC Handbook, by David Uen (Com- pusoft Publishing, POBox 19669. San Diego, California 92119: 1981 ) It may no longer be in print, but it might be available at your local library. Similar volumes may also be available from your local computer store.
Those readers with Apple II or IBM PC computers may be inter- ested in an offer from Larry W1HUE, He wrote an improved version of this program in "Apple- soft" BASIC as well as in PC-style
BASIC. He also has another short program that calculates the de- sign parameters for antenna traps made from coaxial cable, Larry will supply copies of both pro- grams for $10 ($12 for overseas airmail) to cover the cost of the disk and mailing. They are avail- able on either 3.5" or 5.25* diskettes in either IBM or Apple format (specify which). Write to Larry East W1HUE, 119-7 Buck- land St., PJantsville. CT 06479.
Frequency Specific
Another question centered on transmission line transformer use in the field. One reader wanted to know what length of series- section matching transformer he should use to feed a multiband trap dipole, Unfortunately, series- section transformers are frequen- cy specific; they work over a rela- tively narrow band of frequencies, such as an amateur band, but not on multiple bands. The same is true for quarter-wave trans- formers (a special case of series- section transformers), quarter- and half-wave batuns, etc. It's not possible to feed a multiband an- tenna through a single series- section transformer and obtain the correct impedance transfor- mation on all bands,
Another reader asked whether series-section transformers func- tion as baluns. The answer is no, A balun is a device that matches an unbalanced line (such as coax) to a balanced line or load (such as open wire line or a dipole anten- na). Series-section transformers here match impedances. They could be coiled to form an RF choke type of balun, or ferrite beads could be slipped over the outside of coaxial series-section transformers to choke off currents flowing on the outside of the coax,
Ground Systems for HF Verticals
The recent column on ground systems and vertical antennas brought in some interesting ques- tions. Let's see how your answers compare to mine.
Q. MThe well-known manufac- turer of my multiband trap vertical says that the antenna has minus 3-dB gain compared to a dipole. This is less than that of an isotrop- ic antenna — can this be true?"
A. Keep in mind that a dipole has2.14-dB gain over an isotropic antenna only in free space. Over perfect ground, an additional 6-dB of gain is possible (the direct and reflected waves reinforce each other); gain over real ground is
lessT but still important. Even if this gentleman's antenna has 3*db less gain than a dipole, it may still show gain over an isotropic radiator, particularly when over very good ground.
Now for the meal of the ques- tion: might a vertical be 3-db down from a dipole? Yes! A vertical with better than a fair ground system can easily be fifty percent or less efficient. Dipoles, on the other hand, are typically over 90 per- cent efficient. Of course, this anal- ysis overlooks any differences in polarization, angle of maximum radiation, and so forth, but as a general statement, yes— a multi- band vertical over fair to poor ground will probably be 3-dB or more down from a dipole.
Q "I have a horizontal mono- bander 1 8 feet above my roof. The roof is 1 3 feet above ground. Does my antenna think it is 18 feet above ground, or 31 feet up? Do wires running across the roof act as a ground?"
A This ham's antenna probably 'thinks" it is 31 feet or so above ground, as far as distant commu- nication is concerned. Radiation straight up may be reinforced by wires lying beneath the antenna, but that radiation will be of little use on the higher frequency bands. As the angle of radiation is lowered, the reflection point moves farther from the antenna. At low angles of radiation, the area of reflection for the antenna may be up to 10 wavelengths away.
If the roof were very large in terms of wavelength, there could be some ground effect from near- by wires lying beneath the anten- na, though this is not likely in most suburban or rural locations. Note that these comments are directed with regard to a horizontal anten- na. Also, the ground may not be RF ground. The point of reflection for signals typically does not oc- cur exactly at ground level, but rather it is usually a few inches to a few feet below the surface. It is deeper in poor soil, and closer to the surface over highly conduc- tive surfaces.
That's it for this month. Thanks to all of you who wrote with ques- tions, comments, and sugges- tions. Due to my recent move, replies to some requests for infor- mation have been somewhat less than prompt, but any backlog will have been cleared by the time this appears in print. My apologres for any delays. Keep those cards and letters coming (with SASEs. please, for a reply).
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 63
Satellite Tracking
with your PC and the Kansas City Tracker & Tuner
m-
»i
mnia"^ iiiii
mnii
, •*,
r1
I -Err
1 '"'llll
-Li.,1! i
m
litHnl
llr.n'i--.
i.
:
The Kansa* City Tracker is a hardware and software package that connects between your rotor controller and an IBM XT, AT, or clone. It controls your antenna array, letting your PC track any satellite or orbital body. The Be nee ■ City Tracker hardware consists of a haff-size interface card that plugs into your PC. It can be connected directly to a Yaesu/Kenpro 5400A/5600A rotor controller. It can be connected to other rotor assemblies using our Rotor Interface Option.
The w««« C*ty Tuner is a companion product that is used in satellite work. It can provide automatic doppler-shrft compensation for digital satellite work. Using our new F-Trak feature it can also slave the uplink radio frequency to the downlink radios frequency. The Toner is compatible with most rrgs including Yaesu, Kenwood, and I com. ft controls your radio thru its serial computer port (if present) or through the radio's up/down mic -click interface.
The BCj""" City Tracker and Toner include custom serial interfaces and do not use your computer's valuable COMM pons. The software runs in your PC's "spare time/' letting you run other programs at the same time.
The Kansas City Tracker and Tuner programs are "Terminate-and-Stay-Residenf programs that attach themselves to DOS and disappear. You can run other DOS programs while your antenna tracks its target and your radios are tuned under computer control. This unique feature is especially useful for digital satellite work: a communications program like PRQCOMM can be run while the PC aims your antennas and tunes your radios in its spare time Status pop-up windows allow the user to review and change current and upcoming radio and antenna parameters. The KC Tracker is compatible with DOS 2 00 or higher and will run under DESQ-VIEW,
Satellite and EME Work
The Kansas City Tracker and Kansas City Toner are fully compatible with AM SATs QUIKTRAK (3.2) and with Silicon Solution's GRAFTRAK (2.0). These programs can be used to load the Kansas City Tracker's tables with more than 50 satellite passes. We also supply assembled & tested TAPR PSK modems with, cases and 1 1 0v power supplies,
DXf Contests, and Nets
Working DX or contests and need three hands? Use the Kansas City Tracker pop -up to work your antenna rotor for you. The Kansas City Tracker is compatible with all DX logging programs A special callsign aiming program is included for working nets.
Pac ket BBS
The Kansas City Tracker comes complete with special control programs that allow the packet BBS user or control-op to perform automated antenna aiming over an hour, a day, or a week. Your BBS or packet station can be programmed to automatically solicit mail from remote packet sites
Vision-Impaired Hams
The Kansas City Tracker has a special morse-code sender section that wilt announce the rotor position and status auto- matically or on request The speed and spacing of the code are adjustable.
The Kansas City Tracker and Toner packages include the PC interlace card, interface connector, software diskette, and instructions Each Kansas City unit carries a one year warranty.
• KC Tracker package for the Yaesu/Kenpro 5400A 5600A controller . ,
• Interface cable for Yaesu/Kenpro 5400A/5600A
4 fr * * « #
KC Tracker package with Rotor Interface Option (to connect to ANY rotors)
I » I I I I t * * 4
$199
KC Tuner (must be purchased with KC Tracker) . , , , $ 79
Assembled & tested TAPR PSK modem with case fit 1 1 0v power supply
■ ■ ■ ■
AM SAT QuikTrak software
$219
S 75
Visa and MasterCard accepted
Shipping and handling $5, $20 for international shipments.
Prices subject to change without notrce,
L L. Grace
Communications Products 41 Acadia Drive • Voorhees, NJ 08043 a U.S. A
For more info: Telephone 609-751 -1 01 8
CompuServe 72677,1 107
CIRCLE 11 ON REAPER SERVICE CARD
H
Number 20 on your Feedback card
A MS A TS
Andy MacAttister WA5ZIB 74714 Knightsway
Drive Houston TX 77083
A Great
Year!
Wow! 1988 has been the best year ever for the amateur' satellite program, Ham- sats have come a
Amateur Radio Via Sateliite
this five-and-a-half-year- oid satelfrte is for the batteries. During each period of off lime, when the satellite's panels are pointed away from the sun, the batteries experi- ence serious and potentially damaging
ischarge. During Sep- tember, the beacon was occa-
way since [he sionatly heard
, - rto Photo B, Mission patch from STS- ,
launch of OS- sending mean-
o a m ■ * rk« „ **« 2&: A merica s return to space \ . G ^ ^
CAR 1 in Decern- ^ ingless PSK, in-
long
ber, 1961. Twenty-seven years ago, we had a single small trans- mitter in space sending tlH\iT in code as it circled the earth, until atmospheric drag took its toll a few short months later. Today the picture is much different.
For me, 1988 satellite activity started a few minutes after New Year's festivities had subsided, AM SAT-OSCAR 10 was up and running in Mode B (70 cm up and 2 meters down) with good access to Europe, After a leisurely con- versation with G1IMM. a check of my satellite predictions showed RS-10/1 1 available with a pass to the west. WA6TKV and N6DGK were both ready with New Year's greetings for those on RS-11 Mode A (2 meters up and 10 me- ters down). Later that day, I tracked more RS-10Y11 passes which yielded contacts all across North America. The UoSAT spacecraft, U-O-9 and U-O-11, were both sending telemetry and messages at 1200 baud on 2 me- ters. Fuji-OSCAR-12 was soon to be available with its digital packet- radio system bulletin board using Mode J (2 meters up and 70 cm down). Operation via the analog J transponder continued for voice communications Things were looking good for 1988. and they only got better.
Those Still With Us
OSCARs 9, 10, 11 and 12 are still with us as the year comes to a close. U-O-9 continues with te- lemetry and bulletins. A-O-10 is available again for contacts as its orientation of its panels to the sun improves. The loss of control due to onboard memory degradation has not affected the Mode B tran- sponder's performance. The only concern among those active on
dicating that complete discharge could be causing system resets at low voltage levels. As long as the batteries hold on without shorting internally, A-O-10 with its high el- liptical orbit may provide many more months* or even years, of service.
Earlier this year, U-O-11 per- formed admirably during the transpolar Ski-Trek operation in- volving a joint Canadian and Sovi- et group of skiers. This University of Surrey satellite is now back to its normal activities with the digital communications experiment, ra- diation measurements, and dig- italker synthesized voice trans- missions.
F-O-12 still suffers from its neg- ative power budget. The systems require more electricity than the solar cells can provide. The schedule of digital and analog transponder activity alternates with recharge days to keep the batteries up. The JARL (Japan Amateur Radio League) has pro- vided satellite itineraries as much as a month at a time, though. This has helped remove the guess- work from F-O-12 op- eration. It is no longer necessary to listen for a pass in hopes of finding an active tran- sponder, A M S A T North America forwards the sched- ule updates every week via HF and
sateliite nets, and also publishes them in Amateur Satellite Report, the bi-weekly newsletter for mem- bers.
RS-10/1 1 seems to be stuck. For 1988 there has been no RS-10 operation, and Mode T (15 meters up and 2 meters down) has not been heard via either unit. For the year, we have had Modes A and K (15 meters up and 10 meters down) via RS-11, Mode A has been active continuously, while K can be used on weekdays. Uplink sensitivity is still excellent and downlink signals are strong. The auto-transpondert ROBOT, has been calling CO on 29.452 MHz every day. Many stations have re- ceived QSLs for ROBOT con- tacts. Unfortunately, they are old RS-5/RS-7 cards with RS-10 or RS-11 handwritten over the old sateliite names.
AO-13 Settles In
On June t5th, A-O-1 3 joined the club of active hamsats. After sev- eral months of great contactsH sys- tem tests and flawless ground control, the verdict is m. This is the satellite for which we've been waiting. With A-O-10 still perform- ing well when properly illuminat- ed, we now have two Phase 3 type (high-orbit and long-life) satellites.
Thousands of stations are set up for Modes 8 and J. A few hun- dred are on Mode L (23 cm up and 70 cm down), and a few dozen have been on the air via Mode S (70 cm up and 13 cm down),
During September, tests were run on the Mode S transponder, The beacon frequency was quite different from previous announce- ments and charts, but the tran- sponder limits were close. The av- erage Mode S station has 2 kW effective radiated power for the 70 cm uplink and a five-foot dish with a GaAsFET preamplifier for the 1 3 cm downlink, Due to the highly
directional helix antenna on the satellite for the 13 cm downlink, you can only operate Mode S when the satellite's antennas are aimed directly at the earth. Short stretches of S activity have been scheduled in the middle of Mode L periods, another mode with highly directional characteristics.
Now that the satellite's circuitry has stabilized, accurate frequen- cy lists have been made. Bob N5LCO composed Table 1 using data from AMSAT-NA and Bill Mc- Caa K0RZ. Bill was the designer and project manager of the Mode S system.
Shuttle Activity
Amateur satellite enthusiasts around the world closely followed the launch, in-orbit activities, and the landing of STS-26. The mis- sion did not carry any amateur ra- dio equipment, but it represented a return to space for America and the potential return of ham-in- space activities on future shuttle flights.
Most hams recall the 2 meter activities of Dr. Owen Garriott
Photo A. RS-11 "re-made" QSL card^
OSCAR MODE-J FILTERS
PREVENT DESENSE OF YOUR DOWN-LINK RECEIVER
|
PSf • 432 |
70 cm PreAmp |
70 cm Rx |
MMf20O-7 (usually sufficient) LL.@145MHz
Loss ® 435 MHz
$5500
0.5dB 40dBmm
PSf432
(for extra protection) LL. @ 435 MHz Loss @ 1 45 MHz
$95.00
0, 1 dB 70dBtyp
Send 75c (3 stamps) far detailed specs on all VHF & UHF products. Shipping FOB Concord. MA
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE
SPECTRUM INTERNATIONAL INC. (508)263-2145
P.O. Box 10845, Concord, MA 01742, USA
CIRCLE 183 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radto • December, 1988 65
W5LFL on STS-9 in December, 1963. Signals from Owen's HT and window-mounted antenna on 145.55 MHz were excellent. Ten years of planning had finally paid off. Earlier requests to place a ham rig on Skylab had been turned down.
During the summer of 1985, Dr. Tony England W&ORE on board the Challenger provided many scheduled voice contacts and ex- cellent SSTV (slow scan televi- sion) transmissions from space. Even though there was little time for making casual contacts, the TV system was activated much of the mission,
tn late autumn 1985, Spacelab mission D1 took two German ama- teurs and one Dutch ham to low* earth orbit on board the Columbia. Using the callsign DPOSL, this op- eration used 70 cm as an uplink with 2 meters as the downlink. A CD message in Morse Code (F2 transmission) could be heard on 2 meters when the system was not used for voice communications. Listeners could then call on 70 cm (FM voice) in hopes of being heard by the DP0SL receiver and re- corded on tape.
Columbia again played host to an amateur radio project in early January 1987. MARCE. the Mar*
|
AMSAT OSCAlt J3 Nkaw JC |
|||||||
|
OpriAlinf Mo4ot *"d Fftqatlfl |
M |
||||||
|
Mod* JL |
Modi |
r i |
|||||
|
L Uplink |
Downlink |
Sm - /705J5* |
Vpfutk |
Diwttittnk |
Sum - tf/.HJ |
||
|
J Uplink |
S«m- Jtftf/J |
||||||
|
ttt#3fl |
mt |
*J*.Kr5 NMj |
l frtiitiv^j i^par Hh1t |
m.m m |
Cnalrwir^ Hicm |
||
|
' IM ,y&~t |
4W.W5 |
(35.423 P«f |
H5.f?3 |
'ilibwitf vppK llwlt |
|||
|
1W.H4 |
iw r4s mi |
us .wo |
J *l£> tad vnmr liait |
lJS.411 |
H5,«S |
||
|
UMSft |
H4T*B |
4J9.VH |
4H.**J |
H^«5 |
|||
|
IttMtl |
W.U] |
4JS.OTP |
4S.4S3 |
MMH |
|||
|
IMMM |
144.441 |
U»,«tt |
i •**" tOTd CflftW |
435.4*3 |
«*.•» |
||
|
mt tw |
tu.ilf |
UV**fl |
435.473 |
U$.fB |
|||
|
IttMtt |
H*,4iJ |
4JS.f$B |
435.41} |
44J.«5 |
|||
|
Us*.* It |
ui,;n |
4JV1M |
J i^ ^U lfli*r iWt |
435,4*1 |
Ul.fB |
||
|
amju\ |
*J5,CS |
435.KJ |
■41,1*1 |
||||
|
utr.ui |
*J5.TH |
*35.Wi |
I43irtf« |
mmm canvr |
|||
|
1]«4.U1 |
■ J"> *<S |
V9JQ |
"45.MS |
||||
|
T?W,4S1 |
*».WS |
*]J,5M |
mjm |
||||
|
1W.W |
*M. ATI |
tJJ.IH |
14l,*fc3 |
||||
|
1ZW.471 |
435 .BBS |
4IS.5A3 |
I49.BS |
||||
|
lMfr.MI |
435. H75 |
415,551 |
uj.w |
||||
|
iirt.*ei |
4K.M5 |
43S.SC.3 |
143 .fill |
||||
|
tiAtMW |
i«_ttq |
t Jwifaind »nt>r |
435.573 |
141 .tS |
FUltMftd Ifltff l|«ft |
||
|
tmjm |
4 51.R5 |
14|.tl2 |
£«rii *m»m |
||||
|
tatjii |
.::•?-: |
||||||
|
latjzi |
4tt-H3 |
Mod* |
s |
||||
|
t»t.U1 |
*».C5 |
i^Aii |
Pvwnfittk |
DtffmtmjiS |
|||
|
lat.Hi |
ffeJB |
||||||
|
MUM |
i»JB |
4B.A34 P*i |
Ml* AW pPfc] |
rwiim* *m*r iwi |
|||
|
■mum |
4S.ni |
«B.lB |
*«o,m |
||||
|
nafcjn |
U*.W |
4H..U0 |
H0D.743 |
||||
|
tttMtl |
*J1. rr* |
i.ft.«i |
?4».7J1 |
||||
|
]I#*.£fl |
*Jt . w |
431,. UQ |
1400,733 |
||||
|
rntam |
4B.7M |
iM.o^ |
J4D0.731 |
Pa«iH«n4 itfrt#r |
|||
|
Itttrttl |
*M.74i |
431.A15 |
2400,720 |
||||
|
ttet.ui |
iH.iOl |
455.A1D |
2*00,723 |
||||
|
lfoe.Ul |
455,725 |
435 .405 |
2400. Jlfi |
||||
|
utfcju |
431. ni |
433,40? |
1400.711 |
PMtbkTMl Lav*r 1 im^t |
|||
|
12*1, m |
HSM « |
435rfc77 |
enain**flAi bMccn/KUDM OMitti* |
J40Q.W1 |
E"i»nt«r iri§ taiccr |
||
|
*J5.*n |
|||||||
|
*tt.M5 |
|||||||
|
4j5.es |
|||||||
|
4»^&t |
■w* hW |
||||||
|
tfodt B aM Madr /t mer t-vtrnwg irampMden. t*. up o* LSB dwrm « |
tfSS |
||||||
|
tfodf S |
«f ■d^iwfrrfiiij,, r#, |
M |
« USB Jown M I/531 |
AMSA T OSCAR-13 Phase 3C operating modes and frequencies.
shall Amateur Radio Club Experi- erT data from the alloy solidifica- ment, flew in a Get Away Special tion experiment, the plant physio[- canister. Using a voice syntheslz- ogy experiment, and the crystal
growth experiment, flowed to ground stations on 70 cm. The transmission frequency was set to match the uplink band of AO-10, allowing linking of the transmis- sions through the satellite for those not able to monitor the sig- nals from the pay load bay directly, Dr. Ron Parise WA4SIR will continue in the tradition of the pre- vious amateur activities with SAREX-2 (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment number 2). In addition to voice contacts, Ron will have a packet radio system. It will be acti- vated continuously to allow auto- matic contacts to be logged dur- ing times when the station is not manned. The ROM (Read-Only memory) software has been in a TNC (terminal node controller) and on the air from the Johnson Space Center with the callsign W5RRR.
Ron's mission was originally scheduled for March 1 986. Now it is planned for March 1990 Other opportunities to ffy the SAREX-2 equipment may come before then, but at least ham-in-space activity is on the NASA manifest. Till then we have four micro- satst RS-12/13, JAS-1B, and two UoSATs waiting for their trips to space. While 1988 was great, '89 may be better yet.
MAGGIORE ELECTRONIC LAB.
Manufacturers of Quality Communications Equipment
•Repeaters
•Links
•Remote Base
•VHF,UHF
•Receivers
•Transmitters
•Antennas
•Standard and Computerized Controllers Standard and Computerized
Auto Patches Duplexers
EXPANDABLE REPEATER SYSTEM
« A NEW CONCEPT IN REPEATER DESIGN, THE Hi Pro "E" IS AN EXPANDABLE REPEATER WITH THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: A BASIC REPEATER WHICH WOULD IN- CLUDE A COMPLETE RECEIVER. TRANSMITTER, COR, FRONT PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS. LOCAL SPEAKER AND MIC JACK ANO CARHBLE OF FUTURE
EXPANSION. ALL HOUSED IN AN EXTREMELY RUGGED, ENCLOSED, 19-INCH RACK MOUNTABLE CABINET. • THIS SYSTEM CAN BE EXPANDED AT TIME OF PURCHASE OH CAN BE AN AFTER-PURCHASE ADD ON THE ADO ONS ARE— HIGHER POWER, 11O220 VtC POWER SUPPLY. IDENTIFIER. AUTO PATCH. OR COMPUTER CONTROLLERS IN ADDHTON TO THESE ADD ONS AN ADOmONAL RECEIVER ANO TRANSMITTER CAN BE
MOUNTED INTERNALLY FOR USE AS CONTROL LINKS, REMOTE BASE OH DUAL BAND OPERATION. ETC • AN EXTENSION f*NEL IS AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL MONtTORING OF THE REPEATER AND CONTAINS ALL NECESSARY METERING, STATUS LIGHTS AND INDICATORS. ALL ADO ONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE COMPANY AND ARE COMPLETE INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS.
600 Westtown Rd.
MAGGIORE ELECTRONIC LAB. West Chester, PA 1 9382 Phone (21 5) 436-6051
SO*
Telex 499 0741 MELCO
WRITE OR CALL FOR OUR COMPLETE CATALOG
G6 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
ORCLE 47 OM RfADEft SERVICE CARD
Letters
Number 21 on your Feedback card
From the Hamshack
73 Worldwide
As usual. 73 has always pro- vided interesting articles and information. However, the days are gone when the magazine could be considered an "Ameri- can" magazine. With its primary and secondary readership world- wide, the editorial slant ought to lay greater emphasis on the needs of hams worldwide.
J, Srinivasan VU2 JX Bangalore, India
Thanks very much for your kind comments on the magazine! 73 has always made a serious effort to stay in tune with hams world- wide. What other magazine devotes a monthly 3-4 page column to international ham af- fairs? This represents a minimum of 7-6% of our editorial material each month. (Foreign subscrip- tions are only 5% of the total) if you are interested in becoming our Indian correspondent for "73 international," contact Richard Phenix here at 73 HQ . . . de NStB.
No Code
Rere visited
I wish to express my appre- ciation for the useful data I have gleaned from 73. I have only been reading it for one year, but I have already learned from your antenna articles how to get our mobile-to-base range up to about 30 miles on a good morning.
While I'm on-line, Til put in a plug for a code-free VHF/UHF license. Some of us radio devo- tees have a good deal more to do than memorize things which we will use so seldom that we forget. This is a busy time in human history, I expect that there are a lot of us out here who could make a bit of time for vox hamp but who decline to (as we see it) waste the time to memorize, then forget, a language which is ar- cane and becomes increasingly archaic.
If radio is looking to the youth, it will have to offer them a twenty- first century— not 19th century- mode of operation.
JR.Mainfort Farmville VA
Thanks
to the Maritime Net
I am currently serving with the US Navy in the Persian Gulf area. I would like to personally thank Fred W3WZU and Dick WB1 BYN on the Maritime Mobile Wet.
Once I was licensed as a ham, J have met quite a few extraordi- nary people who take their free time seriously to help out others in need. I was tasked to get priority cafls through involving deaths, illnesses, and Easter greet- ings. With no phone for 57 days straight, people look for alterna- tives.
Thanks to all the net members on 14.313.
Bill Poulin KA4WWG/MM3 USS San Jose
Try 1601
Which BS is Bill W4TAL refer- ring to when he says, "Sure don't care for the BS that clutters up the low bands . . . sure enjoyed
the days when you could get into a good technical conversation with another amateur?" Sure hope he isn't referring to ME!
One reason I like 160 meters is that there IS plenty of technical conversation, and very few short rubber stamp QSOs>
Listen on about 1 823 kHz any morning before work. There are some W4 stations talking com- puter technology EVERY DAY. Fascinating to listen to. And every evening there are a couple of hours of conversation about packet, AMTOR, and antennas, on about 1865 or so by a group of 7s.
And Wayne — Newfoundland
was not an independent country in
1959. The province joined the
Confederation on March 31 , 1949,
Bob Eldridge VE7BS
Pemberton BC
191 Hz or 1 Meg?
I have to take issue with Mr. Hotine's claim that a narrow fre- quency spectrum is occupied by his method of phase modulation in which short pulses are used to phase modulate a carrier using a small deviation. The phase modu- lated signal can be expressed as: s(t) = A(cos[wt +
where A is the amplitude of the signal, wis the carrier frequency in radians/sec, and m(t) is the time-varying modulating signal.
Using a trigonometric identity, the equation can be written:
$(t) = A(cos[wt}co$[m(t)} -
sJn{wt}$in[m(t)}).
If the amplitude of m(t) is small (less than 0.1 radians), the equa- tion can be approximated: s(t) * A(cos(wt) - m(t)sin(m(t)Q since sin[m(t}} m m(t) and cos[m(t)j * 1 if m(t) is small
The equation shows a carrier component, cos(wt), and a double sideband component, m(t)sin{m(t)} ',
This second term determines the bandwidth of the signal. The modulating signal m(t) is the su- perposition of the narrow pulse trains shown in Mr. Holme's artt* cle (Fig. 16 and 1D), with one of the waveforms inverted, since one causes a leading phase angle and the other a lagging phase angle.
The bandwidth of a pulse train such as this is well known and will in fact be inversely proportional to the pulse width, t vsec in this case. Therefore, the bandwidth of one sideband will be approximate- ly 1 MHz, far greater than the 191 Hz that Mr. Hotine calculated
DanMulally WltC Rapid City SD
ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 426-2820
KANTRONICS
KPC-4 Two simultaneously operable radio ports, both ports operating at 1200 baud Automata gateway operation between ports,
Kantrontcs Personal Packet Mailbox feature included RS-232 or TTL level operation by jumper select ton
Price
279"
KPC-2 Compatible with any computer having s serial , asynchronous I/O. Includes VHF and HF modem — software selectable. Full duplex capability
149'
HAMTRONICS, INC.
4033 BROWNSVILLE ROAD
TREVOSE, PA. 19047
(215) 357-1400
Hours M,T,W - 9-6 Th-F - 9-8 Sat. - 9-3
Authorized Sales & Service — Yaesu ■ Kenwood ■ loom
CIRCLE 309 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1968 67
Number 22 on your Feedback card
73 Review
by Jozef Hand-Boniakowski WB2MIC
Full Duplex in a Hand-held
The ICOM 32A T Dual-Band HT
ICOM America, Inc.
2380 116th Ave., N.E.
Bellevue, WA 98004
206-454-761 9
Price $629
The 32AT, ICOMS's entry into the dual- band HT field, is a little beauty about the size of the 02AT. It is one of the slickest FM phone radios of any type that I have had the pleasure to use, and I've used many HTs and portable 2 meter ham gear over the years, beginning in 1967 with the Varitronics HT2.
Less rounded in appearance than the 02AT, the 32AT weighs 590 grams with the stock BP-70 battery, 510 grams with the BP-3, and 545 grams with the BP-4. The BP-4 pack is just a shell for two AA-size NiCds. With the BP-70, overall metric dimensions are 65mm x 160.5mm x35mm,
Feature Packed
It takes a bit of reading to become familiar with the 32ATfs features. Relying heavily on surface-mount technology, this dynamo sports 20 independent memories. Similar to
68 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
the02AT, you can program each memory with its own input and output frequency, PL tone, offset, and any frequency scan lockout. Each memory therefore has two stages. When not used, they serve as additional memory channels. If you programmed only simplex frequencies into memory, 40 channels would be available. In addition to the stock memo- ries, there are two VFOst one each for VHF and UHF, a priority frequency and two call frequencies, which again are one VHF and one UHF.
You can program quick frequency and memory selection through the keyboard or the main tuning dial, a welcome addition. For met this was more memory, power, and flexibility than I could possibly use, The right hand column of the touch-tone pad has the A, B, C, and D keys. Used in conjunction with the function key located on the left side of the radio, they perform Clear-Scan-Stop/Transfer memory frequency into VFO, Memory Read/ Write, and VHF/UHF Split operation and Call functions.
Full-Duplex Operation
The most amazing feature of the above is the Split function, It allows a memory to retain a TX frequency in VHF, and an RX frequency in UHF and vice-versa, AND allows full-duplex operation. That is, you can wear a headset and talk one on band while listening on the other, simultaneously— just like using a tele- phone ! This is a great feature for public service communications, such as directing traffic, coordinating hamfest activities and bike-a-thons, andT of course ; checking re- peater links- Imagine full-duplex in an HT! The possibilities are astounding, including dual- band, full-duplex packet operation, and digipeating!
A word of caution: When operating full- duplex, your frequency on UHF receive must not be the third multiple of the VHF TX frequency. The third harmonic would be picked up, and you'd receive howling feedback.
Also, you cannot use the optional HS-10 headset. However; I can't see why a headset cannot be rewired or home- brewed for separate TX and RX audio lines. OK, ICOM, when will that accessory
be available?
Scanning Capabilities
The 32AT comes equipped with scanning capabilities. You can set it to do a fulf band scan, a programmed band scan with user- defined top and bottom limits, a memory scan of both bands, or a selected band memory scan and priority watch. You can do the full band scan within one band only. In the memory scan mode, use the SKIP function to eliminate any memory frequency from being checked. SKIP functions with all of the 20 memory channels. It comes in handy when you need to put non-amateur frequencies into memory for occasional recall.
For example, I programmed 162.550 and 162.450 MHz into my 32AT for listening to NOAA weather information from Albany, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, with the SKIP function enabled for both frequencies. When I want to scan the 2 meter band, these are skipped over, thus preventing NOAA's 24-hour transmission from tocking up the radio.
You can set the 32AT to temporarily stop for a few seconds on every active frequency, then continue. This allows a quick listen to busy repeater frequencies, and comes in handy when you're listening for a friend and you're uncertain about which repeater he or she will show upon.
Programming the 32AT
You can activate many combinations of scan and watch operations: VFO and memory channels, VFO and call channel, VFO and another band, and of course, all of the above with the priority channel.
With such complexity, you may be over- whelmed by the programming requirements. However, there is a SET mode, accessed by depressing the FUNCTION button along with the ,J5fr key, which makes programming con- venient. Then you can use the main tuning knob to set subaudible tone frequencies, offset frequencies, tuning steps (the rate of frequency change when using the mai n tuning knob or the UP and DOWN keys), scan edges, and whether you want the power saver on or off.
Continued on page 70
o
TECH TALK from ICOM
ICOIVL
Limelight Views of the IC-781
ICOMs incomparable IC-781 HF transceiver is truly creating widespread excitement in the amateur radio world and requests for additional plain language details continue filling the ICOM company mailbag, Thank you! Responding to your inquiries, this Tech Talk will overview some of the IC-781 's most noticeable front panel operating attractions. Future Tech TaJks will detve further into special features and circuit designs of this pacesetting transceiver,
So what's behind ail the initial view bioohs and afths" of the IC-781? In addition to its numerous front panel controls and its five-inch multi-function CRT is a complete station control and monitor center with tremendous flexibility. Despite its sophisticated and futuristic appearance, however, the IC-781 is surprisingly easy to operate. Its special features are simply 'called into useM as you desire,
The CRTs top section always displays your present operating frequency [in bold numbers) plus the selected mode, filters, RIT/XIT offset and VFO or memory operation. The alternate VFOs data is displayed below that bold/ in use infor- mation. Although not readily apparent in ad photos, VFO A and VFO B plus any selected memory can also be set to different bands! A highlighted block in the CRTs lower right area also indicates local or world time right on the screen!
An impressively advanced concept of fre- quency selection and control is included in the IC-781 Initially pressing VFO A and rotating the main tunrng knob selects frequencies in the usual way. Rotating that knob after pressing VFO B, however, lets you select standby operating frequencies on the alternate VFO while continuing an on-the-air QSO wrth the operating VFO! You can also change band and or modes on VFO B or load informaton into any memory without disrupting an ongoing QSO! In other words, the VFO A and B buttons electronically shift only the main tuning applications, Totally unique! There's more! Press the CHANGE button and operating/ standby VFO content swap positions. You can shift between VFOs and bands for rapid-fire
DX'ing in a genuine contest-winning manner.
When split-frequency DX'ing, alternately working two DX pile-ups or lining up sequential contest QSO's, both VFO's contents can be received simultaneously. This dual receive function is activated by pressing the DUAL WATCH button then adjusting the front panel's BALANCE control for a comfortable VFO A/B blend A single speaker is used for this simul- taneous dual reception, and the previously mentioned VFO A or VFO B buttons select which VFO is tuned via the main knob. Simultaneous dual receive within the same mode on different bands like VFO A on 20 meters and VFO B on 15 meters is also a snap; however, greatest sensitivity always coincides with the operating VFO/bofd numbered CRT display.
The panoramic display indicates all received signals within a horizontally-marked range of 50, 100 or 200kHz as selected by Y keys in the CRT's escutcheon. The IC-781 's present oper- ating frequency always appears in the spectrum display's center with lower frequencies to the left and higher frequencies to the right of that point Horizontal marks indicate relative signal strengths, and background noise appears as "grass" along the bottom edge. It also reads your instantaneous signal level during transmissions.
On-the-air activities and DX pile-ups are easily detectable at a glance, and they shi position according to frequency selections on the main tuning knob, Visualize combining this superti asset with the DUAL WATCH and you, too, will
echo the slogan "ONLY WITH AN ICOM!"
Pressing the CRT estuteheoiVs "F6" key changes its screen's lower area to indicate memory contents. Consequently, pressing the "F1 " key and rotating the main tuning knob scrolls Memory 1 through 99 for reviewing their contents- Additionally, pressing the VFO MEMO button switches fre- quency control from VFO to the cursor-indicated memory.
An electronic notepad for memory use can also be called up for use by pressing the "F5" button. Personal memos can thus be included in selected memories by selecting letters via the main knob with one hand while pressing the T2M (Write) button with the other hand.
The previous functions, incidentally, can even be performed while you are in QSO or not selecting frequencies wrth tie main knob. Visualize the versatility and convenience of this feature for noting schedules or net operations: you enter ail details in memory and even program the IC-781 to switch on and remind you of DX activities!
Another press of the LIF6M key changes the CRT's lower screen area into video display of printed modes like RTTY or PACKET. An external Tils RS-232 video data is connected to the IC-781 *s rear input T" keys select compatible operating parameters, and you enjoy ultra-deluxe video readouts on the C-781 's screen!
The IC-781 ps innovative features and designs trufy reflect ICOMs dedication to excellence: a proud tradition that is built into every (COM unl Tune in wrth COM and join the winning team!
ICOMS NEW IC-761 "The future of amateur communications. "
CIRCLE 84 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ICOM America. Inc.. 23B0-116m Ave, NjE, 8e»evue, WA 98004 Customer Service Hotline (206) 454*7619
3150 Premier Drive, Suite 126. Irving, TX 75063 1 1777 Phoenix Parkway, Surte 201, Atlanta, GA 30349
ICOM CANADA, A Diwsw of ICOM America, Inc. 3071 - »& Road, Unit 9, Richmond, B.C. V6X 2T4 Canada
AM staled specifications are approximate and subject to change wthoul notice or obbgalion. AJI ICOM ratios s*gnrficantiy exceed FCC legutafeans iimtt:ng spunous emissions TT4B8.
(COM continued from p. 68
Changes in offset frequency come in handy when you're using repeaters with non- standard splits. The standard offsets are 600 kHz on VHF, and 5 MHz on UHF, There are 38 different tone encoder frequencies.
Coverage
The general coverage of the 32AT (USA model), guaranteed by ICOM to meet the man- ufacturer's specifications, is 144-148 MHz and 440-450 MHz, Within these frequencies, the double conversion superheterodyne re- ceiver boasts a sensitivity of less than 0.25 pV for 12 dB SINAD and a squelch threshold of less than 0.158 uV. The RX audio is greater than 400 mW at 10% distortion with an 8 ohm load. Compared to the 2AT and Q2AT, the 32AT RX audio is more than adequate, and in fact, a big improvement. The IF frequencies are 30.875 MHz and 455 kHz. The operational range of the 32AT receiver is 138-174 MHz and 440-450 MHz. For the transmitter, it is 1 40-1 50 M Hz and 440-450 M Hz,
There are five versions of the 32AT. They are the USA, Italian, Spanish, Australian, Southeast Asian, and European versions. The main differences are in the frequency cover- age, while minor differences involve tone burst operation. In non-USA versions, cover- age includes 430-440 MHz. This leads me to suspect that as with the 02ATt a minor component removal or change is all that is necessary to extend the range of the USA version. Within the guaranteed range, the transmitter puts out a clean signal with +/•- 5 kHz deviation. This swing is derived from a variable reactance frequency modulator.
LCD Display
The function display is large and easily readable . The LCD is sidelit with 2 green LEDs from left and right. The light button is just below the PTT. Once depressed, it gives five seconds of illumination if the main tuning knob or keyboard is not touched.
The function display includes frequency readout, "TS" indicator in SET mode (more on this later), "M" in memory mode, "C*1 in CALL CHANNEL mode with the appropriate numbers 1-20, l'DUP" or'-OUP" indicating appropriate frequency split, "SPT" on full- duplex operation, J'PROG" during pro- grammed scan operation, "PRIOM in priority watch mode, "T" for activated tone encoder, "SQL" with optional pocketbeep UT-40, "T SQL*' with optional tone squelch without pocketbeep, "SKIP" for skip a frequency during memory scan, "TO" for setting the subaudibletone, btOW" while writing an offset frequency, and "L" when the keyboard is locked. Finally, there is a large S/RF bar graph meter.
Versatility
The UT-40 transforms the 32AT into a pager. If the transmitting station's PL tone is the same as the tone set on the 32AT, and if the pocketbeep function is enabled, beep tones are emitted for 30 seconds, and the "SQL" and "(((.)))" displays on the HTs large LCD screen begin to flash, Within 30 seconds,
70 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
press the CLEAR key ("A" on the touch-tone pad), or the PTT will cause the 32AT to select the tone squelch function and audio from the transmitting station. It is checked for PL tone, and, if it matches, audio comes through the speaker.
There is, however, a MONITOR button located just above the PTT and FUNCTION buttons which will disable pocketbeep opera- tion and automatically break the squelch for frequency spot checks. MONITOR also works during casual listening, when you do not wish to break the squelch with the squelch knob.
Features at the top include a BNC antenna connector, external RX/TX audio and PTT, a13.2 V DC Jack, volume control, a tuning knob for the dual VFOs, ON/OFF and volume control, squelch, and HI/LOW power.
In a previous product review of the u2AT, I complained about how easily the ON/OFF
n
. this dynamo sports 20 independent
memories.
ft
knob can be accidentally and unknowingly set to ON, killing the battery. On the 32AT, [COM has placed the squelch control on the top far left of the radio with the ON/OFF switch in the middle, thus eliminating this possibility. The 32AT ON/OFF switch is also more secure with a positive click,
Battery and Accessory Compatibility
The 32AT comes with the BP-70 battery, which provides 5.5 watts output VHF, and 5.0 watts output UHF in high power. The low pow- er setting is 1,0 watts output on both bands. The BP-70's capacity is 270 mAh at 1 3.2 volts. ICOM made the 32AT compatible with all the 2A/AT and 02AT batteries and accessories, As a result, ICOM has not yet made a single full-sized HT which suffers from obsoles- cence.
In anticipation of the 32ATs arrival, I had a fully charged Periphex BP-8S super-battery ready to go. The 32AT easily played a 12-15 hour day. The programmable power saver function helps out here. If there are no incom- ing signals, PTT, or keyboard entries for more than 30 seconds, the 32AT shuts down, and
|
ICOM battery pack life chart, based on a |
|||
|
ratio of 1:1:8 of transmit/receive/standby |
|||
|
operation: |
|||
|
Pack Volts |
mA |
VHF Op |
UHF Op |
|
hours |
hours |
||
|
BP-2 7,2 |
450 |
3.7 |
3.1 |
|
BP-3 8.4 |
270 |
1+9 |
1.6 |
|
BP-5 10.8 |
450 |
3,2 |
2,4 |
|
BP-7 13.2 |
450 |
3.4 |
2.4 |
|
BP-8 8.4 |
800 |
5.8 |
4.8 |
|
BP-70 13,2 |
270 |
2.0 |
15 |
goes into listen mode briefly every few sec- onds. This feature saves 10 mA on VHF and 12mAonUHR
Also included with the 32AT are a good quality dual-band rubber ducky antenna, a belt clip with mounting screws and washers, an earphonet rain-proof cap, hand strap with clip, and a BC-16U wall charger. Popular accessories are available, such as an external speaker/microphone, headset (PTT or VOX), desktop battery charger, and a nifty little device called the UT-40 tone squelch decoder and "pocketbeep."
ICOM makes a rounded speaker/micro- phone that is very convenient to use with the 2A/AT/02AT radios. They are now also mak- ing a much smaller, sleeker speaker/mike called the SM46L, However, it has a right angle double connector, a miniature plug for the RX audio and a subminiature for the TX AUDIO/PTT; that bends right over the 13.8 V DC jack at the top of the 02AT/32AT. This makes external 12 VDC mobile operation very inconvenient. If the right angle were shifted 180 degrees, 02AT owners would be happy, but 32AT owners would find the cable jammed into the antenna.
The Culmination of High Tech
I bought my ICOM 32AT from Ham Radio Outlet in California in early June, and received it in late July. I knew that I was buying a new radio which might be included in the "test market" category, but I did not want to wait.
Being very active on packet, I quickly sent an "ALL" message inquiring about the 32AT. Surprisingly, I received a reply from an old friend in New Jersey who had purchased one as well. Steve WA2NHZ mentioned that he and a few others were having PLL problems. When running the transmitter for three to sev- en minutes in full duplex, they reported that the synthesizer would go out of lock in UHF. I tried to create the problem, but could not, Steve's 32AT had a lower serial number than mine. The serial number of my unit is 01267.
I can find no operational problems with the radio- In fact, I find the 32AT remarkable. I am thoroughly satisfied with its operation, and I have used it daily in my summer employment as a painter. The backplate/heatsink of the HT does not heat up as the 02ATs did. The 32AT is ruggedly constructed, and its sections and backplate are sealed with water-resis- tant gaskets.
My one and only complaint is minor — I am disappointed with the lighting on the LCD function display. If ICOM could have provided the back lighting of the U.2AT for the 32AT, this review would have been flawless.
WeVe come a long way in twenty years, since the Varitronics HT2. The 32AT is the present culmination of high tech. With ICOM and the IC-781 HF radio making such a splash with its built-in video display screen, I wonder how long it will be before we see a packet TNC and LCD text screen inside HTs? How long before a triband HT becomes available? The prospects of a full-duplex OSCAR HT are becoming more real. In the meantime, Tm having a lot of fun with a very nice radio.
Number 23 on your Feedback card
Mike Bryce WBBVGE 2225 Mayflower NW Massiifon, OH 44646
To maximize the use of solar energy, we need some means of storing it for use during cloudy days. Recall in physics the law of the conservation of energy; You cannot create or destroy energy, only change it. In this case, kinetic solar energy converts to potential energy, to be stored and later con* verted back to kinetic energy at wriL The best container of this erv- ergy in its potential form is the lead-acid battery.
Good or PbandH.SO,
Even in today's technology, the composition of a lead-acid battery remains basically the same: lead and acid, A lead-acid battery is typically constructed of lead or lead- alloy plates immersed in a sulfuric acidfwater solution. This solution is called the electrolyte. Lead-acid batteries store and re- lease electricity by a process know as an electrochemical reac- tion, which involves a series of chemical changes within the bat- tery and the flow of electrons.
What happens when we dis- charge a lead-acid battery? When a battery is connected to an exter- nal load (e.g. a rig), current flows through the load and the battery starts to discharge. The lead diox- ide, PbO?, in the positive plate is a compound of lead, Pb, (sometime called "sponge lead") and oxy- gen, 02. Sulfuric acid, the elec- trolyte, is a compound of hydro- gen, H:, and the sulfate radical, SOv. As the battery discharges, lead combines with the sulfate, SO*, found in the electrolyte, forming lead sulfate, PbSO,, on the positive plate. Oxygen, O, in the active material of the positive plate combines with the hydro- gen, H?, from the sulfuric acid to form water, H,Q, which reduces the concentration of acid in the electrolyte. A similar reaction is occurring at the negative plate at the same time. Lead, Pb, of the negative active material com* bines with sulfate, S04( from the sulfuric acid to form lead sulfate, PbS04, on the negative plate. As the load remains (e,gf as we con- tinue the use the rig), the dis- charging progresses, the newly formed water continues to difute
Low Power Operation
the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte, lowering its specific gravity. (You can measure the specific gravity with a hydrometer to accurately and conveniently determine the battery state-of-charge.) The ac- tive material of both plates slowly changes to lead sulfate, PbSOj, The plates become more alike and the acid becomes weaker. Therefore, the terminal voltage lowers, since this is a function of the difference between the two plate materials and the concentra- tion of the electrolyte. Keep using the rig, and you eventually reach a point when the battery can no longer deliver electricity at a use- ful voltage.
About Face
Using electricity from the photo- voltaic array* we start the charge
faster you discharge the battery, the less capacity you'll receive. Battery capacity is also a function of size, construction, tempera- ture, and concentration of elec- trolytes and plate construction.
Temperature has a direct effect on the capacity of a battery; the lower the temperature, the lower the amount of capacity available for use. A battery rated at 100% available capacity at 80° F is rated at 105% at 85°F. The same bat- tery is rated at 90% efficient at 60 °F. Long periods of higher- than-normal temperatures, how- ever, decrease battery life. Warm temperatures will also cause the battery to overcharge. The op- posite happens m colder months.
Battery cycle life depends on the depth of discharge. An 80% discharge (to a 20% state-of- charge ) is considered deep. Best battery cycle life occurs at dis- charge depths of 60-70% of total capacity.
There are^of course other fac- tors that affect battery perform-
"Battery capacity is directly related to the rate of discharge.
9f
cycle. When we apply current to the battery, we simply get the re- verse of the above reaction. This causes the specific gravity of the battery to raise as acid forms, re- placing the water in the elec- trolyte.
A battery gives off gas as it charges; hydrogen from the nega- tive plate, and oxygen from the positive plate. These gases result from the decomposition of water, H20, Heavy gassing can be caused by several conditions; overcharging, cold electrolyte, and old age. Since these gasses can combine violently, causing an explosion, make sure to properly vent your batteries. II your batter- ies are contained in an enclosure, make sure thereTs plenty of con- vective air movements such that air moves from the bottom of the containment to the top, then out.
Batteries are rated on the basis of capacity (in ampere hour, Ah, capacity) and life cycle (the num- ber of times a battery can be dis- charged before failing). Capacity is directly related to discharge rate. For example, a battery rated at 100 amperes over 20 hours can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours. The same battery will only deliver 70 amperes, however, if it is dis- charged within five hours. The
ance. Charging procedure is one. For example, if a battery is never allowed to be charged over its float voltage, two problems can occur. First, the electrolyte may stratify. The acid, being heavier than water, concentrates on the bottom, resulting in poor perfor- mance and increased suscepti- bility to freezing, Second, in a battery bank that has several bat- teries connected in series, one or more batteries may lose its capac- ity before the rest. This reduces the entire battery bank per- formance.
Car Vs, Deep-Cycle Batteries
Let's look at deep-cycle vs. starter batteries, A deep-cycle battery supplies a relatively low amount of current for a long dura- tion. Car batteries can supply a great deal of current for short peri- ods, and run down and recharge repeatedly with a minimum loss of capacity. **lf you want to run something, you select a deep-cy- cle battery; if you want to start something, get a car battery,"
Now for a harder look at deep- cycle batteries. Deep-cycle lead- acid batteries are constructed with several different types of plate and grid compositions, de- pending on use. The pure lead
battery typically has a very long life, 25 years or more. This is the most common type used by the phone company today to provide back-up power.
The second type of deep-cycle battery is the lead antimony. Lead antimony batteries have 2.5-4% antimony on their positive pfates. They are the most common type of deep-cycle battery on the mar^ ket. These batteries are designed to tolerate a deep discharge and have very good charge/discharge cycling capabilities. The antimony is, however, a real poison to the batteries. The lead antimony bat- tery often requires an overvoltage charge during the charge cycle to assure that all of the batteries in the bank recharge to the same level. This is called equalizing the batteries. The lead antimony bat- tery has a much higher seff-dis- charge rate. As the battery ages, the self-discharge rate increases. The battery will also produce more gassing than others. Even with all this going against the lead- antimony battery, it's a solid per- former!
The lead-calcium battery, as the name implies, contains lead afloyed with calcium. The lead- calcium batteries, which have about the same output and Ah rat- ing as the lead-antimony batter* ies. usually do not require an equalizing charge, and they are less prone to self-discharge, typi- cally less than 1 to 4% per month at room temperatures. They also produce less gassing when charged.
They have several disadvan- tages, however. Principally, they are limited in the number of deep discharges. Further, lead-calcium batteries are "maintenance freef' batteries and are most often sealed. This stops you from taking the preferred specific gravity readings with a hydrometer Final- ly, they are expensive.
The jury is still out on which type to use in a stand-alone PV system, I opt for the fead-antimony units. For ease of maintenance, others prefer the lead-calcium batteries.
Look to next month's column for a continuing discussion of bat- teries.
Before 1 Go - . .
Im on the lookout for more mods for the for the Heath HW series of radios: the HW-7, H W-B, and the new HW-9, I'll be re- printing the HW-6 Handbook sometime in early 1989* In clos- ing, when you turn it on, turn if down!
7$ Amateur Radio * December, 1988 71
Ask
Number 24 on your Feedback card
KABOOM
Michael Jay Geter KB 1 UM
7 Simpson Court
So. Burlington, VT 05403
Welcome to "Ask Kaboom.'T This column will dispense advice regarding the adjustment and re- pai r of your rigs, with emphasis on modern solid-state gear. Many problems can be fixed right in your shack, saving you time and mon- ey, and fulfilling a basic purpose of amateur radio: the mainte- nance and advancement of tech- nical skills. Besides, doesn't it feel great to use the old noodle instead of the old wallet?
Have you ever noticed when lis- tening to a SSB QSO on HF that no two stations seem to be on the same frequency? They always ap- pear to be 30 or 40 Hz offset from each other. It's especially frustrat- ing in roundtable situations; you have to twiddle your RfT constant- ly. In the analog days, that was understandable, because VFGs weren't all that stable, and dials were neither accurate nor precise, In addition, many rigs had internal controls to set the transmitter and receiver to the same frequency, and these settings drifted over time.
With today's frequency-synthe- sized rigs, there is just no excuse for being more than a few Hz off frequency at any time, YetT many stations continue to have this problem, due to a simple lack of calibration. In my experience, Japanese gear is often badly aligned at the factory! The prob- lem is compounded by the fact that the crystal whtch serve as the reference for the frequency synthesizer, drift, both with aging and temperature. So you can't assume that, just because you have a digital-synthesized radio, it is dead on frequency.
Invariably, there Is a trimmer capacitor in the master reference oscillator which you can set to cor- rect the error. In some rigs, like the Kenwood TS-94QS, it can be accessed from the outside. In oth- ers, you will have to remove the covers to get at it. The big problem with thfs adjustment is that the manufacturers' instructions, if there are any at all, are so confus- ing that most folks can't tefl when the rig is correctly adjusted.
Here is a simple method that will get you right on the money,
The Tech Answer Man
with absolutely no test equipment, it is done best with a plastic tool (such as one found in Radio Shack's TV tool setf catalog num- ber 64-2220, which sells for $2.99), but can even be done with a small screwdriver, as long as it has a plastic handle.
First, let the radio warm up for a good half-hour. While the rig cooks, get the owner's manual and find out where the master ref- erence adjustment Is, If there's no mention in the book, then look at the schematic and try to find it. Failing that, call up a ham store or the manufacturer and ask. The phone call is a lot cheaper than the shipping charges.
If you have to remove the cov- ers, do so now, after disconnect- ing power and antenna from the rig, Find the adjustment and then reconnect the power and antenna and let the rig warm up for a few more minutes. Now comes the secret; tune in WWV on 5, 10, or 15 MHz. If 20 meters is open, 15 MHz is probably your best bet, but any of them wi II do. If you have 1 0 Hz readout on your display, be sure the last two digits are set to "OO." If you only have 100 Hz readout, then you can't know pre- cisely where you are, and can make things worse by adjusting the frequency to "15.000.00" when the rig is really set to ^15.000,07." There is, however, an easy way out of this mess. The mikes that come with nearly alt digital rigs have "up" and "down" buttons. Set the rig to "14,999.9" and then click the "up" button repeatedly until the display changes to "1 5.000.0. " Now you are really set to "15.000.00" and ready to go.
You must wait until WWV is sending tones, rather than clicks. Place the rig in USB and listen to the tone. Now switch to LSB, If the pitch of the tone stays exactly the same, then your rig is dead on frequency. If it changes, then you must adjust your trimmer, If you are really tone-deaf, get someone else to listen for you. (A note to JCOM owners: Many of their rigs shift the frequency display when you change from USB to LSB. It is tedious, but you will have to go through the whole mike clicking thing to reset the display every time you switch modes.)
Slowly turn the trimmer just a
little bit. Now, switch modes again. If the difference in pitch gets worse, then you turned it the wrong way. Go the other way and try again. Keep adjusting (slowly!) and changing modes until the tones are exactly the same pitch, Your rig is now precisely on fre- quency.
If you are using a metallic tool, you may find that the frequency shifts a little when you remove the tool from the trimmer. In that case, pull the tool away before checking the tones. This makes things harder, but the results will be the same. Be careful not to short any- thing with the metal in the tool!
When youTre satisfied with the adjustment, shut off the rig, dis- connect the power and antenna and close it all up. Voila!— no more complaints of "you're too high.OM."
As the radio ages, it may shift frequency slightly, you should do this procedure again if you are as picky as I am. I touch up my '940 about every six months,
Oh yeah, one caveat, there are other crystal oscillators (besides the master one we have just ad- justed) and they, too, can drift off. If the rig seems REALLY far off, and one sideband sounds MUCH more muffled than the other, your radio may need more alignment than this, and probably should be seen by the service shop.
Now that we're all on frequen- cy, let's look at some letters.
Dear Kaboom,
I wired up a favorite mike for my Kenwood TS-440. if works, but t get terrible RF feedback. This doesn't happen when I use the stock mike. What gives?
Signed, Whattdldo
DearWhattd I do.
When wiring the mike, you may have noticed that there were two grounds on the connector. Yes, they both go to the radio's ground, but there is an important differ- ence between them. Pin 7, the 'mike gnd," goes directly to the mike preamp circuit, and is the internal cable's shield. Pin 8, the "stby (standby) gnd/' is the rig's general ground. It is done this way to avoid RF ground loops, which can cause the feedback problem you have. The shield on the mike cable should go to pin 7 and the PTT switch's ground to pin 8. Even if you have wired them sepa- rately, you may find that they are connected inside the mike! Open it up and separate them,
DearKaboom,
I use a 20-amp DC supply with an ICOM IC-28A mobile rig for a base station. Sometimes, there's a hum on my transmitted signal and other times, it's not there. Tests of the supply show no ripple at the output. Where the heck is that hum coming from?
Signed, Hummin' Away
Dear Hummin1 Away,
Sounds like RF is getting into the DC leads coming out of the supply. Check your antenna SWR and also make sure your antenna is not real close to the rig or sup- ply. Never plop a mobile antenna on top of the supply, The RF is high enough in frequency to get past the filter caps and into the regulator, where It can mix with AC hum in mysterious ways and cause trouble. Try putting a .01 uF cap across the DC lines right at the supply. Also, keep the DC cord short, or try coiling it or wrap- ping it through a large toroid. Fi- nally, try the same toroid trick for the AC cord.
Dear Kaboom,
My Yaesu FT-757GX has been in for repair twice now. Each time, the FM quit and then the whofe rig wouldn't TXorRX. Nowt it's doing it again. What should I do?
Signed, Love it but Hate it
Dear Love it but Hate it,
This is a common problem in "757s which were made two to three years ago. The cause is bad switching diodes. The radio uses lots of diodes, rather than a relay, to switch between TX and RX. It's a good idea, but there was a ru n of bad diodes a few years back. They get leaky and allow voltage to the wrong circuits at the wrong times, causing the radio to try to TX and RX at the same time! Thfe result is a blown transistor in the FM squelch circuit and a dead-acting rig. Sometimes, some tiny coils al- so get blown. This is a compact rig and not easy to work on. Also, they are special low-noise diodes and should be replaced with the same type. Unless you're really skilled, youYe better off sending this one to Yaesu.
Finis
That's it for this month, Next month's topic: Troubleshooting, the art of finding what does work, not what doesn't!
72 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
antenneX
47lw mint-magazine for antenna axperimenters' DO YOU -
• Have a busy mo&fac signal on al bands?
• Need an me*pens<* dffecfonat antenna tor 1G meters
• Can't choose between i wrricai or honzoritaJ antenna* - Need a to* me antenna tor 160 nreters?
• Want to despi an antenna but don 'i wait » redo tie wtwet?
• Meed a progrsrt tor antenna design and antenna plotting*
• Want id Snd out rf someone else has sotod your proWem?
• Dori'i know what antenna s best lor hamsais or others?
• Meed a frsgused moMe antenna tar tie car^
• Warn a cheap automate antenna coupler for any type rifl?
• Just want to tarn more about antennas''
then you must subscribe to • antenneX
antenneX s a mm- magazine tor antenna experimenters from ttie
new ham to iht ofcttrcier There s something for everyone Fran compifler-aided design to reference Qbie of dipole measufemenis
m a question and answer column Everyone will find something of merest!
A one year subscription Is only 511.97 for Continental USA and possesions, $17.00 lor foreign surface mall.
Send your subscription to:
antenneX
P.O. Box &995 Oept. 19 Corpus Christ], TX 78412
CIRCLE 82 ON READER SERVICE CARD
SRC-10
REPEATER/LINK
CONTROLLER
DTMF muting
Intelligent ID'er
Auxiliary outputs
Eaty to Interface
Alarm monitor input
Telemetry response tones
Low power CMOS, 22 ma @ 12v
Detailed application manual
Programmable COS polarities
Repeater & link courtesy tones
Synthesized link /remote base capability
$149.00 *«r"
CREATIVE CONTROL PRODUCTS
3 IBS Bunting Avenue
Grind Junction. CO BTSfM
ft03} 434-5405
CIRCLE 306 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Wideband Preomp 10-1000 Mhz
Dual G a s F e t tow noise preamplifier for HF, UHF or VHF systems. Just perfect for the R- 7000. Excellent for Spec Analyzers, Scanners, etc, Gain 20 Db +/- 1 DB. -3 Db at 2 & 1100 AAhz. 1 Db compression of :M0 Dbm. Intercept points ^45 Dbm. New shipped price of only $124.95. Pa, residents please add 6% state tax,
GTI Electronics
RD 1 BOX 272
Lehighton, Pa. 18235
717-386-4032
DENTRONICS
Amateur Radio & Computers
6102 Defend Road. Flushing, Ml 48433
(113) U9- 177* A RAGCHEW
(Ml Residence)
t$O0J 722- Mi i ■' {BOO | PAC-K ITT
(Ordet une)
"Looking for the best deal"
Specializing
lllllt
i n
Kantronics and AEA Products
Terminal programs tor popular computers
CIRCLE 103 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Mukiband QRV Dipole/V/Sloper
»
Full Le.ea] Power No Lossy Traps Low Noise Never Corrodes
Ready so L"se fastest Install Coax Feed 2500Vlnsul
Tough Flexible Kink- Proof
QRV- $49.95 te^$59.95
Tf0.J0 Slttlcm I /<W* I* 102 &. long
Include* $2 page Tech MtnuaL
lofcpawk SI bv lit cIau SUiI. Bo\ 50W2-S. fttRo. lit MM5
Ad J S5 Poii & Hand I in g.
AntennasWest I SOU 373-8425,
CfRCU 236 ON READER SERVICE CARD
1988 CALL DIRECTORY
(On microfiche} Call Directory ,,.... $8
Geographic Index ..,,►•••• 8
All three — $20 Shipping per order $3
BUCKMASTER PUBLISHING
Mineral. Virginia 23117 ,703: 894-5777 800: 282-5628
CIRCLE 7 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Cleveland Institute of Elactronics
Accredited Member National Horns Sludy Council
CIE is the world's largest independent
study electronics school. We offer ten courses covering basic electronics to advanced digital and microprocessor technology. An Associate in Applied Science in Electronics Engineering Technology is also offered.
Study at home — no classes. Pro- grams accredited and eligible for VA benefits.
Caa— Clcvel.uiil Institute *»f Electronics IB 1776 fcut 1 7th St,. Cleveland, Ohio 441 M
YES! \ wani to gel started Send rnc my CJE school catalog mduiiinH detail* about the Associate Degree prDgratti*
Sf,nc
Apt _ _ Zip.
Print Miime
Add res*
City .
A^w- Area Codc/Phum: No._
Check box for G.J. Bulletin oti Educational Benefits n Veteran Q Active Duty MAIL TODAY!
AAR96
COM
Authorized Liquidator
Jason Refractor Model
400 POWER TELESCOPE
A high- power
model for star* J-
gazing aduffs!
Ideal too. as an
educational
instrument
for children!
700mm
Focal Length!
O
«o
njfffWJ
Our arrangement with Jason bnngs this precision Model 306-S7 to you at a LOW price* Order today at BIG savings!
• 700mm Focal Length. 2W\ 2-EJement, 60mm Coated Objective Lens.
• 5x24 Finderscope with Crosshairs.
• 31 .Bx 56x< and 175x Eyepieces. Barlow 2.3x Lens Doubles Power of Eyepteces.
• Star Diagonal Prism. Yolk-Type, Alt- Azimuth Mount for Precise Tracking.
• Vertical Fine Adjustment Bar,
• Free Under the Stars Quarterly News- tetter for One Year.
Lifetime Ltd. Mfr.'s Warranty. Compare; 269.35
$99
Liquidation Price , , .
Item H- 41 04- 7340-359 S/H: 56.50 ea
Credit card customers can order by phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Toll-Free: 1-800-328-0609
SENO TO:
COM
Authorized Liquidator 1405 Xenium Lane Uf Minneapolis, MN 55441-4494
Send Jason T*4eKope<S> ttem H -4104 -7340-359 31
$39 each ptus S650 each for shjppng, handling. IMN < esjdenta add 6ta sales tax VA residents add 4 S% sates ta* Sorry, rw> COD orders.*
C My check or money order is enclosed |No delays m processing orders paid fay check.)
PLEASE ^ CHECK u
Acct No
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Name
Address
.Apl. (r.
City.
zip
Stale
Phone_L
I
S>gn Here
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 73
ClftCLE 327 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ORCU 157 ON READER SERVICE CARD
The < Hazer"
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE HAZARDS OF YOUR TOWER
* The HAZER brings the antenna and rotor down to you for safe and convenient main- tainanceand Installation,
* With your beam on the ground you no longer have to wait for spring to make those changes you always wanted.
* Constructed of hot dipped galvanized steel with all stainless steel hardware, you reduce costly maintainance caused by oxidation and corrosion.
* The HAZER is scientifically balanced for easy raising and towering with the 1000 lb. manual winch and 100 ft. cable included. An optional power winch is also available.
* The specially engineered safety lock guards against slippage and wind vibration while raising and lowering, It can never falL
AVAILABLE MODELS
Hazer 2 — Heavy duty alum, 12 sq.ft. load Hazer 3— Standard alum. 8 sq. ft. load Hazer 4— Heavy galv. steel 16 sq. ft. load Ball Thrust bearing TB-25 for any of above
$311.95 ppd $223,95 ppd, $291.95 ppd $CALL$
The HAZER has been designed for use with the Rohn 20 and 25 G tower or with our aluminum tower specifically engineered for use with the HAZER. We will soon be offering a model for the Rohn 45 and 55.
^
4$ CALL 816-882-2734 TODAY <
OUR EXPERT STAFF IS WAITING TO HELP YOU ASSESS YOUR NEEDS
YOUR SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED
GLEN MARTIN ENGINEERING INC Rte 3 Box 322 Boonville, MO 65233
CIRCLE 72 ON READER SERVICE CARD
INTERFERENCE?
* Interference Location
* Stuck Microphones
* Cable TV Leaks
* Security Monitoring
LMJP?! KH ■ '-.-II M-
Jf Z' C
c c z*
QtiiMKX
3P.-:;HTUtX$
* VHF and UHF Coverage
• Computer Interface
• Speech Synthesizer
* 12 VDC Operation
'/■MiHi.rxiw'ffMiii
New Technology (patent pending) converts any VHF or UHF FM receiver into an advanced Doppfer shift radio direction finder. Simply pfug into receiver's antenna and external speaker jacks. Uses four omnidirectional antennas. Low noise, high sensitivity for weak signal detection. Call or write for full details and prices.
PDOPPLER SYSTEMS, INC. P.O. Box 31819 Phoenix, AZ 85046
(602) 488-9755
COMPUTERIZE YOUR SHACK
Control up to Bight digital radios simultaneously from your MS-DOS microcomputer? DataCcm, Inc. offers a
series of so ft ware; hard ware packages that Interface with many current synthesized rigs. These Include:
ICON! 735. IC761, lC-7eip IC-R7000, IC-R71A
Yaesu 747, 757GX. 757GXII. 767, 9600
Kenwood TS-440, TS 940, TS-140, TS-680, 711, 811,
R5OO0 Datacom couldn't be simpler to Install. The user doesn't need to know anything about MS-DOS — the installation program does it a If! After Installation, the user sets the parameters with menus.
These packages allow complete control of these rigs from the keyboard, and more! Da t acorn adds.
*Scan functions added to radios that don't
allow this from the front panel.
* Frequency and associated info memory limited only by disk storage,
* Tabular screen display of all of the channels stored In memory, along with a fuil description of each. Including:
—mode (LSe, USS, FM, etc,)
—eight character alphanumeric description
— signal bandwidth
* continuously variable scan delay from 100 milliseconds up
*a full-featured Fogging utility
AVAILABLE FOR IBM PC, KT, AT, BQ38Q 25GK RAM
1 SERIAL PORT AND 1 FLOPPY MINIMUM
PROGRAM WITH INITIAL LIBRARIES 99.95
ftS.232 TO TTL INTERFACE ONLY (NEEDED IF DO NT HAVE
MANUFACTURERS INTERFACE) EXTERNAL INTERFACE ALLOWS 4 RADIOS 99.95
I NTE RN AL PC I NTERFACE W 1 SERIAL & 1 RADIO PORT 129.9 5
SPECTRUM ANALYZER MODULE (CALL FOR PRICE)
COMPLETE SYSTEMS INCL. RADIO, INTERFACE, COMPUTER, AVAILABLE (CALL FOR PRICE)
DATACOM, INT.
8081 W. 2 1ST LANE
HIALEAH, FL 33016
AREA CODE (306) 822-6028
CIRCLE 147 ON READER SERVICE CARD
BETTER FIL TERS—
BETTER PRICES!
Big ads are costly. Small ones don't tell the whole story but help us hold down the prices of our top-rated FOX TANGO 8-pole filters for Kenwood, Yaesu, Drake. Heath, and Collins. Most are still oniy $60— same as five years ago. Phone or send an SASE for our complete Price List and Information Sheets. Or order from our drop-in Super-Specials below. Limited stock; first come, first served. No COD's— phoned VISA/MC orders get priority. Shipping: US $5, Canada $6, Other $13,
|
MAKE |
MODEL |
MOOE BANDWIDTH t IFFREQ |
lira |
ftALE |
|
|
DRAKE |
R4C |
SSB-2.1toHz |
5695,0 kHz |
$65 |
$50 |
|
HEATH |
SB- 104 A CW.4GQH* |
339-5.7 kHz |
$65 |
$35 |
|
|
Oth* r |
558- 1.8/2.1 |
3395.0 kHz |
$65 |
$45 |
|
|
KENWOOD |
TS430 |
AM -6,0 kHr |
&931.5kHz |
$60 |
$50 |
|
TS52Q |
SSS-2-1 kHz |
3395-0 kHz |
$€0 |
$45 |
|
|
TS830 |
CW-400 Hz |
455 7 kHz |
S110 |
$75 |
|
|
YAt*U |
FT-102 |
CW-250 Hz |
455,0 kHz |
$75 |
$55 |
|
FT-101ZO/107/901-2 |
SSB-2.4 kHz |
S&O |
$45 |
CIRCLE 15 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Use the above to improve your selectivity by: filter cascading; replacing your present aging filter with one of narrower bandwidth; or in a homebrew design. The bargain SB-104A CW can be used in any Heath rig by changing one low-cost crystal; instructions supplied,
BONUS
14-year Fox Tango Newsletter Index —
Reg. $5. Now FREE
(with purchase of any filter for a Vaesu rig)
FOX TANGO CORPORATION
Box 15944, W, Palm Beach, FL33416 Telephone: (407) 683-9587
CIRCLE SB ON READER SERVICE CARD
74 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
Number 25 on your Feedback card
BOVE AND BEYOND
Pete Putman KT2B 3353 Fiefdstone Drive Doyfestown, PA 1S901
NY and Ontario
Grid-peditioning
I don't know how these things get started , . , Sometimes you get an inspiration, sometimes just a cockeyed notion. Like trying to combine a long weekend with some grid-hopping. Like driving almost 1 000 miles in 4 days via the "scenic route" for the privilege of standing in a downpour with 60 pounds of equipment on your back. Or running back and forth through Canadian and US Cus- toms via inconvenient ferry trips to work a couple of stations on 903 MHz.
This was to be nothing more than a short jaunt up through New York state to the St, Lawrence River, where I'd board a ferry- boat to Wolfe island. Ontario. Once there, Id spend a leisure- ly weekend helping my family close up their summer home for the season. . get a little swim- ming and boating in. , maybe a little fishing. , .maybe throw some 903 gear in the car and try operating from the back yard . . . no, make that the ferry slip at the southern end of the island. . . better take some 1296 gear along as well . . . maybe even something for 2304 not to mention a 2 me- ter liaison station,
WeN, things got quickly out of hand (as usual) and I found myself speeding north on the Pennsylva- nia Turnpike on Thursday morn- ing. August 25 with the Honda completely stuffed to the gtlls with
VHFand UHF Operation
camping and radio gear Three loop yagis and 15 feet of antenna mast were fastened to the roof carrier, and I left behind more than a few very interested operators who would attempt to contact me in three different grids over the weekend*
I had decided to spend that evening at my aunt's house in Goose Bay. NY, , Just a few miles northeast of the dividing line between grids FN 14 and FN24, Both are fairly quiet on the mi- crowave bands, with most opera- tion limited to grid-peditions. The plan was to drive to a suitable high spot after dinner and activate FN24 for a few hours on 903, 1296, and 2304, using 144.150 MHz as a coordinating frequency,
To that end. I packed the Yaesu FT-290R and a Microwave Mod- ules MML-200S amplifier along with a Tonna nine element portable yagi to make sure I'd be heard, The Yaesu also served as the IF stage for the microwave equipment: An SSB LT-33S run- ning barefoot with 20 watts on 903.100; SSB LT-23S and DownEast Microwave 2335PA running 30 watts on 1296.100, and a homebrew transmitter/re- ceive converter running eight watts concocted by Ron Whitsel WA3AXV. The antennas were half-sized loopers designed by Bill Olson W3HQT, with 19 elements on 903r and 25 elements on 1296, Only the 2304 looper was full- sized at 45 elements.
The forecast caHed for clear skies and no precipitation through the weekend, so (of course) a good-sized thunderstorm showed
up about 6 PM Thursday and washed out my carefully-laid plans. A quick call to Dave Hackford N3CX allowed me to re-schedure for early Friday morn- ing, and I spent the better part of the evening assembling the stacking frame for the yagis as well as packing the car.
Station Setup
After dragging myself out of bed at 5 AM. the three stations were wired up on the passenger seat. A terminal strip was plugged into the main battery connector and I brought out 13.8 VOC lines to the twotransverters and the amplifier. The Yaesu was fitted with the YBA-8 battery case, allowing a maximum of three watts output — suitable to drive the transverters or the MML amplifier to 150 watts output. An interconnected se- quencing box made sure all the relays fired at the right lime. The only trouble was keying it with a footswrtch held in my hand!
The entire station managed to travel about 20 miles down Route 26 to the small village of Pamelia Four Corners, NY without crash- mg to the floor. . quite an achievement in itself. After arriv- ing at the chosen location— a 500+ foot rise along a lonely rural road— I set about erecting the mast sections and microwave an* tennas just in front of the Honda, using the bumpers as two of the guy anchors. This was made nec- essary by the soil adjacent to the road, which was very ioose and sandy.
Despite all of the time I spent setting up the night before, things took longer than expected and I was unable to get a signal out on two meters until almost 7:15 AM, Considering it was a weekday morning and I was several hun- dred miles removed from my
target audience, I didn't expect much activity on the liaison fre- quency. But lo and behold, there was Dave Halfiday KD5RO in Pittstown. NY (near Rochester). all tuned up and ready to roll. Someone actually believed Td make it on the air. . .will wonders never cease?
Dave's two meter signal wasn't too encouraging until he men- tioned that hts hardline was full of water. Seen in that light, his signal strength was amazing! We quickly QSYed to 903T working a path across Lake Ontario of about 100 miles with 599 reports either way. Dave suggested moving directly to 2304 MHz to take advantage of some nice tropo enhancement over the lake, ft was a good call, as his 13 cm signals were just as strong as those on 903, hitting S-9 on peaks and never dropping be- low S-3. Our 1296 QSO was anti- climactic, as we both enjoyed armchair copy (well, bucket seat copy for me).
Wayne King N2WK was raised at work and got on the air a little after 9 AM, when we quickly ex- changed reports on 903 and 1296. Were we having fun yet? You bet. so as you might expect a squall line quickly blew up over the lake and headed in my direction, with 40 mph wind gusts straining against the */*" diameter guy ropes. The 2304 attempt was brought to a sudden halt when the microwave array became air- borne and landed ten feet away in the ditch. So much for FN24. SCORE: five contacts on three bands, four bent elements, and one ruined piece of coax.
North Of The Border
After fussing with the Canadian Customs and Immigration service and one wild ride across the St.
Lawrence on the Kingston ferry T I
Photo A. The Honda Civic1 s front seat set up for 903. 1296, and 2304 MHz operation.
Photo B The portable antenna array, with 19 elements on 903, 25 on 1296 and, 45 on 2304. Lots of gain in a small area.
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 75
arrived on Wolfe Island and imme- diately scouted out five potential locations lor that evening. In keeping with the general trend, none proved suitable. It was the ferry slip or nothing!
The work at the house went fair- ly quickly, so I was able to spend some time repairing the loop yagis and reconfiguring all the equip- ment for Friday night. The two 12 voft gell cells needed to run the 2304 station were difficult to fas- ten down. The object was to keep the power run short, so everything wound up carefully stacked and balanced against the door and the seat. One sudden stop and CRASH!!! No more equipment!
Friday's blustery weather finally died down about 8 PM, so I bid adieu to the clan and drove for about 25 minutes to the Cape Vin- cent ferry slip. Unlike the Kingston ferry, this service stops after 7:30 PM and the area is relatively deserted at night (albeit well-lit). Three huge tires served as excel- lent guy anchors, and within a half-hour I was up and running again on 144.150 from FN14.
Contact was immediately made with K2SMN and K20WR in New Jersey, and I was informed that quite a few stations were ready to take a shot on 903. Unfortunately, the excellent tropo conditions of Friday morning were nowhere to be found, which I assume was the price paid to Mother Nature for having such a beautifully calm and clear night! Both N3CX and K2SMN did report hearing my CQs on 903, although I was un- able to detect anything coming back the other way.
Wayne IM2WK was once again on with a potent signal, so we ran on 903 and 1296 with Tom Mott W2DRZ in Jamestown, NY tailending both times. Wayne's big thrill came when I finally heard his 2304 signal after about 1 5 min- utes of back and forth CQs, giving him a new grid and me a head- ache from having the receiver vol- ume up all the way! Shortly there- after, KD5RO popped up and we quickly fired off QSOs on 9035 1296 and 2304. . .again, arm- chair copy each time. After a few more tries with K2SMN, I pulled the plug on FN14 at 1 AM. SCORE: ten contacts on four bands.
On The Last Leg(s)
All of the previous weather con- ditions did nothing to prepare me for the third and final leg of the trip up Cathead Mountain in the lower Adirondacks, I'd been up there
during the August ARRL UHF Contest, operating 432 and 903 with splendid results, but this time things were going to be a bit rougher.
I proceeded serenely along to my tent site at Northampton Beach State Campground, as- sured by the ranger that no rain was in the immediate forecast. The backpack was loaded up and the antennas broken down for the climb next morning. The pack was quite a bit heavier than I had planned, tipping the scales at well over 50 pounds! This was largely due to the two gell cells which made up 16 pounds of the total weight. . .a necessary evil.
Six hours of driving and packing made nodding off easy at 10 PM. Thirty minutes later, I was jolted awake by a tremendous thunder- storm and torrential rains. It continued to rain off and on all night long, and a heavy fog had settled around the campsite as the alarm went off at 5:30 AM. It didn't took any better at the base of the trail an hour later. To scrub or not to scrub. . .that was the question. Well, the temperature was comfortable. . J had plenty of bug repellent . everything was packed up as tight as possi- ble, , .what the heck!
One of the quaint features of the Cathead trail is that it does double duty as a stream-bed after heavy rains. This and the extra ten pounds of stuff on my back com- bined to extend the climb to nearly one hour and 45 minutes, after which I reached the top of the mountain and was promptly soaked in a downpour. To make things worse, there are no shel- tered areas on the mountain to op- erate from, so my choices were simple: (1) Give up and retreat or (2) Wait it out at the ranger cabin 1 00 feet down from the top.
Option two gave me a chance to dry out (slightly) while looki ng for a glimmer of sunshine. After 45 min- utes without rain, the ranger solemnly informed me that the forecast called for thunderstorms the rest of the day. Weighing his advice carefully and considering my soaked condition, I made the only logical decision: Go back up to the top and get on the air from FN23!
This was the fastest I've ever set up on a mountaintop, with all four bands fully operational within 20 minutes. Although things got off nearly an hour late, the faithful listeners were quickly raised, and I banged out four 1296 contacts with WA2TEO, N3CX, K2JWE,
Photo C. Mast support plate and guy fines. The Honda makes a good anchor point!
i\
f w
Photo D. Last year's modest setup will be repfaced by three separate towers plus lots of aluminum!
and K2SMN. N2FRB and KA2CKV in FN30 were worked on two meters for their first FN23 con- tacts. A sked with W3IP in Balti- more didn't pan out (although I did hear his signals), so it was back to 1296 for a QSO with Bill K20WR. N3CX ran with me on 2304 and copied a little bit of CW, but the on-and-off cloud cover wasn't making things any easier.
Finally, KD5RO showed up to try for the 13 cm hat trick. We quickly made contact on 1296 for another new grid but the path looked pretty bad, as copy was rough on both sides. No armchairs this time! To make mat- ters worse, the batteries were running down, causing instability problems with the 903 station. And — you guessed it — thunder was now heard to the northwest. Despite the odds, Dave and I finally hooked up after about ten minutes, giving him three new
grids on 2304 in three days! I signed off with K2SMN and crammed everything into the pack, making a quick getaway down the mountain about 1 PM. SCORE: nine contacts on three bands, two dead batteries, three banged up loop yagis, and a nice head cold.
The grand total for the weekend was 23 contacts. Not quite as many as I'd hoped for, but given the cards I had to play with, I'll take'em. The cold will go away soon, and Til get over that sore shoulder eventually. The loopers can easily be repaired as can the nine element Tonna for two meters, AH the sand I brought back in my shoes will end up in Ross' sandbox. Most importantly, the memories — good and bad— will last a long time. And maybe-just maybe— it'll be a little easier next time I go. , -Above and Beyond,
76 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
Number 26 on your Feedback card
Chad Harris VP2ML
POBqx48$1
Santa Rosa. CA 95402
The4J1FSM-V Island DXpedition
In early July, 1988, a team of three Finnish and three Soviet amateurs operated 4J1FS from the tiny island of Malyj Vystoskij. in the Bay of Vyborg- The one- mile-long island lies about 75 miles northwest of Leningrad, and only 25 miles from the border be- tween Finland and the Soviet Union.
The unique DXpedition started as the Finns drove their van, heav- ily laden with a tower, antenna, rig, amplifier, generators, and lots of gear, down the roadway bordering the Saimaa Canal, surrounded by Soviet terri- tory, to the last lock of the ca- nal, on the Bay of Vyborg, at the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland, John Ahlbom OH5NZ. Pertii Turunen OH2RF, and Martti Laine OH2BH made up the Finnish half of the joint east*west DXpedition, Their gear totaled 800 pounds, and included tables and chairs, as well as drinking wa- ter, food, tents, and even a bag of toilet paper!
Off To The Island
On July 7, 1966, the three DXpeditioners loaded their gear onto the 50-foot motorboat Veera, for the short ride from the lock to Malyj Vystoskij. The boat stopped at a Soviet Coast Guard station to pick up the Soviet half of the joint DXpedition: Enn Lohk UR2AR. Boris Stepanov UW3AX, and Gene Shulgin UZ3AU, The bare-chested Finns (it does get hot in Finland in July!}, showed their papers to the guards at the Coast Guard station, and then all six sailed the short dis- tance across the bay to Malyj Vys- toskij.
The crew quickly unloaded their gear and started to set up the tower, antenna, and gear. Their operating permission restricted them to a single rig. so they decid- ed to concentrate on 20 meters. A 40-foot aluminum tower was capped with a KLM KT-34A, A Kenwood TS-940 and TL-922 pro- vided the 4J1FS signal. They gassed and tested the 3 fcW Hon-
Hams Around the World
da generator, and all was ready for the opening gun, at local mid- night.
Operating
The gang concentrated on SSB. and made about 70% of the total 14t800 QSOs on that mode. About 5,000 contacts were made with US amateurs, and another 5t000 with Europeans They were even successful in working 2,500 Japanese DX- ers over the difficult polar path. Excellent propagation prevailed for the entire operation, to the great pleasure of the DXpedi- tioners.
They were allowed to operate only for 96 hours. Jusf before shutting down, UW3AX and UZ3AU carved a center insulator of scrap wood, and improvised
a reloading port and storage fa- cilities on M-V Island, but the plans were never carried out. The civilian population of the is- land left in World War II, and the island has since remained unin- habited.
The Saimaa Canal, and M-V Island, are administrated by the Saimaa Canal Authority (SCA), which is composed of commis- sioners appointed by both Fin- land and the Soviet Union. To get permission to operate from the island, the DXpedition team had to secure not only the permis- sion of the SCA to land on and operate amateur radio from the island, but also permission from the USSR to cross the interven- ing territory, which swarms with military activity. The complexi- ties of getting all proper papers, and the need for discussions at the highest levels of govern- ment in both the USSR and Finland, prevented easy access to the island. In fact, the Finns worked on obtaining such per*
"The gang
concentrated on SSB,
and made about 70 %
of the total 14,800 QSOs
on that mode/'
a low-band antenna for a few contacts. On July 12, they low- ered the tower and antenna, packed up their gear, and took the short boat ride back to their respective countries. The first- ever joint east- west pure DX- pedition drew to a successful close.
History of Malyj Vystoskij
Malyj Vystoskij lies near the mouth of the Saimaa Canal. The canal was first constructed in 1856 to provide access for ocean-going vessels to the lake region of southeastern Finland, During World War II, the Soviet Union annexed that portion of Finland, incorporating the canal and Vyborg Bay into the Soviet Union, In 1962, the Soviets agreed to lease back to Finland that part of the canal that ran through the now-Soviet territory, Malyj Vystoskij Island was part of that 50-year lease. The Finns intended to set up
mission for about 20 years!
In the 1960s, Finnish amateurs felt that the island would qualify as a new DXCC "country" under the "separation by foreign land" provision in the DXCC country criteria. The island is essentially surrounded by Soviet territory, and thus met Point 3 of the DXCC country criteria in 1970.
The ARRL Awards Committee agreed with the Finns, and then- DXCC administrator 8ob White W1CW wrote a letter to the Finns saying that the island would be added to the DXCC list 'at such time as operation takes place." There the matter sat for almost 13 years, until the 4J1FS DXpedition.
DXCC Questions
Will Malyj Vystoskij count as a new one for DXCC? The situation has raised many questions, ques- tions that must be answered be* fore the DXAC can make a de- cision.
The first question, and per- haps the most basic, ts whether the island can be immediately added to the DXCC list on the ba- sis of the 18-year-old letter from W1CW? The Finns feel that they have a firm commitment from the ARRL that Malyj Vystoskij would be added to the DXCC list "at such time as operation takes place M from the island. There are no conditions nor time limit im- posed.
The ARRL however, elected to treat M-V island as a new applica- tion for separate country status, and referred the matter to the DX Advisory Committee for evalu- ation.
This raises two more questions: Should the application be evaluat- ed under the DXCC guidelines that prevailed in 1970 or should the new DXCC rules, adopted by the ARRL Board in January, 1986, be used instead? If the latter, does Malyj Vystoskij count as one of two islands, or must the more stringent 75-mile sepa- ration limit be used? (M-V is only 25 miles from Finland, and would not count as a separate country under new Point 3(a).) So which rule applies, continent land mass— Point 3(a), or Islands- Point 3(b)?
The use of the 4J1FS callsign confused many DXers. If Malyj Vystoskij island is actually Finnish territory, why did the DXpedi- tioners use a Soviet 4J callsign? They argue that the SCA does not have its own International Telecommunications Union (ITU) callsign allocation, and thus any callsign can be used, as in the case of Spratly or Abu Ail. Discus- sions with the Russian Radio Sport Federation (RSF) led to the issuance of the 4J1FS call, symbolizing the first joint Finnish- Soviet DXpedition. The RSF only provided a distinctive callsign. not a license. SCA licensed the operation.
Further evidence that the island is indeed under Finnish and not Soviet jurisdiction is that the Finnish members of the team did not have Soviet visas, normal- ly needed by Finnish visitors to Soviet territory- Their passes were issued by the SCAt not the USSR.
The DXAC has a great many questions to resolve over the DX- CC status of Malyj Vystoskij, but regardless of their determination, the 4J1FS was a splendid exam- ple of east-west cooperation, per- sistence, and planning. Congratu- lations to all involved!
73 Amateur Radio * December. 1988 77
—
Number 27 on your Feedback card
73 Review
by Larry L. Ledlowf Jr. NASE
Barker and Williamson
PT-2500A HF Amplifier
Speak softly and carry a big signal
P~ art 97 states that amateurs should use the minimum amount of power nec- essary to carry on a contact. Often it's 10 watts, sometimes 100. There are those times, however, when that ex- tra few tfB make all the difference, especially in contests and DX pile* ups. These situations demand both craft and a solid kilowatt, For the latter, Barker arid Wil- liamson has just the lin- ear you need: the PT-2500A 1 +5 kW amplifier
Sensible, Mature Design
In one relatively small, 80-pound package, B&W has produced a superb Class AB2 linear amplifier rated for continuous duty at 1500 watts output. It will run happily and quietly for extended periods In SSBP AM. CW. ATV, and RTTY. The PT-2S00A offers excellent per- formance for any mode or style of operation.
The PT-2500A uses two Eirnac 3-50OZ zero- bias triodes, real tried and true workhorses in many HF amp designs, In fact, the PT-25QOA uses a sensible, mature design all around. As a Class AB linear amplifier, it produces very little intermodulation distortion, -33 dB ac- cording to the specifications. Typical plate efficiency for such an amplifier is 60-65 per- cent, and the PT^2500vs manual guarantees a minimum of 60 percent on all HF bands. This amplifier requires a 100-125 watt drive for full output power. Most contemporary HF rigs can supply at least 100 watts of drive.
Circuit Superiority and Plenty of Power
Each band uses a separate pi-network for its input circuit. These are superior to L-net- works, since they attenuate harmonics more effectively, and match somewhat greater impedance variations. Accurate matching on the input is essential, especially using a solid- state transceiver as a driver, Further, although
78 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
Barker and Williamson Bristol PA 19007 (215)7&8-5581 Price: $21 75
er supply worthy of a continuous-duty ampli- fier. It uses a main transformer rated at 1 300 VA, a separate fil- ament transformer, as well as ''computer grade" ' filter capacitors. Although B&W recom- mends 230 VAC prima- ry power, the unit will run from 1 1 5 VAC if 25- 30 ampere service is available.
Assembling the PT-2500A
two Eirnac 3-5002s in parallel operating at 3 kV (in a grounded-grid design) have an input impedance just over 55Q, circuit Q must be maintained.
The output circuit is a pi-L design using a 235 pF, 6 kV variable tuning capacitor and a heavy-duty, silver plated 7 kV rotary inductor, which allows impedance matching over an even greater range than the simpler pi- and L-net works. Pi-L circuits attenuate harmonics better than the other networks, typically -50 to -55 dB with circuit Q in the 10-15 range. The PT-2500A specification calls for 50 dB minimum suppression of harmonics, easily meeting FCC requirements. (Part 97.73 speci- fies no spurious emission shall exceed -40 dB below the fundamental or 50 mW. Assum- ing a mean carrier power of 1500 watts, 50 mW is -44.8 d6c.)
Since the PT-2500A uses a grounded-grid (cathode-driven) design, it is well suited for HF linear operations. Actually, grounded-grid am- plifiers require higher drive levels than, say, gnd-driven circuits. Also, the design must precisely maintain circuit O. or waveform dis- tortion occurs. The Pi-L output circuit compo- nents assure constant Q, and so help minimize intermodulation products.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in many amplifiers, the power supply is given less attention than the rest of the circuit. (Slot so here. B&W has designed a pow-
When the UPS man finally delivers the three boxes comprising the PT-2500A main compo- nents, you won't spend the rest of the week fiddling with cables or soldering. Unpacking and component integration take an hour or two, depending on your familiarity with com- ponents. Proceed slowly and carefully, in any case.
The 3-500Z tubes, the main chassis, and the 40-pound power supply transformer are packed and shipped separately. Aside from the usual paperwork, you get two control ca- bles, an AC power cord, two tube chimneys and plate cap heat sinks, three extra fuses, and a 7/1 6" T- wrench.
Transformer installation is the most tedious exercise, but requires only a screw driver and the T-wrencrv After opening the main unit's cover, the power supply filter bank is removed (three screws). Then the transformer is care- fully positioned over three \k* threaded mounting studs that protrude upward from the chassis bottom. The T-wrench screws V*" nuts to the studs, thereby securing the trans- former in place, A wiring terminal block then attaches to the top of the transformer, and six transformer primary leads and plate harness leads are attached to the block. Several other leads and jumpers are connected before in- stalling the power tubes.
Despite their power-handling ability, the 3- 500Zs are still mechanically fragile. It's worth
the extra few minutes to carefully inspect each tube and chimney for possible damage. A magnifying glass can help highlight small cracks, (Report damage to the carrier.)
The tubes drop relatively easily into place. Do not twist the glass tube envelopes! They will break. Also, be careful not to bend or break the base pins. Even moderate lateral force can damage the tubes, Assuming the tubes are undamaged at this point, the glass chimneys mount concentrically around them. The plate heat sinks then screw atop the tubes, and the sinks in turn accept a screw connection from the parasitic chokes. Voilai An amplifier almost ready for action.
flip of the mam power switch, and I got quite a surprise when my PT-2500A came to life: It was quiet! I could actually carry on a whisper- ing conversation without an obtrusive whirring from the 60 cfm squirrel cage fan. GRM on the band is bad enough, but hours into a contest I have found myself hating unnecessary noise in the shack. What a nice surprise, indeed, to find the PT-2500A MUCH quieter than the old Alpha 340 I had come to despise.
The second moment of truth comes with the application of RF to the input for initial tune* up, No problem here, and tune-up is very sim- ple. Fortunately, the PT-2500A does not require a warm-up period. The green operate
"The first moment
of truth is always the initial flip
of the main power switch, and / got
quite a surprise when my PT-250QA
came to life . . . "
Don't even think about plugging in the AC power cord until the cover is secure again. The PT-2500A has micros witches closed by proper cover seating, and only then will main power be available. Good safety practice, however, insists on no AC connections until the cover is screwed back on. Remember, this 1$ a high-voltage device, not a solid-state transceiver with CMOS circuitry and TTL voltage levels. Treat the amplifier with the ut- most respect and with safety in mind.
After the RF input, connect the antenna re- lay (key down) and ALC cables between your transceiver and the amplifier, and attach a properly resonant antenna (SWR less than 2:1, and preferably less than 1 .5:1) or a dum- my load to the BF output connector. Use the latter while becoming famifiar with control set- tings and tuning,
Dream Shack Operation
The controls and meters are surprisingly simple to understand, and the instruction manual clearly explains each function. Review the manual BEFORE turning the pow- er on.
The large vernier knobs on the amp's left face control load and tune settings for adjust* ing the output impedance to the load, and tuning the variable RF capacitor, respectively. The scales are 0-1 00 1 which make accurate recording of settings very easy. The knobs' actions are very smooth, though with re- spectable resistance to prevent inadvertent movement. The six-position bandswitch— yest it only has five markings — selects the band of operation: 160T 80, 40. 30, 20, 17, 15, and (with modification) 10 meters.
Two white rocker switches below the meters select SSB/CW/RTTY modes and operate/ standby. The multi-function meters show plate voltage and grid current, as well as for* ward and reflected power.
The first moment of truth is always the initial
lamp lights when the stamdby switch is flipped to operate With no input, a quick check of the plate current should show 40 mA and 100 mA in RTTY and SSB modes, respectively, A quick adjustment of the exdter drive so the grid current is 90 mA (CW mode) followed by alternating tune and load adjustments, will resonate the amplifier.
After several more checks to make sure the currents and voltages are within specs, the PT-2500A is ready to speak to the world. For fumbling fingers or forgetful hamsT the PT- 2500A has an SCR grid protection circuit, which will shut the amplifier down if grid cur- rent exceeds 400 mA, This is a nice feature, particularly for hams who forget to reduce drive or who get carried away and try to get every last milliwatt out of their amp by over- driving it.
Several months of use didn't turn up any* thing wrong with the PT-25Q0A, It worked great in all modes. It does not key fast enough for AMTOR or QSK CW. but with a long txdelay, itTs even fine for Hf packet. All signal reports were clean; no one reported AC hum or other signal distortion. A sonagram taken by a friend several hundred miles away showed no leading edge clicking or chirp from 35 WPM CW signals, fn a dozen comparisons of audio quality of SSB signals with and with- out amplification, there were no remarkable changes in signal characteristics except strength, indicative of little intermodulation distortion.
It's too bad I had to send the demo unit back. The PT-2500 fits in quite welt with the "superstation" many of us dream about. Considering the bang for the buck (about $1 .45 per watt), it's a pretty good deal. B&W is known for quality products, antennas, and components. The PT-2500A linear am- plifier is worthy of their name. 1 know what's going on my Christmas wish list this year. . .
B ft W PRESENTS A WINNING COMBINATION
>"W^V
... -
1Sqp*.
f0ty
■r
■ i
MODEL PT25O0A LINEAR AMPLIFIER The Barker & Williamson PT2500A Linear Am- plifier is a completely self-contained table-top unit designed for continuous SSB, CW< RTTY, AM or ATV operation. Intended for coverage of all amateur bands between 1.8 MHz and 21 MHz Two type 3-50G2 glass envelope tnodes provide reliability and rapid turn-on time.
FEATURES INCLUDE;
• Full 1500 woTT output
• PI- network input for maximum drive
• Pressurized plenum cooling system
• DC anten no relay for h urn-free operation
• Illuminated SWR and power meters
• Vernier tuning for accurate settings
• Pl-L output for greater harmonic attenuation
Ruggedly constructed of proven des*gn. this amplifier reflects the manufacture!' s critical attention to details- such as the strver-ptated tank coil tor maximum efficiency Cathode zener fuse and interna iy externa i cooNng are among the protective and safety devices employed Input and output impedances are 50 ohms
Dimensions 1 T widex W deep* B'Vs high Weight SO lbs (shipped in 3 cartons to meet UPS reQi "f ements)
Pr<ce: $2 1 75 00 FOB Factory. Price includes one year limited warranty.
Call or write factory for complete speci- fications
'.' V
l^
MODEL VS1500A ANTENNA COUPLER
The Barker & Williamson VS15O0A antenna coupler is designed to match virtually any receiver, transmitter or transceiver in the 160 to 10 meter range (1 8 to 30 MHz) wrfh up to 1 500 watts RF power to almost any antenna including di poles, inverted vees, verticals, mobile whips, beams, random wire? and others fed by coax cable, balanced lines or o single wire A 1:4 bolun is built In for connection to balanced lines
FEATURES INCLUDE:
• Series parallel capacitor connection for greater harmonic attenuation
• Irvcircuit wattmeter for continuous monitoring.
• Vernier tuning for easy adjustment
Front panel switching allows rapid selection of antennas, or to an external dummy Eoad, or permits bypassing the tuner
Dimension (AppfOx> IT' wide x 13" deep
x 6" hioh Weight 6te lbs
Price
00
$499 "w FOB Factory, Fully warranted for one year.
[HW
ali l*JI? WQDuOi MAfiE IP* US*
h BARKER A WILLIAMSON
GwoetY Cawnwtofcrt Prco-tcn S*<* * xor See* B?0CJ PA "SOC"
(349) 7M-S5&4
CIRCLE 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988 79
NET-KALL NK-1
DTMF ALERT DECODER
From Only
$3495!
i Momentary or latched output
> Multiple Group-Call response
> High stability xtal controlled SSI-202 » ideal for an economical aiert system
ffCT NK-IK(kit) s34.95
™* NK1W (Wired/Tested) M4.95
i Add $2 00 SJk : Handim rn U S -
§
MoTron Electronics ca«ro-
69&W 2HlAve 1-800338*9053
Eugene. OR 97405 Dr |5Q3| 5B7-ZHB
CIRCLE 127 ON READER SERVICE CARD
R-7000 Widespan Panadaptor
Ponadaptor especially designed for the R-7000 receiver. For use with a standard scope. Variable span width from 1 to 10 AAhz, Uncover unknown elusive signals. Complete with all cobles, & 90 day warranty. 5349.95 Shipped. Pa, res. add 6%.
GTI Electronics
RD 1 BOX 272
lehighton, Pa, 18235
717-386-4032
CIRCLE 326 ON RE ADER SERVICE CARD
FREE
IBM - PC
SOFTWARE CATALOG
• Fur Hum**. Electrical En- gineers ;imJ Ftitick) PC Users ■ Hundred* o| programs iCNEed 10 IDS"* riiiid sun- Jjrjv
■ IDS* prLMJcm b 4 HAM -iikl hard 10 pteairf. OnJ> Ml** oi the prii^rjm* xuhmttted iut ic-^tmg make t( u* I he catekif
■ He's ^Iv^i a Cheap>Lue! »
Programs Include;
(. W CODF PRACTICE • CONTEST LOG * fcWttftJte BEAM HEADINGS ■ GRAPHIC on-^teen-pfaftfrg CALCULATORS * CtfUTlT DESIGN AIDS ■ super- iWd PROPAGATION FORECASTING • TF.RMI- NAL EMULATION
VINE OF Ol'K DISKS t OST OVER $3*5!!
PL-jvj wm.\ h til NjniL- and Aifcfo?^ (ws tM'uhl Iv greWftl] IW S.ftfi ya-sh nr Murftp* fnrproiugc hut not required] tfl
INTERCON Data Systems
Dept, 7, P.O. Box 696 Gamhrills, MD 2 1054-0696
Number 28 on your Feedback card
PECIAL EVENTS
CIRCLE 356 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ORLANDO FL DEC 3
Shows Unlimited, Inc. is holding its annual PC Fest Computer Show and Sale. It will be held at the Orlando Twin Towers Hotel. The show consists of" supplies, chips and ICs, software/hardware, new and used equipment, local and national dealers, closeouts and liqui- dations. Commodore, Amiga, and Atari Soft- ware, brand names, IBM Clones, Apple prod* ucts and savings of 25-85%, Show hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM For more information to reserve a table or to get on the mailing list contact; Shows Unlimited, Inc.. at 301-970- 2210 or 301-626-0311.
FLAMINGO FL DEC 3-4
The Everglades ARC will operate W4SVI from 1400Z Dec 3 to 1900Z Dec 4th, to cele- brate the 41st anniversary of Everglades Na- ttonal Park. Operation on CW is near 7030, 14030, and 21130 kHz. and on SSB, near 7230. 14230. 21330, and 28375 kHz. Novice contacts on 7130, 21130, and 28375 kHz. Send QSL and 2 stamps for unfolded certifi- cate. Novice certificate for those who identify as Novices on 2 of 3 bands, no stamps re- quired. E.AR.C, PQBox J 13, Homestead FL 33090-0113,
SAN BENITO TX DEC 3-4
The San Benito ARC's Texas State QSO Party is from 0001 UTC the 3rd to 2359 UTC the 4th. Texas stations may contact any sta- tion, non- Texas stations may contact only Texas stations. All amateur bands, except WARC. Three contacts of 1 each per band permitted. Suggested frequencies are 40 kHz up from band edge for CW, and 1.890, 3.885, 7.285. 14.285, 21.360, and 28.405, Novice segment CW operation, 25 kHz up from low band edge. Certificates. For information on exchanges, scoring, and certificates, contact San Benito Amateur Radio Club: #2247 SSC, PO Box 1382, San Benito TX 78586-1382.
APACHE JUNCTION AZ DEC 3-4
The Superstition Amateur Radio Club will host the 1988 ARRL Superstition Hamfest at the corner of Brown and Meridian. Swap and Shop both days. Test booth with 120 volts AC and antenna. Food, camping (no hookups). Tailgate admission is $3 and general admis- sion is $1 for both days. Primary talk-in will be on 1 47. 12(^) repeater and on the 145,41(-J/ 223.82(-) link system. You can obtain infor- mation on 146J4, 14694. and ZIA system repeaters as well Contact Bill Glaze KA7SUF at 602*832-3955 or Larry Kuck WB7CRK at 602-986-2298.
HAZEL PARK Ml DEC 4
The Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club will hold its 23rd Annual Swap & Shop at the Hazel Park High School. 23400 Hughes. General admission is $2 in advance. $3 at the door. Children under 11 free. Tables, S1 per foot Plenty of free parking. Talk-in from the 9-mite
Ham Doings Around the World
and t-75 area on 146-640- For tickets and table reservations, contact H.P.A.R.C.. PO Box 368l Hazel Park Ml 48030.
JACKSONVILLE FL DEC 4
Shows Unlimited, Inc., is holding its annual PC Fest Computer Show and Sale It will be held at the Prime Osborn Convention Cenler. The show consists of: sop plies, chips and ICs. software/hardware, new and used equipment, local and national dealers, closeouts and liqui- dations. Commodore. Amiga, and Atari Soft- ware, brand names, IBM Clones. Apple prod- ucts and savings of 25-85%. Show hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM. For more information to reserve a table or to gel on the mailing list contact; Shows Unlimited, Inc., at 301-970- 2210 or 301-626*0311.
ALABASTER AL DEC 10-16
The Shelby County Amateur Radio Club will operate AC200T to celebrate the 200th an- niversary of the US Constitution and the open- ing of the club station in Pelham, Alabama. AC20AT plans to operate all HF bands, con- centrating on CW and SSB, Other modes will be used if available. Special efforts will be made to contact Novices. Include SASE with QSLs and send to W4DYL, 632 Gten Park Drive, Fairfield AL 35064.
NEWCARROLLTONMD DEC 17
Shows Unlimited, Inc.. is holding its annual PC Fest Computer Show and Sale. H will be held at the New Carrollton Howard Johnson's Hotel. The show consists of: supplies, chips and ICs, software/hardware, new and used equipment, local and national dealers, close- outs and liquidations, Commodore, Amiga, and Atari Software, brand names, IBM Clones, Apple products and savings of 25- 85%, Show hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM. For more information to reserve a table or to get on the mailing list contact; Shows Unlimited, fnc, at 301-970-22 10 or 301 -626-03 1 1 .
BURLINGTON IA DEC 17-23
The Iowa Radiosport Society will be operat- ing Amateur Radio Special Event Station K20 0RW in celebration of the Constitutional Bi- centennial and the 150th anniversary of Burlington. Iowa, as the first territorial capiiol. Operations will be on CW and SSB, as propa- gation permits, with special emphasis on op- erations in the 10 meter and other Novice seg* ments Special OSL cards will be available tor return upon receipt of SASE or SAE and IRC sent to: t.R.S.A.C. 923 N. 9th Si, Burlington IA 52601.
GARLAND TX DEC 24-30
K200GHD, of the Garland Amateur Radio Club, will operate CW, SSBt and digital, on 80 through 10 meters beginning 0001 Z the 24th through 2359Z the 30th. For special OSL, send your OSL and SASE to KF5PE. 2934 Cotton Gum Road, Garland TX 75044,
80 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1
SYMBOL OF ENGINEERING INTEGRITY. . .QUALITY WORKMANSHIP. . RELIABLE LONG-LIFE PERFORMANCE
AL-SOA LINEAR AMPLIFIER
The AL-SOA witt provide a signal output that is within If 2 "$" unit of the signal output of the most expensive amplifier on the market— and at much lower cost
The AmnerrtTon AL-SOA combines tne economical 3-SOOZ with a heavy duty tank circuit to achieve nearly 70% efficiency from 160 to 15 meters ft has wide frequency coverage for MARS and other authorized services Typical drive is 85 watts to give over lOOO watts PEP SSB and 850 watts CW RF output A new Pi-L output circuit for BO and 160 gives fufl band coverage and exceptionally smooth tuning.
Size 15%"D: x 14" W x B"H Wgt 52 lbs
AL-1200 LINEAR AMPLIFIER
3CX1200 TUBE
Full legal output with lOO watts drive
AL-1SOO LINEAR AMPLIFIER
8S77 TUBE
Full legal output with 65 watts drive
The cooling system in both amplifiers keeps the tube safely below the manufacturers ratings even when operating at 1SOO watts output wth a steady carrier The filament supply has inrush current liming to insure maximum tube life
Size' 18V*"D x 17rrW x 10"H Wgt 77 lbs
AL-84
LINEAR
AMPLIFIER
The Amerftron AL-84 is an economical amplifier using four 6MJ6 tubes to develop 400 watts output on CW and 600 watts PEP on SSB from 160 through 15 meters Drive required is 70 w typical. lOO w max The passive input network presents a low SWR input to the exciter Power input rs vOO watts The AL-84 Is an excellent back-up, portable or beginner's amplifier
Size IIVTW x 6"H x 12'A"D. Wgt 24 lbs
ATR-15 TUNER
The Ameritron ATFH5 ;s a 1500 watt network tuner that covers 1.8 through 30 JVIHz in lO dedicated bands. Handles full legal power on all amateur bands above 18 MHz
Five outputs are selected from a heavy duty antenna switch allowing the rapid choice of three coaxial lines, one single terminal feed of a balanced output An internal balun pro- vides 1:1 or 4 1 ratios (user selectable) on the balanced output terminals
A peak reading wattmeter and SWR bridge is standard in the ATR-15. it accurately reads envelope powers up to 2KW
Size 6"H x 13% "W x 16"'D Wgt 14 ibs
RCS-4
FOR CONVENIENT
INSTALLATION
No control cable required Selects one of four antennas, VSWR: under 11 to 1 from 18 to 30 MHz
Impedance: 50 ohms Power capability: 1500 watts average. 2500 watts PEP maximum
Remote COAX Switches
RCS-8V
FOR SPECIAL
APPLICATIONS
Selects up to five antennas. Loss at 150 MHz: less than ,1 dB VSWR: under 1.2 to 1 DC to 250
MHz
Impedance: SO ohms Power capability: 5 kW below 30 MHz. 1 kW at ISO MHz
Available at your dealer. Send for a catalog of the complete AMERITRON line.
AUS^iTPd
9805 Walford Avenue • Cleveland, Ohio 44102 For more information: (601) 323-9715 • Technical inquiries: (216) 65M740
CIRCLE 314 ON READER SERVICE CARD
For the Finest in Repeaters, Go with theL eader
mm
:i
.\Lt
-3*>
^
Basic SCR77
PT*r*Tir^^-
»ap
<f T
-^ — — — wi^^__
i "tn«M
220 MHz
440 MHZ ■
* *
i*lrn
SCR1000A2Mor220 REPEATER W/150 WT\ 2M Amp & 30A POWER SUPPLY. (All items available separately)
Shown in optional cabinet.
Call or write today for details and prices!
Get your order in A.S.A.P.!
Sold Factory Direct or through Export Sales Reps, only,
SPECTRUM
We've got the greatest design/performance "Know-how"— 15 years in the business— with constant improvements in our Repeaters & Link Units!
For that new Machine — Spectrum now makes 3 lines of Repeaters— the world famous Deluxe SCR1000A. the Low Cost line of SCR77sf and the new State of the Art Microprocessor Controlled SCR7000X Line of Repeaters which will be out very soon, The SCR77 Repeaters maintain the quality of design, components and construction which have made Spectrum gear famous throughout the world for years. However, all of the "bells & whistles*' have been eliminated— at a large cost savings to you! The SCR77 is a real "work- horse" basic machine designed for those who want excellent, super-reliable performance year after year — but no frills! Of course, if you do want a Full Featured/ Super Deluxe Repeater with Full panel metering and controls, and a complete list of 'built-in' options, then you want our SCR1000A or the SCR7000X. All three available with; Autopatch/Reverse Patch/Landline Control; TouchTone Control of various repeater functions; 'PL*; "Emergency PwrJID"; Tone & Timer Units; Sharp RX Filters; Power Amps; etc, %
Complete Line of VHF/UHF Rcvr, & Xmtr. Boards & Assys. also available. Plus ID, COR, DTMF Control Bds., Antennas, Duplexers, Cabinets, etc. Inquire.
SPECTRUM COMMUNICA TIONS CORP.
1055 W. Germantown Pk, S10 • Norristown, PA 19403 • (215)631-1710 • TELEX: 846-211
FAX: (215) 631-5017 tmeixBi*i*uanu#n(*c*K>
Number 35 on your Feedback card
Looking west
Bill Pasternak WA61TF 28197 Robin Ave. Saugu$>CA9t350
The Save 220 NTRN
How does amateur radio tell a deaf-eared FCC that we will not accept their highly questionable reallocation of 220-222 MHz? This was the question puzzling 220 Notes Editor Art Reis K9XI and myself when we sat on the phone trying to find some answers to this and other allied questions,
Since the release of the Report and Order on PR Docket 87-14 last August, the amateur commu- nity continued to grow ever more incensed at what it saw, In its deci- sion, the Commission used arbi- trary and capricious methods to tahe 220-222 MHz from hams and give it to private business inter- ests. Even after the story dropped from the front pages of the various amateur news publications, the level of resentment toward the Commission, and specifically its Office of Engineering and Tech- nology, continued to grow. That
the_
HAM STATION
wm
P.O. Box 6522
220 N. Fulton Ave.
Evansville, IN 47719 0522
Store Hours
MONFRI:9AM 6PM SAT: SAM - 3PM
CENTRAL TIME
SEND A SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE (SASE) FOR NEW AND USED EQUIPMENT SHEETS
WARRANTY SERVICE CENTER FOR: ICOMrYAES(J,TEN*TEC
FOR SERVICE INFORMATION CALL
(6 12) 422-02 52
MONDAY FRIDAY
9:00 AM -12:00 NOON
TERMS:
Prices Oo Hat Ineludi Shipping.
Prict *nd Availa brirty Subpcl to
Change Without Notict
Masi Oftftfs Shipped The Same Day
COO s Welcome
.. ,_-
became a story unto itself, Usual- ly, without follow-up coverage. nothing is forgotten sooner then yesterday's news. It wasn't the case here, as everyone — be it the Novices on 10 meters and the re- peaters of VM meters, the Techs of 2 meters, the DXers on 20, or the late-night Extras in GSO on
matter, but many people are going off half-cocked in their attempts. The worst it of all seemed to be the ham/lawyers, many of whom obvi- ously did not understand either the terms of the Federal Adminis- trative Procedures Act or the lim- its available to them in the Federal Court system. They were heard loud and clear before many clubs and on many nets with their threats of Civil Rights suits against the FCC Fortunately, one perspicacious ham/lawyer, Joe
. . bungled divided efforts would only ensure that the FCC decision would stick. "
75 — became involved and stayed involved. The inter-community and intra-community chatter was the same; US hams wHi not rest until the reallocation decision is reversed and the entire spectrum from 220-225 MHz is declared "amateur exclusive!'
i "
Fits and Starts
There's great motivation in the amateur community to fight this
Merdler N6AHU, pointed out the danger of all the rhetoric and pos- turing— bungled divided efforts would only ensure thai the FCC decision would stick. Unity was desperately needed.
Resurrecting the NTRN
Enter the NTRN. Many people were involved in getting the Na- tional Teleconferencing Radio Network {NTRN] back up and go-
ing. (See November "Looking West" for details.) Lou Appel K/ 0IUQ is the unsung engineering hero of these events. He supplied the mid-USA telephone intertie system and was the man who sat there controlling it during each of these events in the past, and came through for us in shining col- ors again on 2 October
There were four basic jobs to do, and really only two people to do them. We worked out the NTRN format in one night. We needed a panel of experts repre- senting every interest on 1 V* me- ters. We had to publicize the time and date of the NTRN. Finally, we had to register all participating outlets where the NTRN would be heard and assigned a port on the teleconference bridge.
While Art put together the * 'pan- el* ' and secured studio facilities. I alerted the vast majority of active hams in the US to the NTRN through my Westlink Radio Net- work Newsline, and other news- letters, Soon the phone at my house was ringing day and night with requests for teleconference bridge assignments. Only re- peater groups, bulletin stations,
Continued on page 100
o
ICOM
FT747GX
•100 Watts of Economical Performance
• Dual VFO's, 20 Memories
• Ret eives from 100 kHz- 30 MHz
• Built-in CW Filter -+- More
IC-32AT
* New Dual Sand NT
* RX'136-174MHz
440-450 MHz
•TX-140-150MHZ
440-450 MH7
* 5 Watts Output on Both Bands
* Full Duplex & 40 Memories
T1N-TII
PARAGON
• Full Featured Synthesized HF Transceiver
• General Coverage Receiver
• lOOw Output
• 55B, CW. FSKP Optional FM
• 62 Programmable Memories
• Made In USA
FT-212RH
• 2 Meter Mobile
• Optional. Internal Digital Voice Recorder
• RX 136-174 MHz •TX 144-146 MHz
• 45 Watts Output
• FT-712 RH Available for 70cm
IC-228A
♦ 25 Watt, 2 Meier FM Mobile •RCV 138-174 MHz
•TX 140-150 Mhz
• 20 Memories
ifcorxiept/
VHF/UHF AMPS
• High VSWR and Overdrive Protection
• 5 Year Warranty, 6 Months on RF Transistors
• Ah Units have GaAsFET Receive Pre amps
KAM
- Packer. WE FAX, ASCII. AMTOR,
RTTY.CJv • Simultaneous Operation on HF
and VHP
ALJNI
•- I
ALD-24T
• DuU Band Mobile 1*0 1*9 995 MM*' 4404SO MM
• 21 Proy/amrrtatila MemcKr*
• 25 WafTs Output on Boin Dand* ■ Loaded *ilh Eilra Feature
MFJ 1278
• Muii> Mode Dai a Con i roller
• Packet, RTTY. ASCU. CW WEFAX.
SST~V\ Corneal Memory Keyer
Orders and Price Checks Call 800-52 3-7731
Indiana and Information Call 1-8124220231
73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988 83
Number 29 on your Feedback card
TH-DX
Leon Fletcher N6HYK 274 Webster Drive Ben Lomond. CA 95005
The Yuletide Island
On Christmas day in 1 643, Cap- tain William Mynors of the Dutch sailing ship Royal Mary, spotted a small isolated bit of land in the Indian Ocean and named it Christ- mas Island,
Apparently Captain Mynors was navigating from an outdated chart. The island had actually been discovered 28 years earlier, in 1615. Richard Rose, master of the Thomas, founded this island and named it Moni on a Dutch chart dated 1618,
Today, the name Christmas is- land has won out, but the island is still largely unknown. Although the island is Australian territory, the information officers at both the Embassy of Australia, in Wash- ington DC, and at the Australian Tourist Commission in California, sard they'd not heard of the island. The latest Current Report about Christmas Island, sent out by the Australian Information Service, is five years old. In the last four years, the 400 "major maga- zines1' published in the United States have printed only two arti- cles about the island. In the giant Australia Encyclopedia, the island gets just a two and one half inch notice.
Out Of Obscurity
Such solitude will soon be gone if the Australian government's plans work out They authorized the construction of a 170- room ho- tel*casino. scheduled to open by the end of 1939. Private investors are planning additional hotels, restaurants, charter fishing boats, and other leisure activities.
Such changes are needed on Christmas Island. The island has been relying on just one economic base — the mining of phosphate, a vital ingredient in fertilizers. The mining hit its peak in 1978. when more than 1.26 million tons of phosphate were exported. In De- cember 1978, with the supply of phosphate nearly exhausted, min- ing stopped. But in July 1988, the Australian government an- nounced that mining may resume.
Santa Claws
Still, other economic resources
QTH is Christmas Island
are clearly needed. In addition to tourists, the government is trying to entice smaM-scale manufactur- ing and agricultural ventures. But a bothersome block to those plans— actually inhibiting virtually all activities on Christmas Is- land— are the swarming red crabs.
Once a year in late spring, for about nine to 18 days, some 120 million of the crustaceans — nearly 9.000 tons — march on a breeding migration from the inland forest to the seashore. Their cfaws are so sharp that they could puncture the tires of an 'automobile running over them.
The red crabs are just one of the 15 species of land crabs that live on the island. Among them is the world's largest crab, the giant rob- ber, or coconut crab. They weigh
VK9XI
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
opswron
n 'AMii. HON
— ii
V
fed by as much as 100 inches of rain a year. Temperatures range between 75 and 85 degrees.
Most of the coastline consists of cliffs up to 600 feet high. There are a few sandy beaches and some small bays. Flying Fish Cove is the island's lone port.
Who's There?
Only about 1 .000 people live on
"Christmas Island
is in the Indian Ocean, 220 miles
south of its nearest neighbor
Indonesia ....**
up to seven pounds.
The island also ranks as one of the world's great seabtrd habitats, according to Australian conserva- tionist John W. Hicks. Of the eight kinds of birds which breed there, three — the Christmas Island frigate bird, Abbott's booby, and the gold bosun bird— breed nowhere else.
In addition, of the some 200 different flowering plants growing on the island, about 30 are en- demic.
To preserve those distinctive plants, birds, and crabs, a six square mile national park was es- tablished in 1980.
A Little Geography
Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean, 220 mites south of its nearest neighbor Indonesia, 1.000 miles north and slightly west of the mainland of Australia. It is 12 miles long, 3.5 to 9 miles wide, and it is a 55-squa re mile top of an undersea mountain
The island's central plateau ts about 1 ,000 feet high. Rain forest covers three-fourths of the island,
Christmas Island. The majority are Chinese and Malays; most of the others are from Australia, New Zealand, and India, Just three years ago, before mining de- clined, there were around 3.000 residents.
Unemployment is high. In 1985, the government started retraining programs to help islanders find jobs in Australia. A "Resettlement Scheme" provides incentive pay- ments to encourage residents to move off-island.
Until just 100 years ago, the is- land was uninhabited, The first residents came in 1888—14 British adventurers. The coconut palms they planted still stand along the beach,
In 1895, targe deposits of phos- phate were discovered. A British company started mining there two years later.
During World War II. the Japanese occupied the island. In 1946 the island became part of the Colony of Singapore. The mining company was bought by Australia and New Zealand in 1948, and ten years later, the
island became an Australian ter- ritory.
In 1963, Christmas Island be- gan issuing its own stamps. They are especially colorful and attrac- tive. Some show the early sailing vessels and sail-and-steam ships which visited the island. One 1980-81 series shows 16 steps of mining— drilling, drying, crush- ing, etc. While the stamps are avidly sought after by many col* lectors, they have not yet become particularly valuable. In a single year, the stamps brought more than a half-million dollars to the island.
For resident Europeans, the center of social life is the Christ- mas Island Club, featuring a swimming pool, tennis courts, and movies. Other island attrac- tions include a nine hole golf course, cricket club, and, on Phospate Hill, a building known island-wide as the MHam Shack."
Two Christmas Islands
Hams around the world know the island as VK9. The current Catt Book lists just two stations on the island, and one of those is the club station. Stilt, the island is on the air enough so that it didn't make the latest list of "100 most wanted DX stations/* compiled by The DX Bulletin.
One caution: This Indian Ocean Christmas Island is often con- fused with the other Christmas Island, the one in the South Pacific, located 1 ,300 miles south of Honolulu. This South Pacific Christmas Island is the largest of the 33 islands of the Republic of Kiribati.
Dedicated DXers never confuse the two islands — hams on the South Pacific Christmas Island use the East Kiribati prefix T32f which counts for the country of Kiribati, not for the ''country" known as Christmas Island
84 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
^If ^ld all
SUPER COMSHACK 64***
ENGINEERING CONSULTING Programable Repeater Controller/HF & VHF Remotes/Autopatch/CW Practice Rolor Control/Voice Meters/Paglng/User Logging/Unlimited Vocabulary/Packet BBS
I» E^Sl^vl In ii ■ > I Mi^."! ^ Set up your own persona] or
i
FT757t 767f 980 TS440, 040, 140 ICT35, 761
3 '■'
FT727R, 767, 736, TS7I 1,811
olor Control
REPEATER CONTROLLER
•Remote Change all variables* 1020 (18 digit) tele. #'s stored
AUTOPATCH REVERSE PATCH
'Clear Synthesized voice
'Program mail box or select ID tail voice message or CW •Alarm clock; »uto execute •Macro strings /user Jogging •Individual user »y»- codes *CW Code practice & Voice •Talking meters; hi /lo alarm
H.F, REMOTE #1 •20 Macro mem/mode sel. •Scan up /dowrKsd rate/step •Voice a ck- all commands •Select any CAT. radio
JJW
•300 users /CTCSS+ 2 tone page •50 enable /disable teL#'a •IM rect ed /ge n era! / reve rse page •Progrmmable answer message f Full or Half duplex {level contj •Security mode: T.Tone readback •Reverse Patch active all modes •Call waiting/ Quick dial /auto off •Control via Patch /mem redial
V JLF. REMOTE #2 •Dual VFOs/ Rev/ Split /COR •Set Scan Inc. St offset /resume •Monitor mode & Link repeaters
club repeater with any Dual band radio from your home or dub site. Delete any user's ac- cess code without affecting others. The CS64S now has the most advanced control features aval lab le a t any price!
Super Corns hack 64
Model CS64S $349.95 + $4.00
shipping USA: incl. pre-wired+ tested computer interface* disk, cables & manual (simplex version on request)
SYSTEM OPTIONS •External Re lay Controls 3 DPDT re- lays: S Open col. out...CS-S $79. ©5 •Convert rotor D.C. meter voltage to digital display & voice... HM1 $49.95 •2 Voice Meter & Alarm inputs/8 On/ offcont. /PackeLBBS,.PK& $149,95 •EPROM Auto boot CAruidge custom
with your system CART. . .$ 9ft .95
•Manual (Refunded) MJfl $15.00
iuaii
» u
Programs and Scans Ham /General coverage. Converts H,T, Into a powerful 100 ch. scanner & programs all for field use! Digital's'' meter; comment fields;
p-^"— I auto resume ft delay: lockouts '27R |tt*i.urf *LomdM & program* an FT-727R
aramcters In less that 15 sec.
Includes hardware & disk for C64
IBM. Model 727 $39,95
ode-A-Pad
audio
itsznc
I
70 9 ABC
Touchtone to RS232 (300 baud interface)
Program your computer in basic to decode multldigit "strings sound alarms, observe codes* include* basic program for C64 VJC20; 1 28; IBM. A must for repeaters. "Dec ode-A-PadM
works on all computers Model DAP $ 89.95
MTR \fi% l\ Ff3 FTJlCulitH; 2AT: Ulfr ET727R;209;23:73
Module installs inside the radio in 1 5 Min. Boost audio to I watt I Ijow standby drain /Corrects low audio/ 1000* of happy users- Minn lure audio amplifier Used by Police. Fire, Emergency* addi 40 dB gain!
for all H/Ts when it needs to be LOUD!
EHD Model ABlS-$ 22,95
•Power C64& 1541 •70Khz 75% cffecjenl •Outputs 5v.@2A &
9 VAC m GOHz ■Crystal time base •Plugs into C64
MODEL DC PS $119.95
12*
TOW
Touchtofi
& Quad Relay Expansion
45 H
isfsl
p i f * ■ ■ ■ ■ i * r i * i m
£1 RELAY |
!i;.kESiS,l = I |r1[r1
• !■■ _■■■■„ — ■■■■— ■■■■
+~ 3
+TSDQ Decoder AQL' AD Option
•+S to +20 V, supply; low power drain * Fie Id prog* jumpers; 50,000 codes •Momentary & Latching: DPDT relay •Wrong dig. reset; LED s digits +latch •24 Pin Conn, hook up & Expansion "Quad adds (4) DPDT 2A. Relays & individual 3 to 5 Digit on/off codes! A Status outputs: wired & tested
TSDQ $79.95 QUAD $99.95
wired & tested
♦ENGINEERING CONSULTING* 583 CANDLEWOOD ST.* BREA, CA. 92621
mastercard ** visa** ca. res. add6%« TEL :(714) 671-2009
WHEN DOES ONE EQUAL TWO?
WHEN" IT'S A TAD M8 FM TRANSCEIVER COMMERCIAL & AMATEUR BANDS IN ONE UNIT
-Idea* for MAF5. Vol Fat, EMT. fleas RPV. Pohce, etc
* Ray Fefcl Progrsnmacto
* 99 Channels -Trje^OvyanPtMWf ■ Enroniefy Rugged
IAS) Function LCD AspUy Frequency Range 138-1 74 or 43TM80 mHz FCC i DOC type accept Los Cost DTMF mike aval Ovesnghr Sruppng Avafeote
Base Station PS>rKArieAritflrwiaseic «iSi(X*
AXM Incorporaied
1I7M1 LoaraSt
(.ardtn throve, CA 9>640-2521
Wrat Of Cat 71 A63S-8B07 far anmeolai i?farinafaan
T e
x
P
r
o
snap
-on-
choke
CIRCLE 243 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ELIMINATES RF INTERFERENCE IN:
TV sets, Radios HI-FI, PA sysiems, Telephone^ VCR*, Tut equipment, Burdjr and Fire abrm^ Mudemi, Moniiors, Computers. K*iiy and TV iljlions, elC
EASYTO USE; fits ovtr and snaps OaftO snuJJ, brae and flbboji cables. No need to rewire connectors- Unique, split ferrite core design fits up io RGHU coax cables,
WORKS IN -COMMON MODE*, TiUcrs cwreni in- duced in the braid of shielded cables and ground wires!
Special rerrilr m»tcri*l rlTccUve OJ * 200 MHl
DOES NOT VOID EQUIPMENT WARRANTY
Available Jrurn>yovr dealer or order tbtva from:
computeradio
Bok 282. Pine Brook, HI 07058 Ttt (201) 227-0712
Send personal check with order, we ship tame day Font Class. 30-day money back warranty. Quantify discounts^
Package Of 4 chokes wHh inst instructions
$12.99
+ $2 00 shipping
CIRCLE 345 ON READER SERVICE CARD
(aaaEiio (3« W WB8ELK/m
VIDEO I.D. BOARD
•Custom Graphics with your Call Sign *4 Screens (2 Hi- res/2 color bar) • 1 2 VDC Operation •Instant Video ID
•Video Relay for switching in Live
Camera Video •Built-in Automatic Sequencer-Timer
{steps through alJ four screens)
VDG- 1 with pre-programmed calls:
$89
Caff or write for catalog of available graphics
ELKTRONICS
1 2536 T.R- 77 ■ Findlay , OH 45840 (419)422-8206
ELKTRONICS
fcfeftSK
12536 T.a. 77 Pindlfitt, DK 15B10
taeiWH-WBSELE
KA8H.V
CIRCLE S ON READER SERVICE CARD
WORLD'S SMALLEST
WEATHER STATION
THE AMAZING H^TJfER COMPUTER THAT YOU CA iV HOLD IS THE: PALM OF YOUR HAND.
DIGITAfT* HewTWR-3 Mkn? Weather Station indvdt* a compuitr, prKision wind rant and sp««d censor with mourning hardware, and 40 fe*t of table. Far out* HSf.fS. With the optionaL autoraatit ttnp(>me RC-2 Rnia CoUector < 149.95 ► *ou ran rven monitor run Tall!
• WIND 5 PEED
■ WT?<D DIR£t*nON
• W1*l> (HILL
m WIND GUST ftECQftD
• TEMPEIL^TUK
• HLUMTIMP RECORD
• TTM¥ Of DAV
• ACID SCAN
• METRK. STANDARD
• M C AD READY
• ONE YEAR W ARRANTb
MAGN4PHASE lndlstries, inc.
15*2 PIKE STREET N.W. MADE IN UiA. Af JtfKN. WA 9WBI
ORDERS ONLY: 800-322-1502
IMCIRMATION: 3»-73&*J74 FAJt
■^M044
CIRCLE 336 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 85
r
ASSOCIATED RADIO
^tJ>£./
8012 CONSER BOX -
OVERLAND PARK. KANSAS 66204
EVERY DAY A HAMFEST
BUY
SELL
TRADE
ALL BRANDS NEW AND RECONDITIONED
WE'LL BUY YOUR EXTRA RIG
STATIONS-ESTATES ETC. Call 913/381-5900 FAX 91 3 648 3020
SEND $2 FOR CATALOG AND WHOLESALE LIST
0/thfflflfe
•ar
WEATHER STAR
A Power-Packed Micro ty DIGI TA R Weather Computer for Your Station . . .
Reads Wind Speed (MPH/KPH) • Hi Gusts • Wind Direction Temperature (Present-Hi- Low) • Wind Chill • Scans Alt!
Protect Your Antenna & Home!
A itvst m ©*fy shack No* jou can scan heavy Wind Gust Wwa Oteawn %mpM^3ndmOT!G^>eH/^nconiouttnzedi«at^ itatiwi 31 an jncrtdUy Jam affordable price
The Ho* Aamuth Weather Siar by D^gihighquatoy ponr- packed tteaffw coroputet just loaded with feature* Dvesyouacctnle weather data right in your shack at me toucn of a facer Created with tfw latest CMOS micfOH^ip techfiotocy
>touGet All These Excrtmg FUNCTIONS * FEATURES wrththe TW
HANOY. COMPACT SIZE: 2UT x!r« tfc* LARGE, EASY TO READ LCD READOUT Gives you Wind Speed • Records High Wind Gusts ■ Wind Direction * Wind Chill factor - Outside Present Temperature (Remole sensor included} * Records High/Low Temperature • Reads in Fahrarrml, Celsius, Mitas/Haur: or KM/Hr * Programmable Scan! ■ Operates on DC [Batteries Not included) or AC VMltti Optional adaptor
Your TWZ SYSTEM COMES COMPLETE WITH - TW2 Weal her
Computer • Anemometer & Wind Vane made ol high Impact, UV resistant plastic, with stainless bearings & shah lor years of trouble Tree service * 40 Feel of Cable tead-in with connectors * Ou- Temperature Sensor • & Mounting Hardware •
I Anc If I MADE IN AMERICA1 rOUH SATiSf ACTION GUARANTEED* Or rriutrr m IB c^i s ■&' * zq™& ■
WfmimitrflWMLft.lltTrfiofnMajiiiTictirrrr1
80 7$ Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988
fteetoslxj
Vbur SPECIAL
FREE BONUS
Order TODAY!
Reteti Value $29 95
ACT NOW! SEND TODAY'
AVAILABLE OPTIONS
* Starless Desk Su nd (DSK22) .3 $9 95 • Hechareea&ie Ni-Cad Battery Pat* (BP3) @ S* 95 * 40 Ft Extension Control Cable (EC40I <& 14.95 [Requires 2) • AC Power Adaptor (PS 12] © S9.95 • Please add £3.95 lor Shipping A Handling of TWZ Far each notion add 11 OG
CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY
CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-882 7388 TODAY!
Other Service Call 213-473-1332 ^W t**0*
(9 AM to 6PM PST) Ca . Res add sales tax . dHh )***w
/t#/rfflffi-WEATHER STAR
11845 W. Oympic Bl Suite 1100 Ljb Anpeles. CA 9D064 LIS* I'Dept Afl)
INTERNATIONAL
RADIO AND COMPUTERS, INC
Id pleased to announce that we are now an authorised dealer for I COM Products.
• We service All 1COM. products and, of course, use Factory Service parts.
■ We provide a complete check for performance and function on each radio we sell. Call us for a quotation on your next ICOM purchase. Master, Visa! American Express cards accepted,
* Servicing Amateur Radio Operators for eight yean.
Send for your FREE Brochure.
INTERNATIONAL RADIO AND
COMPUTERS, INC. 751 South Maeedo Blvd. Port St. Lucie, FL 34983 (407) 879-6868
CIRCLE 97 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ALSO AVAILABLE AT HENRY RADIO & ALL HAM RADIO OUTLETS!
CIRCLE 158 ON READER SERVICE CARD
SAVE TIME & POSTAGE!
Circle advertiser's numbers on our handy reader service card to send for valuable information from adver- tisers in this issue. Use our Ad Index to locate advertiser's Reader Ser- vice numbers even faster!
N u m be r 3 0 o n y o u r Feedback card
ARTER 'N' BUY
QSLs TO ORDER. Variety of stales, colors, card stock W4BPD QSLs, PO Drawer DX. Cordova SC 29039 BNB260
THE DX'ERS MAGAZINE UfMo-daie. infor- mative, interesting Compiled and edited by Gos Browning W4BPD, DXCC Honor Roll Certificate 2-4 Send for free sample and subscription information today PO Drawer DX. Cordova SC £9039 BN B26 1
OSL CARDS- Look good wrth top quafity priming, Choose standard designs or folly customized cards. Better cards mean more returns to you Free brochure, samples Stamps appreciated C tester QSLs. Dept A. 310 Commercial. Emporia KS 66801
BNB434
COMMODORE and AMIGA CHIPS Direct distributor, guaranteed fresh (E.g., 651 fl- ail 55. 6526-S 12 50. 6567-S 16 95. 82$ 100/ PLA-S13 25} COMMODORE REPAIRS Low cost, fast turnaround, $49 95 plus UPS. "THE COMMODORE DIAGNOSTI- CIAN." An invaluable double sided I am ma! ed guide tor fixing your C64/1541 drive It diag- noses; 72 variables and talis you what chips are faulty, $7 95 . ViSA>MC Kasara Ml^ crosystems. Inc . 24 West Street. Spring Vaf- ley, NY 10977. Call tori free 1-80f>24fl 29B3 or 914-362-31 31 8NB529
SUPEHFAST MORSE CODE SUPEREASV, Subliminal cassette $10 LEARN MORSE CODE IN 1 HOUR Amazing new supereasy technique. $10. Both $17. Moneyback guar- antee. Free catalog; SASE. Bahr, Dept 73-9, 2535 Marietta. Palmbay FL 32905 BNB531
SB-220 OWNERS!— Enhance perform- ance—add new tea lures. 17 slep by-slep mods which incfude: (uned inpul 6- and 160- meter operation, heavy-duty power supply mods, full OSK operation, solid-state bias control, and many more. Source of pans In- cluded. One time 50% rebate tor new mods submitted and two free updates 10 pages of teen info on the 3-5002 Order today — Si 0 per copy plus $1 postage. SASE for info Bob KorJarek WA2S0O, 69 Memorial Place. Elm- wood Park r4J 07407. BN B5S 1
WRITTEN EXAMS 5UPEREASY, Memory aids Ifom psychologist" engineer cut study- lime 50%. Novice, Tech, Gen $7 each, Ad- vanced. Extra: S 12 each Moneyback guaran- tee Banr, Dept 73-9. 2535 Marietta. Palmbay FL 32905 BN8624
COMMUNICATIONS BATTERIES NiCd Packs/lnserts/Rebuildmg Exact Replace- ment Packs Yaesu FJMB2 / Wilson BP4 $22-95, Santec 142/1200(3 pin) $23.95. Mo- torola: HT220-Slim $29.9$. HT220>Omn* $34.95. Battery Inserts: ICOM" BP2/Rap $18.95. BP3^CM3 $16 95. BPS/Rap $24 dS. BP7/BP8/Rap $29 95 Kenwood PB21 S1&95, PB24 $21 .95, PB2S/2&H/26 $2S 9$. Azden: 300 $21 95. Standard BP1/C118 / PaceMXBT2$25 95, Tempo S 1/270 $23 95, S 1,2,4,5^450 $23 95, St5 $24 95 Yaesu: FNB3/3A $32.95, FNB4/4A $33 95. TenTec 2991 $24.95. Santec: KT8P $16 95. KTBP2 $23 95, KTBPN $24 95. Redding tCQM/
Ken/Yaesu/T-T add $4.00 to insert prices. Others available. SASE/free catalog. In PA add 6%, For MC and VISA, add $2/order. Phone (Bl4j 623-7000, Add $3 Shhppmgior- der CUNARD ASSOCIATES. Dept. 7, R D 6 Box 104, Bedford PA 15522 BNB628
ROSS $$$$ NEW December SPECIALS: KENWOOD TS-680S, $929 90; TS940S/ WAT, $2069 90. TH-215A, $324.90, TH- 31 5A. S29990: TH-dSIA, $614.90. AZDEN PCS-6000. $369 90: ALINCO EP-2010. $99 99: AEA PK-64S/HFM, S149.99: COM IC-471A. $6B9 99; IO-228H. $463 99; IC- 32D0A, $4€S99; IC-2AT, $248 99; K>761. $230990. Yaesu FT-2G9RH. $27699; YR- 901. $549 99: FT-747GX, $674.90; MFJ- 9896. $309 90 ALL L.T.O. (Umrted BrneOf- lei) LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NOT LISTED?? CALL OR WRITE. Over 8780 hanv related items m stock lor immediate ship- ment Mention ad. Prices cash, F.O.B PRE- STON WE CLOSE AT 2:00 SATURDAYS & MONDAYS. ROSS DISTRIBUTING COMPA- NY. 78 SOUTH STATE. (P.O. Box 234H). PRESTON ID 83263. 208-852-0830
&NB654
COMPUTER CODE PROGRAM for IBM PC New Does most everything! Best value Si 2 Moneyback guarantee Free details: SASE Bahr. Dept 73-9. 2535 Marietta, Palmbay FL 32905 BN8691
CHASSIS AND CABINET KITS SASE; K3IWK, 5120 Harmony Grove Road. Dover PA 17315. BNB698
CALL SIGN BADGES; Custom license plate holders. Personal, distinctive. Club dis- counts. SASE. WB3GND, Box 75Q, Clinton MD 20735; 301-248-7302. BNB699
ROSS SSSS USED December SPECIALS! KENWOOD SWI 220, $329.90; TR-9500, (439.90; VF024Q. $159.90; TR-3600A/ TU35B, $279,90; PS-30, $124.90; HENRY 2K, $695,90; S-4T, $149.90; ICOM IC-471H, $799 90; IC-271H/WPS-35, $799.90; R-71A, $696.90; IC-74Q/WPS-35.EX-242.241 ,FL- 45. $695.90; ROBOT 400. $299.90; YAESU FT-747GX. $679.90. LOOKING FOR SOME- THING NOT LISTED?? CALL OR WRITE WE HAVE OVER 315 USED ITEMS m SlOCk MENTtQN A& PRICES CASH, FOB PRESTON WE CLOSE AT 2:00 SATUR- DAYS * MONDAYS. ROSS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY. 78 SOUTH STATE. P.O. BOX 234 H. PRESTON ID 63263; 208-852-0630
BNB709
DIGICOM > 64: C64 PACKET See AUG. 88 73 Magazine (by W2UP| for circuit and soft- ware details, or wnte us for more info Order #154-KTT for kit with disc at $49 95 Of #154- AS Y for assembled board and disc at $79-95 Add $2 50 SAH per order. A & A Engineering. 2521 W La Palma. #K, Anaheim, CA 92801; 714-952-2114 BNB732
HAM TRADER YELLOW SHEETS. In CKir 27th year Buy, Swap, Sefl ham radio gear Published twice a month. Ads quickly circu- late-no long wait for results Send #10 SASE tor sample cop/ $13 tor one y^ar (24 tssues) P.O.a. 2057, Glen EJIyn. IL 60138-2O57
BN6741
SSSSS SUPER SAVINGS $$$$$ on electron- ic parts, components, supplies, and comput- er accessories. Free 40-page calalog lor Self Addressed & Stamped Envelope. Get on our mailing lis! BCD ELECTRO. P.O. Box 630119. Richardson TX 75063 or call 214- 343-1770. 8NB749
HAM RADIO REPAIR, all makes, models. Ex- perienced reliable service Robert Hall Elec- tronics, Box 280363. San Francisco, CA 94128-0363, 408-729-8200 BNB751
HAM HOLIDAY m VPS Jmn cycte 22 tun from rare DX OTH Turks & Catcos islands We supply transceivers, antenna, process li- cense and offer accommodations as low as 7 nights $390 each double occupancy m pri- vate bungalow Direct Pan Am service. 60 minutes Miami Details VP5D, PO Box 100658. PL UuderdaJe FL 33310 BNS760
WANTEO: Ham Equipment and other proper- ty The Rad>o Club of Junior High School 22 NYC, Inc , is a non-pro*ri organization, grant- ed 50 1(C)(3) status by the IRS, incorporated with Ihe goal of using the theme oi ham rarfto to further and enhance the education of young people Your property donation or fi- nancial support would be greatly appreciated and acknowledged with a receipt tor your lax- deductible contribution We sponsor the ■Classroom Net" on 7 238 at 1200 UTC daily and encourage your OSL lor our weekly award. Please write us at PO Box 1052, New York, NY 10002, or calf our round-the-clock hotline: {516) 674-4072. Thanks' BNB762
COMPUTER CODE COURSE. Apple II -/c/e/ GS C 64/12B 37 Modes. Graphics, I -100 WPM, menus, proportional spacing, variable frequency, more (529.95} With wordproces- sor {$38,95). Manual ($10) Check/MO. LARESCO. POB 2018-ST, Calumet City IL 60409. 1-312-691-3279. BNB764
INDIVIDUAL PHOTOFACT FOLDERS. #1 to #1400. $4.00, #1401 up, $6.00. Sam1s booksh $7,00, Postpaid. Allen Loeb. 414 Chesinut Lane, East Meadow, NYl 1554. 8NB766
VHF TO MICROWAVE: GaAsFETs, MWlCs, transistors, etc. SASE; WA31AC, 7148 Mon- tague St.. Phi ladelph m PA 1 9 1 35 BNB771
HAMLOG COMPUTER PROGRAM Full fea- tures. 17 modules Auto-logs. 7-band WAS/
DXCC Apple $1 9.95. IBM, CP/M, KAYPRO, TANDY. CR6 $24.95. 73-KA1 AWH. PB 2015, Peabody M A 0 1 960 B N B 775
KITS' PARTS* PLANS We have hard lo find parts' Variable Tuning Capacitors, Tuning Cods, Crystal and Magnetic Headphones, Germanium Diodes. Crystal and Shortwave Radio Kits. Yeary Communications, 12922 Harbor #300-6, Garden Grove CA 92640
BNB78G
WANTED: Sunajr GCU-910A Of GCU 935 Antenna Coupler Ray Dunham, 1030 Hillside Ave, Pacific Grove C A 93950 BN8790
QSLs: Quality al a reasonable price! Satistac- lion Guaranteed, Send $1 tor samples and coupon worth $2. The Sugartosf Print Shop. PO Box 563, Sugarioaf . PA 16249 BNB791
ELEC TRON TUBES : All types & sizes Trans- mitting Receivmg, Microwave Largo in- ventory - same day shipping Ask about our 3-5O0Z speoaf Dairy Electron ics, PO Box 5029 Comptort. CA 90224 800-346 6667
BNB792
KENWOOD 430s OWNERS! Stop Scan slops the scanner on busy frequencies re- sumes scanning automatically after an ad- justable 1-10 second delay SASE for 1989 catalog. $1 9.95 kit. $29.95 assembled $3.50 Sluppfno, JASCO ELECTRONICS. R'i Box 386. Alexandria. IN 46001 . BNB794
VOICEGATE communicalions noise reduc- tion wilh audio squelch, noise reduction. VOX cassette recorder control, 3 adjustable audk> filters, & more? SASE for 1 989 catalog $3.50 for demo tape $109.95 complete (till 1/1789). JABCO ELECTRONICS, R1 Box 386, Alex- andria. IN 46001. BNB795
LEARN CODE using your IBM PC orcompat ible {256KB RAM), Easy lo follow menu- driven program on DS/DD floppy disk rulty prepares you to copy 5 WPM for Novice license to 50 WPM, exceeding all license requirement. Features include adjustable ^ratfrtfercharacter timing with 1 WPM 10 50 WPM sending rale, keyboard-seiected char- acter generation and randomly generated let- ters, numerals, all FCC required punctuation' signals and mixed character types. S1 1.00 including shipping LOGICON. PO Box 426, Lexington Park MD 20653, BNB796
continued onp 86
Barter 'N' Buy advertising must pertain to ham radio products or services.
Individual (noncommercial) ,.**..... 50c per word
: Commercial , S1 ,50 per word
PrepaymerM required, Courtf only the words in the text. Your address is tree. 73 cannot verify advertising claims and cannot be held responsible tor claims made by ihe advertiser. Liability will be limited lo making any necessary corrections in the next available issue. Please print clearly or type (double- spaced )
"I
No discounts or commissions are available- Copy must be received in Peterborough by the first of the second month preceding the cover date. Make checks payable to 73 Magazine and send to: Rebecca Niemela. Barter H Buy. 73 Magazine, WGE Center, Peterborough NH 03458.
73 Amateur Radio • December. 1988 B7
■■
WANTED: Dead Tempo 3020 for parts. Dan Giles VE7QM, RR3 Harrison Ave., C^6t Ganges , BC , VBS^ 1 Efl . BM B797
R-390A RECEIVER PARTS: Info. SASE. CPRC-26 military Man pack Radio, 6 merer FM. with antenna, crystal, handset' £22.50, $42,50 pair, Military-spec TS-352 VoltohmV Multimeter, leads, manual: $12.50. $4.50/ piece shipping, 39 maximum, Baytronics, PO Box 591 , Sandusky OH 44970- BN0798
MACINTOSH Ham Software. MacTrak " tracks satellites, sun, moon. Graphic or tabu- lar outputs. Compatible with Mirage Tracking Interface for rotor control, $49.95. DX Helper™ provides DX info including distance, bearing, sunrise, sunset, propagation MUF„ great circle display, more, $24.95. SASE for into from R. Siegemeyer, P.O. Box 1590, Port O rch ard WA 96366 BN B802
home-brew PROJECTS LIST SASE to WB2EUF, Box 70S, East Hampton MY 1 1937,
BN&805
GSLs & RUBBER STAMPS— TOP QUALITY! Slates, Worfd Maps, USA, Key, Shuttle, Globe QSLs. Report Form Rubber Stamps, More! Samples, $1 00 [Refundable With Order]. Ebbert Graphics D-7, Bex 70, Wester- vil!eOH430ai, BNB807
ELECTRONIC WEATHER STATION. Su- perb bargain while they last. The one you've wanted, as featured in Popular Science Magazine, provides more than 20 functions, including barometric pressure. Complete system currently retails for $339 DISTRIBU- TOR CLOSE OUT price, only S 1 69. Includes full service and original warranty. Satisfaction
guaranteed VISA, Master Card accepted. Hurry, call now for details and pre- hoi id ay delivery; 20 1 -53 1 -46 1 5 . B N B606
PARTS & KITS for the Home-Brew Amateur. Two Firsi Class Stamps for Latest Catalog & Flier. Small Parts Center, 6816 Meese Drive, Laos i ng M I 4691 1 < BN 6809
HAVE OCTOBER 1 960 and JANUARY 1961 ISSUES to best otter. W7IXN, 14915 SE 47 Court. Bellevue WA 98006. BIMB810
FLOOD YOUR MAILBOX! You get 100s of radio & electronics specialty catalogs. Send $2,00, name & address to: Electronic List Ser- vices, Dept. B, PO Box 1683, Brookline MA 02146, BNB811
QUALITY CISL CARDS, rubber stamps, envelopes and printed lelierhead. Send 45c poslage or SASE for samples. Large selec- tion at attractive prices. San dollar Press, PO Box 30726, Santa Barbara CA 93130.
BNBS12
LOOKING FOR HAMS WORLDWIDE?
Subscribe to QMT, an English- written ham quarterly where subscribers are entitled to place one free ad (max, 80 words) which is published for subscription period. Over 2,500 ham ads quarterly. 87 countries. Subscription rates (CASH): 5-year 320,00; 3-year $15,00; 1-year 310.00. Price includes p&h. Enclose name, call, address, and advertisement (non- obligatory). Order before Jan. 5 and get free gift. Paulo Lago, (Lyon Publications), Aparta* do 2804, 1121 Lisboa codex, Portugal,
BN6S13
WANTED: Azden PCS-4500 Regency HR-6,
or Genare GTX-600. Reasonable. Jim, 469 Jayson Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15228,
BNB814
WANTED: Vaesu FT-625RD, FT-627RA, or FT6B0R. Also wanted: ICOM IC-505. IC-551 , IC-551D, IC-S60, or IC&Q2A. Reasonable. Jim. 469 Jayson Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15228 BNB815
SLEP SPECIALS, MILITARY USM-117C S O LI D STATE SM A LL PORT AB LE DC-5MH z OSCILLOSCOPE, IDEAL FOR BENCH WORK OR RTTYf MODULATION TESTING $95.00; MILITARY USM-SG7 30UD STATE PORTABLE. 0-5G0MHZ EIGHT DIGIT READ- OUT. HIGH STABILITY OSCILLATOR, LATE MILITARY LAB QUALITY $185.00; TS-403/U MICROWAVE SIGNAL GENERATOR, 1.8GHz TH ROUGH 4. 2G Hz , M I L/SPEC VER- SION OF HP61SB $195.00; TS-51QA/U SIGNAL GENERATOR 10MHz THROUGH 420MHz, MIL/SPEC VERSION OF HP608D £195.00; BP614A SIGNAL GENERATOR 900MH* TO 2100MH2 $38500; HP6Q6A SIGNAL GENERATOR 50 kHz THROUGH 65MHz $295.00; HP417A VHF DETECTOR 10-500 MHz $85.00; HP618B SIGNAL GEN- ERATOR 36GHz TO 7.8GHz $295. ALL LAB TESTED, PRICED LOW TO MOVE QUANTI- TY. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED, VISA, M/C, OR CHECK, ADD SHIPPING. WRITE OR PHONE BILL SLEP, 704-524-7519, SLEP ELECTRONICS COMPANY, HIGHWAY 441 , OTTO NC 26763. BNB816
COMPUTERIZE with the "Amateur Radio Operating System. This MS/DOS based software features auto-logging, OSL man- agement, AWARD summaries, Contesting, and MORE. Base System $39.95, Demo disk $10,00 (credited). SASE brings details. Fun
damenfai Services, 1546C Peaceful Lane, Clearwater FL 346 1 6 . BNB9 1 7
FREE HAM EQUIPMENT, details Si. P.O. B 1631, Arvada CO 800O1. BNB61B
INEXPENSIVE VIDEO DIGITIZER THE IMAGE-IZER" from KINNEY SOFTWARE. See 73 Oct. 1988 page 10 for details. Capture
RS17Q TV video {VCR or TV camera) to Com- modore 64/128 or IBM PC- Save images to disk files. IBM PCfXT 4 77MHz version requires CGA capability- $59.95. Com- modore version- $39.95. Includes disk software, documentation, pretinned and drilled PC board for easy assembly. Uses common, low cost part$. Specify computer type Order from: KINNEY SOFTWARE DEPT. 73V. 974 HODSDON ROAD, POW- N AL M E 04069 . BNB8 1 9
INEXPENSIVE SLOW SCAN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISS1NG1 Either IBM PC/ XT/AT or Commodore 64/128 version only $39.95! Receives all popular SSTV modes, including 36 second color ROBOT, in 8 grey levels. Save images to disk. Commodore ver- sion also transmits black and white pictures. IBM version is receive only (requires CGA capability). Includes disk software, documen- tation, pretinned and drilled PC board for easy assembly. Uses common, tow cost parts. Specify computer lype. Order from: KINNEY SOFTWARE DEPT 73SSTV, 974 HODSDON ROAD, POWNAL ME 04069,
BNB820
WANTED DRAKE R4245 Of R7A well Op- tioned for SWL and AM/SSB DXing io excel- lent condition in exchange for some cash and
collection of mint New Zealand stamps, de- tails Ron. Harkness, 24 Talbot Place, Inver- carg i II , New Zeal and . 6 N 682 1
THE SMILEY ANTENNA CO.
THE HAND TUNED PERFORMANCE SYSTEM
FEATURING PORTABLE RADIO SIMULATION TUNING
THE TUNED: AHTENNA
Electrical
fcf a* rrtlcjjn Paw&f , Ff*tju*nC|/ Wans* ffnp&dancg
Mechanical
Costing Maitfial
"Quality through Technology"
B
Hamaimq Etemant ..A
!i
.SO WelKs .nS-932MHi.
.Mulched to the Portable Spurji allied Tunjng Available.
PippSd if) SynLhelic Rubber To Seal and Webh Coil HruvHr'ir-g n-i&torliun
1 PVC Covering
2 Mil-Sptic MPO-20fJ£r. A Soivem and Acid fresislam Covering
I
n*
I
i. * 1 1
Helical Waurtd Hsrdsjifld Steel Wtr», Coppfif Piaied lot Lower Fe&i&iancBAnd Higfief Velocity t25 dia High Carbon SlHisi Bias Wound Fluxibla Shalt Co^e- FIsiatiL
»
a i
wajiaoIeTrom 136-174 MHZ
l_l L_l
Available from 210-250 MHZ
i i i
Availabfe from 440-470 MHZ
FDR DEALER
LOCATIOM CALL BIS 573-BS16
SMILEY ANTENNA CO.t INC. *oa la cresta heights road I=lcajon. ca 92021
AXCDM Work n'
CIRCLE 101 ON READER SERVICE CARD
88 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
Number 31 on your Feedback card
Index: 1988
ARTICLE AUTHOR
ACCESSORIES
He il B M- 1 0 Boom set N5EFG
Security Aiem nmrve
Tech Tips KK4CS
AMPLIFIERS
Ampsirier Add-on W7LNG
Comm 2M 35W Kit KT2B
Heathkrt HF Linear Mods VE5X2
Heathfit SB- 1 000 1 inear Amp K3R V N
Modernizing the SB^OO WA4BLC
PT-25O0A HF NA5E
fl F Concepts 3-3 1 2 220 MHz KT2B
ANTENNAS AND ACCESSORIES
10 Meter Beam NfflBLX
Aerial Vtaw W7XU
Aeriai View W7XU
Request a copy of the corrected printout.
Aenal View W7XU
Aerial View W7XU
Aerial View W7XU
Aenal View W7XU
Aerial View W7XU
Aerial View W7XU
See software corf eel ion in DEC issue, p. 63
Aluminum Cloud NFIDH
Antenna System 5 W37C
See malh correction m NOV issue, p,67
Antenna Systems W3ZC
Above and Beyond KT2B
ATV WB0QCD
ATV WBCOCD
ATV WBfflOCD
Balloon-Supported Antennas WlGV
B utte m ue Butterfly Anton no W A4BLC
Carolina Wrndom WA4BLC
Create CR-30 Roof Tower KA1 HY
Create X^209 9-elernent yagi KT2B
Cu&hcraft 1 24WB and Tonna 20804 KT2B
Down Easi 3333/1 345-LYK loop yagis KT2B
Down Easl Model 234SLY 45 loop yagi KT2B
Hamsats WASZtB
Hardty-Hard, Hardline Connector W5PFG
Larsen HT Antennas W7XU Matcom Antenna Matchers 2QOD/XLD-T50 W7XU
M B-V-A 3Q0QW Anienna Mate her KA1 XO
Mobile Antenna for 2 Meiers W4JC
Nye ViMng RFM-003 RF Monitor NS1 B
Orion 146 MHz Antenna W7XU
Portable Re-entrant Cavity W7AC1
QHP W&BVGE
WSE wP-727 and Com- R ad CR2/4 A KA 1 H Y
AUDIO
4 +■ 1 Tone Decod cr W A3LT J See clarifications byaulhor in J UN issue. p.iOQ.
Digital Voice Compression WA3YQY See correction of decimals to (radians in JU N
Monophonic Output. Adaptable WA&RON
AWARDS and CONTESTS
10 and 75 Meter Contest
1987 World SSB Championship
iOMete-r Contest Results
Armed Forces Day 1986
DX
DX DA Award
Golden Gigahertz Winners
Sateiliie Awards
DeEperdang VP2ML
BANDS and tuning
1750 M
Above and Beyond
CompuierJ2ed Freq Readout
Computerized Tuning TS-S30S
Datong's Greet Add-On Filters
Digital 5C-V Oscilloscope
Finger Tip Frequency Control
Ham Radio 31 Its Best
Life on a Megacycle
Looktng Wast
LooJurtg West
Maxcom Antenna Matchers 2O0D/XLD-15O
MB-V-A 300OW Antenna Matcher
Tech Tips
VHF/UHFTape Antennas
PRO-&004 Scanner
Propagation
Trip Through Microwave Specif um
BOOK REVIEWS
Tille
Contemporary Electronics Circuils De&fcbock
Handbook of Practical IC Circuils
Low and Medium
Frequency Radio Scrapbook Low-Band DXing
Master Guide to Electronic Circuits On the Road Again Passpon 10 World Band Radio RF1
H utch-.nson/Kaczy nski Technofogy Dictionary, The Transmission Line Transformers Transmitter Hunting: RDF Simplified WlFB's Antenna Notebook
CFRCUfTS
CMOS Oscillator Fltp-Fiops and Latch Circuits Fiip-Ffops and Latch Circuits Oscillator Circuit
Correction in OCT issue, p. 94 Rectifier Diode Tech Tips
WB5RMA
W2IMB
KT2B
WA9RDE
KF6DF
WA4BLC
WA&TYU
WA4BLC
KA 1 PZV
N4RVE
WA6ITF
WAS IT F
W7XU
KA1XO
Cameron
WB3KCZ
NA5E
WlXU
KT28
DESCRIPTION
headset and mike for Winnobiko quick HT holder
for 160 meters
review
SB 200-220
review
Heathkit linear
review
review
for 14
parallel dipoles SWR
3-ei e r ihi •■■ yagi spider antenna the dipole beam antennas transformers ground systems
ettic antenna SWR and tuning
Part 2
configurations
WSDNTAIfordSlotUHF
Skeleton Sfol
vertical/horizontal
lor 60 and 160 meters
review
review
review
review
144MHzyagiS
review
review
anienna restrictions
For antennas
review
review
review
HaradaMT-2
review
review
2 meter
Vee beam; wire antenna
review
speaker control
synthesized voice
p.94
circuit
results
contest results
world and 1 60 meter
communications test
new awards and ARRL rules
rules., winners, countries
list
diverse awards
160-190 kHz
FCC beacon subbands
digital treq display
digital VFOs
ANF.FL2.FL3
tuning indicator
QSYar
14.275 MHz
HF Bicycle Mobile
220 MHz and FCC
220 MHz and FCC
review
review
10 mater antenna
copper toil
review
VHF bands
1.2-10G.H*
ISSUE
JAN
JUL JUN
JUN
DEC
MAR
AUG
AUG
DEC
NOV
MAR
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUL
AUG
DEC
SEP SEP
AuthorfEdilor[sj Reviewer Helms WB&RRT
Helms WB9RRT
|
Cornell |
WB9RRT |
|
Devatdere |
W7XD |
|
Helms |
WB9FIRT |
|
Johnson |
W6AAQ^NA5E |
|
Magne |
NA5E |
|
WB9RRT |
MAR |
|
Battle |
WB9RRT |
|
Sevtck |
WB9RRT |
|
MoellrCurlee |
KA9KAF |
|
PeMawWlFB |
W7XU |
|
KG5N |
variable |
|
W4RNL |
HsxrbiHly |
|
W4RNL |
HexibiNty |
|
WSLBH |
versatile |
|
W7FVM |
circuit |
|
DuBois |
connecting circui |
issue
FEB
FEB
FEB
MAY NOV SEP
APR
MAR MAR MAR
MAY
FEB JUN JUL JUN
MAR JUN
p. 25 p. 58 P-80
p.74 p.40 p.20 p. 15 p. 42 p.7B p. 24
p.14
p. 100
P-89
P-62
p,76 p.74 p,75 p.^8
pL63
p.U plO
|
OCT |
p. 38 |
|
MAR |
p. 75 |
|
MAR |
p.54 |
|
JUL |
p. 70 |
|
OCT |
p.73 |
|
SEP |
p. 16 |
|
SEP |
p. 16 |
|
DEC |
p. 49 |
|
MAY |
p,58 |
|
MAR |
p. 16 |
|
MAR |
p35 |
|
MAR |
p. 11 |
|
OCT |
p.44 |
|
JUL |
P-63 |
|
MAY |
p.32 |
|
MAR |
p26 |
|
MAR |
p42 |
|
NOV |
p. 62 |
|
MAR |
p. 28 |
|
SEP |
p. 36 |
|
NOV |
p.63 |
|
OCT |
p.29 |
|
OCT |
p.83 |
|
MAR |
p.31 |
APR p. 55 JUN p.51 MAY p..S0
|
AUG |
p.74 |
|
MAY |
p.41 |
|
MAY |
p.43 |
|
MAY |
p. 47 |
|
APH |
p.45 |
|
JAN |
p. 4i |
|
FEE |
p.27 |
|
MAY |
p.30 |
|
FEB |
p3l |
|
JUL |
p.6B |
|
JAN |
p35 |
|
NOV |
p. 49 |
|
JUL |
p,30 |
|
JUN |
p20 |
|
AUG |
p.34 |
|
APR |
p.11 |
|
NOV |
p. 55 |
|
NOV |
p. 60 |
|
DEC |
p. 100 |
|
MAR |
p. 42 |
|
NOV |
p.62 |
|
JUN |
p. BO |
|
OCT |
p. 24 |
|
AUG |
p. 50 |
|
JUL |
p96 |
|
OCT |
p.14 |
p. 42 p.42
p4?
p.51 p.37 p. 22 p.37
p27 p27
p.27 p37 p.51
p. 63 p.11
p.43 p.74
p.96 p. SO
ARTICLE
COMPUTERS and SO FTWAR E
Briefly Speahtmg
0-64^128 vs. Commerce Depi.
Care and Feeding of a FBBS
Care and Feeding of a PBBS
CAT to RS-232
Digital Accuracy for Vae&u FRG-7
IBM PC Clones
RS-232 Port
CW
Beauty and the Best
Code Test Sure Shot
CW Fitters
GGTE Morse Tutor
Home-Brew Fun!
How lo Improve Your Code Speed
Morse Code Motivational Techniques
Novice Band Code Nets
Op-Ed
Problems Learning the Code
ORP
TE-144Kayer
Why Become a Hem?
DIAGNGST3CS/REPA IR7HOW-TO
AH About Henry
Anlennas m Uhe Spring
AR-4&QD 3W LCD Meter
Bicycle-Mobile R and 0 Lab
Ughming Protector
Ludvigson Tonegen iorC-64
Microwave Test Equipment
PK232
QHP
Raise the Hazerl
Ramsey CT-90
Ramsey D-5100 Multimeter
ScHdoring Sidebar
Solder iron Shui Off
Tech Tips
Troubleshooting Trichs
Voltage Sampling with a Computer
DX
10 Meier DX Above and Beyond AEADXIOmeler DX DX DX DX DX DX
Holy Mackerel. What a Mess international Application MFJ Gray Line DX Advantage Nets, A Case for NatsH OX„ to Checlt Oul Newsletters, DX Pan American Games OSL Cards, OX with QTH DX QTHDX QTHD* QTHDX QTHDX QTHDX QTHDX OTHDX QTH DX The Colvins Working the World Fast See ?3 international by Richard
EDUCATION
Bears F reject Crew at 22
How Not to Run a Novice Class Op-Ed
Opening Doors for Kids W5YI Novice Course You Wit! Upgrade See also CW
ENCODERS, DECODERS
Homfcdower 2 Two-Tone Encoder
GENERAL INTEREST
Aoove and Beyond
Above and Beyond
AR in National Emergencies
Buyer Beware
Choosing a QSL Card
Civil Air Patrol
Drifting Along the Tetegraph Tr
Drifting Along the Telegraph Tr
Drifting Aiong the Telegraph Tr
Drilling Along the Telegrapn Tr
Ham Profiles
Ham Radio at Its Best
LASHE's Commandments
Look North!
Looking West
Looking West
Looking West
MARS and Amateur Radio
Meteor Scatter
On the Road and On the Air
Passions Of trie Ether
Patents Are Unique
Propagation
Propagation
San Salvador Earthquake
MOBILE OPERATION
Aenal View
Full Duplex 32 AT
Hand-held Transformation
AUTHOR
W5PFG
KD5EA WA1 FHB WA1FHB N9CLX
WA9HDE
N8GNJ
Neal
NA5E
KAflNTK
W4THU
KA1HY
WA9FPU
W9NGP
KZU
W6DDB
NA5E
K9K2T
WB6VGE
WBflVGE
WABOHX
KA1HY
WB4DCV
WA4BLC
WB9RRT
N4RVE
N1FID
NA5E
WBSiGP
KF6DF
WB6VGE
W5PFG
WB9RRT
WB9RRT
WB9RRT
KABJOHV
N7DFR
Harshbarger
Msgee
VP2ML KT2B WBSVGE VP2ML
VP2ML
VP2MI
VF2ML
VP2ML
VP2ML
W2NSDH
Richard Phenix
Nowafc
NOSM
KA90IH
NSFU
N6HVK
N6HVK
N6HVK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
N6HYK
DESCRIPTION
interface standards propagation packet BBS Pans
Yaesu control
064
less expensive computers
for C-64
Brass Racer review
w/o learning code
2.1 kHzSSBand4O0Hz
cooe practice
kayer review
lips
teaching
code practice
no code
teaching
koyers and decoder
keyer project, with schematic
review
CW learning psychology
induclance checker
m ai ntenance.'repai r
review
experimentation
conslruction
review
1 0 G Hz detector mount
FSfi*
winding ooils;foroid&
frame to lower anienna; review
frequency counter, review
Digital Auloranging
tips
safely switch
PC board fabrication
basic principles
k\\
DX primer
Canada {FN24)
HT review
Mt. Athos
using RTTY
IOTA designation
United Arab Emirates
1 60 meters
Mafyj Vysloskij
St. Pierre and Mk^uelon
Inl'l app. form (proposed)
software review
case tor their necessity
list
list
news
rules for
Nauru
Iceland
Pitcairn Island
Australia
Cambodia
Anita
Japan
Luxembourg
Christmas Island
pXpeditioners
DX how-10
ISSUE
JUN
JAN
JUN
JUL
AUG
JAN
AUG
DEC
SEP
JUL
FEB
JUL
DEC
JUL
JUL
JUL
MAR
JUL
MAY
JUL
DEC
JUL
NOV MAR JUL
JUN
DEC
FEB
OCT
DEC
MAR
NOV
SEP
JUN
AUG
AUG
JUN
JAN
JUN
JAN
DEC
FEB
MAY
JUN
JUL
SEP
NOV
DEC
AUG
JAN
SEP
JAN
JAN
JAN
JAN
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
JUN
JUL
AUG
HEP
NOV
DEC
JAN
JAN
Phenix in each issue for international news.
KZ1Z ham radio scnoof project
WB2J KJ NYC junior rad^o dub
KC0ES Humor
NA5E promoMng ham radio
WB2MGP cl assroom program
Norwood review
KOHBO easy approach
W5PFG remote
WB7CPT conslruction
KT2B Mid-Atianlic VHF Conference
KT2B best and worst of '87
W9JD bemg prepared
WD6HCL used equip, shopping caveats
WA6OHX buyer's guide
KA9KAF privileges
W6CK memoirs
W0CK memoirs
W6CK memoirs
W6CK memoirs
K A 1 H Y Leon id Lafjulin U A3CR
KA1PZV 14.275 MH*
VP2M L for QSL Managers
NA5E Canadian/Soviet Ham Trek
WA61TF radio nostalgia
W A61TF . 220 MHz and FCC
WASfTF 220 MHz and FCC
W1ZM history
WB5KYK calendar of meteor showers
KA&OVA tech nomad
N4RVE ham archetypes
W6PFG protection
W1XU planetary influence
W1XU the troposphere
W9ELR emergency Operallons
W7XU mobife antennas
WB2MIC review
Nit LRT Kenwood Mini mod
APR SEP JUL APR JUN JUL JUL
JUL JUL
JAN FEB AUG
JUN
SEP
DEC
FEB
MAR
APH
JUN
APR
APR
JUN
JAN
FEB
NOV
DEC
SEP
MAR
FEB
OCT
SEP
MAY
JUN
APP
NOV DEC AUG
pr40 p.4€ p.22 p..60 p.54 p.35 p.2S p.14
p.40 p.10 p.46 p.20 p.19 p.3T p,24 p.18 p 103 p.55 p. 06 p. 60 p.11 p.4
p22
P-34 p,39
p.42 P-95 p,32 p.40 p. 95 p.73 p. 11
P-42 p 10 p44 P-57
p.ao
p. 26
P-54
p 102 p. 75
p.15 p,84
p.85 p.87
P-71 p.S9 p.77 p 10
p. 7a
p.49 p32 p. 39
p.4& p,14 p. 31
p.a?
p. 106 p,1O0 p.87 p. 95 p.87 p,&9 p.73 pfl'1 p.28 p.11
p.14
p.46 p,44
p.ttO p.14 p.37 p34
p£e
p.14
p-62
p4S p.32 p.32 p.44 p.12 p.34 p.50 p. 50 P36 pB5 p,11 p85 p. 72 p.S6
p.ao
p.100 p23 P-22 P-11 p.35 p.39
p.et
p.76 p.13
p. 70
p-ea
p 19
73 Amateur Radio ■ December, 1988 09
—■
ARTICLE
MOBILE (contmved)
Mobile Antenna lor 2 Meiers
Ouest For Ultra Portahikty
7*0 Meiers Aboard lh& Winnebikd
WSE WP-727 and Com-Rad CR2/4A
PACKET
ATV
Bicyde-Motjile Packetaering
Digicom §4
Emergency "Pochsl" Packet
Pac-Comrn Micro Power TNC
Rachel
P&cfcel Tatk
Packet Talk
Packet Talk
Packet Tuning indicator
ORP
POWER SUPPLIES
Aula- VIM1
AulfrVIM
C-34 Power Supply
Charging, w/q Overcharging
Charger, NiCd
Inverter. Low Power
Ludvtgson Porta-Pow'r-Pak
Power Supply Modulo
QRP
QRP
QRP
Winnebiko's Solar Power System
PREAMPLIFIERS
1COM *G-35S Masi-Mounted 70cm Oscilloscope Preamplifier
RDF
Datonq DF package Direction-Fading Loop Homing In Homing In Smart "S". Meier
RECEIVERS
Converter Receiver Don-'t Lose Merino^
(COM IC^TOOQ
LF Eng L-101 S R-ac^iving System
Micro- 20 Receiver
ORP
REPEATERS
ATV
ATV
CES 51QSA-II interconnecl
Kenwood 4 tOQA
Lap-Top Hopoater ControlEar
Looking West
Looking West
Looking West
Maggiqre HI Pro Repeater
Motion AK-tO
Packet Talk
Repeater Controller
Uftimale Repeater I Dor
RTTV
RTTY.BAS
AUTHOR DESCRIPTION
W4JC Harada MT^
N4RVE Tech Nomad
N4RVE problem solving
KA1 H¥ review
WBBOCD EARWARN
N4RVE Pac-Comm
W2UP packet system C-64
WAtFHB portable digipeater
WBSMIC review
WB6RQN emergency communications
WBGFIQN modems
WB6RQN net protocols
WB6RQN NBFM radios for oackel
WSEKV lor $15
WB8VGE digital QHP modes
W4RML 5^15 V supply
W4RNL Part 2, Bench Supply
WA4GUW 3052 regulator replacement
YVGBVQR battery back-up charger
WB7CPT selectable
ND6T circuit
NASE review
K1BQT regulator
WB3VGE QRP5'er
WB8VGE solar cells
WB8VGE load- acid baltery
N4RVE schematic
KT2B preamplifier
Pugh op artd video amps
WA4BLC revle*
WA4U2M bandaid tuning box
KflOV inlroduclion
K8JOV loop anlennas
N6JSX circyh for T-hurttere
WB2EUF forVFO
K9ELJI RAMloEPR0MNllC0MR7lA
receiver K3RVMGGEZZ review
WB9RRT review
KTBQT loll superhet in DC receiver
WBflVGE Two-Fer recede r schematkr
ISSUE
MAR AUG FEB MAR
DEC
APR
AUG
APH
AUG
APR
MAR
JAN
FEB
DEC
JUN
AUG SEP
FEB DEC JUN MAY FEB APH FEB AUG DEC MAY
JAN AUG
MAR
JUL
NOV
DEC
AUG
|
YVBtfQCD |
coordination |
|
W&rjQCD |
cOfirdirUiLrtn |
|
WA4TEM |
review |
|
W3HW |
crossoand repeater mod |
|
KFSWO |
schematic |
|
WA6ITF |
coordination |
|
WASITF |
coordination |
|
WA61TF |
coordination |
|
K1ZJJH |
review |
|
KA1JJN |
review |
|
WBeRQN |
Oigipeeter |
|
N1AAQ |
low cost |
|
K7PF |
C w or voice |
MAY NOV FEB APR
FEB
MAY
NOV
NOV
NOV
MAY
JUL
AUG
NOV
OCT
JUN
JAN
NOV
p 26 p.2Q p. 12 p.31
p. 55 p41 p. 22 p24 p.40 p.67 p.77 p. 80 p.70 p,24 p.67
pl2 p27 p. 63 p.34 p. 74 p. 90 p.1& p. 20 p.BO p,76 p,71
p. 21 p.47
p. 39 0.22
P-1* p. 52 p24
MAR p.96
p,20
p.44 p.51 p. 29 p6Q
p.54
p.ea
::.1t p. 39 P27 p. 65 p. 96 p. 78 p.10 p.58 p.60 p.61 P-4S
WA3AJR
;-i\\YAv> neeodo, C&Gfi
JAN p84
ARTICLE
RTTY (continued) RTTYLOOp See correclion of RTTY.BAS, SEP p. 57 and MAY p.73
RTTV Loop
RTTY Loop
SATELLITES
Decatur Nam
Hamsais
Hamsais
Hamsais.
Hamsats
Hamsata
Hftmtats
Ham sat s
Hamsats
Hanisata
History of Project Oscar
Satellite Awards
UoSATs
UoSATs
Why DoSatallii.es?
TRANSCEIVERS
lOGHzpolaplexer
Allnco24T 144/440 MH*
Full Duplex 32AT
Going Microwave
Helping and Hopping |he HW-9
ICOM IC-375A 220 MHz Multi-Mode
ICOM IC-475A 70CM
ICOM IC 900 FM Transceiver
Kenwood TM-221 A 2 Meier
Kenwood TR-7&1 A Multi-mode VHF
Kenwood TS-1 40 HF
Midland 13-509
Pee Wee Thirty Transceiver
See correction in OCT issue, p.94 Pee Wee Thirty Transceiver Pulsed Bi-Pha&e Dlgild Pulsed Bi-Phase Communications System Ten Tec Paragon Transceiver TH- 110 Transceiver Yaesu FT-747GX Transceiver
TRANSMITTERS
Beacon Transmitter
Sea correction note tn JUN issue, p.100. ORP Tool a Transmitter for AM
TRANSVEHTERS
Above and Beyond Above and Beyond Deluxe Transverter for 1 7S0 M SSB Electronics LT-33S W2CRZ 902 MHz Linear
VIDEO/VISUAL
AEA PK-FAX Software
ATV
FAX Program, AEAPK-232
Inexpensive Display
Packets Full of Pixels
Weathersais
Wealheraats
Weathersats
Wealhersats
|
AUTHOR |
DESCRIPTION |
ISSUE |
|
|
WA3AJR |
PK-232 |
MAR |
PB1 |
|
MAY p.73 |
|||
|
WA3AJR |
,JCPR" soltware |
JUL |
p.ee |
|
WA3AJR |
PC-Pakratt Terminal Program |
AUG |
p.63 |
|
weeuuE |
launches educational sat |
DEC |
p28 |
|
WASZIB |
AMSAT OSCAR 10; corcanfeedhom |
MAR |
p. 64 |
|
WA5ZIB |
AM SAT OSCAR 1 1 |
APR |
p.74 |
|
WA52I8 |
AEA PK-232 modilicatiflin |
MAY |
py? |
|
WASzie |
upn nk, downlink modes |
JUN |
p.7B |
|
WASZIB |
AMSAT OSCAR 13 |
SEP |
p.67 |
|
WA5ZiB |
telemetry decoding, satellites |
JAN |
p.90 |
|
WASZIB |
tefemetry decoding, satellites |
FEB |
p.ftfl |
|
WA5ZIB |
the rnicrosata |
NOV |
p. 59 |
|
WASZIB |
as update |
DEC |
PJ95 |
|
K6LFH |
beginnings |
MAY |
p.27 |
|
WB5RMA |
diverse awards |
MAY |
pM |
|
NSAHD |
British connection |
MAY |
p.20 |
|
NSAHD |
British. Part 2 |
JUN |
p. 29 |
|
N5BF |
past and future |
MAY |
pll |
|
WBfltGP |
full-duplex on 3 cm |
OCT |
p.20 |
|
WA80HX |
review |
OCT |
p.t3 |
|
WB2MIC |
review |
oec |
p68 |
|
WB6N0A |
AflflTRlOGAlOGHz |
AUG |
p,70 |
|
WBWUZ |
adjustments |
FEB |
pSO |
|
KT2B |
review |
JUN |
p26 |
|
KT2B |
review |
JAN |
p.2t |
|
KT2B |
review |
APR |
P34 |
|
KT2B |
review |
NOV |
p. 13 |
|
N1BLH |
review |
FEB |
p. 18 |
|
WA4BLC |
review |
APR |
p.30 |
|
WS9YBM |
modiltcatlons |
DSC |
p,27 |
|
AC9E |
30 meier |
SEP |
p.30 |
|
AC9£ |
Pari 2 |
OCT |
p. 33 |
|
K6HH |
communications system |
JUN |
p34 |
|
K6HH |
Part 2 |
JUL |
p.40 |
|
NX2C |
review |
MAY |
p.14 |
|
K1BQT |
review |
APR |
p-24 |
|
WA4BLC |
review |
JUL |
p12 |
N4HCJ
circuit
MAR pJ6
|
WB8VGE |
The 6L8 Special |
JAN |
p 104 |
|
|
W2IMB |
106 kHz |
FEB |
p.44 |
|
|
KT28 |
LMW oscii circuit |
APR |
p63 |
|
|
KTSB |
LMW mixer board schemata |
JUN |
p.64 |
|
|
WD4PLI |
VLF band |
FEB |
p2l |
|
|
KT26 |
902 MHr linear; review |
OCT |
p.27 |
|
|
KT2Q |
33 cm |
OCT |
p.30 |
|
|
WBBOCD |
video |
APR |
P-38 |
|
|
WB4QCQ |
video soltware |
NOV |
p.77 |
|
|
WBOGAI |
Screenfax |
MAY |
p.49 |
|
|
N1VC |
WEFAX |
OCT |
P-77 |
|
|
WDHAOX |
packet scan |
OCT |
p-10 |
|
|
WBaDQT |
Image processtng, |
circuit |
JAN |
p.62 |
|
WB8DOT |
pixel values |
FEB |
P&4 |
|
|
WB8DQT |
image processing |
hardware |
APR |
p,72 |
|
WBSDQT |
scan converter software |
JUN |
p,70 |
'M learned a33 my code and Iheary while driving taandtrnm work, il, was easy." Learn detailed theory not only The questions and answers en your tesl. Novice, Tech., General, Advanced, Extra Iheary courses on audio casseUes SI 9-95 each .
Learn code from Q-23 wpm with one strutted course in easy sie ps . Each cassette cou rse 51 9 -M , V EC type code General or Ex- Irs exam iape C90 S7.95 sa $3.00 S/H each Iheory or corJe course. Exam tape si 1.00
VHS video cassettes will show you everything you need to know to pass your Novice, Tech or General theory tesl. Learn modulation. formulas, antennas, digital codes and more just by watching your TV. All courses are two 2-hour VHS video cassettes and one C-50 audio cassette 539.95 plus $S.0Q S/H 100% money back guarantee.
New cede words course takes you from 1 0 wpm to 35 wpm with Ihree 90 minute audio cassettes Learn common words and nunbers used in all CW contacts. Nothing to write down, Learn as your leisure 519,95 + S3, 00 P&rl
Write or call for free info.
Amateur padio school
2350 Rosafia Drive ■ Fullerton, California 92635
(714) 990-8442
Number 16 on your Feedback card
CIRCLE 2SS ON READER SERVICE CARP
Index:
December 1988
FP'311^ l-t-ifkiiit-'-l-prl'i Cp
2N2222A tt 27
Amiga .,..,.._,,.,,... 14
AMSAT-OSCAR 9,65
battery charging/regulation - . 3471
C-64H2S 14
Carolina Windom Antenna 49
Chrisimas Island 84
EARWARN NET.... 55
FET 21
Hitachi HMSrBI 16 22
ICOM32AT 68
IC0Mltfl71A 20
KIOV.JflftttteilPE... 53
K9EUI,8obRoehrig 20
KASKAF, Phil NowaK 12
KB1UM, Michael Jay Geier 72
KF6DF, Robert Fisher 95
KT2B,PetePutman 75
lightning protect 35
LM3$a/339 27,34
loop antenna . 52
Maiyj Vystoslty] 77
MC148B 14
Midland 13-509 ,,,.,27
Issue #339
|
NIFIDJimSammons |
4 » ■ I I |
,95 |
|
N6HYK,L#or>FtetChar |
,84 |
|
|
Neal., Ralph |
. 14 |
|
|
NOVRAM ....... |
|
.22 |
|
PK232 |
J M. m L L L |
. 95 |
|
PT-25QOA |
78 |
|
|
RDF |
5? |
|
|
RS^32.. |
, - - . |
. 14 |
|
SAREX-2 |
m |
|
|
TE-144K«y«r_ . r . |
. _ . . . |
. ii |
|
VP2MUChod Harris |
... 1 1 _ |
77 |
|
W1 XU, Jim Gray. . |
.-_... |
110 |
|
W2EKY, Ronald B.Koester . . |
, 24 |
|
|
W7KU,Ariis$N. Thompson . . |
. 63 |
|
|
WA3AJn,MarcLeaveyMD ,. |
107 |
|
|
WA46LC, Bill Ctarke |
. . m |
|
|
WA5Z18, Andy Mac Alliste r. . |
66 |
|
|
WA6ITF, Bill Pasternak |
.,83 |
|
|
WA9FPU, Men Short.,.,,. |
„ 19 |
|
|
WBflXD. Mike Stone |
. 55 |
|
|
WB2MIC, Hand-8onialEQwskJ . |
. 68 |
|
|
WB8VGE, Mike Bryce |
.71 |
|
|
WBSVOR, Dennis KnilteJ |
r r (J^ |
|
|
WB9YBM, Klaus Spie |
S , , . . . |
71 |
90 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
A FANTASTIC
GIFT
IDEA!
PRINTED
CIRCUIT
BOARD
CLOCK 17\x 17"
A unique gift for th« office or home.
Available colors:
blue/silver/white black/silver/white
green/gold (battery operated)
Price: $59,95 + $5-00 s/h
To order: Send check or M/O to:
WINTER DESIGNED CLOCKS 267 Court Road Winthrop,MA02!52 (617)846-5745
Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery
CIRCLE 64 ON READER SERVICE CARP
INDUSTRIAL PRINTER SALE
IDEAL FOR INVOICING, BUSINESS FORMS, PACKET RADIO, TELETYPE. OR ANY HEAVY PRINTING APPLICATION. WHY USE A GOOD LETTER QUALITY DOT MATRIX OR DAISY WHEEL FOR PRINTING INVOICES AND FORMS. MONITORING PACKET & RTTY WHEN A HEAVY DUTY DOT MATRIX PRINTER IS ALL THAT IS NECESSARY?
VICTOR 5080
> MADE FOR CONTINUOUS DUTY
• 4 INTERFACES STANDARD PARALLEL, BS-232. TTY. (EEE-aaa
• BI-DIRECTIONAL
• SQCOLUMN-IQOCPS
• FANFOLD OR ROLL PAPER
■ REJNKABLE RIBBON
■ HANDLES 6 PART FORMS
• COMMERCIALLY SOLD ATS11&5 00
NEW & FACTORY SEALED $109.00 FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO ORDER, PLEASE CALL:
HORIZON MANUFACTURING
■ 690 G REENLEAF AVE,, ELK GROVE JL 60007 ■ PHONE: 312-439-1234 FAX: 312^439—3799
ALL ORDERS SHIPPED BY UPS IL AND TX RESIDENTS INCLUDE APPLICABLE SALES TAX
CIRCLE 300 ON READER SERVICE CARD
jLETIN
CALL US NOW!
Your Ham Dollar Goes
Further At
call or write for special quote
When it comes (o
FAST DELIVERY HONEST DEALING ana
PROMPT/DEPENDABLE S-E-H-V-l-C-E back-up
We don't just adverse it — WE GIVE IT1
cc*>& Zieaf
In 1937, Stan Burghardt (W0IT)h because of his intense interest in amateur radio, began selling and servicing amateur radio equipment in conjunction with his radio parts business. We stand proud of this long-fasting tradition of Honest Dealing, Quality Products and Dependable "S-E-R-V-hC'E"!
Above all, we fully intend to carry on this proud tradition with even more new product lines plus the same "fair" treatment you've come to rely on. Our reconditioned equipment is of the finest quality with 30* 60 and even 90-day parts and labor warranties on selected pieces. And always remember:
SELECTION
SERVICE
SATISFACTION!
AMERICA'S MOST RELIABLE AMATEUR RADIO DEALER"
SELL-TRADE
New & Reconditioned
Ham Equipment
Call or Write Us Today For a Ouotef You'll Find Us to be Courteous, Knowledgeable
an J Honest
phone (605) 886-7314 fax (605) 886-3444
|
— WE |
SERVICE |
WHAT WE |
SELL — |
|
AEA |
Belden |
Icom |
Nye |
|
Altnco |
Bencher |
JerofdyDelhi |
Palomar |
|
Amerrtron |
Bird |
Kantronics |
Radio Callbook |
|
Amphenol |
Butternut |
KDK/Encomm |
Rohn |
|
Amp Supply |
Centurion |
KUI |
Telex/Hygain |
|
Antenna |
CES |
Larsen |
Ten-Tec |
|
Specialists |
Cushcraft |
MFJ |
Trio-Kenwood |
|
Astron |
Daiwa |
Mirage |
Unadilla/Reyco |
|
B & W |
Hustler |
Moseley |
Yaesu |
STORE HOUftS:
ft P.M. |OT)
MOHQlf Ife, FilDAT
OKIIUmtDATl
irMti p.m. (art aow©
MHIDMl HOI I D1T1
Write today for our latest Bulletin Used Equipment List.
182 N Maple
P.O. Sox 73
Watertown, SD 57201
Gef the most of HF Mobiling
Yaesu FT-747GX
SPECIAL OFFER!
CALL TODAY FOR SPECIAL QUOTE
CIRCLE 92 ON READER SERVICE CARD
7$ Amateur Radio • December, 1989 91
THE WORLD
1$ Yours Fir lily
$5.00
CBTOTEN
73 has led the way on CB-to-IO meter conversions. Take advantage of our offer to help you got oil IQmettfrS before the suiispots peak again, li's easy and saves you money!
# TitJe
Issue
Yes, places you've never even heard of! Nearly 400 DX coun- tries gleaned from the Awards Lists of dozens of IARU mem- bers—more countries than any other map available anywhere! ARRLs DXCC map doesn't even come close!
73 Magazine offers readers our giant DX Map of the World for the absurdly low price of only $5.00 plus SI postage & handling.
Mail Your Order To:
73 Magazine, WGE Center, Peterborough, NH 03458
1 Bandplan and Crystal Info May 77
2 Conversion Data fVlay 77
3 Kadio Shack TRC 47 Jul 77
4 E,F, Johnson Messenger 123A Jul 77
5 Hy-Gain 670B Jul 77
6 Arilerirm Suggestions Dec 77
7 Radio Shack Realistic TRC-1I Dec 77 tf The Fublieom ] Feb 78 9 How about SSB Conversions? Jul 7%
10 Radio Shack TRC- II and TRC74 Aug 78
1 1 Radio Shack R ed ist ic Mi ni 23 Sep 7S
12 Hy-Kangt:5&LA ;F[y-Gain| Sep 78 \:\ KracoKCB-2:i]OB Oct 78
14 Lafayette TL-tsatSSB- 75 Nov 78
1 5 Radio Shack Rea fistic TRC-452 No ■ v 78 16' CBWatkie^Tntki^ Conversion Nov 7fi 17 Sharp Mndel CB-80OA Jan 79
] H S BE Si debander 111 and Pa ce 1 2 3 A j a n 79
1 9 Midland 1 .3-882C and Other PLL Rigs May 79
20 Lafayette SSB-75 and SSB-lOO JutiTS
21 Royce 1-655 Nov 79
22 Johnson Viking 352 Nov 79
23 CBlu 10 FM Parti fanflO
24 CB In 1 0 FM - Pa rt II Feb SO
25 More Talk Power for 3 he TRC- 1 1 Mar 80
26 Sears RoadTa]kcr 40 Mar 80
27 Penney s SSB Rig Apr SO
28 The Poly-Paks 40 Channel CB Board jun 80
29 The Cobra 132 Jul 80
30 Mew Li f e Co r SSB C B R igs Jul SO
31 Double Your Channels in SSB Conversions Jul 80
32 On Ten FM Aug 80
33 Put That Hy Gain CB Board to Use Sep 80
34 P e-i k i n g and Twea king H y ■Gai n Boa rds M a r 82
35 CBLnCW?|Hy-Gain| Jul 82 3b Maximum Modulation for CB Conversions Dec 82 i? Beef Up Your CBto-CW Conversion Feb S3 33 Add a Digital Readout to Your CB Conversion Feb S3
Send S3. 00 for the first article and $1.50 each thereafter, jusl choose the article numbers and call with a credit card number or send a check or money order to: CB u> Ten, 73 Amateur Radio Magazine, WGE Center, Peterborough NH Q345& (60S-
525-4201}.
QSL Cards
W2NSD/1
StyteW
|
-.«,-w |
, |
|
™» |
|
|
« _ m |
|
Style X
Style V
Reverse
QSLs
Now you can get the highest quality QSL cards without spending a fortune! We put Lhese cards on our press as filler between jobs; it gives the pressmen something to do and lets us print QSLs for you at an absurdly low price.
Not that we skimp: All three styles are produced in two colors (blue globe or satellite with black type). At these prices, you can start the new year out right by QSLingall those disappointed hams who've been waiting for your card. Tell em the card was printed by Waynel
Name
Call
Address City
State
L Check
n Amex
D MC Expires
Zip
DVISA
Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. 73 Magazine, WGE Center Peterborough NH 03458, Attn: QSL Orders
Send me the cards and quantities indicated below. Style: DW DX DY Quantity: □ 100— $8.97
Please print your name and address □ 250— $19,97
exactly as it will appear on your □ 500— $39.97
cards : Please add $ 7 postage & handling
UNCLE WAYNES CODE TAPES
We've had so many phone calls fro m people wa n t ing our fa mo u s 73 code tapes that we 've decided to bring them, back!
Genesis
$6.95
5 wpm-This is the beginning tape, taking you through the 26 letters, 10 numbers and necessary punctua- tion, complete with practice every step of the way. The ease of learning gives confidence even to the faint of heart.
The Stickler
$6.95
6+ wpm-This is the practice tape for those who survived the 5 wpni tapef and it's also the tape for the Novice and Technician licenses. It is comprised of one solid hour of code, Characters are sent at 13 wpm and spaced at 5 wpm. Code groups are entirely random characters sent in groups of five— definitely not mem- orize ble!
Back Breaker
$6.95
13+ wpm-Code groups again, at a brisk 13+ wpm so you 11 be really at ease when you sit down in front of a steely-eyed volunteer examiner who starts sending you plain lan- guage at only 1 3 per. You'll need this extra margin to overcome the sheer panic universal in most test situa- tions. You've come this far, so dont get code shy now!
Courageous"
20+ wpm -Congratulations! Okay, the challenge of code is what's got- ten you this far, so don't quit now. Go for the Extra class license. We send the code faster than 20 per. Itrs like wearing lead weights on your feet when you run; you'll wonder why the examiner is sending so slowly!
Code Tapes
i
Genesis $6.95
The Stickler $6.95
Back Breaker $6.95
Courageous $6.95 — _ _ _
For FIRST CLASS MAIL, add an addi- tional $ 1 .50 for prompter delivery.
Name
I
[ Address ,
\ City
I
Cal
State
Z'P
□ AE " MC H VISA • Cdeck/MO Card n Exp. Date
Mail your order lo 73 Magazine, WGE Center, Peterborough NH 03458
92 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
UNCLE WAYNES BOOKSHELF
Aw right, a'ready! NOW, the popular electronics and amateur radio books you've been hounding poor old Uncle Wayne for are here! Now you can build up your hamshack library with these soft-cover favorites, . .
•The Packet UMUy Handbook
by Jonathan L. Mayo KR3T 11 . . .an excellent piece of work. Well worth reading for both the experienced and the new packeteer- . .the definitive guide to amateur packet operation.*'
— Gwyn Reedy WIBEL Only $14.95
•Tic Bcglmtf s lawbook el Amateur ftadln
— m tfflllon by Clay tester
Combines theory and practice in an easy-to-un- derstand format, and provides information for choosing and installing radio receivers and trans- mitters, antennas, transmission lines, and test equipment, 400 pages, 291 illustrations $16.95
•&X Power: Eflecllvt Techniques (or fcadio Amateurs by Eugene B. niton K5RSG
256 pages, 10 illustrations $10.00
•Secrets ol Ham Mu imnq
by Dave Ingram K4TWJ
(Hard Cover only) 176 pages, 102 illustrations $12.95
lustrations $1 7,95
•TPiismlifer Himlliig: Gatio Dlrecilon filling simplified
by Joseph D,
MoellKWVand
Thomas N Curtee
WB6UZZ
336 pages, 248 il-
TRANSMITTER HUNTING
RAWO BBtfClTON
,.lKn «*i»fc*«'
vm** **•»■*
•The Digital mitt by Jim Grubbs K9EI
Your guide to the fascinating worlds of commu- nication that have just opened for thousands of amateur radio operators. Now you can learn about everything from Morse code to the latest in packet radio technology. $9,95
•the Commodore Hams C01|aaiH by Jim Grubbs K9EI
160 pages of useful information on selecting a Commodore computer for the ham shack, where to find specialized programs, the Commodore-packet con- nection, and more! $9.95
•Master taidtoel of ioai Clrcalis — SeM- SiaR Edition
by Kendall Webster Sessions With this outstanding reference in hand, electronics hobbyists and professionals will never have to search for schematics again. Completely updated* the book is thoroughly indexed and all 1001 circuits are clearly illustrated. 420 pages. $19,95 soft cover
•The Confesi m*\ml by Bill Zachary N60P
One of ham radio's winningest contesters lets you in on the tips and techniques of the Big Guns, You'll learn which duping method to use, find out what equipment you'll need, and discover the secret of building a pileup, includes separate chapters on DX and domestic contests. $5.95 while they last!
•TIC MiffC *1 Um feMHfl by Jerold Swank KWSHXR, begins with a brief history of amateur radio and Jerry's involvement in it, Part 2 details many of ham radio's heroic moments, Hamdom+s close ties with the continent of Antarctica are the subject of Part 3, In Part 4 the strange and humorous sides of ham life get their due. And what of the future? Part 5 peers into the crystal balk Only $4.95
•W«K fltSS ScrKCtS Frequence (ITT*) by Thomas Harrington WSOMV
A comprehensive manual covering Radioteletype news monitoring — contains all information — antenna, receivers, terminal units, plus three extensive fre- quency lists. Covers 65 World Press Services broadcasting in English, 'The Original Press Book/' 84 pages, $8*95
•GTTY imy by Dave Ingram K4TWJ
The new and only up-to-date RTTY book in existence. Covers all facets of RTTY— RTTY and Home Computers — most comprehensive RTTY guide ever published. Fully illustrated. A must for RTTY fans. 1 12 pages. $8,95
•SlKtrlWdVt CJaRdeSilie CMlltfenilai by Gerry L. Dexter
Fascinating reading—new book covers all clandestine broadcasting, country by country — tells frequencies, other unpublished information — spy — insurgents — freedom fighters — rebel — anarchist radio— secret radio— covers all. Current publication. 84 pages $8,95
•saieiiiic an* cmt TV
Scrambling and De scrambling by Brent Gale & Frank Bay tin . This new book was written for readers who do not have a technical education, but who want to have an understanding of the technology of satellite and cable scrambling and descrambting. 256 pages. $19.95
•Sll0rl¥*« Wfecriri by Frank Baylin
A complete directory listing all domestic and foreign station frequencies data from 1 .6 MHz to 30 MHz, Over 6,000 listings of Air Forces, Navies, Army, energy, emergency, spy, smugglers, piratc/dandestines, aero federal space, Interpol and many more services. Covers all types of transmission modes, SSB, RTTY, FAX, CW and AM. $17.95
•The flldtien Signals on SalCUlie TV by Thomas P. Harrington and Bob Cooper Jr.
New book shows and tells how to tune in the many thousands of Telephone, Data, Telex, Teletype, Facsimile Signals on most of the TV Satellites, covers equipment, hook-ups, where to tune. Only book covering these secret signals on the satellites, plus all subcarriers. 234 pages. $19.95
•tf TE nurse Titer
Floppy disk for IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles, Learn the International Morse code or improve your capabilities. One diskette will take you from beginner through extra class in easy self-paced lessons. Standard or Fa rns worth mode. Code speeds from 1 to over 100 words per minute. $20.00
•the mm is nun w m% *s.i»o
Yes, places you've never even heard of! Nearly 400 DX countries gleaned from the Awards Lists of dozens of 1ARU members— more countries than any other map available anywhere! ARRL's DXCC map doesn*l even come close! 73 Magazine offers readers our giant DX Map of the World (in classic black and white) for the absurdly low price of only $5,00 plus $1.00 postage and handling,
I ' ~ I
i tlieic wape's fcttksheif trder F#rm i
• □ The Magic of Ham Radio $4,95 (
□ The Contest Cookbook, . . . . , . $5+95
I □ The Packet Radio Handbook $14+95 I
...$16,95 |
...$10.00 | .... 17,95
□ The Beginner's Handbook of Amateur Radio
I! DX Power: Effective Techniques for Radio Amateurs .
I
□ Transmitter Hunting: Radio Direction Finding Simplified
$9.95
.9.95 I
□ The Digital Novice *.. .■,.**.
I □ The Commodore Ham's Companion .
| C Master Handbook of 1001 Circuits . ,,..*.,,.. 19.95 f
I □ World Press Services Frequencies (RTTY) 8.95 |
□ RTTY Today $8.95 ,
□ Shortwave Clandestine Confidential 8.95
1 □ Satellite and Cable TV Scrambling ... 19.95 I
I
D Shortwave Directory 17.95
□ The Hidden Signals on Satellite TV $19.95
□ GGTE Morse Tutor floppy disk $20.00
Add $1.00 for postage & handling. For FIRST CLASS MAIL add an additional $1.50 for prompter delivery
Please Print! Total Enclosed
Name Call-
Address City
State
DAE
DMC
f VISA
Zip
Card ti
D Check/ Money Order Exp. Date
I
Mail ynuT order to 73 Magazine. W(*E Center, Peterborough Ml 03458 Attn: Uncle Wayne
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 93
AUTOPATCH
WITH REPEATER CONTROLLER
CES 510SA-II FEATURES:
« Simplex sampling for fixed station ■
operation
• Half or full duplex operation for repeater use
* Variable sample window and sample * rate in simplex
» Mobile access via single- or mult I- *
digiiOTMF codes » Remotely programmable functions
Include connect code, activity timers,
and toll restrict
Regardless of your autopatch requirements,
reliable, long term service for amateur fixed
Supplies programmable logic tor use as a repeater controller, including XMIT hang time, TOT, CW ID interval, and courtesy beep Remote base station operation enabled by special security code Reverse patch capable, automatic ringout upon receipt of an Inbound call Four selectable CW IDs for repeater or patch time out, patch on, and error message
the CES Model StOSA-ll will Supply station or remote repealer sites,
Make The
<~Ul
Connection
Communications Electronics Specialties, Inc.
931 S. Semoran Blvd./ Suite 218 Winter Park, FL 32792
i -
SUPER VAK-TENNA 0nlyS149. :
ifllUW- - mOMHz ACTHE RSCEiVS ANTENNA
The fe Vol u nonary SUPER VaK-TENNA advances ihc state- of-the-art by providing superb reception, extremely wide coverage, small size and SUCTION CUP MOUNTING in on* compact an term a ! Low noise/ High, gain 14 db for bet- ter) active imp]ifi*r is built in for u ^surpassed reception. A Female BNC cDnnectof connects to your receiver, [J feet of coax cable and L 15V AC power unit are alao supplied.
Kathy $4
*The.\f pyodiif!* are A -OK!'
I SUCTION CUP MOUNT VAK-TENNA! I Only S29, 9t
IDEAL FOR APARTMENTS OR OFFICES!
H K
jj Mount this antenna to your window for the BEST \ coverage. Two VERY powerful suction cups hold firmly | for weeks. Whips telescope to 79" yet fold to only 12". | This Antenna is a MUST for people who trAvel! Receives jj 30-500 MHz or transmit 70-2 JO MHz with up to 30 I watts? Complete with 151 of coax and choice of FL259, 1 BNC Motorola or F connector,
ELECTRON PROCESSING. INC P,Q. BOX 708
SIGNAL INTEWSIFIER
Priced from $29,
w
A HEARING AID FOR YOUR
RECEIVER OR SCANNER!
■The State of che An in
WIDEBAND preamp&r
Make small antennas perform like BIG Qhef!
■ Fully Assembled and BUILT TO LAST!
- 110 VAC or 12 VDC powered?
■ VHF/UHF or MF/HF RV&ifebfcJ 1 Many models? Send for specs!
Add S3 Shipping/Handling. NT add Sales Tax
MEDFORD, NY 11763 (516) 764-9798
SEND FOR MORE 3ETAILS!
US WAPE?
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
Order any produce (except software} from EPI and if not satisfied return it within 15 days for a full refund {less shipping .'handlirsE).
CIRCLE 291 ON READER SERVICE CARD
S
Give a piece of history, give.-.
VibropletT
"the oldest name in amateur radio tr ft
NOW ORDER TOLL-FREE! DIAL t-aOO-AMATEUR
Hear what
experienced operators
say about Vibroplex
Barney E. Severns WB6QGG ". . . . If s a pleasure to find a few "old-time" companies still doing business in the old manner. 73ss . . ."
Richard M McGarry W4CXH
J After more than 40 years of deal i ng with Vibroplex, I would fiketo thank you for the many courtesies extended to me. f think you are exemplary of the old-time American companies that provide service . . ."
Now that you have their wofffon it, take our word. Vibroplex guarantees satisfaction. Order your key today. Also available: carrying cases and other key gifts.
See your dealer or write for an The Vibroplex Company, Inc. P.O. Box 508 DTS illustrated catalog detailing our 98 Elm St Portland, Maine 04101
world famous prod ucts to: circle sei on reader service cari
park\^Antennas i
A * Install Fast*A^J« Extend Range * Improve Recepiion * The Sparky J -Antenna is a flexible hilf wave radj-aror fed bj 1/2 wavelengths of low loss coav through an efficient linear matching transformer. Sparky J'& neat duckies, 1/4, & 5/8 wave antennas,, nee J 04 ground plane. Low flat 5 WR curve gpvejedge to edge band c&vtngo. Great ptfrtabti-- rolls up to fit id pc-ckcr. Completely assembled with BSC connecrar. iily hidden ■ Effective indoors « out. • Money ^back guarantee * Atai lahlc for fvtn band from 14 to 440 MHz
5 39?5 each T™ for S 65?° W & P & H ]jit. pack Si bv tst^liif mjil A ft tCHftflS WCSt
0&& Provo, UT 84605 (801) 373-8425,
-
M
FOR THE BEST IN LINEAR AMPLIFIERS, ANTENNA TUNERS, TRANSCEIVERS, METERS ETC. REPLACEMENT PARTS, FAC- TORY SERVICE, NEW PRODUCT INFO, DOMESTIC, INTER- NATIONAL DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED,
POBoxH E. Rockaway, LI NY 11518, USA TLX 4758244 516i536-2620
ctetai
$
£fy&
FttidZo ao. Inji.
Subscription Problems? Change of Address?
Our new toll-free number is: 1-800-525-0643
Colorado/Foreign Subscribers: 1-303-447-9330
CFRCU 5 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 263 ON READER SERVICE CARD
AR-2002
Owners
Never buy another fast scan
ATV receiver converter! Convert your AR-2002 Professional Moni- tor Receiver to receive VIDEO on 439.250 MHz, 910,250 MHz through 1289.250 MHz. AM or FM TV with our IF/Detector Modules.
Send SASE for information to:
Bill Trulock— ATV
P.O. Box 11254
Fort Wayne, IN 46856
CIRCLE 94 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Tech tips
Number 32 on your Feedback card
PS Fix for the PK-232
The AEA PK-232 is a very popular terminal unit. I've had mine for a year now. Recently, though, tt developed a problem. The Pakratt sometimes lost its presets in memory, even though the memory backup batteries checked out OK. The three LEDs on the left side of the display lit up randomly, The unit sometimes locked up and didn't print a thing.
I soon found out that the problem was in the voltage regulator connection to the cir- cuit board, A screw with lock washer and nut at the bottom of the board loosened up, due to the heat sink temperature. This screw connects the output of the regulator from the heat sink tab to the circuft board. Tightening down this screw improved the connection, but there is a better way and permanent fix to this problem.
To make a permanent fix, solder a wire to the center tab of the LM-317T voltage regulator and the other end to the anode of diode D12< If the tab is cut off too short, you wifl have to replace the IC with a new one. (Radio Shack has them in stock.) Apply heat sink compound to the regulator rC before mounting it to the heat sink unit. To remove the circuit board from the chassis, unscrew the six screws on the top of the board and the knob, and nut on the threshold pot on the front of the unit. The board will then lift out (don't bend any of the LEDs), You may have to hold the screws on the bottom from turning to loosen up the top ones. After you are done with the modification, carefully replace the board and align it, then replace the six screws, nut, and knob,
Recheck connections before applying voltage to the unit, then fire it up. Be sure the memory batteries have been replaced. You will get the autobaud message asking to print an ""* to set the RS-232 port. The Baudot LED will be lit. Reset the missing presets. Turn off the unit, unplug the power then replace the top of the metal cabinet and the six screws. Now. install the unit as before and plug in the power and RS-232 cable and you're ready for problem-free operation.
Remember to observe safety precautions when working around ICs lo prevent static shock damage, and watch your soldering to prevent shorts and damage to the printed wiring.
I love my Pakratt and have been very satisfied with its performance, Although you may not have this problem for a while, it will eventually come upT so don't pull your hair out until you check this regulator connection. What seems like a complex problem may be this simple. Here is the
Pearls of Tech Wisdom
corporate address if you need them for advice or IC upgrades. AEA Inc.. Units O&P, 2006 196th S.W.. Lynwood, WA 98036: (206) 775-7373.
Robert Fisher KF6DF
5994 Arden Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92404
Lightning Protector
As I settled the dust in the new shack, I found that my previous lightning protect sys- tem was inadequate. I sifted through the materials that had been pack-ratted away and came up with a system that satisfied my needs,
The materiafs I used were; a sheet metal box, measuring 7* cubed, enough SO-239s for each of the antenna systems I have, cop- per braid stripped from old coaxial cable, star washers and nuts to secure the SO-239 to the box, solder and soldering iron, and a drill.
On the bottom of the sheet metal box, I drew a pattern of the SO-239S, leaving enough space between each to allow secur- ing with star washers and nuts. I also left enough room to label each one. I then drilled the patterns and reamed the holes to take off any sharp edges. I connected the SO-239s in series by soldering the end terminals to the copper braid A short strip of braid was cut and soldered to the shielding coupler of each SO-239, to insure complete grounding. I cut a longer strip of copper braid long enough to reach the ground rod outside the shack. The series of SO-239s then fed through the open end of the box, so the threaded end protruded through the pro- drilled patterns. The SO-239s were then se- cured with the star washers and nuts and labeled. The longer strip was run to the ground rod and secured with a damp.
This system saved me the cost of buying commercially made lightning arresters and splicing my coaxial cable. Now when the thunder starts to rumble, I simply screw my coaxial connectors to my home-brew lightning arrester and pray like everyone else that 1 don't take a hit. I do feel better, however, knowing that, if I do take a direct hit, the energy will not travel to my radio gear. I would rather replace my antenna system than expensive radios.
Jim Sammons N1 FID
Route 2, Box 3530
Jodie Lane
Fairfield Center, ME 04937
Have a Tech Tip? Send it int Authors of printed Tech Tips receive a free one-year subscription to 73Magazin&.
QRZ CONTEST!
VHF Contest Software for PC Compatibles $39.95 postage paid
— Covers all VHF and UHF contests
— Includes the 70 MHz European band -• Menu driven and user friendly
—> Color and options user configured
— Grids worked display on-line!
— Full dupe checking
— Complete log editor included
— Handles 4000 contacts with 5 12 K
— Demo-version available S5 .00
+ HF Version to be available soon!
ATFAB Computers and Electronics
P.O. Box 4766
Maineville, OH 45039
(513)683-2042
AT fab n
0
Accepted
CIRCLE 3S7 ON READER SERVICE CARD
PC Stow Scan $149.95
A comptete stow scan te*evisiori station lor your l8MPCorcompatt>te Send and recede mages rt up to iQ shades of gray oeperxing upon your graphics card and printer
DemodJaior Modulator Tb Page Manual Software Tutorial Cassette
■ KXJLYeS.
Ham transceiver PC with 640K Par aflei Port Graphics Card Tape Recorder Serial port Stow Scan Formats: B 12,17 23.34.3.6.46 72 sec
r
Software Systems Consulting 1303 S.Ola Vista San Clemente, CA 92672 (714) 498-5784
CIRCLE 244 ON READER SERVICE CAR©
NEW! Made Easy & Fun
Introducing the most Comprehensive and Easy- to-use code course available today f —MORSE TUTOR is available for IBM PC, XT, AT. PS/2 and compatibles
FEATURING!
* 1-100 word/mmuie code speeds
* Standard or Famswortn modes
* Adjustable code frequency
* Over 1 Billion possible random QSOs
* Letter, number, and punct. mark coverage
* Self calibrating/menu driven design
* Display text— while listening or after copying
To Upgrade or learn CW. Send check or M.O. for $19.95 * $2S&Hlo:
Tutr
REFER TO 0ST JUL Y 88 P 49
_
21881 Summer Circle, Dept. MTS Huntington Beach, CA. 92646
CA. Residents add $1 .20 sales tax
WW AVAILABLE THRU UNCLE WAYNE'S BOOKSHELF THE AHHL iFFME DEALERS EVERYWHERE
CIRCLE 339 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988 95
Number 33 on your Feedback card
ADVERTISERS
R.S.# page
65 AEA 108
+ ARRL 109
243 AXM 85
279 Ace Communications {C A) 42
355 Ace Communications (IH) 15
335 Ace Systems .,-._. 23
68 Aerospace Consulting , . . 53
194 All Electronics 47
■ Amateur Electronic Supply SB
288 Amateur Radio School 90
314 Amentron 81
89 Antennas West 28
90 Antennas West 2B
236 Antennas West . , , . . . 73
302 Antennas West 47
303 Antennas West 1 04
304 Antennas West 104
5 Antennas West 94
107 Antennas West 53
82 Antennex 73
271 Antique Radio Classified 28
338 Ashton 5*1
■ Associated Radio 86
1 6 Astron Corp 41
357 At Fab 95
363 Atlas Radio 111
105 Atlas Radio 104
158 Azimuth Communications ...-., 86
137 BAB instruments 16
53 Barker and Williamson 79
41 Barry Electronics 43
42 Bilal 47
94 BilfTrulockK9RKA-ATV 94
176 Bird Electronics 37
156 Buckmaster Publishing 28
7 Buckmaster Publishing 73
92 Burghardt 91
• Butternut Electronics 37
R.S.# page
356 C&S Sates 51
• COMB. ... ... 73
• CBC Internationa] .... 53
• CES 94
* Call Sign Cups 15
157 Cleveland Institute 73
186 Coaxial Dynamics 109
343 Comm-Pute 2Q
99 Communications Concepts . , . . . 47
121 Communications Electronics ...33
10 Communications Specialists ... 99
345 Computer Radio 85
12 Connect Systems , 1
* Control Products Unlimited .... 15
306 Creative Control Products 73
147 Data Com International 74
352 DATAK ■ 18
* Delaware Amateur Radio 26
263 Dentron 94
102 Dentron 102
103 Centronics 73
15 Doppler Systems 74
339 DRSI 96
112 BH, Yost 53
133 EGE„ 112
291 Electron Processing 94
• Electronic Equipment Bank
...47,53,104
8 Elktronics 85
* Engineering Consulting 85
58 Fox Tango 74
339 GGTE 95
17 GLS Electronics 40
327 GTI 73
326 GTI , 80
72 Glen Martin Engineering 74
273 Gordon West Radio School 104
346 Great Circle Maps 15
R.S.# page
175 HalTronix. 38
* The Ham Station 83
* HamtrOnics(NY) 25
309 Hamtronics (PA) . . . 67
* Heath Company 100, 101
303 Horizon Manufacturing 91
269 Hustler . . .„ 109
354 ICOM C2
84 iCOM 69
358 Intercon Data . 80
97 International Radio 86
272 Jun's Electronics . . . 107
235 K-40 Bl
* Kenwood C4, 7, 8
11 L.L.Grace 64
23 Larson Antennas . , 2
320 MAO Electronics 53
24 MFJ ... 3
25 Madison Electronics 23
47 Maggiore Electronics 66
336 Magnaphase . . 85
* Maryland Monogram 23
1 01 Maxcom 88
241 Media Mentors . . 37
162 Michigan Radio 21
348 Micro Computer Concepts 48
295 Micro Control Specialities .,,,,. 18
252 Midland Technology 48
187 Mission Consulting 48
1 63 Mobil© Mark Antennas ..... 38
127 Motron Electronics 80
* N6KWQSLS 53
323 National Tower 31
349 Naval Electronics 40
130 Nel-Tech 48
* Nemal Electronics 100
292 Omar Electronics 53
i PC Electronics 40, 54
152 PaoComm 23
1 78 Pacific Cable 47
R.S.# page
68 Periphex .;,,, 28
66 Pi po Communications 16
87 Printer Productivity , 15
30 QEP's 28
145 QSO Software 40
1 15 RF Connection 48
142 RF Enterprises ,98
78 RF Microtech 28
* Hr Parts ■ . , .,,.... u ......... . 51
356 Rad-Comm 48
150 Radio Works . 43
34 Ramsey Electronics 39
254 Ross Distributing 28
73 S&F Amateur Radio 51
1 4 Sangean America 26
332 Satellite City 16
73
* CBtoTen 92
* Code Tapes 92
* DX Map . . , 92
* QSLs 92
* Subscription 17
* Uncle Wayne's Bookshelf 93
274 Smiley Antennas SB
250 Software Systems 48
244 Software Systems 95
51 Spectrum Communications .... 82
183 Spectrum International .,.,.... 65
37 Star Tone Electronics . . 26
232 TE Systems 38
268 Todd W. Skogen 53
* Tropical Hambore© 50
136 Unadilla 48
* Univerisal Amateur Radio . . 18
298 VHF Communications 53
79 Vanguard Labs 53
361 Vioroplex 94
38 W9INN _ „ 28
353 William Nye 32
64 Winter Design Clocks ...... 91
165 Yaesu C3
351 Zeltwanger Electronics 21
Easiest Packet Radio Ever!
Is F E A R keeping you from joining the thousands of hams who are having the time of their lives with packet? FEAR no more! Here's the easiest packet radio set up yet — and you don't even need to buy one of those TNCs — just let your PC do the work. The DRSI PC* Packet Adapter plugs into your IBM PC (or clone) and gets you on the air In min- utes. Seconds even. The one-page Quick -Start-Guide will have you instantly going like an expert. It doesrft even keep you from using your PC for other work! Now. in addition to everything else, you'll have a dual-port TNC with cross-band digipeating,,.even if you don't even know what that means right now. Find out why thousands of hams are so excited — get your feet wet in packet with the DRSI system. Its only $139.95,
.^^ ^^L ^^ ^^ ^^
To get going on the HF bands you'll want the DRSI HF* Modem/ Tuning Indicator — an extra $79,95. Go first class and get both — or stick to VHF with the basic POPacket Adapter. Find out for your- self why packet is the fastest growing phase of amateur radio today. It's a ballf See it at your dealer today.
AAA
Digital Radio Systems, Inc.
2065 Range Rd. A Clearwater, FL 34625 A
Packet Radio
without a
Packet Radio TNC
[800] 999-0204 [81 3] 461 -0204
96 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
CIRCLE 229 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Number 34 on your Feedback card
DEALER DIRECTORY
CALIFORNIA
Burbank New HAM store open and ready to make a DEAL. We carry all lines, ship UPS, and arc open Sunday. A-TECH ELECTRONICS, 1033 Hollywood Way, Burbank CA 91505; (818) 845-9203.
San Diego Hard to find parts, surplus electronics, standard line items. Hams, hobbyists, industrial professionals — from nuts & bolts to laser diodes ... Electronically speaking, Gateway's got it! M-F 9^5:30 Sat. 9-5. GATEWAY ELECTRONICS, 4633 Convoy St., Sail Diego CA 92 1 1 1 ; (619) 279-4802.
COLORADO
Denver
Hand to find pans, surplus electronics, standard line iten^ Hams, hobbyists* industrial professionals— from nuts & bolts to laser diodes.. Electronically speaking. Gateway's got it! M-F 9-5:30 Sat, 9-5. GATEWAY ELECTRONICS, 5115 N, Federal Blvd. #32, Denver CO 8022 1; (303)458 5444.
Englewood Rocky Mountain Amateur/ Short wave Specialists. Ten-Tec. Yaesu, JRC-NRD* Sony. MRL KLM, and other fine gear. New and Used, Vi%a/MC. Antennas, Books , and Discount Prices, too! ALLIED APPLI- ANCE & RADIO. 4253 South Broadway , Engle- wood, CO 801 10; (303) 761-7305.
DELAWARE
New Castle Factory authorized dealer! Yaesu. ICOM, Ten-Tec. KDK, Kenwood, AEA. Kantrontcs. Santcc. Full line of accessories. No sales tax in Delaware One mile off 1-95. DELAWARE AMATEUR SUP- PLY, 71 Meadow Road, New Castle l)L 19720; (302) 328-7728.
Wilmington Delaware's friendliest bam store, Also Shortwave supplies. AMATEUR & ADVANCED COMMU- NICATIONS, 3208 Concord Pike, Wilmington DE 19803: (302)478-2757.
FLORIDA
Stuart
Radio Shack Computers and all other equipment . Nationwide. Best prices. Call FREE on orders over S5<L COTRONICS INC., Radio Shack Dealer, 2200 S.E. Federal Highway, Stuart, FL 34994
(407) 2JWi-3<U0.
[
IDAHO
1
Preston Ross WB7BYZ has the largest stock of amateur gear in the Intcrmountain West and the best prices. Call me for all your ham needs. ROSS DIS~ TRIBITING. 78 S. Statet Preston ID 83263; (208) 852-0830.
Wellington We have it! ASTRON. BUTTERNUT, ENCOMM,
HEATHKIT, GORDON WEST. KANTRONICS. LASER COMPUTERS, MFJ, RADIO SHACK, TEN-TEC, VALOR ANTENNAS & more. Small town service with discount prices. D ANDYS, 124 So. Washington, Wellington, ICS. 67152, (316)326-6314.
Littleton
Reliable hamstorc servicing New England, Full line of Kenwood and I COM stocked and serviced. AEA. ARRL Publications. AnphenoL Alpha Delta. Austin, Avanli, Alinco, Ameco, Bencher. B&W. Cu she raft, Carol Cable, Daiwa. Hustler. KLM. Kcnpro, Larsen, Rohn, RF Concepts* Tokyo Hy- po wcr. Trac Kcycrs, Vibroplcx, Wei/,, etc, TEL- COM, INC., 675 Great Road (Rl. 119) Littleton MA 01460; (508) 486-3400. (3040).
St. Ixiuts
Hard to find parts, surplus electronics, standard line items. Hams, hobbyists, industrial professionals — from nuts & bolts to laser diodes.., Electronically spiking, Gateway's got n! M-F 9 >-3n Sat 9 _s.
GATEWAY ELECTRONICS, 8123 Page Blvd., St, Louis MO 63130; (314) 427-61 16.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Derry
Serving the ham community with new and used equipment. We stock and service most major lines: AEA, Astron, B&W, Cu she raft. Eneomm, Hy- Gain. Hustler. ICOM, Kenwood, KLM. Larsen, Mirage. Moslcy; books, rotors, cable and connec- tors. Business hours Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Thursday 10-7. Closed Sun. /Holidays. R1VENDELL ELECTRONICS, 8 Londonderry Road, Derry NH 03038; (603)434-5371 .
NEW JERSEY
Eat un I own
Electronics Supplies for amateurs. Ten -Tec, Barker and Williamson. Cushcraft. Hustler, etc. ATKIN- SON AND SMITH, 17 Lewis St., Ealontown NJ 07724(201)542-2447,
Lyndhursi A full service Ham Radio Store! Discount sales and service on most major brands. Monday to Friday 10:00am to 7:00pm. Saturday 9:00am to 3:00pm "A mile south of Re. 3, ABARIS SYSTEMS. 227 Stttyvesant Avenue, Lyndhurst NJ 0707); (201)939^)015.
Park Ridge Bergen County's oldest and only SWL/Amateur dealer. Specializing in HF receiving systems, anten- nas t ham/SWL accessories* books. Kenwood, JRC, Yaesu, Icoro. 1 mile from Garden State Parkway Exit 172. Tu-Fri 10-5; Sat 10-3. GILFER SHORTWAVE, 52 Park Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ 07656; (201) 391-7887.
NEW YORK
Jamestown
Western New York's finest amateur radio dealer
featuring 1 COM~Larsen- AE A-Hamtronics-As- tron. New and used gear. VHF COMMUNICA- TIONS, 915 North Main St., Jamestown NY 14701. (7 1 61664-6345.
New York New York City's Largest Full Service Ham and commercial Radio Store. BARRY ELECTRON- ICS, 512 Broadway, New York NY 10012; (212) 925-700(1,
NORTH CAROLINA
J
Greensboro 9a.m. to 7p.m. Closed Monday. ICOM our special- ty-Sales & Service- F&M ELECTRONICS, 3520 Rockingham Road, Greensboro NC 27407; (919) 299-3437.
Columbus
Central Ohio's full -line authorized dealer for Ken- wood , ICOM. Yaesu, Ten-Tec, Info-Tech, Japan Radio, AEA, Cushcraft, Hustler, and Butternut- New and used equipment on display and operational in our 4000 sq.ft. store. Large SWL department, too. UNIVERSAL AMATEUR RADIO, 1280 Aida Drive, Reynoldsburg (Columbus) OH 43068; (61 4 j 866-4267.
PENNSYLVANIA
Trevose Same Location for over 38 years. HAMTRONICS, DIV. OF TREVOSE ELECTRONICS, 4033 Brownsville Road, Trevose PA 19047; (215) 357- 1400.
TENNESSEE
Memphis M-F 9-5; Sat 9-12; Kenwood. ICOM, Ten-Tec, Cushcraft, Hy-Gain, Hustler, Larsen. AEA, Mi- rage, Ameriiron, etc, MEMPHIS AMATEUR ELECTRONICS, 1465 Wells Station Road, Memphis TN 38108; Call Toll Free: (800) 238- 6168.
TEXAS
Dallas
In Dallas since 1960. We feature Kenwood, ICOM, Yaesu, AEA, Butternut, Rohn, amateur publica- tions* and a full line of accessories. Factory autho- rized Kenwood Service Center ELECTRONIC CENTER, INC. 2809 Ross Ave., Dallas TX 75201; (214) 969-1936.
Houston Hard to find parts, surplus electronics, standard line items, Hams, hobby ists* industrial professionals— from nuts & bolts to laser diodes.,. Electronically speaking. Gateway's got it! M-F 9-5:30 Sat. 9-5 GATEWAY ELECTRONICS, 10645 Richmond Ave, 0100, Houston TX 77042; (713)978-6575.
Southwest Houston Full line of Equipment and Accessories, in-house service, Texas 01 Ten Tec Dealer! MISSION COMMUNICATIONS, 11903 Alief-Clodinc, Suite 500, Houston TX 77082; (713) 879-7764.
DEALERS
Your company name and message can contain up to 25 words for as little as $300 yearly (prepaid), or SI 75 for six months (prepaid). No mention of mail-order business permitted . Directory text and payment must reach us 60 days in advance of publication. For example, advertising for the April *88 issue must be in our hands by February 1st. Mail to 73 Amateur Radio, Rebecca Nicmela, WGE Center, Peterborough, NH 03458.
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 97
if enterprises
We Specialize In Antennas & Towers.
ANTENNAS
KIM
World Clan Ant»nnii for the Serloui Arniteurl
KT34A.....„ $395.00 KT34XA... *5o5.00
Monobanders: 80-10 Meiers! High Partormance VHF I UHF antennae.
hy-gam
|
TH70XS E*ptoreM4 Monobinoeft |
THSMItaS TH3JiS |
|
204 BAS 203 BAS 155 BAS 153 BAS 103 BAS 66 BAS |
205 BAS 105 BAS |
|
"VHF, OSCAR 4. VERTICAL ANTENNAS! NEW! High Performance 144 & 432 M Hi Antennas Ceil For Prices! |
TEN -TEC
H * I + <■ * ■
WINTER SPECIAL! The MA3S."
The Popular A3 with Stainless Steel Hardware at a Special RFE Price A4S
A744 Add on Kft . . , <«..,*
A3SK & A4SK Stainless Kits
AV3& A V5 Vertical..
APS & APR IS
40-2CD 2-el. 40 Mir Beam . .
MonoOerMletm For 10. IS, 4 20 In Stock1
617-6B 6 Mir BOOMER A50-5. ASM A147-11.AM7-20T
o*V
ill ■*!■ fca ■ i ■ HHii
W¥^^P¥WW¥f«WW¥¥W¥¥^W
215WB & 230WB 15 & 30 el 2 Mir e*X
AOP 1 SalelUI* System Cr
421 8XL & 3219 for 144-140 MHz .........
220B, 424B dOOMcRS mm».>.<h
Large Inventory Of Other Antennas 6 Accessories
BUTTERNUT
^
M00ELS61 CORSAIR II
OTHER TENTEC PRODUCTS; Model 565 Paragon Model 425 Titan Linear Amplifier Model 229A 2KW Antenna Tuner Model 2510 Sate* I He Station
Pull line ot FIHerm, power suppllei, mobile antennae, end ■cceeaorlea In atock.
ASTRON POWER SUPPLIES
Rack mount and speaker models In stock! RS4A , . S37 9S RS-7A .... 49 96 RS-12A , . . 69 95 RS-20A 88 95 RS35A 135 95 nSSOA.. 19395 RS 20M . . 106 96 RS-3SM , . 153.96 RS-50M . . 216 95 VS20M 124 95 VS-35M ,171.96 VS50M . . 232 95
FT-757 GX1I All Mode Transceiver
We Ship Worldwide.
fVnn W PJK j
HF2V.
G*
_ O* SC3000- HF5B CALL
ALWMLMUA
DX-A $40.96 DX-DD 64.95 DX-KT ... 27.50
MEWl DXCC Aft band dlpole $79.96
Full line Alpha Delta switches & TransMrapsE
6BTV. G6-144B
f 134 96
66 95 07 220.-. HF
56TV
Q7144
.... 114.96 Syatemi CALL I
1124 95
114.
TA-33 TA34
MOSLEY
CLASSIC 33
PRO-67
AMPLIFIERS & TUNERS
TONNA ANTENNA SPECIALISTS
ROTORS
VAESU
6400/400110 CALL
G600RC CALL
KR200QWC CALL
G540O8...,, ., CALL
HDA3SL.
1 Mntiiri+iprt
HAMIV CO 451
GALL
CALL
CALL
.CALL
-GAIL
■MM
HCWl^^.GALL MftTSQPfe^. ..«.»,.,CALL
NYE-VIKING MBVA
MAGNUS SOLID STATE HF LINEAR AMPS
MFJ
CLOC*S ACCESS0B|ES •"«£*§
K6YERS TfJ
SPECIAL!
9898 Tuner $275.00
SSS ELECTRONIC A MICROWAVE MODULES TRANSVERTERS, PREAMPS, A ACCESSORIES. CALLI
TOWERS
HY-GAIN
Crank-Lip, self-supporting, galvanized steel towers. SS rated at 9 ft; HD at 16 ft.
H0-54H0 CALL FOR PRICES HG-70HO
ROHN
Self -sup porting; Ratings; HDBX at ifl ft. HBX at 10 ft, BX at 6 ft
HBX40 . \, HOBX40 ^V
HBX4«____fjy HOBX46 *y
HBX 5*,.,. VT BX 64 .... O
Galvanized steel with base and rotor plale. Today's best buy. Frelohl additional but you save with our volume shipper's discount!
GUYED TOWER SECTIONS: 25G, 45G, 55G Sections and All Accessories In Stock Call for Current Prices,
FOLD-OVER TOWERS:
FK2S58. -&V
FK2568.
Prices 10% higher in western states.
*# * m ■ n+4*
FK4644 FK4564
FK4564
....... ...a
■ <» + + • lt4Hi +
RCK>F TOWERS 4V CLIMBING BELTS Cain TOWER HARDWARE
Quywlra:3/16EHS/14 EHS,pof ft
COM Cable Clamper &1 8/ %,...
Tumbucklem: 3/6" E k E/E & J
V| E & E/E & J„rrw„ i mni
■ ■ M ■ IMd^l
,,,"»1"" la HJ
Thlfnbtes: V-M(3/16& V* 'cable)
Earth Anchor: 4 ft . Screw In
Preformed "Big Gripe": 3/16 & 'A
Guy Insulators: 500 0^502 1.09*2.99
1 a a a p. ■ r i n ■ I < r
0.3ftr0.49
6.96/7.95
12.95/13,96
a. *-a-i-a**I .aa a lUalar^a
13,96 ,.2.49/2.99
BB>aWa*B>anBBB|
0.30/ 507.70 8.95.1096 1596
PHILLYSTRAN QUY SYSTEMS
HPTG-210G7-4000J-6700 Cable Cable End*: 9901 LD«02LO Socket fast Polling Cmpd
WIRE & CABLE
BELDEN COAX
9913 low loea.90.45/rt RG-8X(9258) 0.20
RG^213/U(S267)J . .0.46 RG-11AJU(e261) . . 0.41
RG<«nj(8237) 0,36 RG 5aA^(8289» . . 0J5
RGmi(82H) ...0.40 RG-5aTLK824tJf„,0,1i
AG-2l4AX82Ae> tt.25rf1. 460 Ohm Ladder Una , 0.10
■ + B-I-BB-B lit!
......0X>fi
COPPERWELD ANTENMA WIRE
So*kil2ga...... 0.10 14^
Stranded 14 ga 0.10
Plua Wide Selection 6eJun«4 Ineulalon,
ROTOR CABLE
Std frttr 2-1|»._ JKlt Mvy (6-18, 2^16^. . 0JX Others In atock
AMPHENOL CONNECTORS
PL 259: *td/ellv*f/1#flon _._« .0.69/1 £5/1 +46
UG-21B (8261) Type H Mala 2.96
Ta, angles, adaptors, jacks, ft BNC In atock!
COAX AVAUUL£ IS PftECUT LENGTHS WITH CONNGCTOm ATT ACHSX
• • CO AXIAL SWITCHES • •
AN DREW HGJAX 1 CONNECTOR*
^ ' LDF4-60A ™ CALL 7«*'LOF5-50A
CALL
RETURNS REQUIRE AUTHORCATION &
THANK YOU . . . AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO OU R CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD RALPH K«m, GEORGE-AD6S, GWEN WMDZLRANDY-KAeVVO, MEL, CHERYL AND BRIAN
ORDER Oh
1-800- 2 33- 2 482
SHIPPING 4N1CAL, MN & DX
218-765-3254
TELE FAX
4933032 RFE Ul 218-765-3308
Prices »ub|eel to change
Minnesota residents adc tx
Shipping add J t 'tot
SUE STOCKING CHAR' ^a noted
HCR Box 43 Merriflelct, MN 56465
(Located at Jen. Co. 3&19)
CIRCLE 142 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Choice Selection.
Now you can have it all! Tike all the qualities you ve come to depend on in our programmable CTCSS lone equipment Astonishing Accuracy Instant Programming, Unequaled Reliability: and add full spectrum tone versatility multi-tone capability without dkxfcs, a reprogrammable memory... Ift our new harvest of CTCSS tone equipment
The choice is yours! If standard CTCSS ElA tones do not suit >our taste, select any 32 tones of your liking mum 15.0Hz to 255.0H2. And if you change your mind, no problem; the mem- ory can be changed in your shop with our HHP-1 programmer, or at our factory for free. Your working tone is accessed by a simple DIP switch, so therefe no fussing with counters or other test equipment
Call today toll-free and find out more about this fresh new flexi- bility in tone signalling, and don't forget to ask about multi-tone switching without cumbersome diode networks or binary1 switches.
ttt all brought to market by the people who intnxjuce the fresh- est ideas in tone signalling, and of course our customary same day shipping and one >ear warranty apply
TS-32 P CTCSS ENCODER-DECODER Based on the time pir>wn TS-32, the industry standard tor over a decade. The TS-32P gives you the added versatility of a custom, changeable memory base, A low price of $57.95 makes it an even sweeter deal
SS-32P ENCODER Based on the equally popular SS-32 encoder. Available for CTCSS. or audible burst tones up to 6550,0Hz. Price is $28.95.
SS-32SMP SUB-MINIATURE ENCODER Our
smallest encoder for handheld applications. Now you can satisfy that customer that needs to access multi- ple repeater sites with a radio that has precious little space inskte. At $27.95, the price is small tou
HHP 1 HANDHELD PROGRAMMER For
programming the 32 memory locations in any of
our new programmable products, including our
SW000 TWIbne Sequential decoder. The
HHP-1 is battery operated for field use, and
will program ANY 32 tones from 15*0 to
6550.0Hz in JHz. increments. Price is
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS, INC.
426 West Tift Avenue • Orange, CA 9266S4296
Local (714) 99&3Q21 • FAX (714) 974-3420 * Entire US.A- 1-800-854-0547
CIRCLE 10 ON READER SERVICE CARD
TALK IS CHEAP.
Have you heard? For less than your AT or XT-compatible com- puter can talk! All it needs is the HV-2000 Computer Voice Kit from Heathkit.
Reading letters, transcriptions and computerized instruction can be easier and quicker than you ever thought possible, Computer games gain a new dimension. Your com- puter can even entertain children with stories and songs.
If you have a modem, the HV-2000 Computer Voice will allow your computer to recite reference and research information from time- sharing services. Or, speak radio transmitted ASCII information.
The HV-2000 Computer Voice Card, containing speech synthesizer and audio amplifier, plugs into any AT or XT-compatible computer's expansion slot. An external speaker is also included. Versatile, Heath- developed software gives you a wide variety of voices and easy in- terface to high and low level languages.
The HV-2000 Computer Voice. At less than $90, talk IS cheap. To order, call toll-free 1-800-253-0570. ■ Use your Visa, MasterCard, Ameri- can Express or Heath Revolving Charge card. Or call 616-982-3614 for the nearest store location.
Heath Company
A subsidiary of Zenith Electronics Corporation
Prices, product availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Looking west
Continued from page 83
and those capable of distributing the net on the bands were granted assignments. With the number of bridge ports limited to 70 1 no individual hams were given special treatment.
The crowning link to all this was donated by Bill Duval K5UGM of Irving, Texas. Bill ar- ranged the donation of uplink and air time on KSAT satellite radio, KSAT is on the ATT Tel- star 303 communications satellite on Transponder 19. With the addition of KSAT to the quickly filling teleconference bridge, it ap- peared as if the distribution was complete.
Art wasn't sitting on his laurels. He man- aged to secure the facilities of the Satellite Music Network in Mokina Illinois, ft is state-of- the-art: a fullblown Auditronics mixing con- sole, audio cart machines, telephone hybrid interconnect, and an all-volunteer engineer- ing and production staff.
First chosen for the panel of experts was ARRL Counsel Chrisopher D. Imlay N3AKD. Chris practices his profession in Washington and probably has a better understanding of how the Commission functions then anyone else in the League. From Ham Radio Maga- zine came its Associate Editor Joe Schroeder W9JUV.
Hurt more then any others are the packet radio users. They are the fastest growing sub- culture in the modern world of amateur radio and were depending on 220-222 MHz to be- come the backbone of a real-time, coast-to- coast bofder*to*border emergency communi- cations network. A network, that due to channel loading elsewhere on 220 and on all other suitable VHF and UHF bands in urban areas, will now never come to be. Thanks to Steve Goode K9NG in Illinois* their position was well-addressed during the NTRN.
Ed Gray WflSD in Salem, South Dakota and Roger Cox WB0DGF in Lincoln, Nebraska elo-
quently addressed the needs of the EME and weak signal operators.
FM isn't unaffected by this reallocation move. The job of making sense out of this falls to the nation's frequency coordinators. Every- one that now operates below 222 MHz, must be redistributed into the urban sprawl above 222. Thus Karl Pagel N6BVU, president of the 220-SMA frequency coordination group, came to be a part of the interactive panel. 220-SMA, however, represents the "western view" so for balance we prevailed on Gary Cantor WA2BAW of the the Tri-State Amateur Repeater Council.
Finally, the Condor Connection. This NTRN, through the outspoken Mark Giimore WB6RHQ, told the country about the world's largest 220 MHz open intertied repeater net- work. This is a radio network that permits hams throughout California and Nevada to talk to each other as if they were next-door neighbors, This legendary system relies total- ly on the 220-222 MHz band to interlink its sites. This system, which has served in nu- merous emergencies, will disappear if the re- allocation is permitted to proceed. Due to overcrowded conditions on other bands, there's no place for it to move.
I have never seen such cooperation be- tween the various and sometimes highly diver- gent factions of the amateur community- While each speaker represented a particular point of view, the theme throughout the 2 hours of on-air activity kept coming back to what people like Joe Merdter N6AHU, had hoped for. One of unity, of purpose, and an ongoing determination to do all that is within the power of man to keep 220-225 MHz and every ham band for the use of amateurs only.
The NTRN's message to the FCC and the business community is clear: 'We are as one and we mean business!"
Look for details on this NTRNP and info on future ones. Happy Holidays from the night shift in LA!
100 73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988
NEMAL ELECTRONICS
•Complete Cable Assembly facilities MIL-SHM5208
•Commercial Accounts welcome- Quantity pricing * Same day shipping most orders
*Factory authorized distributor for Alpha, Amphenol, Belden, Kings, Times Fiber
Call NEMAL for computer cable, CATV cable, Flat cable, semi-rigid cable, telephone cable, crimping tools, D-sub connectors, heat shrink, cable ties, high voltage connectors.
HARDLINE 50 OHM
FXA1S 1/T Aluminum Black Jacket... .am
FLC12 1/2* Cablewave corr, copper bik jkt ....... 1.59/ ft
FLC78 7/8" Cabfewave corr. copper blk jkt 3 92/fi
NM12CC N conn 1/T corr copper mft „„..„>,.r„,25.QG NM7SCC N conn 7/QT corr copper m/f ,„...„. 54. QO
COAXIAL CABLES {per ft)
1180 1102 11 10 1130 1140 1705 1310 1450
BELDEN 9913 very tow toss .„«,„ «„«•„«♦, .52
RG8/U 95% shield fow toss foam llga 36
RG8X 95% shield (mint 8) 17
BG213/U 95% shield mil spec NCV /WL .39
RG214/U dbl silver shld mit «pw 1.8$
RG142B/V dbf stiver shld, teffon ins 1.50
RG217JU 50 ohm 5000 weft dbt shfd .... M
RG174/U 50 ohm .100* od mit spec ,...14
ROTOR CABLE-8 CONDUCTOR
8G1822 2-18ga and 6-22ga ,,*+,.„,**„*+...*+,.*++»..**..,*»„ .21/ft 9C1820 2-lSge and 6-20ga 39/ft
CONNECTORS-MADE IN USA
NE720 Type N plug for Belden 9913 ,...$3.95
NE723 Type N jack for Belden 9913 4.95
PL259 standard UHF plug for RG&+213, 85
PL259AM Amphenol PL259 ,89
PL259TS PL259 teffon ins/sifver plated „,„, 159
PL258AM Arnphenof female- female (barrel}.. .... 1.45
UG175/UG178 reducer for BGS8/59 (specify).... .„. 22
UG21DS S piug for RG8.213.214 Silver ,535
UG83B N jack to PL259 adapter, teflon , .6.50
UG146A S0239 to N plug adapter, teffon 6.50
UG255 S0239 to BNC plug adapter, Amphenol......... 3.29
S023SAM UHF chassis mt receptacle, Amphenol., .89
GROUND STRAP-GROUND WIRE
GS3B 3/5* tinned copper braid .... 35/ft
GSf2 1/2" tinned copper braid ..50/ft
HW0G 6ga insulated stranded wire .35m
AW 14 14ga stranded Antenna wire CCS „l+„.„ 14/ft
All prices plus shipping, S3. 00 min, Visa/Mastercard S3Q min. COD add $3,00
Call or write tor complete price list. NsmaVs iww36page CABLE AND CONNECTOR SELECTION GUiDE i$ available
at rto tftffjje wth orders of$$Qot more, or at a cost of $4 wtih credit against next qualifying order.
NEMAL ELECTRONICS, INC 12240 NE 14th Ave. N- Miami, FL 33161 (305) 893-3924 Telex 6975377 24hr FAX (305)895-8178
Heat lik Li 3 soot
pfiancan +. * :****
/: 48.38
^ TEMPER ATUOE \ r BAROM£Te«
:• 10
ear
•i * i in
MUMtOTTY *
RAIN
U- L 0
. ♦»<*
WEATHER
Catalog
Track The Weather With Your Own Personal Weather Station
Don't let the weather catch you off guard. Plan ur activities using the precision-crafted Heathkit ID-5001 Advanced Weather Computer,
Powerful enough for commercial use( the ED-SOOl's striking cobalt blue liquid crystal display indicates wind speed, humidity, rainfall, high and low temperatures, and more. You'll find at your fingertips every thing you need to keep you up-to-date on changing climate conditions.
The Advanced Weather Computer is an intelligent system, sounding alarms whenever
threatening weather approaches. In addition, the ID- 5001 is the only weather instrument known which m e automatically averages
wind speed and direction to FAA/NWS standards and gives true values for wind speed and wind
Includes precision wind , r
sensor assembly. direction.
The ID-5001 features; • High accuracy digital barometer * Display of indoor and outdoor temperatures * Push-button display of minimum and maximum readings • 32-point \ I direction resolution * Display of indoor and outdoor relative humidity • Digital clock/calendar and much more!
Attractive enough to display in your home, the Advanced Weather Computer is just one of many exciting pixxlucts in the Heathkit catalog. You'll discover 108 color pages packed full of electronic
products in kit and assembled form including TVs, VCRs, computers, test instruments, as well as our new high-tech audio line.
The ID-5001 and all our other fine elecuunic products can be found in our FREE Heathkit catalog. For your copy, calf 24 hours a day TOLL FREE:
1-800-44-HEATH
(1-800-444-3284)
Heath Company
Ct-7OTH1
A subsidiary of Zenith Etecuomcs Corporation
WE CAN'T
////////////ff/itiiitiii \\wmmm
e can't thank
you enough for
all the support you have given us over the years.
Now the NEW DENTRON RADIO COMPANY INC, will continue the same great products, service, and support that we have been known for.
THE DENTRON RADIO COMPANY INC. Within the last several years we have received calls from thousands of radio amateurs worldwide requesting information, giving us support, offering congratulatory comments, asking for new product release dates and so much more.
We can't thank you enough. . .Please be patient. Dentron Radio will announce a
new complete Amateur Radio product line in the near future. We are WORLD FAMOUS for our linear amplifiers, antenna tuners, and state-of-the-art Amateur Radio accessories.
Attention Amateur Radio Dealers. . . Value Added Resellers, Vertical Intergrade Designers, Military, Commercial Communication Dealers, OEM's, etc.:
CASH IN ON THE PROFITS THAT OUR NEW DEALER PROGRAM HAS TO OFFER
Call or write for infor- mation or our new product catalog. Export inquiries invited.
%n
^{cloXo ZO« lf*A.
PO BOX H, East Rockaway, LI, NY 11518, TLX 4758244
Telephone 516/536-2620, FAX 516/766-9230
CIRCLE 102 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Number 36 on your Feedback card
INTERNATIONAL
Notes from FN42
Air mail subscriptions are be- ginning for established Hambas- sadors to 73 International! New Hambassadors* subscriptions wtll graduate to air mail on the Janu- ary after their first year's third re- port (third of the three Hambas- sadors send irt each year). This wilt improve report fothw-ups and help keep information as much up to date as is possible in a monthly magazine. And Hambassadors will be the most up-to-date read- ers in their countries f
Callbook editors around the world: See the first item in the report from Israel, below. And even before receiving his October issue with the first revision of The 73 International Universal Per- mit Application. 4X1 MK (not 4X1 1MKt as mentioned in it!) has sent in some good news. Thanks to the good offices of the Israel Amateur Radio Club (whose Membership Services volunteers will do the work), visitors to Israel wishing to make good their recip- rocal licensing privileges no longer will have to show up in per- son at the Ministry of Communica- tions in Tel-Aviv,
Here's why Send the IARC(PO Box 4099. 61040 Tel-Aviv, Israel) a photocopy of your valid license. a photocopy of the first page of your passport (with your photo on it)t and a check or MO. for the amount of US$ 12 (the Ministry is not authorized to receive foreign currency, so the IARC does the conversion} and the following in- formation: Family name, previous family name (if changed), first name(s), father's name, place and date of birth, country of previous residence, present address, last address, occupation, present and previous places of employment passport number and country. State expected date of arn'val in Israel and equipment to be used; make, model number, frequency range, power output, and types of emission.
Your reciprocal license will be kept for you at the address of your choice here, OR, if you send the I ARC the materials far enough in advance ("Give us a few good months1" writes Ron) the license wilt be mailed to your home ad- dress. (Ron's regular repon fol- lows m this issue.)
edited by C. C. C.
December^ special days to mention in your QSOs: 1— Nation- al Day, Central African Republic (5th for Thailand. l?th for Bhutan), and Anniversary Day, Portugal (30th for Madagascar); 2— National Holiday, United Arab Emirates (3rd for Laos); 5— Dis- covery Day, Haiti; 6— Indepen- dence Day, Finland (7fh for Ivory Coast, 9th for Tanzania, ttth for Upper Volta, 12th for Kenya, 16th for Bahrain); 10— Human Rights Day. Equatorial New Guinea; 13— Republic Day, Malta (18th for Niger); 15 — Statue Day, Nether- lands Antilles „ Bill of Rights Day. USA; 23— Victory Day, Egypt; 25— MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALU; 2$—Boxmg Day, Canada. Great Britain; 27— Constitution Day, North Korea; 28— King's Birthday, Nepai
Special Calendar Note: As this is written, in Japan the 63rd year of Showa (meaning "enlightened peace'1} is in its 10th month, There may not be a 64th year, be- cause the 124th Emperor. Hirohi* to. is gravely Hi and an era with a new designation wilt begin Year
AUSTRALIA
The following is from the fast re- port sent in by Jim Joyce VK3YJ before he retired as Australia's Hambassador to 73 International (The WIA should be naming his replacement soon.) We call his story 'Tour Men and an Island—
"Willis Island — the site of one of the most remote 'Observing Offices' of Australia's Bureau of Metereology.
One with the reign of Crown Prince Akihito, Autumn festivals have been cancelled in that na- tion, so in your OSOs with Japan on November 23rdT rather than sending "Labor Thanksgiving Day" greetings (as listed on last month's international calendar) it will be more appropriate to ex- press condolences. Sympathy will be appropriate for the entire time of mourning— which could be as long as a year — for the period will be a sad one for the Japanese. Rice will be planted on sacred ground when Hirohito dies, and Akihito will eat its harvest in a car* emony which completes the rites of accession, whereupon he be- comes Emperor fully and in every way.—CCC
Willis island's current total population. L to R: P. Giese, C. Clark (radioman). P. Dawson (the QIC), andD, Webb.
Cairns is at 0200.) It is 400 meters long, TOO meters wide, and 9 me- ters high. The population of the island is 4, The morning paper sometimes drops down out of the sky; the island is bombed (with food and supplies) every six months.
This is Willis Island— the site of one of the most remote + 'Observ- ing Offices" of Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, It is staffed for six months at a time by a team of three Observers and one Radio Operator/Technician, whose re- ports are used in the tropical cy- clone warning system,
On November 8, 1988. Willis celebrated the 67th anniversary of its establishment. It has come a long, long way since the first team stepped ashore onto a bare, windswept island, inhabited only by birds and turtles.
Davis, the Australian Antarctic Station, was named for the Com- mander of the Aurora of the 191 1 Australasian Antarctic Expedi- tion, and Captain John King Davis was also responsible for the Willis Island station. As Common wealth
Ft
Weather from Beyond the Out* back."
It is a tiny outcrop in the Coral Sea 400 km east of Cairns, a mere speck in the ocean. (If Australia is thought of as the face of a clock.
Pitot's-eye view of Willis Island on the run-in for a drop.
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 103
R9100 SUPER ROTATOR
The Advanced Radio Devices (ARD) R9100 is the heavy duty antenna rotator designed for the big gun with antenna loads to one ton. All components are designed and select- ed for durability and long life, a quality often over looked.
The control system provides both analog and digital readout of direction to within ± 1 degree, Provisions for external computer control which allows rotor positioning by
the mere keyboard entry of a target country's prefix. Software is provided for use with most popular computers.
This quality rotor is the most capable and powerful unit designed for the amateur mar- ket today. You can pay more and get less.
List $3,975.00
Call For Quote
SPI-XIHCATJON- H iitill in R torqu*: J 0,000 inch lbs. Bruiting torque: 24,000 itich lbs. Veil tea! loud; 2000 lb*. Mail sizes: 2.0 lo 3.5 inch O. D. Motor: 1/1 HP Rotnian tptfd: 1 RPM M fight: 230 lb*. She: J4.9 *25 ■ * 13*1 indies {wlh)
Distributed Exclusively by KEB
the 230 A Linear Amplifier
Something new in a high power, high quality, HF linear amplifier
The Advanced Radio Devices (ARD) 230 series represents a new generation in high power linear amplifiers. Utilizing microprocessor control, the 230 provides full HANDS OFF" automatic operation.
* Full power is always available
* Completely auiomaiit
* Microprocessor controlled Tuning
* Noumclimii forQRO
* FuJI QSK
* LCD meter i rig ■ VSWR readout
* Microprocessor controlled protection
* Automatic : tube monitoring
* Easy modification for JQ meters
* KS 23 2C output for external control
* Modular construction
* Export /commercial versions available
* Remote antenna switching control
* Remote control up to 250 feet away
* UPSshippabkpboJua)
List $5,495.00 Call For Quote
Frequency: all amateur (1.8 -21 MHz) Drive: 50 - 80 walls Tor full output Output : 1 500 watts PEP Input Impedence: 50 ohms unbalanced Input VSWR: L5rl (higher on WARQ Output Lrnpedcnce: 50 ohms unbalanced Harmonic Supp: greater than -45 dB J ntermod prods; more than - 35 dB down Duty: CCS (cont- commercial s^ Tubes: EI MAC 3CX80OA7 (two) ALC:0lo -6VDC Output < on figure | km: Phl_ AC Power: 230 VAC at 20A Size {WHO ininche&} & Weight
SfictocontrolJer: 10x6 w 9 at * lbs.
RF/AC imil: 14 - 22 * 1 3 at 86 lbs.
Orders: 800-368-3270
Electronic Equipment Bank
516A Mill St. NE, Vienna, VA 221 80
Musi m mules Irani Wnthinglon. DC)
Local & tech Info
703-930-3350
Let the Sun Power your Station!
The S3W.*? Buli« T*Hfd QttV Scbr Tv*tt Vflpph fcecpt fo tc pciier on Itw »<r round the cUKk M-fWunct* yaw 100*" iff standi (SO he* a month. Control circun *p«d* cJvnrpc, prc>wcr» gel Qdb & t»cak J bacterid*- Fultv lucifibleJ, QRV portitAe, Eaijh e\prieJ,j
Ajjjtr.&An Air*uufrteti AntennusWcst
(801)3734425 "^ a™ wm^ spwo in***}*,
CIRCLE 303 ON READER SERVICE CARD
SAVE TIME & POSTAGE!
Circle advertiser's numbers on our handy reader service card to send for valuable information from adver- tisers in this issue. Use our Ad Index to locate advertiser's Reader Ser- vice numbers even faster!
L
ATLAS TEN METER HON0BAND TRAHSCE1VER »00a AR2510 30 WATTS AM, FM, CW, SSB. LCD FREQUENCY DISPLAY, MUCH, MUCH MORE. fWO YEAR WARRANTY. FULL REPLACEMENT, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, ORDER FROM THIS AQ, PRICE S219.9S-PREPAIO ALL FIFTY STATES. PLEASE CALL THE ORIGINAL:
^ffife. ATLAS
QRV Antenna Emergency Pucks
516-676-3904
LYNBROOK, NEW YORK 11563 USA EXPORT INQUIRIES INVITED.
r RADIO INC.
rififCi F1f>RO(S READER SERVICE CARD
EmergencyPacfci ctinrmn OKV All Bami kink-proof wirsealed multi-band Dtpole-V-^looer antenna, \r mprvf^ 70" coax feedline. Quick Launch sys- V^ Jem. roi proof dacron >uppon braid 5 1 p Tech Manual. Complete. Read) for Action One (Knott installs in 15
fBJnmCi laf»^p^i 51 H 1 »l <ixsa (ml
Fastest Antennas \
tn the rfesi XAnfenrta
l Box 501 *^-S P: ' I WP> X> ' *H ' > M
CIRCLE 304 ON READER SERVICE CARD
49- i 9
I
GORDON WEST'S
RADIO SCHOOL
i
i
i
21 DRV NOVICC
2 code topes 1 12 page boott LOorld mops Frequency charts Course certificate Free magazine coupon SO p*ece Itteiocufe set!
i70 in equipment certificates from ICOM. K6NUJQOD, and Vft€SU $1 9.95
COMPLCTf NOVICC COURSC $49.95
4 <ode tapes. 2 theory tapes. 2 text boohs, code oscillator set. eiominet test pocket, orid 170 discount coupons
NOVICC TCXTQOOH S4.95
UJntten by Gordon West, this 1 1 2 page book contenns oil r4ovice questions arid ons-mers
NOVICC COD€ COUftSC S39.9S
6 cope stereo code course for learning the code from scratch Includes certificates.
TCCHNIGflN THCOflV COUftSC $19-95
2 theory topes & £ teitt>ooks
G€N€ft(H THtORY COURS€ Si 9M
2 theory topes 6 2 tejtboolts
T€OtNIGAN/G€N€fiRt COUftSC $19.95
ComtMned tech & general course with Stapes and 1 book
THC COMP1CTC OCNCflflL S49.95
4 topes & B bocrf*s for theory p*us 6 tope stereo code ^et for CUU speed building
G€N€ftftl CO DC COUftSC $39.95
6 tope stereo code course for CUi speed building from 5 u>pm to 1 5 mpm
TM€ COMKCTC RDVRNCCD $49.95
4 tapes 5i 2 boohs for theory plus 6 tope stereo general or extra doss code course (Specify which CUJ top^s you tuont)
fl DV R N C€D THCOflV CLftSS SI 9.95
4 tope stereo theory course plus fully illus- trated theory book
THC COMKCTf CXTRfl $49.95
4 topes & 2 books foe theory plus 6 tape stereo code set for CUJ speed buildincj 1 3 mpm to £2 ujpm+r
CXTflft COOC COURSC $39:95
6 tope stereo code course for CUJ speed building from 1 3 mpm to 22 ujpm *
€ IT ft ft TrtCORV CLASS $1 9.95
4 tope stereo theory plus fully illustrated theory book
GORDON WCST CLCCTftONKS ROOK 200 poge marine electronics book plus marine mobile antenna hints $19,95
COMMCftCIRt TCST PftCP ROOK $29.95
8RBSS COD€ H€V fit OSCIILRTOR SI 9,95
PLASTIC CODC KCV « OSQLlftTOft Si 4.95
COPPCft GROUND FOIL 60< FOOT
SINGLC COD6 TRPCS
$9 95 CBCH • BUV Z Q€T 3rd ONC F«ff
• S yjpfn NavKa Teas • 5 wpm ftondom Code ■ b 7Spe«d6o»W" 7 lOSoeedSmtd * lOHumpJump
• 10 12 Speed Suid * 1 2 1 S Cofe & Hufflbers
• 1 3 flondom • » 3 Test ftep "5-15 Genets Qua
• l3toCocte*lMS5peedB«^d*1S 17Speed8t*ld
• 17-19 ^»eed Build • 20 flemdom * 20 Test Prep
• £0 Cor Code « 1 0 34 Cxtro Qmi
Pass onu upgrade Gi receive S2S Kenujood rebate * *piusobc«fl« holder GuioflcertrffcoteFfl^Ct * *
SkMo code uses 1 3 mpm character speed Same dog service Add S3 00 UPS far copses, or SI 00 for smgle
topes 1 00% return poke y
GORDON WEST RADIO SCHOOL
2414 COLLEGE OR COSTA MESA. CA 92626
Mon -Fri. 10-4pm (714) 549-5000
CIRCLE 273 OH HEADER SERVICE CARD
I
Director of Navigation, he saw its forecasting value since it sat in the cyclone-prone waters of the Coral Sea. In September of 1921, he rode over governmental objec- tions that the cyclone season was less than two months away by vol- unteering to lead the first party himself, Davis didn't fool around, and one month later the steamer Innisfail dropped anchor off Willis and unfoaded a 15-man party and 150 tons of cargo.
Sixty-seven years later Willis has established coconut trees for welcome shade, well-kept lawns around the buildings, and con- crete paths to the weather-balloon launching area, the radar, and the beach. The beach is not a place to go to swimT however, By official decree, the ocean is reserved for the large shark population and other marine life.
A large cool room and four freezers ensure fresh foods, and off-duty hours are made pleasant by TV from Cairns or Townsville, video cassette films, hi-fi music, billiards, table tennis, and a well- stocked library. Additional amuse- ments Captain Davis wouldn't have believed are (1) the mid-du- ty-term "bombardment" of food, supplies, and what really can be called air mail, by the Royal Australian Air Force, and (2) un- heralded overflights by recon- naissance planes which often swing by to drop the latest papers. Rumor has it that bets are made regularly on how close to the front door the pilots can deliver a morn- ing paper!
(Next installment: Amateurs on Willis Island.)
Jim wishes to express his appreci- ation for their help in his report on Willis to Ken McLachlan VK3AH, Dave Shaw VK3DHF, Dr Peter Barclay VK3FR, Reg Carter VK3CAZ, and Bureau of Meteor- ology staffers Trevor Farrar (PR Officer), Michael Joyce (Weather Observer), and the Bureau's house jounaL Weather News.
ISRAEL
Ron Gang 4X1 MK Kibbutz Urim Negev Mobile Post Office 85530 Israel
A request from the Soviet Union has come to me. Alex Lavrenchenko UM8MRG, QSL
Eyal 4X6TC (right) makes contacts from 4X40R in Jaffa (one of the four commemorative stations for Israel's 40th Anniversary) while Nir 4X6RK logs and fills out QSL cards. (Photo by 4X1 MK)
Manager for the UM prefix, the Kirghiz Republic, would like his address to be known to all the call- books around the world. It seems to me that 73 International is a good place to pass this on. It is PO Box 392, Frunze-55, Kirghiz 720055, USSR.
Congratulations to the Israel 40th Anniversary Contest win- ners! Nearly 400 logs were re- ceived from around the world, and over 150 different Israeli calls were fogged during the 24-hour period last April. (Complete re- sults may be had from the IARC using the above address, for the price of return postage.)
In Europe the top three were I5VIT first, SP2FAPr and OH7RS; in Asia, JA1BNW\ JA7HMZ, and VU2UR; Africa: EA9GS, EA8ABG, and EA9JB, From South America: LU7EVL, PY5EG, and LU1 JDL; and from North America: K1 MEM, K3ZO, and W4MLA. The first three Israeli single ops were 424YX (4Z4KK), 4X6UU, and 4X1MJ.
Fox hunting DFing gains mo- mentum here, perhaps glorified
by the catching of "Dr. Bereleh/' the Tel-Aviv jammer (see my Au- gust column, "The Phantom Un- masked.1'} In July in the Haifa area, Moshe 4Z4GM played the fox on 2 meters and finally was caught on the watls of the ancient city of Acre. The Holon Bat-Yam Club (just south of Tel-Aviv) plans a hunt on 80 meters.
The packet explosion has been such that the 4X4HF BBS in Haifa received more messages and files than its memory capaci- ty, hampering operations. Just two short years ago its planners never imagined such widespread use.
In July of 1987, Amir Bazak 4X6TT started a year-long around-the-world DXpedition. In eleven months he made 67,000 QSOs from 18 countries, visiting 22, neglecting no modes, and giv- ing many of us new countries for our DXCC collection. (Don't con- fuse Amir with Barukh 4Z4TTf who close to a decade ago put some rare ones on the air in the Pacific area! They're two different chaps!)
CQ ZONE 37
ROD HALLEN NAIROBI, KENYA
•:0m- if rwrwa qso-wjth
! > - ;
~2ML
m>m» I tfaf
urfc
UHf
>;-,.-
.:■ W ,'■ :
QSL VIA KE3A TNX & 73
D^CQSL Dth*«sl
A W*MPV OBJ.
Some of the calls Amir put on the air were HSDB, XX9TTT, N4MJH/DU8, 4X6TT/DU1, XX9T, VK3ETT, AX3ETT, AX9L, VK3ETT/VK9, ZLOACF, 4X6H7 FW0. T2STTh T27DX, 5W1TT, 4X6TT/KH8, and 4U1UN, Not bad at all! Amir is taking care of his own QSLing, and cards can be sent to his home address in the International Calibook. Just remember to send return post- age! There is no way this young man can handle the mailing of cards from hrs own exhausted pocket!
To the best of my knowledge, Ralph 4X6IF is the first Israeli station to make Eaiih-Moon- Earth contacts. Using four stacked Cushcraft "Boomers" fed by a kilowatt, the first historic QSO from Israel using the moon as passive repeater on the half- million mile route (I) was made with W5UUN on June 1 this year. If you want to work Ralph, chances are it won't be on the conventional bands, no siree! Check out 2 meters or 70 cen- tirneters-sateinte, EME, or Sporadic E, Ralph likes to sweat for his DX!
KENYA
Rod Hallen 5Z4BH
Box 55
APO New York 09675
I We welcome KB7NK (take a deep breath: ex- 9G1RTt C5AZ, 5T5AZ, TL8AZ, TU4BB, EL2AE> 3D2RH, ZL0AGS, VK2EFI, VK1HR, /5NO /VSS/DU1, WA7N&V, WB&BOW) as our roving East Africa Ham- bassador (see last month's Kenya Roundup Hem). He will be tra- veling there extensively for the next four years and hopes to operate from many countries, (Bill KE3A will be his QSL Manager.) Rod is a Regional Communica- tions Officer with the American Embassy in Nairobi; he has been a ham since 1962, and was an Associate Editor of Kilobaud (later Microcomputing; around 1978.— CCG]
Kenya celebrates its 25th An- niversary this month (December) and will be using the special prefix 5Z25 (so I will be 5Z25BH). On October 14 and 15, Kenya was represented on the Boy Scout Jamboree on the A*r by 5Z4LBP (LBP = Lord Baden Powell, Boy
73 Amateur Radio • December, 1988 105
Gennady Kofmakov UA9MA.
RL1P call was used (and will be used throughout the year).
Lots of stations called us, primarily at night. During the day 20 was dead and 15 good only mornings and evenings. We had a damaged reflector on our 40-me- ter 4-el yagi and only a vertical loop (delta) on 80 meters. Never- theless, on 80 we worked 5Z4, ZS, VK, PYt LU, ZP, CXT YBf 5T5, CN8— and all that in the middle of the summer!
The ops there are planning to put up 5 over 5 for 1 4r 4 over 4 for 7t and a 3-el yagi for 3.5. Big plans. ( will be there, multi-multi again, for the CQ WW SSB.
The station ops are making plans for a Vietnam DXpedition next year, with UL7PAE, UL7PCZ, RL8PY and one other.
In addition to all that, I'm involved with the newly organ- ized West Siberia DX Club, and we hope to have our own bulletin and issue an international award. We also want to have joint US-USSR expeditions, ex- change delegates, etc. Many hams in the Soviet Union are now looking into organizing such re- gional dubs to have such plans implemented-
This year I am planning a serious effort to be among the 10 best "Soviet Sportsmen of the Year/' and make the grade of "Master of Sports, Igternational Class." [The former is a Fed- eration of Radio Sports title awarded those who win a certain number of contest honors, —CCC]
Scout founder), operated by Ted 5Z40TandPalte5Z4EJ.
The Kenya Award is issued by the Radio Society of Kenya (RSK). Only contacts made after Decem- ber 31 . 1977 count. Ten points are needed: 2 points for a contact with any 5Z4 member of RSK, 5 points for contact with the RSK club sta- tion, 5Z4RS. Any band, any mode, SWLs eligible. Some past and present members of RSK are 5Z4-BGh BH, BJ, BP, DS, DU, EJ, JBt LH, LL, LT, MR. OC, OT, PR( PT, RK, RTr RY, SS, WB, and ZC.
Send a log photocopy wit- nessed by an official of a local radio society or the licensing au- thority—QSL cards not neces- sary—wfth 10 IRCs or US$5 and a self-addressed adhesive label. Mail to Radio Society of Kenya , PO Box 45681, Nairobi, Kenya. Put KENYA AWARD on the upper left corner of the envelope.
USSR
Gennady Kotmakov UA9MA PO Box 341 Omsk - 99 USSR
The RL1P antennas, L to R: 36-meter mast with delta loop for 80t the lower antenna of the 28 stack (6 xG), 6x6 el on 21. The op on the tower is, yes, Genal
[The following comes from a letter direct from Gena UA9MA and a letter from him written in Russian and sent via Ed Kritsky NT2X for translation. Ed wilt be helping us out (as an Assistant Hambas* sadorl) with translations and inter- pretations, when needed; his help plus our plan to send many Ham- bassador subscriptions airmaff
106 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
wilt speed up and make more up to date our reports from far-away countries.— CCC\
I received the August column with my first report and will send my next one some day! Hit Also received my first issue of 73 Amateur Radio, Thank you very much! You made very consider- able article with my very short report!
I have been away at a very big contest station for this year's All Asia Contest, RL8PYL. Exact address: RL8PYL, 472300 Kaza- kh Republic, Temirtau Box 49, USSR. We operated in a multi- multi category, 28, 21, 14 days and 14, 7, 3.5 nights. We made 3500 QSOs, with 300 multipliers and scored approximately 1 million points— at least twice the previous record I think, A special
It will be sponsored by the Youth Communist League of Kazakh Republic (VLKSM), and a large sum of money has been allotted.
I am happy to be a Hambas- sadorl— Gena.
\NT2X tells us that the USSR "has lifted ail restrictions' on the sending of alt eiectronic goods and magnetic media (VCRs, PCs, etc.) to the country. Tariffs, which used to be as much or moret even double, the value of items mailed, are now down to 10% to 30% of the value. He aiso says there no longer is a risk of causing offense if US dollar bills are sent instead of IRCsr which cost $.95 anyway.
Readers can now OSL directly to Soviet hams and Soviet hams can now OSL directly to hams out of the country. For more informa- tion on the lifting of restrictions for Soviet hams, see the August 1988 "QRXtr column, titled "No Longer Just 'QSL via Box 88.'"
And see other USSR infor- mation in the Israel report, above: "A request from the Soviet Union,"
— ccc]BS
The RLtPteam, L to R: UA9MA, UL7PAE ["chief"}, UL7PCZ, and the op responsible for computer-duping of logs.
Rttyloop
Number 37 cm your Feedback card
Marc Leavey M.D. WA3AJR 6 Jenny Lam Baltimore MD 21 208
AMTOR
While sitting in the doctors1 lounge al a local hospital, another physician began gesturing to me. Expecting a question about medicine, or at least some hospital gossip, imagine my surprise when he asked me if I were the same Dr. Leavey who wrote 73 '$ RTTY Loop column! Thanking htm for the attention, I sat back as he challenged me with his situation.
He had recently become interested in AM- TOR. While he could hear a great number of stations transmitting this mode, he could only obtain copy on a relatively small number of them. He wondered why an AMTOR station of equal signal strength to a conventional Bau- dot RTTY station, was so much more difficult to copy.
His problem touches on a basic differ- ence between Baudot and AMTOR. repre- senting how the advance from the old to the new sometimes catches a tad in the cracks
Conventional Baudot or Murray RTTY al- lows transmission of data from sender to re- ceiver, one way at a time. This is often termed "half-duplex" communication. With data rates typically of 45.45 baud (bits per second), each data pulse lasts at least 22 rns. A noise pulse would have to last a substantial time, perhaps at least 7 to 12 msf to destroy a data pulse.
Contrast this with AMTOR, in which a special seven level code is transmitted at 100 baud. Here, each data pulse is only about 10 ms wide. Consequently, a much briefer burst of noise can "take out1* a data pulse.
Therefore, you may get the impression that AMTOR is a much less reliable medium than Baudot for RTTY transmission. Further, even if characters in Baudot RTTY take a noise hit, they can often be figured out by context. The receiver's brain fills in the missing characters. Thus, if you are looking at a line that says TO ALL STJTfONS your brain has little trouble realizing that the third word should be "STATIONS," par- ticularly if you know that Baudot codes for MA" and +IJ" differed by just one bit- Monitor- ing a Baudot transmission is no problem. Everyone expects "hits" now and then, and you develop the knack for reading through them.
Perfect Copy
AMTOR, however, has one critical advan- tage over Baudot— error correction, Each character must meet certain bit matching criteria to be valid. Groups of characters con- taining an error are as invalid as random noise and are not displayed. The error correction scheme, however, works completely only
Amateur Radio Teletype
when two AMTOR stations are in synch with each other — that is, when two stations share the same timing cycle.
Stations receiving AMTOR from another station with which it is not in synch, such as a broadcast station, have only partial error cor- rection. AMTOR broadcast stations typically send each bit bundle twice. If the first comes up as an error on the receive end. the receive station looks for the second bundle. If that comes up as an error, then the receive station puts a blank, question mark,or some other symbol indicating the uncorrected error in that character's space on the monitor. Unlike Bau- dot RTTY, a blank is left on the screen instead of a misinterpreted character.
With a noise-free circuit, the rates of data transmission can approach the maximum data rate being sent. With a noisy circuit, how- ever; the many retransmissions can slow in- formation exchange to a crawl. But the data witt get through perfectly.
"AMTOR,
however, has one
critical advantage
over Baudot — error
correction. Each
character must
meet certain bit
matching criteria
to be valid/'
Those of you familiar with packet will see a certain similarity between AMTOR and pack- et, and indeed there is. With packet, the groups are longer and there are other conven- tions which have been established, but the operating principles are the same
As with packet, you can command many controllers to ignore error checking, and just display what is received, That is the way to monitor an AMTOR circuit. There are solu- tions to these problems, though they're not always quite so obvious. It just takes under- standing what is going on in a mode to make it work the way you want it to!
We have all kinds of goodies on tap for 1989, folks. From answering all of your ques- tions, to asking a few of my own, I think it will be very exciting. Be sure to let me hear from yout by mail, by CompuServe {ppn 75036.2501) or by Delphi (username MAR- CWA3AJR). I have had little feedback on a Computer Corner here in the Loop. Let me hear from you. You really do have input into this RTTY Loop*
800-882-1 343
ICOM
|
iSfiZXQBSxKS |
JUN't |
|
|
HF Equipment IC-735 |
List |
|
|
ICOM |
||
|
IC-79T New Deluxe HF Rig |
S5995 |
Carl* |
|
K>76i Loaded wtm Extras |
2699 |
Call S |
|
(C-735 Gen. Cvg Xcvr |
1099 |
Call 5 |
|
IC-751A Gen. Cwj Xcvr |
1699 |
Cell S |
|
Receivers |
||
|
fC-fl7000 25-1300* MHz Rcwr |
1199 |
Call $ |
|
JC R?lA 100 kHz-30 MHz Rcvr |
999 |
Call % |
|
VHF |
||
|
IC-22BAJH |
509/539 |
Call $ |
|
IC-28A/H FM Mobile 25w/45w |
469/499 |
Call $ |
|
IC-02AT FM HT |
409,95 |
Call $ |
|
IC-2GAT 2m 7w HT |
429.95 |
CaFl $ |
|
10*900 Six Sand Mobile |
639 |
Call S |
|
UHF |
||
|
IC-48A FM Mobile 25 w |
509 |
Cell S |
|
IC-04AT FM HT |
449 |
Call s |
|
IC-4GAT 440MH* HT |
429 95 |
Call $ |
|
220 MHz |
||
|
*C-3»A £$w FM Xcvr |
489 |
Cant |
|
IC-32AT 2rrvr0cfn HT |
629 95 |
CallS |
KENWOOD
RZ-1 WIDEBAND RCVR HF Equipment TS-940S/AT Gen Cvg Xcvr TS-440S/AT Gen Cvg Xcvr TS-140S Compact Gen Cwg
Xcvt VHFOJHF
TS790A 2m-70cm 1 2 GHZ TS-711A AD Mode Base 25w TO-751A Alt Mode Mobile 25w 7M*22tA 2m 45w TM-2550A FM Mobile 45w TM-2570A FM Mobile 70w TH-2l5A2mHT Has It All TH-25AT 5w Pocket HT NEW TM-721A gnVTOcm FM Mobile TM-421A Compacl FM 35 w TH-45AT 5w Pockel HT NEW 220 MHz
TM-3530A FM 220 MHz 25w TM-321A Compacl 25 w Mobile TH-31SA Full Fealured 2 Sw HT
599 95
CallS
|
2449 95 |
Call 5 |
|
1379 95 |
Can & |
|
929 95 |
Celts |
|
1999.95 |
Call S |
|
1029 95 |
CaflS |
|
649 95 |
Call $ |
|
439 95 |
CallS |
|
499,95 |
Call* |
|
599 95 |
Call S |
|
379 95 |
Call $ |
|
349.95 |
Call $ |
|
649 95 |
Call £ |
|
449.95 |
Call $ |
|
369 95 |
Call $ |
|
49995 |
CallS |
|
449.95 |
Call $ |
|
399.95 |
CallS |
|
YAESU |
||
|
HF Equipment |
||
|
FT-767 GX Gen Cvg Xcvr |
1929 95 |
Can s |
|
FT-757 GX It Gen Cvg Xcvr 1129 95 |
Call 5 |
|
|
FT-747 GX New Economics |
1 |
|
|
Performer |
889 95 |
CallS |
|
FL-7000 iSnviBOm AMP |
1995 00 |
CallS |
|
VHF |
||
|
FT-212FIH NEW2m4Sw |
459 95 |
CeHS |
|
FT 712HH 70cm 35W |
499 9$ |
Cans |
|
FT-290A AH Mode Portable |
599 95 |
Can S |
|
FT-23 Rm Mini HT |
344 95 |
Call S |
|
FT-2Q9RH FM Handheld 5* |
389 95 |
Can S |
|
VHFSUHF Full Duplex |
||
|
FT-736R> New Alf Mode |
||
|
2m/70cm |
1749 95 |
CMS |
|
Dual Bender |
||
|
FT 727R 2m/7Qcm HT |
439 95 |
Call S |
|
F"M09RH New HT |
1QQ nc |
Celt S |
|
3UN*&Ti |
||
|
^j&\ ELEi |
CTRONICS |
|
|
\\ r*~H— |
||
|
x*4 |
L/y |
|
|
^L \± 1 ~ |
3919 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230
213-390-8003
CIRCLE 272 ON READER SERVICE CARD
73 Amateur Radto • December, 1988 107
Others May Try to Imitate, But
• ••
•
•
Advanced Electronic Aeol«ai*ore, Inc
Model
flOR IDIM PHASE STOf
FEC ASCI) BAUDOT
THRESHOLD
MUUT SEND CONV
OCD
limit
TUNE
PAKRATT 232
SO TFC OVEft
CON CMD TRANS STATUS
AHO CHECK PK I MORSE
MODE
RADIO t
RADIO?
Morse Code - Baudot - ASCII - AMTOR - Packet - Facsimile - Navte
Amateur Net Price $319.95
It's a lesson you learn very early in life. Many can be good, some may be better, but only one can be the best. The PK-232 is the best multi-mode data controller you can buy.
1 Versatility
The PK-232 should be listed in the amateur radio dictionary under the word Versatile. One data controller thai can transmit and receive in six digital modes, and can be used with almost every computer or data ter- minal. You can even monitor Navtex, the new marine weather and naviga- tional system, Don't forget two radio ports for both VHF and HF, and a no compromise VHF/HF/CW internal modem with an eight pole bandpass filter followed by a limiter dis- criminator with automatic threshold control.
The internal decoding program (SIAM071 feature can even identify different types of signals for you, in- cluding some simple types of RTTY encryption. The only software your computer needs is a terminal program.
n~rr-
■*,■ mn
HUB ml ML
'.r mi
W7BH1 m J.m I1
UC7KK ro-Jpn TiW MW I"
m u ich jm t.
- I I ■ ■ I 1 ■ M|
»
PC Pakratt Packet TX/RX Display
Facsimile Screen Display
2 Software Support
While you can use most modem or communications programs with the PK-232, AEA has two very special packages available exclusively for the PK-232. ...PC Pakratt with Fax for IBM PC and compatible computers, and Com Pakratt with Fax for the Commodore 64 and 128,
Each package includes a terminal
program with split screen display, QSO buffer, disk storage of received data, and printer operation, and a second program for transmis- sion/reception and screen display of facsimile signals, The IBM programs are on 5-1/4" disk and the Com- modore programs are plug-in ROM cartridges.
3 Proven Winner
No matter what computer or ter- minal you plan to use, the PK-232 is the best choice for a multi-mode data controller Over 20,000 amateurs around the world have on-air tested the PK-232 for you. They, along with most major U.S. amateur magazines, have reviewed the PK-232 and found it to be a good value and excellent ad- dition to the ham station.
No other multi-mode controller of- fers the features and performance of the PK-232. Don't be fooled by imita- tions. Ask your friends, or call the local amateur radio store. We're con* fidem the PK-232 reputation will con- vince you that its time to order your very own PK-232.
Call an authorized AEA dealer today. You deserve the best you can buy, you deserve the PK- 232.
Advanced Electronic Applications, Inc.
P.O. Box C-2160 Lynnwood.WA 98036
206-775-7373
AEA
Brings you the Breakthrough!
CIRCU 65 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Measure Up With Coaxial Dynamics Model
83000A RF Peak Reading Wattmeter
Take a PEAK with Coaxial Dynamics "NEW" Model 830Q0A, designed to measure both F WD/RFL power in CW and FM systems simply and quickly. Then with a "FLJP" of a switch, measure "PEAK POWER" in most AM, SSB Or pulse systems. Our Model 83000A features a complete se- lection of plug-in-efements plus a 2 year warranty, This makes the Model 83000A an investment worth looking at. So go ahead; take a "PEAK'\ you'll like "WATT" you see! Contact us for your nearest autho- rized Coaxial Dynamics representa- tive ordistributor In our world-wide sales network.
COAXIAL
DYNAMICS,
INC.
15210 Industrial Parkway . Cleveland, Ohio 44135 216-267-2233 1-8Q0-CO AXIAL TeJex 98-0630
Service and Dependability
a Part of Every Product
CIRCLE 1 85 ON READER SERVICE CARD
BENEFITS FOR YOU
GST, QSL Bureau, Awards, Low Cost Insurance, Operating Aids, Government Liaison and More — Much More!
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name _
Street
nity Prov./State.
Call
PC/ZIP
$25 in U.S. $36 elsewhere (U.S. funds) Licensed amateurs, or age 65 or overf upon submitting proof of age, may request the special dues rate of $20 in the US, $28 elsewhere, in (U.S. funds) Persons age 17 and younger may qualify for special rates, write for application.
For postal purposes, fifty percent of dues is allocated to GST, the balance for membership
Chargeto D VISA D Mastercard □ AMEX D Discover Expires
Card Number Signature
The American Radio Relay League 225 Main SL Newington, CT. 061 1 1 USA
73
please
mation on your line of amateur antennas to:
MAME .
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
2FP
One Newtronics Place
Mineral Wells, Texas 76067
(817) 325-1366
CIRCLE 269 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Number 38 on your Feedback card
EASTERN UNITED STATES TO:
ROPA GA TION
Jim Gray W1XU PO Box 1079 Payson, AZ 85541
December 1988
Conditions may be fair to poor on many days during the first and fast week of the month. In particu- lar, note the 4th-7th, and again the 26th-29th. The remainder of the month, however, should provide fair to good DX condi- tions, particularly the period from the 1 1th through the 22nd. During the fair (o poor days, the Earth's magnetic field is likely to be unset- tled to active, with the 4lA" index running well above normal; i.e., over about 10, On days of an ac- tive magnetic field, look for north- south propagation only on the higher bands, with typical "ring- ing" or hollow-sounding signals from the auroral zone to the north.
Do not expect any OX on 40, 80, or 160 meters during the poorest days. Look for some VHF auroral openings, however, on the days when the magnetic field is most active. In particular, 6 and 2 me- ters should be good- While on the subject of VHF, the Geminid and Ursid meteor showers occur about the 13th and 22nd, respec- tively. Expect some meteor trail propagation on VHF bands duhng the peak showers, During the "Good'1 (G) days on the chart, you will find some excellent DX on 10, 12, and 15 meters— as well as on
by Jim Gray W1XU
20. Darkness comes early at this time of year and band openings will just about fade out at sun- down, except on rare days when you may find early evening open- ings on 1 0 and 1 5. Your best times for DX will be toward the east in local morning hours and toward the west in local late afternoon hours. For those who enjoy DX on 40, 80, and 160 meters, the low atmospheric noise levels of De- cember will provide a good oppor- tunity to hear even weak DX sig- nals, and days of quiet magnetic field conditions will help the coun- tries totals of low-band DXers.
Late afternoon and early even- ing hours, as well as early morn- ing hours, are the best times to listen for DX on the low bands, As always, keep your radio tuned to WWV at 18 minutes after each hour, for the latest propagation in- formation. Consult the charts here for the most likely times to work the countries of your choice on Fair (F) to Good (G) days. Al- though the winter conditions are not quite as favorable for DX on the HF bands as they are in spring and fall, remember that solar flux is constantly rising afong with sun spot activity, and the MUFs con- tinue to climb during daylight hours. Although the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun in tne winter, remember that the Earth, in general, is closest to the sun at this time of year!
|
GMT: |
» |
91 |
0* |
o« |
CM |
10 |
12 |
14 |
1« |
H |
ID |
21 |
|
|
AL45KA |
■ |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
20 |
20 |
- |
15 |
||||
|
ARGENTINA |
20 |
Vi |
40 |
40 |
- |
- |
20 |
1.5 |
lri |
10 |
10 |
1? |
|
|
AUSTRALIA |
15 |
2Q |
20 |
- |
to |
10 |
-.:• |
- |
20 |
20 |
15 |
||
|
CANAL ZONE |
20 |
7D |
20 |
20 |
20 ' |
■.T. |
20 |
10 |
10 |
1> |
15 |
||
|
ENGLAND |
40 |
4Q |
40 * |
.... |
- |
20 |
r> |
10 |
15 |
20 |
20 |
||
|
HAWAII |
15 |
30 |
— |
— |
- |
- |
20 |
20 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
|
|
INDIA |
_ |
— |
— |
- |
- |
20 |
2D |
- |
- |
||||
|
JAPAN |
15 |
:o |
■» |
- |
- |
- |
20 |
20 |
- |
- |
15 |
||
|
Mexico |
XI |
20 |
■■■■ |
20 |
20 |
20 |
?0 |
15 |
10 |
10 |
IS |
15 |
|
|
PHILIPPINES |
|
- |
~ |
w |
20 |
20 |
- |
15* |
|||||
|
PU£HTO HlCd |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
10 |
r |
||
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
20 |
40* |
- |
m |
20 |
10 |
10 |
11" |
15 |
20 |
|||
|
- |
- |
||||||||||||
|
U, S S R. |
_ |
_ |
- |
— |
— |
- |
20 |
15 |
20 |
20 |
- |
||
|
fflEST COAST |
15y2(i?ft/4( |
ao |
160 |
IfiO |
1 01 |
- |
- |
- |
10 |
10 |
15 |
||
|
CENTRAL UNITED STATES TO: |
|||||||||||||
|
ALASKA |
15 - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
20 |
- |
- |
a |
|||
|
ARGENTINA |
20 |
zo |
20 |
40 |
4Q |
- |
20 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
15 ' |
15 |
|
|
AU$tHALIA |
15- |
20 |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
>.?. |
- |
- |
- |
15 |
10 |
|
|
CANAL ZONE |
L5 |
20 |
to |
M* |
mD* |
- |
Zfl |
lrj |
10 |
H3 |
10 |
L5 |
|
|
ENGLAND |
uQ |
M |
EQ |
|
— |
aai |
_ |
20 |
lr' |
"■ |
20 |
'.!" |
|
|
HAWAII |
15 |
20 |
40 |
40 |
40* |
40* |
20 |
20 |
L5 |
10 |
-■ |
||
|
INDIA |
- |
- |
- |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
||||||
|
4APAN |
15 |
- |
•- |
— |
- |
- |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
:r |
||
|
MEKtCO |
1L |
20 |
40 |
40" |
40* - |
20 |
15 |
10 |
JO |
10 |
15 |
||
|
PHILIPPINES |
ts |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
20 |
- |
- |
H |
15 |
||
|
PUEHTO RICO |
15 |
30 |
40 |
40* |
40* |
20 |
15 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
!■ |
||
|
40 |
- |
— |
— |
— |
- |
U |
10 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
|||
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
20 |
||||||||||||
|
U. 5.S. R, |
- |
— |
- |
- |
: ■■ |
.'. |
20 |
- |
- |
||||
|
WESTERN UNITED STATES TO: |
|||||||||||||
|
ALASKA |
10 |
15 |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
40 |
40 |
40 |
- |
20 |
||
|
ARGENTINA |
1S> |
20 |
- |
40 |
40 |
- |
- |
' |
- |
ID |
10 |
||
|
AUSTRALIA |
10 |
15 |
20 |
:N-: |
- |
'.: » |
40* |
20 |
;n |
15 |
15 |
||
|
CANAL ZONE |
L5 |
20 |
20 |
- |
- |
' |
- |
::t: |
15 |
10 |
10 |
ID |
|
|
ENGLAND |
L:0 |
40 |
4Q |
_. |
— |
— |
— |
- |
3r= |
IS |
20 |
20 |
|
|
HAWAII |
10 |
li |
20 |
40 |
40 |
40 |
_ |
iO |
20 |
IS |
IS |
ID |
|
|
INDIA |
, 15 |
3.0 |
■*" |
h« |
_ |
_ |
— |
20 |
— |
- |
|||
|
lAuFAM |
111 |
n |
. 2D |
J |
_ |
■.!> |
49 |
1 40 |
_ |
_ |
20 |
||
|
MEXICO |
15 |
, 20 |
£0 |
_ |
_ |
20 |
15 |
: |
10 |
]0 |
|||
|
PHlLIPPlNfS |
iD |
L5/2C |
ta/2£ |
|
40 |
40 |
40 |
_ |
— |
20 |
|||
|
PUERTO R1CO |
:" |
20 |
20 |
J |
- |
- |
40 |
40 |
-HO |
- |
- |
SO |
|
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
20 |
20 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
15 |
•■■ |
15 |
15 |
|
|
V. 5.5- R. |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
10 |
20 |
- |
|||
|
EAST COAST |
U/21 |
20 /L |
: so |
Utt |
160 |
IGOl |
- |
- |
ID 1 1C |
15 |
*Try 80 meters.
The bands shown represent the highest usable at these times on "Good Days."
Note that the lower frequency bands open first and close last-
|
DECEMBER SUN MON TUE WED THU FRl SAT |
||||||
|
1 F |
2 F |
3 F-P |
||||
|
4 p |
5 p |
6 p |
7 P-F |
8 F |
9 F |
10 F |
|
11 F-G |
12 G |
13 G-F |
14 F |
15 F-G |
16 G |
17 G |
|
18 G |
19 G-F |
20 F-G |
21 G |
22 G-F |
23 F |
24 F-P |
|
25 F-P |
26 p |
27 p |
28 p |
29 P-F |
30 1 F |
31 F |
73 AMULE fcAdi:i
lf*TEMOTF 0* flWNEMHIP, MAN AflEMENT *.U0 (HiCUIATION
■0 T
i-r;
rJHi-*
Q Is \0 I
ftonthL*
$ :
-"-
UW1
USf (niter, 70 Ike. 231 *ir:h, ttlecKnoip\r M CJU.Si-12™ Hlliibaecii^ •Jrj-z-.-
irm^
U*vT» Ce+tt., UCE 4H1U4 , TO Ht*. ^5 *«r&i. P*t«WiW#i, «l 5iii5*-1i*l
Srywn i^^tlnfis, ^K looter , » P.ti, MJ horch, P#tftP-DMCfli^J:l 5H OMlB-U*
I pfW *■ UN ^ MM rirVvV ^ IW1I tf iff f-W fr + BrTl^lfi -i
i* w%h ■.fy^ffixwj.4— n ini r ■ iwir n - if ir it rp' iri i
IflH T llVll- fh* H .■■
I.I T ill H r r H "il I t I pm p n^ h-J^
■>■• RitU^iHH. IK.
IS
¥»li^ i»
Bri. -Ml Jfenv* ^>«-i^n.Hh. w< lUm-itfa
ILnBT ■■'JAUIIL Nri«^«^Mrl ■■■-* CTJK |l^Pfcj Ho44fm P™"* W "(H¥"» ■ 111 II ili^rkra^ M MMi
- .. BV- ^ T^i* J
.ik^
r » ■■PPfii i — — ; !i. i
UWHtPl fMri ■" IfWIf "i-*h xMlT ill Ul [f ■■V
i II 'P ■ A'^H4t->-- r» IM Har-'^-* HriKl *** 'hHiV YnWWl 111 d
D
ntKST1
c
h^J
j^ris
^— ii -f
l^n .-4 hi... ." f.
a»v iw w ■¥?
■:« ■ ; ■ ;
^M 1^»1
'- '..I
l^.iflg
2&.Cfl3
4um
*.irB30
]t,?Il
zt.63^
— ..-<;
A Bl« D«V*A-V- H ¥H* II-"1^ C 1>r4« 1^F-»
■ >7t*4t m D-ii^L.tf
L. UlU* &< rfi r' wJ-iA4 <W -
iJJ
iii.Lrt
7 ,405
La , Wi
«4B
*,,?«
Mii
lb, 23^
HPi^ 1G1B. r« ■»-
110 73 Amateur Radio * December, 1988
ATLAS RADIO & UNIDEN ELECTRONICS TWO LEADERS IN AMERICAN HAM RADIO
AR/HR2510 10 METER MOBILE TRANSCEIVER
Comes complete - ready for installation: Mobile mounting bracket, Scanning microphone, power cord, etc., etc.
Call for price, you will not be disappointed.
That's right, Atlas Radio together with Uniden Corporation of America have joined forces to bring you this new exciting product.
The 2510 tenmeter mobile transceiver.
Many of the exciting new features are...25W PEP USB/LSB and 25W CW. LCD Digital readout display with full frequency coverage from 28.0000 MHz to 29.6999 MHz Digital VFO Synthesized for Superior stability. Prepro- grammed memory channels. RIT receive Incremental tuning Noise Blanker. Touch Tone scanning microphone & much much more. Remember Atlas Radio Co. will warranty your 2510 mobile transceiver for two years, full replacement, no questions asked. From Atlas Radio & Uniden Electronics, two World Leaders in portable communications. Order direct from this ad. Call anytime day or night, seven days a week, or write for free color brochure. Export inquiries invited.
*m
Note: Atlas Radio is fully equipped to service our past models of equipment, 180, 210X,215X,350XL,Etc.
r/Fu, ATLAS
£3?r RADIO INC.
PO Box 763 • Lynbrook, LI, NY 11563
(516)678-3904
_
CIRCLE 363 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ege
REMEMBER - BUY EARLY
YOUR BEST CHRISTMAS BUYS
GIFT SUGGESTIONS
ege
UNDER $25
BK136 TECH/GEN MANUAL CALL BOOKS I960 BK141 EXTRA CLASS BK120 REPEATER DIRECT. BK1 02 "NEW "ANTENNA BK_ LARSEN KD4142HQ KANTRONICS MAX-FAX ICOM HS 10 HEADSET ICOM HSlOSA/SB ICOM LC11,12,0R14 ICOM 1X24,25,26, OR 27 MFJ 1 09 WORLD CLOCK MFJ 108 24HRDUAL LCO MFJ1262 STARTER KIT DtSK MFJ12S4 STARTER KITTAPE MFJ 2B4 SPEAKER MIC MFJ1702 ZPOSJWT.SWrTCH UN1DELLAW2AU11 VANGORDEN Hi-Q VANGODEN D10 10M VANGORDEN D1 5 15M VANGORDEN D20 20M VANGORDEN D40 40M VANGORDEN OSL CARD ARRL 1969 HANDBOOK
UNDER $50
ALUANCEU110 ANT SPEC API 51 3G ANT SPEC AP4503G CUSHCRAFT CS147M CUSHCRAFT ARX2B CUSHCRAFT ARX450B CUSHCRAFT 124WB ICOM HM4&SPKR MIC ICOM HM46L SPKR MIC K2RAG RAG1 0,15,20 K2RAG RAG4 2KW BALUN K2RAG RAG4040MDIPOLE K2RAG RAG8060M DIPOLE KANTRONICS KANTERM KENWOOD SMC30 KENWOOD SMC31 KETSU5 ENCODER KETSU6 ENCODER LARSEN KG144 LARSEN KG144PL LARSEN AD2/70 LARSEN KD14142HW MFJ 250 WW WET MFJ 250 300W DRY MFJ 1286 GREY LINE ADV NYE 020001 LOW PASSFILT. NYE 4040O2OSCIL.W/KEY VANGORDEN GSR V YAESUFNB10BATTEHY YAESUMH12A2B YAESU MH18A2B
5.00 24.95
500 5.00 18.00 16,95 19.95 24.50 24,50 20.50 13 95
18,95 19 95 19,95 19,95 24,95 19.95 1695 14.95 19.50 20.95 22,95 24+95 4.95 21.95
4995
35.95
35.95 38.95
40,95
40 95 38.95 31 99 31.99 35.95 24+95 45.95 49.95 29.95 49.95 49.95 49.95 45 95 49 95 44.95 43.95 29.95 40.95 26.95 29.95 31.95 29.95 45.95 4195 4195
4 1 95
New Hampshire New Store Location
UNDER $75
ALINCO ELH230G2MAMP ASTRON RSlOA PWR SPLY AST RON RS12APWRSPLY B&W ASW60LSWL ANT BENCHER BY1 BLACK BENCHER BY2 CHROME ICON BP5 BATTERY ICOM EX243 KEYER ICOM FL32 CW FILTER ICOM RC11 OR RC12 KENWOOD HS5 MFJ 931 GRND TUNER SHURE 444D DESK MIC YAESU FNB4 OR FN84A YAESU FNB1 2 BATTERY YAESU FTS12 ENCODER
UNDER $100
ALINCO ELH230D 2M AMP ASTRON RS12M ASTRON RS20A PWR SPLY B&W AS80 BOM DIPOLE CUSHCRAFT A743 CUSHCRAFT A744 CUSHCRAFT 215WB HYGAIN 40M KPT EXP.14 ICOM BC35 CHARGER ICOM BP7 OR BP8 ICOM GC5 24HR WORLD CLK ICOM SM8 DESK MIC MFJ 482B MEMORY KEYER MFJ 941D TUNER SANGEAN ATS B0 1 RECVR, SONY AN1 ACTIVE ANTENNA TELEX PROCOM250
72.95
61.95 71 .95 66.95 54.00 66.50 65,00 64.50 69.00 70.99 70.99 73,95 59,95 64,95 59.95 61.95
89.95 92.95 91.95 94.95 S4.9S 84.95 63.95 99.95 79.00 79.95 79 00 89.00 91 .95 92.95 89.95 79.95 72.90
CALL FOR PACKAGE DEALS
UNDER $150
ALLIANCE HD73 ROTOR 1 1 9.95
ALINCO ELH260D 2M AMP 124.95
UNIDEN 55XL SCANNER 135.95
BUTTERNUT NF6VX 129.00
DIAWA LA 2 06 5 R 2M AMP 122.95
HYGAIN 18AVT/WB 13750
ICOM SM10 DESK MIC 130.95
MFJ 1 270B PACKET 1 1 9,95
YAESU MD1B8 DESK MIC 109.95
YAESU SU726 129.95
UNDER $200
CUSHCRAFT AP8 HF VERT. 142.95
DOCKING BOOSTERWP20 169 95
HYGAIN 1 058 AS 1 0M BEAM 1 73,95
HYGAIN CD45II ROTOR 199,95
(COM FL44A SS8 FILTER 164,95
ICOM PS15 PWR SUPPLY 156.95
KENWOOD AT1 30 TUNER 1 84.95
KENWOOD PS430S 175.00
MFJ 1274 PACKET 152,95
SANGEAN ATS303 RCVR 179.95
UNIDEN 70XLT SCANNER 174.95
UNDER $250
CUSHCRAFT A3 HF BEAM 249.95
CUSHCRAFT R4 HF VERT. 249.95
DIAWA CNW419 TUNER 225.95
HEATHKIT HK21 PACKET 215.95
KENWOOD TH31 BT 220 HH 239,95
MFJ 1278 ALL MODE TNC 225.95
SONY 2003 SWL RECEIVER 249.95
YAESU 6M736 GW MODULE 234.95
UNDER $300
AUNCO ALR72T 269,95
ALINCO DJ100T 2M HH 263.95
DOCKBOOST.WP727DX 299.95
HYGAIN 155BAS 265 00
HYGAIN HAMIV ROTOR 294.95
ICOM 03AT220MH2HH 269 95
ICOM U2AT 2M HANDY 286 ,95
ICOM U4AT 440MHz HH 299.95
KANTRONICS KAM 284.00
KENWOOD TH205AT CALL
KENWOOD TH25AT CALL
MFJ 989 3KW TUNER 299 .95
SONY SW1S RECEIVER 284.50
UNIDEN 200XLT SCANNER 299.95
UNIDEN 760XLT SCANNER 299.95
YAESU FT23R 2M HANDY 259.95
YAESU FT23R/TT2MHH 289,95
YAESU FT33R220MHiHH 299.95
YAESU FT73R 440MH* m 269 .95
PACKAGE DEALS
YAESU
FTV726R
OSCAR SPECIAL
$1079.95
includes FT726R 2m Transceiver
MH1B8HandMic
430 MHz UHF Module
SU726 Dupl;ex Unit
UPS Brown Shipping
MFJ 1 278 $244-95
includes
MFJ 1278 TNC
1 284 Starter Package
UPS Brown Shipping
T»T
TIN-TIC
PARAGON $2245.00
includes
505 Paragon
961 Power Supply
705 Desk Mic
UPS Brown Shipping
Orders & Quotes Toll Free 800-444-4799
Price* art Mibjed to change without notice or obligation
New Fait 1986 Buyers
Guide/Catalog
Available-Send $1
EGE VIRGINIA
14803 Build America Drive, Bldg B Woodbridge, Virginia 22191 Information: (703) 643-1063 Service Dept: (703) 494-8750 Fax: (703) 404-3679
Store Hours: M - F 10-6; Sat: 10-4 Order Hours: M - F 9^6, Sat: 10-2
EGE NEW ENGLAND
224 N. Broadway Salem, New Hamshire 03079 New England {NH Included} Toll Free: SQ0-444-0Q47 Info & Service: (603)898-3750
Store Hours: MTuWF: 10-5 Th: 12-8; Sat 10-4
Our A**od*te *i«e: lacombe Dsinbutof t Davis 4 Jackson Road P.O. 8oi293 Lacombe, Loutsiana 70445 Phono: (604) 682*5355
\ZW
CIRCLE 133 ON READER SERVICE CARD
I
¥>ul be hard-pressed to beat the performance of
Ifoesu's new FT-4U handheld
Let Yaesu's "next generation" handheld lighten your load!
Picking up where our popular FT-209R Series left, off, the 2-meter FT-411 will amaze with its astounding array of features!
The brains of a base station. "Sophisticated operation" takes on new meaning in the FT-41L You get 49 memories, plus dual VFOs for quick band-hopping. Keyboard frequency entry. Automatic repeater shift, DTMF autodialer with ten memories of up to 15 digits each. Bidltdn CTCSS encode I decode. Selectable channel steps: 5/10/12.5/20/25 kHz. Pro- grammable band scan with upper/ lower limits. Selectable memory scan. And extended receive coverage of 140-174 MHz (MARS/CAP permit required , for transmit on 140-150 MHz). '
Not bad for a handheld mea- suring just 55(w) x 32(d) x 139(h) mm (the same size as our FT-23R Series HTs)!
Friendly operation. For ope- rating convenience, the FT-411's keypad features a "do-re-mf audi- ble command verification. Both the display and keypad can be backlit (brightly!) for night operation at the push of a button. A rotary channel selec- tor allows fast manual tuning. Or key in the frequency directly. Operate VOX (with YH-2 headset option). Plus you get a battery saver to conserve power
while monitoring. And a (defeatable) automatic power-off feature that shuts down your radio if you forget to turn it off!
High power capability* The FT411 comes equipped with the 2.5-watt 600 mAh FNB-10 battery pack.1V>' our optional FNB-12 5-watt, SOOmAh pack or tiny FNB-9 2.5-watt, 200 -mAh pack. Or get 6 watts output by applying 13.8 -volts DC from an external power supply
Swap options with Yaesu's FT-23R Series. Our rugged best-seller's changers, batteries, and microphones are fully compatible with the FT-41L The FT-23R is the perfect com- panion for the FT-4IL, and at a great price! r 1Yy oat an FT-411 today. Ask for it now at your local Yaesu dealer. Or call 1-800 999-2070 for a free brochure. And experi- ence the legendary Yaesu HT performance!
Yaesu USA 17210 Edwards Road, Cerritos, CA 90701 (213) 404-2700. Repair Service: (213) 404 -4884. Parts: (213) 404-4847 Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Specifications guaranteed only within amateur bands.
CIRCLE 165 ON READER SERVICE CARD
...pacesetter in Amateur Radio
Three Choices for 2 m!
TM-2570A/2550A/2530A
Feature-packed 2m transceivers
The all-new "25-Series" gives you three RF power choices for 2m FM operation: 70 W, 45 W, and 25 W. Here's what you get:
• Telephone number memory and autodialer (up to 15 seven-digit phone numbers) A Kenwood exclusive!
• High performance GaAs FET front end receiver
• 23 channel memory stores offset, frequency, and subtone, Two pairs may be used for odd split operation
• 16-key DTMF pad with audible monitor
■ Extended frequency coverage for MARS and CAP (142-149 MHz; 141-151 MHz modifiable)
• Center-stop tuning— a Kenwood exclusive!
Big multi-color LCD and back-lit controls for excellent visibility
The TM-3530A is a 25 watt version covering 220-225 MHz. The first full featured 220 MHz rig!
• New 5-way adjustable mounting system
» Automatic repeater offset selection - another Kenwood exclusive!
• Direct keyboard frequency entry
• Front panel programmable 38-tone CTCSS encoder includes 97,4 Hz (optional)
Introducing... Digital Channel Link
Compatible with Kenwood's DCS iDigital Code Squelch), the DCL system enables your rig to automatically QSY to an open channel. Now you can auto- matically switch over to a simplex channel after repeater contact! Here's how it works:
The DCL system searches for an open channel, remembers it, returns to the original frequency and transmits control information to another DCL- equipped station that switches both radios to the open channel, Micro- processor control assures fast and reliable operation. The whole process
happens in an instant!
KENWOOD
TM-2570A
LAMP REV
SCAN LOW
m
n n
i u
iiiiiiiiiuiilllllllllll f 5
MHz
IMF
■» — r — t-
*COmTO PUSH ON
CTUN
144MHz FM TRANSCEIVER
*y
|
LJ |
n |
|
|
n |
||
|
1 .1 4r |
1 II 1 |
|
! f.lock char men
PAIR 16-17 IB -19
DCL
VOICE
POWER
Optional Accessories
• TU-7 38-tone CTCSS encoder
• MU-1 DCL modem unit ■ VS-1 voice synthesizer
• PG-2N extra DC cable
• PG-3B DC line noise filter
• MB -10 extra mobile bracket
• CD-10 call sign display
• PS-430 DC power suppfy for TM-255QW2530A/3530A
• PS-50 DC power supply for TM-2570A
• MC-60A/MC-80/MC-85 desk mies,
i MC-488 extra DTMF mic. with UP/DVVN switch MC-43SUP/DWNmia MC-55 (8- pm) mobile mic, with time-out timer
• SP-40 compact mobile speaker
• SP-50B mobile speaker
SW-200A/SW-200B SWR/power meters
• SW-100A/SW-100B compact SWR/power meters SWT-1 2m antenna tuner
Comptetg service manuafs are available tor ait Kenwood transceivers ar*o mosi accessories Speoftcattons and prices are subject to change Without notice or obligation Specifications guaranteed on Amateur oands anty
Actual size front panel
KENWOOD
KENWOOD USA CORPORATION
2201 E Dominguez SU Long Beach, CA 90810 P.O. Box 22745/Long Beach. CA 9080V5745