DECEMBER 1991

ISSUE it375 USA $2.95 CAN $3.95

EPublicaiion

International Edition

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Waym Green EnteJpfises Is a drvsjon of imematHmal Data Gmup.

Reprints: The first copy of an article S3,00 (each additional copy-$1 .50). Writa to 73 Amateur Radio Magazine, WGE Cenief , FoiBst Road, Hancock,

NH 03449.

ma teur Radio Today

DECEMBER 1991 Issue #375

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES

1 0 The Simple TXTX

Tfie perfect companion for the SupeRX receiver! WA6IVC

22 Project INSPIRE:

A Space Shuttle Experiment

Build a simple receiver to explore the wonders of the 60.000 meter band!

KG6EK

iBi-l+i'-l-l b

36 The QUAG-V

A high performance and wide bandwidth antenna for VHF and UHF , . WeaAYW

42 Computerized Tyning for

Ramsey Receiver Kits

It doesn't have to be eKpensive. N8KDD

SO Not Just Another Island

Weekend DXpedifion activaias the Walrus Islands _ . NL7KH

66 The "Cheap and Simple"

Power Supply Revisited

Improved regulation for a classic power supply . WA9VLK/G0NBZ

REVIEWS

1 8 The Ramsey 2 Meter

Transceiver Kit

Build your own high-quaJKy FM rig the easy way. ........ KIBQT

20 The BayCom Packet System

Run packet without a TNC. WA3USG

29 ZD Engineering Hardline

Matching Transformers

A great way to use all of that cheap CATV cable! WB9RRT

32 The Yaesu FT-990

A fuliy-equipped transceiver for the everyday ham WA4BLC

46 ICOM IC-2SRA 2 Meter HT and Scanner

A full-feature 2 meter handheld with a separata wideband receivef . , , , , . WB6N0A

Cover A "pre-constwction" vtew of the Ramsey FTR- 14S2 meter tmnsceiver kit Cover design: David C3$Sfdy Cover photo: LMnyDunn

DEPARTMENTS

74 A bave and Beyond 60 Ad Index

32 AskKmboom

58 ATV

92 Barter 'n' Buy 70 Dealer Directory 17 Fe«dbftc kinder

53 Ham Help

72 Hams witti Class 62 Ham sat s GO Homing tn

8 Letters

4 Never Say Die 77 New Products

93 Propagation

69 QRP

7 Qnx

88 Random Output

70 RTTYLoop

54 73 International 76 Special Events

94 Uncle Wayne's Bookshelf

59 Updates

Build a TXTX. . .seepage iO.

I>^ [Q space limhaiions, the 1991 Annud Index will appear in the January 1992 issue.

1 1

FEEDBACK!

ViHj'll ni^jcc a feedback niunbcr at \hc beginning of each injvlc and coliimn. We'd Ukc >rw DO rawr wbm you read so that wc can pnm vbhai I ypcs of thing.v you like bcstt. Add then we wilJ dr^wane Fcetlhuuk c ard each miiviih for a jfree suhMTription lo 73 ,

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73 Amsteur Radio Tt>dAy (ISSN 1052-2522) is published monthly by WGE Publishing, Inc. WGE Center. Forest Road, Hancock, New Hampshire 03449. Entire contenis " '1991 by WQEPubisshing, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the pubUshar For Subscription Services write 73 Amateur Radso Today, PO Box 5886S, Boulder^ CO 80322-8S66, or call t -©00-289-0388. In CO call 1-303-447-9330. The subscnptton rate is: one year $24 97; two years S39.97 Add d tonal postage ior Canada is $7 00 and for oftver foretgn countries^ $1 9.00 surface and $37.00 airmail per year All fofetyn ordet s must be accompanied by payrn^nt is US funds. Secxmd dass pcstaQe paid at Hancock. New Hampshire, and at addit^aJ mailing offices. Canadian second class mail regtsiration number 9566, Canadian GST Regisiration #125393314. Microfilm Edilion — Oniversity Mtcrofdm. Ann Artior, Ml 48106. Postmaster: send address changes to 73 Amateur RBdio Today ^ PO Box S6S66, Boulder, CO 80322-8866,

Aydll! Bureau of Circulatians (ABCJ meint»ef$hip applied for.

Contract: Help wanted— E^ves wnh amateur licenses needed for 'round-the-world DXpeddton on December 24th Wnle to K, Knngte, Box 1 , Itorth Po*e.

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December. 1991 3

Number 1 on your Fe&dbach card

Never sa y die

Wayne Green W2NSD/1

Aspen '92

Anybody who has to be tcFd twice about the Aspen Ham Colloquluin in order lo get him to decide lo go, proba- bly shoufdriH go anyway. We i^on't need any wishy-washy namby-pam- bies cfogglng up ihe works.

The ham business ts in trouble and action is needed. Yes, t said ham busi- ness. Any of you commie fellow travel- ers who sttll believe that socralism is better than capitalism have your head so far up youf . . . er . . , armpit, that you need some fresh air. Non-profit? That's the ticket to bureBucracv and lousy service.

As I pointed out fast month, it's this nofvprofit baloney which has so badly screwed up our postal 'service" and our educational "systeTn."' The sooner we lake these pul^lic protects private, the sooner we*i* start getting some pro- ductivity. Just look at the terrible mess our non-profit ARRL has made of our hobby! They destroyed the American ham industry 25 years ago, from the manufacturers down to most of our ham stores. Now IheyVe nan-profiting away in Newington while technology is sque&zir>g us out of our frequencies. 111 lake for-profit ar)d the merciless mar- ketplace every time for efficiency.

When we use the capitalist system we vote every day with our dollars And this works lor every rang« of products, from Rolex right on down lo Tim ex. They both keep just as good lime, one's just flashier than the other. Pri- vate schools can provide better educa- tions than public for every economic level. Once we changed to public schools in the last century our literacy rate dropped and it's never come back up to what it was.

The 16th Annual Winter Ham Colk> quium will be m Aspen Fetjfuary l^eth. Gonna be there, skis and NT in hand? We'll save a chair at our table for you.

Doing Something

Not everyone is sitting on their. . . ar. . laurels. I see in EDN that Bob KODVH is starting a science club In Wichita to stir kids' imaglnallons. Where are the experimenters? "They're alt around us. just waiting for the opportunity to grow." says 8ob.

He's lined up mentors to help the kids learn about aviation, electronics, amateur radio, computers, photogra-

phy, astronomy, and so on. The local Lions Ciub wili help firman ce National Science Fair projects.

Good idea. . so how about getting something similar started in your area? Or j>erhaps as an activity of your ham club?

I remember, way liefofe I discovered amateur radio, I had a great interest in science. 1 read everything I could get on rockets and space travel when I was around seven years old. Td have loved a club iika that. When I was eight I got a huge chemistry (Chemcraft) set for Christmas. My grandfather even built a workbench to go with it. I had a bail with the chemistry set and built my first ra- dios on that same workbench when I was 14.

How about it? Our kids need all the encouragement they can get. Or would you rather see them dragging Iheir un- tied shoelaces aroijnd the malls, with nothing much to do but cruise? If 1 ever develop any job openings for expen enced cruisers I'll be able to fiil them a thousand times over.

Radio Therapy

A chap in New Jersey has discov- ered a way to ease pains, such as those from arthritis, with low frequency audio modulated radio frequencies. Sirtce he wants to put the device on the market, he's not given any details He says It also works on horses with pulled tendons and other pains J 'II try lo Tind out more.

Scientists have been gently zapping cats with 2m RF, modulated at the brain frequencies in the 3-15 H^ range. The field strengths used are on a par with what we normally experi- ence when we use our NTs. Even at these low powers the results with the test gmup have been markedty differ- ent from the control group.

No. they have no mkling so far as to how brains demodulate the 2m energy or why the resulting low frequencies have such a powerful effect on the per- formance and reinforcement of behav- ioral patterns of the animals. These ex- periments are certainly going to get me to use remote mikes with my HTs from now on particularly tf any sub-audi- ble tones are being used.

This work shows how much we have to learn about the brain and atraut the effect of electromagnetic fields on cells, trs interesting that many of these

experiments are well within the re- sources of the average amateur, the only stumbling btock being a lack of curiosity.

Electricity has been gaining ground in medicine in recent years. It's used now lo help the healing of bones and soft tissue, in many cases healing bones which have been broken for many years Transcutaneous electrical nerwB stimulation (TENS) is used to re- duce chronic pain. Electroacupunc- ture is helping the Ireatment of heroin and cocaine addition. , .ft even helps smoking withdrawai and fet lag, and Improves learning and memory.

My thanks to Or. Adey K6UI, a tead- ing researcher in this field, and to the nenifSletter of the American Institute of Stress for [tie above data.

DXpeditioning

As I was reading a short item In Chod's The DX Buftetirr about a group going to Albania, it got my juices up. Lordy, what fun that'd bef Gee, I wish some of these DXpedition groups would remember poor ol" Uncle Wayne when they're deciding who they want with 'em.

Well that's my reaclion. . .what's yours? Do you get the urge when you read atiout OXpeditions? Do you say, "Dammit, that sure would t>e fun!"? Or has a defective gene or irresponsible parental upbringing grounded you? Or perhaps you feel family responsibilities have permanently clipped your wings?

I don't care how busy I am or how important work iSn if I get invited on a reatly good DXpediiion, 11! have my bags packed in minutes. Should I bring afong my cute tittle ICOM 735? How about sorr^ antennas? What else do we need? My passport is at the ready!

Ho, I'm probably not the fastest oper- ator in the world though I mink I am and am wiUing to tackle the plle-ups from the DX end with anyone who wants to challenge me. Til work those piles, right on down to the mobiles and QRP, and 111 still rack up contacts faster than anybody olse with my sys- tem, ril even try not to get testy when the Goliath Big Gun DXers insist on not wailing their turn. Aha, but wilt they ever get a QSL? Heh. heh, link Wayne is merciless with bullies.

So this group is headed for Albania

and rrionumental piie-ups and Im

sitting in New Hampshire writing this

damned editorial, watching the first hints of red in Ihe sky over Crotched Mountain as the sun starts working its way up. My barefoot 735 is sitting at my elbow, waiting. . .patiently waiting, perhaps hoping to be packed away for use in some fascinating spot.

Sure, travel is expensive. Weli, it isn't anywhere near as expensive as it seems if you do some planning. Like getting an airline credit card and rack- ing up as many free miles as you can. 1 use it as much as possible for company expenses, so I've got enough free mites saved up to circle the earth a tew times.

Clothes? Heck, there aren't any dre^ codes for most DXpeditions. Oh. you don*1 want to look like a homeless person. Some pSain oid Banana Re- public stuff wiiJ do fine. That's what I wear most of the time anyway.

You're probably not going lo be DX* Ing from a country with a Hyatt ho- tel.. . unless you're heading to Sabah. where I recommend the Kinabalu Hy- att. Great spot to visit. . .particularly if you'd like to do some diving loo. Tt^ diving there is almost beyond descnp- tjon in terms of excitement. And one more thing, you don't even have to bring a rig . the local hams couldn't be more friendly, so they'll like nothing more than to let you sit at their rigs and work aiaoul 10,000 Japanese tor them . . plus maybe 5,000 Indonesians , if youll handle the OSLs!

My first DXpedition was back in 1 956 when six of us went to Nava^»a. We first planned on Clippofton. 1 still have the FOBAS call I got for that trip. . , finally got to use it in t9€€ when I visit- ed Tahiti, where I used FOSAA's sta- tion.

I got the call KC4AF for Navassa and we had one heck of an adventure. I've got to tell you about that sometime. We went through a hurricane and almost crashed on a reef getting (here. Then we caine that close to getting killed when we stopped at Haiti. You 11 kive the part where I have to dive in shark- infested waters to retrieve some /Iropped antenna elements.

That's part of the excitement of DX* peditioning. You're going to rare spots and you don't know what's gokng to happen. Sure, it can be dangerous, but that's part of the excitement.

Other DXpeditions can be luMuri- ous. . tike the time t operated for a couple of weeks from King Hussein s summer palace. It doesn't get any more luxurious than that. . .complete with a king for company on a ham4o- ham basis^

Of cou^^e tfve burning of the Ameri- can Library in Amman the day before I got there and the stoning ot our em- bassy made walking al>out downtown not particufarly wise. Another Ameri- can ham ignored the warnings and managed lo get beaten up by a coupEe PLO soldiers. But then he was Jewish, took pictures of the soldiers, and his wife was wearing a miniskirt. . three very big fK>-nos in Jordan at tf^ time.

I can't understand why you haven't gone on a DXpedition yet. It's fun and

Continued on p&g^ 84

4 7$ Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

KENWOOD

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• Large capacity NiCd battery pack supplied. The standard battery pack is 7.2 volts. 700 mAh, providing extended transmit tinne with 2.5 watts. CTH-47A: 1.5 W}

• Extended receive coverage. TH-27A: 118-165 IVIHz:TH-47A: 438-449,995 MHz. TX on Amateur bands only, (TH-27A modifiabte for MARS/CAP Permits required. Spec- ifications guaranteed for Amateur bands only)

• Multi-function scanning. Band and memory channels can be scanned, with time operated or carrier operated scan stop.

• Frequency step selectable tor quick QSY, Choose from 5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, or 25 kHz steps.

• Built-in digital clock with programmable timer.

• Dual Tone Squelch System (DTSS). Compatible with the TH-26AT Series and the TM-941A Triple bander, as welf as other Kenwood series transceivers, this selective calling system uses standard DTMF to open

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• Rve watts output when operated with PB-14 battery pack or 13.8 volts.

• T"Alert tor quiet monitoring. Tone Alert beeps when squelch is opened.

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• DTMF memory, The DTMF memory function can be used as an auto-dialer All characters from the 16-key pad can be stored, allowing repeater control codes to be stored I

Sfie&Scations ^ta features are subject to c^snge ivrmour ftGiic:^ at oi>itgaUQfi.

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• SC-30 : Soft case • SMC-31: Standard speaker mic*SMC-32: Compact speaker mic

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Rubber flex antenna, battery pack, wall charger, belt hook, wrist strap, dust caps.

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The resuIUng TS^450S and TS-690S transceivers offer a combination of versa- tility, flexibility, sensitivity, and selectivity unparalleled in their price range.

The TS-450S offers competition class reception and 100 W transmission capabili- ties on all nine Amateur bands inSSB, CW, FM, and FSK modes, w^th 40 W on AM, The TS-690S also offers 50 W on six meters.

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You'il find the TS'450S and TS-690S provide truly outstanding sensitivity over the entire band. Imiovative 'triple conver- sion" also assures superior stability and accuracy, particulariy above 24.5 MHz. for improved DXing.

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Albania Success

The Intemationat Amateur Radio Union (tARU) team of operators^instructors re- turned in early October from a successful operation in Albania. The ZA1A team was given the honor of establishing amateur radio in Albania and training 12 Albanian students to carry that seed further, Dyhng the expedi- tion over 71 ,000 contacts were made. Thanks to theZAI A project, Albania is no longer a rare DX country and will continue to be active. On October 8. the ARRL DXCC desk approved the ZA1A operation for DXCC credit. The NCOXF is aiming for the shortest ever turn- around in QSLJng tor any major DXpedltlon. They started shipping out cards as of October 26. The QSL address is NCDXF, P.O. Box 1, Los Altos CA 94023. Please include two SAE/ SASEs, TNX Erkki -'Ehc" Hefkkinen 0H28BF, Mariti Laine 0H2BH and Yaesu USA.

Business on the Bands?

FCC Rule 97,113, "Prohlbtted Transmis- sions,** could be changed to permit ''per- sonal business" communtcations, includ- ing ordering piz2a by autopatch. At the recent ARRL National Convention held in Saginaw^ Michigan, FCC Private Radio Bu- reau Chief Ralph Haller N4RH startled listen- ers with this proposal, which he says was m response to numerous requests from the ham community to broaden the range of amateur communications. The Commission indicated that il was open to the filing of a request for a ruies change that would address certain as- pects of quasi-commerciaJ use of amateur ra- dio spectra by hams. Among the possible changes would be: allowing hams to conduct personal and club business over amateur ra- dio; Increasing access to amateur radio for local government activities and nonprofit or- ganizations; permitting greater latitude in the gathering and dissemination of news, even for the media^ by hams through amateur radio; and permitting payments to educators who operate amateur radio stations for education- al purposes. The proposal would also permit hams to retransmit other radio services, such as the Voice of America, WWV, and NOAA bulletins.

Says Haller, "As frequency managers, we feel overly bureaucratic when we have to tell you that you must not use your unused Ama- teur Service frequencies for non-amateur pur- poses. After allp the real anti-exploitation rules are those rooied in your respect for the princi- ples for which your frequencies are made available to you, and by your good judgment." [Unused Amateur Service frequencies?} When traditional uses of the amateur bands are insufficient to "completely occupy all available amateur spectrum/' amateurs

should be allowed to use ^'inactive ' frequen- cies for these at most -commercial operations. This would be on a secondary, non interfering basis with all other amateur radio communica- tions. These secondary communications would be limited to areas falling under FCC jurisdiction, and where international regula- tions do not take precedence. The question is: What are the implications of this proposal, and if such a proposal were accepted, how might it change amateur radio? TNX W5Yt Report, Vol tS, Issue m>, Westlmk Report, No, 6th and others.

Museum Station W4BFB

On Saturday, IMovember 2, the Amateur Radio Education Center at Discovery Place, Charlotte's Science Museum, North Carolina^ opened its doors, Opening on the same day were an OMNI MAX Theatre and America's largest Spitz Space Voyager Plane- tarium.

Station W4BFB. under the direction ol the Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society, invites and encourages all licensed hams to use this fine equipment.

The Science Museums of Charlotte accept tax deductible contributions for the purchase of more radio equipment and station supplies. Contributions also enable them to conduct ra- dio license classes. With a contribution of $100, your QSL card is permanently sealed in plastic and mounted on a wooden panel inside the station for all to see.

For more information, write Science Muse- ums of Charlotte, Inc., 301 North Tryon Street, Charlotte NC 28202 or call (704) 372-6261 ,

Ham Arrested

far Owning Ham Bear

Eric Dobrowansky KA2YKC has been in^ dieted by a New Jersey grand jury on charges of having amateur radio gear in his car that can receive police dispatch chan- nels, which violates New Jersey Statute A2A 1 24-4, The police channels are adjaceni to the 2 meter band. Dobrowansky was arrested late las! year by the Cranford police while trying to assist that department in its hunt for a jammer of its police radio communications. His mobile JCOM IC-901 transceiver receives on the fre- quencies of 136-174 MHz,

The indictment angered the New Jersey amateur radio community. New Jersey hams were already involved m a major political bat- tle to overturn the 30-year-old law urKfer which KA2YKC was charged- The replacement mea- sure. New Jersey Assembly Bill A-3044, or the ** Mendelsohn Law" after ARRL Hudson Divi- sion Director Stephen Mendelsohn WA2DHF who has been spearheading its passage, would make possession of mobile scanners a criminal offense only if the device was used in

conjunction with the commission of a cnme.

While hams in the community are deciding what to do. or have perhaps already engaged in doing some of the ideas they have thougfit of (picketing the P.O.? getting on 'Inside Edi- tion"? forming a motorcade equipped with banned gear and driving around town?). Eric Dobrowansky KA2YKC has refused a court plea bargain that would have permitted him to enter a no-contesl plea. Instead, he has elect* ed to demand a jury trial. He is represented by ARRL Volunteer Counsel John Norton N2IOB, If convicted, Dobrowansky faces up to a year in jail and several thousand doilars in fines, or both. TNX Westiirjk Report, Number 610.

Let's Talk Radio

A growmg number of TVRO (satellite dish) listeners have been tuning in and dis- covering a very intriguing audio subcarrier. This audio show is called Let's Talk Radio, and operates every weeknight from 6 p.m. Eastern till past 2 a^m. (9 a.m. till 2 a.m. on weekends). It features live call-in discus- sions about amateur radio, TVRO. and short- wave listening, along with a wide array of regular talk show hosts covering just about any topic (usually between 9 p.m. and mid- night). Operated by Jim Bass of Syracuse, New York, the listening audience covers most of North America! You can tune into the show by looking at Spacenet 3. channel 21 (S3-21), You'll probably see a scrambled picture, so just turn off or unhook your videocipher unit, tune into the 6.2 MHz audio subcarrier, and join in the fun.

In addition. Jim has an HF receiver at his home which he uses to uplink various amateur radio nets to the satellite subcarrier. Current- ly he uplinks the ATV net every Tuesday night at &-10 p.m., various swap nets (usu- ally between 8^9 p.m ), and the weekend TVRO HF net. Anyone who would like more information, or who would like Jim to uplink your net or special activity, should contact Jim Bass, c/o Let's Talk Radio, P.O. BoK 254. Syracuse NY 13215. Or call him at (315) $73^3752.

Tropical Hamhoree

Every ham is encouraged to bring a young nonham to the Youth Forum on Sun- day, February 9, at the Tropical Hamboree

in MlBmL Carole Perry WB2MGP. famous teacher of amateur radio to young people and conductor of the Youth Forum, also needs good speakers ami presenters under 18 years ol age. Write Carole at P.O, Box 1 3 1 646 , Staten Island NY 1 03 1 3^006. (If nec- essary, you may call Carole at 71 8/983-1 41 60 For information on the Hamboree, write Chair- man Evelyn Gauzens W4WYR, 2780 NW 3rd St., Miami FL 331 25.

73 Amateur Radio Today • December. 1991 7

liUIVlbtr 3 on your Feedback card

ETTERS

OrvilLa Guls«th WSPGG, Minnetonka UN J was thinking aboul sendirvg a sub- scripiicm 1o ?3 to my grandson, who is nearly 13 years old and jusi getting started in ham radio. (This is the third generation of hams m the Gulseth family.) Then after I saw the picture of WK3N's Q8L card on page 87 of the Saptamber 1991 issue of 73, 1 decided not to. That spoiled an other- wise very good issue,

Ofv, m a few momhs your grandson witi discover gifts afl by /rims&lf and well get rhe Siii>scfiptfon from htm. You must hAvB B gre^i ttme censortng aft hts newspapers aod magazines and k&eptng htm away from the TV, fmagine what woufd tiappmi tlh€0v^r saw Murphy 8rown^ . Wayne

W.E. Beckman WAdJlE, Buffalo IL 1 have a problem \ haven't tieen atsie to re- set ve and am now requesting the help of the amateur fraternity. It's the computer- iz^ed equipment in my Lincoln Town car that puts out millions of harmonics, and makes a royal mess on my 10 meter HR- £600 transceiver. I haven't dared try my loom 730,

Remedial steps included good ground- ing of the equipment to chassis, running RG-i/U coax directty from the car battery into the transceiver with ground strap to coax shield near txttti the batt&ry and rig. Mo si^!ces$. I Nvt put femte &eads on ait power and speaker leads inside the rig. Stilt r>o succe^. {Ran out at t}eads and coykl not do tt>e mike leads.}

With the computer chip becoming more and more prevaleni in ouf society ^ more problems are going to arise. Hopefully some of the hams out there have found a tried and true way of geltmg rid of all this chirping in their mobile rigs and would like to pass that information on. I'd hale to have to build a Faraday cage around the darn thing; I'm hoping to firnl an easier solution through my fetlow amateurs.

Woifle, my Toyota Pravm van fs mar- veioti^y^iei^taftdhandf§s better than the Lfncofn. Thafs ofte way to care all that hash. . .. Wayne

Mark Cronenwett KA7ULD^6. Santa Clara CA After being mactrve for several years, i am very haiJpy to see thai you are still around. Vour editonals are the very first part that I read then and now. I can see that things must nol have changed much.

Your edilorial in the September issue was great. The part about clubs was excel- lent. I remember when 1 ioined the local Club in Montana. At 1 7 J was the youngest member: the ne>ct closest was about to retire 1 didn't fike il much after a vvhile,

t have no problem with heights and Climbing towefs. and I am also vmy tielpful by naiure. So I found mysett doing a tot of tower work for all of the members of the dub wtio suddenly found they couUn't do lifof themsefves.

Now 1 am debating about joining a club or not. t have noticed on the local re- pealers that AO one will lalk to you if you don't belong to the club or group. I origi- nally stopped because J was getting ha- rassed for being a pirate station. Fortu- natefy, that hasn't started again.

From the Hamshack

Mark, what did you gm m return for dimi)- ing towers for the geriatrics, a hearty handshake? if they make it worihwhite in someway, noprobfem. You don't owe 'em free work. Same thing with a dub .if It 's fun, then join, it's tfjat simple ti it isn't fun, forget 'em. And if they don't want you on their repealer, put your own on. and don't /ef 'em trse ;l No, better, send me their calls and i 'if print 'em in my new Ham Hail of Shame . Wayne.

Kevin KD4CNH. Key West FL I can't be- gin to tell you how much t en|Oy your edito^ nal in 73 J think yw Speak for The majority of us new and future hams. I love the part about the fogies, tt remincts me Ol the '1 had to walk five mites to school, uphill botft ways, atways three feet of snow on the ground/' saymg. I'm an avionics techni- cian tor the Navy, and agree with you when yoii say most don t know vvtiat they are talking about, t just believe if you can't say good things about a person, don't say anything, ff you're ever lalking Florida, give me a call on 10 meters The 2510 is always scanning I And I iove to talk: but make sure you have some time to spare!

Kev. bAby, if you don*t have anything good to say aiMut a person, wnte an editoa- af . . . . Wayne

Hobert Dickson N4UBK Mr. Green, if it was not tor your etfDrts^ I woiikj Have t>een "Out of there" a long time ago. Did you know that 73 Magazm is the only ham publicaiioft in the milttary bookstore on Ramsiein AFB. Germany? 1 read only 73. beam /?/ and Funk Amateur, which are exceilent mags, but if I had to p^ck one, i! would be your 73. Keep up the hard work,

Don isjorman AF8B, Elyria OH The no- code Technician license is changmg ama- teur radio rapidly. Although a recent OST ar^alysis says tfiat 90% o! new exams are for no^ode. il doesn't fit my experierkce. Seems more tike 40% oi total exams to me

Almost all no-code Tecfis thai I have mei are working on the code. ar>d I have had two pass their 13 wpm m VE sessions I've worked

It itte hobby is to grow, we need more VE sessions. No matter wtiere a session is held, candidates appear. I have assisted in three sessions in Gilmer County, West Virginia, and no session has had less than 10 candidates,

I suggest 73 magazine do some maieri- al on 6 meters. This was a lot of fun in the late fjftiies. Suppose a 6 meter rig like Ihe Uniden 251 0/2600 were available. Seems tike a natural for tfie no-code people.

fttorm. oi' boy, t've been hoping that the last fiam on 6m would wnte something for AadK^ Fun so we'd get rnore activity there. tt*sa wonderful tiand- . Wayne

Robert A. Willingham NSUYA, Tularosa MM You /W^yrtejj required m your note tvow I had been received on the air. This is hard to quantify I can say that nobody has tieen openly hostile to me; Tve head a number of derogatory remarj^s about us ' codeless Techs'' voiced on the air among some of

lire * 'old-timers," They don't think we can operate correctly Beiieve me. All the non- sense and bad pfocedure isn't |ust on 20 rrwters' I don't thmk most of ihese know^t- alts could pa^ a (est on ttve FCC regula- tkjns. much less Morse codel All of my QSOs have been on 2 meters so far, and Td say tt>e "IrierKlty vs^ unfriem^ly" has been about 50-50. As 1 say. nobody tras t>aen openl:y hostile, but IVe been given the brush-off more than once. I find that the other "codetess Techs'' are always eager tg find a friendly voice. I might add that while this part of the country is sparse* ly populated, we've got a lot of 2 meter repeaters available for use on the sur- rounding mountain lops and a couple of linked systems, one that stretches from Texas to California the result is that I hear a surprising amount of activity m the "sc^n" mode.

As far as reception in other areas, thai hasn't been e^tremety warm either, I don*l t^ve any ck>se tnends among the local amateur community, but a lot of them kiKJw me on s^hi arKJ now know I am li* censed. Nobody has invited me to a meet- ing of the local dub. I went to the tocal hamfest a few weeks ago an6 mostly all who would talk to me were selling some- thing. 1 did run into a guy I took Ihe exami* nation with and he seemed to be glad to have someone to hold a conversation with.

There was one notable exception. I w^ked up to the ARAL booih and intro- duced myself to the section manager, Joe K nig tit W5PDV. He extended to me what I itiought was a heartfelt welcome to ama* leur radio. (I've heard Joe on the air a lot, on 2 meters, and running the net on HF, and 1 thtnk he is a genuinety nice guy.} 1 guess tt>e AR^L isn't all bad, tart we knew that anyway.

In general, I think a lot of these old- timers don I realize the value to the hobby a lot of us "codeless Techs" could be. Just think of the repeaters, satellites, and other high overhead goodies our money could help finance. Your magazine might become as thick as Ehe Japanese ham magazine you mentioned in one of your editorials. To give you a little bit of my technfcal background: Tve operated my own two-way radio shop, ran a telephone construct ton company, consulted for ATAT Long tjnes and Mouniain Bell in the common earner microwave area I engi- neered and buttt a lot of the prevaie and industrxal microwave systems in the southwest Tve done a kat of bfoadcasi engineering work, inciudjng buikJirvg an FU station from the ground up in El Paso. Te)(as. I've had, along with all this, exten- sive experience In the data communica* tlDns field,

No, nol everybody has had Ihe back- ground that I have had , but just think of the computer hobbyists out there who could add their knowtedge to the pool.

As far as operating on the ham bands, right now Vm confined to 2 meters. My next step is to get involved with packet, t've got an IBM campaiible computer al- ready, so all I need Is a Tr^C. I don't know about ATV; I don't have anything worth looking at, and nobody would want to k^ at me< I would like to explore tt^ mi- crowave region and use the amateur satet* lites, having had a tot o! experiertce in those areas Tve got mcxecf feelings about trying HF. Look at the people you have to associate with down there! I'm glad we of the sub-human species have people like /ou out there beating the drum for us,

Ell Ubera, Jr.. WTIW, Palmer MA 1 have been licensed for one year now, tiaving anajned Ihe Extra class license in just un* der seven months.

I read 73 every month, and I find thai between Ihe artides and columns, sptced with just enough advertisements, your magazine is a very good buy lof S2,d5, ( donl want to subscribe, tiowever, be- cause I like to visit the YL who runs the local newssiarnj.

Your editorials, I find, do illustrate some of the nonsense that I have already ob- served in my new-found hobby. It's an ugly thing, the fact thai some hams have been operating tor so many years in ttie same modes, on the same bands, talking to the same people about the same things. Just listen to 75 meters AM, you'll find some dodi even acknowledge the existence of SS3. Then you have the potiticiai^s. schizophrenics, drunks and dopers. Why does such an enjoyable hobby attract such weirdos?

I know people wtio spend all their air bme on either 2 meter packet or windbag repeater rag-chewing, always talking about the same things I get sick of being told that if I buy UMF and microwave equipment I won't have anyone to lalk to. Then you get these guys who hear new operators on local repeaters and yell at them rather than trying to coach them,

t have been nominated for ^^Icb presi- dent of our local club, and will probably be elected. All the older members want someor>e younger (I'm 33} to have a place in dub management I am sworn to get new m^nbers and educate new hams, and to get these guys to talking about tilings t>esides "my dog's c^taraci opera* lion."

Kathleen Smith VE3WKW, London. On- tario I look forward to getting your maga^ zine every month at the newsstand. I love your editorials. I find that there is a general lack of enthusiasm with our local hams when it comes to newcomers or interested prospects, so you are correct. Not much of asurpriset

lam a newcomer to the radio hobby, but it seems to me that with an army of retired hams locally, there could be some effort to push our bobby a bit and lend a hand to newcomers.

At my radio class there were only two used rigs for sale, and no accessories at ail. No dealers stKwed up to show off new equipment or even drop off catalogs, t think that a list oi used equipment OKjtd have been compiled from the local ie~ peater or from ttie local ham club,

I expected a visit from the president of the local radio club to round up new mem- bers, but this opportunity was missed as well. I must admit thai some members of [he 2 meter club showed up and were well received, so someone is doing some thinking.

One suggestion I would make is that amateur radio students could be paired with older, more experienced hams to help tfiem find and get their S[tations run- ning, t^t to mention a chance to pass on all that knowledge before H is bsf to the Silent Key Patroit

I am temporarily inactive due to an ifl^ ness and ftnandal setback that forced me to liquidate my siaUon. but as soon as I am able, I will be tiack on the air. Tlie ques* tions still stand, though: What kind ol old lig is depend a bie , wh o do 1 bu y It from, and how do I keep it running? Better ye!, who will take the lime to explain?

0 73 AmatBur Radio Today • December. 1991

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• Enter commands via the keypad or from a computer through the MM-3's serial port (optional),

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• Common command list on the front panel for quick and easy operation.

• Real-time or automatic memor\' spacing.

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n addition to these features, the MM-3 is also a full-fledged Morse trainer with four training modes:

• DX Contest Simulator — practice realistic CW contesting without going on the air!

• QSO Simulator — practice realistic rag-chews without going on the air. Great tune-up for license class upgrades.

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The Simple TX TX

The perfect companion for the SupeRX receiver!

by Bruce 0. Williams WA6IVC

Ever since t introduced the Simple Su- peRX (see the April )99l i.ssue of 7S) J meet QRPers looking for a companion trans- mitter ai every hamfest I attend. The irans- miticr must have 2-3 watts output, provide reasonable performance and cost» and be suit- able for ponable or backpacking use with the SupeRX. tl must also be abie to operate on any band from 80 to 20 meters* And now it exists— the Simple Texas Transniilter (TX TX). It produces 1 .5-2.5 watts on any one of four bands, is simple to build, and can be |»jf on the air in about two hours.

After developing the Simple TX TX, I have a real sense of accomplishment. It only oscil- lates where it should, aiKi it's not a particular- ly exotic design. It uses a basic oscillator/ driver/ampHfier scheme. There are a couple of improvements over the classic circuits, but by and large, h is a perfectly straightforward application of several proven circuits. Refer to Figure 1 for the schematic. Q I is a bipolar- transistor Pierce crystal oscillator. A tuned output \s desirable in a crystal oscillator to maximize power output and reduce harmon- ics. However, in the Simple TX TX, unlike most circuits, the resonant circuit, Tl, is in the emitter of the transistor. This provides the necessary stability and purity of the signal [ wanted.

I tried the microminiature 10.7 MHz IF transformer in the collector circuit initially, and attempted to take the oscillator output from the secondary of the transformer, but discovered that the output of the oscillator was too low, reqtunng an additional stage to drive the final amplifier. With the resonant circuit in the emitter, the ouipui of the oscilla- tor, taken at the collector, is about 4 Vpp, and it does not exhibit the distorted sine wave that many crystal oscillators do.

The oscillator collector voltage is regulated at 5 volts by Ul, a subminiaturc 78L05 voltage regulator rated at 100 mA. Since the collector current of Ql is only about 10 mA, there is little stress on the regulator. Keying is accomplished by controlling the 12 volt input to the regulator via Q4, This arrangement creates a smooth keying characteristic, with- out clicks or other problems*

Q2 is a conventional buffer/d river. The 2N2222A is capable of driving the final am- plifier to about 1 .5 watts with 1 2.0 volts, and over 2.0 watts with a 13.5 volt supply. Q2 is

10 73 Amateur Radio Today • December. 1991

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Figure L Sdiematicfor the Simple TX TX,

keyed with the oscil- lator by Q4. T2 is a wideband balun transformer that drives a convention- al class C finai am- plifier, Q3. Because of the nearly pure sine wave output of the oscillator, the output from the PA is clean and free fiomdistonion.

The simple output filter (LI, C7 and C8) attenuates har- monics, but provides no impedance matching. It is taken directly from the ARRL's Solid State Design, a book by Wes Hayward W7ZOI and Doug DeMaw Wl FB (1986). Because the output power is less than 5 watts, this fil- ter provides suffi- cient filtering to meet FCC spectral purity requirements.

There are several good bipolar ampli- fiers available that could be used for Q3. The 2SC799 is

Figure!. The PCB foil pattern.

Figure 3. Pans layout for the Simpic TX TX.

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Photo. The simple TX TX.

MFJ's innovative new SWR Analj^zer™ gives you a complete picture of your antenna SWR over an entire band — without a transmitter, SWR meter or any other equipment!

AU you do is plug your antenna inio ihe coax connector, sei jraur SWR Analyzer ^^ to the frequency you warn and read your SWR.

Setting up and trimming your antenna: Super simple and super aecumte

Vou cun instantly find your antenna's true resonant frequency right at your feediine -- that^s something a noise bridge just can*t do,

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Vou can shorten or lengthen your dipole and see the effect immediately.

The MR SWR Analyzer^'^ is battery oper- ated and handheld size so you can lake it rig hi to your antenna. It makes it soockk} easy lo work on your antenna until it's just the wsy you want it.

Crepti' your perfect mu hi- band antenna Vou can msiantJ} check multi-band dipotes and trap %'erlica!s to see if the low SW'R points are where >ou want them and adjust your antenna uniil they're right.

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Band

80m 40m

20m

T2 Values

Primary 5TNo.28efiarn,

STNo. 2eenam-

4TNo, 28enam. 3 T No. 28 enam.

Secondary

1 T No. 24 enam. 1 TNo.24enam, 1 TNo. 24enam. 1 T No. 24 enam.

Output Rller Values

Bmd

C7. C8

Lt

aom

750 pF

21 T No. 24 on T-50-2

40m

470 pF

14TNo.24onT*50-2

30m

300 pF

12TNo.24onT^50-2

20m

210pF

12TNo.22onT*50'6

feadity available at low cost. It wa,s common- ly used as an output amplifier in C6 rigs, and is capable of up to about 4 watts. Of course, the 2N3H66, 2N4895, RCA 4013. or any of siiveral other TO-5 configured transistors can be used. The MRF 472 and MRF 476 are also usable with a slight change in pinout.

The Simple TX TX design is veiy forgiv- ing* You can substitute parts of different val- ues for almost any of the components shown. The only critical parts are the 10,7 MHz transformer, Tl , and the output filter compo- nents. I tried several different values for RFC 1 and RFC2, and the effect on perform- ance was minimaL

CiMistructioft

I built the Simple TX TX prototypes using printed stripboard (see the table for sources of parts) ^ This product is easy to use, and not expensive. So-called **ugly construction,*' or what Zack Law KH6CP/1 now calls **ground plane" construction, is another op- tion. 1 personally have never had much luck with this approach, but 1 know of many home-brewers who do very well using this technique. However, a printed circuit board is available at a reasonable price (see the table]. Figure 2 shows the etching pattern for the circuit board, and Figure 3 shows com- ponent placement. You can get a complete circuit board kit from MXM Industries. I recommend using the available printed cir- ctiii board, since it speeds construction and makes it difficult to ^'garT' up the circuit.

Sian your construction by installing the power supply capacitors and keying circuit components, and the 5 volt regulator, UK Don't make the mistake of attempting to com- plete the entire transmitter before testing the individutjl circuits. Build one stage and check it out before going to the next. Trouble- shooting the entire transmitter will drive you nuts, and there is a strong likelihood that you will damage some of the components in the process! After assembling the regulator and keying circuit, make sure that the output of Ul is approximately 5 volts (typically 5.02 volts), and that the keying circuit operates properly. Only after this crucial step should you continue.

Install the components of the oscillator (Rl, R2, R8, Tl, CI. RFCl. Ql. C2) and verify that the oscillator is operational before continuing to the buffer /driver, Q2, Tune Tl

12 73 Amateur Radio Today • Dec© mter» 1991

for the best sounding signal, not necessar- ily the signal with the most output. Check that when the oscilla- tor is keyed there are no key clicks or oth- er anomalies during keying. You can monitor the output of the oscillator on a ham band or general coverage receiver. If you have a frequency counter or oscilloscope, a small piece of compt>neni lead can be sol- dered into the board at TPl to allow confir- mation of the proper signal. Don't be sur- prised if the frequency of oscillation is a little above the frequency indicated on the crystal (1-2 kHz). It's easy to tune the output of the oscillator to the frequency you desire later.

Extra Adjustment for 20 Meters

Tl is a microminiature (7mm) 10.7 MHz IF transformer. To make the transformer res- onant on the particular band of interest, a padding capacitor must be added across the 3-pin primary. Different values for capacitor C 1 for operation on the 80 » 40, 30, and 20 meter bands, rcspeaively, is given in the pans list.

Although the value for the padding capaci-

tor is shown as 27 pF for 20 meter operation, some modification to Tl is also required. There is a small ceramic capacitor mounted in the base of the transformer. This capacitor must be carefully removed before you install the transformer on the circuit board.

Carefully break the capacitor in half, using a very^ small, sharp X-ACTO* knife, and pull the two halves out. l>o not try to pull the halves from the transformer base. Firsts care- fully cut the leads connected to the halves, then remove the halves.

Check continuity between the two outboard pins on the 3'pin side of the iranstormer. If there is no continuity, the transformer must be replaced . With this capacitor removed, Tl wil! be resonant at 20 meters with the addition of the 27 pF capacitor as C 1 .

The value of 39 pF for C2 limits the output of the Simple TX TX to about 1 .5 watts with a 12 volt supply. If you wish to increase or decrease the output, some experimentation with C2 will be required. I found that if the value ofC2 is as high as 100 pF, both 02 and the output transistor will exhibit extreme healing, and shortly destruct! 1 tbund that the usable upper-limit value is about 51 pF.

Winding T2 T2 is a broadband transformer wound on a

1

Parts List

C1

20m, 27 pF; 30m, IS pF; 40m, 51 pF; 80m, 330 pF silver mica or polystyrene

C2

39 pF silver mica or polystyrene

C3,4.5,T0

0.1 mF, 50V monolithic

C6

0.1 |iF, 200V monolithic

C7,e

470 pF silver mica

C9.11

0.01 pF,50V monolithic

CI 2

l00iiF,35V eledrotytic

D1

36V zener diode 1N4754 or equi.

Q1>2

2N2222A

Q3

2SC799orequi.

Q4

2N3906 1

R17

tOk, 1/4W carbon

R2

47k, 1MW carbon

R3,e

2.2k, t/4W carbon

R4

5,6S^. I/4W carbon

R5

lOOohm. 1/4W carbon

R6

47 ohm, 1/4W carbon

R9

lOohm, 1/4W cartjon

RFC1

1 mH RF choke

RFC2

47 ^H RF choke

Tl

10.7 MHz micfomimature IF transformer Mouser 421F222 or 421F223

T2

wideband balun core BN^i3-2402

Ul

78L05. 5V regulator

Y1

HC'1 8 crystal, 32 pF parallel select for frequency

Z1

FB-43-201 ferrite bead

Printed slripboard may t>e ordered from Dick Smith EtectronicsyAmencan Electronics, P.O.

Box 468, Greenwood IN 46142. (800) 872-1373.

Transformers are available from Mouser Electronics, 2401 Hwy, 287 North. Mansfield TX

76063. Tel

. (817) 483-4422; (800) 348-6873.

For transistors and balun cores, you may contact Danny Slevig KA7QJY, P,0. Box 7970,

Jackson WY B3Q01 . Tel (307) 739-1634. evenings.

A drilled and plated circuit board is available from FAR Circuits (N9ATW), 18N640 Field Court,

Dundee IL 601 18. Price $4.50 plus $1 .50 S&H.

You may also obtain a complete circuit board hit» which includes all board-mounted compo-

nents and

a crystal on the QRP calling frequency for the selected band, from [he author at

MXM Industries, Rt. 1 Box 156C, Smithville TX 78957. Tel. (512) 237-3906. Price for the

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BN-43-2402 binocular balun core. I start winding T2 by putting the secondary 1-tum winding on first— I turn of #24 enameled wire for operation on the 80, 40, 30, and 20 meter bands— then [ wind the primary over the secondary.

The turns ratio for the primary winding varies with the particular baiid. For 80 and 40 meters, it*s 5 turns of #28 enameled wire; for 30 meters, it's 4 turns of #28 enameled wire; and for 20 meters, it's 3 turns of ^8 enam- eled wire.

The primary leads should come out of one end of the core, and the secondar>' leads out of the other end of the core. The baiun core is extremely small, and the holes through the core arc also small. If you have to use larger size wire, you may have problems getting all the turns on. You can use a larger balun core, of course, but some experimentation with turns and turn-ratios will be required. If you don't have a binocular type of core, a broad- band toroidal transformer can be substituted* Solid State Design gives information for us* ing toroidal cores as broadband transformers.

Output Filta^

The final power amplifier, QS, is a

straightforward con Hgu ration which you may recognize as about standard for most QRP transmitters. The value of RFC2 is not very critical. I have tried values from 15 ^H to 1 mH with little effect on performance. I found that the i mH value reduces the output a litde, just because of the additional resis- tance of die winding in the higher value. Values from 25 to 100 \XH will work fine. Dl is a 36 volt zener diode that protects Q3 from damage in the event an antenna is not con- nected when the iransniitter is keyed.

Testing and Operation

If you have followed my suggestions about assembling each stage separately^ by the time you finish construction, the transmitter will be ready to use. A few preliminary tests are a good idea, however, NEVER test the trans- mitter without a dummy load (of at least a 5 watt rating). If you don't have a suitable dum- my load, you can construct one by placing three 150 ohm^ 2 watt resistors in parallel, or by using any number of combinatiom* Al- though I have a 10-1000 watt dummy load, I generally use a small, calibrated SWR/

wattmeter with a home-built dummy toad. I find that my commercial dummy load/ wattmeter is poorly calibrated at low power levels, showing less than a watt when the actual power is over I watt. One sure way to gel a good estimate of output power is with an oscilloscope.

It is essential, even at low power levels, to use a heat sink on the final amplifier. In fact, it may be a good idea to put a heat sink on Q2, since it does cany a heavy burden in this design. Although during tune-up the fmal amplifier may seem to be running cooU when it is mounted in a cabinet, the circulation of the cooling air may be impaired. In the same vein, be sure to install a fenite bead, Zl , on the base lead of the final amplifier.

It is possible to VXO the crystal a little by placing a capacitance across it. Don't expect too much of a shift, however. Maybe just 2-^3 kHz. Remember that the tuning capacitor must be isolated from ground. 1 use a DPDT switch with a center OFF position, and con- nect the two center connections across the crystal . In the center OFF position, no capac- itance appears across the crystal, and the frequency will be whatever the crystal gen- erates. I placed two cap^itors across the other two poles* so that if the switch is in one position, that capacitor controls the fre- quency, and if it's in the other position, the second capacitor controls the frequency. If you canH get the frequency where you want it with a fixed capacitor, there is room on the switch to mourn a small variable capacitor to fme-tune it.

Good luck with your Simple TX TX! The project is so simple that you should not expe- rience any major difficulties. If the darned thing doesn^t operate right off, check your wiring for solder bridges, and see that the components are in the right place. With the Simple SupeRX, no problems have been re- ported to me apart from two isolated part failures not die fault of the design. If you think you have a problem that I might be able to help you with, or if you just want to talk about it^ please do not hesitate to write or even call.

You may contact Bruce 0. Williams WA61VC ai MXM Industries, Ri. I Box 156C, Smithville TX 78957. Please enclose an SASE.

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1§ 73 Amateur R^dio Today • December, 1991

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73 Amateur Radio Today • Decemljer, 1991 17

Ntimber 5 on yo yr Feedback c«fil

73 Review

by Rick Littlefield KIBQT

The Ramsey 2 Meter

Transceiver Kit

Build your own high-quality FM rig the easy way.

Ramsey Electronics

793 Canning Parkway

Victor NY 14564

(71 8) 924-4560

Price Classr FTR-146, $150;

l=TR-C (cabinet), $25; add

$10 S&H, plus S4.50 for COD.

When Ramsey Electronics first adver- tised the FTR-146 2 meter transceiver kll, the promise of a synthesized VHf radio for $149 was just too attractive to pass up. My only fear was that a project this inexpensive might be difficult tg construct — or not work very well. Fortunately » these fears proved un- founded.

Features

The FTR-146 is a six-channel diode-pro- grammabte PLL-synihesized FM transceiver, covenng 144,000 to 147.995 MHz. "Diode- programmable synthesis" means that you se- lect six of your favorite operating frequencies and program them into the radio when you build it. Programming is done by installing diodes in a binary matrix, a procedure that is much easier than it sounds. Transmit offsets for -i-600 kHz, -600 kHz, and simplex are also programmed in by installing diodes. Ramsey conveniently provides a t2-position switch with the kit. so you can add up to six additional channels by expanding upon their diode matrix.

FTR-146 RF output is rated at 4-6 watts, which is plenty of signal for base or close-in mobile operation. Since the radio draws only 1.5 amps on transmit, nearly any inexpensive CB-type supply wHI provide enough power.

Although amenities like a signal strength meter, microphone, and buitt-in speaker aren't provided with the FTR-146 kit, it does include attractive "packet-ready" fea- tures other radios may not

have— like PIN^diode T/R switching and a DlN-type TNC jack on the rear panel. An on- board jumper selects squelched speaker-lev- el audio or unsquelched discriminator-level audio for your TNC. For an additional $24.95, Ramsey offers an attractive 9" x 6'' x 1.5" cabinet with stlk-screened front and rear pan- els, and matching knobs. I found plenty of room inside this enclosure to install a home- brew channel expansion board and a 3" speaker.

Constructing the Kit

With any kit, the dividing tine between suc- cess and frustration usually depends on two key factors: the integrity of the circuit board, and the clarity of the instructions. A poorly designed board or a confusing man* ual can turn even the simplest kit into a night- mare Happily, I found the FTR-146's CAD- designed two-sided PC board an absolute pleasure to construct- Part locations are silk- screened on the component side, and there's ptenty of space for everything to fit. You won't need the dexterity of a brain surgeon to make it look professional. The same CAD pro- gram that generated the board layout was used to produce striking 11* x 17* multi- colored parts placement and schematic dia- grams for the manual. Credit goes to project designer Tom Hodge WA2YTM for some fine computer work.

In a similar vein. 1 found the kit's documentation ^ written by Dan Oniey K4ZRA, to be equally impressive. The manual

^M>m

(M*ISEV ELECTTRONICS IMC

Photo A. Completed FTR*t46, front paneL

18 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

Photo 8. Completed FTR-146, rear panel.

has over 100 pages of Information and dia- grams to guide you through construction, complete with check-listed steps, mini-sche- matics, and parts placement figures for every stage. Even the parts list is cross-referenced to the installation steps in (he manuall The instructions are not only detailed^ they're edu- cational as well. By the time I completed the project 1 had learned a great deal about how synthesized traosceivers work.

For the most part, you won't need special toots to complete this project. However, if you make a mistake, you may need a vacuunvtype desoldering tool (or a roll of Solderwick™) to remove parts from the radio's double-sided, pEated-through, PC board. Radio Shack's de- soldering iron (#64-2060) is inexpenswe at $8.49, and does this job well. Also, tune-up requires nonmetallic tuning wands, including one with an tnsulated metal tip fike the GC- 8608 (Radio Shack Tuning Wand Set #64- 2230). Finally, some of the air-wound induc- tors are formed on a 3/8-inch IS-TPI bolt. If you don't have one on hand, this could mean an unscheduled trip to the hardware store.

Improvements

t reafly enjoyed building the radio. But, be^ fore I'm accused of working for Ramsey's ad department. Til confess to at least ONE as- pect of the kit that I don*t like. The solid-copper bell wire supplied for pomt-to-point wiring of controls and switches was hard to handle — and easy to break. 1 threw it away and made a color-coded har- ness from flexible stranded wire.

More significantly, I had to solve a couple of technical snags to gel my rig on the air. Initially, the radio's squelch circuit wouldn't function properly, due to a defective IC. Ram- sey helped me find the problem and promptly mailed a new chip.

POwt»

SERIES

Photo C The kit comes with a high-quality PC ix>afd, aH components and excelfsnt documenta- tion.

Photo D. The assembled FTR- 146 transceiver t>oard

The second soag was a brt more complex. The radio's synthesizer \C tunes in 10 kHz steps. When a +5 kHz frequency change is needed for 15 kHz channel spacing, the loading on each mrxer oscillator crystal is switched by diodes to "pull" that oscillator m frequency (recall the -i-5 kH2 switch on your old synthesized HT). Unfortynately. I couldn't make two of the four oscillators in my radio pull tar enough lo hrt both frequencies. I traced the problem to out-of-tole ranee crys- tals. Once again. Ramsey helped me diag- nose the problem, and promptly shipped the items I needed.

Getting on the Air

Aside from the crystal problem, align- ment was straightforward. You'll need a fre- quency counter to set each oscillator on frequency, and an RF power meter to peak the transmitter. You'll also need a weak sig- nal source to align the receiver. Lacking an expensive FM service generator, I ternni- nated the antenna jack with a 47 ohm resis- tor and used a short scrap of wire to pick up a local repeater. Any signal weak enough

to produce audible background rtoise will suffice.

During construction, you'll wind many of the radio's air^wound inductors by hand — a some* what imprecise science. During tune-up, you may need to "tweak" some of these by com* pressing or stretching the windings (tweaking may be needed to bnng a coiPs associated trimmer capacitor in-range, or to optimize a circuit using a fixed capacitor). Once aligned, my radio delivered 4.5 watts into a 50 ohm load and approximated the receiver sensitivity of my ICOM HT. I later measured receiver sensitivity at a respectable 0.4 |jV on an FM service monitor

The FTR- 146 microphone circuit was de* signed to work with an ICOM-type speaker mike, and empfoys 'load-sensing" to activate the transmitter (there's no separate PTT line). If you opt to use a replacement-type mobile mike, you'll need to wire the PTT switch in series with the mike cartridge in or- der to key the radio. When I first tested my microphone. I got reports of a loud hum on the audio, f quickly discovered the cause to be stray RF pickup — a consequence of running

the hg without a case into a rubt^er duck an- tenna. Connecting an external antenna cured the hum.

There are as many ways to package the FTR- 146 as there are ways to use it. I keep mine next to our telephone, serving as base station for our **mult^ham*' household. For this task, 1 installed a three-inch speaker in the Ramsey cabinet. This provides plenty of vol* ume to hear calls while you're in another part of the house. More extensive customizing is possible — including sophisticated channel switching schemes^ and even a digital display. Toward this end, manual writer Dan Onley has established a user's group and newsletter for FTR buildera in order to share customizing schemes and circuit upgrades.

The Bottom Line

The Ramsey FTR-t46 kit is a fine value from several standpoints. First, It's instructional. After buitding it I find synthesized radios less mysterious, and I'm more confident when tackling repairs on other radios.

Second, the FTR-146 is the right tool for the job. 1 don't really NEED a 50-watt radio with 100-channel scanning to hit the local re- peater. The FTR-146 does this flawlessly, and people say that the Ramsey transmitter audio sounds superior to my other rigs!

Finafly. for the serious packeteer. the FTR- 146 may be a sensible radio to dedicate to online data communication. Hook it onto your TNC or modem and save your other rig for voice contacts.

Evolution

By the time you read this review, an en- hanced version of the FTR-146 (the FX*146) will be avaiiable for S169. According to Ram- sey designer Tom Hodge^ this FM transceiver is now on the bench and headed for produc- tion soon. This new radio uses a more sophis- ticated synthesizer cinip winicli expands re- ceiver coverage to 20 MHz. provides a pn:>grammable offset, and facilitates produc* ing 220 and 440 MHz versions of the radio. The new synthesizer atso provides 5 kHz steps, eliminating the need to shift mixer fre- quencies. Other changes include a simplified receiver circuit using a more advanced IC. According to Hodge, receiver changes will provide tighter IF filtenng, improved image rejection, an RSSi meter output, artd enough extra board space to include a 12-channel diode malfix.

OK, so you are nervous around hot solder- ing Irons and you have fat fingers. Should you tackle one of these kits? 1 say YES! Through the FTR-146, Ramsey Electronics has clearly demonstrated the ability to engineer and pro- duce a good radio that's easy to build. And, they've shown that they can support it with first-class documentation. If my experience with the FTR-146 is any indicator, construc- tion of the FX-1 46 kit should be a snap as welli I like my radio a lot, and 1 suspect that Ramsey transceivers are going to be with us for a long time to come.

Contact Rfck Littlefield KIBQT at W9A

McDaniel Shore Drive. Bamngton NH 03825.

73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 19

Number 6 on your Feedback card

73 Review

by Dick Goodman WA3USG

The BayCom

Packet System

Run packet without a TNC.

A & A Engineering

2521 W. LaPalma^K

Anaheim CA 92801

Telephone: (714) 952-21 14, FAX: (714) 952-3280

Price class: Blank board, $13; complete kit, $60;

assembled and tested board, $90.

Over ttie course of the last seven years packet radio has devel- oped into amateur radio's fastest growing mode. The computer hack- ers love it, some operators find it useful for obtaining the latest infor* mation on a variety of subjects from ham radio to amateur astronomy, and other operalors find that packet is not their *'cup of tea." One thing stands incontestable, however: Packet has become prevalent in virtually all aspects of our hobby. Visit any reasonably large city, tune around 144.91-145.09 MHz, and the sound ol various packet networks will greet you. Tune the HF bands near the domain of what used to be our primary digital mode (RTTY), and again the sound of 300 baud packet bursts will be heard. Virtually all of the new amateur satel- lites use packet as the commumcations medi- um. Most importantly, packet has givers the amateur community visibility and recognition by advancmg the state of the art in digital communications.

One of the main reasons for packet radio's skyrocketing popularity is its ease of imple- mentation. Only a few years ago getting on packet meant building a terminal node con- troller (TNC) from a kit and interfacmg it to one of the many then nonstandard computers. To those with computer e^tpertise, this was a challenge thai was eagerly anticipated. To others with a curios^ about this new mode, but who were somewhat less endowed with "computer smarts." this challenge turned Into a fiasco.

Differences in standards, such as TTL vs. RS-232, resulted in damaged equipment and hurt pride. Luckily, the manufacturers of pack- el systems took note. Soon, factory-built TNCs were on the market with documentation that made computer and radio interfacing less of an arduous task. Each year, as the state of the art progressed, ihe TNCs became mofe capable. As of this writing, most TNCs are eftectivety muttimode controllers that offer a diverse mix of digital modes from packet to SSTV in a single turnkey package. "Plug and play" has become the watchword.

With the present simplicity of packet radio, I teund it puzzling that it wasn't being used in portable applications or public service more frequently. In October of 1989 1 put together a portable packet system. It consisted of an old 2 meter handle talkie, a standard packet TNC,

20 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

The A&A Engineering modem for the BayCom packet program.

a Tandy LT-1400 laptop computer, and all necessary cabling. 1 packed all this into my attache case and headed into the wilderness for my first OR P. portable packet operation (actually the "wilderness" was a hotel room on a business trip).

Upon arrival. I set everything up and found some probfems. Packet requires virioatly full quieting signals with no interference. The HT with its rubber ducky antenna had to be moved a considerable distance from the TNG to avoid RFI. Even using an external antenna, I couldn't move it tar enough from the TNC in the confines of the hotel room to eliminate all RFI. RF from the HT would also get into the TNC, sometimes causing it to lock up. Finally, it seemed that interconnecting the TNC to the computer really enhanced the RFI problems. I used shielded cable, ferrite forms, and ail the suggested solutions, to no avail. It seemed that portable packet required a "fixed" anteri- na located at least 30 feet from the TNC and computer.

Oet Rid of the TNC!

Commodore 64 users have a system of "TNC-less" packet, known as DigiCom>64, which has been in existence for several years.

The function of (lie TNC has been imple- mented in the Commodore's software, Even through this eliminates the TNC from the RFI equation, another problem is presented. The Commodore 64 and its separate disk drive was originally designed for 120 VAC opera- tion. It can be modified for 12 VDC opera- tion and through use of A & A's DigiCart>64 cartridge the disk drive can be eliminated. However, the "64*' still requires an exter- nal monitor, generally a TV set. Opera- tors have used this system successfully in portable packet radio, but it there was a way to do the same thing with the IBM-oonv patible laptop then portable operation is a whole lot easier.

Enter the BayCom TNC-Less Packet Systemt

Florian Radher DL8MBT and Jo- hannes Kneip DGSRBU of Regens- burg, Munich, Germany have de- veloped a program to allow most IBM compatibles to run packet radio without a TNC. Their system really consists of two parts: a shareware program called "BayCom," and a simple modem. The program is available from several sources, including A&A Engineer- ing and many telephone BBS systems, such as CompuServe, Although you can com- pletely home-brew a modem, a new kH which Includes HF packet is available from A&A Engineering.

The A&A Engineedng Modem

The A&A modem uses the 7910 "WortiJ Modem Chip," and is quite easy to buitd. It came with a high-quality printed circuit board and all the components , and took a total of just two hours to build. It is quite small (approxi* mately 1.5'' x 2.5"). Connectors are supplied to interface with the computer (DB9) and the radio {5-pin DIN).

Another nice feature is movable jumpers that allow the push-to-talk (PTT) configuration to be switched from the standard "grounded pin'* 10 various "handie talkie" systems. By simply movmg two jumpers and changing a cable, either conventional FhA radic^ or HTs may be used. The PTT function is performed via a relay on the modem board.

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The terminal screen for the BayCom packet program. Three window area display transmit- ted packets, received packets and monitored packets.

The onty adjustment on the modem ^s the transmit audio level. The modem draws about 100 mA from a 12 VDC Input. A & A includes a small 12 VDC wall type plug*in power supply with the modem, 1 found that the 5-volt regula- lor (7805) ran quite warm, t added a small heat sink on the regulator to keep it cooler.

The only other control on the modem is a switch that selects normal VHF operation, enhanced VHF operatfon. or HF packet operation. On VHF FM I noticed no differ- ence between the ''normal" or "enhanced" mode — both worked quite well. It should be noted that the modem effectively has an '*audio** DCD.

Whenever the squelch is broken (by noise as welf as by bona fide packets) the DCD light comes on. This causes no problem on FM packet, but on HF SSB noise and static crashes will generate a false DCD. A very nice feature of this modem is tts capability to function on HF packet. It's helpful to use an external tuning indicator on HF since the DCD LED on the modem Is responsive to any audio. I paralleled the BayCom modem with my AEA PM-1 packet modem (which has a tuning indicator). HF operation with the BayCom system is possible, but any noise or QRM on the frequency degrades its F^erfomi- ance. This problem is typical with every HF packet system, however. Finally the A & A modem incorporates a 45 second 'watchdog timer' to prevent QRMing the frequency if there is a malfunction or problem with the computer or modem,

Ttie Program (BayCom Version 1,2)

The Terminal/TNC emulation program ?s superb! There is a configuration file called "BAYCOM. INC" that must be initialized wrth your parameters (e.g.: COM port number, calfsign, CTEXT, TXD, etc). Most parameters will be instantly recognizable to those with experience in conventional TNCs. Screen colors and screen layout may be modified. Up to nine simultaneous connect channels are supported.

Once the configuration file is set up and the program is booted, the terminal screen will be displayed. This screen consists of three sec- tions: a transmit window, a receive window, and a monitor window. The transmit (Of top) window holds data from the keyboard or the file that is to be sent. The receive (or center) window displays data from the station that you are connected to. The monitor (or lower) win- dow displays both transmit and received data, along with the status of the packet, or any system requests (e.g.: connect request) as well as all packet activity on the frequency. The size of each of these windows may be changed to make that window the predomi- nant one. Sy using (he appropriate function key. the cursor may be placed in any window and the window contents scrolled back a num- ber of lines (scroll back buffer size specified in BAYCOM.INI).

Since the computer is essentially the TNC, many parameters not available with conven- tional packet systems are displayed. The up- per window status line contains the opera- tional mode, callsign with SSJD, present port

state (disconnected, info transfer, frame re- ject, waiting acknowledge, reject sent).

Another very useful parameter that is dis^ played is the number of outstanding unac* knowledged packets, along with the maxi- mum number allowed. This Is valuable information to have on a busy channel. Once the number of outstanding packets reaches the maximum allowed, an automatic discon- nect will take place. Monitoring these parame- ters will flag you to stop generating additional packets until some of the outstanding ones are acknowtedged.

Other displayed parameters are memory buffer sizeSf Frack time, channel number, connected callsign, time from youf system clock, and Com port number.

There is an excellent hefp screen available via one keystroke. The program has a self- connect mode that can be used without a rmxjem. Issuing a connect request to your own calfsign win cause BayCom to connect to yourself. Many aspects of the program may then be tested, exercised, and practiced. Go- ing back and forth between the program and the help screen will help you become an "ex- perienced user*' in a matter of an hour or so.

BayCom has the capability to transfer both ASCII and binary files (binary to other Bay- Corn systems). It offers extensive file handling utilities in the form of its diverse command set. Files may be created and edited offline with- out leaving the BayCom program. Most TNC monitoring functions are supported (e.g. Mon- itor Heard), as well as functions such as digipeaimg. Even the connect and disconnect sequences are enhanced with *'spjffy" sound effects. For a pure packet terminal program, this is the best that I have ever seen . . . and you don't need a TNC* On an even more posi- tive note, I could detect NO RFI FROM THIS SYSTEM in my radio!

Suggested Improvements

The only real problem that I could find was with the documentation. This consists of an ASCII file on the BayCom system disk. Simply copied to the printer, it generates a complete 49^page users' manual with a table of con- tents and index. While it contains a wealth of information, its translation from German is, at times, confusing.

Some of the result and error messages gen- erated by BayCom are in German, although these will be changed to English in the near future. While this causes no problems, it is a bit startling. Finally, the modem section in the users' manual is apparently written for a differ- ent modem than the one provided in kit form by A & A Engineering. However, if you do purchase the A & A kit, it is "plug and play/' The documentation provided by A & A is quite good and it identifies all necessary pin-outs to get both the computer and radio interfaced correctly.

tn Summary

BayCom is an absolutely superb system! II is simple to learn and use. It is second to none for portable operations, and should be quite useful in public service and emergency com- munications.

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73 Amateur Radio Today • Decemljer, 1991 21

Project Inspire: VLF Space Shuttle Experiment

Build a simple receiver to explore the wonders of the 60,000 meter band!

NuTTibef ^ on your Feedback curd

by Jim Ericson KG6EK

Tired of hearing the same old stuff on your radio? Do you tend to think of 160 meters as Ute ^'bottom of the band"? This arti- cle wiU discuss both man-noade and natural radio acijviiy be- tween [00 Hz and 10 kHE, the absolute bottom end of ihc VLF (Very Low Frequency) spec- trum. If we call 5 kHz the center of the band, we're talking about a 60,000 meter wavelength! 1 will describe a simple aiid inexpen- sive (under S40) VLF receiver design, and present some ideas on how you can participate with space scientists in scientific data gathering involving VLF propa- gation (and possibly share some of your ham radio expertise with U.S. high school students and other experimenters) during a March 1992 space shuttle experi- ment. Letters inviting panicipation in the lis- tening experiment have already gone out to 10,000 high school physics classes in the U.S,. and both amateurs and private experi- menters are also being invited to panicipaie,

A Quick History

The story begins in World War T Europe, where both sides used telephones for trench communications. Soon the vacuum tube came along, opening the way for high gain amplification. Each side began intercepting * leakage'* from the other's telephone com- munications by using amplifiers connected to widely separated ground rods. Electronic Counter Measures were bom! Evidently this system worked quite well most of the time. but now and then strange railing notes fdled the monitors' headsets, sounding Like phan- tom shells passing overhead.

German scientist H, Barkhausen was as- signed to f\\ this interference problem. He was unsuccessful, but he became intrigued by the mystery. He and other researchers picked at it for years, and by the late 1920s there was general agreement that lightning was respon- sible for these ^'whistlers/' But it was not

22 73 Amateur Radio Today • Decern ber, 1991

Photo A. TJic RS-4 VLF receiver iayouh ming perpoard construaion technique, {Photo by Mike Mideke WB6EER,)

until the 1950s that the exact mechanism was found.

As researchers learned, lightning is an enormous spark discharge which produces a broad spectrum of radio energy in which all frequencies appear at once, from hundreds of hertz through hundreds of MHz, However, scientists discovered that a large percentage of lightning's effective radio energy is con- centrated in the I to 20 kHz region, loosely defined as VLF,

VLF Punches Through the Ionosphere!

VLF static bursts caused by lighming prop- agate with great efficiency in the waveguide formed by the earth's surface and the lower regions of the ionosphere. Mostly it sounds just like the static you hear on an AM radio receiver. But if you listen closely, you'll sometimes find that somewhere below 10 kHz the static crackles become liquid "pings*' or ** whistles' *.. .brief musical notes.

Today, the mechanism for this effect is well understood. Radio signals propagating through a non-vacuum medium become dis- persed. This means that the higher finequen- cies travel a little faster than the lower fre- quencies. A lightning burst starts out as all frequencies at once and propagation in the

earth-ionosphere waveguide ef- fectively spreads the frequency

components to produce audible ** pings" at the lowest frequen- cies. By measuring this disper- sion, investigators can calculate just how far the signals have trav- eled.

Early investigators were puz- zled by the fact that nobody could find signal paths on earth that were anywhere near long enough to account for the huge amount of dispersion heard in long whistles. Eventually, new techniques in- cluding spectrum analysis helped to unravel the mysteries of whis- tlers. L.R.O. Storey of Cam- bridge University and R.A. Hel- liwell of Stanford University were among the widespread group which developed a new view of the earth's near-space environment, opening up the field of magnetospheric physics. As it turned ouL the long dispersive whistler paths were ducts in the magneto- spheric plasma which extend between the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres. These ducts (sort of like the lines you see when you sprinkle iron fillings over a bar magnet) arch to a maximum distance of sev- eral earth radii, far beyond the boundaries of our ionosphere. This explains why some whistlers have a duration of several seconds when heard here on earth.

TTie Antarctic Antenna Farm

In the i950s, researchers discovered that CW transmissions from military VLF sta* tions sometimes triggered whistler- 1 ike

events. In the 1960s, they chose Antarctica as a perfect spot for controlled whistler re- search. Plenty of room to put up a 40 kilome- ter (26 mile) VLF dipole transmitting anten- na, mile-thick ice (a nice insulator to keep the antenna off the "^ground/' and almost no interference from AC power!

A powerful transmitter was built at Siple Station, Antarctica, In the 1970s and '80s, transmissions from Siple generated a variety

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of magnetospheric signals which were r^orded by a monitoring station at the mag- netic conjugate region near Rt^herval. Que* bcc, and by a variety of satellite monitors. These experiments have advanced scientists* understanding of the ionosphere and magne- losphere while suggesting many subjects for funher research.

The Need for More Ears

Until recently, VLF research was carried out using only a hand^K of listening stations mannoj by the govemmeni and a few univer- sities- In 1989, high school and amateur lis- tening panicipaiion was invited in a joint NASA/Soviet experiment involving the Sovi- et satellite ACTIVE. The Soviet satellite at- tempted artificial stimulation of the magneto- sphere by passing large 10.5 kHz currents through a 20-meter-diameier loop antenna. Unfortunately, the loop apparently deployed in a twisted config- uration» and the SWR was very high. Several months of monitoring by NASA, Soviet observers, and dozens of private experimenters in the U.S. failed to produce any copy. These joint ex peri - ments were nonetheless successftjt in that they provided the first occasion for participation by amateurs and high school groups. The possibilities of a large network of coordinated monitors had never before been explored.

INSPIRE 1992

INSPIRE stands for Interactive NASA Space Physics Ionosphere Ex- periments. The private industry spon- sors who, at this time, are co<irdinating with NASA include TRW Systems and Micro Power Systems in California, and MESA Art and Printing in Arizona. In March 1992, NASA plans to launch the space shuttle (STS-45) with the first mission in a series of 10 flights called ATLAS (ATmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science). /£V/. Noie: STS-45 wili aiso be the next SAREX Jlighi ./ One of the ATLAS investiga- tions is called SEPAC (Space Experi- mcnis with Particle Accelerators), which is an experiment involving the earth's atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. The 7 kW SEPAC ac- celerator (see Photo A) will emit a beam of electrons modulated by a series of audio [ones from 50 Hz to 7 kHz, A unique feature of the transmitter is that ildoes not directly utilize a metallic antenna. The modulated electron beam projected into space will become its own "virtual"* antenna!

SEPAC will use coordinated high school and amateur experimenter teams to listen and tape record the radio waves. The locations where the transmissions can be detected will define the "footprint'' of the signal* an im- possible task without a large number of par- ticipants.

How to Hear Audiu Frequency **Radio'' Waves

Radio signals in the VLF region occur at frequencies ranging from a few hundred

24 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

hertz to something above 10 kHz. These fre- quencies are readily accessible to human hearing but, even so, they are not directly audible. Why? Because they are electromag- netic events which do not produce the me- chanical vibrations in the air that our cars need to detect them as sound.

In order to hear ihcse waves, we must con- vert their electromagnetic activity to acousti- cal vibration. Conversion is done with a transducer—a simple amplifier connected to a loudspeaker or headphones— that uses the electrical energy^ to move air molecules to produce an audible sound.

Building a Practical VLF Receiver

It is fortunate that very simple and inexpen- sive circuits can be used to hear and record

Fhoio B. The 'business end* of the SEPAC Electron Beam Generator. The 7,5 kW electron beam is emitted from the cone at the top. The base {measuring about two fee! on a side) is a large heat sink. Peripheral drivers and associated electronics are in a separate module, Tfiis experimental package will he mounted on a pallet in the cargo hay of the shutile. iPhoio courtesy of TRW.)

both natural and man-made VLF signals. Be- ginners can build ihem; it is not necessary to understand ihc theory of operation in orderio make equipment thai works very well,

The receiver described here has been dubbed the RS-4 by its designer, amateur experimenter Michael Midekc WB6EER, The identical design (in kit form) will be constructed and used by the participating high school physics classes. All essential components are listed in the current Radio Shack catalog.

The receiver uses a FET input stage to trans- form the extremely high impedance of a short (I to 10 foot) antenna to a more practical value.

A low-pass filter rolls off frequencies above 7 kHz in order to prevent overloading from high power OMEGA radio-navigationaJ sig- nals at 10.2 kHz and above. The active high- pass filler (controlled by SW-h significantly rolls off frequencies below 1 kHz. helping to reduce the hum from 60 Hz power line har- monics. A ferrite be^d (Amidon FB90M3, available from Amidon Associates, 12033 Otsego Street, North Hollywood CA 91607) in the FET gate circuit helps prevent over- loading by radar and TV. Resistor Rl should be shorted via SW-3 when using an antenna longer than about 30 feet. A switch and jack are included to allow the operator to use a microphone for insertion of time marks and commentary while recording. Note that the receiver uses a jack instead of a conventional power switch, Insening a shoned plug into the power jack com- pletes the battery negative circuit, ap- plying power to the unit. This approach prevents accidental turn-on of the re- ceiver while it is being transported. (There is nothing more frustrating than pulling the receiver out of your knap- sack to discover that ii has gotten turned on and the battery is dead!) (Ed. Note: You can use an SPSTswitci^ in place of the jack if you so desire. /

The layout of the circuit board is not particularly critical (see the accompany- ing photo for suggest^ layout using perfboard construction). Try to keep "output stuff as far as possible from the antenna input. Component values aren*t critical either, but try lo keep the Ilk and 22k resistors associated with Ul-A within 5% or so. Since Radio Shack doesn't supply 1 Ik resistors, you can parallel two 22k units, or series-con- nect a 10k with a Ik.

When all components (including jacks and switches) are soldered in place, it is a good idea to double-check the wiring and do some preliminary tests before mounting the board in the enclosure. The first check is to remove Ul and connect the 9V batter)" to the circuit, in series with a milliammcier. It should read about 0.5 mA. If the meter indi- cates much more, or no current at all, something is wrong. Go back and check your work.

The second test h to disconnect ihe power and insert U-l in its socket (check for proper orientation). When you re- connect the battery, current consumption should be 3 10 6 mA. If it is, chances are good that everything is OK-

When the receiver is completed, raise the whip antenna a few inches and attach a ground (or several feet of wire if no ground is handy). Listen with Walkman-type head- phones or a monitor amplifier, and vcriiy that you have hum and noise. Touching the small antenna, or even moving your hand near it should increase the hum intcasity. Switching the high -pass filter in and out should make a noticeable change in the sound of the output. The scries antenna resistor will make little difference, whether it's in or out.

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CIRCLE 41 ON READER SERVICE CARP

Using tlie Receiver

Even though high-pass filtering is incor- porated in the receiver design, it is not a cure-all for the pervasive hum radiated by the AC power lines that dominate our modem civilization. To get reasonable reception of VLF signals, you're going to need to find a site which is at least 500 meters from AC power lines. You'll also need some kind of ground or counterpoise. Usually a simple one-foot nail or spike provides enough grounding to prevent squeals in the receiver. The chassis of an autoniobile (engine off!) also works nicely. Try the little Radio Shack whip antenna if you are in the open, and maybe a 20- to 50-foot wire if you're in the woods. You will hear some AC Une hum, but if you've picked die light site youMl also hear clicks, pops and, with some patience, some whistlers!

Alternatives to

Building RS-4 from Scratch

The volunteer nonprofit INSPDIE organiza- tion is offering the RS-4 receiver in kit form to the high schools, and the same deal is available to radio amateurs and private experimenters. At $49.95 postpaid (plus $4.12 sales tax in CA), the kit includes:

• All components, enclosure, etched PC board, and detailed assembly instructions.

• The Beginner 's Guide to Whistler Hunting , by Michael Mideke WB6EER, a 23-page history of VLF, including dps and advice on observing, describing, and recording natural and man- made signals at very low frequencies.

• A 60-minute narrated cassetie tape by Mideke which samples the incredible variety of sounds that can be heard in the VLF range. Included are notes describing the audio segments, and sample spectograms of some of the signals*

• Instructional materials designed to assist you in working with high school students to mutually

Why buy a TNC?

PC HF FAX + PC SWL $1 19

SPECIAL COMBINATION OFFER

For a limtt-ed time, if you order PC HF FAX S99 {see our other ad in this issiie). you can add PC SWL for only $20 instead of our regular low price of $99.00.

PC SWL contains the hardware, software, instructions and frequency lists needed \o albw you to receive a vast variety of digital broadcasts transmitted over shodwave radio. All you need is any IBM PC or corrpatible compyter and an SSB shortwave receiver. The product consists of: Demodulator

Digital^ Signal> Processing Software SD Page TutorEat Reference Manual World Press Frequency List Tutorial Audio Cassette with Samp^^s PC SWL autonnaticalty decodes Morse cade. Radio Teletype, FEC [forward error correctina code), SELCAL (selecti-ve calling transmissfons), and i^AVTEX.

PC SWL lets you lune in on world press Servi:ces with up to the minute news, meteorofopical broadcasts, ham radio operators, coestal shor& station s, aviatton telex and much more digital action on the shortwave bands, Find aSI the utility station action you have been missing. PC SWL softv^are uses the processor in your PC to do the work, wtiy pay few another e>cpenEive box when a simpte irnerface and your PC and do the job?

ADVANCED FEATURES:

Tuning Osciitoscope

Digital Waveform Presentations

Auto Caiibration and Code Recognition

Continuously Tunable FiJter Frequencies

Variabfe Shift

Adjustable CW Filter Sensitivity

Unattended Capture and Printing

Software Systems Consulting

61 5 S. El Camiro Real. San Clement©, CA 92672 Tel: (71 4)498-5784 Fax: (71 4)498-0568

CIRCLE 244 ON READER SERVICE CARD

26 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

learn more about natural radio and the ATLAS- SEPAC INSPIRE mission. • You will aliio receive updates by mail about SEPAC operation schedules, and the status of the mission.

To order an INSPIRE kit, send a check made out to INSPIRE to: Bill Pine, Science Depart- ment, Chaffcy High School, 1245 N. Euclid Avenue, Onlario CA 91762. If you need a re- ceipt, or have any questions, please include an SASE- If you just want the blank PC board, it's available for $7.

If you decide to build the RS-4 as described in this article, but don't anticipate direct project participation, you may still want to get a copy of

the Mideke booklet and audio tape. The Guide is $6 poslpaid in the U.S. (plus 83C sales ta?t in CA), $12.50 outside North America. Write Michael Mideke at P,0. Box 123, San Simeon CA 93452^0 123,

For those not interested in construction but who would like to experiment with a receiv- er, Conversion Research has a new VLF pocket receiver available completely assem- bled for $48 postpaid in the U.S. (plus $3.96 sales tax in CA). The circuit is not exactly the same as the RS^, but it is fully effective, includes a 33-inch telescoping whip an- tenna and a battery, and is housed in a sturdy diecast aluminum enclosure with an on/off

v<

AMTEI^f^A

O" — J^

D G S

BOTTOM VIE'M

eU tic

4

Rl 470h

SW-3

fl2

47 k

R4

R3

TL033

I

TOP V<EW

+ V

/f7 GflOUWD OR COUNTEfiPOlSE

SW-5

OUTPUT

^^

Figure 1. Schematic for the RS4 VLF receiver.

Figure 2. PC board foil pattern for the receiver.

Ll^ nni#=0

] t I

■' m.

kv

l^AfeT NO. i»f.-!

-VM

I o

Figure 3. Parts placement diagram.

ICATIONS

ELECTRONICS INC, Emmrg&ncy Op&ratlans C&nt&r

has expanded to our new two acre facility and World Headquarters. Because of our growth, CEI is now your one stop source for emergency response equipment. When you have a com- mand, control or communications need, essen- tial emergency supplies can be ru shed to you by CEI, As always, for over twenty three years. weVe ready, willing and able to help. For 1992, we're introducing new products from Uniden, Shrnwa, Cobra, Ranger Communications, Grundig,Sangean,MagnavoxJcom andRELM.

NEW! Shinwa SROOi-B

List price $799,95/CE price $479.95/SPECIAL Continuous coverage from 25.000 through 999.935 MHz. UyouYe looking for an excellent synthesized scan- ner designed for mobile surveillance use, the new Shinwa SROOt scanner offers features never be- fore off e red at such a low p rice . Whe n you pu rch ase this wide band scanner from CEI. you 11 gel a free Infrared wireless remote control that allows you to control your scanner from over 20 feel away. Se- lectable frequency steps of 5.0/1 0.0/1 2.5/20.0/25.0/ SO.O or 100.0 KHz. are available. Dual antenna Inputs terminating in an "N-type* and ^BNC" con- nectors are included. Other features include 200 memorychannete grouped in 10 banks of 20 chan- nels, easy to read mulii color LCD display, lithium battery for rnemory back-up^ 35 channel per sec- ond high speed scannir^g, priority, timer and even an alann to alert you to transmissions on your choice of one special frequency. We even include a mobile mounting bracket. The SR001 can be used for base station use with the purchase of the ACS-B 12 volt DC power supply for only $34.95 each. A great sounding exiemal speaker #SPE-B Is available for only $24.95.

SHINWA POCKET PAGERS

The fir© departnvent hazardous materials response teams and police department SWAT crews that need reliable radio aferting systems ^ stake their lives on Shinwa. W© offer a two-tone pocket pager with monitor feature and even a voice storage option at an afford- able pnce> To order, we need your paging frequer^cy as well as tone reed frequencies. For other configurations or two-way radio information, please fax us your sped- fications to 313-663-B888 or phone 313-996-8888.

NEW! ICOM tCRI'B

Lfst price $799.9S/CE price $5T9.95/SPEC1AL

Centk^ucus cov&r^ge from fOQkHji through i.3Q0 GHz,

The JCOM ICR1 Keeps you m touch with Ihe world when youVe on the go. The palm-size ICR1 is ©quipped with AM. FM and wide-FM modes to fully answer your monitoring needs. With 100 memory channels and a dual frequency selection system, you gel a lop-class communications receiver. Not only can you program scan searches only for sig- nals within a specified frequency range, its also possible to write frequencies of received stations automatically into menrtory. In addition, unwanted frequencies can be skipped. Order ICBC72-B t>at' tery rapid charger for $99.95 and a BP84-B 1 ,000 ma. battery pack for $74.&5,

NEW! tCOM ICR100-B

List price $799.95/CE price $579.95/SPEC1AL

Conlinu<iua co^ermg^ from tOQkHx. through 1B5BMhi.

Now you can bring a wider worid of broadcast- ing, VHF air and marine bands, emergency services and many more communications into yourvehicleJcom's advanced tCR 100 fully cov- ers all the stations worth hearing with up to 100 memory channels and a multitude of features*

SCANNERS/CB/RADAR UNIDEN

PRO310E-S Un^do^ 40 Oh. Poflabte/Mobil© CB , ,.* $72.95

PRO330E-8 Uolden 40 Ch. Romota mount CB $39.95

GRANT B UnSden 40 channe! SSB CB mobile ......... SI 5Z95

WASHrNGTON-B UnJden 40 Ch. SSB CB base $229,95

PCl2a-9 Unfden 40 channel SSB CB mobile $113,95

PCSGA-B Uniden 40 channel CB Mobile , $78.95

PR0510XL-B Uniden 40 channel CB Mobile .„ $39.95

PRO520XL-B Uniden 40 chafinel CB Mobile » $54.95

PR0535E-B Uniden 40 channel CB Mobile $69,95

PR053BW-B Uniden 40 ch. weather CB Mobile „....„. $78.95 PROeiOE-S Uniden 40 channel SSB CB Base ,$174.95

UNIDEN RADAR DETECTORS

RD3000ZX-B Uniden 3 band suction mounl radar ....$1 19.95

RD2400ZX S Uniden 3 band radar detector $109.95

RDBO-B Uniden 2 band radar detector ........$64.95

CARD-8 2 band credit cerd ^\ze radar delsdof ......... $89,95

RD3XL-B Uniden 3 band radar detector $109,95

RD9XL-B Uniden "micro" size radar detector $69,95

RD27-B Uniden visor mount radaf detector , ...$39,95

19 PLUS'B Cobra CB radk) $3695

1 BR V'B Cobra C8 radio , ,».».».... $54.95

41PLUS'B Cobra CB radio , $72.95

TOLTD-B Cobra remote mount CB radio .,.....«,*.,..«.... $99.95 19LTD-B Cobra Classic serleB CB radio .,.,..,..»....,..„, $44.95

21LT1>B Cobra Class Jc series CB radio $54.95

2SLTDB Cobra Classic series OS radio .,.. ....$89.95

29LTD-B Cobra Classic series CB fadto .$109.95

146GTL-B Cobra AM/SSBCB radio., $129.35

U8GTL-B Cobra AM/SSBCB radio. $149,35

90LTDB Cobra Base station ......$69,95

142GTL'B Cobra AM/SSB Base Station $193.95

2000GTL'B Cobra Deluxe AM/SSB Ba^ station $379.95

COBRA RADAR DETECTORS

R03163-B Cobra 3 band radar detector $109.95

RD3175'B Cobra 3 band radar detector ......$129.95

fl 031 73' B Cobra 3 band radar detector $13995

RD31B3-B Cobra 3 band radar deledor .$139.95

Bearcat 200XLT-B

List price $509.95/CE price $239.95/SPEClAL

1 2 Band. 200 Channei. Han*e*d, S&wdi, Urrtt, HqW, Prforiiy, LockjU Frequency range: 29-54, 1 1&-174. 406-512, B06-956 MHz. E)(dudes 823.9875-849.0125 and &ea.9a7 5 894.0125 MHz. Tha Bearcat ^OOXLT 3«ta a n#w standard for handheld scanners in pMformance and d*pen inability. This futi featured unit haa 200 pro- g ramnriBble channels wth 1 0 scanning bg rks a nd 1 2 band co verege. If ycHJ w^nt n V9iy $imila/ mcdd without the 800 MHz. band and 100 ch annuls , order th e BC 1 0OXLT-fl for ooly $1 7&.96. 1 nclude^ a ntenna. f::arrying ca» bneH loop, ni-cad bart*r/ pack, AC adapter end ear- phone. Ortlsf your scanner from CE4 today.

Bearcat 800XLT-B

List price $549.95/CE price $239.95/SPECIAL

12-band. 40CharnelH Nothing excluded \n the BOO MHz. band. Bands: 29-54. 1 16-174. 406-512* 806-956 Mhz. If you do r^oi rtoed the 800 MHz. band, order the Bearcat 210XLT-B for the special CEI price of $139.95.

Magnavox^ Satellite Phone

C£ priOB $48.8e0.00/Spedal order - aJlow 45 days br delivery. When war broke out In Iraq, you heard all the action because CNN had a satelHte telephone. Wheo a disaster ^uch as an earthquake or a hurricane strikes your oommtiolty and commu- nications afe dlerupted. you cart depend On instant reliable communications, }ust like CNN did using your Magnavox MagnaPhone. Inmarsat communicaljon salellltefi are in geosta- tionary orbit along the equator. Ttiey boani two-way vofce and datatransmissiorts between your Eatelllte phono and fixed earth stations. In most Instances^ telephone calls are d^led directly once you have selected the satellite serving your location. No matter where you afeon the pfanetp Ihe Magna? hone automatl- cafly selects the Land Earth Station (LES) nearest the destina- tbncafled.Thrsmakesplaclngacalias easy asusingastandard telephone. Dual ID numbers permit a sep^arate Inmarsat tele- phone number to be u^ed to route caUfi to one of the external telephone ports which could be used for a fax machine or a computer dala ^Ine. For telephone, telex, fax and data commu- n (cations anywhere I n th e world , the n ew UK2U20P Mag naPhone is the most corrpact Inmarsat-A. Class 1 terminal available today. Lil<e a cellular phone, alrtime will be billed to your account. The new MagnaPhone weighs just 47 lbs (21 kgK irM:bding the antenna. Add the optional ruggedlzed case (only $950.00] and (t can travel as airline baggage on commercial carriers. When you an-rve at ycLfr destination, Ir^stallatbncan bo done in less Ihan five minutes. For more information call 04;r EmergefK^y Operations Center at 313 99S-Ba&B.

RELM UC202-B 2 Watt transceiver on 154.57 MHz.tt 14.95

RELM RH25SNB B 25 WatI VHF transceiver ....$299.95

RCie950-a Ranger Comm- 25 Watt 10 Meter xcevr, $334.95 MRS100-8 Unlderi curveillanoe scanner .CALL FOR PRICE

BC55XLT-B Bearcat 10 channel scanner $114,95

AD 100-8 Plug in wall diarger fo/ BCS5XLT „ 14,9S

PS001-B Cigarette lighter cabte f&r BC55XLT „.«„.„. $14.95

VCOOl-B Carrying case for BC55XLT.. .„..$ 14.95

BC70XLT-B Bearcat 20 channel scanner $139.95

eP70-B Nl-Cad battery pack for BC70HLT scanner ..$39.95 aCt42iXL-B Bearcat 10 chanr>et 10 band scanner ..,,$84.95 BC147XLT-B Bearcat 16 channel 10 band scanner ..$94.95 BC172XL'B Bearcat 20 channel 11 band scanner ,. $124.95 BC177XLT'B Bearcat 16 Channel 11 band scanner $129.95 BC590XLT'B Bearcat 100 channel 11 band scanners 194.95 BC760XLT-B Bearcat 100 channel 12 band scanner$254.95 BC002-e CTCSS lone board for BC590^760XLT ......$54.95

aCO03-B Switch assembly for BC590/760XLT $22.95

BCe55XLT-B Bearcat 50 channel 12 band scanner $174.95 BC&60XLT-& Searcal 16 channel 10 band scanner „ $94.95

BP205-B Ni-Cad battery pack for BC20Of100XLT $39.95

TRAVELLER2'B Grundlg shortwave receiver ..$B4.9S

COSMOPOUT-B Grundig shortwave receiver..... $179.95

SATELL1T500-B Grundlg shortWBfve receiver $499.95

SATELL1TS50-8 Grundig shortwave receiver $849.95

ATS800-B Sangean shortwave receiver $89,95

ATSe03-B Bangean shortwave receiver $159.95

74102-0 Midland emergency weather reoel\rar .....$34.95

771 16-B Midland CB with VHF weather A antenna ..,$66.95 77lia'B Midland CB rrxjbiJe with VHF weather ..„„... $62.95

7791 3-B Midland CB portable with VHF weather, ,$79.95

76300-B Midlar>d CB base station $92.95

NPD-8 Uniden National Police Otredory .......,...........$19,96

FBE-B Frequency Directory for Eastern U.S,A ...,.$14,95

FBW-8 Frequency Directory for Western U.S.A. ...,,..$14.95 RFD1-B Ml, lU IN, KY, OH. Wl Frequency Directory .$14.95

RF02-B GT, ME, MA, NH. Rl. VT Directory $14.95

RFD3'B DE. DC, MD. NJ. NY. PA. VA, WV Directory $14.95 RF04 AL. AR. FU GA. LA, MS. NC. PR. SC. TISJ, VI .$14.95 RFD5 AK. ID. lA. MN. ML KE. NO, OH, SO, WA, Wy$14.95 RFD6 CA, NV, UT. AZ. Ml GU Frequency Directory .$14.95 RFD7-8 CO. KS. MO, NM, OK, TX Freq. Directory „. $14.95

PWB-B Passport to World Band Radb ,. $16.95

ASD-B Airplane Scanner Directory ...$14.95

TSG-B "Top Secref Registry of U.S. Govt. Freq. $16.95

TTC-B Tune in on Telephone Calts. ..$14.95

CBH'B Big CB Handbook/AM/FM/Freeband $14.95

TIC-8 Techniques for Intercopling Communicatons ..$14.95

EEG-S Errtoassy & Espionage Communicallone ..$14.95

SMHV1-B Scanner Modification HandbookA/olume 1$1B.95 SMHV2-B Scanner Modification Handbook/Volume 2 $16.95 LIN B Latest Inteliigenoe by James E. Tunnel! ,.........$17.95

A60-B Magnet mouni mobile scanner antenna .„^,„. $39.96

A70-B Base station fanner antenna .$39.95

USAMM-B Mag mount VHF ant. w^ 1^ cable $39,95

USAK-B 3^4- hole mount VHF antenna w/ ^Z c^le ..$34.96 Add $5.00 shipping for all acc$3SQri9$ ordGred at thd SAm§ f fms. Add $15.00 shipping p^rmdio And $6.00 per Antenna.

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE

Michigan res IderMs p lease add 4% sales tax or s u pply you r tax I.D. number. Wrirten purcftase orders are accepted from approved government agencies and most well rated firms at a 10% sunsfiarge for net 10 billing. All salos are subject lo availability, aocoptanco and verification. Prices, temis and specifications are eybject to change without notice. Alt prices are In U.S, dollars. Out of stock items will be placed on backorder automatically or equivalent prod- uct substituted unless CEt Is Instructed differently. Ship- ments are F.O.B. CEI warehouse In Ann Arbor, f^ichigan. No COD'S. Not responsible tor typographical errars.

Mail Of ders to: Communications Electronics, Bok 1 045, Ann Arbor. Michigan 481 06 U.S.A. Add t1 S.QO per radio for U. P,S. ground shipping end liandling Jn the continental U.S.A. For Canada, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, or APOy FPO del Every p shipping charges are two times continental U,S. fates. It you have a Discover, Visa, American Express or MasterCard, you may call and place a credit card order 5% surcharge for billing lo American Express. For credit card orders, calttolf-fr&e in the U.S. Dial BOO- USA-SCAN. For 1 nf ormai Ion call 3 1 3-996-0888 FAX any 1 1 me, d iai 31 3- 663-B8B8. Order from Com mun leal ions Electronics today. Scanner Disiribuilon C^nler^ and CEI logos are trade- marks of Com mu nf cations Electronics Inc. Sale dates 1 2/Z/91 through 5^31 /92 AD #1 21 691 -B Copy rig hi © 1992 Communications Electronics Inc.

For more information call

1 -31 3-996-8888

Communications Electronics Inc, Emergency Operations Center

P.O. Box 104S, Arm Arbor^ Michigan 4dl0€*-t045 [}.BA, For orders call 3l3-93e-&88d or FAX 313-663-8888

ORCLE 121 ON READEH SERVICE CARD

MICROWAVE TRANSVERTERS

SHF 1240 Cornpleie Transverter

SH F S YSTE MiS Mq tune linear tratisvierterB and Crarsverter kits lof 902, 1263, \2%, 2304, 240O, 3456 MHz. All useatm U.gi3.SV. Kits indode mixer and LO. P,C. laoarda, xiaJ and alf componenls. Built Unirs include I.F.yD.C. swiJctiboand, conneclons aJVd oompac! low profile hO'Using. Other fr&quersc^oplioits in amateur band avaiJaWe..

SHF SCKJK 902-90eMHi SflmW Kit$l39 euin265

SHFt240K 1296 1300 HH2 iOmW Kitt149 BjilrS2&5

SHF126eK t2SB'1272 05carModeL tOmW Kit$140 Bui1tS£56

SHF 2304K 2304-2308 HHl lilmW Kit$2D& BuiU^£5

SHF 240 1 K 2400 MHi Mode S i?CV Corv KiJ $ 1 55 Byilt $255

SHF3456K a45&-34SQMHi lOmW Kil$205 Built $325

SHFLOK &4D-580MHzLO. 50fnW Kil? 66

CALL OR WRITE FOR COWlPirTE CATALOG

DOWN EAST MICROWAVE

Bill Olson, W3HQT

Box23tO,RRl Troy. ME 04987

(207) 948-3741 FAX: (207) 946-51 57

UotMHl^ta

MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS

from

DOWN EAST MICROWAVE

Linear Power Amps

lor SSSp ATV, FM, 902— T296— S304— 34S6MHz

^504 PA 23I8PAIVI 2335 PA 234QPA 3370 PA 3318 PA

1302 PA 90nFA

10mWin5WoiH

0.5Winl8Wout

10Wirv35W[Hit

lWin35Woi>t

5Win70WoU't

lWln20Wod

14Win4CWoLil

lOmWina.OWtjUt

lOmWiniWout

1240-1 300 MHz 1240-1 300 MHi 1240-1300 MKi 1 240-1 3D0M Hi 1240-1 300 MHz 902-926 MHz 902-928 IWHz 2304 MH? 3456 MH2

$140 S215 $325 $355 $695 $275 $335 $400 Write or Call

T/fl Swilching available, all 13.6 VDC

Lew Noise f^reamps & pre amp kits — 432, 902, 1296, 1 e91 , 2304 ,2401, 3456 M Hz , 5 7 and 1 0 GHz.

t3.av

13.8V

13,fiV 13.&V .5dB

33LM f}f&amp .6<JeHF M2MHz

23LJ^A pfeamp .6dflNF 129&MHZ

1 3LMA jK«arrtp . 7 dS MF 230D-24M W Hjt

le^lLWAWP pr«amp1dBNF 1S91 MH2 mast mounted 4{H7LNIAJ< pr^ampy AQ^M^mi

Preamp l(its for 2304^ 10 GH^

CALL OR WRITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

DOWN EAST MICROWAVE _

Bill Olson, W3HQT Box 231 0 , R R 1 Troy, M E 04937

$ %

$t30 $14D $40

WfiieorCaii

(207) 948*3741 FAX: (207) 948-51 57

MICROWAVE ANTENNAS

Loop Yagis, Power Dividers, Stacking Frames, Coinpiete Arra^Of 902, 910, 1269, 1296, 1691, 2304. 2401, 3456 MHz. For Tropo, EME, Weak Sigrial. OSCAfl, ATV, Re- peaters, WE FAX, Commencjal point topoim. Available In kil form or assembled and tested.

3333LVK 33el loop Yagf Kit S02MHi IS.SdBI

2345LVK 45e( loop Vagi i<it 1206 MH2 21 d8i

2445LYK 45el loop Vagi Kit 1269 MHz 21{i8i

1 844LY 44«l toop Yagi (assem .] 1 69 1 M Hi 21 dB I

2355LYK 55el Superlooper Kit 1296 MHz 22dBi

1345 LYK 45el foopYagiKrt 2304 M Hi 2tdBi

9451 YK 45el EoopYagiKil 3456 MHz 2TdBi Otiier

£ 9S.O0 $ 95.00 $ 05.00

SlQS.OO $108.00 S 79.00 S 79.00

mode I s ^ vai I able . CaPI or write f o r catalog .

DOWN EAST MICROWAVE

Bill Olson, W3HQT

Box 231 0, RR1 Troy, ME 04987

(207)948-3741

FAX: (207) 948-51 57

switch, audio gain conirol, and a 3.5mm jack for stereo earphones. Order from Conversion Research (Frank Cathell K3YAZ), P.O. Box 535, DescansoCA91916,

Project INSPIRE offers an opportunity for amateurs to be involved in a truly significant research project. To make it fully effective, we amateurs need to bridge the gap between the NASA shuttle experiment and local high schools. Pick up the phone and connect with the physics teacher at your neighbor-

hood high school. If he (or she) hasn't heard about INSPIRE, have them send an SASE to Bill Pine for information. Offer to help students build the kit, and maybe give some advice and assistance in searching out a remote and radio-quiet lisiening site for the March 1992 mission. Good hunting on 60, OCX) meters!

Contact Jim Ericson KG6EK at 226 Charles Street, Smnwak CA 94086-6063.

Parts List

Resistors: Except for R-1 6, 1/4W metal film 5% units are preferred.

R1

470k

R2

47k

R3

2 Megohm

R4

I5k

R5

2 Megohm

R6

880Q

R7

2200

m

2oa

R9

33k

RIO

10k

R11

4.7k

H12

10k

R13

6.8k

R14, R15

tk

R16

100k, audio taper

R17

10k

R18

11k

R19

22k

R20, R21

33k

Capacitors: 1 6 volt or higher.

CI

27 pFdipped silver mica

C2

0.01 pF ceramic or mylar

03

0.10 pF ceramic or mylar

C4,C5

0,022 ^F my ar

C6

0.01 pF ceramic or mytar

C7,C8

0.10 pF ceramic or mylar

09

0.022 pF ceramic or mylar

CIO

0. 1 0 pF ceramic or mylar

C11,C12

0.01 pF mylar

C13

10 pF aluminum or tantalum

014

1.0 pF aluminum or tantalum

Ct5

10 pF aluminum or tantalum

Active Devpces

Inductor

Q1 Q2 U1

LI

Miscellaneous

Ferrite bead

BP1,2

J1,J3

J2,J4

OneS-pin

One 3.5mm

Perlboard

Enclosure

Battery

Battery clip

SW1 , SW2

SW3

Whip antenna

Monitor amplifier

NOTE: See text for kit availabttity.

2N381 9 or similar 2N2222A or similar IL082,IF353 or similar

1 k c.t. to SO miniatum output transformer RS^ 273-1380. Mouser 42KM014, or similar

Amidon FB90H3 or similar

Binding posts

3.6mm mono jacks

RCA-type ''phono" jacks

IC socket

plug for power switch

RS# 276-1 50

5-1/4" x 3'' X 2-1/8"

9V alkaline recommended.

Exlernat supply up to 12V can also be used.

DC Electronics ^1290 is good.

Miniature SPOT toggles

Toggle or sttde OK,

RS# 270-1408 or similar

RSJ!^ 277-1008

number B &n yoyr feedback card

73 Review

by Larty R. Anionuk WB9RRT

ZD Engineering Hardline Matching Transformers

ZD Engineering 605 Balsley Avenue Findlay OH 45840 Tel, (41 9) 424^765, Price Class: $28-$30 per pair (available for any band between 1 44 and 1 296 MHz). Other frequencies can be specially ordered— call for price quote. Two-port power divider — $40 including companion transformer.

CATV

Ham radio operators, in general, are a re- sourceful bunch. Most hams have some experience with makmg something out of nothing, and just about every amateuf product advertised makes you say, "Why didn't I think of that??" The RF hardline matching trans- formers manufactured by ZD Engineering are Just such an item. Not only do these matching transformers allow the use of very cheap CATV coax for ham radio, they afso perform environmental and social services as well.

What s So Good About Hardline?

If youVe new to ham radio, all of this interest in hardline may be somewhat confusing. After all, why deal with big holes in the wall and st^ff, uncooperative cabte, when a piece of RG-S or RG'58 does the same job? The answer is ca- ble loss.

Cable loss refers to the amount of power that is lost on the trip from the transmitter to the antenna. It varies from cable to cable, A percentage of your transmitter power is used up on the way to the antenna due to cable resistance and other factors. This **missing" power is turned into heat which dissipates along the cabJe rather than being radiated from the antenna.

As you might guess, cable loss increases as the cable gets smalter. and as the frequency gets higher. It also ir^creases as the VSWR increases, which means that you lose even more power in the coax jf the antenna isn't properiy matched. Loss isn't much of a prob- lem on the HP bands, but on VHP and above, it's a real concern.

Por Example, . .

Consider a 2 meter transmitter feeding an antenna on a tower, with a coaxial cable length of 100 feet. An average loss factor for 100 feet of RG-e/U at 146 MHz might be 3.5 dB. A 100 ft. piece of 7/6" hardline has a loss factor of about 0.6 dB — ^a difference of almost 3 dB. What this means in terms of perform* ance is that the same difference in radiated signal can be realized by either doubling your transmitter power — or by switching to hard* line. (While different varieties of cable have

Photo A. 440 MHz Matching Transformer af- tached to 7/8" i'me, shown next to 440 MHz power d/vider.

Photo B. 440 MHz Matching Transformer fer- minated in a 50 ohm dummy load.

Photo C. 7/8" iine prepared for installation of matching transformer and power dividen

different Joss factors, the values presented here represent reasonable averages.)

If hardline is such great stuff, why isn't ev- eryone usmg it? As usual, the answer is mon* ey* Prices vary, but a good estimate of com- munications grade hardTme, in amateur quantities, is right around "several bucks a

loot/' Yikes! Not only that, but even rf you can get the fine for free, the connector prices are prohibitive.

As luck would have it. there is one source of free (or neariy free) hardline. The type of cable used for main runs by CATV companies turns out to be a very high grade of hardline, and it comes in 1/2", 3/4". and 7/8" inch sizes. These cables typically run for miles, and a "short end" to a cabte company is often any- thing less than 500 feet. These * 'short ends** are often available for the asking — nice long sections of low-loss hardline — just haul them away. But there is one problem— it's 75 ohm impedance cable. And then, you still need to buy those expensive connectors.

The Solution

Fully aware of all of the above facts, the folks at ZD Engineering put two and two to* gether and came up wrth six. The ZD Engi- neering Hardline Matching Transformers al- low the use of standard CATV hardline for communications use. Each adapter consists of an appropriate connector (UHF or N) and a quarter-wave matching section that mounts on the end of the hardline,

A pair of matching transformers turns a piece of hardline into a flat 50 ohm transmis- sion line (for only $30), It may seem tike magic, but the ZD Adapter impedance transformer I rick is based on straightforward transmission line theory. One characteristic of a quarter- wave section of transmission line is that it has (he ability to match two unequal impedances provided that the impedance of the quarter- wave matching section is of a specific value. The value happens to be the square root of the

Typical Attenuation Figures tor 1/2 CATV Hardline Frequency (MHz) dB/l 00 ft.

5 0.16

30 0.40

SS 0,54

150 0.90

220 1,11

425 1.57

73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991 29

^ *

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product of the two values to be matched— in our case, 50 and 75 ohms.

The value of the matcliing section therefore needs to be 61.2 ohms. The ZD Hardline Adapter is simply a quarter-wavelength fine, built to the size necessary to produce a 61.2 ohm impedance. The line is then machined to allow mounting to the desired size of hardline, and a connector is silver-soldered to the other end. Although straightforward En design^ the adapters provide a feature that makes instal- lation a snap, and prevents a problem that's often experienced with lines of this type.

One of the main difficulties experienced with long runs of CATV hardline has to do with the amount of expansion and contraction that the copper-coated aluminum center conduc- tor undergoes with changes in temperature. Expansion can cause the center conductor to move within the coax, stressing the connec- tions. In extreme cases, the contraction of the center conductor will be so great that it will re- cede back into the dielectric by several inches.

The ZD Hardline Transformers eliminate this problem by providing a receptacle that's machined to allow the insertion of several inches of center conductor (in the 146 MHz version, the center conductor could be left up to two feet long). This extra length of conduc- tor means that the connection will be making contact regardless of thermal expansion or physical movement.

The coax is simply slid into the adapter, and the inner receptacle holds the center conduc- tor firmly in place. The outer conductor of the adapter is then clamped to the shield of the coax, hoEding the whole assembly in place. No soldering, threading, or special tools. The ZD Adapters come with explicit installation in- structions, and a small amount of anti-^ixidiz- Ing compound is included In the hardware package.

Transformers are available for 144 MHz, 222 MHz, 440 MH2, 903 MHz, and t296 MHz. In addition, straight connectors (with no matching section) are available, as are power dividers.

But Do They Work?

The proof of the pudding is in the transmit- ting, and in this case the ZD Transformers worked just as expected. A series of tests was run using both 7/8" and 1/2" line, at power levels of 1 0 and 100 watts.

In all cases the measured toss was exactly what was expected from the coax itself— the transformers introduced negligible, if any, ad- ditional loss. (See the Table for typical hard- line loss figures.) In addition, the transformers produced an absolute flat match into a 50 ohm dummy load. (Due to their high quality con- struction, the quarter-wave sections probably have a lower loss factor than the cable itself.)

Installation Tips

At this point, It may seem like the ZD Trans- formers are almost too good to be true. There are a couple of slight limitations that should be noted. First, the physical construction of the adapters could allow water to infiltrate under the outer cable jacket if proper waterproofing methods aren't taken. This can obviously be

prevented by the careful use of Coax Seal™* The instructions that come along with the ZD Transformers state that you should wrap Coax Seal so that it overlaps two inches on each side of the junction of the transformer and the hardline. You should make sure the clamp is covered completely by sealant as well.

Second, the length of the adapter is rather long compared to the length of the section of coax that the adapter clamps onto, especially in the 2 meter version. This means that any movement of the adapter wiil be felt at the cable junction with a fair amount of leverage.

The adapters and the cable should be phys- ically secured to a solid structure (the tower leg or, if indoors, a wall) to keep them from moving, and flexible coax jumpers should make the final connections to the antenna or transmitter. This is common practice in the commercial radio field, but may be something new to some amateurs.

Obviously, these two points are a minor trade-off in order to obtain a piece of low-loss line, but they should be carefully addressed. (The loss factor of hardline increases dramati- cally if the line is filled with water!)

Saving the Earth

Skepticaf by nature, the author decided to check out the claims of all this low cost hard- line available at cable TV companies. Obvi- ously, the true value of a product like the ZD Transformer is directly related to how cheaply one can get the hardline. After calls to three cable companies in the area, it was clear that the term "low cost hardline** was something of a misnomer.

More correctly, it should be called ''Free — how much do you want?" or perhaps, "We'll give you a few bucks to haul it away" hardline. Environmental awareness, landfill problems, and recycling have finally caught up with the CATV companies. Those ''short ends" we were discussing earlier have to go someplace, and the landfill doesn't want to deal with them.

Aluminum scrap collectors used to burn the jacket off and salvage the metal, but burning the cable produces toxic gases — no longer an option. In most cases the short ends and old replaced cable are thrown in a pile, and some- one who specialises in scrap cable comes by once a year— and charges to haul it away.

One CATV manager proudly told of a deal he worked with a scrap deafer concerning a run of existing cable that was being replaced. After a day on the phone, he finally found someone who would come and get the TWELVE MILES of old 7/8'' cable and haul it away in exchange for the aluminum value— a real coup.

Obviously, the cable companies want to get rid of this stuff. Not only are you going to set yourself up with a very low loss antenna line system, saving a load of money in the bargain, you're also doing the Earth a favor. And the social implications? Just think how happy things wilt be around the house— once you tell the XYL how you saved a thousand dollars on hardline by using 20 Matching Transformers* and then only spent five hundred dollars on a new rig.

Now why didn't I think of that?

30 73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991

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73 Review

by Bill Clarke WA4BLC

The Yaesu FT-990

A fully-equipped transceiver for the everyday ham.

Yaesu USA

17210 Edwards Road

Cerritos CA 90701

{213)404-2700

Priw Class $2,400

The FT-990 is ad- vertised as incor- porating many of the features found on the FT- 1000. yet leaving out some that nnost hams would seidom use. The result is a ful- ly-equipped trans- ceiver somewhat more artordable than the FT- 1000, and more appli- cable to the typical ham. (See the sidebar for a list of some of the FT-990's features J

Operating

Getting the FT-990 on the air was straight- foHA/ard and took just a few minutes. Only two things are required to operate the rig: AC power and an antenna. This is a complete HP ham station in a single box.

If you are just entering the microprocessor rig era you may find the large number of con- trols rather formidable, but don't be daunted- The FT-990 is really a very simple rig to oper- ate and the dexterity it offers will be warming to any operator. Most functions are selected via microprocessor control buttons, in con- trast to the old wafer switches of yesteryear with their thump-and-bump knobs.

Frequency selection is done with the main tuning knob, which has a very heavy, yet smooth feel. Actual^, this can be said for all the controls on the front panel, They operate smoothly and are goDd*looking. Keypad se* lection of frequency is simple {except for adding a leading zero below 10 MHz) and, after the memories have been set, selection can be made directly from the memories. There are 90 memories, atl tunable and scan- fiable. Of course, there are two VFOs, The frequency readout is excellent and the display also monitors mode, memory number, VFO in use, tuning speed, and clarifier offset (RIT),

The automatic antenna tuner does its work quickly, even when not operating from one of its 39 memories. Typically, it only takes a few seconds. The received audio is a little mushy, to my ears, when all controls are open or cen- tered, but slight adjustments to the DIGITAL FILTER and SHlfn^ controls make it real sharp (more about these features later). My transmit- ted audio got many unsolicited reports of '^au- dio really sounds good/' which is notable be-

32 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

The Yaesu FT-990 HF Uanscei^/er.

cause I was using the hand-mike that came with the rig,

OveratL it is the quality and action of the FT-990 "s controls that impressed me the most.

Receive Performance

My antenna system is designed to instantly switch from one rig to another, and can be set to parallel rigs on the same feed line. This pro- vides a means to compare performance. Dur- ing the review process. I operated only in SSB, FM, AM, and CW modes, even thougli the FT-990 is built with internal interfaces for digit- al modes (RTTY, packet. AMTOR). I was very pleased with the general receivmg capabili* ties of the FT-990 and \ feel ft will meet most needs. I still think that the FT-1000 has what [ feel to be the ultimate receiver, but it is, after atl, more expensive than the FT-990.

The rig 1 tested had the 2 kHz SSB and 250 Hz filters installed. 1 found that for signal sepa- ration, using these optional filters gave a dis- tinct edge. Overall* the receiver is very tight and does not appear to suffer overloading problems caused by nearby strong signals.

Features and Comments

The Digital SGF ftltering is super! I cannot say enough good about this feature. I used it often and was very pleased with its power and ease of operation. The filter consists of two controls that limit the audio bandwidth of the received signal One cuts out the highs and the other the lows. Both are infinitely se- lectable and have very steep skirts. This filler is a real plus that isn't even found on the FT-1000.

The SHIFT (IF pass- band) control is great to use. smoother and broader (easier to tune) than most other rigs. Although the NOTCH FILTER works like it should, IVe found that there are some tremendous automatic notch filters in the add-on market* Ifd sure be great to see this kind of noth fil- ter available in com* merctal rigs.

The RF FSP speech processor is unique in that it has a provision for shifting your transmit frequency. It is most effective duhng pile-ups. The slightly higher-sounding audio really cuts through. Just don't use it on 75 and 40 for local work. Vou won't be liked very much. This fea- ture can be cloned by operating split, using two VFOSi or by using RIT, But, I doubt if you would consistently be as good sounding or as effective as the FT-990.

If you have never used a rig with an auto- matic antenna tuner, treat yourself to it some- time. 1 used muttiband wire and vertical anten- nas for most of my HF work and found the 990' s automatic tuner to be perfect for fast QSY. It tuned everything I normally use, with no problems. It did balk at working with my linear amplifier, so in those situations 1 turned the tuner off.

There is a nice feel to the tuning knob and all the controls are of excellent quality both visu- ally and functionally.

The front feet on the rig are far nicer than the typjcat wire bails found on most rigs. They drop out ot the case bottom, are round, and large in diameter. They are also non-slip!

For the CW operator, a built-in iambic mem- ory keyer with dot/dash memory and se- lectable weight is standard. The keyer can even be set to simulate a bug. The BFO fre- quency is adjustable, and a SPOT button al- lows for precise tuning. A 500 Hz CW filter is standard with 250 Hz optional.

Each of the 90 memories stores frequency, mode, bandwidth, and clarifier (RIT) settings. They are scannable, perhaps nice for keeping track of activity on favorite nets or lor FM.

The DVS-2 digital voice recorder (optional device) is basically a solid-state tape recorder.

" • FjII range -10H2 to 3GHz.

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• Extruded metal case. • Compatible with MFJ207.

Suggested options

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It is convenient for calfing CO and, with the four short message sections, can be set up to XMIT most of a comesi contact. Recording otf-tfie-atr is a good feature for repeating missed calls and contact numbers. In addi- tion, as n^any hams really do wonder what Ihey sound like on the air, particularly when making mike and/or audio changes to their stations, being able to play back on the air is a great feature.

Yaesu does not recommend long transmis- sions at fuH power on the FT-990 when operat- If^g digitaf modes. They suggest operating at half power.

The Manual

The manual for the FT-990 includes an ex- cellent tutorial to get you going and does a good job of explaining the function at each control. It is a must-read booklet, as It contains Instructions for customizing the transceiver for your own operation (power*up selections). I found the manual lacked some specifications (no stated dynamic range).

Customizing the FT-9dO

You cars customize some of the operations of the FT-990 to suit your particular desires by

instructing the rig how to come on when pow- ered up (turned on).

Power*yp selection choices are made by holding specified keys/buttons while switch- ing the FT-990 from '*off" to "on." and by using DIP switches. Once selected, these choices will be included every time the rig is turned on (until you change them). Some pow- er-up selections are: method of frequency dis- play (offsets for different modes). E>eeper on/ off and pitch, 10 Hz readoul, CW pitch, and sidetone volume. This capability makes it easy to turn the 900 into your radio.

Recommendations

At a suggested list price of $2,399 you will be getting a high-grade transceiver loaded with bells and whistles, internal power supply, automatic antenna tuner, and digital 3CF au- dio filtering. The rig is also ready for any cur- rent digital mode.

Putting these prices into perspective, the FT-990 isn't such a case of sticker shock after all. All you need for general operation is a single ail-band antenna such as a G5RV or Windom. a feedline, and a place to plug in the

FT-990. Would 1 recommend the FT-990? Yes. H

offers the features most hams are looking for. Its controls are smooth and very effective, par- ticulariy the digital SCF audio filter and shift tuning. And. let's face it. the rig does look pretty darn good!

Some Features of the FT-9M

Keypad direct frequency entry

Passband shift

90 merrrories

Automatic antenna tuner

Dual digital SCF (switched capacitance

fitter] audio filter Noise blanker RF FSP (frequency-shifted speech

processor) All-mode squelch Notch filter (manual) Iambic memory keyer Selectable BFO offset Spotting button

Key jacks on front and rear panels Dedicated interfaces for RTTY, AMTOR.

and packet Internal switching AC power supply DVS*2 digital voice recorder (optional) 10 meter FM operation

SPECIFICATIONS (as taken from the FT-990 Operating Manual)

80

40 30

20 17 15 12 10

General RCVR Coverage: tOO kHz-^SO MHi XMIT coverage 160 1.8- 2.0 MHz 3.5- 4.0 MHz 7,0- 7.5 MHz

10.0-10.5 MHz

14.0-14,5 MHz

18.0-18.5 MHz

21 .0-21 .5 MHz

24.5-25.0 MHz

28.0^29 J MHz Frequency Stability

<lOppm(-10to +50 degrees C)

<0.5 ppm (wrrCXO-2 option)

OnFM; < 200 Hz Emission modes

LSB/USB-CW-FSKAM-FM

(J3E*A1A-J1 D-J2D-A3E-F3E) Basic frequency steps

10 Hz LSB/USB^W-FSK(J1D)

100 Hz AM-FM-FSKfJ^D) Antenna Impedance: 1 6.5-1 50 Q (50 Q nominal) Power requirements

Voltage: 1 1 0-1 1 7 or 200-234 VAC 50/60 Hz

Amperage: 60 VA on RX/470 VA on TX Dimensions (WHO) 14.3" x 5^ x 14.4" Weight: aa.e lbs.

Transmitter Power output

100W (adjustable)

(25W on AM) Duty cycle

100%

(50% FM & RTTY) Modulation types

SSB-Balanced filtered carrier

AM-LoW'level (early stage)

FM-Variabie reactance

FSK-Audio frequency shift keying Maximun FM deviation: ±2.5 kHz FSK shift frequencies: 170/425/850 Hz Packet shift frequencies: 200/1000 Hz Harmonic radiation: <50 dB below peak output SSB carrier suppression: < 40 dB below peak output Undesired sideband suppression: <50 dB below peak output Audio response: < -6 dB (400-2600 Hz on SSB) 3rd order IMD: > -36 dB (TOO W PEP at 1 4.2 MHz) Microphone impedance: 500-600 Q

Receiver

Circuit type: Triple-conversion superheterodyne IF frequencies: 47.21/10.94/.455 MHz Sensitivity

10dBS/N,0dB = 1 tiV

SSB^CW 100-500 kHz < 1 |iV

SSB/CW0.5-1,8MHz <2pV

SSB/CW 1 ,8-30 MHz <0.25 |iV

AMI 00-250 kHz < 10 pV

AM 250-500 kHi:< 2 mV

AM 0.5-1 .8 MHz <4pV

AM 1 ,8-30 MHz < 1 ^iV

FM 29 MHz for 12dB SINAD <0.5 pV Selectivity

e.0kHzAMWide:6kHz. -6dB:15kHz, -60 dB

2.4 kHzSSB/AM/CW/RTTY/Packet: 2,2 kHz, -6dB;4.0 kHz, -60 dB

2.0 kHzSSB/CW/RTTY/Packet; 1 .8 kHz, -6 dB; 3.6 kHz, -60 dB

500 HzCW/RTTY/Packet: 500 Hz. - 6 dB; 1 .8 kHz Hz, - 60 dB

250 HzCW/RTTY: 240 Hz, -6 dB; 700 Hz, -60 dB Squelch sensitivity

1 .8-30 MHz (CW^SSB AM): <2 mV

28-30 MHz (FM): <0.32|jV IF rejection: > 80 dB (1 .8-30 MHz) Image rejection: > 80 dB (1.8-30 MHz) IF shift: ±1.2 kHz

Maximun Audio output: 2W Into 4 Q load w/< 10% THD Audio output impedance: 4-8 Q

34 73 Amateur Radio Today * December. 1991

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 35

Number 1 0 on your Faedback card

The QUAG-V

A high performance and wide bandwidth antenna for VHFand UHF.

by Leonard Shick WB3AYW

A broadband anienna is a must for 440- 45Q MHz. The main problem of most antennas (as well as the matching system) for this band is the ability to achieve a low VSWR over a wide bandwidth while maintaining a high gain. This limits most antennas to a bandwidth of \ or 2 MHz. By using quagi di- mensions for directors and all spacings. the bandwidth of the driven element can be widened to 10 MHz by changing the driven element and the ncflecior to the double quad design, then bending them a! a 90 degree angle. When this is done, all ihree radiating elements on the driven element reinforce ^ch other at the flrs! director for added gain on both receive and transmit. In an antenna system with two quad loops

■OVEWLAP WIRE 1 1/2* THEN SOUJER

CUT 4 ttin£ iU HMF AFTER SOLDEi^ING TO

WOQt> fiOQM

ZA-

BEHQ TO 90^ AHSLE BEFORE ASSEMBUMG Tg SOOy TOfOITM A V£t

ACUU^TilEttT

Figtire I. The driven element

EfitD VtEW OF WOOD SOOkt ANO DRfVEN ELEMENT

CONNECT FIRST AttO SOLOES

CONl^ECT SECOND

Pull tight and

SOLOEfl

SKOITT AS POSSIBLE

driven at the center; there is an impedance of approximately 75 ohms. When used in an array* this can drop to around 50 ohms, which can be driven with 50 ohm coax direct- ly without any matching device. This helps with the simplicity of the easy-to-build broad- band design.

Construction Details

The antenna is made from #10 AWG house

wiring because of its stiffness and low cost. The boom is made from wood (1" %2" pine for 70cm and r x 3" for 2m). DO NOT USE METAL, as ii will interfere with the clement length and radiation pattern.

Using a #39 bit, drill all the holes in the boom, except the one for the driven element, which does not gel drilled completely through. The undrilled part of the boom be- tween the two holes keeps the two wires from

i

FhoroA. Close-up view of the driven element, reflector and feedline aiHichmeni poim\

Figure 2, Feedline connection to the driven element. 36 7$ Amateur Radio Today * Decemt>er, 1991

Photo B. Two Quag- Vs can be stacked for additional gain . If you mount the Quag- Vsfor horizontal polarization in the configuration shown, you mmt use a wooden or fiberglass cross supports

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TIE WIRE #16

(BOTH SIDES S

ELEMEI^T BENT TO SO"

Figure 3. Top view of the driven eletnent and reflector support. The elements are held in place by short loops ofil8 wire as shown. The "/>" dimensions are used for the driven element and the ''G'* dimensions are for the reflector assembly (see Table 2).

Table 1, Director Lengths

(in inches)

432

438

446

448

146

D1

1 1 -3/8

11-1/4

1M/16

11

33-3/4

D2

11-5/16

11-3/16

11

10-15/16

33-5/8

D3

11-1/4

11-1/8

10-15/16

1 0-7/8

33-1/2

D4

11 3/16

11-1/16

10-7/8

10-13/16

33-3/8

D5

1M/8

11

10-13/16

1 0-3/4

33-1/4

D6

11-1/16

10-15/16

1 0-3/4

10-11/16

33-1/8

D7

11

10-7/8

10-11/16

10-6/8

33-1/8

D8,

etc.: Same

as D7.

REFLECTOR

■Overlap i i/s"

IHEH SOLDER

■ASSEMBLE K THROU&H WOOD BOOM FIRST THEN SOLOER

CLOseo

— WOOD fiOOM

M

■m

H*l

BEhtO TO 30* AMGLE BEFORE ASSEMBLY TO M TO FORM A VEE

EUD VIEW

OF WOOO BOOM

il

■K- ELEMENT

THROUGH &0OM

Mk-

Figure 4. The reflector.

DRIVEN ELEMENT

oD£

*je TiEWiRE [4 REO'Oi

REFLECTOR

NAIL OR eOLT TO BOOM

ilF NAILED. BEMD OVER AFTER ASSEMBLE TO HOLD SUPPOftT)

F CAPPROX DIHI-

Figure S. Top view of the driven element and the cross support assembled and attached to the boom.

^•— 4in.— ^

OE

Dl

&3

D-?

D4

05

D6

HOLES FOR U-BOLT

-4 \f\.

■*!

4ir fS TO TAPE COAX TO BOOM IN BACK OF THE REFLECTOf?

4 n. - BOOM I en. * £ m. X 4 It. OR LONOER AS NEEDED FOfl FREQ AND NUMBER OF ELEMENTS.

T^OwER side M0UN"T

/

wRAP#iB WIRE A-ND SOLDER

WRAP #18 WIRE AMD SOLDER^

1

T

ve ift

12 in. IS MOUMTlNG AND TO KEEP REFLECTOR AWAY FROM SUPPORT

ALL ELEMEtJTS EmCEPT WHERE

CO AS? IS ATTACHED

INCL<JOIN<; THE REFLECTOR

Figure 6. Boom dimensions and element locations. Although not required, you can taper the boom as shown to lighten the total weight of the antenna.

VSWff 4^3 MHi VER^iON

432

433

455 437

FHEOUEMCY (UHH

439

441

44J

VSWR 446 MHi VERStOht

43S 439 440 441 442 44:1 444 445 446

FREQUENCY (MKi)

447 446 449 449.9

Figure 7, VSWR plots for the 438 MHz and 446 MHz versions,

touching a! the feedpoint, and is also the driven element center support (see Figures 1 and 2),

The directors must be cut for the higher portion of the band to be used, so as not to act as reflectors at the highest frequency used. When making the directors, cut care- fully, file both ends flat, and then deburr to gel the correct length. (A burr on one end of an element can change the length by one MHz or more.)

When mounting the directors, wrap some #18 bare wire around the directors on both sides of the boom, then solder so that the

38 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

elements will not slide down through the boom.

If the antenna is to be stacked side by side for vertical radiation^ d^e maslcan be metal as it will not affect the pattern. For horizontal operation, the mast and supporting structure should be nonmctallic if they are in the field of the radiation pattern.

The support for the front of the driven element and reflector is made of wood, ap- proximately 1/4" X r' X 12'' long. The center of the two wood cross supports is held in place by a nail approximately 2" long, bent over to hold the support from moving- Three

notches position the elements in place and two #18 tie wires hold and support the ele- ments to the supports. This ensures diat all three vertical elements are the same distance from the first director.

The coax should go from the driven ele- ment back through the reflector, ±en be looped back to the supporting structure. The mast should be of a non-conducting material: wood, fiberglass, etc. A metal mast will change the gain and pattern of the system*

Tuning

When the antenna is complete, adjust the

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VSWR by unsolderifig ihe side of the driv- en element where it is soldered together, then slide it to increase or decrease the length. When you have completed the anteiv na, and before installatioii. coat the wood with a latex-base finish to protect it from the weather.

This antenna is similar to the parabeam (**J'' beam), but uses the quagi spacings and is bent so that the first director i.s in line with Ihe outside of the driven element.

At the \99\ W3MIE Field Day, site tests were conducted on die 440-450 QUAG-V, and it showed a much-improved gain and bandwidth over a quagi of the same size. B

Table 2. Driven element and reflector dimensions (In

Frequency (MHz): 432 438 446 Elemenldia.#wire A 7^3/8 7-7/16 7-1/B

inches). 448 7

146 21-3/4

aA

14-3/4

14-7/8

14*1/4

14

43-1/2

B

5-5/8

5-5/8

5-1/2

5-7/16

16-1/8

D

4-5/8

4-9/16

4-3/8

4-3/8

1 3-5/8

G

5-9/1 6

5-9/16

5-3/8

S-1/8

1 4-7/8

J

6-3/4

6-5/8

6-1/2

6-7/16

19-3/8

F.H.K

7-1/16

7-1/16

6-7/8

6-1 3/1 6

21

Total length of D.E.. Including overlap Total length of ref., incl. overlap

2H

43-1 /4 43-7/8 14-1/8

41^3/8 43^5/8 14-1/8

41

42-1/4

13-3/4

40-3/8

42

13-5/6

120-3/4 127-1/2

42

Frequency (MHz):

tf 1 0 wire

^6 wire

Boom (pine or redwood)

Cross supports (2)

Sealant tor boom and cross supports

U-bofts

Tie wire #18

432

103"

TaMe 3. 8-Elemeiit Material List 438 446

IDS'* 103"

1 " X 2" X 55 '^ 1/4"xrxt2'* 1/2 pint 11/4'' X 3* (1) IS'

1 " X 2^ X 55'' 1/4"xt"x12'' 1/2 pint 1-1/4" X 3* (1) 15'

1''x2"x55" l/4"xrx12'' 1 /2 pint

1-1/4* X 3" (1) 15"

448 103'^

rx2"x55"

1/4''xrx12''

1/2 pint

1 1/4*3' (1)

15"

146

26'

r x3"x12'

rxr x32'^

1 pint

1-1/4" X 3* (2)

24' #16

Conrad Leonard Shick WBSAYW at 2631

Hershey Rd^ , Erie PA 16509. Please enclose an SASE, The auihor thanks WAS AN A for his assistance in preparing this tirtide and build- mg the prototype, WB3JDI for VSWR and gain tests at the J99I Field Day site, and K3VLQ and all the others who assisted y^'ith the tests.

References

*The VHF Quagi." QST. April 1977.

"Two Meter FM Antenna," Ham Radio, May

1971. "Multi-element Twin-Loop Array Antennas for

VHF/UHF;^ OST, January 1980- '^ 10-Meter Lazy Quad*." QST, July 1968. ARRL Handbook, 1989 edition, Chapter

33.25.

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Table 4.

Element Spacing (in Inches)

Frequency (MHz):

432

438

446

448

146

R-DE

7

6^15/16

6-13/16

6^3/4

20-5/8

DE-Dt

5-1/4

5-1/8

5

4-15/16

15-1/2

D1-D2

11

1 0-7/8

10-3/4

10-11/16

32-3/4

D2 D3

5-7/8

5-13/16

5-5/8

5-9/1 6

17-1/4

D3-D4

8-3/4

8r5/8

8-1/2

8^7/16

25-7/8

D4-D5,

D6. etc.

8-3/4

8-5/8

S-1/2

3-7/16

25^7/8

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Computerized Tuning for Ramsey Receiver Kits

It doesn't have to be expensive.

by Mike Gray N8KDD

Computer conir oiled tuning is generally considered the domain of only very expen- sive receivers. It doesn^i have to be that way . This project wili show you how to convert an in- expensive receiver kit from a manually tuned radio to a scan- ning receiver with 10 memory locations.

Receiver kits from Ramsey Electronics are tuned using a varactor diode. A bias voltage is applied to the diode, changing circuit capacitance as a function of the bias voltage. The capaci- tance is not linear with respect to the voitagc, so a little slug tweaking is required to opti- mize the resolution for the band segment you arc interested in. The tunihg potentiometers provided with the kits are of high quaiity. but because they arc linear the tuning resolution is reduced at low voltage. In other words, you can't expect as mych selec- tivity when the bias voltage is low. This is not really a problem, and it isn't evident until you find that you have been turning the knob a iiltle too fast and missing some active fre- quencies. A large diameter tuning knob will make an improvement.

These receivers are an excellent btiy, and they perform very well. You can do a lot of experimentation with them without fear of creating a smoldering pile on the bench.

Using these receivers is a lot more fun when a computer docs the work. Because computers are digital and the radio kits are analog, a digital-to-analog interface is re- quired. The computer and interface do the same job as the tuning potentiometer, and allow automated control and scanning, too. Computerized tuning allows you to return to a particular frequency easily and accurately. Although absolute frequency cannot be deter- mined without a frequency counter, a very close approximation can be made just by lis- tening for scheduled nets- When you have a couple of absolute frequencies assigned to

42 73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991

Photo A. Mfxiified receiver (prototype).

channels, you can use them as landmarks for unknown frequencies. A frequency counter is not necessary. Ramsey Electronics includes tuning suggestions in the kit documentation.

DigitaMo- Analog Converter (DAC)

The DAC reads 8 bits of data from the computer, then converts them to counts which represent sotue fraction of the refer- ence voltage applied to the DAC. Two hun- dred fifty-five counts is equal to 5 volts. Att LM lOCN op amp is used to buffer the output from the DAC and double the DAC output voltage.

Some of the features of the DAC chip have been disabled because they are not required for this simple project. Only 10 wires connect the DAC assembly to the computer. Eight lines are for data, one is for DAC control, and one is ground reference.

The DAC and receiver together draw less than 25 mA, and both must be powered from a clean 12-13 volt source. The receiver isn't very particular about the supply voltage, but the DAC chip is. It must be powered by a supply which is at least 7 volts higher than its reference, You will have to remove the 9 volt battery holder from the receiver anyway, to make room for the DAC assembly.

Receiver Modification

This really couldn 't be easier* Simpty remove the tuning po- tentiometer and run a wire from the DAC assembly ouipui to the center solder pad on the receiv- er board. Then run another wire from the grounded solder pad to ground on the DAC assembly. The figure shows an HR^ 40 meter receiver. UHF/VHF kits will be similar.

Connect a clean 1 2 volt (nom- inal) power supply or battery in place of the 9 volt battery on the receiver board. Make sure the polarity is right. I can't tell you what will happen if it's wrong, but it can*t be anything good. Power for the DAC is taken from the center terminal of the power switch on the receiver kit. Just connect a wire from the top side of die switch to the DAC. That way, die front panel switch controls both boards.

These receivers are very sensitive. You must use a coaxial feedline, and locate die antenna at least 12 feet away from the computer, otherwise you may be listening to computer generated noise. The ampli- tude of the noise depends upon the receiv- er frequency, and the clock rate of your computer. A 7 MHz computer will wreak havoc with a 40 meter receiver if the antenna is too close.

T had added an amplifier and a Radio Shack piezo-electric audio transducer to my re- ceiver during the course of a previous ex- periment. The assembly is located near the antenna connector. It's a big improvement over an earphone, and it sounds pretty good, too.

DAC Construction

The entire assembly could be built on a Radio Shack plated PC board. Photo A shows a switch in my prototype which is not re- quired in the fmal version. The switch allows the gain of the op amp to be fixed or variable.

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SCT410B Transmitter Assy.

SCT1 10 VHF Xmtr/Exciter Board

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We need adjustable gain, so the switch is not included in the schematic.

To attach the DAC board to the receiver board, screw a threaded spacer to each corner of the DAC board. Then apply a little epoxy to the bottom of each spacer and set the as- sembly on the receiver board.

You can use ribbon or bundled cable to connect the DAC to the 25-in. connector. A complete printer cable can be bought for about $8 from computer discount houses. Buying a printer cable might be cheaper than buying the connector and wire separate- ly. Jusl cut the printer connector off, and using an ohmmeter, fmd the wires for pins 1-9 and 25.

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Software

The computer controls the WR line of the DAC chip, and sup- plies the 8-bit data word, which the chip converts to a voltage. The program must toggle the WR line, and send 8 bits of data to the DAC. The DAC chip will latch the output voltage at the most re- cent level, until instrycted to change it or power is lost.

The program listing in the side- bar is the minimum required to produce an output voltage from the DAC. The listing prompts you to enter the desired output value in counts.

After you finish assembly of the digital-to-analog converter, run the program and enter 255 counts. Turn the potentiometer until the voltage at pin 6 of the LMlOis 10 volts.

The address of the printer port of most computers is 888. If the circuit does not respond, change address 888 to 956, and change address 890 to 958.

Find an active frequency by en- tering a value from zero to 255 when the program prompts you for it. Each time you fmd activity » write down the D/A counts so that you can retiirn to that frequency just by entering the number. The program kernel shown in the sidebar is intended for experimentation. In order to realize the ad- vamages of cotnputer mning, a more sophis- ticated program is in order.

My program is much too long to list com- pletely here. You can write your own pro- gram or downioad mine from the 73 BBS at (603) 525-4438. The name of the program is DAC-TUNE.ZIP, and it will run on PC com- patibles with CGA graphics. I can also supply the program on a diskette for $6,

The DAC-TUNE program can scan the entire band (global search), or station pre- sets. When you hit any key, the program stops scanning and executes the command associated with that key. Manual mning is accomplished with the left and right arrow keys. When you fmd an active frequency, you can assign it to a channel. You can return

Figure I. SchemnHc of the computer interface,

n

rSBKDD by FPR

•

J

Figure 2, PC board

5m

24LN

Figure 3. Parts layout.

to any channel simply by entering the channel number. Station presets, frequencies, and screen colors are saved in a tile called SETUP when you terminate the program. These are recalled automatically the next time you start the program. The program operation is self- explanatory .

The DAC chip is relatively new and can be purchased only in lots of 10 or more from the distributor. 1 can offer kits which include a printed circuit board, DAC-TUNE software, and components. I have not included a printer cable, because cables are often available cheap or free locally. A kit costs $30, which includes shipping and tax. If you just want the 7224 DAC, it's available for $10. The blank PC board is available for $6.

The receiver kits arc available from Ram- sey Electronics, Inc. , 793 Canning Parkway, Victor NY 14564.

Contact Mike Gray NSKDD at 465 W. Maple Road, Milford, MI4838L

44 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

H

HF Equipment Rsgular SALE

IC-7ai Xcvr/ps/tuner/scope • 5pegf3/$6149.QQ 5099

IC-765 Xcvf/ps/keyer/tuner $2692.00 23S9

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U U U

IC-751A 9-bandxcvr/.l-30 MHz rx... $1699.00 !Zf9

PS-35 Internal power supply... 219.00 209^^

FL-G3A 250 Hz CW fi Iter (1st IF) 59.00

FL-52A 500 Hz CW filter (2nd IF) 115.00

FL-53A 250 H2CW filter {2nd IF) 115 00

FL 70 2 8 kHz wide SSB filter 59.00

lC-735 HFxcvr/SWrc^/r/mic 1149.00 899^5

PS-55 Extemal power supply .219.00 209^^

AT-1 50 Automatic antenna tuner 445.00 Z2S^^

FL-32A 500 Hz CWfffter 69.00

EX-243 Electrortic keyer unit 64.50

UT-30 Tone encoder 18.50

IC-725 HRxcvr/SWrctfr $94&.00 759^=

AH-3 Automatic antenna funsr ....489.00 449^=

JC^726 10-bandxcvrw/6m.„...... 1299.00 fOaS

HF Accessories: Regufar SALE

IC-2ia HF solid state amp w/ps $1999.00 1719

IC-4KL HF 1 kwamp w/ps • Special.. 6995.00 5799

EX-627 Auto antenna selector ...315.00 279*^

PS-15 20A external power supply 175.00 169^^

PS-30 Systems p/s w/cord, 6 pin plug 349.00 329^=

SP-3 External speaker 65.00

SP-7 Small external speaker 51.99

CR-B4 High stab. nef. xtal; 751 A, etc 79.00

SM-G Desk microplione 47.95

SM-B Desk mic; two cabl&s, scan 89.00

AT-500 500w 9 band auto ant tuner 589.00 539^=

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fC-275A 25w2m w/ps • Ufoseout $1299.00 1129

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by Gordon West WB6N0A

ICOM IC-2SRA 2 Meter HT and Scanner

A full-feature 2 meter handtreld witti a separate wideband receiver.

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ICOM's new IC-2SRA should really get the attention of the avid ham and dedicated scanner enthusiast. Not only is il a 2 meter hand-held^t also has a built-in wideband scan- ner receiver.

Two Antennas???

The (C-2SRA looks exactly like Ihe popular ICOM dual-band 2 meter/440 MHz tC-W2A. The bultons, oval magnified LCD screen, arid top knob placement are identical. Even the Nltle red power-on button is the same as Ihe ICOM IC-W2A.

But there IS one thing that immediately sets the two unrls apart when you put them side by side —the IC-2SRA boasts two antennas coming out of the top. That's righlp folks— antennas in stereo.

On the first look, you might think someone is teasing you by slicking an antenna speaker/ mi- crophone jack on the top of Ihe unit. In fact, when you take a close look at the top of the 2 meter scanner, youll see that the two jacks are abso- lutely identical— the left jack for the speaker/ mike, and the right jack lor the supplied wide- band rubber ducky. No BMC jack—no TNG jack — simply an ear* phone-type jack that the wideband scan-

Photo 8. Antennas In stereo! We found that the wideband an- tenna for scanning (right) was not quite as sensitive on 2 maters as the 2 meter ducky (left).

Photo A. The tC'2SRA, showing the 2 meter readout (left) and the scanner frequency read- out (right).

ning antenna plugs into. It seems to make a good connection, but nonetheless, an ear* phone jack for an antenna connection?

The 2 meter side of the ICOM IC-2SRA hand- held transceiver/scanner seems identi- cal to the IC-W2A receiver The 2 meter receiv- er tunes tnjm 136.000 MHz to 174.000 MHz, and transmits from 140.000 MHz to 149.995 MHz. We measured in-band receive sensitivi- ty at 0.095 ^V for 12 dS SINAD. and 30 kHz selectivity at -60 dB. The 2 meter receiver gave us the good performance we have al- ways found with ICOM hand-hetd trans- ceivers, in both single^band and dual-band models.

We tested the 2 meter receiver on an out- side antenna. There were absolutely no sur- prises when it came to good rejection to out-of- band paging transmitters, local weather stations, and numerous other high-band sig- nals blanketing my local QTH. On the same outside antenna, some other brand HTs have

not fared as well— but, as usual the 2 meter receiver was nice and tight in a heavy RF area. The 2 meter transmitter pops on at 140,000 MHz and cycles off at 149.995 MHz, This is good f>ews for Ihos© of you in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Civil Air Patrol, or MARS, As soon as you unpack the unit you are on the air on those government frequencies, if you've got the proper license.

Push-Button

Programming

Four levels of power output are avaitabte from the push buttons. (Table 1 shows what we measured.) When you first set up the programming of your handheld, you may dial in exactly how low you want your low^power output to be. I chose the low'^ est setting— Low 1— because this only draws 478 mA on my high-power battery pack, as opposed to a whopping 1.34 amps on high power.

The 2 meter side of this transceiver/ scanner features aJl the functions and sub-functions found with a sophisticated handheld- It will take you some time to learn alJ of Ihe pro- gramming steps to

Photo C The 440 MHz version of the transceiver/scan- ner. Remember, it Is NOT a dual-band, ontyduai-receivB.

HHISS

m •

46 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

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Receive limits: 25.000 MHz through 950,000 MHz

No locked-out band segments; few birdies

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Table 2. Scanner/receiver featurBS.

set in your favorite repeater and simpiex fre- quencies in the 30 memory channels, plus the single call channel and two-frequency band edge channels.

Of course, what's a 2 meter transceiver without a clock? That same clock that can turn your unit on can also shut it off. In fact, the clock button is right next to the ''enter*' button, so you might be seeing the clock come up a lot more often than you want to until you get more precise at poking away at the closely-spaced rubber keypads.

gle-band 2 meter or 440 handheld contains a built-in "wideband receiver/* What they are raying is that the single-band 2 meter or the singte-band 440 handheld has a built-in, wide- band, multlmode, 60-meinory-channel scan- ner. (Table 2 lists what we found in the sepa- rate built-in scanner/receiver.) The wideband scanner/receiver is not part

part of the main transceiver re- ceiver section* Rather, it's ab- solutely sepa- rate, with its own right-hand LCD readout, antenna port, volume and squelch knob

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Table 3. TV channels 2-13 audio frequency assignments tuned "WFM** mode on the ICOM fO-2SRA scanner.

squelch knob, and automatic turn-off when you are actually transmitting on the 2 meter band.

This prevents feedback, desense> and potential damage if you're receiving on the same frequency as your transceiver is transmitting. We made that test^ and as soon as we hit the PTT the receiver simpty blanked out.

And speaking of blanking out— when you begin to program the wideband receiver, as soon as you hit the enter button, the screen goes blank. Do not worry I Start punching m numbers, and the screen jumps to lite. This is different from what occurs on the 2 meter side of the radio. On 2 meters there are always a couple of leading numbers to let you know where you are, but on the receive-only side of this trar^sceiver the screen blanks out to allow you to punch in anything from 25 to 950 MHz.

Use the AM mode for tuning in the aeronau- ticai band, the 27 MHz band, or some aero- nautical military frequencies in the 200-300 MHz band.

Use the FM mode to listen to regular two- way radio communications. For listening to some pop music on the FM music band, use the WFM ^wideband FM) mode, It's easy to select the mode— simply press a single mode key. Be sure to add a leading zero to any direct-dial frequency below 100 MHz. If you don't, you won't hear your popular FM music

station at 88.6, because your radio is at 885 MHzl

In the wideband FM mode, you can easily tune into all television audio channels. It comes out crystal clear (except for a birdie on 71 75 MHZp TV audio channel 4, which tCOM indicates they will try and cure), and has a lot more fidelity than trying to tune into a ball game on an old-fashioned AM portable radio. Spend a few minutes, and store your iooal TV audio channels in the memory for quick re- trieval. You can always search out the audio by setting the squelch, and then electronically scanning up. Of course, you can do this at the same time as you are working on the 2 meter side of your transceiver. <See Table 3 J

Unfortunately, the receiver does not go all the way down to shortwave or AM broadcast band frequencies. The lowest you can tune is 25 MHz, and with that little tiny, skinny, rubber duck antenna, any signal below 40 MHz better be real strong.

There will be some ICOM products coming down the line, specificaity for tuning in the shortwave bands, but this one won't go below 25 MHz.

To increase your scanner reception, sol- der up a miniature plug with micro-sized coaxial cable or a good shielded short piece of audio cable. Terminate that to a BNC jack, and this would allow you to plug Into a regular outside antenna for improved recep- tion. But a word of caution: The scanner an- tenna jack Is little more than an audio plug receptacle, so don't even consider running a regular piece of RG58AU to it. It could cause the jack to fail

Another word of caution: The engineers at ICOM recommended at least five feet separa- tion between any external antenna hooked Into the antenna jack from a regular transmit- ting VHF or UHF antenna. I tried this set-up, and didn't blow the receiver — but be careful. With any scanner on an outside antenna, per- manent front-end damage might occur if your scanner antenna gets right next to a high-pow- er transmitting antenna.

As for selectivity and inter mod rejection, the triple conversion receiver did a good job of canceling out the stuff not on frequency.

I would have preferred a BNC or TNC type connector for the scanner antenna, and it would also have been nice to give you a little bit more "finger room" between the second antenna and the main tuning knob. Also, don't be surprised that the plug-in charger that comes with this unit features yet an- other design not found on those octopus charging plugs with multiple adapters. But good news— if you already own some ICOM products, the battery packs may be inter- changeable, and this includes the drop-in charger, too.

If you are into both 2 meter and 440 MHz (separate units), and also want a built-in scanner^ do consider this new offering from ICOM. The scanner capabilities were just as good as with a regular-sized pocket scanner, and the audio a whole lot better from the ICOM communications-style speaker. Best of all, it's one radio with both a built-in ham band and a scanner.

4S 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

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Not Just Another Island

Weekend DXpedition activates the Walrus Islands,

byBobKtngNL7KH

The Walrus Islands are a group of five small islands in the Bering Sea, tucked in along the southwestern shoreline of main- land Alaska. These islands arc uninhabited for most of the year, but in the summer their population swells with hundreds of thousands of seabirds— puffins, kittiwakes, aukleis and murres.

Thousands of walrus also make the islands their summer home. Male walrus only, though. While the females take care of their young farther nonh, the men haul out on Round Island, feasting on clams and tanning their bodies on the gravel beaches, It\s the ideal bachelor pad, if you happen to be a one -ton pinniped!

Human visitors are rare. Adventuresome wildlife enthusiasts who can afford the trip will venture to the islands to view the walrus and the spectacle of thousands of cliff- dwelling birds. Commercial fishermen are also familiar with the nearby waters, where; they casi their nets for herring, salmon, hal- ibut and sole. But before this June, the Wal- rus Islands have been unknown to the ranks of amateur radio.

An Isluiid ''Vacation*'?

^^Back in 1988, Chod Harris VP2ML wrote a column for 73 (see DX , Jtily 1988, p, 87) about a group called Islands on the Air/' said Scott Diseth KL7N. 'Mn it he explained what IOTA was all about and what islands qualified for the program. He mentioned that Alaska has 24 potential credits, 14 of which have been on the air. Anyone for a DXpedi- tion to Walrus Island !his summer?'' he asked, kind of tongue-in-cheek.

IOTA members, or ** island chasers," as they're known, collect contacts from as many islands or island groups around the world as possible. Many islands, like Hawaii, New Zealand and the Bahamas, arc relatively easy catches, but the prospect of a new group like the Walrus Islands was tempting. /Bd, Note: The IOTA group meets on 14.260 MHz at 1300 UTC Saturdays, 21.260 MHz at 1400 UTC Sandays and on 28. 460 MHz just about anytime. Also a list of potential island credits * 'The IOTA Directory. '' is availabh to U.S. residents for$4ppd. from The DX Bulletin^ Box 50, Fuiton CA 95439.} Scott, a resi- dent of Dillingham, Alaska, just 60 miles from the island group, decided it was time to take ep the challenge. '* None of us are IOTA

50 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

Photo A. The KL7N camp on remote Crooked Island, in the Walrus Island chain.

members, but ii seemed obvious to me that the Walrys Islands were a rare one, something that people wanted, and it was right in our back yard," he said. ''It was kind of a lark, but we were the only ones qualified to activate the islands," Joining KL7N in the expedition were Les Robinson KL7KN, Mike Megli AL7KA and Bob King NL7KH, all residents of Dilling- ham.

Getting There

Even though the islands are not far away, getting to them was an expedition in itself. Round Island, home to most of the walrus , is a state game sanctuary and access is re- stricted, so the expedition chose Crooked Island, the second largest island in the chain.

Crooked Island, however, is ac- cessible only by boat or floatplane. Fortunately, the owner of Yute Air Alaska, a Dillingham-based air taxi.

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Photo B. T}\e KL7N site and antenna fann on Crooked island.

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December. 1991 51

is an active ham himself* Will Johnson WA0LKT and one of his pilots, Steve Hud- dleston KB5GAH, volunteered to help with the transportation. To expedite matters » Steve ferried planeloads of equipment to a beach halfway to the islands, and from there it was transferred to Will and his Cessna 206 on amphibious floats.

It took three trips on each leg. Some of the larger equipment, including a 35-faot crank- up tower and the disassembled antennas* had to be strapped to the plane's floats.

Scott rode over on the first flight to select the site and set up camp, "On the first flight, we took the antennas, the tower, and enough gear for me to survive in case nobody else made it/' he said. "You never know what's going to happen."

Fortunately, the weather cooperated with die DXpedition. The skies were sunny and the winds were calm as Will shu tiled back and forth with equipment and Scott began to set up the tents and a small farm of an- tennas.

The radio tent held a Kenwood T 3^440 and a Heaih SB-200 amplifier. Since the linear drew almost all the current of the generator, the transceiver was run off batteries which were recharged at night. The signal was fed into a Hy-Gain TH-3-JR yagi atop a Tri-Ex 35 -foot crank-up tower. A home-brew phased vertical was used as a backup. Having a backup became important as soon as Mur- phy made his first appearance on the island: Inevitably, the one box that got left back in the hangar 60 miles away contained all the group's tools.

**Ycah, things went pretty smooth, except for forgetting our fools and extension cords," Scott later joked. "But, using some ingenu- ity, we rigged up a phased vertical system with Mike's leatherman tool and Les's Swiss Army knife. Thai wasn't enough to put the yagi together, but it worked for the vertical. So score another one for the Swiss Army knife!'*

On the Air

We were still struggling to assemble the antenna, and running out of options on our Swiss Army knife to do it with, when some- body asked, "'What time is it?'*

The sun was still high in the Alaskan evening sky, but it was already ten minutes past nine. Ten minutes late for oyr first sked.

Hurriedly, we hooked the rig up to the half-erected vertical just to see if anybody was waiting. Scott whirled the dial on his TS-440 to 14.260 and* sure enough, there was already a pile- up try ing to contact KL7N , portable Walrus Island.

With the phased vertical directed north and the rig running barefoot due to the lack of extension cords, KL7N activated the Walrus Island group, designated by IOTA as NA-l2Uat0528ZonJune2, 1990,

The first contact came off the side of the antenna, from '*Doc'* Khalsa KD7S0, in Eugene, Oregon. Doc is IOTA*s point man on the West Coast and had helped Scott ar- range publicity about the expedition. He had been among those calling for KL7N. In fact.

FhoW C Members of the Walms Island group (f. to n): Scott Diseth KL7N, Les Robinson KL7KN, Bob King NL7KH and Mike Megii AL7KA.

Photo D. Scott KLTNlogs contacts while Les KL7KN works the pile-ups.

when the group missed its 9p.m. sked, he had begun to get worried.

"When we "^tr^ late. Doc called my wife Vickie to find out what had happened to us/* Scott recalled. *'Hc was on the phone at 0515 and Vickie assured him thai we were out there."

After logging his first 59 report, Scott worked a few more stateside contacts and, as iuck would have it, WilFs Cessna unexpect- edly buzzed the camp to announce the belated arrival of the toolbox. The plane gingerly taxied up to the rocky shoreline. The yagi was quickly assembled and NA-lli was in busi- ness.

Over the next day and a half » KL7N logged 464 contacts in 42 countries and most of the United States, Most of the calls came on the

IOTA frequency of 14.260, but a few con- tacts were also made on the 15 and 40 meter bands.

Europeans are the most eager island chasers by far. Contacts were quickly made in England, France, Germany and Italy, throughout Scandinavia, and in Spain and Portugal. Signals flowed freely over the now- crumbled Iron Curtain from East Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Latvian and Es- tonian hams lined up with Russians to swap reports with KL7N, but it was a most orderly pile-up.

Johnnie Varetto IIHYW provided net con- trol on the continent and ran a tight show, which was appreciated back on the island. ' 'It was kind of a free-for-all with the Ameri- cans/' Scoti said* 'it seems like IOTA is a

52 73 Atnateur Radio Today • December, 1991

lot more popular with the Europeans. They're a lot more organized. "

While members of the KL7N group took turns making contacts* others hiked around the island, beachcombed, and even tasted herring roe on kelp— a Japanese delicacy which is collected by commercial fishermen on nearby beaches. On Saturday, Will shut- tled some of the expedition's fatxiilies over for a visit. Scott's son Alex celebrated his sixth birthday playing along the shoreline of Crooked Island while his father worked DX, including a call from his father-in-law, Walt Wilson K8AEM, in Marshall, Michigan*

**We cleared the frequency for that/' said Scott. "That was the biggest thing that ever happened to Walt."

Actually, Walt has been an invaluable friend of amateur radio in DiUingham. Over the years he has helped get gear for just about every ham in the isolated fishing community. Having a stateside connection is a necessity for hams in remote places like Dillingham, where the nearest Radio Shack is 350 miles away .

Walt also kept tabs on the expedilion diroughout the weekend. Since almost all the hams in Dillingham were on the island, Scott's wife Vickie had to call her father in Michigan to make sure the groyp had arrived safely. Mike was able to finally reach home through the Dillingham repealer, but it look an evening climb up a thousand-foot peak, and a %-wave whip on his handie-^lalkie, to raise the carrier.

Next Time, * *

Back home now, Scott has been busy veri- fying the QSL cards he has received not only from hams but from the many SWLers who monitored the expedition.

Despite the complicated logistics and occa- sional mis-cues, Scott credited the relative ease of the undertaking to past Field Day work. "Without the Field Day experience, we wouldn't have been able to put it togeth- er^"* he said.

**But, I think everybody is Field Day'ed out. I doubt if the Dillingham Club will be on the air this year. Even a weekend DXpedition is kind of a Field Day to the extreme."

But would he reactivate the island again? * 'Yeah, T think I would in a couple of years," said Scott. **I don't think we worked every- body. There are 2,000 members of IOTA, so it sounds like we only worked a quarter of diem. There must be others out there that still need Walrus Island,

And I won*t forget my tools," Scott added with a laugh, '* Actually , I would have spread my tools out. I wouldn't have had them all in one box/*

Scott also said that next time he would try to give IOTA members more advance notice ^ The KL7N group went out with just two weeks notice. But longer lead time is not always possible in the Bering Sea.

'The problem with those islands is the weather. You can*t stick your necks out two months in advance and say you're going to go, because you can*t even be sure you're going to make it.

Number 1 4 on your Feedback card

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INTERNATIONAL

Arrtie Johnson N18AC 103 OW Hofve^e&d Hwy. N, Swanzey NH 0343 1

Notes from FN42

i have rm^wed a f^equesf for irtfor- mation About Romania, but I have none. Do any of you have news you cotitd sen<$ me?

This month's cottimn fndudes ex- cerpfs from ftv^ lettefs from the USSR, which certainfy shows the opening of communications to the rest of the worfd from there.

DaVB Horsfatl submits his first offer^ ing from the iand "Down Under.'' Mtjch food for thought.

i would like to arfd my wishes to ait for the religious season that is upon us, with peace and prosperity for aii. Hap- py HoUdays*

And last but aimost foremost. I wish to thank Rod Hatten for his faithful re- porting from Kenya during the past yems. His news is always timely and informative. Best wishes in his move, and t certainty hope that he ts able to acquire a itcense to operate in Pah* istan. t am printing a letter from him in the column , Rod, I will certamty be glad to continue you as the new Hami>as- sador to Pakistan. Thmk it over. —Amm

NfaACRoumJup

USSR Prom VladZaytsev UA4FDS: In April 1991 Pauf UA4FEG and 1 be- gan planning our second DXpediltOfi within a year. We tiad operated from UHaw, UH8Y, and UI8U in early 1991 as UA4FEG/, . .and UA4FDS^ ... We gave serious thougl^t to oLir next spot. We contacted UZ4FWD, who had been to Asia in 1989, in hopes of obtaining information on making arrangements to gel to Uzbek and Turkoman. They gave us a description and a few I'vprds about that pariicuiar operaiion. We then prepared our equipment, whicti tncluded: a new modet radio, Iwo am- plifjers with modem tuttes. a folding 10 meter tower, a 3-bartd ftome-^rew yagi. q&bies. guy wires, auiotransformer, elc, wirh a total weighl of about 300 kg.

We hope to get lo Asia in October for two weeks, operating CW and SSB from these otJiasts: on all Da/ids except WARC. We hope that conditions wtif bo good and we will g^x through to all tt>e world.

Ptease QSLto UMR>S— Vlad 2ayt* sev. P.O, BOK 5S5, Penza 440061 USSR {CCCP), or UA4FEG— Paul Bogachev, P.O. Box 222, Penza 44001 1 USSR (CCCP}. We are also good in the iggi Call Book. Please OSL, with a self-addressed-enveiope (SAE)andlRCsorUS$.

From Yuri Funkner UL7LS: QSL In- formation tor RF6a/UL7LS is Yuri V- Funltner. P.O. Box 1 Frunze 459411, Ordihonfktdzevskiy rayon, Kusta* nayskaya oblast Kazakh SSR USSR.

Prom Andrey V. Pervacov UA9XC: If

yoy worked any stations from UA9X (UZ9X}. Komi. SSR, U-Obl:090 from 19 to 24 August 1991; or 4K3, Vayga*^ tsl., U-otol:1 14 trom 20 August lo2 S«p- twniwr 1991. or from Amdenna. OSL direct or via P.O. Box 1247, 16700t Syhtyvfcar, USSR with an SA$E. [An- drey is the president of the Fnends Ra- dfO Society I

From Alex Utyanich RB5U: A new. comprehensive, English-language publication, Soviet Ham Press D^es/, became available during the summer of 1991. The Digest, or SHPD. covers ail aspects of the exciting world of Sovi- et aniateur radio, and is aimed at ama- teurs around the world. Topics include ham life in the USSR. DXpedltions, clubs, awards, QSL information, con- testing, equipments and more.

SHPD, edited by Alex Ulyantcb. is published by the Prometheus Amateur Association (PAA) of the Ukraine. Let- ters^ articles, pictures, etc, should be submitted directly to the editor,

Sybscriptions are available for US$12 and year oattsign, name. aiKl address, from PAA. do George Yanko- poius NA30, 13 GJefi Meadow Drtve, Glen M1II5 PA 19342. Up-to-the-minute member and DXpedition lists are avail* able tor IRCs/SASE from PAA, Box 195, S40000 USSR, or to NA30. It is suggested thai applications for mem- bership (one-year US$10 and life US$50). award programs, and tees go to NA30. [We received a copy of the first edition. No, t. August I99t, from AfBx. It is 4 pages. 7 1/2 x 11 inches, translated from Russian to English, and appears to be very well done^ The PAA also has an award program. I will upload the info to (he 73 B&S under "Prometheus Award Program,*'-^ Arniej

From Sushkov Vaiery UA3GPA: Sushkov says that he has all addresses 0I the radioamateurs in the USSR and information aboul special cailstgns, memorial calls, OXpeditions, arid other information. If you are having iroubte serkding or obtaining OSLs, you may want to use his "E^tpress QSL Ser- vice" Please BASE for more informa- tion to: Sushkov Vaiery* P.O Box 3, Upetsk. USSR. 398000.

AUSTRALIA

David Horsfail VK2KPU

P,0, Box ^7

Wahroonga NSW2076QL

Australia

PACKET:

Vf<2KFU& VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.0C

INTEHNBT: dave^ips OZAU

Hello from "down-under," or, as they say, "G'day.'' Til be bringing you news of liappenings in Austmlle, and I hope I can do as good a job as the late Ken Gott. By the way, it's nice to see Ihatlhe USA has finaliy created a code^ free licence— Australia has had one for

almost forty years, Naiurally the same gloom-and-doom predictions wert made, and again when the Novice 11- cence was introduced in the seventies, and again when fsjovices gamed 2m

FM privileges recenlly Amateurs

certainly seem to be a gloomy lot'

Speaking of code-free licences, the debate ts raging oAce again on the re* moval of the CW requirement for ac- cess 10 HP bands. The idea is lo re- place it with extra Ihe&ry (packet ratSo perhaps?). Funny how it's mostly ihe code-free licence (6m and above) that seems Co agitating for tfiisf The packet radio system was full of messages on this subject. A lot of people appear to be unaware of the iniemaiional radio regulations in this respect, all hough it won't be long before Morse code ceas- es Eo be used by the Maritime Service. Whither CW then?

Another battle being fought is the perennidi paci^ei protocol wars, this time ROSE vs. NET/HOM. Although NET/ROM is not permitted at the data link iayer (due to what some would re- gard as restrictive Government regula- tions^, it is allowable at level three, and appears poised to defeat ROSE. Given a country the size ot Australia where nodes come and go {especially whan ihey get stolen J), the dynamic rouling capabilities of NET/ROM makes a lot ol sense As is biecommg usual m ama- teur radio, there is a \oi of m-lEghtrng going of>. and by the time thts appears in print there may be some develop- ments, (ndeed. there are rumours thai f^ET/ROM at level two will eventually be allowed, and some hardy souts are already using it . The general feel- ing IS that the govemmeni shoutd nol ordain how packets travel from point A to point B

The WireEess Institute of AtJSfralta (WIA) has now become the sole suppli- er of examination papers to accredited examiners around the country. Previ- ously, these examiners composed their own papers and submitted them for approval to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC). This system was beset with various dffficuitias. with many unsuit- able examination papers being reject- ed< and eventually the DoTC invited the WIA to beconte ihe sole supplier NatitraHy, this upset a number of peo- ple, with all sorts of ludicrous ctaims being made, such as that the WJ A was trying to make money from the system* Hands up, those VEs wtio are making money from exami nations . This will take effect from next year, and ts tjeing ptmsed in from Octot>er It remains to t>e seen whether it works or not, by t the •'debated" if that is not too strong a word Js raging.

Cheers for now.

BRAZIL

Carlos Vienna Carneiro PYfCC Alfonso Pena, 49/701 20270 - Rio de Janeiro Brasii

Brazilian QSL Bureau Updatel Ac- cording to the Brazilian Radioamateur League's statutes, delivering QSLs for

all associates is one of the league's responsibilities.

In Brazil, a country with contir>ental dimensions, our League has as many branches as states, and mm and then* as every qttier year a new Oireclory ts elected, no one can help eventual mis- iHKferstandings and coliapsiftg here and tfiere, hitting points that ought nev- er be touched

Something like that has hU exactly such an important point the delivery of QSLs to tt^ DX Bureau suffered during the last year, and we had to put an end 10 tt^is disaster!

Unfortunately, the words about this were spread everywhere, radioama- teurs from Brazil arKf DX were having troubles with the movement of their QSLs,

Something had to be done. The present President and Vice President of Radioamateurs League in Brazii had a very serious mealing with the EBCT (Brazilian Post Office Enterprise) main authorities.

An agreement was settled granting LAB RE special post taxes, 40% lower than usuaL a guarantee 10 the perfect devetopmeni of these invoices by the Brazilian Radioamateurs League, the real importance of radioamateur being recognized . And m very speciai defer* ence to all radioamateurs, Ihe EBCT te deliverir^, by its own, more than one ton of OSL cards still in Brazil ia at Ifiat lime, as a show of what alt radioama- teurs represent to woridwide communi- caikms.

The troub+es are over. We congratu- tate both the EBCT Brazilian Post Of- fice Enterprise and lABflE, Brazilian Radioamateurs League, for this agree- ment towards the development of friendship, culture, 4tnderstanding« com m Sin [cat ton T and goodwill among peopleof the world.

And to our DX friends, this agree- ment is sureiy news, as many of you stiil need Brazii ian QSLs for awards and liies just as we too need Ihe DX OSLs for our awards and tiles.

Ham Radio in a Marathonl II seems for the first time in Ihe world, as far as we know, a radio amateur joined a Marathon, running riKKe than 42 kilo- meters, handling and operating a VHF radio, tied to an HF radk) through a repeater.

This past June, Sunday the 23rd. Paulo Roberlo Oomingos Sobrinho PY1ZT, operating with a speciaJ cafl- stgn of ZY12T, left the starting point at Leme Beacti in Rio to run the Interna- tionat RIO Marathon, aimrng at this "'for the first time in the world*' tit lei

Pauio used an Icom IC-2SAT linked to the LABRE's office through a VHP repeater on 147.300 MHz on a mour*- tain near ISfiteroi City PYISCR operat- ed the LABRE Kenwood TS-430S, han- dling cails to Paulo and trying to i<eep the battery usage down on the HT.

Even though many problems sur- faced during the run [dead batteries and frayed mike cord, fixed with Paulo's teeth whiie still running). Paulo made 42 contacts on 2m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m.

This year close to 3,000 athletes

54 73 Amateur Radio Tod^y • December, 1991

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56 73 Amateur Radio Today ■ December, 1991

CIRCLE 54 ON REAPER SERVICE CARD

Photo A. Pauio PYIZJ crosses the finish fine, having made 42 QSOs en route on his iC-2SAT.

Photo B. Members of the Radio Society of Kenya who have worked the Russian sateflites fisted on the banner in the baQi<ground.

were runnfng the marathon, and we hope that next year even more will join Ls for this marvelous event, and who knows, maybe Paulo will break his own record for QSOs made duri ng the 1 991 RIO Marathon! After all, running 42.1 95 km while holding and operating radio equipment to the world deserves respect and admiration from all- Does the editor of the Guiness Book of Records know about PY1ZT and his success? Maybe we need to find out.

By the way. Paulo PYIZT was ZY0SA at St. Peter/St. Paul DXpedi- lion to the Rocks February/March 1989, together with Ron ZYOSB {PY1BVY),

ISRAEL

FhnGang4Xtf[4K

Kibbutz Urim

D.N. Hmagev 85530

isra&i

PACKET: 4XWK@4X4SV. iSR. EU

The Callsign Game. Congratula- tions to Yosef Lior (ex-4Z9BFB)^ now 4Z5AA, of Timral in the Gaiilee, who holds the distinction of opening up the new block of 4Z5 call&igns.

For some time we were wondering what new prefix wouid follow in the

wake of the completion of the 4X6 se- ries. From 1 94B to 1966 the series from 4X4AA through ZZ was issued. Then up til 19&8, the 4Z4 block was filled. More than a year ago, the East of the 4XSSi 4X62Z, was assigned. Then we started waiting.

Callsign assignment policy was once simplicity in itself. All two-letter suffixes were assigned in alphabetical order, with the is^ovices having an '*N'* tacked on which would be deleted upon passing the test for Grade B or Grade A. No old cails were re-issued, and you could tell who was licensed when, according to their call.

In 1987 policy changed, as the Min- istry of Communications decided to give Grade A's (Advanced-Extra, ap- proximately) the distinct 4X1 (and later 4Zl) prefix. Their old call could be re-is- sued to a family member passing the Grade B test. It is said that a few Grade A ofd-timers, fond of their old 4X4 or 4Z4 calls, refused to be pressured to take on the new "prize*' prefix. It still remains to be seen what came out of these few h assies.

Following along with class-distinct callsigns, all Novices became 4Z9s with a three-letter suffix. Upon upgrad* ing, they would be granted an entirely

new call.

In the last year, previously unheard from 4X4 calls be- gan appearing on the bands, whose youthful voices re- vealed that the Ministry had decid- ed to do away with the "holes" in the callbook and issue the unheld calls to new licensees. Your faithful ser- vant resigned him- self to the apparent reality of no new prefix for much time to come, as among the 4X43, 6'Stand4Z4's, a to- tal of 2,028 call' signs are possible, and we don't yet have nearly that many currently li- censed hams^ not to mention the Grade A's and C's of other prefix dis- tinction!

Unexpected ly< it came to our atten- tion recently that 4Z5AA of the Galilee has inaugu- rated the long- awaited new se- ries- Prefix hunters the world over-^-re- joicei

A New fsrael Ccintest. The next Israel'International Contest is project- ed to take place on AprillS, 1992. The rules will be published in our future issues [if short enough}. It will be a very interesting contest, with attractive prizes, and will be part of the special 100 hour Pesach activity of the IARC»

Refusing ''HKchtiLkers" Applying for lARC Membership Dani 4X4YM, chairman of the outgoing Israel Ama- teur Radio Club Membership Commit-

tee, said that there had been 1 50 new applications for membership in the I ARC in the past year, yet only a third of them had been accepted. This curious state of affairs was explained, and later elaborated upon by Mr. Bar Sela of the Ministry of Communications, ft turns out that in order to legally purchase a VHF/UHF scanner receiver, the Min- istry of Communications requires that the applicant have either journalist's credentials or be a member of the lARC. Thus many people interested in no more than listening to police calls and cellular telephone conversations have been knocking at our door. The policy of the membership committee has been to prefer accepting only those with a real interest in amateur radio p rather than bolstering the club treasury with an additional 6,000 shekels (tJS$4,236) from those without an interest.

KENYA

Rod Hafien 5Z4BH

Box55A

APO New York 09675

I've just returned from a mlni-DXpe- dition to the Comoros Islands. I am D68RH down there. I had so much fun that I am planning to go back for the CO WW Phone Contest the end of Octo- ber. My tour in Kenya is up in Decem- ber and I will be moving to Karachi, Pakistan. I've already written to a num- ber of hams there but have received no response yet about licensing. \ gather it will be difficult if not impossible to gel a license. It will be a dreary two years If that PS true.

The enclosed photo is of some mem- bers of the Radio Society of Kenya (RSK) who have worked the Russian satellites listed on the banner in the background. The gentleman whose picture is hanging above the black* board is Daniel Arap Moi. the President of Kenya. The RSK has almost 100 members, but less than a dozen are truly active DXers.

73 from Kenya, Rod 5Z4BH, KB7NK, UK1 HR, D68RH. [We are certainty go- ing to miss Rod's reporting on the gO' ings-on in Kenya and the surrounding area.—Arnie}\

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 57

Atv

Number 16 on your Feedback card

BiH Brown WB8ELK %1Z Magazine Forest Road Hancock NH 03449

Jet-Powered ATV!

Ever wonder what it'd be like to fly a fighter jet? Wouldn't it be great to zip along at treetop level at several hun- dred miles per hour; buzz the airport in a high speed pass, or experience the thrill of aerial acrobatics?

Of course^ it'd be even better if we could somehow experience all this right in our hamshacks without having to subject ourselves to high-G maneu- vers, Well, Bill Wagner WB1ADF and Bin Kinton NX1D have worked out just such a system.

Vampire Mobile

Every year* in late September, the New England Escradritle group puts on the Warbirds Air Show at the Manchester. New Hampshire, airport. This is a chance for collectors and re- storers of vintage military aircraft to

Ham Television

show oft their prize aircraft. One of the fighters that would perform during the show was a British training jet calEed the Vampire. It was manufactured dur- ing the '50s and is still in use in parts of the worid. One of the interesting fea- tures of the Vampire is that it had a small glass porthole directly in the nose cone, A movie camera was usual- ly mounted just behind the porthole and used during combat or training for reconnaissance, or to record the sue* cess of a mission. It seemed like the ideal place for a video camera!

Bill WB1 ADF and Bill NX1 D contact- ed Ed Stead of Stead Aviation (the owner of the jet) and proposed a way that spectators could ride along with the Jet during its flight via an ATV link back to a TV receiver on the ground. Ed thought it was a great idea, and the ATV jet project w^ ready to take off.

The Remote-Control ATV System

Once the movie camera system is re moved ^ there is a tot of room under the cowling of the jet for an ATV sys-

-^E£^

«atf£^

1

Photo A, The Vampire ATV jet takes off during the Warbirds airshow. Photo by Charles R. Cofe.

^MOm C0f*TROL ATV Tm^S€£rVEfl

jAiVT

Photo C The ATV package fits nicely in the nose cone of the jet. The camcorder looks through the gun camera porthole. (L to R:) Bill Wagner WB1ADF, BUI Kinton NX ID and pilot Doug Wood,

Photo D. Close-up viewoftheATVinstaliation. TheP.C Electronics TC70-1 was remotely controlled by touch-tone commands received by a small HT underneath the transmitter. An 8mm Ricoh camcorder not only provided the video signai for the ATV transmitter, but also recorded the flight on its video tape.

Photo B, The remote controi A TV jet system. Chart drawn by Btti Wagner WB }AQF.

58 73 AmBt&ur Radio Today • December, 1991

tern. Special care had to be taken to ensure that the ATV transceiver (P.C. Electronics TC70-1) and the Ricoh 8mm camcorder were securely mount- ed. Bill NX1D built up a touchtone de- coder circuit and modified the TC70 so that they could remotely turn the trans- mitter on and off via a VHF link. A^sc, he had the ability to select more than one video source (In the future they may have a cockpit camera looking over the pilot's shoulder). They origi- nally planned on a lOQ-watt amplifier but weren't able to cure some power supply problems before the show. The amplifier could also be turned on or off via touch-tone commands.

Since they had a 2 meter uplink, they could use the subcarrier of the ATV tran s m itter to ope rate as th e outp ut of a crossband voice repeater.

Loops and Rolls

Pilot Doug Wood took up the Vam- pire on several test flights prior to the scheduled show activities. It was a

blast watching him do loops and roKs (without getting TOO di^zy!). Since they had an outside vertical antenna on the belly of the jet the 1-watt ATV sig- nal did quite well, ATVers as far away as the Boston area (40 miles to the south) had good reception at times, de- pending on the jet's altitude. A number of the ECAT (East Coast ATV Society} group could also watch the flight via the KA1 AFE ATV repeater.

During the airshow, Bill WB1ADF and Bill NX 1 D had their receive station set up in the back of a Jeep next to a number of display booths. During the Jet's flight, quite a crowd of fascir^ated spectators gathered around, glued to the spectacular views coming down from the ATV system. It was definitely a big hit with the crowd. Believe me, it takes something really Intriguing to dis- tract folks from watching passing planes at an airshow! The views from the jet were nothing short of amazing, particularly the high speed passes over the airport. After watching the jet video

AMATEUR TELEVISION

Photo E. BiU Wagner W81ADF mans the ground station during the f fight ^s fascinated onlookers gather about to watch the fantastic views from the jet.

during its takeoff, acrobatics and fand- ifig, tine crowd all fet! as if they had gone along for the ride.

The Next Flight

Look for future flights of the ATV jet. Their next effort may include multipte camera vtews from the cockpit as weW

as the nose cone. Also, therr 100-waU amplifier system should be in operation for some real DX reception of tfie jet.

Next month we'll show you the hardware details of the ATV jet system and how you can remotely control your ATV transceiver by touch-tone com- mand.

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Many ATV repeaters and individuals are retransmitting Space Shuttle Video & Audio from their TVRO's tuned to Satcom F2-R transponder 13, Others may be retrans- mitting weather radar during significant storms. If it is being done in your area on 70 CM - check page 413 in the 91-92 ARRL Repeater Directory or call us, ATV re- peaters are springing up all over - all you need is one of the TVC-4G ATV 420-450 MHz downconveters, add any TV set to ch 2, 3 or 4 and a 70 CM antenna. We also have downconverters and antennas for the 900 and 1200 MHz amateur bands. In fact we are your one stop for all your ATV needs and info. Hams, call for our complete ATV catalog - antennas, transceivers, amplifi- ers. We ship most items within 24 hours after you call.

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Upda tes

Number 1 7 on your Feedback card

The Mini-Keyer

Refer to the article, 'The Mini- Keyer," by Klaus Spies WB9YBM in the May 1991 issue, page 14. The fol- lowing corrections need to be made for proper operation:

1. A wire is missing from the sche- matic {eee Figure 1 for the updated schematic). The junction of D2 and 03 needs to be connected to ptn 7 ef U2b. You need to run an addilconal jumper wire on the PC board to make this new connection as shown in Figure 3. For your information, the combinations of C3/R3 and C2/R2 are contact de- bouncers for the dash and dot paddfe inputs respectively. For dash genera- tion, the U2b fiip-flop must receive its clocking input from the output of the U2a ffip-flop. When the dash paddle is closed, 5 volts is fed from pin 7 of U2bi through diode 02, to pin 14 of U2a which causes U2a to toggle its output, thereby producing a clock for U2b.

2. Two changes need to be made to the PC board foil pattern: Pin 6 of U2 should be connected to p3n 10 of U2, The foil pattern erroneously shows pin 6tfed to pin 1 1 . In addition, pins 3, 2, 10 and 6 of U2 need to be tied to +5 volts as shown in the schematic. If you have aiready made up a PC board from the original article just cut the trace leading from pin 6 of U2 where it joins pin 1 1 and attach it with a smali jumper or

solder bridge to pin 10 instead. Then stantially by removing the solder pin 2 of U2 with a small jumper LED indicator. [Thanf<s to or solder bridge to the +5 volt trace Dom Suppappofa KA7VCR that passes next to pin 2. See Figure 2 for this information. ]{ for the correct PC foil pat- tern.

3. Improvements: U3 is shown as a 7432 on the schematic, but is Hsted as a 74HC32 in the parts list. The circuit Is appropriate for a 7432 (TTL) part. If a 74HC32 (High Current CMOS) part is used in- stead, the C2/R2 values may be modified for much lower power requirements, R2 causes an 8 mA load on the output (pin 3) of U3 as originally shown. If R2 is in- creased to 4.7k and C2 de- creased to 0.005 [iF, the RC time constant is maintained but a much iower current drain results. The same val- ues may be substituted for R3/C3 as we El . If you want to experiment around, you may be able to increase the value of R 2 by two orders of magnitude and steli retain proper operation. One final note: You can reduce the current comsumption sub-

^14

<^CLK

tUR

+SV

J

i\

Qr

R4 1 7k

L.

Figure t. The corrected schematic (new con^ nection shown in red) of the Mini-Keyer.

^""f/^eX Panel Mcmn! POT J Pots' ntJD mater

To Paddle (Dash)

To Paddle (Gsnter) +5V

To Paddte (Dot)

CWOut

1© ' ' ^P^

+12 V

NEW JUMPER

Figure 2. The corrected PC board fOiipBttBrn for the keyer.

Figure 3. Location of the new jump&r wire (shown in red) for the Mini-Keyer.

73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 59

Homing in

N u m ber 2 4 on you r Feedback can!

Joe Moeft. P.E. K0OV P.O. Box 2503 Fuiierton CA 92633

RDF Spans the Globe

Writing for 73 Amateur Radio Today is great fun because you am oontact#d by enthusiastic readers near and far. In the last two weeks, ) received inquiries on radio di reel ion finding (RDF) horn South Africa. Germany and Zimtiab*e,

It fates pefsonai mitiattve to get a ham license. You need persistence to study ajid take exams for upgrades. So, it's no surprise thai hams every^ Mrhere have a penchani for self-im- pfovemeoi and friendly com petit ion in all forms. Thus, we chaHenge our- selves to succeed m on-ihe-air con- tests, chasing certificates . and break* ing VHF/UHF disiajice records.

Regular "Homing In" readers know thai ar^other way hams eompele is RDF contesting, often called 'loxhuni- ing" Of ' T-hunting " One ham goes to a special place he's loured. Usually \Vs either hard to find or it has unusual radio propagation to the sterling poirxt^ where the rest of the participants be- gin. They will see who wins by getting to the hider first, or perhaps by having the least mileage.

With our love Of mobility and inex- pensive fuel prices {compared to the rest of the world), it makes sense that hams in tha USA would choose mobile over on -foot foxhunts most of the time.

Stateside hunts are local events (no national championship hare yet), and rules and customs vary widely. They range from shoM "first-in wins' ' events, covering only a few square miles, all the way up to rough-and-tumble marathons where almost anything goes. On the Southern California "All Day" hunt, for example, the bounda- ries are the continental USA1 Of course, you can't get a reliable signal across the country on 2 meters (space

Ptm^A. Roei Boit PA3CDO tests hi$ expermentai 3-^iement phased ar- my for 2 meter RDF. He also bwU a companion ponat>ie supe^het RDF receiver fof the iocmi competitions in Apeidoorn, The Nethertands. (Photo by WB6UZZ)

Radio Direction Finding

shuttle astronauts can't be the hiders), but ending points have frequently been in adjacent states. Once, the hiders were on a mountain over 250 miles from the start

European Athletes

RDF as a sport in Europe began over 50 years ago, and swept the continent in the "50s and '60s. Enthusiasts soon realized that formal touman^ents ad<^ ed to the fun. The first offtcml European Foxhunt Championship Competition was held in 1961. with eight countries represented. tl was so successful that It grew into the lntamatk)nai Amateur Radio Union Region 1 Amateur RDF (ARDF) Championships, usually held every two years.

Though contestants of any age are welcome, yoong people usually domi- nate the winners' positions. They aren't all licensed hams. Only the transmitter operators must have their tickets, so SWLs can and do compete- They must know a IJttle CW, because that is how the transmitters are identi- fied.

Five foxes transmit in sequence, and the hunters must find them in order. It*s a map and compass exercise as well as an RDF test. To win. you have to keep track of your own position, and the bearings to the five beacons, at all times.

Many young people have discovered foxhunting from Scouting, At a Boy Scout World Jamboree in Nonway, 150 receivers and another 150 kits were produced to give 2,800 participants from 90 countries a chance at "hands on" RDF.

Another major source of European competitors is the military. RDF teams of soldiers and reservists are common. In eariier years, hunts were on 3.5 MHz. Eighty meters is being steadily replaced by 2 meters as the most popu* lar band for cross-country trans mitter

Phoio 8. This RDF set for 2 meters ts one of the few pieces of Amateur Radio gear being manufactured in Russia. Foxhunting is a regular activity for manyst^KX^ radio dubs tt\ere, for both S Wtjs and licensed hams.

tracking.

Well-attended Region 1 champi- onships would not be possible without widespread local activity. Many clubs are active in ARDF. Foxhunters like lo hiome-brew their gear, and new de- signs continue lo pop up {see Photo A).

Russian Radfosports

Exposure to technok>gy and physi- ca) exercise are both important for young minds and bodies. That is why foxhunting Is encouraged in the Soviet Union, especially for teenagers and pr84eens. Schoot radio ctubs are com- mon. HF and VHF transmitting arwJ re- ceiving equipment is often hard to come by, afKf must t>e made on site. But RDF gear ts rolling off a Russian assembly tme.

US hams who attended the 1939 Friendship Radio Oames m Khaba- rovsk reported that RDF sets were the only commercially manufactured ham equipment they saw while in Russia. The Barnaul Radio Factory in soutfi- wastern Siberia produces toys and electronic products. Rip through the factory's tS^page color catalog, and the first two products you 11 see are hand-held RDF sets.

The Allat-l4S 2 meter sniffer (Photo B) is a compiete receiver/antenna unit in one piece, except for headphones, The receiver is bualt tnto the boom of a 3-element yagi. It's easy to use— the foxhunter holds it overhead and orients the yagi for loudest signal in the ear- phones^ then heads in the indicated direction. For safety, the yagi elements are made of curved steel tape that folds over i n ste ad of i m pa I i n g th e operator or breaking.

Eighty* meter foxhunts remain popu- lar in the USSR. The factory makes the Altai'3.5 for that band, with a similar tuneable receiver and attached loop/ spike directiorial antenna system. The loop is about one fool in diameter. Bar* naul makes only one other ham radio product , called a Tlsa. It's a transverter to allow 10 meter rigs to transmit and receive on Z meters.

The Barnaul Production Association is eager to sell its RDF products world- wide. While suitable for foxhunting in some other countries, the design is not compatibte with the needs of T-huniers in the USA. The Altai- 145 is meant lo track CW transmitters and has approx^- mateiy 7 microvoUs sensitivity. US liams usually use FM and require a "hotter" front end. The VFO-tuneit)lt (non-synthesized) Altai receiver is no! stabte or selective enough to work in the intense RF environment of most cities in the USA.

The Brits are Qitferent

Engiandefs like foxhunting (both the radio and horseback hound-chasmg kinds), but ARDF there is a world apart from events on the European conti- nent. British hams hold their hunts on ISO meters, just as they have tor ateHJt 70 years.

There are frequent local contests throyghout the year, requiring entrants to find one to four transmitiers in an afternoon or evening, with winners having the shortest elapsed lime. Starters anticipate a drive of tO miles or so to each fox^ fotlowed by a lengthy waik.

After some National Qualifying Rounds, the National FinaJ Champi- onship occurs each September. Three trar^mitters are hidden in well-spaced locations. They all provide a physical challenge, such as patches of nettles, swamps, and large decoy antennas that re-radiate the 160 meter signals.

The Radio Society of Great Britain heavily promotes RDF outings. RSGB is encouraging members to add 2 me- ters to local events. an6 is also setting up European-style hunts. The Society hopes that G-calls will someday be iisl- ed among the Region 1 championship winners.

Hlgh>Tech in Japan

Nowhere on earth Is RDF competi- tion more popular than in Japan , where it's often called "foxteering" or "fox- tailing,' ' Just as we have ATV societies

Continued on p&ge 73

Photo C. Hams in Japan like foxhunts in vehides as weif as on foot, JPllGV (the driver) and an SWL partner are ready to rotL (Photo by JQtLCWJ

60 73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991

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9600 BPS Modems

Since Ihe Ociober cotumn. I've re- ceived requests for more mformatJon about 9600 bit-per-second fbpsj pack- el operation vie Ihe University of Sur- rey low-eafth-orbtl satellites UoSAT- OSCAR'l4 and 22. The effort nee<te<l to get on these htgh speed packet satellites may seem formidable at first, but when the tasks af« broken down into separate small projects, it's really quite simple to gel a system on the air

High speed packet activity at 9600 bps is not as conr^mon as 1 200 bps, but is the only speed currently available from U'O-14 and 22. Radios some- times require modifications to operate propefly in both receive and Iransmii at this speed, and always need internal wirmQ additions 10 make the connec- tion to appropnate high speed mo< dems. This has stopped many poten* ttal enthusiasts from becomir^g active at faster data rates. Future radios will likely have data ports for these connec- tions, but for now. it's necessary to make the changes on stock equipment which the designers never envisioned would be used lor these purposes.

Small Projects

To prepare a station for activity at 9G00 bps via satelElta. there are several items that must be considered. U-0-14 and 22 operate via Mod a J with a 2 meter uplink and 70cm downlink. U^O- t4's FM uplink is on 145.S75 MHz with an FM downlink of 435.070 MHz, while 11-0-22 comes down on 435.120 MHz with the uplink on 145 900 MHz. A 9600 bps modem with TNCS-compat- ibie packet controller, FM radios, an- tennas, a PC'Compaiible computer, and appropriate software are required to make connection with these bgtieiiri ttoard systems (BBSs) in the sky.

PacComm and TAPR Modems

The comportent at the heart of any UoSAT earth station is a high speed modem such as those available from PacComm and I A PR (The Tucson Am- ateur Packet Radio Corporation).

PacComm Packet Radio Systems, lr>c , canies different versions of their NB-96 series 9600 bps modems rartg- ing irom cards for mternal TNC-2 mounting to complete high speed, nar* rowband radios. For satellite work, ei- ther the MCNB-96 modem card for $109.95. or the EMNB'96 OKtemal modem for $174,95* is fine. The modem design was Ucensed from Jam^ Miller Q3RUH and has t>een in productk>n from PacComm for three years.

These products are not klis. They come complete with cables and tn^ struclions tor interfacing to existing

Amateur Radio Via Satellite

TNCs and compuflers. Details concern- ing the design and use of this modem can be found in James Miller's paper **9600 Baud Packet Radio Modem Design" in the "ARRL Amateur Radio 7th Computer Networking Conference Proceedings" dated Ociober 1. 1988, available from Ihe ARRL. PacComm can be reached al (8O0) 223-3S1 1 or (fll3> 874^2980- Their address is 3652 W. Cypress Ave., Tampa FL 33607- 4916.

The TAPR high speed modem by Steve Goode K9NG was ooginally de- signed for half-dup4ex operation, De- tails were outiined in Steve Goode 's paper "Modrfying the Hamtronics FM- 5 for 9600 BPS Packel Operation" in the "ARRL Amateur Radio 4th Com* puter Networking Conference Pro- ceedings" dated March 30, 1986. also available from the ARRL. A single modem will not provide the fu It-duplex ability needed fur satellite activity. Since a complete klL including double- sided board and alt parts setts for $35.00, if s cost effective to buy two to create one full-duplex modem.

One TAPR board can be wiretf as a Modulator and the other as a DEModu- tator The push-to-talk (PTT) line from the TNC does tfte job for satellite work, thus the original specialized modem PTT circuitry can be omitted on both boards. Clock signals from the TNC are routed to both boards, while traris- mit audio and receive signais are sent to the appropriate "'MO" and '"DEM" unit. Integration is simple and only one control, for transmit signal level, needs adjustment This is set for three kHz Ff^ deviation.

TAPR can be reached at (602) 749- 9479, or write to: P.O. Box 12925, Tuc- son AZ 85732.

The TNC

The high speed 9600 bps modem needs a terminal node controller with a modem disconnect header, A list of U-0-1 4 users shows that most use vari- ationsof the TNC'2 design. In the U.S.. many use PacComm TNCs with the NB-96 modem, while foreign 0-0-14 enthusiasts have TMC-2S (or c^ones^ with the original G3RUH modem sotd by James as a "semi-kit" including a bare board. ROMs ai^d documenta- tion.

The modem disconnect header is ttie most important feature a TNC n9edsfor 9600 bps use. This allows the internal TNC modem to be easily by- passed. Most TNCs have a disconnect header or a place on the main circuit board to install one^ Modem documen- tation usually provides ifistruclions for cutting one or two la/)ds in the TNC when Ihe external modem is attached.

A useful, but uno^mmon, feature in TNCs is a daia rale to the computer greater than 9600 bps. Buffering prob- lems are possible if both the TNC and

compulsF are used at 9600 bps. Most TNCs are noi wired to go faster, but with a few simple modifications, a TNC-2 can be configured for 19,200 bps operation.

The TNC-2 has several speeds for data transfer via the RS-232 lack from 300 to 9600 bps. The 300 bps dip switch setting is Ihe least usetui. To replace the function of the 300 bps switch with 19,200. first iSOJate pin 1 o( SW2 from other lands on both sides of the Circuit board. Reconnect p^n 1 on SW2 10 U1 (CMOS 404<Q pin 10. II lands are cut to isolate pin 1 on SW2,

be sure to reroute wiring that originally went through pin 1. Replace U3 {MC3403 quad operational amplifier) with a faster op amp such as the TL084, The TNC can now be used a| 1 9.200 bp& on the computer side when SW2 position 1 (previously 300 bps but now 19.200 bps) is selected.

Radios

A sensitive FM receiver capable of tuning increments of 2 kHi^to allow for Doppler shift tracking— should be used for tiie downlink. Most receivers have retativefy namow front^nd filters

■

I

1

. i

Photo A. PacComm High-Speed FSK modem for fuif-duplex 9600 bps.

Photo B. K9NG/TAPR 9600 bps modem for half-dupiex applications. Two of these modems provide full-duplex 9600 bps.

Photo C. A spectacular view from the camera on board U-O-22 as it passes oyer Italy.

62 73 Amateur Badio Today * December, 1991

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since they're typically used only for voice tBCBphon. Although modifica- lions can be made to wtden the filters, usually requiring Ihe repiacemeni of a single futer unit, most will work fine without changes as long as Ihe tuning can be adjusted during the course of a satellite pass.

The usual audio output from the re- ceiver caftrK>t be used due lo the na- ture of high speed data. It's too wide for the radio's audio stages. Connection musi be made directty to the output ot the receiver's FM discriminalor cir- cuitTy. The ARRL Handbook provider examples of what to look for whei^ at- tempting to identify discriminator cir^ cuits.

For many newer transceivers and scanners, the connection is simple, An MC33S7 (or similar) IC is used for the FM receiver. A shielded wire to pin 9 is all that is retiuired. For older radios and (hose without this chip, a schematic search Is in order. Generally, the dis- criminator output can be found just be- fore the audio amplifier stages where two diodes, aimed in opposite direc^ tigns and connected to a common poinr are located.

iohn Branegan GM4iHJ wrote a very descriptive artide, "Low Budget UoSATOSCAn 14 9600 Baud Recep- tion'* for the Septembef 1990 issue of Tim AM$AT Joumai. John descrit>ed connection methods and bandwidth widening procedures for several ra* diOS^ Preparing a receiver for 9600 bps recaption can. in many cases, be very simple When a g<>Qd preamplifier fS

used in con junction with a wide front end, tuning increments ot five kHz are possible. A Yaesu FRG-9600 scanner works fine wilhoLrt changes and only a simple connection to the MC3357 and the addition of a preamp. The same is true for many other rigs

A true FM 2 meter transmitter is re- quired for the uplmk. Phase-modulated ri^s may t>e difficult or impossible lo use Without serrtHJS modifications, Ffe- quency resolution should be at least 3 kHz, although many operators have done very well with ngs thai tune in 5 kHz increments. The power output should be at least 10 watts.

The 2 meter trar^smitter must tie properly connected to the modem. Finding the appropriate modulation in- put point and correctly setting the drive level are the most difficuit portions of this task, The July 1991 issue of the Packet Status Register from TAPR contained a short article from James Miller titled "FT-736 and 9600 Baud Operation." James described how to find the varactor diode used in the Yae- su FT-736R 2 meter modulator, and how lo drive it properly.

For nearly all transmitters, once the varactor diode has been found, the modem's transmit output signal can be coupled to the low-fevei. au- dio input Side of the varactor, and adjusted via the modem's trans mil- drive level potentiometer for proper operation The PacComm unit is ready for connection when th© drive point is found. The TAPR board should be connected to the radk* through a 10

microfarad capacitor (already on the PacComm board), in transmit, the transmitter should oe set for 3 kHz deviation.

Antennas

Most U-O-14 and U-O-Za users have directional arrays. This is not because tfie UoSAT actfvity demands high-gain arrays^ but rather hecause the anten- nas are used for other satellite activi* lies requiring large arrays. Very small yagjs. home-brew dual-l^nd J-Poies. small helix beams, and even omnj*d»- factional antennas have b&en used successf utiy for UoSAT work .

If high-gain antennas are used, re- member that accurate tracking will be needed to keep the satellite in the use- ful be am width of the antenna. A typical pass may only last 20 minules from horizon to horizon. If an automated an- tenna tracking system is not available, the operator will be typing, reading a satellite beam heading lisl, adjusting for Doppier, and positioning the fota- lors ail at the same Time.

Computers

The best software for UoSAT use was written for IBM PCs and I heir ctones. The programs PB, PG, PHS and PFHAOD are availaMe free on many BBS systems and include oofn- plete docunRentation on their use. They are also available from AMSAT lor a small fee. Write lo AMSAT at 650 Sligo Ave. jireOO, Silver Spring, MP 20910 Or call 1 (301) 589^6062 for details.

PB sets the TNC to KISS mode ^ftsi

allows reception ol broadcast files from the satellites. It can also be used to begin file broadcasts and fill holes in received files that have been heard but not completely received and stored on disk.

PG provides complete connected uplink and downlink aciivHy with the sateUite while PFHADO prepares files for upk^ading and PHS processes re- ceived files for viewing and use,

Hundreds of text. data, picture and voice nies have been sent through U- 0-14, while dozens of picture files have been made available through U-O-22 in conjynctton with its on-board cam- era eJtperimenl.

Trylt

Since the launch of U-0-22, many new callsigns have appeared on U-O- 14 and U-0-22. Although U-O-14 has been in orbit tor nearly two years, this satellite is attracting attention now due to the camera system on U*0-22 (see Photo C for a spectacular view of Italy irom I his satellite). Hams have discov- ered the versaliiity ol an internalional BBS in orbit that can send and receive files of all types at a speed eight times faster than the usual terrestrial system.

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73 Amat&ur Radio Today • Decefnber, 1991 65

Number 20 on your Feedback card

The

44

Cheap and Simple

99

Power Supply Revisited

Improved regulation for a classic power supply.

by Vern A. Weiss WA9VLK/G0NBZ

The year 198t gave us our hostages back, our White Houm Gipper and our first space shuttle mission. It also gave us ' 'Cheap and Simple, your basic 13.8 volt, 25 -A power supply/* published in the January 1981 issue of 73 Magazine . This artiele described a 1 3.8 VDC (variable if you want), high-current supply capable of delivering 15, 25 or even more amperes. The circuit was certainly more than adequate for the likes of me, but for some of you, its 0.4 VDC drop at full load was unacceptable.

The other day when Gorbachev and I were on the phone discussing this no-code thing, he said to me, *'Can we really get Hewlett- Packard regulation at bargain-basement prices?*' I replied. '^Probably not, but maybe we can come close. ' * There arc better voltage regulators around than the 7812, which is the one specified in the 1981 "Cheap and Sim- ple" article. You have to go a long way to beat the LM317 or LM200H, But let's stick with the 7812 because it's very affordable and it's always available at the local Radio Shack.

Revising the **Cheap and Simple^'

Figure 1 shows the original ** Cheap and Simple*' circuit. Enjoy switch S2 and diodes D5. D4, D3, D2andDl while you have them because in the new circuit (Figure 2) they will begone.

What we have done is simply establish out- put voltage feedback so that IC I can compen- sate for voltage decreases under load. Moni- toritig the output voltage, as we have done, improves regulation. That will keep Daniel Ortega and other critics of my 0.4 VDC full- load drop happy.

Another hint for builders of this supply is to switch capacitors CI and C2. The January 1981 article's 'Tarts Lisf* showed CI as a 13,000mF, 25V electrolytic and C2 as a 10|JF, 25V electrolytic. The parts list should have shown C I at IOmF and C2 at IB.OOOjJiF. If you followed the text, your project proba- bly went smoothly, but if you relied too heav- ily on the parts list (and, I admit, I am as guilty of this as the next guy) , your capacitors may have become impossible to get along with.

66 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

IZOVAC SI

Figure L The original **Cheap and Simple" circuit as it appeared in the January I98I 73 M€igazine article.

IJOVAC SI

* +

Figure 2. The modified power supply circuit monitors the output voltage, thus improving voltage regulation.

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7S Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 67

DO-TACOMM" K7000 imd your MS-DOS computer givcA you a ciiatom intetface iategrftlod wtth optunked Aoflwue that will not jtisl ccmlrol but will maxiiai£e the potEiitul of your R7000.

* Spectrum log at speeds in excess of 130G channeb/min while ftutom&ticatJy generating b hifltognun of frequency activity.

CY6ERSCAN" aUows scon file tracking control of sy^ttms employing frequency hopping techniques. Biidie log diidng frequency search AUiotn^tic^Uy chsracterizes your R7000, then locks out tho^e frequencies during frequency search operation. Custom interface hfts electronics to allow software control (by cbaiuvel number) of external tape recorder.

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* Dftta base managemenl allows definition of frequency , call aigni time »cbedyle> m<dc, target area, couotty, 140 characiernotcs flekJ^ 69 character TNC command fleW, QSL status , control relay status and, in addition, displays user defined optimum settings of receiver front panel knob posiUotts.

• Combined with your TNC, DELTACOMM™ 1-71 '» user defmed command codes prog lam your TNC for reception and logging of PACKET, AMTOR, RTTY and Morse Code (fully unattended and axttomaticaUy).

DELTATONE™ 2,0 connect to your MS-DOS compu^r via the printer port. In its high speed mode^ DTMF digits arc »ent to your repeater controller at a raCe In excea» of SOD per minute.

# DELTATONE™ 2.0 accepts progiammlng commands from a file created using your favorite word procesaor.

■ Transformer coupled 6O0 ohm balanced output, adjustable to -lOdbm, and software control of relay contacts makes interfacing an easy four (4) wire connection to your transceiver, handheid or repeater coQtroUer.

Component parameters can differ greatly between companies, especially when we start comparing a new component with one that has been stored beneath the septic lank since 1960. If your supply isn't performing like you think ii should, and you've followed my suggestions to a tee» try NOT follow ing them to a tee. Experiment with other components of similar values. I would not, however, actu- ally imply that you should use NEW compo- nents, fresh and within manufacturer's toler- ances. That approach gets Into money that defeats the purpose of ' 'Cheap and Simple. ' ' We are ham operators, remember, and pride ourselves in building anything electrical from common items found easily in any household in America.

All DELTACOMAf™ communication products include custom interface, UL tisted power supply and components for cahling.

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Comacr Vern A. Weiss WA9VLK/G0NBZ at 4259 Park Place, R.R. #5, Lakes of Four Seasons IN 46307.

Revised Parts List

C1

10^F,25V electrolytic capacitor

C2

13,000mF,25V electrolytic capacitor

C3

0.22mF, 100V tubular capacitor

C4.

C5

0,01 ^jF, 500V ceramic capacitor

06.

C7

0.1 laF ceramic capacitor

D1-

'D4

25 amp diodes or bridge rectifier

F1

5 amp fuse

F2

30 amp fuse

Q1-

-Q5

2N3055 transistors (mount on large heatsink)

R1

1 20Q, 4W resistor

R2

220Q,1W resistor

R3

5 k a,2W resistor

R4-

-R8

0.25n, 1W resistor

R9

6.2n, 1W resistor

ICt

781 2 voltage regulator

S1

SPST switch

T1

1 20/1 7-24 VAC power transformer (NOTE: must be able to handle fu 1 current)

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Qrp

Number 21 on your Feedback card

Mfchaef Bryce WB3VGE 2225 Mayflower NW Massiffan OH 44646

KDSJN's QRP Achievements

If you have never taught a Novice class^ youVe missing out on a lolo^ fun. When I teach a cfass, we have a good lime. That's the way it's suppose to be, right? The class teams all about deep earth antennas, dark emitting diodes, and feedtines long enough to reach from the antenna to the radio.

Now I guess youVe wonderfng what this has to do with QRP, Well, one of the young men in my class turned out to be one hell of a QRPer and DXer. This month we'll take a peek inside the shack of Randy Phelps KD8J N (see the Photo).

Randy works on all bands and most modes, including RTTYand packet, at- though not necessarily with QRP. When the HF bands are running, you'll see Randy's TNC sending to the DX cluster NODE. In the shack you'll find a Heath SB-220 ready and willing to breakthrough the pile- up to work a new DX station if need be.

Low Power Operation

However, the DX total wtth just the 2 watt Argonaut 515 is very impressive. Randy has over 202 stations worked and 164 stations confirmed. The skill needed to work, using a pea-shooter, side by side with the big guns, really paid off.

Randy took first place, single op, ail- band U.S.A. 8th district place in the 1939 CQ World Wide DX contest in the QRP section. He also impressed the neighbors with his first piace single op phone, Ohio seclronjnthe 1989 ARRL DX Internationaj DX contest. Not bad considering the amount of RF power used was less than that required to run the PK'232!

QRP Antennas

Randy will be the first one to admit the need for a better-than-average antenna farm when running QRP and chasing DX. Randy's antenna installa- tion would make any ham's want list. Nope, it's not comprised of three monoband beams placed a full wave- length apart, Ifs a TH6 DXX tribander In a city lot. Simple wire dipoles are used for 40 and 80 meters. What

Photo A. Avid DXer and QRP enthusiast Randy Phelps KD8JN at hts opsrating position.

INPUT

20k O-SO^A

-<2)^

5ek

78L08

I^F

d

ik

CHANGE TO 4.Tk FOR 0-lmA METER

8k

IfF 5 470

Figure. Schematic diagram of the expanded voltmeter

makes Randy's systems click is smoothing out all the rough edges.

I've discussed these before, here In the '^QRP" column. All the antenna's hardware is stainless steel. Every PL-239 has a silver plated-Teflon^* in- sulated center. No hamfest cheapies heref The feedline^ while just coming short of nitrogen-fklled 7/8 " hard-line, is the best you can buy. You'll find no "barrel" connectors in any of Randy's feedlines. There is only one RF power meter/SWR bridge in his shack. And finally, everything in the antenna farm is designed to be used at the maximum legal power.

As you can see. Randy is a very ac- tive ham. I'll get a call from him during the contests asking if I have a 5Y4GT. I can't let this one go. so I tell him, "No. but I think there's one in the junk box.*" Next time you hear Randy on the air, ask him if he has a 5Y4GT.

Expanded Voltmeter

Several months ago I had a smail circuit for expanding the range of a 0^50 iJiA meter to read 10-15 volts. It was a simple tittle circuit using a 10 volt zener diode and some resistors. This month ril show you an expanded volt- meter that works even belter.

Take a look at the schematic. The voltage reference this time is nothing more than an 8 volt regulator. An LM7aL08, to be precise, and a resistive voltage divider. When coupled to a 0- 50 [iA meter, the range will be 10-15 volts. What makes this cfrcuit a bit better is the ability to zero the meter

at exactly 10.0 volts on one end, and 15.0 volts on the other end. When us- ing only the 1 0 volt zener diode, some- times the meter would not fall to tO volts, when in fact the battery voltage is lOvoltSn

The circuit may be built on a small perfboard or PC board. Make the board small enough to mount directly to the back of the meter. Use good quality parts for the meter; they will reflect higher accuracy.

To calibrate the expanded voltmeter, adjust the 1000 ohm trimmer so that the meter reads zero with 10 volts at the input. Raise the Input to 15 volts and set the 20k trimmer for full scale (15 volts); you might want to re-check the setting by running through them a second time. Be sure to use a good, high quality digital voltmeter when set- ting up the circuit. With a good digital meter for reference, you'll have resolu- tion down to 0.1 volt — or better.

I used a 0-1 mA meter in place of the 0-50 pA meter. Doing this, I had to change the value of the 56k resistor in the voltage divider. I had to drop the resistor's value to 4.7k to get the meter to operate correctly. With the 0-1 mA meter, the circuit draws 27 mA from the battery you're checking.

That's all for this month. I still have some Pulse Charger kits left at $29.95 + $2.50 P/H- Great project to charge up those gelled lead-aid batteries for winter projects.

Getting deep into winter, home- brewing goes into full gear. Next month well look at Mike's Rules of Ten.

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 69

Number 22 on your Feedback card

TTYLOOP

Marc f- Leavey. M.D., WA3AJR 6 Jenny Lane Baltimore MD2t308

Oops! It DOES Exist

How oouki I have been so blin<}7 1 mean, it was righl there, umjef my nose. All I had 10 do was kx>k for ilf tn rhe October 1991 ''RTTV Loop" \ menttoned that some am- ateurs wsfe looking for inteff acing for tlreir Commodore MmpuJefs oft RTTY. and I said that the old Mtcrolo^ sty ft was great but no longef avaitabie, Was I wrong!

Ihanks to Mechel Ricard VE2D0T and others, my attention has been drawn to ihB advertis^nent on page 26 ot the sanie i&» sueol 73. G and G Electron ics ot Maryland is iusA the answer for the amateur looking to put his or her Commo<iore computer onto the air.

The upshot of this is that I had a de^ht- ful conver^tion wth JeH Goldman, ol G and G Electronics, who gave me some t»ackground on the situation. It seems that G ar>d G was a dealer and serv^e facility for Microiog equipment, both companies being located in Ga^thefsburg. Marytar>d, a suburb of Washington, DC MiCfOlog de- cided to pursue other markets, and the amateur line was ^n danger of being or- phaned. That's when G and G stepped in. With the original equipment and plans pro ducdd by Mici'oiog. they have tooled up to continue to produce this line ot amateur computer RTTY equiprr^ent,

The G and G Jine currently features five systems or devices, which can, among other things, put your VIC-20 or C-64 on the air as a receive-oniy unU^ multimode transceiver, or InieHigent terminal The units are affordable, and represent quite a bang for the buckl

The Morse Coach

Here's a simple plug-in cartridge for the expansion port on a 0-64 that enables a complete, computer controlled Morse teaching plan. In use by government agencies and military programs, ihjs irain- Of is as useful lor the individual as i\ is tor club programs.

An "Alphabet" mode presumes no prior knowledge of florae, and sends the char- acters at a minimum 10 wpm character ratOp with variable spacing for the slower rates. This avoids the "dtt counting'' pitfall weil known lo tnsiruaors. (Uncle Wayne's tapes work the same way!) A "Practice** program sef>ds a predefermir^ed number ol five character groups, with the student typing in the answers. Alter the fun. a score ts displayed In the "Speed Tesl" routine, getting tess than 80% cofrect abons the test

Both of these latter tests employ logic to allow for the characters to get "o^t of sync" by eiit^er missmg a key or hitting a key twice. Lacking that, one miss ooukI throw the entire test out of lir>e

Overall, the Morse Coach may de just the answer tor individuals, clubs^ or groups studying for a hlgrse code test.

The S WL Cartridge

By plugging ttiis simple cartridge into your C-64 Of C- 128. expansion port. yotJ can turn your computer into a RTTY and Morse receiver. Atl ii needs is recetver au-

Amateur Radio Teletype

dio, and the screen displays a reaMime clock, mode and speed in use, and status Indicators, along with the itKysming te)ct. Reception of five-level Baudot at 60, 66, 75, 100 and ^32 wpm is supported, along viftth ASCII at 100 and 300 bauds, and Morse from frve to 99 words per minute,

A video "cross" display is simu^ted for RTTY tunir^g and a red dot for Morse. Au- dio is piped through the TV siwakef so th at monitofing tt>e band becomes an ea^y matter.

Atong wittt the SWL Cartridge, an AJR- DOS disk program is available, whicli al- lows savir^g the received data to disk. Printer output is provided to the standard computer printer, wrtti either manual or keyword control. If receiving Morse or RTTY is your desire, this may be just the package,

ART.1 Alt-Mode Termini

Here's a multi-mode controWer that plugs into your C-64 orC-l2S and provides a wide range of digital modes in a small package. The ART-i features RTTY. ASCII. Morse, and AMTOR, in a box less than six by six irKhes big.

Physical connection to the C-64r of C- t2B is via a cable to the user port. RadK) Input is via receiver audio, and transmit output may be positive voEtage switching for CW and F3K, AFSK tones for micro- phone input, and PIT transmitter control. No power supply is required, all operating voltages being obtained from the host computer.

As with the SWL. operation or^ Morse at Speeds up to 1 49 wpm, on RTTY at speeds from &0 wpm (45.45 bauds} to 132 wpm (100 bauds), and ASCI! at the standard 1 10 and 300 bauds, is supported. Addi- tionally, four AMTOR modes are support- ed: Mode A (CHIRP), Mode B (FEC), Col- lective/Selective Broadcast, and Listen Mode (eavesdrop Mode A),

With the same on-screen tuning cross or light, operation of this llttie wonder is straightf onward and should provide years of flexible communication.

AIR-1 Cartridge

The preceding units were designed for the C^64 or C-1 28; here is one for the 'low- ly" VIC-2G. ThQ AIR*1 cartridge proNftdes full RTTY, Morse, and AMTOR operation in a plug-in cartridge at a budget price.

Fitting directly into the ccMnputer's ex- pansion port, this cartridge takes receiver audio and puts out positive and negative switched levels for RTTY and CW. pfus AFSK tones for micropf>one keying. As with the others in the line, support for Morse to 1 49 wpm. Baudot from 60 wpm to 1 32 virpm. and ASCII at 110 or 300 bauds, IS provided. AMTOR support is a^ avail- abfe in the same four modes as the ART-l . A real-time Ciock. selective calling, WRU (who are you}^ and multiple transmit buffers make tfie AlR-i a fulfy fimctional umt.

There ts even a code pfactice routine built in, to send random five-cfiaracler code graups at any programmed speed. A tfue RTTY demodulator is buift in as well handling \he standard tone pairs ol 2125/ 229 S Hz, with switch-selected mode or narrow shift.

AlRDtSK

If you have a terminal unit and Com- modore computer, the AIR DISK may be just what you're looking for. Containing the software of the AIR-l . but not the hard- ware- this program adds the all-mode ca^ pabiiity ol the AlR-1 to VlC*20 and C-64 computers loc^ less than forty bucks.

As with the others, operation is on all modes, with the same spectrum as the AlR't On- screen tuning and software di- gttai (iltermg makes operation on the bands a ptece ol cake. This program acts as a soltware interface between just about any terminal unit and your computer, aU lowing you to either use one you have, or experiment with new demodulator de^ signs.

Both VIC-30 and QS* programs are m the same disk, with the VIC-?0 requiring at least 16K of RAM in the computer. For those G^ users who do no4 want or have a disk, an AIR-ROM software cartndge is

also available. If you have a demodulator you are happy with, this Is certainly the most cost effective way to go.

Overall, we all need to thank G and G Electronics of Maryland for promoting the oid Microiog line. Far too often in the ama- teur RTTY world we have seen wonderful equipment produced then discontinued as the manufacturer abandons the ham market. Several such units are sitting on my shelves rKJw. Fine though they were, they were dead ends on the road of tech* nological development. By continuing to support our market. G and G deserves our support in return. Thanks!

Next morrth I may have another pro- gram for live MS-DOS crowd with potent possibiliti^. In tfte meantime i kx>k for- ward to fiearing from you by mail or on CompuServe (ppn 75036. 2501 J, Oe<p*ii {userr\ame MARCWASAJR}, or now on Amenca Online as well (screen name Mar- cl_9). ril teli you more about America On- iii^ in Hie future, too, don't wonyH

Morse Coach

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AIR DOS

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Number 23 on your Feedback card

EALER DIRECTORY

DELAWARE

New Castle Factory authorised dealer[ Yaesu, iCOM, Kanwoodi Ten -Tec, AE A, Kantronics, DR- Sl Mlg.^ Amen Iron. Cu she raft. HyGain. Hell Sound, Standard Amateur Radio. MFJ. Hustler, Diamond. Butternut, As* Iron. Larsen, and much more DELA- WARE AMATEUR SUPPLY, 7t Meadow Road, New Castle DE 19720. (302) 32@- 772fl.

IDAHO

Preston Ross WB7BY2 has the largest stock of amateur gear in the intermountain West ar>d the best prices. Over 9,00C ham relat- ed gear in stock Call us for all " your hsm needs today. ROSS DISTRIBUTING CC 7B S. Stite, Preston ID 83263. (20B( 852-0830,

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North Jersey's oldest and finest S^ri- wave and Ham Radio Dealer. 1V^ miies from Garden Stale Parkway. Authon^ed Dealers for AEA. iCenwood. Japan Radio Company. tCOM. Yaesu, etc Ham Safe^. Lee WK2T GILFER SHORTWAVE, S2 Parle Ave., Pofk Hidge NJ 076S6. (201) 39 1 -7887.

NEW YORK

Manhattan Manhattan's largest and only ham and business Radio Store. Featuring MOTOROLA. ICOM, KENWOOD.

YAESU, AEA, SONY, PANASONIC, MFJ, G9C CLOSED CIRCUIT TV CAMERAS AND MONITORS, BIRD WATTMETERS. OPTO ELECTRONICS FREQUENCY COUNTERS. AOR SCANNERS, TEN-TEC. ETC. Full stock of radios and accessories. Repair lab on premises. Open 7 days. M-F. 9-6 p m.: Sat. & Sun., 10-5 p m. We ship Hft>r/tfw^de. For Specific intormalion call or writa: BARRY ELECTRONICS, 512 Broadway, New York NY 10012. {212} 925-7000- FAX (212} 925-7001.

OHIO

Columbus Central Ohio's full-line authorised dealer for Kenwood. ICOM. Yaesu. Alinco. fnfo- Tech, Japan Radio, AEA. Cushcrafl. Hus- tler, and ButtemuL New and used equip- ment on display and operational in our 4000 SQ. ft. store. Large SWL depart meni, LOO. UNIVERSAL RADIO. 1280 Alda Drive, Reynoldsburg (Columbus) OH 43068.(614)868-4267,

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Authorized factory sales and service. KENWOOD. ICOM. YAESU, Teaturing AMERrmON. B&W. MFJ. HYGAlN. KLM. CUSHCRAFT, HUSTLER. KANTROM- ICS. AEA. VIBROPLEX. HEIL. CALL- BOOK, ARRL Publications, and much more HAMTRQNICS. INC., 4033 Brownsville Road, Trevose FA t9047. (215) 357-1400^ FAX (215) 355^fi95S. Sales Order 1-500-426-2820. Circla Reader Service 298 for more information.

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70 73 Amateur Radio Today * December. 1991

KING

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 71

Number 1 8 on your Feedback card

Hams with class

Specific Points

Diana Ramsey, rn her book Keys to Motivation, notes some research find- ings for teachers to keep in mind,

Un order for a learner to take a risk in the learning environment, the learner must perceive that risk as be- ing manageable.

2. The degree of risk present in a learning situation is uniquely per- ceived by eacli learner.

3. Tlie teacher, as motivator, can create a classroom climate where risk- taking is part of the [earning process. E?<ploration, growth ^ and iearning re- sult from students mastering chal- lenges the teacher presents.

4. The M^ motivator is an opportunity for success.

5. Students learn best when they are fully involved and appropriately chal- ienged. The teacher should initiate a rotation of chailenge and success,

6. Learners must see a payoff for their efforts if motivation is to be main- tained,

7. Both boredom and fear decrease student opportunities to learn. Fear and boredom are negative stresses^

especially when they are sustained over a long period of time. Hence the phrases "bored to death" and "scared to death/'

Dialogs with Setf and Other

Positive affirmations are statements we should learn to use and encourage more often in our daily iives. They are especially important in the classroom. We all draw strength from many sources— a higher power, our parents, family^ friends, and co-workers. A powerful source of strength we some- times forget to use is our own personal power.

Positive affirmations are strong posi- tive statements we make to others and oursetves, or hear others say. They help us tap our internal power and fo- cus on the positive use of that power. The use of positive affirmations in the classroom can help students become self -motivated in their work efforts. It also helps build self-esteem and cre- ates the feeling that we have power over events In our lives.

An example of a positive affirmation is, "I have ail the information I need to answer these questions/' It avoids the use of negative words like no, can't, don't, and won't, which tap negative energy rather than positive energy. Positive energy affirmations empower

us by focusing on our strengths to man- age our weaknesses.

Many successful people have re- vealed their ability to create a mental picture of success; this is helpful in creating a positive affirmation. Teach- ers who encourage the use; of positive affirmations are going a long way to- wards ensuring thai they will have a group of happy» successful, highly mo- tivated students who are eager to come to class and will enjoy and benefit from the learning process.

Quiz Answers

t . Birds of a feather flock together, 2^ Cleanliness is next to godliness.

3. Beauty is skin deep.

4. You can't teach on old dog new tricks,

5. Don't cry over spilled milk,

6. All that glitters is not gold.

7. Where there's smoke, there's fire, S. Beggars can't be choosers.

9. Goodness is its own reward.

10. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Please send write-ups on interesting classes, recruiting ideas, youth club activities, or individual children 's expe- riences along with photos, to Carole Perry at ttie above address ^

Carole Perry W92MGP Media Mentors, Inc. P.O.Box 131646 Staten Island NY W31 3-0006

Keys to Motivation

The theme of this month's column is motivation. There is probably no other factor that is more directly responsible for the success or failures we experi- ence in life than that of motivation. It permeates and affects everything we do, but it is especially important for those of us who are teachers or Instruc- tors to understand the importance of motivation in the learning process. Someone once said^ 'The man who believes he can do something is proba- bly right, and so is the man who be- lieves he can't."

Those of us who stand in front of the classroom must never forget that the youngster or adult who is sitting before us needs a reason to be listening, a desire to learn, and a belief that he or she can master the material. All of us require motivation to master new skills and grow.

The teacher of a technical subject should be especially sensitive to the ability levels of the students^ and be sure to present the curriculum in a way that is relevant to their needs.

A Quiz

Try to imagine how you would feel if a teacher were to give you just five min- utes to translate and react to the follow- ing popular adages (see the answers at the end of the column):

1. Avian species of identical plum- age congregate.

Z, Freedom from encrustations of noxious substances is contiguous with conformity to divine prescription.

3. Pulchritude possesses solely cu- taneous profundity.

4. A superannuated canine is im- mune to indoctrination to innovative maneuvers,

5. Ululate not over precipitated lacteal secretion.

6. All that coruscates with resplen- dence will not assay auriferous.

7. The existence of visible vapors from ignited carbonaceous materials confirms conflagration.

8. Mendicants are interdicted from elective recipiency.

9. Probity gratifies reflexively.

10. Inhabitants of vitreous edifices ill-advised I y catapult petrous projec- tiles.

If you're like most of uSi you experi- enced frustration and an?Jiety while rushing in to translate the words a teacher told you to respond to. Every day, all across the country, children are sitting in classrooms feeling frustrated and anxious because they don't under- stand what's being said to them, tt may be English that's being spoken^ but it's not appropriate to the children's ages or abilities, and it's certainly not rele- vant to their lives. Photo 6, A good teacher makes sure every student has the opportunities for challenge and success.

72 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

Photo A, Good motivation is the key to happy, learning students. In the ham class as well as In the school classroom, be sure to provide an environment that encourages risk-taking and success.

HOmlNG IN continued from p^g& 60

and DX clybs in the USA, the J As have orgai>izations devoted to foKharkting.

Commercial RDF gear is plentiful and popular. Typicai hand*heJd units for 2 meters feature a 2*elament phased array beam, similar to the HB9C V array found in HF DX stations. This array rs smaller than a yagi. which makes it excellent for romping through the brush.

The receiver, built into the short boom, Is synthesized to cover 144 to 146 MHz. It detects both AM and FM^ and is very serisitive. An S-meter and electronic attenuator are included, giv- ing contestants the ability to estimate dislaRce to the fox. One model feafures an audio S-meter in one channel of stereo headphones, and receiver au- dio in the other ohannel.

Yoy asl^. "Why aren*t these statenjf- tfw^an sets exported lo the USA?" Good questior*— f'd like to krwjw, too. With a slight modification, they would cover tfie full US 2 meter band. Per- haps US importers don't think thai T- hunters here will buy enough of them to cover the high cost of FCC receiver certification. What do you think?

In addition to on-foot radio races ^ Japanese hams are discovering mobile T-hunts. World-ctass Tender Yoshtko Yamagami JQ1LCW sent pictures of a June 1991 nighttime event. Yagis were the most popular f^DF antennas (Photo CJ, with some

ingenious methods of mounting and tumirrg.

Yoshiko says her dub holds a hynl every two months, with a rwo*hour time limit It's comnron to see 20 to 30 vehides competing. The Japanese are strong supporters of national and mter- nalionaJ events. The AII^JA-OF compe- tition for 1991 was held in October near Mt. Fuji, J A hams have participated in the Friendship Radio Games and the All-China RDF Contest.

Your Turn

What l@ your ctub doing about RDF, for sport or more serious purposes? Send me your T-hunt news and photos to share with ''Homing In" readers. If your club's newsletter reports on T> hunting, how atx>ul putttrig me on the mailing list?

You say there Is no hunting in your area? Well, your assignment for next month is to start one. Just talk it up and you will probably be surpn&ed at the response,

Kevin Kelly N6QAB, an intrepid Southern California T-hunter, moved to Albuquerque some months back and found no radiosporting activity. Af- ter a bit of jawboning and demonstrate Ing, an active hunting crew developed. You can now find a 2 meter mobile hunt there almost any weekend.

So now it*s your turn. I expect a full report.

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Number 25 on your Feedbacic canJ

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C.L Houghton WBBIGP San Diego Microwave Group 6345 Badger Lake Ave. San Diego CA 92119

Microwave PLL Bricks

If s the end of Ihe year, and Vm thinking about all the projects f've done. Several of them are stiN in the mill for improvements, and, considering my basic personality, probably will be lorever. I'm stitl working on the laser communications projects and improving my microwave station for 6 and 10 GHz. Recently they had to take a back seat to other items, particularly vacations and family matters which, of course, take priority.

This month we wiN wrap up phase* locked brick oscillators for some time, at least Lintil a better device becomes avail- able in syrplus. The brick oscillator, in my estimation, is the best single local oscilla^ lor. It has promoted interest in microwave, as it is easy to modify to amateur frequen- cies by re tuning the output filter. Once re- tuned, you have a high precision that's easy to maintain, Accuracy is something In the order of a few kHz at 10 GHz for a stand-alone unit. Long-term (a month or so) stability runs from 20 to 40 kHz.

Where do you get a bnck? Ciieck your iocal swap meets and Nea markets. You never know when one might turn up. Keep an ear tuned tor commercial stations clos- ing down a micro wave link. If you're in education, have your school write a letter

to the commiinications authority for possi- ble donations of material. It's worth a shot. As to the applications the brick oscitlator can fill, they are many. Us$ depends on what frequency brick you can obtain. If you can^t locate one, I have a modest quantity of 6 and 10 GHz bricks. These include bricks without tht harmonic multi- plier assembly. This is the type needed tor this month's project. Ail units i specify have been bench-tested and are function- ing.

Constructing the Converter

Although the basic brick is used exten- sively for the 6 and 10 GHz amateur bands, I verified that it can cover other frequencies, including the 2304 MHz ama- teur and 1691 MHz weather satellite fre- quencies^ While quite different in applica- tion, both frequencies present exciting new domains to explore. It is tough to lo- cate surplus components for these fre- quencies. What came about was the real- isation that a 10 GHz brick can work on these frequencies^ making it possible to more easily construct a 2304 MHz transverter and a receiver for the 1691 MHz weather satellite service.

The trick in making a converter is to come up with a simple mixer and RF am- plifier. These are not difficutl to obtain from standard designs published previ- ously, The local oscillator is what stumps most people on home-construction projects. I would prefer a GaAsFET ampti-

Photo A. W91 MHz RF amplifier used in tests ^ This was a surpfus 4-stBge biock ampfiffer with a3dB noise figure and 40 dB gain over 1.26- 1. 96 GHz. The square PC board is the home-brew mixer used for 1-2.5 GHz operation. Refer- ence Figure 2.

Photo B, Exampie of transfer relay. The left unit has been opened for ciarity. Only one rociier (actuator for relay shown} transfer relay uses two rocker arms on either side of the retay coli to affect 4-port switching used for "transfer operation/' See Figure 3 for detaifs

RF IN^OUT

w^

kh

Lg)

GaA^FRT PRlEAMP

2i04 MHr

FILTER

RF \H/QVT

FREOUENCV WEST

PLL a RICK ost

PLL BRICK LO

SI5S WHr OUTPUT Q ftQDBM

LG tN

MIXER CISM

IF Ht/OUT

CRYSTAL REOUIREO TO PHASE LOCK L.O 2159 4 23* 93. 85956522 MHl HARMOMtC

t'APROP PAO iATTENUATORl' TO REOUCE POWER TO MIxER TO 12 mW OR fl&OUT +IODeMi tON TRANSMIT ONLY}

FOR RECEIVE; HO PAD IN CIRCUIT (MAKE DH^ecT CONNECTION)

/

HEC

\

^ a ^

XHIT

I4S.0O

1

□ □□□

nODD

p nna nana

2 METER H.T,

(g) lOOmW OH LESS

Figure T. 2304 MHz transmit receive converter using building block method of construction.

RFIN V

[691 MHl'^

Rf AMP

CaAs FET MGF-1402

TfPtCAL

MIXER

a^M

IF WT v^ IF IN

137 MHi EXIST n^e

wEATHEfl RECElveS

WBFM

HOMEBREW

?^

i

T

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LOCAL OSC

PLL-8PUCK

1534 MHE OH

1

f >■ V /ii rnfii-F^L

^ rii 1 1 ^k ..__

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COMPUTER OR DATA

PLOTTER

5*t K y L wM 1 1 h r |_L_ - ii-\j ^

i82SMHl ■ CRYSTAL REO'D-

19 HflfiMON^C 36,21052632 MHI

Figure 2. 1691 MHz weather receiver.

RELAY COIL NOT ENERGIZED

'TO ANTENNA

RELAY COLL ENER^D^EQ

"TO ANTEriNA

-TO RECEIVER

TRANSMITTER CONVERTER

■TO RECEIVER

TRAN^MI'TTER CONVFftTER

Figure 3. Coaxiai transfer relay. Four-coax connector relay with the unique ability to reverse the transmission of an amplifier used non-energized for receive and energized for transmit gain.

fier witfi a MGF-1402 device. The mixer is not too difficult to come up with. I designed a home-tirew mixer for the 1.3 GHz bands which will also work well at 2.3 GHz. Pack- aged mixers, such as the Mini Circuits Labs TFM series mixers, are smaJI and cost less than $£0 each. Performance is good to 1.5 GHZi which is not bad for a mixer (TFM-5) that is so small you can hide it in a pencil eraser.

The PF amplifiers are not difficult to ob- tain, either. You can purchase several ful- ly constructed devices. Several GaAsFET amps are avaiiable for home-brewing. The ARRL has published excellent designs from both Kent WA5VJS and AL WB5LUA. See Al Ward^s article on de- signs for 2.3-10 GHz in the May 1989 is- sue of OST. Any ARRL Handbook from the last few years has some ot Kent's GaAsFET designs for 1296 MHz. Look the m u p; t h ey a re w hat t h e doctor ordered ,

and they should be modifiable to work at 1691 MHz.

The main difference between the two converters (apart from frequency) is that the 2304 MHz converter isbi-dlrectjonal. It will receive as we El as transmit, with relay switching used to turn the preamplifier around for transmit. This amplifier will not deliver rock-crushing levels, but it will provide a good 10 to 15 dB gain from the mixer. See Figure 1 for block diagrams of both systems.

The Weather Receiver

The weather satellite converter output is connected directly to a 137 MHz VHF weather receiver. In the 2304 MHz version, the receive circuitry is essentially the same except for relay switching. In transmit, the transfer relay reverses the preamplifier to make it a transmit amplifier. An attenuator is switched

74 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 75

into the transmit path to reduce ddve to a level suitabte for the mixer. The maximum power needed te drive the mixer is typjc- aJly +10 dBm, or about 12 milliwatts ol RF. When switching is compisie, Ihe transmitter can De activated. Thts wifl produce output on 2304 MHz« F^ or SSB OperatK>n.

Converters, transvert&rs^they are all the ^me, no matter what frequency ttiey are for. Usually a high frequency is hetero- dyned to a lower fr eq uency for processi r>g , The addition of filtefS arnt other switching Simpiify the lo<ai operation towards a one- switch operation. Timing or sequencer cir- cuits are added to ensure prop&r relay op- efation.

Relay switching can be done manually it you choose. My station operates in the manual mode and works well. It might not be full o1 frills, but what's important is that It work$, II just depends on how far you watii to go with your project and what you want to spend on it.

Crystal Multiplier Construction

Now comes the local oscillator, in most designs this is a crystal muHiplier that needs to be construcled due to a lack of commercial equipment for 1691 and 2304 MHz. Now, i am not a lazy person, but wfien an easy way is available. I make use ot It. Tilts mmally caused some head scratching until it became apparent ttial the old 10 GHz bncks are usable with mi- nor modifications.

lM$\ month you learned how to convert the OutpiJt ttiter of this same brick. In this application, the filter and SRQ diode muftiplier are removed. Now the fundamental high power locaJ osciltatof is ttie LO ompui. I don't know wby I

didn't think of this before.

The operation is quite simple. The 10 GHz bricks have a high power oscillator that nomiaify runs in the 1 700 10 2000 MHz range. Tfie 6 GH^ prick's cavity oscillator runs from 1200 to 1400 MHz, making van* ous applications possitjie. Take a !>asic 10 GHz brick (L0 1 .7-2 GHz) and remove the microwave varactor multiplier and fUtec. This gives you direct access to the high powef LO, This unit is directfy under the blue label for Frequency We$t bricks

He^, change the length of the cavity screw fof the frequency desired. With the cavity screw seated deeper in the cavity, the frequency will t>e higher. Place a coax- iat probe mounted o n a sma! I ad apter plal e over the LO high power output port. This hole was previously occupied by ihe var* actor multiplier's RF probe. By changing the cavity length, it is then possible to make the oscillator phase-lock to frequen- cies as high as 2A GHz, making 2.159 GHz very easy to reach. This allows a £ meter iF at 1 45 MHz to mix with the LO at 2159 MHz, producing 2304 MHz (or 2.304 GHz), This is the high side mijt product.

For the weather satellite receiver using a system IF at 137 MHz, the LO required would be 1554 MHz (low side injection) aj^ 1S2B MHz for high side injection. I have not tried the iow frequency operation at 1554 MHz. but suspect ii m»ghi be pos> Sible I am not familiar with the FM format for the weather data^ but I believe high or LO S^de mix can work well. I am an RF person, and have never tried to receive weather data, but I will get the design worked out OK.

The crystal required for use in the brick is a fiigh accuracy oven-controlted over-

tone crystal. I obtained my crystal from International Crystal Co. in Oklahoma, part number #585132 tot Ihe Frequency West brick oscillator type 54XOL. The crystals costs about S20 each. Crystal fre- Quency can vary from 95 to lOS MHz at the frequency of osciHation. Tfie crystaEs 1 7th to 1 9th harmonkcs are used to kick the Cdvvty oscillator to the desired output fre^ quertcy. Higher liarnKinics are available such as tbe 21st Of 23rd making phase Jock at 21 59 MHz with a 102 309^238 MHz crystal. Using a lower harmonic would make the crystal frequency quite high and put it out oi the 90 to 1 0B MHz range speci* Tied.

As I stated earfier, I have piclcid Up a quantity of the 1 0 GHz phase-locked brick oscillators with and without the multipli- ers. The full to GHz brick with multiplier and retuned for the amateur band is $65. The basic brick without filter lor the weath- er satellite or 2304 MHz service is $50. All prices are postpaid for U.S. destinations,

For further Information on Ihese brick oscillators, check out the many different applications covered in previous 73 arti- cles. For temperature control and typical interrtal crystal osciliators. see the June and July 1990 columns. For details, m- duding diagrams, on the S GHz bhck. see the September 1990 column. The 10 GHz brick system was covered in the Decem- ber 1989 coEumn.

Mall BoK Comments

Blajr VE6AHG saw the column covering the FET Swtcher {power supply) in the August 1990 issue. He has an o*d WWII Navy iraBsmitier (TBW-5) he is restoring, 3 nd ran i nto 3 snag . The I npui power tra ns- former is rated at 800 Hz AC inptJt, and the

switcher used to convert 12 volts DC to 1 10 AC is at Ihe frequency of choice. The FET Switcher should work well. With sev- eral FETs in parallel, Blair should be able to increase current demands. The FETs are hooked up eiemeni*to-eiement with- out current equalization resistors. Use a heat sink and p^e transieni protection from drain to ground. This transient net- work is a 0.1 pF capacitof and 5 ohm resis- tor tied in s&nes to ground from each drain.

Jrm WASPYH saw his response for in- formaiion on stripUne liliefS in this column, and wants to say thanks for the 1 296 LO PC board designed t>y Paul Schuch. He was goi ng to make a copy of I he artwork to try the 1296 MHz filler circuitry on the board. Jim was going to convert the fillers to 1691 MHz for use with a weather salet- lite converter. I kind of upset his plans, as t sent a fully etched PC board with my reply. It was the same one he was going to make. Jim wrote back, "Thanks a loll See how nice hams are. They are Interested in tech- nology and want to Itarn." Thanks, Jim. for the kind words.

Supplying the PC board is not only a way to answer your question, but to give your project a boost Glad I could help out, I make my own PC boards, using the silk screen method. Once the screen is com- plele for a particular proied. a PC board can be zi(^>ed off in no time. I have to give thanks to Paul Schuch for designing the PC board. His article for the 1 296 MHz LO appeared in the Decemb^ 1979 issue of

V\\ be glad to answer C^iddtbns relating to the VHF/UHF microwave areas of inter- est. Please include an SAS£, 73 Chuck

wBeiGP

Mumber 26 on your Feedback card

FECIAL EVENTS

Ham Doings Around the World

Listings are free of charge as space permits. Please send us your Special Event two months in advance of the issue you want it to appear in. For OKampte, if you want it to appear in the January issue, we should receive it by October 31. Provide a dear concise summary of the essential detaifs about your Special Event. Check iHAMFESTS on our BBS (€03^525-4438) for listings that were too late to get into publication.

DEC1

PASADENA, CA The Toys for Tots Ham Radio Rally wtll be hald at thie worlct famous tRos& BowlffOrri 11 AM^ FM Jo rais^tDys for und^rpriviloged children in ihe Los Angeles area All you have to do is bring a new toy valued al $5 or mo-re to parking Lot 1 , just ^Mih of 1 he Aose Bovi4. All toys wiU be collecf- etJ by tf^ US Marine Corp Reserves Other «cnedule<) events are Itw Ham Radio tn^taJla- IkMi Concours;; ham mobile fig judging fior neatness of inslaMation, inventivenQ^^. targe^t number of rigs and aniertnas. Judging begins at 3 PM Talif-inon 145 160- Foftnfo «ll Bfuc^ miFS. (213} 257-5503, Packet: WfiFFS o N6YN.

HAZEL PAfltC. Ml Th$ Hazel Park ARC wfi hoU Its 26tn annual Swap and Sr>dp at Itm Hazel Parh High School from 6 AM-2 PU Admission S3 advance or at the door Tatslfls $12 {res€rrvations niyst be received with Chech, no reservaiiofts by phone!} Free pafkmg TaJk-in on 14fi.64- (DART) Send tab^ and ttckei reserwaiFons to HPARC, PO Bom ^BB, Hazet P^rlc Mi 4303Q.

DEC 7

OOTHAN, At rne Wiregrass ARC ^i\\ hold a Hamfesi from a A^^-3 PM ai ihe Wiregrast f^emofial Park. Set-up from 7-S AM. Free admission. Tables wlh power $7.50; without power $5. Tailgating $2.50, Concessions available on site. ATN'M and Packet Forums VEC FCC Exams on site. Tatk-in on 147,340/ MQ CortlatI N4Rt^U, 1811 West Main St., Oothan AL 36301 for into and reservations.

FARIBAULT, MN The annual Couraga Cemer Hand t Ham Winter Ham^i will be hekj ai Ihe Eagles Club in Faribault, starting with registraikjn a) 330 AM There will bo a handi-hem wjuipment aucti&n, V£ eitams, dinner at noon, arMi program Talh-in on

1 4?. 1 9/79 Contact Don Frsnz W§FiT, 1114 Frank Ave., Albert Lea MN 56007.

DEC&

LARGO. MD TheGoddardARCarvdlheTh- Counly ARC will CQ-spon^or HoEidayfesl '91 to benefit Prince George's County RAGES/ AR£S, tfom 8 AM-4 PM. at the Prknc© George's Commun^y Cotlege Student UnKfti Bklg (Eitit 1 5A or 17A Capital Beltway) There will be Symposiums on Emer^ncy Manage- ment. Antefinas. AMSAT. Packet Radro. and SKYWARM. Meieonotogist Doug Hiti wiU pfifesent a Wealhei symfjosium fi^ VBC Bn* an^ w4ll b^ admioistefBd by the LAFtC VECs Ihreugheut the day. A special CW Speed Cliallenge camasA wfll also be feature Do- nafibo ^ Unlicensed spouses m\C child reti under 12 admitted free. Tailgatrng (weather pemiJtfing} S5. Tables are $1B till Nov 23rd. $22 at the ($oor (if availaJQtei Each table in- dydes one paid donation. Plenty of free hard surface parking. Taik-m on 147. t SO * , 1 4S ?3 simplex, 14^.935-, 444.65+ For reserva- tions, send payment arxi SASE to T¥hC0/ GottdAfti Hotldayfest, 360 D&m^r 4ve.. Matt^Drop 120, Laurel MO 20707. (301} S72-2326.

DEC 14

NORFOLK, VA PC Feat Compuler Shows will sponsor an event at the Norfolk Scope Convention Center from 10 AM-4 PM. Ad mis- sion is S6 for adults, chUdren under 10 admit- ted Iree. For into contaci Shows, /nc, (407} 247^t6€0.

DEC 28

GAITHERS8URG. MD PC Feat Compuler Shows wilJ host an event at the Montgomery County FatrgroLinds from 10 AM -4 PM. Ad- mission S6. chfcldren untJef lOadmitt^ free. Cor>iact StKfWS. inc., PO Bcm 632049. Del* fmy Be^h FL 334B3^ (407} ^4t-l6^,

DEC 29

SOUTH BEND, IN Tha Repenir^r Valley HamtostComiTirHee will hold a Hdrriiesi Swap S Shop at Century Center, Down 1 own on US 33 ONEWAY North between the Soci- ety Bank 8!dg. and the rtver in South Send. Four Jane highways to the door from all dir&ctiofts. Tabies 55/5' round; StSfB t 2 S' rect angola ^O^S' Wall locations TaJk4n <^n 52>52. 9S/39. 69/09. 34/&4, 145 ?9 COfV taci Wayne Wens K9iXU, 1899 mvtrsme Df . Swih Bend IN 4^1^, or phone {219} 233-5307.

SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS

DEC

SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA The Marconi Amateur Wiretess Society ot Sydney. Nova Scotra. will operate Station VAtS during the month Of December, 1991, to cofn- me mo rate ttie 89th Anniversary ef Mar< coni's first successful West 10 East trans* All antic radio transmission on Dec. 15, 1902, from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia la Poldhu. Cornwall, England An attractive certificate suitable tor framing iz, avail- able to confirm contact with VAIS. Send $3 or 5 IRCs to Afan L^tttf ^BlAL. 846 George St., Sydney, Nava Scotta, Canada BiP 1L9.

DEC1

ROSE eOWL. PASADENA. CA The Toys for Tots Ham Radio Rally will operate KASRJF from 1&00Z-240OZ on Dec, 1 te commemorate the first annual Toys for Tots Mam Radio Rally charily avanl Operation will be SSB in the General 40 m and ?0 m and the Novice 10 msubbands. For a certificate, send a QSL and a 9 X 12 SASE so KA&fUF, 1302 M»r Viftfi. P»s0<fena CA91104,

DEC 7-8

PEARL HARBOR, HI Region Eight, Navy^ Marine Corps MARS Will operate KH6SP, HMm and NNN*ARZ. 04O0Z Dec. 7-04002 Dec e, fn:im Ford Island adjacent to the Arizo- na Memoria], to commemorate the SOlh An- niversary ot the Peaii Haitior attach and the sinking of the USS An^ona Amateur opera- tion will be in Itvei lower portion ol ihe General phone tyands, AMTOR and RTTY m sub- bands MAI^S operations will be announced separately. For QSL, ser^ your OSL card and M SASE to KB4JtfKm. 10s fofd i9tm>d, HoneluhiHlB€Sl8.

HONOLULU, HI Agroup Of Hawakan hams win operate a Special Event Station to com- men^^orate the SOth Anniversary ot the attack 00 Peart Harbor OperaiKm wilt t>e T70QZ Dec. 7-1 ^XJZ Dec 6 Frequeficiei. Acitvittes are pianrwd tor aH banctSH, All rnodi^. includ- ing Novice ^bbands, Look for ua at the lower portion of each subband Fof a OSL certify cale, please send your OSL card. € IRCs or equtvaJeni. and a9 v 13 SASE to Pearf Har- tjof Special Evant, PO Bon 760, Wstii^wa H! 96786.

OECJB-JANI

PAS ADE N A, C A T he R elay Repeater A^ C will operate AA6YL from the Wrigley Mansion in Pasadena, to commemora,te Ihe 103rd An- ntversary of the Tournament 01 Roses; 103 years of the Rose Parade, and 78 years of the Rase Bowl Game. The stallon will operate from 1600Z-0400Z each day on the lollowing frequencies; "14 260, 2 1 335 and 28.450. Am- ateurs in California/Nevada can contact the station on 2 meters via the Club repeater 144 970/1 47 41 0, on 147.21 ^ . Or on 220 me^ lets via the Condor Connection For certifi- tms. send OSL and 9x12 SASE {5B cents) to Relay Repeater Club. PO Box 81^ ArcMdia CA 910G6.

76 73 Amateur Radio Today • [December, 1991

New

Number 27 on your Feedback card

PRODUCTS

OPTOELECTRONICS

Optoelectronics Inc, has an- nounced a new frequency detec- tor/counter, the Handt-Counter Model 2300, for use in secure in-

sta nations, countefsurveillance

Compiled by Hope Currier

and polfce tactical situations, pri- vate investigations, two-way ra- dio, ham radio, frequency moni- toring and other applications where a dedicated frequency counter is usually too costly. The Model 2300 features full eight- place readout resolution, 10 mV sensitivity for signal detection at maximum distance from the trans- mitter, and a unique and conve- nient display-hold switch so the user won't have to remember or write down the detected frequency. The Model 2300 is priced at $99, There is an optional NiCd battery pack available for $29. For more information, contact Op- toefectronics Ina, 5821 NE 14th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale PL 33334: {305} 771-2050, (BOO) 327-5912, FAX: (305) 771-2052, Or circle Reader Service No. 201 ,

RADIO SHACK

The Realistic® HTX-202 2m synthesized VHF-FM HT comes with a large-capacity NiCd battery pack/charger, a multifunction scanning system, 12 indepen- dently programmable memory channels (plus one calling and three priority memory channels), a buitt-in subaudible tone encoder and tone squelch, a touch-tone (DTMF) memory dialer and DTMF squelch. The highJy selective re- ceiver fights intermod and front- end overload. True FM transmit gives superior clarity on voice and outstanding performance on packet. An alkaline battery case, belt cHp, charger and rubber ducky antenna are included.

The suggested retail price for the HTX-202 is $260. For the ad- dress of a local dealer, contact Radio Shack, 700 One Tandy Center, Fort Worth TX 76102; (817) 390-3300, Or circle Reader Service No. 202.

MILESTONE TECHNOLOGIES

CODEMASTER Version 4.0 is a new version of Milestone Tech- nologies' Morse code training pro- gram. This upgrade incorporates changes requested by customers, especially in the area of the user mterface, taking advantage of the latest compifer and processor technology. It significantly en- hances user control of the pro-

gram, offering a new routine for changing and saving program set- tings, improved performance, and a higher level of error checking.

The price hasn't gone up— the new version is stili $19.95. Con- tact Milestone Technologies, 3551 S. Monaco Parkway, Suite 223, Denver CO 80237-1228; (303) 752-3382, Or circle Reader Service No. 205.

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ELENCO ELECTRONICS

Elenco Electronics has intro- duced a new series of digital

handheld multimeters that have an extra-large, easy-to- read, three-quarter LCD dis- play, perfect for engineers, technicians or hobbyists. The CM-1500B multimeter and CM-1550B capacitance meter have a one-half percent accu- racy rate. The CM 1 500B mea- sures AC/DC volts; AC/DC current to 20 amps; and resis- tance, transistors, diodes, ca- pacitors to 20 pF as well as conductance. The CM-1550B tneasures capacitance from 0 J pF to 20,000 \i¥. Both me- ters have side push-button switcheSp and the CM-1650B has a zero control.

Both meters include Elen- co's two-year warranty, test ieads, operator manual, and a carrying case at no additional charge. Prices are $75 for the CM-1500B, and $79,95 for the CM-1550B. For more informa* tion, contact Elenco Electron- ics. inc., 150 West Carpenter Ave., Wheeling IL 60090; (708) 541-3800, FAX: (708) 520- 0085. Or circle Reader Service No. 203.

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FB ENTERPRISES

FBenterprises is offering a set of handy reference cards for hams. ''Quick-N-Easy 2m Re- peater Maps'* are maps of yotir state, including an up-to-date tist of 2m repeaters. The back of the card lists 220, 440, and 900 MHz, and 1.2 GHz repeaters in the state. These cards are easy^o- read, and great for travel. The '*Quick-N-Easy DXCC" card (see photo) has a listing of all DXGC countries, along with their most common prefix, and the beam heading from your location. ''Quick-N-Easy QSO Helper!" lists the RST system. Q signals, UTC time conversion, Fahrenheit* to-Celsfus temperature conver-

sion, and feet-to-meters conver- sion. "Quick-N-Easy Shortwave Listening" is a series of four cards for shortwave listeners. Each card shows six hours of the day with listings for shortwave broadcast stations. The "QSL Kct*' is a pack- age containing everything needed for QSLing DX stations via the bu- reau, including envelopes, ad- dresses for each bureau p and in- structions on how to use the faureatj.

The cards retail for $4.95 each; the QSL kit is $1.99. Dealer in- quiries are welcome. Contact FBenterprises, 6818 Rainier Dr., Vancouver WA 98664; (206) 695- 3637. Or circle Reader Service No. 204.

73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991 77

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A.W.SPERRY INSTRUMENTS

A.W. Sperry Instruments has an^

flounced a new Techmasler digital myttimeter. Model DM-8S00. Thrs rugged 3-3/4 digit, drop-proof, fieasry du- ty, autoranging DMM can read 12 functions on 37 ranges. Its many features include a fused 20A AC/DC range, overload protection on all ranges, HFE transis- tor test, bgic indicator, peak holdp diode test, safety yel* low housing and "auto-off/' making the DM-8500 one of the most state-of-the-art di- gital multimeters available today. It cornes complete with one set of tesi leads (TL-58). one 6*4 battery, one F-20 fuse, operating irh Structions and a warranty card.

The Model DW-8500 is priced at SI 39.95. For more information, contact A. W. Sparry instruments /nc, B45 Marcus Boulevard, Hauppauge NY 11788; (516) 231-7050. Or circle Reader Service No. 207.

CCTV CORP

CCTV Corporation has intro- duced the '*G8C*^ CCD-300 mi- cro-miniature solid-state CCD camera, a vidtcon camera re- placement, ideal for all CCTV needs. The camera uses a unique micro-electronic shutter that al- lows the sensor itself to compen- sate for all light changes, there- fore eliminalmg the need for an auto-iris lens. The CCD-300 can use both '^C*' and "CS" type lens- es. It operates from low voltage (7-1 2V DC) and comes standard Wfth a 1 20V AC to low voltage OC power modula. Full video can be achieved with light levels as low as 2 lux. The camera otters resolu- tion in excess of 350 lines. pEus standard features such as ad- justable gamma, auto black level,

a built-in image enhancer, mirror image revei^al and switchable au- to/manuat gain.

The CCD-300 is priced at $229.50 for 73 readers. Contact CCTV Corp,, 315 Hudson Street, New York NY 10013; (212) 989- 443$, (800) 22U2240, FAX: (212) 463-9758. Or circle Reader Ser- vice No. 210.

MARCOMP

"Mr, Morse*' from MARCOMP, a customized version of a pack- age used by the Canadian Navy, is a user friendly program which uses hypertext technology, pull- down menus, windows, dialogue boxes and selection buttons. The program rs divided into two modes of operation: Learning Mode for beginners, where the characters and their symbols can bo dis- played while transmitting: and Training Mode for continuous training for advanced users. The Receiving Module is $39.95, the Transmitting Module (added) is $24. 95, both modules together are S59,95. and a kit for interfac* ing an actual Morse key to the user's computer is $129-95. All prices are Canadian dollars; taxes and shipping not included. Con- tact MARCOMP, M4Q2'130 Keith Road West, North Vancouver, B.C., Canada V7M 1L5; (604) 980-5718, FAX: (604) 988-6455. Or circle Reader Service No. 206.

THE RADIO WORKS

Catalog /tf9t2 from The Radio Works, an 80-page source book oJ wire antenna systems* parts and accessories, is now available free to 73 readers (for extra-fast deliv- ery, send $2 for first-class postage), tt includes a complete selection of coax, connectors, and antenna wire — everything for the wire antenna wire enthusiast. A full array of complete antenna sys- tems like the Carolina Windom, *'G5RV Ultra*' and SuperLoop are featured. New in this issue is a line of isolators made speclficaliy for vertical antennas, plus the 60- 10m Carolina beam and the 40- 10m Carolina Beam/2, Everything you need to accessorize or update your present antenna system is in this catalog, all at discount prices.

To order your copy, contact The Radio Works, Box 6159, Portsmouth VA 23703; (804) 484- 0140, FAX: ($04) 483" 1873, (Mention 73) Or circle Reader Service No. 21 1 .

POLYPHASER

A video tutorial, "Grounding— An OvervteWp" is now available from Polyphaser and its dis- tributors for $49,95. The video, approximately 60 minutes long, provides extensive information on the latest grounding tech- niques for communication site protection from lightning. Future

videos Will cover more site-selec- tive installations, such as high- rise buildings and mountain top locations.

For more Information, contact PoiyPhaser Corporation, Cus- tamer Service Department, P.O. Box 9000, Minden NV 89423- 9000; (702) 782^2511, (800) 3^5-7170, FAX: (702) 782^476.

Or circle Reader Service No, 208.

OWENS/BROWNING SOFTWARE

CW Simulator software from Owens/Browning Software in- cludes Morse code training fea- tures that ham radio operators have requested: adjustable code speed and tone; beginning lesson menu; display in groups, lines and characters; **Hide and Seek" text option; letters, numbers, punctua- tion and 0 signals; random char- acter and callstgn generator; and standard and Farnsworth modes. It has a QSO generator capable of over 700 billion combinations

(users can edit and create new text); a screen editor to create, save and play back user-created QSOs and messages; a plamtext generator for three*, four- and five* letter words; and the ability to cali- brate software code speed to the PC cJock. The program offers on- the-air simulation, teaching the operator to copy through QRM and poor operator rhythm,

CW Simulator is available on 3.5'' and 5.25" diskettes, for $24.95 each. Contact Owens/ Browning Software, 954 Church St., Hutchinson MN 55350. Or cir- cle Reader Service No. 209.

COYNE CO.

MacHam"^ software programs from the Coyne Co. are test gen- erator/study aids for getting a no-code Technician class ham li- cense, and for upgradmg. "Krtac- Ham Technician" contains all 700 possible FCC questions for the code-free Technician test, covering both elements 2-Nov- ice and 3A-Techntcian. The Mac-

Ham programs for upgrades cover all possible questions from elements 3B-General. 4A-Ad- vanced and 4B-£xtra, respective- ly. Each program will generate FCC-style exams and any num- ber of unique tests are possible. Exams can be taken on*screen or in printed form. An on-line glossary of key terms is included. Hardware requirements: any Macintosh computer. Mac Plus

or newer: 2MB RAM and a hard drive; and a Macintosh-compat- ible printer.

The suggested retail price for MacHam Technician is $49.95; MacHam General. Advanced and Extra are $34.95 each. Pncea include shipping. Contact Coyne Co.. P,0. Box 2000-200, Mission Viejo CA 92692; (714) 855- 4689. Or circle Reader Service No. 212.

78 73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 79

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SK KABOOM

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More Gain

Before we continue our discus- sion of gain, I'd like To sidetrack a little and discuss a lopic which may surprise you. In the three years I've been writing this column, we Ve cov- ered just about every component used in modem radio gear, right? WeH, there's ore we've overlooked, and I was reminded of its importance by a probtem I had with my TS-940,

l*ve had the rig for about five years, and never noticed anything wrong. Recently, though, I was fool- ing around with it while it was con^ nected to my dummy load, and I dis* covered that the ''high cut*' control, which narrows the high side of Ihe receive passband, was affecting my transmit audio as well!

The '940 has an tF monitor tunc- tjon which lets you listen to your ac- tual transmit signal. Sure enough, my voice was being severely muff ted in transmit whenever the high cut control was turned toward the nar- row side, Even weirder, the problem only occurred when I was in LSB: in USB. the rfg behaved perfectly nor* maHy! What was gotng on here?

Up with the Scope

Maturatly, I dug out my oscillo- scope and started probing. Luckily, I have the service manual for the ra- dio, so I knew where to look. Actual- ly. I needn't have bothered with the scope. In fact, I could have left the rig's covers on; a little deduction was all that was really required. Let's look at the facts here: Everything works fine in receive, where the con- trol is supposed to function. It is properly locked out in transmit as long as the radio is set to USB. A look si the service manual reveals that the high cut control functions by the microprocessor's reading the posh tion of the knob and sending data to the PLL, which then shifts an oscilla- tor in order to shift the signal around within the SS6 filter's pass band. If all this stuff works, then how could it be broken only in LSB? The answer iST It isn't! The rig is shifting the PLL when a shouldn't because the sofh ware fs teding ft to^

Does Software Break?

You got it, it was defective soft- ware. Today's radios, which are vir- tually all microprocessor-driven, de- pend upon their system software to control most functions, A defect or bug in that software can make the radio seem broken, and in effect , it is. Yes, software is a component af- ter all! Don't overlook it as a suspect. especraily in obscure cases like this

The Tech Answer Man

one. where nearly everything works and the pieces of the puzzle just don't add up.

Thanks^ Guys

Kenwood was unaware of any bugs in the TS'040 operating sys* tern* but they suggested that the EPROM (which holds the software) in my rig could be defective. Al* though EPROMs don1 fail that way (in the rare event of failure, they go completely), it occurred to me that mine could have glitched a few bytes during its factory programming, In any event, a new EPROM from the nice folks at Kenwood fjxed the whole thing up. Casectosedl

Gaining on Us

Let's continue our discussion of gain. We've seen what it is and why we do it. So what's Ihe big deal, hght? We know how to make amplifi- ers by the barrelfuL But no! so last. II you've ever built an amplifier stage, you know that its gain drops off with increasing signal frequency. Audto amps are completely useless at RF, Why should that be?

The answer is: capacitance. Any time you have a voftage potential across any two circuit elements which are near each other, those two elements will exhibit capacitance along with their other properties (such as inductance, resistance, etc.)- Unfortunately, this essential fact of life extends even to etec- tfodes in a tube or layers in a semi- conductor.

Thus^ transistors, diodes, or any parts for that matter, have capaci- tance between their leads, in other words, they store charges. The re- sult is that they have speed limits beyond which those tnternal capaci- tors cannot charge and discharge fast enough. The result is thai there are numerous little low-pass filters all over the circuit. Every circuit has them. And, if you recall, the impedance of a given capacitarK:e value goes down as the frequency goes up.

So, as the intended signals rise into the RF range, those tmy capacl^ tances. which have little or no effect on audio signals, start to short out the RF signals you want. The result: The gain drops off until there is none left. In fact, you wind up with iess signai at the output than you fed inl This is called negative gain, but real* ty, it is toss.

Two Ways Out

There are two ways out of this situ- ation, and each has its place. The first is obvious: Reduce the stray ca- pacitances until they are low enough that they don't cause trouble II works— to a point. Especially with small signal amplifiers, gain devices

(transistors, iCs and tuttes) are avail- able that have been designed to have very tow capacitance. They make nice RF amps up to and be- yond 30 MHz.

The other solution is to make the existing capacitances part of 3 tuned circuit which resonates at or near the frequencies you want to amplifyl Now, that same pesky property Is turned to your advantage because, as you surety know, nothing works as well as a tuned circuit! This is pre- cisely the technique used in the final amps of rigs with tube finals, and a few early transistor finals were made that way. loo. Now you know where the TUNE and LOAD controls came from— Ihey set the resonant circuit to the frequency you are trying to amplify.

It is possible to make no-tune RF amps. Most solid'^staie rigs have them, and some tube linear amps use them also. Basically, they are broadband tuned circuits, t know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be done. You just use a very tow-O LC (inductive'Capacltive) combination with no distinct reso- nant peaks within the desired pass- band. As long as you cancel the cir- cuit's internal capacitance with sufficient inductance, it works. In practice, It's a M harder to do well than it sounds.

More Than Amps

Last month, at the beginning of this exploration. I stated that gain was the foundation for virtually all electronics. We've examined ampli- fiers, but it takes more than amplifi- ers to make radios, computers, TVs, etc. Let's look at how gain can be turned to other uses.

You know how placing a micro* phone too close to a PA speaker causes feedback howl? Well, that's exactty how oscillators work. They're just amplifiers which '*hear*' their own signals, causing the signal to go around and around The speed of travel is limited by circuit capaci- tance, and by deliberate means such as coil-cap, resistor-cap. or crystal resonant circuit elements, if a voltage-tunable capacitor (called a varlcap or varactor diode) is used, you ve got a VCO (Voltage Con- trolled Oscillator), which is an Impor- tant part of most frequency synthe- sizer schemes.

In order for the oscillator to work, the direction or *^phase/' of the out- put must be the same as the Input. That's called noninverting gain. When the phase is opposite— when the output goes down as the input goes up, and vice versa— you have inverting gain. An inverted signal cannot reinforce itself at the input, so there can be no perpetuation of the signal. It's a useful technique when you want to a vo^y oscillation in a circuit meant only to amplify,

Open the Gate

Digital gates, from which all com- puters are built, are amplifiers, tool

The foundation of the binary digital technique is that there are only two circuit states: on and off. So. these amplifiers are delit>erately designed to have extremely poor Imearity! They are always either driven all the way on, or they are oft. Actuatly, the internal construction of a typical di- gital gate looks remarkably like that of an audio amplifier. Inverting am- plifiers are used for inverting func- tions like inverters. NAND and NOR gates, f^on inverting amps are used for AND and OR gates, as well as buffers. By the way, an entire com- puter can be built from NAND or NOR gates. But it would take an aw- ful lot of them to build a PC clone! Now, let*s look at some tetters:

DearKaboom,

/ have an ICOM 575H 6 and 10 meter radio, and f need an antenna tuner for it Dalwa makes one, but they onfy sell it in Europe. Any ideas?

Signed, Out of Tune

Dear Out,

An antenna tuner is a very simple thing. Really, it ts fust a coll and few vahable capacitors. The first thing rd try Is to borrow a small tuner from a friend and try it. even if ti isn't made to cover 6 meters. Start with the in- ductor set for minimum inductance and give it a try. keeping the rig set for k)W power while tuning the ca- pacitors. The tuner*s SWR meter will probably be a bit inaccurate at the higher frequencies, but it should still suffice tor relative Indications, which is all you need anyway. I'd stay away from big, kilowatt tuners here, be* cause their larger components are likely to have too much stray reac- tance to work well at 50 MHz. If you can t get it to work^ why not build your own tuner? Check the ARRL Handbook and other antenna pro- ject books for plans. Lots of hams build their own tuners, and you can, too!

Dear Kaboom,

Sometime back you mentioned the KDKFM-20f6A 2meter mobile, I have one with a probiem. The trans* mit frequency is off by 3 kHz on the high side. I've tned adjusting the os- ciilator trimmer and also the three offset caps, but no iuck. What can I do?

Signed, Off and Tired of It

Dear Off,

Yeah, miners had that problem, too. You need a new crystal, which you can get for a few bucks from any of the crystai houses advertising in the backs of the magazines. If the frequency is off only in the + shift position, replace X2, which is the 13.966 MHz crystal After you re- place it, be sure to set the trimcap for the correct frequency and also to readjust the trimpot next to it by set- ting the +5 kHz switch on and turn- ing the pot for the con^ect frequency.

73, and see you all r>ext month .

82 73 Amateur Radio Today * December. 1991

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 83

Never Say Die

Continued from page 4 often exciting. And beating down the pjle-ups, hour after hour, js a ru^h you'll never forget the rest of your life. What does it take to blast you away from the boob tube and your nightly net? Or are you investing the few hours left of your life numbly watcliing quiz shows p sitcoms and soaps, drinking beer and eating potato chips? Oh, I see tho^e fEabby beer betiies hanging out from under your dirty tee shirts and over your belts at hanafests.

Albania was one of the last bastions. One of the rarest of the rare. I forget now how long ago it was that Frank DL7FT/ZA got on the air for a few hours . , . yes, of course I worked him. I think he got permission from a minor officfal and it look a while for higher officials to overrule the decision and escort Frank back over the border

But you don't have to go for the #1 needed country, If you just go down to the Caribbean you can find some fairly rare islands which'll guarantee you pile-ups. Visiting these are more a mat- ter of your doing some research and having the initiative. No dangers in- volved. No pioneering. But one heck of a lot of fun. And if you take some pic- lures you might get published in 73 by a jealous editor. A very jealous editor.

It's been a couple years since I got on from W2NSO/FP8. so I need a DX- pedltlon fix. Tm definitely antsy, i've got my pictures out from my 7P8 and 3D6 trip. . sfgh. Then We been invit- ed on a diving trip for next March to New Caledonia. 1 haven't operated from there in years, I haven't even kept in touch with all my ham friends In Noumea.

What' 1 1 it take to get you off dead center and into action? Don't you get excited thinking about it? I suppose 1 should tell you about when 1 got on from Nairobi, Beirut, Damascus, the American embassy in Tehran, Kabul, Katmandu, and so on to get your fires warmed up.

I guarantee I'm busier than you, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't drop ev- erything in a minute and head to Alba- nia, The readers who responded to my September editorial asking for help setting up a national rep organization to sell music and music publications will get an Idea of the number of proj- ects Tve got going. It's such a network of interrelated projects that Hhink there are oniy one or two peopEe working for me who understand how it ali fits to- gether.

1 do my letterhead on my laptop com- puter because the number of my com- panies changes every few days. Of course I suppose t come across as a Great Panjandrum as a result. Put it down to the Wizard of O2 syndrome. But yes, I'm busy. Of course, since 1 retired in 1 983 1" ve been just having fun and I rarefy spend much more than half a day "working". . .12 to 16 hours, tops. Okay, so where shall we go and raise some hell on the bands?

Let's not forget to take along SSTV, I had it with me at KC4DX, JY9AA and 7P&PA. Weli need packet and OSCAR

NOLLL

Peter Growl

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gear. RTTY? Why not? I had a great time on RTTY from Bangkok not long ago. Are you packed yet? Burma seems to be opening up. When I visited there was no hamming. Ditto when I visited Baghdad, but I'll bet King Hus- sein couid put In a bad word for me and YI2NSD might be able to hit the ground running. Or shoutd I start another mag- azine instead? I've got this Secret Guide to FREE Music I want to get go- ing. ..

The Magic of Communications

Until you are robbed of both the visu- al and audio cues we're used to getting while talking! you don't realize how Im- portant these things are for communis cations. This, more than anything else, is what causes mike fright. Suddenly we have to talk to someone and we're not getting the cues we've been used to getting ail our life. No nods, no eyes to see, not even any uh-huhs to keep us going.

tt*s no wonder so many of us tend to get Into habit patterns, saying essen- tially the same thing for one contact after another. . . day after day, year af- ter year. What can we talk about? We call a CQ, get a call from someone who gives us nothing more than a cailsign. So we have to start off with the ba- sics. . .name, iocation and signal re- po rt . Then we f ee i we s hou I d say some- thing eise . . . like what? We don't even know his name yet. So how can we get any kind of a conversation going? The weather? Good grief! How about your rig and antenna? You know he doesn't care any more about that than you do» so why waste your breath?

It's embarrassing to start reading off a list of your interests, so thaf s out. in a couple of years I hope we'll have a way to send such a list, perhaps via packet or a sub-carrier, so it can be displayed on the screen on the other chap's rig. Better yet. a fairly simple processor In your rig could match your interests against his and highlight them on your screen.

Meanwhile, how are we going to get a real QSO started? Maybe this is in- surmountable and we should just for- get even trying to use amateur radio for meaningful communications. Perhaps

we should just give up and use it for contests, DXing (which is a form of con- test) and checking into nets where we've already known everyone for a long time.

Duplex

If s a shame that we didn't at least build our repeater systems so they'd work full duplex. Back before the FCC changed the rules, I used to love work- ing duplex on 1 60m with four to eight stations all sitting there talking, just as we would in a living room. I think it was January 1938 they made that illegal. Oh, they didn't intend to, . .that was a by-product of their wanting to stop a handful of jerks who were broadcast- ing records for hours at a time. Yes, we've always had a good supply of jerks.

So the FCC dumped a rule on us which said ali transmissions had to be for the purposes of communications. That scotched the records all right, but it also had the FCC monitors sending out pink OSLs for duplex contacts.

We could get back to duplex on our repeaters if we'd use two-band rigs. Then two of us could transmit on two 1 46 MHz channels and listen on 222 or 450 MHz. Anyone want to give it a try and write about it?

It would be much more difficult to do this on the HF bands, but if you sepa- rated your antennas a bit, you could work duplex from one end of 10m to the other. . .and probably 15m too.

I used to have a bali getting some fairly rare DX stations into a 75m net via my 20m station. Td relay the 75m net on 20m for the DX station and then relay the DX station from 20m to 75 so he could talk to the net. I! worked great and was exciting.

I got an FCC monitoring com plaint alxjut it once* but they backed down when t explained that (a) all my trans- missions were for the purposes of com- munications and (b) Td checked with the FCC in Washington before I did it,

As long as you've got at least two stations on one band you can legally work duplex cross band. A devious per- son might set up a duplex operation with another station and give the call of a fictitious third station just to give the

facade of propriety.

But what about QRM, I hear you grumbling? Sure, that*s a problem, but not an insurmountable or^e^ Ten me- ters Is essentially dead for many hours a day^ so you wouldn't be likely to get much interference if you you used it for ground wave contacts, Fifteen meters will be dead more and more of the time as the sun spots fade again. Then there's poor old six meters, which has almost been abandoned.

It doesn't take a lot of Ingenuity to set up a remote station on, say, 20m. It only has to be far enough away so your receiver doesn't biock. I used to have my 20m station linked via a 2m re* peater so I could operate it from any- where around town via a 2m HT. That worked out fine, allowing me to make DX contacts while getting my morning exercise, climbing Pack Monad nock Mountain.

So let's use some imagination and get more fun into hamming. If you can start a movement toward duplex opera- tion, you may be able to help us break the boredom barrier. Let me know how you make out. And let me know if du- plex operating doesn't bring excite- ment and fun to your hamming.

Bad Mouthing the Lesiguft

t got a letter last month griping that "Tm always bad mouthing the League." Let's mull that one over. Bad-printing would be a more accurate term for the perception.

When I get a ietter l^ke that I kno^ two things, I know that the writer is (a) not a thinking person and (b) has a religious affiliation with the ARRL, not a rational one. Let me explain the situa- tion.

As the dominant publisher in the ham field, the ARRL has, to my mind, a responsibility to do its best to keep the hobby healthy and make it grow. It's the League's failure at these two basic responsibilities which I deplore. - and which I often comment on, offering constructive criticism.

In the music field my magazine. CD Review/Music & Audio Reviews, is as dominant as QST is in amateur radio, so I feel a responsibility as the publish- er to help the music Industry be healthy and grow.

When I was publishing computer magazines I accepted the responsibili- ty that came with my dominance in that field and helped the field to grow with books, the first mass-produced soft- ware, a computer show in Boston arwi so on. None of these were big money- makers, but I felt they were important for the growth of the industry.

In the music field the industry has been taken over by a cartel of six inter- national megacorporations (mostly for- eign owned) that now control over 95% of all music sates in America! That doesn*t seem healthy to me, so I'm working to bring about some changes ... as i mentioned in September. The music business is big enough so even 5% of it is significants running to anDund $400 million a year in sales. My goal is to build that to maybe $4 billion.

In September I asked for hams inter-

84 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

ested in making sofne spare change as reps for my dlsinbut^on company, Cre- atrve Music Mailceting. We ve already got a nice stack of applications, so we're in business- Reps will help get my magazines, plus about eight other music maga- zines, whtch we also distribyte, into record, music inslrument, t>ook, and hi-fi stores. They'll help us distribute music from several hundred indepen- dent record companies. They'll help distribute our "Adventures In Music" sampler CDs. They'll help get new re* leases played on local radio stations and reviews in local papers, tt's a fan- tastic business for anyone who toves music, and should everituaily pay of! ¥©fywelL

Just as Tm helping the music indus- try to grow and to dean up some of the dirtier aspects of the business . such as Itie radio payola which was recently documented by the bast sailer Mil Men, and a sorry lot of crooked distrtb- utors. . , I believe the ARRL directors should be working with every tool at their disposal to help us clean up the messes we have on our bands, I also believe they should make ft their busi- ness to get the growth of amateur radio back to where It was before the League stopped it dead in 1964.

Yes, the no-code license, which the ARRL fought For year^, has increased our growth, but it's still far short of the steady 11% growth we had m the 1945-1964 period. The League, if the directors wanted, c»ukf turn this situa- tion arourvd in a year. Tve outlined what needs to be done many limes . , , known as "League-bashir>g."

There was a wonderful article in the September issue of Success magazine on goal setting. ''E^rery successful per* son is an obsessive goal setter" The article pointed to a study made of the 1953 Yale graduating class. They were asked (a) Have you any goals? (b) Have you written them down? (c) Do you have a plan for accomplishing ihem? Only 3% answered yes to all three quesNons. Twenty years later the group was surveyed again. The 3% who'd said yes were more happily mar- ried, more successful and had t>etter health - , . and 97% of the net worth of the class of '53 was in the hands of ihai 3%. Il*s almost enough to make a per- son think.

Says Success: "You can go through Itfe, or you can design one. If you have a plan, if you have a goal , then opportu^ nilies pop out in front of you. Mosi peo- ple spend more time planning their va- cation than they do their life."

It also points out that, 'Doing any- thing for money is instant failure/' and ^'Studies show thai 58% of Americans never read a non-fiction l?ook once they finish school . . . the average per- son tisted in Who's Who reads 20 books a year. . .now tell me who has the better chance at being success- ful?''

Tve got all kinds of opportunities to use my guerrilla marketing approach in the music buslrress because the siK majors are run by financial guys, not music guys. The music industry is

muctii tike a third world coontry wtFh a few very rich people and the rest in aijject poverty, Of such conditions rev* otutions Bre made, . .and I'm startmg one.

My IMPS Journal is read by 5,000 independent music producers. My Mu- sic RBtmling is read by about 5,000 independent record store owners^ These are the only publicatws reach- ing these groups regularly, so they give me an enormous advantage in mount- ing my guerrilla attacks.

If the ARRL directors would set up some goals . .and then honor them . . ,our hobby would benefit endlessly. They did set up a goal a while back to promote the hobby and bring about substantial growth. Then they did al- most nothing to make rt happen. How much credit should they lake for the current s|Mjr1 in growth? I've seen let- ters from Newington taking fult credit for the no-code license. Before arty HO arms get broken with self-con gratuta- iton, there should be some admission that we'd have had no-code at feast 1 0 years earlier if the ARRL hadn't fought it with every trick in the book. The League reluctantly endorsed the Idea once there was no further way to stop it.

League old-timers are still griping to anyone who will listen , , . and not many will, Jhat the no*€Ddefs will ruin the hobby^ They're nothing but dymb CBers, they claim. These old turkeys stopped reading 73 years ago. . .if they ever did so they don't know (and don't want to know) that the new FK>-code licensees are turning out to be some of our best operators. They don't know . . and don't want to hear about it . . that the newcomers are. almost to a person, getting busy learning the code so they can upgrade. Closed minds ward off such data.

As my grandmother used to say, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Max Planck, who ran into the same problem with his quantum theory, said essentially the same thing. Some old-time scientists are siiJl fighting quantum theory.

I keep Max's quote on my office wall. ''A new scientific truth does not trj* umpti by convincing its opponents and makmg them see the light, but rather because its opponents eveniualty die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." Keep that in mind as those doddering otd-timers grouse about no-code at club meetings. They're old^ so you'll be seeing them In Silent Keys ere long.

Of course, with the average ham age in the mid-50s these days, most of us are headed toward pulling the big swrtch. You can react to that news by giving up and making everyone around you as miserable as posstbte white you await your final blessing from the ARRL. Or you can say. hey, I've got to get moving and get some things done that need doing set some goars and pursue them.

\l helping to clean up amateur radio and g$t it growing by ousting the old guard ARRL directors doesn't appeal to you. . .and If you aren't particularly

interested in helping me clean up the music industry and open rt up for en- trepreneurs. . perhaps you can get your teeth into something else where you'll make a dffference.

Tm active in the education field and I'm already making a small difference^ The governor (NH) appointed me to the new Economic Development Commis- sion to try and get New Hampshire back in the black. I've got some plans for helping our largest industry, tourism, grow . , , with a goal of dou- bling in the next three years. And I've got some educational plans which should bear fruit in about 10 years, at- Iracting high tech entrepreneurs to the stale.

If I can improve ^few Hampshire tourism, you can bet other states will soon follow suit. Ditto education. This is a perfect state for thtngs like this in that it's small enough so it's easy to know the govemof aruf other key play- ers . . .like the richest guy in the state, who is also a good friend and suppoft- er.

New Hampshire has always been progressive, W© had the first aerial tramway in North America (1938). We had the first lottery. We've had two gov- ernors who became presidential advi- sors.

The current unemployment in NH has mostly to do with the high con- centration of larger high tech business- es such as DEC, Data General. Wang and so on. Too much bet on fading technologies too much on defense contracting. New Hampshire needs to actively attract smalt high tech entre- preneurial businesses if it wants to avoid future recessions.

Once the large companies falter they start laying off thousands of workers. This has a domino effect on construc- tion, home prices, car sales and so on, It depresses everything. Entrepre- neurs, on the other hand, are able to quickty adapt to changing technolo- gies and ride each succeeding wave. It's far easier lo be in front of a trend than to try and catch up later.

The microcomputer is making both the mainframe and the minicomputer obsolete. Anyone but the accountants running the big companies saw this commg years ago. tndeed. I wrote about that m my editonals 15 years ago, explaining exactly what I expect- ed would happen . . and it has.

What do I see ahead in the ham field? Either we accept the responsibil- ity and force the ARRL to do what its charter says it should, or we're dead meat. We all know in our hearts that technology is rapidly making amateur radio a pathetic relic of the past. Sure, CW is fun. So is DXing. But do we really t>elieve that we're going to be able to hold onto hundreds of billions of dollars of radio spectrum for the amusement of an aging group of old men? Old white men?

We either bring in yoyngslers by the hundreds of thousands and encourage Ihem lo experiment with new commu- nications modes or we're goners^ but just don't know it yet. Bltl Hoisington was busy experimenting with new

modes until he died in his 80s He was at that since I first met him as W2BAV m 1948. Age is no excuse for vegetat- ing.

Old-time readers wiM remember Bill's dozens of articles in T^on build- ing microwave transmitters and receiv- ers using simple, inexpensive transis- tors and test equipment.

Ham Broadcast Service Coordination

Just as repeaters started sprouting throughout the VHF bands 20 years ago, we are seeing a ham broadcasting service starting to spread through our Hf t^ands. And just as we found it crit^ cally important to set up voluntary re- peater coordination to limit interfer- ence, perhaps ifs time for c%>ordi nation to help keep our ham broadcasting ser- vices from interfering with each other.

Some Basic Rules

Since tho FCC has provided no real guidelines for this service, Tm go^ng to propose some whrch seem reasonable to me. If you disagree, please let me know what you suggest as an alterna- tive.

For instance, since it's so simple to set up a ham broadcasting service us- ing a tape recorder that almost any ham can do it- I propose we agree up front to try to keep news broadcasts under one hour in the interests of spec- trum conservation.

Of course our role model for ham broadcasting should be Wi AW, which has been cloing this with great success tor decades. Few of us can hope to equal their incredible (and horrendous^ ty expensive) array of Harris commer- cial broadcasting equipment, but their computer control, which allows the sta- tion to be run with no operator present, can be easily emulated. Indeed, arti- cles on software for this application witi certainly be of interest.

In order to keep interference mini- mal. I suggest we plan to give broad- casters 10 kHz channels Since K1 MAN has claimed 14 275 kHz for hts own on 20m. we can allocate from there on down the band, stopping at 14.225, which would give us seven channels. Once tFvose have been allo- cated we might want to continue on up to 14.325, giving us five more chan- nels. This could be a great solution to KV4FZ's continuing 14.313 garbage heap.

Once those 12 channels have ail been coordinated, we'll need to con- sider a time-sharing system, with per- haps some transmitting on the even hours and the alternates on the odd hours.

But What About QRM?

First, the FCC regu tat ions say dear- ly that it's necessary to check a fre- quency before transmitting on their self^assigned (commandeered) fre- quencies, whether anyone else hap- pens to already be using them or not Many nets operate on the same princi- ple. - that they are the primary users of the frequency and have an inherent right to them.

73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991 85

Once we have enough broadcasters in operation, most hams will probably be so busy listening to these interesting broadcasts that they will have little need to transmit, anyway. Thus, each ham broadcaster could easily keep hundreds or even rhou$ands ot other ham operators busy listening, thus redydng QRM signifi- cantly.

Material To Broadcast

The FCC reguiations stale that ham broadcasters m^ust transmit information of particular interest to amateurs ^ This could include discussions of proposed rule changes, it could include technicai dis- oussions. It could include theory iectures and code practice to help amateurs up- grade their license grades. It could include DX and DXpedition information and lists of QSL handlers.

In fact, almost anything can be dis- cussed, as long as even a remote connee- tion is made to amateur radio. I'm looking forward to making tapes discussing in de- tail every one of my DXpedltions over the last 33 years. And tor those of you with color s low-scan equipment Til have some nice color pictures of the DX stations and rare countries I've visited. I've got thou- sands offabubus pictures.

There's no reason bulletins have to be al f on voice , C W or S SVsi , so 1 ' m su re we ' II be seeing RTTY, ASCII and other com- puter-readable formats turning up.

Just as w have hundreds of ham nets, ril bet we'll fiave special interest ham broadcasting.. Jor ham doctors, law- yers, submarine vets, G.E. employees and ex-employees, UFOs, MAC users, PCers, and soon.

I hope we don't run into the problem we have with repeaters where we've al- most reached a 1:1 ratio., .one ham lor each repealer. This at least has the benefit of keeping our VHF bands al- most totally silent, other than for random automatic repeater identifications. The up side is that once we saturate our tjands with ham broadcasters, we'll have less

of a need for coordination, since every- one w[IE be transmitting and almost no one listening.

Quality Counts

If you've been listening to the WlAW and K1 MAN daily broadcasts, you already know many ways you can substantially improve on the services they are provid- ing. For instance^ you certainly don't want your broadcasts to be as deadly pon- tlfical and humorless as those from W1 AW. And please try to avoid those self- promotions and egregious ego-gratilica- tions which characterize K1 MAN'S end- less tirades.

You want your material to be interest- ing, amusing, and helpful to your tistenars. After ail, you're in the world of broad^cast radio now and you win or lose your listen- ers not so much on the information con- tent of your broadcasts as on their presen- tation. You're in show biz. Non-profit show biz, to be sure. . . much tike our public ra- dio systems such as NPR, APR and col- lege radio stations. This means you'll build your listening audience more on your interpretation or slant on the news tlian on the news itself.

Data Services

With computers so ubiquitous, there's no reason not to include data transmis- sions at the end of voice broadcasts. I've suggested including slow-scan video so you can include illustrations. , .such as pictures of hams who have done some- thing outstanding (good or bad) and their stations. You might show QSL cards from rare DX stations.

For greater illustrative detail, you'll want to go to desktop publishing technology and scan sn things like schematics or magazine pages and send them as data. Music, too, can be sent as data, using the standard compact disc encoding for- mat. Yes^ you can legally transmit music this wayf

Then there are items such as lists of hamfests, auctions, and other such club

activities, contest schedules, rules and re- sults from the hundreds of contests and awards around the world, data and com- ments on pending rule changes, even complete scanned-in club newsletters and foreign ham magazines. Wait 'II you see som0 Of the marvelous construction arti- cles appearing in the Japanese maga- zines! The FCC's recent hints that it may no longer object to us selling ham gear over the air could open a whole new broad- casting and data arena.

Simultaneous Broadcasting

Ham bfoadcasters will want to emulate W1AW and K1MAN by developing their services to cover several amateur bands at once. This means buying more trans- mitters, but that's just more business for our ham industry. If hundreds or even thousands of ham broadcasters buy eight or 10 transmitters each, it'll do wonders to improve the ham industry economy. I don't recall any rules against transmitting on several frequencies in one band at the same time

Paid Operators

Obviously a strong ham broadcast ser- vice will be more than can be accom- plished with all volunteer operators. Ham broadcasters will have to operate seven days a week and at least around 12. hours a day. This is going to mean paid opera- tors. Fortunately for us WtAW has set a precedent which, though it was pat- ently illegal, has been accepted by the FCC for many years. It's legal to pay ham operators to broadcast. You can also pay them to write the material, record it and transmit it.

Unfortunately, that brings up something none of us want to talk about or admit to even obliquely. . .how to bring in the mon- ey i t takes to pay a staff. Wei I , one way i s to set up some sort of national or even inter- national ham organizations and charge a membership fee.

Another might be to work a deal to inno- cently weave product mentions into your

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broadcasts. For instance, you might com- ment at length about how this or that fa- mous DXer is awfully fond of drinking an ice cold, refreshing Coke when the going gets rough. Or that a ham luminary who will be giving a talk at the such and such ham club will be staying at the local Em- bassy Suites hotel, where they serve fan- tastically delicious breakfasts at no extra charge and have TV sets in both the living room and bedroom of their surprising Ey in- expensive suites,

I'm sure our legendary ham ingenuity will find a way to circumvent what's left of our tattered regulations.

Special Interest

I suspect that many ot the early ham broadcasters may, like K1MAN, be driv- en by emotional considerations more than by public service, so well probably be hearing ham broadcasters with spe- cial interests holding forth and slant- ing their material to support things like homosexuality, women's rights, women's choice, anti-abortion, rain forest pres- ervation, tree hugging, baby seal pro- tection, dolphin saving, education bash- ing, Christianity, Mormonism. Islam, world peace, famine relief, Libertarianism, and soon.

But, you expostulate, some of these things are pretty far afield from amateur radio, is not to worry . that aspect of ham broadcasting has already been pioneered by W1 AW. Far's I know, the FCC has nev- er in ail these years cited WlAW for ad- dressing their broadcasting to non-ama- teurs. And what else would you call their code practice transmissions?

In my day, over 50 years ago, they were sending code practice at 13 wpm to help non licensed listeners pass their first li- cense tests. When the code speed was dropped to five per they lowered their practice speed. These transmissions clearly were not addressed to iicense am- ateurs. Thus we have at least a 50-year acceptance by the FCC of using our ama- teur bands for broadcasting to non-ama- teufs. Td say that's a pretty dear-cut precedent,

Frequencies

With Kir\flAN tying up 3975, 14275 and 28475 six times a day (0745, 11 00, 1 300, 1700, 2100, and 0000 UTC) for 45 minutes at a time, newcomer broadcasters are go- ing to have to go some to get ahead of Baxter. He even goes on AM on Sundays on 3890 and 7290 at 2300Z.

] like the idea of high fidelity AM trans* missions. Yes, they sure do till up a 1 0 kHz channel, but they're much easier for SWLs to tune in, possibly attracting new hams to our hobby from the listener ranks^ since most inexpensive shortwave receiv- ers aren't equipped to handle SSB.

Coordination

I will be glad to list ham broadcasting service stations, along with their frequen- cies and times, plus any special interests they may cover. Once iisted in 73they may then announce themselves as "Amateur Radio Official Bfoadcast Stations" (AR08SJ.

Am I Serious?

Yes, of course i am. . this is a seri- ous test to your credulity. . .just as the Kif^AN transmissions are a test of your ability to put up with a massive waste of our frequencies and patience.

86 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1 931

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Random output

It being December (even though Tm writing this in October), 1 wanted to write a quaint holiday story— maybe something about all those repeater groups who bring Santa C^aus to kids m hospitals, or a tender and touching story from my chitdhood. Tm sorry, but 1 can't do that. There area few things going on in our hobby right now that are too important to wait unti [January.

The Nailer Hustle

FCC Private Radio Bureau Chief Ralph Halier (N4RH) announced at an FCC Fo- rum held during the ABRL National Con- vention that the FCC is considering a rewrite of Rule 97.1 13. This is the rule that tells ys what we can't transmit over ama- teur frequencies— business communtca- tlons, messages for hire, broadcastmg. music, elc. In a nutshell, what Halier pro- poses is to allow certain types of business communications on the ham bands. This would Include such activities as coordinate ing public events and providing informa* tion for the news media, as well as person- ai business like ordering a pizza over a phone patch.

Hallef stressed that this new "third type" of amateur communications [the first two being emergency communica- tions and "all other" permitted communi- cations) would be on a secondary usage basis, utilizing "unused Amateur Service frequencies/'

Th is proposa f sea res me , a nd it o ught to frighten you, too.

By accepting Mailer's premise, we are agreeing with him that there is an excess of "unused Amateur Service frequen- cies." Do you really want to stand up in front of the FCC and say, 'We have plenty of unused frequencies, and Td sure like to help out my [ocal TV station by providing a free business band/ ? You and I both know that once you allow use of amateur frequencies for business purposes, it is only a matter of time before those frequen- cies become fulMime business frequen- cies. As soon as you make the amateur service a business service, you can kiss it good-bye , and this is exactly what Mailer is trying to sneak by us.

The problem with a suggestion like this is that it SOUNDS great. To be sure, there are some communications services that currently fall under the gray area of "business" that might benefit both amateur radio and the recipients of those services. A club offering communications services to local non-profit groups (which hams have been doing for decades, anyway) would be a great PR tool tor amateur radio. But ordering a pizza over a phone patch? Is that what amateur radio is all about? Don't be fooled by phrases like ''secondary use" or "utilize unused Amateur Sen/ice frequencies." This is a smoke screen, set up to hide the fact that business interests in this country desper- ately want our spectrum. Every scenario of a business use suggested by Halier already has a radio service that can take

David Cassidy Nl GPH

care of it. The only thing that Mailer's suggestion will do ^s allow businesses to get free communications services, with the amateur band equipment costing thousan ds le ss t h an comparable b u si n ess band equipment.

Now that the subject has been raised, it is inevitable that we will have some sort of change to the "no business" rule. I sug- gest that we all take a very hard and long look at whatever is proposed, I urge you to send a very definite message to the FCC, Tell them, especially Private Radio Bu- reau Chief Ralph Halier, that you see right through this charade. Tell them that you do not believe there is such a thing as "unused Amateur Service frequencies." Tell them that the Amateur Radio Service must keep itself clear of any association With business communications.

If the proposed changes are in the inter- est and for the benefit of amateur ra- dio . . fine But let them l<now that we are watching their every move to see exactly what is going to come out of ail this.

You might want to mention that you are also well aware of PR Docket 91-170. Oh, you mean you don't know about PR 91- 170? Please, allow me to enlighten you. PR 91-170 is a move, Initiated by Mr. Mailer's group, which could revise the land/mobile frequency spectrum in order to make room for new and developing technologies. How coincidental that Halier now suggests that perhaps busi- ness communications should be allowed on the amateur bands. Mm mm ... do you think the two ideas could be somehow connected? Lefs see. ./'take some of the frequencies away from land/mobile users to make room for commercial exper- imentation, and at the same time we can star! suggesting that there is an abun- dance of unused Amateur Service fre- quencies' . and wouldn't it be grand if we could make those dumb hams think we were doing them a favor by allowing them to order pizza over an auto patch, while at the same time making it possible for other business communications to get a foot- hoEd on that frequency spectrum. Those idiot hams will be so busy stuffing their ^aces with autopatch-ordered pizza that they won't even notice that we're stealing amateur radio's birthright out from under their tomato-sauce-stained noses."

Mr. Mailer, I have never met you but I am assured by those who have that you are a reasonable and concerned individual. I'd like you to remember that we amateurs are not stupid (at least not all of us. anyway). We can see through this silk purse for what It is— the ear of a swine ► We do not buy for one minute that there are an ex- cess of "unused Amateur Service fre- quencies/' Your promise of "secondary use" is laughable. If you're getting letters from amateurs who want this kind of "reg- ulatory relief/' tell them to buy their way onto the land/mobile service or whatever service is appropriate to their intended use. if you feel that business interests need more frequencies, give 'em some of

that 200 megahertz of excess U.S. Gov- ernment allocation that isn't being used. If they feel like ordering a pizza, tell them to use the phone.

Why is it that every time the FCC runs up against a small group of boneheads in am- ateur radio— whether it's the BARF idiots, t h e 1 1 1 egal p hone-patcher s , or just a b u n c h of hams who have forgotten what amateur radio Is supposed to be all about— why is it that the FCC always tries to wash their hands of the problem by giving away a piece of amateur radio's heritage^ instead of what they should be doing with our tax dollars . .stringently en fore ing the rules?

I'm sick and tired of the FCC using the ''no money" excuse for not doing their jobs. Money is tight everywhere p boys. It means you have to fi nd ways to do you r jo b better. It doesn't mean you can simply write off an entire area of responsibility by rewriting the rules to make a problem dis- appear. If 1 did that, I'd lose my job. When a U.S. Government employee or agency does Itf it Is nothing short of theft. You're stealing my lax money, and it really ticks me off[ If you are unable to do the jobs the American people are paying you to do. . . quit! Get the hell out of the way and let someone who knows how to run a busi- ness in there. Just stop crying to us about how little money you have and how short- staffed you are.

To those of you who have requested this kind of a rule change, I ask that you sit down tor 10 minutes and ask yourself . . . is ordering a pizza over your repeater worth the raping of amateur radio? If you still think this Is a good idea, drop me a line and ril send you your reward— 30 pieces of silver.

ARRL Up To Their Old Tricks

When the FCC decided it couldn't deal with licensing the Amateur Radio Service anymore (once again, abdicating their re- sponsibility with the feeble "no money" excuse), the ARRL saw its chance to grab some more power and coyly offered to handle the licensing for them. The FCC said sure, but you can't have a monopoly. The ARRL then said, "Forget it—if we ain't the only game in town, we don't want to play/'

Well, we all know how things turned out VECs popped up all over the country, and the ARRL had to swallow its oversized pride and enter the arena as one of many VECs.

A few years ago, it was suggested that special callsign requests could be han- dled in much the same way. A private or* ganization could do all the work of passing out callsigns, and the FCC wouldn't have to bother their over- worked and under- funded heads about it. Again, the geriatric gulag at the ARRL saw the chance to grab a little power. "We'll do it[ We'll provide this service for amateur radio. Aren't we just the most nicest » altruistic and caring organization ever? Oh, by the way, one smalls insignificant point. Ws want the ex- clusive right to do this."

The FGC told the League to stick It. They suggested that If amateurs wanted special callsign allocation, a system simi- lar to the VEC program could be set up, but the ARRL was not going to gel the exclusive. You guessed it. The ARRL backed out, making It seem like the FCC

was the bad guy for not letting the nice and only-thinking-of-us-hams ARRL give you a caElslgn with your initials in it

Well folks, the Gerltol set at the ARRL have done it again, only this time they were a lot sneakier about it. Incorporated into the wording of MR 1 674, the " ' Federal Communications Commission Authoriza- tion Act of 1 991 /' was the following:

The Commissm for purposes of provid- ing specialized, radio ctub, and fnliltBiy- recr&ation cat! signs, may utilize the volun- tary ^nd ufiGomp^nsated services of an incorporated association of amateur radio operators with more than 100,000 dues paying members representing all States which has B tax-exempt status under Sec- tion sot (c)(3) of the internal Revenue Code^

Gee, what organization does that sound like to you?

Luckily, Fred Mai a W5Y1 got wind of this tiehind-ihe-soenes power grab and con- tacted the House Committee overseeing the legislation. The wording was changed to let any amateur radio organization au- thorized by the FCC act as a special cail- sign provider.

There are hvo issues at work here. The first is the sneaky way the ARRL got the original wording into the bilE without the amateur community ever knowing, I thought the League was "of^ by, and for the radio amateur."

Of course, the ARRL often forgets that they DO NOT represent the interests of the majority of hams in this country, The majority of licensed amateurs in this coun- try are not members of the League. This is unfortunate, because amateur radio des- perately needs a national lobbying organi- zation. What the League leadership has become is an ineffective, self -perpetuat- ing group of old men who lost their ideals years ago. The ARRL's sole reason for being has become of, by and for the ARRL. Is it any wonder that the majority of hams in this country have chosen not to join this joke of an organization?

The biggest crime is that there is no al- ternative organization, and neither should ttiere be. The ARRL is, for t>0tter or worse, THE national amateur radio organization. This blatant power grab only goes to fur- ther prove how ineffective those old men are. I only hope that by the time all the self-servtng and lifeless old farts who pull the strings at the League die off, there is an Amateur Radio Service still around to protect.

(Note to League officials who take of- fense at the above statements; Like my mother always said when she would yell at all four of her sons for something only one or two of us were responsible for, "If you did n 't d 0 anythi n g wrong , the n t ' m not taJ k- ing to you/' Of course, the question al- ways remains, if you didn't do anything wrong, why do you feel that I AM talking about you?)

(Wote to readers who want to write me nasty letters and accuse me of "bashing'' the League: This is America, and in Ameri- ca we are allowed to speak out when we feel something is wrong with our govern- ment. The ARRL is setting themselves up as the "government" of U.S. amateur ra- dio. If you would like to debate the issues

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involving meptUyde and lack of leadership at the ARRL, I would be glad to hear from you. [f you are one of [hose people who thinks we shouid sliu! up and be graieful tor the benevolent wisdom of ihose who are mismanaging our aflaifs, then please, ke^p your letters lo yourself ,)

The second issue that this whole affair brings up Is . do we r^lly want anyone other Ihan the FCC handing out ca!lsigf>s? t don't. If we want to change the current system ^n6 atlow for the issuing of expired and special caFistgns, iht people who are btkHQ paid to do tt are the fCC. If^ead of writing a rule that gives ft>e raaporaibifity 10 someone elte^ why doesn't the FCC write a rule it^t allows them to cliarge a fee for the extra work involved in adminiS' Irating such a program (though, why etwcicing the datatiase to see whether or not WlE}C i$ cuTrently assigned should cost anything is t>syond me)^ Most states offer custom license plates. ar>d they cf^arge a premium for ttve privilege. So Why doesn't the FCC charge 50 bucks for licensing and renewing special callstgns? This wouJd more than pay for the few sec- onds o1 ettort involved in ikying the call- sign, and the rest could be put inio the FCC enfof cement budget, Ot course, then they wouldn't have any excuses for not do^ng fjbaf part of their job.

Btoadcaating

Let's Stan this section with a few basic assumptions. Assumption number one is Ihat the ARRL is a broadcaster, and they make these broadcasts with the express permission and blessing of the FCC. They can even pay someone to operate the sta-

tion during broadcasts. This Is all fine, and well ar>d perfectly legal.

Let us also assume that other peqDie who broadcast on the amateur bands, such as K1MAN"s endless propaganda, and the "Newsline"' show I've heard a few times, and any other group out there who puts a ham radio news show on the amateur bands are operating under the same provi* S!on of the FCC ailes, arid as long as they operate within the regulations, evef^hlng is hunkey-dorey and nobody gets a "No- lice of Forfeiture"' from our pats at the FCC.

Lei us also assume, because hams all O^ifer Itie country have adamantly voiced th^ opinion to me (though J certainly would nevef say sucfi a thing), that Glenn Baxtar K1MAN is one of the biggest fK>rse's be- hinds in am^teuf radio ^ I hate to give little people like Baxtef more pubJiaty by notic- ing them, but this cun^nt crop ot comedy fifom what locals have called "Maine's i^ emt>arrassment" is just too funny lo let by vinthout comment.

Baxter is currently fighting a S1 500 fin«. He was accused of starting one of his broadcasts on lop of a 030 in progress, as we^i as some other stuff having to do with using the amateur bafids to conduct business (gee, I wonder if he and Mr. Haller are biiddies) and broadcast ir>g to non-amateurs. Baxter's defense is that the ARRL do^ If, SO it's OK for him to do it (Baxter goes on tor page after page, t>ut this is his premise in a nutshell). As long as he publishes his broadcast schedule and announces on the frequen- cy that his broadcast is about to start, he thinks he's fol [owing FCC r^ulations to the letter.

Wrongl As my mother used to say (I hate to keep bringing my mother into this, but as often happens in life, when you're faced with a jackass, mom's brand of com- mon sense is just the ticket). '"Two wrongs don't make a right." Just because the League breaks the law by not checking to see if a fre<iuency is in use. it doesn't mean thai Glenn ''all mike and no speak- er" Baxter can do it, too. Glenn. . .rent a brain, buddy. You're wrong, and so is the League.

i have read and reread the FCC nils book. carefuFiy going over the regulations that permit very spedric types of broad- casting. Nowhere in those regulations does ft give those wfio broadcast the right to break any other FCC regulations. In- duding the ru^es regarding control opera- tors, good amateur practice, arvd not caus- ing willful interfarefK^, Tfiose rules are stiH in effect, and the League, Baxter, and anyone eise who wants to broadcast ama- teur bulletir^ shoiikj keep that in mind.

Baxter also claims that ARRL 5 wpm code practice is obviously aimed at non-amateurs, so it must be OK for him to dtrect broadcasts ro SWLs and other non-amateurs Well Glef»n. that razmV edge mind of yours has neglected one small paragraph rn Pari 97. Specifrcatly, 97. 1 11 (bX5) wh^h stales:

In addition to oneway trafismisshns specffic&tfy aiifhorii0d etsewhem in this P3it, anamBteur station may transmit the foihwing types of one-way communica- Uons: (S) Tran$fni$Sfons necessary to as- sisting persons fearning. or improving pro- ficiency in, tha iniemationai Morse code.

Did you read that? tt specifically says "learning/' The ARRL is weli within the iaw in broadcasting 5 wpm code practice, and I support the League 100% In this endeavor. It's or»e of the few programs that the League has enacted that is of a direct benefit to amateur radio. So, why is Baxter bashing the League? Do you think perhaps he had a slight problem with ^'Reading Comprehension lOV in scfioot?

Glenn, pick up your ego and pay ihe damned fine. If you Y& not going lo piay by the rutes, don't play at all. tf you dont like the rules tf^ere are simple ways to suggest changes, bvt this ego^ratifying nonsense is getting you (and amateur radio in gerver* al) nowhere, tt is only making us rrwre ef>e- m»^ at the FCC-

Tile Baxter t>roadcasts tha! f have moni- tored have spent more time talking about Baxter himself than any other subject. Maybe I Hioiiel tieed the advice of those w!k) tell me to just ignore this . . . er . . . guy. I've been lold that his incessant babble oniy digs his own grave, because the more he talks, the bigger an idiot fit appears to be (i don't waste my time listerv Ing to enough of iiim broadcasts to know, but this te what fve been told time and again from hams all across the c&untry). The biggest favor Baxter coukj do ama- teur radso, and himself, is lo shut up and go away. It appears that aJI he's doing is serving his own ends* not those of ama' teuf radio, and judging from the hundeds of hams I've spoken with over the past tew months , the vast majority of am ateur rad io operators are getting tired of listening to him,

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Several modek are available and are wC^ve conFipiniM 10 $ufiport ifp to J Kepeatc?^^ 5 iStqilexed Linki, and 4 Renwte Boms. Agnociporclubcaiiftartwitb the basks and «|kAiLd their fioatiuUerBrFriime h^ utnply addiivbDardiand »ltwave. Free^c^itwaiie tipg;radi!^ for one year after delivery. Ftnally, a reat ctHitroller for the Litiked ^ty^^in operator 1

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64

The

beginner's guide to the exciting world of amateur radio/'

Radio Fun is packed full of "information to help you get more fun out of amateur radio. Basic '*how-to*' articles will gel you up and running on packet ^ ATV, RTTY, DXing, and the dozens of other activities that make amateur radio such a great hobby, Youll get equipmem reviews geared toward the newcomer. We'll help you upgrade to a higher class license with monthly columns design^ to teach you what you need lo know in a fun and exciting way. You'll find it all, and more, in the pages of Radio Fun.

Don't wait another minute. Subscribe today and you still get the charter subscription rate of only $9*97 for one yean That*s 12 issues of the only ham radio magazine that is geared especially for the newcomer, or any ham who wants to geC more fun and excitement out of amateur radio— Radio Fun I

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Subscription Rate $14.97. Mcintihly ptibJk'ation begins 9./91 , Qgy i

73 Amateur Radio Today * December, 1991 91

Number 30 on your Feedback card

ARTER 'N' BUY

Tqm your Old ham afKJ computer gear into cash now Stira. you can wait for a hamfesi to Iry and dump it, but you know you'll gel a far more maJistic price if you l>ave it out where lOO.OCXJ active ham pcleniiial buyefs can see ii than the few hyodred local shams who come by a flea market labia,

Jh^ 73 Ftea Matkei , Barter 'r\* Buy, costs you peanuts (almostK-comes lo 35<^ a wor^ *or jndMduaHnonJximmerciai) ads arid $ t 00 a ii^ord for t^smm^rcial ads Qon'i pian on tellir>§ a bog story U^ atilifQirmtions, cram it in Bui be honest. There are plenty ol bams who lova to fiK thir>p. so if it dMsn't work, say 90

Make your lisl. couni trie wetds. inctudmg youf call, address and phone number. Include A check or your credil card number arid expiration. \\ you're plaring a cornmerciel ed. in^ude em «bdditi(7r^ phone numi>er, separate frcmi your ad

Send ^i>uf ^^ and payrioefit io the Barter 'ji 'Suy. Sue Co4beft. Forest Road, Hancock NH 0344d ai^ pef sei Ay e/ie f»/)one c«/£s .

OeidlknifQfthtlbfCh

itJwul. 1992.

tUUi FlAOtO REPAER CEKTER, qutfly ttorlanan' ship 5obd state ck lube, all maltes and modeb Also rqisaif HF arr^iers AZ Oed^onc R«f>aif , 3g38 East. Indian SchDOl fkt, Pfnena AZ BSOIB (G«^ 956-3024, BNBZ20

WANTED: Yaeai rr.23fi-HT »nd pr»-t9e& ffli- crocompaters lor muavuiii. ICK4WW. (7tk3) 231- e4?W7€3-3ai1 BNB234

H^^f WEWtl NEWl MEWtr SPCAX TO THE WORLD Amaieuf ractio iar^guagt ou«d« •Written espeoaiy ior the ham ratte oparMor •Hundreds ol phiasai •Volume t-'ind, Spanish, German. Ranch, Polish. ajfNJ Japefioe- •volume 2^ind SiiedMk. Briton, PtVtUD«se. Cmatian, and Nor- wegian •Send SiQ DO per vdume in US lall oth- er? add $2JS0 $AH| nOSE. P 0 Bo* 796. Myn- delein IL 6006OO796 BNB254

CHASSIS. CABlNrr KITS BASE. K3IWK. St20 Ham^onyGrch^Rd, Dover PA t73!5. 8NB2^

HQIiE-BREW PROJECTS lists fof S^ S£ Ken- neth Hand, P.O. Box 70B. East Hampion WV 11^3?. BNB?&4

QSL CARDS- Look good with top quaJ^ty pnntEng. Choose standard designs or fully customized cards Request Iree brochure, samples (stamps approoialed) from Chester QSLs, 310 Comnrter- Cial, Dept. A, Emporia KS 56801 FAX (316) 342- 470&. BNB434

WEST, ARRL coda tapes, Mor^ tulor for C 64, f 2S.0D. Call Bill N t JOF (603) 434 -6497. BMBS&5

REVOLUTIONARY HYBRID AERIAL WIRE; 16B^ strand copper "FLEK-WEAVE'^ Tm, 114, slronQ, Ultra Flaxible, lies Irr knots, nonstrgtch^ woo'l ruat/ kink like copper weld, $34 lifst ZIS' (mmimum}, %Mi\\. theroalter. Includes shipping' Catalog SI .00. DAVIS RF Co.. P 0. Box 230-3, Carlisle MA 01 74 1 (Soa) 369- 1 736 ^Oiders} Of {BOO) 484- 4002, fl*t. 1356 Bwe557

QUAD FIVE BAND $269.00 lightning bdt an^ lennas RD2FII 19. Volani PA 1S156. (412) &30-

7396 Bm&m

IN DALLAS SINCE 19§0 We tflature Kenwood, ICOM. Yafisu. AEA. Butti^rnut. Rotifi, amateur publicalkins, and a lull line ol accessoriies. Facto- ry autfionzed Kenwood Service Center. Electronic: Cenief, Inc., ?a09 Ros^ Ave.^ Dallas TX 75201, (2141 96d-1 936 (300) B80-f400. eN&S59

COAJC, GROUND RADIAL WIRE, lowest cost, top ^^rty, MitSpec RG-2t3, S-38m.: RG-BX, S 19; R&58. $. IS; Mini Na/etme tow toss IQm to Beiden equTv RG9913, S3S: any lengths flaifiaJ wtre #16. $3a/1O0O i! inchxfes sriippingi Emrrtediaie shipmen! Caiatog, Si 00 OAVtS RF Co . P O 8o» 230-S, Ca^rbsie MA 01741 (506) 369-173^ {0nfV9}orp»)484--40O2.exi 1356. mBSSSt

ANTEVWA PflOGIlAilS design dipola, imwtBCk we. quad; alio Jaijg^ **"h? conversion, Buy *«« tenf^ rn|i4$ k e^ . . i:kulate wtra tenuis: S^ aaOK floppy lor ^ oompatiiv. SI 5 00 plus $3.00 S&H. Emii WSBVR. 6296 Olcl Alega^n Ro . Saugatuck Ml 49453 (616)657-2507 SNBa$1

RKAiL Yi AT LASTl A/i adMR mystery novel fea- turing a ham Nava)0 code talker tfardbaeh. $14 97 TJE PuUK^hcns. Box 50U1. Reno NV 89513, BN3700

ROSS- SSSS NEW Dfrceinber (ONLYl MAIL 0^ DER PRICE SPECIALS: KENWOOD TS-*50S S1J39 90, TM-631AS627 90 TR^B400 1339 99; Bll^ 4304 S369 90. ^A $4§ 90. ICOM 24AT S384.90. 471H S679 ^. VAESU FT.73IITT, $266,90, FT-470 S390 00: ALtNCO Di-F1T S274 90, EP 2010*89 99, MFJ 207*99 90. B15B

S42 50. (OUR RETAIL SHOW IKX3M WILL BE CUOSED FOR THE NEXT SEV5IAL MONTHS W YOU WANT TO PICK UP SOMETHmG. LET US KNOW \ DAY IN ADVANCE.} CALL OR SEND Z STAMPS FOR USED LtST AND MORE SPC- OALS- LOOtCING FOR SOMETHtNG WT UST ED Qn HARD 10 RND. CALL OR WRITE 0>t& 9039 ham-felaifid ifeir^ ft siocfc lor immedtale shfRient lAarMion ad Prices casii. FOB Pre- aon HOURS TUESDAY^-fRlDAY 9:00 TO 6 OO. 9:00-200 P.M. MONDAYS CLOSED SATUfr DAY & SUNDAY. ROSS DtSTHiBUTlNG CO**- PANY, 7» SOOTK STATt, PRESTON 10 eaSES. (200)852-0830 BHB707

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES: Di&aster prepared- ness pecks kx your shack, auto, office etc Free catalog Slates Products, P.O. Box 437ST, Walnut Oeeli CA 945%. BNBTOS

ROSS S5$$ USED Deceiflbef SPECIALS: KEN- WOOD TS-930SftVAL"yG455C-l Si, 349 90, TS* 630SS639 90, TM.731 A S5K 90. lF-109 $47 90; YAESU FT-ONE S1.299 90. 757GX$699 90, AD- VANCED RADIO DEVICES 230A $3,799 90. DflAKt SL-500 $49.^, TI^-7/NB/SL'23O0.6O00, 1800.500 SS99.90; ICOM 701 PS S109.90. R71A/ EX-257. FL32A,30.70 $639 90, PS-t5/CF 1 $144.90 LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NOT LISTED?? CALL OP SEND 2 STAMPS WE HAVE OVER 140 USED 3TE^^S In stock. MEN- TION AD PRICES CASH, FOB PRESTON. HOURS TUESDAY-FRIDAY, 9:00 TO 6:00, 9:00 TO 2:00 P,M MONDAYS, CLOSED SATURDAY S SUNDAY ROSS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, 7B SOUTH STATE, PRESTON ID 83263. (?Ofl) 652-0830 BNS709

TRANSISTORS RF FOR SALE: MRF454, MRF455. Series Toshiba 2SC2290, 2SC2873. and more. Looking for repair shops, dealers, and manufaclurars Call (201 J 839-3360, BNB710

SEIZED GOODS, radios, steret^s, computers, and more Oy FBI, ^RS, DEA. Available 'm your aroa now, Cal I ( 005} 682-755&, Ent , C-6223. BNB7 1 1

BECEIVERp CONVERTER 2-way radio equips ment Test equipment, antennas. Have lots & will shIpF Phone for list— Rene VE6WCA. PWFAX (403) 438^3427 BNB7 1 2

BEAM HEADINGS: Computed for your OTH U3p Ing eirlrern«iy accurate Groat Ci^rcle method. $7 00. Franit Santnio. P.O. Box m% Newburgh NY 1^550. BNB7t3

PREMFUM 05L CARDS Unique cokirfii designs, Starting at $75 for 250 Send S i 00 foi^ catalog and samples BVE Professional Printrng. 2023 Chicago Avenue, Suite B13-4, Riversi^de CA 93507 Tef (7 1 4) 7B1 -0252: BNB714

GIAMT SOLAR PANELS $44.00 thl Ex!slBnt Pnces/Sdaf Ee;j p-^eni/Accessories, Free (n*of- mahon/S A S.E . Cataiog S3,00 Tot Pak Rai Elec- tronics, P 0, Boi 590073, Hoielon TX 77269. (7l3}893-03ia BNB715

SIMPLEX REPEATERS $149.00! We manu«ac- ture them oitfael«es- Fak R^ Secimnics (713) »93-03l3. »NB716

ELECTRON TU8£S: AI types and sasB TranSr mitting, focsruvig, miczmvave Large vwentofy ^ same day ^fipptng DaiySectniriics, PO Boi 5Ct29. Ccmpton CA 90224 (800) 34e'66€7 or (213)774^1255. 0^B719

WE HAVE m AEA, Astroci. BdOemi^, CaKxiok, Comet. Diamond. Husder . Kantnmics. bscr pon^ ptiters. MFJ. Redio Siiactt. Srffiey. arttefmas, Ten-Toc^ Valor ardennas. and more Smai to«m service witti ctecotMTt prices. Dat^lys, 120 N Washington. WeBngton KS 67152. pl6) 326- 6314 BNB722

WE PRO-PRINT YOUR CALLSIGN on a button Send $2 ,00 and SASEto: KC College Art, Inc, i4 HilloJ Place, Brooklyn NY 112 10 Marty^Ke2LGC,

BNB723

OlFT lOEAl Morse Code Music— see our ad In the ad index (under Kawa Productions). BN0724

MINIATURE POLICE RADAR TRANSMITTEB one mile range, $41 asaembted, $3 1 00 kit. (219) 469-1711. P.O, Box S009B. Fort Wayne IN 46596.

BNB72S

BUILD YOUR OWN WIRE ANTENNAS, parts, GROUND RADIAL WIRE, leedtir^es. various wire, insulators, vertcal pfiasing, coax, Dacrcn fOpe, beluns. etc . LOWEST PRICES Caialog, $1 00. DAVIS «1f Co . P.O Box 230-S. Carlisfe MA 01741. (BOO) 4S4-4002.&^ t356. ^^^726

HAM RADIO REPAIR ExpenwTced. relaaWe ser- vice. Rotwti Han Elecifonics, 1660 McKee Rd. S(^A.S«»JoseCA95l 16 (406)729^^200.

8N8751

WANTED: OAIWA CNW'3191I anienna tunef. Of any tuner that wil lune bolt) 6 and 10 mecefs. N5TSF|501)32»-3233. BNSTSS

WANTED: YAESU 726fi Pfefer 2m-6m-450 FM, but iMfl dBCuss Other Musi be aiceflem sfiape and ctoen— guaranteed or money back. Wnte r *ONLY* ') \D W9CGI Oave. AI reiwinifhln S$ tnlgetreply BNB756

WWII SI1IP S RADIO eiquipmeec now antiqye, Be^eved ID be in unused oomMOn Send SA3£

fay copy ot name plaao iiitoniiMieii Craitg Woods, S4e$imoton, Opien l/T $4404, BHB757

DIGITAL AUTOMATIC DISPLAYS. Kenwwl Y WW, Cotai, DKfct, AUn* etc. No tendpifidh^ ing ftquSrad fiusiness. 52c SASE. Be spedfie. GRAHD SYSTEMS, Depl A, P 0. Boi 3377, B^neWA96S». BNB7S6

ATHEIST AHATEUR RADIO HETlomnrig SA^ ior detal* Becken W90€, 3003 Logan Apt 2, Hamilton OH 450 1 5 SN87S9

X-dAND RADAR EDUIP. WAHTfO: Working or

not. Civilian mil nary WWII, 1970 espeoaHy need delay 1 1 r^es loc At^^u PM 1 1 A APS 10.15 UPN4 ANf PPS4,4A. cornptote of pans^ martuais oWar Vari- an X-band catalogues. SHF, Bok 10215, Pitts- burQfi PA 1 5224 BNBTeO

GAINESVILLE FL OTH 3 BR. 2 BA. Garege, House on Acre Tribandl&t, lovyer, 160 inverted V^ TVRO DJsh. $60,000. W40MG (904 ) 4 95-2 1 69.

BNS761

WANTED: Hame^ulpm«nt dF>d other property^ The Radio Club of Junior High School 22 NYC. Itic, iaa nonprolltorganizalion, granted 501(0^3) BtaltiB by Ih^ IRS, irvcorporaied with the goal ol using I ha themo of ham radio lo further and en- hance the education of young people nalionwide Your properly donation or financial support would be greatly appreciaiad and ackrtowledged wilh a fecelpt for your tax deduciible conlribution. Please look ov^r wrfiaiever un^wanied equipment you may have, and cati us. We will pick up or arrange shippirvg. Vou will receive I he tax deduc- tion, but most important, the privilege ol knowing ihai your gift really made a difference In the educa- Ijon and upbringing ol a child. You are invited to check Into the WB2JKJ CLASSROOM NET. 1100 UTC on 7-236 MHz The '^ dew" *ould |jl<e lo wish all our friends and supporters a won- derful holiday and super New Year Write us at: T^e RC ol JHS ^ N YC. I NC . , P O . Box 1 052 , New Yofli NY 10002- Round the clock HOTLINES: Voice \^\ 6) 674-4072. FAX (5 1 6) 674-9600

BN&7e2

HELPI H&AAN wll be rirfeued trom prison in A|jri I need ■ ^, a plac« to stay, and retoc^ion assisianct, I have 3 FCC keoasi afid i yeerf intense otlfiehj eitperience I am f adory irajned on Mastr-lt ftod Fennon microwavelmux. For re- suffie, write- Jim Granlofd. 107159 S1-1. 27268 H«y. 21 . Aegie LA 70426. BN87S3

SOLAR POWERED? STATION RUNNING FROM BATTERIES? tf 90, i'm collecting data lor a Sotar Powered Harefiooit Show youf system t^ m the 4v«i edftKKi Mike Bryce WBaVQE, 222S Miy- ftawRT NW, WassHion OH 44647 BNB774

■HAMLOG" COMPlfTER PROGRAM ^\M fea- tures IB modules Auto-logs. 7-band WAS/ OXCC Appke. IBM. CPflW. KAYPfiO. TANDY. a^S34.95. 734(A1 AWH, Pe20i5. Peabody MA 0196O BNB77S

LAMBDA AMATEUfl (IAO«0 CLU8 ItHefnaikiidi amaieur rate dut) lor gey and lesfaiwi tilim. On- air Binds, momwy newdeoet, andanmial gadier- kigat Dayton {2t5}97S^LARC PO Box^24eiO. Phtoctelphta PA 19130 BNBB12

INEXPENSIVE HAH RADIO EQUIPMENT. SbikI postage stamp tor lisl- Jtm Brady— WA4DSOr

3037 Audrey Dr., Gastonra NC 28054. BNBflSO

AMATEUR RADIO REPAIR!! AJI mahos & mod- els, any age, $20,00 per hour— rnajclmum labor per unit. SSOOO TELO (Dan). 1302 S. Uplands Dr. Camano Island WA 90292 {206) 387- 3558. BNB900

BATTERY PACK REBUILDING: SEND YOUR PACK i 48HR SERVICE ICOM BPa0P3J8P22 $19 95, BP5^ePe/BP23 S24 95 0P24/aP7O S26.95, BP7 S32-^ KENWOOD P62I $15.95, PB21 H/PB6 $22 95, PB25.^2e S24^. PS2/KNfl3 529.95. YAESU: FNSlWI/ $23 95, FNB3/4/4A $36.95, UN1D€N APX6S0 $32 95, APX1200 J42,95; HEATH-IIO $26 95 NEW PACKS"' ICOM aPa{900 mAh) J39 95. {10001 $49.95. (l200lSS4.9S,eP83S2§^. BP84 $42 95 YAE- SU; FNS(5O0> $19.95. (SOO) $23.98, FN810S (1000)»42.95. FNBt2S46O0) $46.95, FNSt7(600) $31.95. FNB4SL(75a) $44 95. SANTEC: 142/ 120O S^ 95. ■ LmO-rr INSERTS ' COM BP3/ BP22 $14.96. BPS $20 95, BP8 $10 95 KEN- WOOD PB21H/24 $14 95. PB25/26 $T9 95 TEiyW=O^$a0.95. YAESU FNS 1 0 $ 1 4 95 , FNB4/ 4A S29 95 A20EHF300 $14 95 FREE CATA- LOG S3.50 Sr^png^order^ PA + 6% V^SA4«C . S2 50. CUHAfiD. R.D.6 BOX 104. Bedford PA 15522 tSi4)K3-7a00 BNB9t3

WANTED: BUY & SELL AH types Of Electron Tildes. CaM M free 1 (BOO) 421-9397 pr \ (£12) 429^-9397. C t N Etectronics. Hanjkl efimstedt. 6104 Egg Lake Ro^, Hiigo MN 5S038 BN^15

{^HtUODORE 54 HAM PROGRAMS— 8 dsk Sides a«er 200 Ham pm^^ams $16 95 25c starrip gets unusuei sofhware catalog of Unties. Games, AdtJt and Bndsh Dtsks. Home-Spun Software, Box1Q64-BB,Es£eroFL:£3928. BtffieiT

JOIN FAlilS-THE FOUNDATION FOR AMA- TEUR INTERNATIONAL RADIO SERVICE. FAIRS IS hams dedicated To buih^ir^ inter natortaJ friendship by pmvidir»g lechmcal assistance.

training, exchange visits, and equ»pmeni dona- tioos on a gk)bal bas@ Free indormatior^ P 0. Bot 341. Floyd VA 24091. (703) 763-331 1/382- 9099. BNB956

PRINTED CIRCUrr BOARDS tor protects in 73, Hsm Radio, GST, ARRL H&ndbooK List SASE. FAR CifCiiils. 1 BN640 Pield Ci., Dundee IL 601 18.

BNBsee

AZDEN SERVICE tiy lormer lactory technician. NiCds $35 95 plus shipping. Southerri Technolo- gies Amateur Radio, Inc., 10715 SW 130 St #9. MiaTrrFL331S7. (305j 238-^3327, eNB979

COMMODORE G4 REPAIR Fast lurn around.

Souttiern Technologies Annateur Radio. 10716 SW I90ih Street #9, Miami FL 33157. |305) 238- 3327, BNB9B2

JUST IMAG^E YOUR OWN BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN TOP 25-acro QTH tn Ihe cod, green mountains. Only $975 per acre, wonderful via*, wild garno, privacy, road frontage, small stream ,

ideal tor hamming, rati re ment, or summer home., Financing available, KK4WW, Ftoyd Virginia. (703)763-3311. BNB9B9

H0B6Y/BROADCASTING/HAM/CD/SURVEIL^ LANCE transmitters, ampliliers, cable TV, sci- ence, bugSi other great proieclsl Catalog^ $1.00. PANAXIS. Box 130 S§, Paradise CA 95967 BNB9gi

AMIGA, MACINTOSH, ATARI XUXE/ST Ama^ teur radio and electronics PD software. $4 00 per disk. Send 2^amp SASE for catalog. Specify wttich computer! WA4EFH, Bex 1646. Orange ParkFL32067-ie46u BNe992

FLAMEPROOF SIGNAUENG KEYS USN, old siodk, 1955, original seaJod cartons: S57 OOeech, Continental USA. SASE. Bunnell double ipmA toy parts, etc. Joseph Jaeote, 60 Seaview Tef- mx, NdrthpOft N Y 1 1 76B. BNB993

THE UNIDEN COOKlOOK COvofS HR 2^1 OmR* 2600/^iR-2830njncoln/Rea£eStii; HTX-IDO, $20; Urwtoi Updoes" suppteme^is TU.C, $12, Money ordfeiS icr BuL KC4HGH, PCS 907. S^ sumaAL3£S72.

COMPONEIfTS QBO-QRP ISASE KATQJY. Box 7970. Jad^sofiWY ^001 BNB99S

ROTOR PARTS ROTOR service. ROTOR accessociesc Bc^-D-Lays. Quik-Comects. Pt^ Set mocfe. ftBN modeis lor sale Free catalog. CATS-, 7368 SR 105^ Pent»ra«i OK 43450

BNB9d6

SURPLUS Huge quantities Lowest pncea i^n America, C^alogs, S3 Surptys Traders, Bok 276, Alxii^ VT D5444). BNBSST

FOR SALE: SCHEMATIC HAQiyUiS for home protects WrislDrliTC HLJetm MnEiiVri. 3056 Tomken Rd., Unit #304, Mlwiitiiiion ONT L4Y 3X9Car^da. BNe999

92 73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1991

Number 31 on your Feedback card

ROPA GA TION

Jim Gray WlXU P.O. Box 1079 RaysonAZ$564t

A Few Good to Fair Days

December is another of the "dol- drum'' months on the HF bands, but there are some real advantages as well: The bands are generally quietn with atmospheric noise from thunder- storms at a minimum. This means that 160 and 80 meters, along with 40 and some higher bands, ought to be good for both local and DX work. The higher frequency bands from 20 through 1 0 meters will either close before dark, or not be open much during the day un- der the worst conditions.

December is the month halfway between the equinox- es, and like June, ^t doesn't of- fer much HF opportunity on the 10, 12, and 17 meter bands. However, there wiff be some good days during the month as well as poor ones.

Expect the poorest condi- tions around the first day or two of the month, and again during the week of the 11th througli the 18th. The remaining days can be good to fair, as shown on the calendar and time-band- country chart. On VHF there may be some cold-front propa- gation along boundaries of air masses having different densi- ties and temperatures. Some- tjmes a weather map can be helpful in deciding where to point the 2 meter beam. Don't expect any 6 meter openings this month.

As i write (in August), the so- lar flux is UP again (surprise, surprise) between 250 and 300, and the A and K indexes are low. Hey, Sol. tiiis is sup- posed to be the DOWN side of your cycte! What gives? To paraphrase an old saying: "A flare every day keeps the hams away." It has been true all year. So. keep your ears open

Jim Gray WIXU

for WWV at 18 minutes past each hour for an update of conditions, and a fore- cast for the following 24 hours. . .plus a synopsis of the past 24 hours. Great service, that!

A partial eclipse of the moon wiil tai<e place on December 21, and can be seen in Iceland and Greenland, the arctic regions, the N.W. of S. America, N. America, the Pacific Ocean, Aus- tralia except for the extreme west, Asia except for the S.W., and extreme northern Europe,

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DECEMBER 1991

SUtSf M01SI TUE WED THU FR1 SAT

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73 Amateur Radio Today • December, 1 991 93

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REFERENCE

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07K2a A Radio Journal I9t£-ia40 hy ffiiy^ Httt- moker W9CRC A fawinaling iiip through lime. Eas) tu i^ad and mfurmative. cducaltunai and enk'nainm^. A irip (kiwn rrwinary lane lo ilic early davi nf rid bj }7,95

n RFLi Th« *'Top Secret" Reglslry o( US Govefrv ni«fit Radio Frequencies (7th Ed. J ^>' Twn hnfiJti K2AES This ^^anner dirwt«n ha.i hej^ame itu? surwiar*] rdercncr wurcir Iw frequent) and other impiwLiim inku matiini telaivng tn the canummiiratiaas o( TcdrfaJ agcn- citfs.:!5|i>J^f>MHr Sl*.95 1 1^5:2 FefTKllft Cofif identic Ffeqiiency List ^-wv- p^Hf ftjr 4-G- fi^igty Aii frequencKi fran 4MWi- 2iMHr covering siup. cmbft^;). ^Feo, Vdmci, tmeipd. numbcft^^ Aif Fome Onej'Ti**, n»ie 576 pp %19. 5^

H%U^ National Directory of Survive BwfH} Fro* Ctuenci^ by Tom kneiiei K1\ES Hand) MUd eoodse rtfercfiL'ic fsndc bi'hi^ iifcicd camniiiiktfioHft ftetpen- cniequifcd b> lunivalegts. |Bdudesi:faapiETf»buililmg

I ISM1 1 Sesnnef modmafioiiHandboofc. Vot, I fry AID Cjittfi Prv^v ula aira^UnvanL ktcp-Ck,^ -aief? ymn«£ - tioiH for eipamia^ llw mjrrtJwg f^^^NiJiirt flf VHF vaiAm. FiDed waih JncfcstiE^ mu. bdfrfiil pbutiM. ta blc&.wirifttic& Hits

IOA]Mb« Simple. Low^cost Wire Antennaa lor Ibtfio Amaieurs bj WiiSam Orr W6&AISaM €*wsa W2LX Ail Nrtt! Lov-ctiri^ inulii-t»aad aieubn^ iae^peo^ivc beama "Tnvtub4e'' iwgnnjs l^hanBk'lUWfb lcc«iaDi!Kr«djLi 111.^

I IFE06 Gukle Id Embiuy Espionage Communis callow by iom Kmiiti lUAtH Coudid ^nd |.m»lj>ing bjj^ainmjiibin nl Wt^rtdwade tmbaksy and rulhcfedl t^H- ona^ ei3rrtniunit;uiniii &)'!i)cini ami networks FiK^n^i^ive

iuiii4)n- by ■nation dinxliio nt cmtMiiH)' ^laiiorviis, includ- Lii MfiM

mn\ 1991 ShortWBve Dlreclory f7th ed.> bv Boh f/rorf FlMcn-Sivdv fcvtwd, llie m;^ \^\ .ShiiitwaTfC Di- rci.:|iiiry [■» the LDn^miiiikulc l>Xer''^ bittle fur ihtc fLr^t 30 M M/ irl r.tdiii ipeccruin. LncliiLhiij; up-to-daEc iind ub:curiiie VLf infurmauw tii well. 21ti Infianniuion-pAL'kcd and JlluftErjied p^e.N m CiJiivi^rui/iiK K '^ a 1 1 fonttiiL pmt'f ■i^iion.- idlyhtH^nd. $2IhV5

20N0<)^ Vlnlage Rudlo 1867-1929 by Mor^n E. McMnhim RL\ii]HLirt;'i die exciiL-iin-'in h'jI ibe curly dayi. ThLai,iEb(>i'iia[iH^t; rt:icfenuebuak lor hiitiariitiih and vol lec- tors ^M

im<m A Flick of the Switch, 1 930-1950 by Mar^att fc\ McMaiiifN (k^rf \ >i,n.Jf cfiulice |o Ttc-jji|Kun:' the thrdl of fild-lime TiidtLi diiul lek-viAiori Bmn^'w ihriiujch a ^hi^u^nd

|ilioliH and laM.-imi(m|i uld ad^. Dtsc^ivc^r the lait-gr'i^-mf huhtn of radjuf LollcN.'iin^. iinJ perhiipi. find a treMine in yjujr awn Mtu hh ^.etLr 1S,M5

20N0^5 Woftd @fo«dca»t Station Address Book bj dfrryh ikxifrA muj^i fuf ilw »erHiui» iih^i-nwdve liiJenrr Hundreds of addrrMfs for iharfwivc brntdct^ uatiim^ Speciil tcctiivs wiiti Ik Ipful irTronnaiiti.io to tnctraac youf (^Lpensnli^ S.9S

07R?^ World Wide Aetonautleal CommunJcallpn* 1^ RithffX t- jt SdJtj I hii, il iMi^r tKtiik i^is deiigncd lo update jnJ iu|^rncfnt i^ trcqyeiKy \uii puVlbhtd in the Aeroinamical rommunnraiKritt Handbool-liF FxlitKMt CoMciit^ indude Ain^ntt'An ThHk Covml. Amn^A^ ContfHuy OpttMHifit, AviaiHin Wcalbet BnMikasif, AcrouiMical Flifhi Tt^iy. Worldwide Htlittn Air Fciien. AefO Scvkh A Racue. Ae» Law EnTorrciiiciii, NASA BiiM Si^ipoil. Aen> Trrrn^^ AbbmutKXH Bid Aeti&Tacliciirdeniirim ii.9S

I1T99 ScAnrwr Modification Har^book Vol. 2 ^ AifCnrfiHcreiln— *iini{unii«ioVcp| 1 Infasa.Vd ^ tiMi a wEta^a dm pfmida mipityrGd a()|iiuKhE3 aad i^kIi^ lectmiiiuev tm the nn^ tn \oi I Tlmc'!^ tl aew, <b%idu^ RudificaiiiJW §St pnpulat usebct^ Kid u Irfly F*H'^'* wah pb(«st ari xJuatfio, lii|bJ^ de- dep-tnT-iiefi uwrkimch mj ihd rtr jvctafc hobljH -

tiii L-an do these peff^wmance enbaneinf mddifif aijoru T!iu ts< in ^!l new hookc dui h;^ u]l ncru ithxb $17.^

0.moi World Pfeaa Servicer Frequandet

{RTTY) New Sdi ediinKi A ti7mprehij[i*i^e EiutttiuiL covermt rtidioteletypc acw.& rmnniranTi^— bx?niain?t all

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Hvinx mmi coMoi ihm

Tfvfa EBliC CQMQ2 ti4tS

{ksoi QtiU OMQ tt4.«5

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EioirNemRidi IBMQ$ <XM& %nM

IPM06, CO^ttt im/Commodore Tech f^ Code— Lanze Code Program concaJiK all ihr atjilH>ri/KS FCC 4|u«AlbM:bv Jitvd Aivturrs OM^d ia Icft^ f omiuLfei, aAtssM^ i^mbob^, iftl|||yMiiiL and !i*aoiple leaf for piftiSMK tbf iw* Tfrhnkrtaji f^Cmlelkciise. I24.«5

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UHF/VHF/PACKET

OlA7P*Prtcflcal Antenna Kandbook bjjoufkj. C*ft Dtsspi. biliU^ modd) . isai vtiii^\ )ivr i.mn afltBf^ nil. Cirr. a 20- year veteran of lechnkal wrji- isf, tei a uniipae dirliiy i& prrscni compici Ecchnj- cjJ concefts in an easy-lo-ijii«krsiand wij. 416 pp

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fij-dne RTn' botik at ruite<fe:e Cvtie^ aU facett oC Krni' May c^wnpfehensn^t RTT^' |uii|r oTrpublished- FyliyitlijurjiAj tl2|iBfe» SiJO

tm' n The Baste QoKlt 10 VM^AIHF Ham flMhi

tf Eimvi M. X^ Thii bi:kA jnmidei i fir^ rate imiHliKtHii «» fife £» 11^2 6 and t ^5 ?icur twidiai «dl2sl3.33,aBl7QenL 16.50

QIF21 The Packet Radio HwSbo^^Jwmatkm 1^ Msjit kMJT " jfi cik el km piece o| wort Well WQCifa readiiif for hodt ilie ei^iefieaced and ike new pdieleer . . Lhe dcrindiic funk to aoialeut' p4i;iei iip- emniL ' ' -CWi>Ti need) W I BEL (My $14 Jt

(D

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AR]^] ARRL 1991 Httridbook (6Bth ed.) 39 chapters, feaiurilig ^JOO mbks, ttgHfir^ nmJ chiim, The most cooiprehfni^ivc. vvdl org^uni/cd iind itfrcird- iMe souree flf inuteur r»dio rereft^toc fnvttnul 1233

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AR2545 ArTt«nft» Coinpendiufn Vol. 3 4^ p>pn%

bnd s^stcnu, vicinv idcxtni, ■nd midl iiwrc. ftUI

A g?S7ft Djwfwuion Softwara lor Antenna Com- pendium Vol . 2 5 1 4 ' MS^DOS Oo^fsy S J 0. (W

AJHMI WtF8's Antenna Notebook ky Ohv IhMirv VIF9 Gd the t<3i perhxmAficc ixt erf uiutf-

ASOilS ORP Notebook &r Ob^ JVIfov IT/fV

^^^tfi cocumjiaJiiiL prafpcti lor ibt QRF upenUDT. ficm 1 simplie I win CTjfsnl^oitfotkd immtfota ta mMmcoa^kx.ttwaceivtTiAaipa.. 16.00

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AR3I93 Weattwr SoteJIile Handbook (4th ed.) I»> 1^. Rplpk Tuggan WBHDQT Htn gll ihc prci^^ Enpinikd aiiiJ rcvkcd (.o reflect today '& weaiUKr-fax Hilcllrtc tcchnokig^ . %2^M

AIP29I Now You're Talking!: Di&eoi^er Itie World of Ham RatfkJi Successor lo the jmrnetiKflv pcipuJiir Tunf tn the Wofid vilk Ham Radio. Qrvcai c vci^ [timg }^uii fiDdd Ui koow to tan your finii Amaleuf Radip iKcnsc. Mofc ihan a %idv euKk, thu tnofc will help ;p^aii jiclect cquqxneni far jrtvr hmi i:9du vtMHjn titd ciptaift ho* iq xi it {qt-^r^n^tlung youll Dceij la katw lo pt on the atr* As ARRL PttUkAicn. SI9.M

*R?;<|? Your Introduction to Horse Code:: Prac- tica Ca^sauea Ccm^iviirDQ ccxk cuuraE m No% fmt 'fw Ti^mf!. iha kit iii[±kIc& wmo 9tt munac ci&- wne tupH. Prtpsrci )^ for tlK 5 WPM MOne code

CUM KiFCani your hitrvKr license or ^dd k^lifiqim- cy woddntde nnmiinmri-Tri pnvUe^es (i>]/aorc3Qd&- ft« Tedniciai icsMK, f Ifl.lA

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AR 10)^ The DXCC Companion t^f Ji XRiS tpefli oa n saaiiife. ftmshifiavaci ytvneed «i be 1 SKcessfiii DXer. SC.eo

ARr250ljO9 Book-SpTTitC"^ ARA34 1 imerftrencc Handbook Wmeia fhpn a RF1 $kiilh'^ {KTipfictiv'e. Hscxpcnaicc mstiv'm^ 14- terfrmiKc prDMnm. Sl2,00

AR2I9T Data Book Va^fale aid to the RF desifR CtgiBcrf. UiJlilidaii^»fiB«inMeur^BideK|fcTTiilflilet CoOfimufilv used otAa^ cfauis, jnd ibcse im^-ta-tt- fotmikai.%UM

Aft^9fiCi' Transfnlsswfi Line Transfonnef^ (2nd ed.]by Ik. Jerry SwwiA WlFMi Pri^ticaJ tksig»ud iipcv^fH.- inli,tmiaiH>a on GMsstruaton wdaaqaa nd wuvcQ of nqceiiat. Matt d^j^ns fcr aingitftt naera, hybrids, j^ Ibt Ilk VHF ukt UHF boacb. 272 pp.

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AR(M37 ARRL Repeater mrectory 1991-1992 AlitKtsl IS.QOI) iivtjng'^ with over 2200 dJELtpcjEcra. Bond plam, CfCSS (PL'^ lone Chan. campiJation of frf cpencv t:oQridina[Qr?i^ ARRL Special Service Clutis. oml^iOaWmi li^tin^s fmm t4MH2 tD24GK£ $6.00

20 M) I H Technician Clasa License Manual; New

N opcode hy Oofd&n We^s Thi.s buok will LOvcr everything ycjy nci-d in bccumc j9 Technician C]a:<iS Hjim, Every cxdcl qucii^lion and iinNwer on th? ^itainiDa' liorvt ii rpund in this one hxiok covering cEcmcnE 2 siiMi clennctif 3 A quchttLin ptwk. Gundun Wtbl tells yrHJ the riglit iiAiwcr and tlie:n cxpliiin^ ir detail u^'hy ih£r artii.Vi'cr istroftttt. Full J iliyi^truied (exi, fremjency c^n :f,hQw In^ pn V) tc^ . I i^ of ei^anitJiers and an FCC Fomi t \ 0 i|;jfilkalitin.$9,95

20NOt9 l/.S, Repeater Mapbook »v Wcf/iain SMdi S^MQS The Guidi' fur iravelLng radio diru- (euHi f ivc^ yuMj nrpcaEc^ lrcqiuencie&. and tiKanofls on ei&y lo read djic map, Inclttdes all 30 scales , and 23-

BOOKS FOR BEGINNERS

0IB&5 The Beginrwr'i Handbook ot Amateur flitfO— 2n^ Edttonfrr Oirr teicrr Cymh<Tv« iIk»> md pr^L'tKe in mo c^vHo^iutdcnund fiivnrv^. iiid pn>^ vides iniMniBCim for diqctfii^ ani iiHLaJlirk]^ tsdM rr- EtiY'Ent and iranainiiiBi, -MifciMMik. traBiini»inci Imei, 4CDpip»^29l lihittniivii SIS^

mnm T9w Wonderhil World Of Ham Radio ^ aukitfii Skaimk, kB4l€S Jhkk tuoL mkitrv^ ihe pJlaiibiA ^.tmcthinj; ^mplc. clar^aodfiiBtx wruesta tofodBPe yousf fnople lo jwimm ntfia. Pkfc-apeoe tor ifce ac» kaot ia iwr Id^ ST3S

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AR3171 HInis and Kin|(a Find ihc msw^ lo that

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comlatiiile.eflkiailoperiitHiii fil.oo

AR3169 QRP Clasaks Ciilkt^iim nf tnicki imm

last 15 yean oC ARRL pubtic:jUKin» im build pji| rrceiv-

ef^. iranvmittert. trumoeivcr. aoreuiiirie^. 2S8 pp

SI2.0D

AftRL UeerHia Uanuafa All ihc thcnry you ntsed t» pi^yoiiriesi Compiete FCC i|ue<Hii» pooli wilk an-

AR103G Yoirr Gateway to Packet Radio {2nd ed .\ Tells cvcrylhini; yuu nceJ (*.» ikJUJ* jKhjI tiuk jv*}^iiIji Dtrtt mode; howtogelstaned, equiprncnt you need, and imHe. 112,00

AR2103 SatelIKe Anthology The imai mfonruuKHi gii OSCAR.^ 9 liimu^ 1 1 as well ss ttE RS uiellile». Infnnmiion on the u&eijf dignal nxidcs, IracLinf; anlen- ruu, RUDAK. nuauccniiputrr, and mnl If.lNI

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16.00

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AROiTT Low Sand Oilng Htm ¥> meel die cbal- lP|^ol*edtliea«ai lonai^^of Ifid. M.aiid40ncief

iSslFW inl*Tnt^. fl^BtpnciM, lad SMJI

AR24)6fCC fWe 8o6k [ttb ed. } A TiBid for Fvcry miiw ra^D Hiileur 19.09

CODE TAPES

\R2S9fi Space Almanac ht .AmthtMi^ ft. Caf^ KJKXK Captures ihc brtaibuLii^g fwent ncwi fmn kpHX IntltHki arfanniacni on Aismeur Radio sKl- fiiB. Find liiiKi^ n^TTthinf about mtft'i tfip to Ibe stat^ 960pp fM.M

ARJdKl Ocn^ieie DtTer {Znd ad.) kfBa^Ud^ WfKNi Lean Iw b hunt DX aid obmn tetd^o-fct Q5Landi.$llJi

AR20id ARRL Antenna Book Tte k« I6di editwa jtpiiUiEiJU lile bcn aad ibqii b^i^ w^gmlfd talonna-

s^pL aad CDBfliKtioe of wire aijuuuv Oct TOO pa^es^oi^rOODflppEiu AnARRLPLibljc^iQA S20.W

AR3293 Worse CotJe: The Essential Language bf L Feter Cmefmtjr* ff7DA~V' Tl^? beeaexpiaikiJ ^Ehj rcviied tn 05 2iid fl^inn Retc.'' Cirrofi diti^ ib fMCf- ksiory a^ '^r^^ ^ iiianii; prviiol lanmig id- Readn^ will Ism bam to hmdk: djairta& atkktvdsaaatv fm6ii hiiid:iiad& but on numuw ma ajfoia IhipeikA Ccfnn^ 149 K wbcm^. Alt AfifiLP^&^kn. S«.0O

i§Kt pf%»pif 4trr labkr if -Ajf* J'^J'nMjf^ **< -Vrnnfr iVTi*^r i^hnWi^ ir" J'Atw t^rtr haun tac^ i-m Gene^u iumi The SiKiirr F^spfr ti^ ^ w r^vfn iv^ <4 irtArr n Jf r p vnwi ^ykl tbii iwtr Jbn Aejt^b m afifft. Gmttg ^m jN4#r Oivjulf '' A i alMu hnr Uir thr Sact Rifutrw .trail »« 'tl tv thftr ht^.te mtt luilt* tt 4 nvrA %/mMiddaiL Warmmg, Shijim cade nbmnt invundiiw appmn ttr amff trrtpamiitf. trrrrtrxibtf. fffimtmrKt Srmn Jamajfr tmie Wajmr acnptt 4fr ft^ffKnatiHifn wuhtfffvtr fgr

75T06 "TheSticfcier^* iS.«

64 wpii)— This is die pfictke lape ibr those who mr- vived the 5 v^pm tape, and it's also the tape for die Novke and Tecbciict3i> licenses It is compmied of one solid hot^r ofc^CHje- Chantcter^ are ^nt at I !!^ lAipm anti spstc&d at ^ wpin. Code griHipst arr crbEirrly mfkkim dunvncni sent in grmips u( Hvr— de fEititjely not meino-

uros "Ganaato" iSM

5 ttpOi — Thi&. IS ihg bei^iniiinjjf tape, t^iing you through the 26 Ictlen, 10 num^ni, and nci:c\S.]ry punctiuatioil^ ccmiptetf With pnictK;^ t\trf lacp id ihc wiiy The tasc of teaming, gn^^ ccnfidcttce even to the faml of heaft,

73T13 ^' Back Breaker" $5.95

I J + «fpm— Cijdc gn HI p'i J y J I ri , JL ,1 li riiik I iJ f wpm io yt»u1l be really at ease wten you p>il iktwn in frtjnf nf a i4ecly-cy^ iiubniccr ciwrnintM' whti stanji M:ndin]j you plain lungua^ fitnk Jl only 11 pet. Vdull n^cd EhU extra mnrgtn En overtofne ihc sibcer pantw universal in most EeM Mtuttitansi. You've t;i>rt]clhi.N fur. .sstdsm't jjet

73T20 '^Courageous" $S,95

^4- wpm— CangTBiLilatlon&l Okay, the f^halEengc of code u» whal^$ gotten you this far, ^ deHn't quit wiw. (ju fcjr the extra class license We send Ehc code faitter than 20 [KJ. It'.s like wearing lead wi'ighE^ 4>ri y(,>ur fecrl: when you run: You'll wonder why i he eitdin titer is sutuhiig Ml itIowEy!

Uncle Wayne's Bookshelf Order Form

' You may order by mail, telephone, or fax. All payments are lo be I in US funds. Allow 3 weeks for delivery.

I I I I

Item^

1 ■

Title

Qty.

Price

Total

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TOTAL

SHIPPING

U.S. add U.OO maiL $4.00 UPS.

Can^aaddM.DOmail.

If .P.S. to Canada and all foreign orden FOB Peterborougfi, MH

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state

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TOTAL $

Card #

□AE DMC nVISA DChoCk/Mon^y Order

Fypjratinn Date

T^epKorid: (603) 924^1 96 (BOO) 234-^458 FAX: (603) 924-361 3

■ Mail: 73 Magazine. Attn Uncle Wayne, PO Box 3080. PetertXHOugh. NH 03458

UW129T

AUNCO

ELECTRONICS INC.

DR-1 1 0

DR-570

Si*-*.

DJ-120T

DR-590

DR-1 12

DJ-1 60T

STANDARD

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enter

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DJ-460T

HV

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YAESU TEN-TEC

rfconcepts ARRL PC Electronics

IL/'OM Lnrsen flntennos Ameco

Outbacker Antennas

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cushcraft

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Nye-Viking KantroniCS M^ ENTERPRISES Ramsey Kits telex bjfuiiffi Bug Catcher COMET

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

CALL

CALL TOLL

For This Month's Special-Buy Some Quantities Are Limited

800-70K-HAMS

800-765-4267

(C)k/a/foma

(Renter

FREE SHIPPING UPS SURFACE (except towers/antennas) Oklahoma Comm Center owned and operatedi ngt ifliliM^d with any oth

9500 Cedar Lake Ave., Suite 100 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 731 14 Local & Info (405) 478-2866 FAX (405) 478-4202 ^^"'^s of Operation

3S C.O.D.

M-F 10-6 Sat 10 3

FT-411E/ 11/911

ompact FM Handhelds

ie lightweight and compact -41 1 E offen* superb operating

onvenience and an incredible ~"y of features. Such a.s,

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• M Battery Savifi^Safiipling Rate^

• ITT/Keypad I.iH:k

• Indudt s: CSC-35 Vinvl Case, NC-28B 1 17 VAC WallChareen

Belt Clip and FNB-!7Ni-Cad Battery

t;jnHinvFNB-12S {5 Waits J Batterv, MH-1 2A2B Speaken'Mic. MH-I9A2B Mint Earpiece/Mic. MH-18A2B fcapel Speaker and LCC*25 tCusiom Leather Case.

^^ SpedfTCBtions

-^•p^tqutncv RiM RX: 130-174 MHzTX: l44^148MHziFr-41 1 E): f 430^50 MHz f FT-8 II >; 1 240-

ll30CJMHz^FT^9ljJ

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Performance without compromise:

IVrtwrOutput: W/FNB-17: 2.5 Watts { FT-4 1 1 E): 2 .0 Watts { FT-8 1 1 K 1 .0 Watt lFT-91 1 )- W/ FNB I2S: 5.0 Watts (FT-41 1 E): 5.0 Watts (FT-8I I): I.0\V^:m(FT-9ll)

( hanndSteps: 5. 10. l2.5.20&25kH2 CitseSi/t: 2.2W)x5.0(H>s l.3(D)iii. Wtifiht ( Appn)\. I: 1 iA oz. ( FT-4 HE): 13.4 oz.fFT*8Ih:l5.2 oz.iFT-9lh

FT-470

Compact Dual Band

2m/70cm

FM Transceiver

Compact . . .Powerful Eainomically

Priced. The FT-470 pro\ ides true" Dual Band Operation so you can trans- mil on one band while monitoring or

scanning on the other band.

Plus these features:

• 42Meriiories

|2lndepem1ent \ H>s

^ lUiih' ncode/I) it' J

KAii?^^rnuicP*mert>ff(AP^>^

I Pniiiniiiimable Channel Meps

' Biuklil Kc> pad and Display

s h^"^* inorv \utO'T>taIer

' Ui itaUrrv Sin in mpiini; K^ites

i^n/Kt'vnadl

I CSC^43 Vinyl Case, NC-28B

/VAC Wall Charger Belt Clip and FNB-l7Ni^Cad Battery. ► FNB-I2S

f .*i Wiitts) Battery, MH-l 2A2B Speaker/Mic. MH^]9A2BMini Ear- piece/Mic. MH-18A2B Label Speaker and LCC-27 Custom Leather Case.

Specifications

i RX:I3C^I80MH2.

^X: !44-l4KMH/jVHFK430^50 MH/(LHF)

g W/FNB-17: 2.3 Wails

f 144 & 43U MHz) - W/FNB-1 2s: 5.0Watts(l44&430iMHz) I 5 JO, 1 2.5, 20& 25 kHz

2.2<W)x6,0(H)xL3<D)in, 14,8 oz.

; 1390 V^ffsu USA

C«mros, CA9O70T

cttange without notice SmclficilKms ttiarameeo

On»>V08r Limited Wtefsnty on 3S\ fkoaa^a Radki Pmducts

HamWindows™ is an all new con- cept in the world of Amateur Radio.

Tliis pro- ^^^^^^^^^m gram pulls

together eight full cplQr "windows' includ- ing transceiver control, station log, world almanac, awards tracking, SWL data base, greyline maps, regional world maps, and packet TNC control .

greyline and regional maps put the world at

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more about the countries you con- tact, and then add the QSO to the logging program. You'll auto- matically track contacts for the DXCC award. The SWL data base lists thousands of frequencies and schedules from over 9,000 broadcast stations. And the

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your finger- tips. With the proper interface you can even control your Kenwood HF transceiver.

HamWindows^"" is the one pro- gram every amateur or shortwave listener needs. See your Kenwood dealer for system requirements and more information.

Using a mouse to "point and click" HamWindows'"' lets you see the world your transceiver hears. Use the almanac to learn

KENWOOD

. ..pacesetter in Amateur Radio

KENWOOD U.S.A. CORFORATfONcOMMUNicATtoNSi test equipment group P.O. 60X22745,2201 E. Dominguez Street, Long Beach, CA 90301-5745

©Copyright 1991 Kenwood USA Corporation All rights reserved. HamWindows is atrademarl< ot California Software^ Inc.