73 Amateur Radio's Technical Journal 1992-01: Iss 376

97 Pages·39.9 MB·English

JANUARY 1992
ISSUE #376
- USA $2.95
CAN $3.95
A WGE Publication
International Edition °
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Number 1 on your Feedback card
Lerrers Clark J. Evans, Sr., used amateur radio sociate ourselves with others who
operators around the world to trace agree with only us, who think like we
where the width (4’8%2") of the United do? | believe it’s time for amateurs
States train tracks came from. Clark to work together, to coexist, and to
got interested in track gauge through show the ‘‘newcomers” that we really
From the Hamshack his father, John T. Evans, Sr., who are a fraternity dedicated to the contin-
worked for the Pennsylvania railroad uation and extension of our unique
for 47 years. It took over six years of ability to enhance goodwill, locally
Ronald Schmidt WASQBA, Garland joined OMIK this year and went to its research to trace where standard AND internationally. When that day
TX Back in 1973, | paid $73 for a life- convention in Charleston, South Caro- gauge (4'812”) came from. comes, we will no longer have need of
time subscription to 73 Magazine. That lina. | have participated in a number of The United States got the gauge all the repeaters that are in existence
was one of the best investments | have Boy Scout activities with my son, which irom England because they built the today.
ever made. ‘Nuff said. | never took the time to do before. | first steam engine. England got it from
have gone out and bought fishing gear, the Roman chariot. The Romans got it James Dillon N@KWA, Rapid City SD
Max Holland W4MEA, Hixson TN | which is something | always wanted to from the Celts. The Celts got it from Could you please announce in 73that |
really like hamfests. The first one | at- do, and would you believe that | am common horse sense. It is the width of am trying to start a net related to as-
tended took place in 1955 in Dayton, writing this letter with a new computer. two horse rumps standing side by side tronomy where fellow hams could dis-
Ohio, in the halls and lobby of the Bilt- Three weeks ago, Wayne, | did not pulling a cart, wagon, or chariot. You cuss the technical and observational
more Hotel. Leo Meyerson of World know what DOS was; look at me now, a always made the wagon, cart, or chari- aspects of astronomy? | think that such
Radio Laboratory played the electric 386 with the works! ot a little smaller so it wouldn’t get a net could help make for some inter-
organ for entertainment. stuck in a narrow opening. esting QSOs and teach amateur as-
| attend approximately 10 hamfests Dennis D. Spreng KBOIRY, Lake Thanks to IK8HEP (Italy), IK8BDXX tronomers about ham radio. My packet
per year. Sometimes | have found Crystal MN | wrote to you several (Italy), IK8BQE (Italy), IK8BLM (italy), address is NOKWA @ [email protected]. My
some real bargains. Most of the bar- months ago about how | was dissatis- and GWOMAW (Wales). Thanks also to home address is 801 East Ohio Street,
gains are products manufactured by fied with my job at the post office, and Joan and Betty Ruck of Altoona, Penn- Rapid City SD 57701.
the AS IS Company. As an example: how your editorials had convinced me sylvania.
At the Dayton Hamfest | brought a to change. For starters, | enrolled in an
receiver that was clearly marked AS electronic communications course, InSuk J. Granholm KA7TAG, Monett Larry Junstrom KN4UB, Jackson-
IS. | only paid $2.00 for it. It didn’t passed my Novice exam, and started MO You write wonderful and enthusi- ville FL | have started a Celebrity and
work, and some of the components my own communications business. | astic editorials! | especially enjoyed Entertainers Net, and the response
looked burned, but it was a real bar- am still working at the post office for your information on Amelia Earhart. Al- has been quite good, but I feel it needs
gain. At another hamfest | bought now while | get things rolling. though | have had my Novice license additional publicity. | am wondering if
an AS IS printer for $5.00. When | This has not been easy for me to do. since 1984, | have made just one con- you could put a plug in for the net.
got home, it didn’t work either. | be- | am typing this at 3:00 a.m. after tact. | got the license because | hap- There are quite a few hams in the en-
lieve | could fix most of these things if working eight hours at the post office. pened to learn the code with my hus- tertainment business, and | would like
| had the technical manuals. Does | have spent money to get started, but band who was studying for his Novice to get them together.
anyone know the address of the AS IS | believe it is worth it. You are ex- license. Not being technically minded, The net meets on Mondays and
Company? actly right about how making money much of the ham magazines do not Thursdays at 2300Z on 14.265 MHz,
means changing, and we are all basi- make sense to me. +QRM. | travel quite a bit with my
Kent C. Babcock, Arcadia Mi I’m still cally lazy and begrudge those who do Since | started reading my hus- band, but there are other guys who
a no-call, as I’m waiting for the study work hard. People at work give me a band’s 73 Magazine, your editorials will act as net control in my absence.
materials | ordered from 73. In the hard time about this, but that is their have me fired up, and | intend to study The net is run in a civilized and gen-
meantime, I’m listening to hams on a problem. and upgrade and become active. Like tlemanly manner so as not to invade
couple of communications receivers, My business is just getting started. you, | have numerous projects going the privacy of any truly famous per-
and | must admit to being somewhat | am planning a direct mail program on. | have started writing and hope sonalities.
surprised at what I’m hearing, mostly for later this month. | am a dealer for to be published again. | have also
on 14.313 MHz. | hope |c an be assured several antenna and radio lines. | also begun a book about my adoption and Gary N. Babcock WASBMN In re-
that the vast majority of hams are as carry emergency vehicle products. | life in Korea and in America. Thank you sponse to the letter submitted by
offended by this juvenile foolishness am even considering advertising in 73! for sharing your enthusiasm. May you AAQAN in the October issue of 73, re-
as lam. | am working hard at this career live another 30 years to continue garding contesting on the amateur ra-
This brings me to my point. As a change, and your editorials are what sharing it. dio frequencies, | find his point of view
CBer, | have never heard anything got me started. | hope in a few years very parallel to mine. This contesting
worse on 27 MHz than some of the crap you can put my success story in your Stephen D. Goff N8IVX, Bellevue OH has gone to the point of making the
I’ve heard from supposedly legitimate column. This is in reference to a letter in the amateur bands useless during many of
amateur radio operators. Wayne, keep November 1991 issue by Mr. Bovee these marathon QRM sessions. | have
that rolled-up newspaper handy and Jerry Wetzel W3DMB, Butler PA | about repeater coordination. First and often wondered what the outcome
continue to swat those holier-than-thou have read your editorials since the ear- foremost, the FCC DOES NOT assign would be if another San Francisco
hams who insist on calling CBers ly 1950s, so | have a general idea of repeater frequencies. They also DO earthquake were to occur at the exact
names over the back fence. your opinions as they have evolved NOT initiate nor approve band plans. moment that the famous SWEEP-
~ You also have my promise that when over the years. Do you ‘‘worry”’ if any- They authorize amateur frequencies in STAKES contest begins. | can assure
| do get my license | will do my best to one doesn’t agree with what you write? blocks, and it is the responsibility of you it would not be for the benefit of
uphold the standards of good amateur (Fat chance!) Recently, the following amateurs to govern themselves in this mankind, judging by what | have heard
conduct on my part first and then worry editorial policy appeared in the local regard. In Ohio, the recognized fre- during contesting operation over the
about the practices of others. club newsletter. quency coordination organization fol- 30-plus years that | have been in this
“It is very difficult for an editor to lows the ARRL approved band plan. hobby.
Thomas E. Durfee, Jr., WI8W, Big print any news if he is afraid of having Not all states follow this same band In regards to the editorial response
Rapids MI | really enjoy reading 73, someone disagree with his editorials. plan, and unfortunately for Mr. Bovee’s given to AAQAN not to complain to the
and | find that Wayne Green hits it right Therefore, in the future, any BCARA group, neighbors of Ohio do not follow FCC, | can assure you that contacting
on the head when it comes to telling it member who disagrees or is upset by the same band plan, which renders the contest organizers will get you
like it is. He keeps telling me to get off anything that is in the Tell-A-Ham can useless many pairs that would be nowhere fast. | have contacted many
my duff and write something, and by bring his/her copy to the next regular otherwise available. Different geo- of these organizers over the years to
God that’s just what I’m gonna do. meeting. The editor will have a pair of graphical areas require (or desire) suggest a sensible method of con-
Keep up the good work. scissors and will cut out the offensive different uses of the available spec- testing that the general amateur pop-
article from that person’s copy of the trum. The situation that Mr. Bovee’s ulation could live with, and | have
Charlie N4TDY, Raleigh NC | decided Tell-A-Ham.” group has encountered is purely geo- been told everything from ‘‘Mind your
to take some of your advice and do At 73, would you rather people who graphic. The thought of one pair per own business” to ‘‘Don’t complain to
something new and different for a disagree cancel subscriptions, write a band per individual/club has merit, us, we aren’t the problem.”’ If the
change over the past year. | have been letter, or just steam (assuming they with one exception: as more special organizers are not the problem, it
reading 73 for about four years, and won't change their mind)? interest groups are formed and want seems to me that some sort of FCC
I’ve only been a ham for three years their “‘own’’ pair, will the idea of one regulation may be necessary to correct
and four months. . . .write, giving some rational reasons pair per band PER CITY/AREA crop the problem of totally obscuring the
My first license was the Tech, and it for disagreeing. | do my homework be- up? The question will ultimately arise amateur frequencies with this sense-
took me about a year and a couple of fore writing, so why shouldn’t people as to why one city or area needs dupli- less QRM. It seems that the amateur
months to upgrade to Extra. Hey, who disagree do theirs, too? I’m al- cate coverage on one band. Who gets community is unable to regulate itself
would you believe | am yet to make a ways open to new data and able to to stay, and who goes? Should we ask in this area. Perhaps the involvement
code contact. Bet you the old-timers change my opinions if the data dic- the FCC to sell spectrum to us so only of the FCC is the answer many of us are
hated to hear that statement. tates. Wayne the groups with lots of members can looking for. |w elcome any comments
Wayne, this is the first time I’ve writ- have repeaters? from other amateurs who would like to
ten any known public media. | am now Clark J. Evans WA4DLL, Tampa FL Why DO we need so many re- use their radio equipment on the week-
also taking a Spanish class, and | WA4DLL asks us to print the following: peaters? Is it because we can only as- ends again.
5 Amateur
THE TEAM JANUARY 1992
Issue #376
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Wayne Green W2NSD/1 Radio Today
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
David Cassidy N1GPH
MANAGING EDITOR
Bill Brown WB8ELK TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Hope Currier
SENIOR EDITOR
Linda Reneau KA1UKM FEATURES 42 Use Those Surplus Meters
DEPARTMENTS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Find out what’s inside that meter,
Joyce Sawtelle 8 The Dual-Combo Field-Strength and how it can be used. .. KB4ZGC
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS and Source Dip Meter 76 Aboandv Beeyo nd
Mike Bryce WB8VGE Versatile test instruments for all REVIEWS 72 Ad index
David Cowhig WA1LBP 50 Ask Kaboom
Michael Geier KB1UM your RF projects. ....... WBOESV 58 ATV
Jim Gray W1XU/7 18 Safety Power Breaker for the 24 The 200-Channel Standard 78 Barter ’n’ Buy
CAADrrhn.nud icyMek a JMraocHc hoAnLulsegioahsnvtt eoeynrN 1WWWBAABA356CAZI JIGRBP ATveositd Bae nschhoc king experiencWeA. 1FHB CLeo1t6s8 oAf e oHpatniodnhese lidn a smail, WsmBa6llN OA 461637 HFDeeaaemldseb ra wciDkti hr eIcCntldoaersxy s
Joe Moell KOOV 22 An Improved Crystal Tester 32 The Ventenna 48 Homing In
CBialrl oPlaes tPeerrnrayk WWBA26MIGTPF Check out those surplus crystals The “‘no antennas” antenna. 2 Letters
with this portable circuit. .... KA4J 74 Looking West
28 Build a Function Generator 4 NevSeayr Di e
ADVERTISING SALES An inexpensive way to generate BOOK REVIEW 70 New Products
REPRESENTATIVES useful waveforms. ...... KB4ZGC 84 Propagation
Dan Harper 23 Secrets of RF Circuit Design 62 QRP
Louise O'Sullivan 34 One Desert Storm MARS
A new reference book from a 7 QRX
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Experience well-known author 84 Random Output
Sue Coibert MARS readiness and support 54 73 International
1-603-525-4201 een NX7T Cover: Associate Publisher David 52 Special Events
1-800-225-5083 38 A Direct-Reading Linear Cassidy N1GPH destroys another 86 Uncle Wayne’s
FAX [phone] Inductance Meter perfectly good circuit board.
Bookshelf
Check out your coils with a digital Cover design: David Cassidy, Larry Dunn 59 Updates
PRODUCTION MANAGER voltmeter Cover photo: Larry Dunn 64 1991 Annual index
William Heydolph
ART DIRECTOR
FEEDBACK...
Alice Scofield
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TYPESETTING/PAGINATION
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Linda Drew
Ruth Benedict here in our offices! How?
Steve Jewett Just take advantage of our
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Tim Pelkey subscription to 73.
CIRCULATION MANAGER Build a field-strength/dip meter. . . see page 8.
Harvey Chandler
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR PS
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Write to 73 Amateur Radio Magazine, Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) membership applied for.
WGE Center, Forest Road, Hancock, Circulation Offices Contract: It’s New Year’s Resolution time, and just by reading this sentence you have become legally
NH 03449. HancWoGcEk CNeHn t0e3r 449 obubillidg aitte. dY out'ol lt heh asvtea fff uonf, 7a3c qAumiartee uar d eReapd isoe nTsoed aoyf taoc croemsopllvies htmo epnitc k aant dl eparsitd eo,n ea npdr oyjoecut miing thhti s eivsesnu el eaanrdn
phone : [phone] something.
Number 2 on your Feedback card
able to go full duplex, even when we're
in contact with someone on exactly the
same frequency. With digitized voice
and a multiplex system, six hams will
be able to talk with each other in full
dupiex, aii on one channel.
Perhaps, if we’re all too old and too
tired to even try to develop the equip-
NEVER SAY DIE
ment, we’ll be able to get the Japanese
to do it for us. We’re not talking about
anything terribly complicated here. . .
certainly nothing a clever 14-year-old
Wayne Green W2NSD/1 ham couldn’t whip together after
school.
How much would such a technology
be worth if someone bothered to devel-
op it? Something like that is all it would
take for an entrepreneur to build a pret-
ty big business. Motorola says they’ll
ask if anyone is there. And no, it isn’t in what it does. It’s got some fine have it available commercially in an-
Repeater Guides
that they don’t want to talk with me in awards—like the DX Honor Roll, which other year, so in a few years we'll be
Unless you’ve got moss growing on particular. I’d say that maybe 10% of has forced most amateurs from rare able to put a dollar figure on the devel-
your back, you at least occasionally get the hams | contact ever connect my call countries off the air. And there’s its opment. If it’s worth less than a few
away from your home town—in which and name with me. fantastic traffic handling system which tens of millions, I’ll be surprised.
case you'll want to know what repeat- As I’ve mentioned in the past, | find shuttles thousands of completely use-
ers are where. Well, having a list with it irritating to call and get no answer, less CW messages around the coun- Liars Figuring Again
you beats the hell out of kerchunking then, seconds later | hear someone try, losing a few in the process and The Gettysburg licensing figures
all possible frequency pairs to see call a friend to see if he’s listening, just delivering the rest late. | say give credit can be interpreted to show a huge
whai’s around—particularly if you’re to let me know that visitors aren’t where credit is due. growth in new licenses as a result of
driving from one repeater area to an- welcome on this repeater. If you aren’t And what other national organization no-code. Alas, | suggest you view
other. And let’s see, are they using 15 a paid-up member, keep the hell off do we have to represent us at ITU con- those who do this as charlatans. . .or
or 20 kHz spacing between channeis our channel. | guess that’s the ‘‘good ferences? Of course they haven’t both- dummies.
around here? new”’ ham spirit—as differentiated ered to do their homework, but then it’s The no-code ticket has boosted new
When | was busy in the 1970s trying from the ‘‘good old’’ ham spirit. Alas, a non-profit organization, so we can’t Tech licenses to a fairly steady aver-
to get repeaters going, | used to pub- I’m still stuck in the past when amateur really expect it to be very effective, age of 2,800 a month vs. a tenth that
lish a $5 World Repeater Atlas. It sold radio used to be like a fraternity and right? in previous years. Wow! A ten-times
well and did the job. It had a list of every friendliness was the rule, not the rare The part | liked the most was when growth! Awesome. We’re packing
known repeater with its in/outputs, plus exception. the League killed off 85% of our ham ‘em in.
State maps showing the transmitter lo- Speaking of friendliness, | was stores and 95% of our American ham Well, sure, but when we look at
cations. We also had a cross-index by amused to see that one of the Los manufacturers, thus opening our mar- what’s happened to the Novice new
frequency. By 1980 the Atlasran to 274 Angeles repeaters finally made the ket to Asia. It was hilarious as Halli- licensees we see they’ve dropped an
pages. newspaper headlines for being so out- crafters, Hammarlund, National, Mil- average of 500 a month. That drops our
Then the League started handing standingly awful. I'll bet | could do a len, Johnson, Centra Electronics, overall gains a tad.
out repeater lists for free at hamfests. good business selling tapes of our Gonset, B&W, Multi-Elmac, Thordar- The bottom line is that according to
They weren’t nearly as complete, but cesspool to CBers to show them how son, UTC, Lakeshore, Webster, SBE, the FCC’s figures we’ve gained about
they almost stopped my Atlas sales, good the CB channels are compared to World Radio and others paid the 7.7% in total licensees since this time
forcing it to be discontinued—where- amateur radio these days. I’ve got League millions while it killed their last year. The eentsy problem with this
upon the League started charging for some interesting CB tapes, but nothing companies. is that for the last three years the FCC
theirs. It’s $6 today, has only the re- approaching what we hams have been Ah, but that was a long time ago, has stopped deleting deceaseds and
peater listings and no maps, and able to produce. Right now L.A. is even back in the 1960s with another bunch non-renewals. This has given us a
doesn’t cover hundreds of repeaters beating out New York for repeater ob- of directors, now dead, far’s | know. great-looking boost in our numbers. . .
in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceana. scenity, but it’s by a nose. But the loyal ARRL members, despite kinda like a Chicago election, with vot-
Their list is handy if you know where all But what about the FCC, you ask? anything | and other ham journalists ing gravestones.
the little towns are—which you proba- Oh, come on. They've several prob- could write explaining what was hap- Thus, the apparent 7.7% growth is
bly don’t—and don’t travel abroad. lems—like we’re supposed to be self- pening, supported them to the hilt, re- obviously somewhat inflated. Looking
This need for maps got Bill Smith regulating—like the FCC is under enor- electing them like clockwork. A recent at the FCC’s figures for earlier years
N6MQS busy with his Macintosh. He’s mous pressure from industry and Westlink editorial called these loyalists suggests this is adding about 5% of
publishing a U.S. Repeater Mapbook lobbyists to take away our frequencies “League Lemmings.” | kinda like that. Statistical bloat. The apparent growth
(see the “New Products’ section in and put them to better use—like the for the last two years was 6.1%, so
this issue of 73) which sells for $10. It’s FCC’s shortage of funds for trying to Time Multiplex we’ve at least progressed 1.6% due to
got the 50 state maps (plus Canada) cope with our seemingly unlimited sup- How many years have | been sug- no-coders.
with the repeater output frequencies ply of wackos (al! excellent CW ops, by gesting (pleading?) for some ham ex- | know the League Lemming hordes
shown. The larger cities have separate the way). The FCC seems to feel that perimenters to tackle time multiplex won’t forgive me for “Trashing the
boxed listings. It’s a good book to keep it’s our responsibility to police our technology? And how about my touting League”’ by bringing this up, but our
in your glove compartment, or to pack bands, not theirs, so where’s our na- digital voice communications? Well, real growth from 1946-1963 was an
when you’re flying somewhere. tional organization which should be wouldn’t you know that Motorola has amazingly steady 11% per year. That
I’ve got the cutest little quarter-wave dealing with this mess? And why do the put the two together, calling it Time was before the ARRL’s Incentive Li-
telescoping magnetic mount antenna League directors remind me so much Division Multiple Access (TDMA). This censing debacle almost killed the
that | use on rental cars. Picked it un at of Congress? Well, | don’t blame them will make it possible to stack up to hobby. . .and did virtually kill the ham
Dayton from the folks at Cellular Secu- for ignoring our messes. | blame you six conversations, all on the same industry.
rity Group. It sure beats trying to use an for not cleaning house at election time. channel. The no-code license has increased
HT in the car. We also need to do some house clean- Well, we can do that too! The next our growth. ..about doubled it from
The frustrating part for travelers is ing in Washington. ..and senate time you hear anyone whining about an actual 1.6% to 3.2%, and that’s
the lack of response when we call in on cleaning too. But for some reason you QRM, just keep in mind that the main good stuff. But we’re still creeping
repeaters as visitors. | joke that we ap- blindly re-elect the same do-nothing reason we have QRM is because we’re when we should be running. If your
pear to have finally accomplished the turkeys every two years. 30 years behind in technology, not be- club hasn’t set up classes for newcom-
ultimate—one repeater for each 2m There | go bad-word processing the cause we have (a) too many hams or (b) ers, if you don’t have a team scouring
ham. The sad fact is that in many cities League again? No, I’m putting you too few frequencies. the CB channels for youngsters, if
I’m able to raise several repeaters, but down for not cleaning up the ARRL As a matter of fact, if we can change you’re not sending club members into
seidom able to get any answer when | PiCCtON ine Ne League ne 9 digital voice transmissions we'll be ontinued on page 80
KENWOOD
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B) DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESsoR DSP-10 je}
POWER
= ON/OFF
— ax T™ cw CAR LEVEL MIC GAIN ?
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we VOX? = FULL AIP BHOIOGSHT = 1E°ta]i lte)s 10 es4 601 101 01 vie w ti uh 8 Bee ae n
© usB :
@ MAW B SEMI! KENWOOD © urtransceven TS-8508 ONAIR AT TUNE
ae
@ REC/SEND: AGC KEY SPEED -@- CAR —FILTER——_ Niele) FUNCTION
@ THRU/AUTO = FAST Mio, sLOW x l4—“ eGaee y/ 6 METER [K=AE Y= i c} 455 LussBB Treer Aap. FUTIX
aa 8 PLAY-1 PLAY-2 PLAY-3 cw
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REC-1 REC-2 REC-3 =M
a — Ss 6 AM
PHONES PROC MON! [=fei=]
UNE laa RE: V sie : ~ j
— |} 8d8 — F 8 8 M.IN
at pReit oc| —2| - /M 6O N! M4 \ it7 ay 6 fou, «=.0P ITCH —E—NT ||| Q UICKT ueM EMO
ya Sep re f 7 ,
A fix se a MEMORY neers
ee 8 8 7 ; in [MevFo |S CAN” VOICE KENWOOD
e Cross band repeat function. ¢ Supplied accessories:
TH-77A
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Separate volume and squelch con- ¢ Automatic repeater offset on 2 m.
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Number 3 on your Feedbaccakr d
EDITED BY LINDA RENEAU KA1UKM
of existing two-way services. At a time when sis. There had been concern among amateurs
Spectrum Use Today spectrum availability is very scarce in the in Regions 2 and 3 that the LEO proposal for
large metropolitan areas, we have great 148.0-149.9 MHz would drop below 148.0
Private Radio Bureau Chief Haller of hopes that this new service at 220 MHz is MHz.
the FCC spoke at the Spectrum Summit going to provide an expansion area for The FCC has withdrawn its preliminary
for Emerging Technologies in Washington systems.” proposal to allocate 420-421 MHz to LEO
last November. The W5Y/ Report printed Regarding Haller’s speech at the ARRL satellite systems on a secondary basis. This
excerpts transcribed from on-site recordings. National Convention in Saginaw, Michigan, is welcome news to amateurs in Australia,
Hailer: “The demand for spectrum is unpar- reported in last month’s ‘“‘QRX,”’ Haller Jamaica, the Philippines, and the U.S., who
alleled. Since 1968, there’s been over a 400% said that he was not sure if he used the have secondary status at 420-430 MHz.
increase in the number of licensed land words “excess capacity,” but he does not The FCC proposal would allocate 2390-
mobile transmitters in this country. That is a have a problem with that term. ‘“‘Excess 2430 MHz to the Mobile Satellite Service
10% annual growth rate. In the last six years capacity means you can do something (MSS) on a primary basis, for use as an uplink
alone, the total number of transmitters below more, and still get your basic communi- to MSS geostationary satellites. Amateurs
470 MHz has increased from 7.5 million to cations through. In my mind, excess capacity would retain their current secondary alloca-
11.5 million. And if that weren’t enough, the is not a spectrum term. It doesn’t mean tion at 2300-2430 MHz in all three regions. (In
traditional users of land mobile radio are an- ‘too much spectrum.’ It means you have Australia, Papua, and the U.S., 2310-2390
ticipating even more advanced kinds of ser- capacity enough to do the basic commu- MHz is reserved for aeronautical telemetry.)
vices. More remote control. More digital. More nications and something else.”’ As to chang- The future of the amateur satellite program is
automation. All of these things place a heavy ing FCC Rule 97.113 on ‘Prohibited Trans- limked to the continued availability of the seg-
demand on the spectrum. missions”: ‘‘| have serious concerns about ment 2400-2450 MHz.
**...1 don’t know how to provide those opening up the Amateur Radio Service to Broadcasting Satellite Service: The FCC is
additional channels without some very diffi- such an extent that it becomes a substitute not nearly as definitive in its proposal for allo-
cult and perhaps expensive changes in the for other services. And yet, | think there are cation to digital audio broadcasting (DAB).
way that we do our processes at the Com- things that can be done beyond what the cur- Some spectrum would come from the 1429-
mission, and the types of systems we license. rent rules permit that do not compromise the 1525 MHz segment. In the U.S., this would
It’s a tough balancing act, and one that’s Amateur Radio Service.” TNX W5Y/. For require moving aeronautical mobile test
not going to get easier for the govern- more details, see Vol. 13, Issue #22 of the telemetry to other bands, possibly to 2310-
ment generally or for the FCC in particular. W5Y1 Report. 2390 MHz. Further, the FCC proposal would
The tight budget under which our agency is allocate spectrum for DAB from the 2300-
forced to operate this fiscal year, and next 2390 MHz segment, most of which is currently
WARC-92
fiscal year, will require us to do more with dedicated to aeronautical telemetry. This pro-
less, notwithstanding the explosive use of posal does not completely appeal to anyone,
spectrum today. The FCC has released the U.S. proposals and further consultations are scheduled. TNX
“As a federal regulator. . .! think of myself for WARC-92. Those with a possible impact Westlink Report, No. 613.
as sort of an acrobat on the high wire. On the on amateur radio are: HF Broadcasting and
one hand, I’m charged with trying to ensure as 40M: The FCC recommends that 1325 kHz of
SAREX STS-45 Hams
far as possible that new technologies can spectrum be reallocated from the Fixed and
come on line and have a place, a home in the Mobile Service to broadcasting. The new
spectrum. Then on the other hand, with the bands would become available on June 30, Ham astronauts Brian Duffy NSWQW,
number of transmitters I’ve told you about, 2007. By this same date, broadcasting would David C. Leestma N5WQC, and Dirk
there is a tremendous existing investment out have to be fully converted to Reduced Carrier Frimout ON1AFD of Belgium are scheduled
there. So we have to be careful that changes Single Sideband (RSSB). to fly on the STS-45 flight of the Atlantis
we implement don’t, overnight, wipe out that In the 40m band, the Amateur Radio Ser- this coming May 1992. Duffy will pilot the
existing investment. vice would be allocated 6.9 to 7.2 MHz world- Atlantis on the seven-crew, eight-day mission.
“It also means letting people try, so far as wide. At 6.9-7.0 MHz, amateurs would share They will fly a high inclination orbit, much like
possible, to bring new applications into the spectrum with Land Mobile, amateurs the those flown by Owen Garriott and Tony Eng-
marketplace. Section 7 of the Communica- primary users, and Land Mobile, secondary. land (57 degrees, rather than the usual 28.5),
tions Act requires the Commission to encour- At 7.0-7.2 MHz, amateurs would have exclu- therefore passing over most of the populated
age the provision of new technologies and sive access. Region 2 broadcasters would areas of the world, giving good coverage to
services to the public. One of the problems is gain exclusive access to 7.2-7.3 MHz, world- hams on all continents. Altitude will be 160
that we have no way of knowing what those wide. Other proposed, new HFBC allocations miles. The astronaut hams will be restricted
technologies are going to be. So very often our (worldwide, non-shared, all adjacent to exist- to battery powered FM voice operation on
rules are way behind the industry. A new idea ing allocations) are: 5.900-5.950, 7.300- 2 meters.
is presented to us, and we have to go through 7.525, 9.350-9.500, 11.550-11.650, 13.800- As planned, this will be a CQ mission,
a lengthy rulemaking process to get that tech- 13.900, 15.600-15.700, 17.450-17.550, and meaning that there will be several attempts
nology on the air. By the time we’ve gone 18.900-19.300 MHz. to work as many stations as possible. Some
through the process, the poor entrepreneur is Mobile Satellite Service: The U.S. proposes school contacts will be arranged, too. The
bankrupt and the technology goes away, and that the 137-138, 148.0-149.9, and 400.15- SAREX Working Group plans to release the
we never see it. 401.00 MHz bands be shared between low timetable and frequencies as soon as they
‘*..the Commission recently adopted earth orbit satellite systems and other users. are available. The mission’s prime objective
rules to release the 220-222 MHz band for The LEOs and as many as three other ser- will be to use an Atmospheric Lab for Applica-
narrowband technology. This provides for the vices would all have primary status in these tions and Science that will be carried in an
first time a home for very spectrum-efficient bands. A 150 kHz segment at each edge of the igloo in the payload bay. TNX Westlink
narrowband voice and digital technology, us- 137-138 MHz band is proposed for the Meteo- Report, No. 610, and the OSCAR Satellite
ing about one-fifth oO one-sixth the spectrum rological Satellite Servi e on a secondary Da- Heport. NO
Number 4 on your Feedback card
The Dual-Combo
Field-Strength and
Source Dip Meter
Versatile test instruments for all your RF projects.
by Martin Beck WBOQESV
ost field-strength meters described in
ham literature are coil-capacitor tanks
with a diode and a meter. These FSMs are
useful, but not sensitive enough for many
jobs where the RF is not very strong. I fre-
quently need something better, so I designed
the device described here.
The most notable feature of this FSM is that
instead of a DC amplifier, it uses an RF
amplifier: a grounded-gate FET. After RF
amplification, the signal is capacitively cou-
pled to a diode voltage doubler whose output
is fed to a 200 1A meter. For those who want
the ultimate in sensitivity, a simple bipolar
DC amplifier can follow the diode doubler.
More than 20 years ago I used such a sys-
tem, but it was all bipolar. I took it to the
annual Field Day operation of the W6LIE
radio club. During a break in operation, I
noted that my FSM’s meter was reading up
and down, but no local signal was being
generated. I determined that the FSM was
reading 15 meter received energy being re- Photo A. The field-strength meter (left) and the source dip meter (right).
radiated from a 15 meter yagi at about 40 or
50 feet up!
well as S2, are mounted on a plastic strip. work. Other options are the use of a friend’s
Construction Details This is because these phono jacks must have dipper or, if you want only the amateur
The device shown in Figure 1 uses three both ‘‘sides’’ (i.e., both sheath and center bands, transmit into a dummy load and hold
“‘tricks.’’ First, the FSM uses the same plug- pin) above ground. The plastic strip is bolted the field-strength meter nearby. As a last
in coils as the source dipper described later in to the inside of the metal face plate and 0.375- resort, you can wind a second set of plug-in
this article. Second, the dipper uses the inch holes are punched in the face plate to coils for the FSM and calibrate it with the
FSM’s meter. Third, switch S1 not only completely clear the phono jacks. The switch source dipper.
switches the meter from the FSM to the dip- just went along for the ride, as it could have Since both the source dipper and the FSM
per, but also turns on the power for the been mounted on the metal face plate. use the same meter, I opted for a 200 LA job.
FSM’s FET when in the FSM meter position. Except for the meter, Cl, and the RF You can use a Radio Shack 50 LA meter (now
The FSM uses two extra plug-in hairpin loop choke, I bought all the parts at Radio Shack. discontinued), but it is so highly damped that
coils to extend its range a little bit. The RF choke came out of an AM radio. its response is too slow to suit me when using
Note that in Figure 1 the 365 pF air variable Anything from 1 to 2.5 mH will do. The it with the dipper. It does work, but a less
capacitor C1 is not shown. This was for the chassis box is known to Radio Shack as a highly damped 200 1A meter is better.
sake of clarity. C1 is on the opposite side of “‘project box,”’ and is about 7424" Lx4%4" W Note that most of the circuit is built using
the board. Two bolts hold it to the board. Any x 2.375” deep. A metal chassis box could also phenolic terminal strips. A printed circuit
broadcast capacitor will do (from a ‘‘junker’’ be used. The entire FSM is built on the metal could be equally good.
AM radio, for example)—just use one sec- face plate. Simply turn the plate upside down In Figure 1 you can see that there are both a
tion. It does not have to be bolted to the on the box and you will have a convenient low band (J2 coil and J3 antenna) and a high
board, but a short heavy lead should be run holder while you do the work. band (J5 coil and J4 antenna). Since brass
from its frame to the board. A thin brass strip For a dial, I used a piece of typing paper strips are used in conjunction with J4-J5, the
%-inch or wider is good for this. You can held down by a piece of thin, clear plastic. inductance is lower, and the FSM’s range can
often drill and tap a couple of holes for Since the FSM uses the source dipper’s plug- be extended. Only the two hairpin loops are
mounting it to the board. in coils, you need an RF source for calibrat- used in the high band section. Either antenna
Note that in Figure 1, J2, J3, J4, and ing the dial. Some signal generator;