73 Magazine (January 2001)

68 Pages·21.1 MB·English

JANUARY 2001
ISSUE #482
USA $3.95
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CANADA $4.95
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You'll w a n l one o l l h e s e .
DJ-196T VHF HT • DJ.;.496T UHF HT
linco introduces two new HTs t hat are affordable, packed with
features, rugged, easy to use and dependable. High power output
CTess DeS
batteries are st andard, as are features like and
encode/decod, alpha numeric display and autodialer. Ali ncoalso
gives you unconve'ntional extras like a theft ala rm nd -an
experimental mosquito repelling tone,
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~'AfINCO.
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AMATEUR RADIO'S ,VALUE LEADER-
U.S.A. Alinco Branch: 438 Amapola Ave.
Suite 130 • Torrance, (A 90501
•
Phone: [phone] · Fax: (ltO) 618-8758
Internet http: //www.alinco.com
SpecifieatlOnssubiett to elling. withoutncuce orobliy.tioo.Pemrmar.ce ~
'<
s~eciftcatio~s apil1y only10 Amateur b~ndl, Permitrequired forMARS/CAP use
-1,. Products jMende~ for usa only tly~raperly licensed AmateurRadioepentors.
Alinco's Toyama facility is 150-9002 certified. ..
THETEAM
J ANUARY 200 1
ISSUE 8482
EI Supremo & Founder THE NEW!
Wayne Green W2N5Dll
A m a t e u r
Associate Publisher
F.l. Marion
R a d i o T o d a y
Executive Editor
Jack Bumen
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Managing Editor
Joyce Sawtelle
Technical EditOf'
Larry Antoouk WB9RRT FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
49 Ad Index
Contributing Culprits 10 $V8 from the Geranium - G3SWH
64 Barter 'n' Buy
Mike Bryce WB8VGE Mykonos is a great DXpedition - once you get there.
38 Calendar Events
Jim Gray If
53 The Digital Port - KB7NO
Jack Heller KBm O 14 Inside Digital TVNCR Tuners - W6WTU
8 Letters
Chuck. Houghton WB6IGP Part 5: Decimal-to-binary conversion program.
43 Hamsats - W5ACM
Andy MacAHister WSACM
47 Homing In - KOOV
Joe Moell KOOV 18 Transistor Bias: The Secret Story - W2G0M/7
4 Never Say Die - W2NSDI1
Steve Nowak KE8YN/5 Shore up some ofyour shaky transistor theory by
48 New Products
Dr. Rick Olsen N6NR taking this tutorial.
52 On the Go - KE8YNJ4
60 Propagation - Gray
Advertising Sales 23 ATV 23cm FM Receiver - ZL1AAN
1 QRX
Evelyn Garrison WS7A Kiwi TV - Part 1: New Zealand-style.
63 Radio Bookshop
21704 5.E. 35th 51.
Issaquah WA 98029 26 ATV Exciter - Zl1AAN
425·557·961 1 Kiwi TV - Part 2: Latest addition to the Kiwi 23cm project.
Fax:425-557·9612
29 Vaya Con (Ra)Dios - WB2AQC
Circulation The radio amateurs of Spain - part 3: Madrid and
Frances Hyvarinen Valencia.
Data Entry & Other Stuff
20110 AnnualIndex .:-~Iail Web Page
Norman Marion
page 39 design7J coact.com www.waynegreen.com
otnce
Business
Editorial - Advertising - Circulatkln
reeooace.
Product Reviews
73 Amateur Radio Today Magazine
70 Hancock Rd. QRH
Peterborough NH 03458·1107
• •
603·924--0058
Fax: 603-924·8613
Reprints: $3 per article
statements that may have lefl the listening audience
Back issues: $5 each
The Law: W60BB Settles
with the belief that Bell had been charged with child
mciesteton.
Printed in the USA
Retired radio showhoslArt Bell W6DBBhassettled
These statements were false. In fact, Bell claimed
his defamation lawsuit against a radio station and
that he would carryon his litigation until he was
another talk show host. Bell said that both had de
totally vindicaled. And it now appears that he was
famed him.
successful.
You may recall that last year talk show host Art
In an October 20th posting to the Ccast-Ta.Coast
Bell W60BB retired from broadcasting to pursue liti
Manuscripts: conlribulions 01'
AM Web site, it was announced that, having received
gation against those he daimed had defamed himon
possible publication are moSI
an apologyand retraction, Bell had agreed to a settle
welcome. Wel do ee best we can lo the air. In his earlier May 1998 court filing. W60BB
rensn anylhi'lg you nqJeSt. but we charged that on December 9, 1997, one Ted ment which releases Gunderson and the radio sta
assume no responstlity lor loss Gunderson had broadcast a radio show transmilled tion Irom the legal action.The rest of the terms 01the
or Gamage. Paymert lor Sl.b,1iI1ed
by WWCR. Bell said mat during the course of that
artides wiI be made aller pt1Xa\lOn.
show a guest by the name 01 David Hinkson made Con tinued on page 6
Please Sl.tn'il I:llXh a di:sII and a
hard copy of )(lUI" aI1Jde (IBM (ok)
or Mac (pe/erTed) IoImats~ careI\Ay
cheeked dla....illgs and schema!lCS, 73 Amateur Radio Today (IS5N 1052-2522) Is published monthly by 73 Magazine, 70 Hancock Rd.,
am ee aea-est. best b::used and Peterborough NH 03458-1107. The enure contents C2001 by 73 Magazine. No part of this publication may be
ilj'fedpholosyoucan manage.1-low reproduced without wruten permission 01 the publisher, which is nOI ailihal difficult 10 get. The subscription
10 wnIe lor7T~esareavailable rate is: one year $24 .97, two years $44.97; Canada: one year $34.21. two years 557.75. including postage and
7% GST. Foreign postage: 519 scrtace. $42 airmail addilional per year, payable in US funds on a US bank.
on req.JeSi. US ClbzenS. please Second class postage is paid at Peterborough. NH, and at addilional mailing offices Canadian second class
i"d.Jde )'OlJ'SociaI Secunty ~ mail regislralion " 178101. Canadian GST registration " 125393314. Microfifm ecruco. University Microfilm, Ann
wrth$lblllirted rnanuscrlJfS sowecan Arbor MI 48106. POSTMASTER' Send address changes to 73 Amateur Radio Today, 70 Hancock Rd ,
Slbmit itto know'tlO"O'. --'--''p-"' "''"'"b,' 'O' ou h NH 03458·1107. 73 Amateur RadiOToday is O'o\l'ned b 5habromat Way LId. of Hancock NH
9 Autry Irvine. CA 92618
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sic problem: attracting teens
Two triple lip was o ne 10 our hobby. And I'm nOI
helluva ham radio year! The talking about Archie co mic
code speed yo ke was re hooks. We need to see the and look over my shoulder repeater (and a suitcase full
moved by the FCC, despite League mount a national PR into my crystal hall and check of HTs) o ver to Jordan and
every effort of a relay organi effort to rebuild the thou out what I'm seei ng. set up JY73 on top of a hill in
zation which shall remain sands of school radio clubs The advent of the Kuchina. Amman, just across from King
me
nameless to retain the car that were blown away in l()()(k computer-controlled Hussein's downtown palace,
cranking part of the driver's 1965. station. plus the news about making it possible for all the
license exam. This unleashed For instance, there are thou $1 Weh controller chips got hams in the area to be in
a flood of Techs on our VEe sands of radio talk shows, all me to start combining these touch.
teams and a bonanza for what desperately looking for inter technologies. One of the more exciting
had been a hadly sufferi ng csting guests to interview. Eons ago, in ham years, the contacts of my life was when
ham industry. This doesn' t cost much to do. more adventurous of us were I was visiting Ray Naughton
The timing was perfect. Here Hey, I' ve been doing my part, setting up remote-controlled VK3ATN, in Birchip, Austra
we arc, right in the middle of talking up the hobby at every base stations on mountain lia. to take pictures of his
one of the best sunspot maxi opportunity in my talk radio tops so we could work out on two-meter moonbounce an
mums in radio history, mak interviews. But we need a two meters. This, naturally, tenna. I got on the air from
ing our ham hands red hot. dozen or two of us out there led to repeaters, which led to his station and had a 5-9 con
OX has been pouri ng through doing this. phone patches on the repeat tact with my home statio n in
day and night. Six meters has ers. which led to the voting New Hampshire on 20 meters.
\ h , You Can Help!
been maki ng new records. receiver system in Chicago, Then we tried 75 meters. and I
Ir s been a ball. which led to today's cell phone had the thri ll of hearing my 5
I'd love 10 have a book
Now, with February com industry. 9 signal on that band, too!
available for kids, helping 10
ing up, we're getting into the Now, with the Kachina, Wow!! Now, with the lntemct,
get them excited about ham
best time of the year for an we're seeing the more advcn I' m in daily contact with my
radio. Sure, I can regale them
tenna work. Any pune can put turous of us remotely control ham friends anywhere in the
with the lifetime of excite
up an antenna in the summer, ling our home stations via the world, so the next relatively
ment and adventures amateur
bUI it takes a real man 10 get telephone lines. And a few of small step will be when they
me.
radio has provided but I
out there in the snow and the even more adventurous interface their stations so I'll
need your stories. too. Please
freezing weather to put up interfacing the Kachina home be able to get on the air
get busy with your word pro
new antennas. So get busy station with the Internet. Okay, through them fro m anywhere
cessor and tell us about the
order that tower you' ve been now let 's suppose that hams I can access the Internet. And
adventures the hobhy has pro
wanting. Gel a climbing belt in rare countries, tired of being that 's getti ng to be almost
vided you. You can' t go on
from Bill W20 ;-.J"V (say hello pestered for 3O-second QSL anywhere.
DXpeditio ns via the Inter
from Wayne - he'll remem contacts, put their Kachina sta Okay, now let's make all
net. Or work seven Slates on
ber me). Give yourself enough tions on-line so anyone any th is happen. I want to sec
to GHz, like I did. Or launch
antenna-raising adventures to where can fire it up, swing you get off your duff and
ham-TV cameras from bal
keep you talking fo r ho urs. the beam, and tunc the hand. start peppering me wi th ar
loons. Or have a ball on Field
Maybe you' ve noticed that I That's right, an instant DX ticles on remote basing via
Day. Or get to personally
keep writing about the two pedition from anywhere you the Inte rnet .
know people like Barry Gold
twin-three beams I put up in can access the Internet, and 73 led thc way with 2m f),1
water, King Hussein. Jean
ten feet of snow in 19-16. Or that's getting to be just as and repealers. Now, with
Shepherd. and Waller Cron
my 336-element two meter easy as we can make HT your pioneering spirit in gear,
kite over thc Web. Now, get
beam up on Mount Monad co ntacts via our repeaters. let's use 73 to take advantage
busy.
nock that put a hellacious sig Thin )' years ago I set up a of the next big step into the
a
nal 600 miles down the east Standard repeater in my home future for amateur radio -
DXpeditions 2010
coast. shack so I co uld make OX marriage with the Internet.
Hey, if you can' t find We ll. maybe 2020. since I contacts on 20m via the re Don't just sit there!
enough listeners to yo ur sto- seem to always turn OUI to be peater as I made my morning How long will it be before
ries on the air, how about put- way too optimistic about how walks up nearby Pack Monad we' ll be able to work our home
ting 'e m into writing for me? quickly new technologies arc nock mo untain. Thai sure station from 100 countries?
The inrush of Tcch upgrades going to he accepted. Any took the boredo m OUI of my
was great for 2<X>O, but soon way, I want you to sit here daily exercise. Then I took the Collt/nued on page 42
roosv
4 73Amateur Radio January 2001
»
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• • •
conll'nued from JXlge I Although no time
table was given, the
settlement were saidto beconfidential.Thestale
issue isexpected to be
menl adds thaI Bell is now looking forward to
resolvedquickly.aswe
putting thismailerbehind him and moving on with
go to press. Any ham
his life.
wishing tobuy lntemet
Ne word et press lime about whether Bell
service from verlzon,
planned to return to broadcasting on a regular
or any other ISP, is
basis. His former show - Coast-To-Coast AM
urged to specifically
- is currently being hosted by Mike Siegel lrom
inquireastowhethera
his home near Seattle WA.
ham call can be used
Thanks to coast-To-coast AM , via Don
in an E-mail address.
Wilbanks KGSMFA. via Newsnne. Bill Pasternak.
For more informa
WA6ITF, editor.
tion, contact Verizon at
1225 Corporate Drive.
Irving TX 75038. or at
Verizon Scrambles
[phone].
Thanks to James
to Accommodate Hams
Alderman KF5WT,
Photo/toBiloxi Chamber ImifdiliX\\'irll /().-.4() II/{'rer iI/from.
CarrolltonTX. (/JI(el/llfl
venzon engineers are working to correct a
serious problem with their Internet service. which
adversely impacts amateur radio operators. II
I took the first shift. and we racked up some
The Old Biloxi Lighthouse
seems that verizon's E-mail system was de
100 contacts. By that time I was so tired. wet,
signed 10 prohibillhe use 01a number digit inan
and hungry I took my body home, put it into the
Thanks to Ernest "Ernie" Oman, Jr., W50XAJ
E-mail address. which effectively prohibits the
shower for an overhaul, and then to bed I went.
use of a ham call. W5B1KP2 lor this account of International Light
Saturday I was up at the crack of dawn and 011
The problem was discovered by venzon cus houseILighlship Weekend. last August 19-20:
for the usual breakfast at our local greasyspoon
tomer James Alderman KF5WT, who signed up Well here it is again. August. and the tem
'With the local hams.Kim followed meto the Biloxi
for venzon DSL Internet service at his Dallas perature is in the upper 90s and climbing. with
Chamber building (our hosts), and we started
home. When James contacted the Verizon cor· a heat index of 110 degrees. I have a truckload
again.The bands did not seem tobe invery good
porate offices in Irving TX, Verizon Media Beta of equipment and another old dude like myself
shape, but the old stand-by was hot: 20 meters.
nons spokesman Bill Kula said they were tohelpwith putting upthe antennas.Kim N5XGI,
Later that morning. Randy N5UE, a member
unaware of the problem and its potential impact myoId faithful buddy, is always there to help me
of our OX group (The Magnolia OX Assn.),
on the hundreds of thousands of hams in the with these situations that I get myself into.
dropped by and volunteered his talents in oper
USA. Certainly they don't want to exclude so It did not take too long to put upthe antennas,
ating. He hung in there for the remainder of the
many potential customers. but we would have to work for about 10 minutes
weekend. Darryl KD5CQT, also of the OXAssn..
Kula said that Verizon system engineers con and then drink waterfor halfanhour.After allthe
dropped in and operated for a long time, along
sider correcting the problem a matter of "highest antennaswere installed, we then moved into the
with another local ham. Frank WA5GOF. Using
priority.~ The system was said tohave been origi building, where the air conditioning. fortunately,
fouroperators and one station by 0251UTe the
nally set up to prohibit a number digit in an E worked perfectly. We installed all the equipment 19th, we hadracked up607a so s, andwecalled
mail address to avoid possible billing conflicts and checked outthe systems. and they were all it quits for the night.
arising due to similar Iog-on and alias names in within mil specs. Now all we had to do is wait
the system. until 0001 UTC and start whaling away. Continued on page 5 7
Photo C. Biloxi lighthouse as from the porch ofthe Chamber
.Iet'll
t'hoto H. Ernie W50XA ajier antenlla and equipment installation. building.
6 73Amateur Radio Today . January 2001
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LETTERS
From the Ham Shack
Jerry ~l iI1t'r W81OP, Grand Rapids He); Jerry: How dare yon waste ollr rime pay attention in history. science. and math
:\11. As a long-lime reader of 73 Maga:;nc, complaining abaur all SK :f memory of his classes. though!
I appreciate articles detai ling biographies of licensing history? DOli 't you have anything I never went to college. although I had a
hams who have led interesting lives and COIl better to do thunnitpick something like this. full scholarship 10 the state university. But.
tributed to our hobby. when Jim isn't around to defend himself! I earn more today than any of those other
However. I am puzzled hy some o f the ... But seriously. to anSIH'-r your question. I 27 students that graduated with me. includ
data in the article on the life of Jim Gray don 'tthink \VIXUfl was really speatingfor ing those who went to college. How did
0 11
xun.
WI SK. in the October 2(KlOconccm posterity Il'he" we " 'ere talkillg about his I do it? I read 73 Maga:ifle.'
ing his early license requirements. early years, and/or I could haw' made a Thanks again. and maybe I'll write you
I am 79 years old and was one of the mistake in my /lotes ... III {Illy event. thanks in another 30 years.
very first Novice class licensees in the so much fo r taking the rime to write. and
spri ng of 1951 followin g th e implemen for sharing JOllie ofvour {'{/rly doings wirh
~Iark Nelson AA8PS. T he best buy I'vc
tation of Docket 9295. which did away - 1.R.
/IS. ever made was my life subscription to 7J
with the ol d C lass A and R structure and
Magazine! I really enjoy your editorials.
implemented the new categories of EXira.
Louis 0' A ntuono WA2CHZ. 8802 Everyone else seems convinced thai tech
General. Technician. and Novice.
Ridge Hlvd•• Brooklyn Xl' 11209. I'm nology either has or will have the answer to
This change was the stimulus for great
looking for the Guide to 5I1r"lus once pub all of mankind's problems. It is refreshing
controversy among the old-timer". It was a
lished by 73. Can anybody help? to hear from someone with practical sug
boon to newcomers like myself whose ed u
gcstions about how we can do something to
cation (biology) was far from the technical
David Brittenham WA0R"K. Monett improve ourown lives rather than pay some
side of ham radio. 11 was my impression that
:\10. It's been almost 30 years since I last one else 10 do it for us. As I' ve read your
0 0cket 9295 was implemented in 1950 and
editoria ls men tioning Fluoride in our water.
wrote you. maybe even longer. I was a
was in full force in 195 I when I got my
I can't hel p hut wonder ubout the fl uoride
very young teen at that time, only licensed
ticket. Therefore. I am puzzled by the stare
in toothpaste and mouthwash as well. I'd
a couple o f years. and had some stupid
mcm
that Jim had to spend one full year on
love to read in one of your editorials of any
idea that I wrote you about. Anyway.
CW before taking the Class A exam. I'm
practical alternatives.
that's history. just wanted to see if you
sure that the old Class A was abolished in
Huorided toothpaste has killed children
remembered me! t'o'! Well. I gue ss'
1951. Perhaps you can clear this up. s
wha swallowed it.Am id this poison: It the
wasn't that interesting then. huh'?
I was in graduate school at the time and
brushing that cleans your teeth. llOt the
I' m simply writing to let you know that
built an HOm CW rransmt ucr from plans in
toothpaste. If you feel the need for .m llle·
through all those years. I've read nearly all
the ARRL manual. Rigs al that time used
thing, plain old salr. - I\h yn£'.
of your editorials. having been a subscriber lIS{'
balanced outpu t with plug-in coils . My an
since late in '67. shortly after receiving my
tcnna was a long length of TV twinlcad . I
license at the age of 12. While I won't go Elmer Sinc lair KD-lJ UH. New l\1ilford
operated as Novice on the low end of 80m
so far as to sav vou have been mv hcro or CT, Wayne. co ngratulations on your 78 th
for 3 months and then got my Gcncral uckcr. • • •
idol. I DID want to say mat you have been my birthday. the day on which you completed
I got 80m phone with a surplus BC696
0 11
inspiration in many endeavors. Yourconstant your 78th year. At this time two years
using a 2~V power supply for the 1625
harping at your readers to be better than thcv hence. when you will he XO. you will have
tubes. I built a screen voice modulator from
•
currently were had an effect on me. I can't completed the seventh decade of your life.
plans in the old Radio News magazine.
say that I've reached all my potential through So it puzzles me that you believe we are
and had a barrel of fun. My receiver was.
all those years. but I CAN say that without now in the first year of the 21s1 Century.
a National NC 125. which I still have.
some of the prodding from your editorials, I This belief and your acceptance of the fact
I was QRT for many ycu rs. and then in
would be less today than I am. thai there was no "year zero" are inconsts
the 1970s huilt se veral Hcnhkus and got
tent. Centuries always begin with a year _ _
Why am I writing now'! Simply to say.
back on the air on 40m phone. Unfo rtu
o
I and end with the completion of a year _
"Thank you:' for having written the words
nately. when computers came along I got
_ 00, I believe this computer age is partially
hooked and have been off the air for about that got me to thinking about what I wanted
responsible for the confusion; i.e.. a decade
12 years - although my Kenwood trans to do with my life, to get me 10 BE some
celver remains ready to go on the air any thing, other than jU~1 another factory worker, counter counts from zero to nine.
You rcmind me of my dear departed wife.
time. The fun kind of ran out of operating And for writing the words thai KEPT me
whose favorite remark was '" don't care
once all the gear got so commercialized. going. gelling me interested in micropro
what anybody says!" I admire the spunk.
Anyway, Ido'enjoy reading your magazine. cessors, repeaters. etc. I learned most o f
but that is a dangerous philosophy.
Keep up the good work. what I know about e lectronic s from 73
Fa
Regards from a "bam -dusty" friend.
P.S. Wayne. , first heard you on the air in Magazine hack in my jr. high and high
about 195 1-52 when you were living in up school days, sitting in French class. with the
state New York. You were running a Johnson (then small-sized) magazine tucked into (he
Viking at the time. and used to contact Sam textbook. I learned a LOT in that French
Harris W8UKS. who specialized in 75m class. just nothing about French! Same with Cabbage:A ... vegetable aboul a.. large and wise as
DX. English grammar. Same with literature. I did a man's head, Ambro5t Bittrt (Is.t2-191 ~,
8 73 Amateur Radio Today · January 2001