Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
A.R.S. - WA5AM wrote: On Dec 15, 2007 6:44 AM, Geoff/W5OMR <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Peter Markavage wrote: Back in the "good old days" real hams didn't need Elmers. The 'good ol' days'? We're talking some 40 years ago. How far back does one have to go to be in the 'old days'? Well Geoff, I'd say it's a relative thing. Your "good old days" may not be the same as other people. Sound reasonable? I wasn't trying to start an argument, Brian... just stating a fact ;-) *I* won't even classify the days when *I* got my ticket as 'the good ol' days', as I didn't get licensed until 1984. However, being born in 1958 to a ham that already had 20 years of hamming under his belt, I grew up in what I consider to be the 'good ol' days'. That was back about the time they finally let 40m be something other than a 'CW Only' band, and included 'fone. It was about the same time hams got access to 15m (after giving up what has often been referred to as 'the best DX band hams ever had - 11m), and 5m got moved to 6m, because of the popularity of television. Channel 1 In my childhood, there were BC-610's, there were DX-100's, there were Heathkit Cheyanne/Commanche twin mobile radios, there were xtal controlled aircraft radios somewhere up in the VHF range - don't remember if it was 6 or 10m... there were SX-28's, RME-somethingoranothers, homebrewed gear up the wahzoo and more parts than any one person could ever shake a stick at. -- Driving your AM Rig without a scope, is like driving your car at night, without headlights. (K4KYV) -- 73 = Best Regards, -Geoff/W5OMR __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] bandplan thoughts
You said: "Explain to me why CW is no longer a requirement for a Ham Radio license" This question really should be addressed to the FCC since they were the ones that passed the ruling to remove CW requirement from the testing. ARRL fought to have the CW requirement test retained for at least the Extra Class, and the FCC rejected it. I see no indication from present ARRL actions and W1AW activities that CW is a mode out of the "support" category. Their CEO is a very active CW enthusiast on the HF bands along with several other of their management people. How "regulation by bandwidth" plays out over the next several years, if at all, remains to be seen but I doubt you'll see any FCC proposal to limit traditional AM to 3 KHz. Of course, some enterprising hams might develop a "black box" item that goes between the mike and the rig to compress and digitize the audio, send it over a 3 KHz carrier, and at the receiving end, the receiver has some sort of digitized uncompress detector to reconvert it back to "full-body" AM audio. I bet the SSB crowd would love to hear carriers with digital signals riding over them. Pete, wa2cwa On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 07:04:14 -0600 Geoff/W5OMR <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Are you saying that the ARRL, while saying they'll support the > 'special > interest groups' as long as their used? > > Explain to me why CW is no longer a requirement for a Ham Radio > license. CW is -still- being used on the ham bands. Removing CW > from a > Ham Test doesn't sound, to me, like it's a mode that the ARRL > supports. > > What's next? 3kC AM? > > > And, really... what's all this hoopla about, anyway? Haven't we > already > discussed (to death) the lack of enforcement on existing rules and > regs? So, someone is running 2.5kW on positive peaks on his AM rig. > As > long as the rig is as spectrally clean as possible, and the station > is > run with good 'common sense', no one is ever going to say a word > about it. > > There's been -so- much discussion about how to properly measure PEP, > and > there are those 'hams' out there that SWEAR their > (_insert_mfgr_here_) > SWR/peak-reading/ohm/volt/amp/watt meter is the absolute -best- but > the > bottom line is, if there is still so much controversy about HOW to > measure PEP, who's going to set the standard as far as figuring how > -wide- an AM signal is? More importantly, 'who cares'? 6kc of AM > for > hams is the 'standard'. Sure, you can generate a 15kc wide signal, > but > if the remote receiver is only set to 3, or 4.5kc to remove adjacent > > channel interference, who's gonna hear it? > > -- > Driving your AM Rig without a scope, > is like driving your car at night, without headlights. (K4KYV) > > -- > 73 = Best Regards, > -Geoff/W5OMR/5 New Orleans __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
I got my Novice license in 1958 when I was a Freshman in high school. CQ, QST, Popular Electronics mags and ARRL publications were my guiding light into amateur radio. Built my Apache (which I still own) in 1959 after I became a General, but spent most of my early years on VHF because I became involved with the monthly publication "The VHF Amateur", which was started by a high school friend who was a Junior in high school and, of course, a ham. So, although I had no "Elmers", I did get to rub elbows during those early years with Ed Clegg, Ed Ladd, Amp Fagans, Dr. Allen Katz, Jack Schenker(Polytronics Labs), Waybe Green and a number of others as we beat the bushes for advertising dollars, technical articles and business support. So, to answer your question, "how far back does one have to go to be in the 'old days'?" mostly depends on how long you're been licensed and what sets in your mind as the "good of days". Pete, wa2cwa On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:44:39 -0600 Geoff/W5OMR <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Peter Markavage wrote: > > Back in the "good old days" real hams didn't need Elmers. > > > > The 'good ol' days'? > > Pete, John either just made, or is going to make 60 years old, this > > year. He got his novice as a freshman or sophomore in high school. > > We're talking some 40 years ago. How far back does one have to go > to be > in the 'old days'? > > > -- > Driving your AM Rig without a scope, > is like driving your car at night, without headlights. (K4KYV) > > -- > 73 = Best Regards, > -Geoff/W5OMR __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Todd's redhead and some news
Rick Brashear wrote: Congratulations John! Keep on keepin' on, the Extra is just around the corner. 73, Rick/K5IAR Never mind that - I wanna hear about the babe ;>) (Congratulations, John - CU on the air!) -Larry/NE1S __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
On Dec 15, 2007 6:44 AM, Geoff/W5OMR <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Peter Markavage wrote: > > Back in the "good old days" real hams didn't need Elmers. > > > > The 'good ol' days'? > > We're talking some 40 years ago. How far back does one have to go to be > in the 'old days'? > > Well Geoff, I'd say it's a relative thing. Your "good old days" may not be the same as other people. Sound reasonable? __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
RE: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
Taking a cue from Eddy, I will regale you all with my various "Elmers" such as they were. My first "Elmer" much like Eddy's, was a receiver. Ah, but what a receive it was too! ;-) I was 14 years old, and barely knew enough theory even to be dangerous. My mom had a nice Motorola All-American-5 in the kitchen which we listened to the local news every day. CJAD 800, Montreal. A 50 KW blowtorch. One day, Mom complained that reception was not what it used to be. So I took it upon myself to correct what I perceived to be a problem with the radio. I took it into my bedroom, and examined the speaker. Looked OK. Hmmm? Now what else could I do? So, I decided that the antenna, a mere coil on the back of the radio, was insufficient to do the job! What we needed was a bigger antenna! Longer, in fact! Good idea, I thought, and went about scrounging some wire. I found a roll of "JKT-Quad" telephone cable. The typical inside-wiring 4-conductor stuff, red-yellow-black-green standard telephone wire. Must have been at least 80' feet of it. So, I carefully snipped off the existing flat coiled loop, and replaced it with the run of telephone wire, and ran it up to the roof of he apartment building where we lived. I ran it up the side, across the roof, for it's full length, about 80' or so. Went back inside and turned on the radio. It was about 4 PM. Hmmm... not good! I could barely hear CJAD now. But, what's this? "Montreal Radio"??? I knew enough about radio to know that Montreal Radio was the local Coast Guard station in the Port of Montreal. Interesting. I continued turning the dial. And then, I fell off my chair! A small digression... I was reading Pop-Tronics and Electronics Illustrated, and Radio-TV Experimenter by then, and knew enough about short wave radio to know what I was listening to. As well, My good friend Stanley, has a short wave radio I would listen to when I visited his home. I used to listen to the Green Mountain Net on his radio, and knew what Ham Radio was. Well, the very first ham I heard on "my" radio was none other than W2OY!!! I fell off my chair! "CQ First Class operator's only.. No lids, no kids, no school bus riders..." . And very loud and clear too! I spent the next week tuning in 75 meter QSO's by the dozens! I had my trusty Grundig tape recorder, with which I taped virtually everything I heard! (Unfortunately that priceless and irreplaceable recording was lost a few years later.) W2OY, W3PHL, W3YAM, W3DUQ, W1ZYZ, and all the regulars of the Green Mountain Net, and many, many others. I even kept a paper log, which I still possess. My mom didn't get that radio back for weeks! It was as broad as a barn door, and didn't receive CW, But I cut my teeth on that rig, learning how tune a signal in just so. After about a month, I was forced to relinquish the radio, and put back the original antenna. CJAD came in just fine, after we moved the radio about 90 degrees! ;-) Next time, I'll tell you about my next Elmer, my first "real" short wave radio, my Trio 9R59. A tip of the hat to some early "mentors": Lanny, VE2AZK, Howard, VE2ATY, (both of whom are still licensed and active), and Barry, VE2AYH (no longer licensed/active). While not exactly "Elmers", they did give me encouragement and pointers to the right books. Ed, VA3ES __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
Good Day All, My Elmer neither stood on two legs, nor took a single breath of life in the conventional sense --- and yet, "he" was as much alive and inspiring as any conventional Elmer...to me at any rate... Elmer here was my very first SW receiver: a beat-up, 3rd hand, $40.00 Hallicrafters S-77A, that I found through the want ads in one of my Dad's union newsletters. Looking back, it was surely a good thing that this receiver had the many shortcomings that it did, for these very deficiencies taught me all about improving the performance of things electronic, and made me appreciate the fine art of homebrewing --- or, perhaps more accurately, it put a "face" to that most noble of Amateur activities, i.e. "...tinkering and experimenting"... To whit: -Being an AC/DC receiver, its shocking (literally!) performance made me appreciate the outboard installation of an AC isolation transformer; -Its poor sensitivity on the higher bands forced me to build a regenerative pre-selector; -Its poor selectivity taught me about crystal lattice filters, and Q-multipliers (I installed a Heath QF-1), and passive audio filters (I built one using 88-mh. telephone toroids); -Its poor dial calibration inspired me to build a crystal calibrator, using one of those "$4.50 100-KHz crystals" that Jan Crystals used to sell back in the day; -Its poor stability on 20-, 15-, and 10-meters compelled me to build a crystal controlled down converter, and, On & on it went! In fact, the VERY FIRST working Ham station I ever saw was my own --- and with the singular exception of that receiver, the station was entirely homebrewed... It held sway at VE3CUI for some 12 years --- the transmitters may have come & gone in that time, but the old receiver remained in its well-earned central spot atop the operating position. In fact, it was not retired until 1983, when a brand new Yaesu FT-980 occupied its spot...but I still have the ol' lad, and fire it up from time to time, always amazed to re-discover the incredible quality of the audio emanating from it, and re-living the fuzzy warm memories that only come back to you when you greet a long-lost, old friend... ~73!~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
When I was a kid, the local library was my "elmer" - I was sure glad they had books on ham radio for me to borrow - over and over and over! Steve WD8DAS ** See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop000304) __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
Yes, and No. Back in 1948 at the ripe old age of 8 years I had a great Elmer W8ZFZ(SK), who helped me learn the code and about radio. He helped me get my Novice license, build my own transmitter and modify the BC454 for a receiver and make a converter for 40 and 15 meters. Had I not had the Elmer I would "maybe" have gotten my license much later and missed out on a lot of fun and educational activity. Healthfully yours, Don W4BWS - Original Message - From: "Peter Markavage" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 4:38 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine > Back in the "good old days" real hams didn't need Elmers. > > Pete, wa2cwa > > On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:31:29 -0500 "Ed Sieb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > Sniff (boo-hoo)... I never had an Elmer. > > Did it all on my own. Now I'm the Elmer. More lids today, I > > find. > > > > Ed, VA3ES > __ > Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net > AMRadio mailing list > List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html > List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the word unsubscribe in the message body. > __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Elmer
While we are talking Elmers, I have to tell you about mine. Paul Cash Gregg, W4DPF (Ducks Paddle Fast). I am not quite sure how I first met Cash, but I remember him well. He was a lot older tham I was, heck, back in those days, everyone was older than this then 13 year old. He had a wife and 3 children, none of whom had any radio interests. Cash did not have a lot of money to invest in radio, but his rig was impressive to me. He had a Meck T-60 transmitter and an NC 101X or similar vintage receiver, His main antenna was a 3 element plumbers delight for 10 meters and some wire in the trees for lower bands. He had something else, too, what he referred to the "clothes press." This was a closet crammed full of radio stuff. Although it was similar to Fibber McGees closet, he knew exactly where everything was and it seemed to me that he had just about everything in there, especially tubes and parts. If something blew up, a call to cash would usually result in an invitation to "come over and pick it up." Cash operate mostly on 10 meters. He really enjoyed the Sunday Morning 10 meter nets in the Asheville, NC area where he lived. I don't think he operated a lot other than that. It seemed that he knew everything about radio and was a great help in troubleshooting homebrew gear and kit problems. If you had trouble with something, he would drop everything to help out. Although there was a wealth of amateur radio knowledge among the many hams in the Asheville area back in the early 50s, Cash was one of the friendliest and most giving of his time to help budding hams. I will never forget him. 73, John, W4AWM ** See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop000304) __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] TEXOMA AM NET
***CONGRATULATIONS*** Jose' Silva / CT1AXG / Phoenix --- Bob Peters <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This AM on the Texoma AM Swap net W5JKK checked in > from OK City > Running a Homebrew rig. He will be 93 years old on > Wednesday the 19th. > His birthday party on Wensday will be at McDonalds > in OK City. Man > Isn't that great 93 and still on AM and a Birthday > at McDonalds. His XYL > Is making Peanut Brittle for everyone that attends.. > Lets all send > Him birthday wishes and yes he has E Mail > [EMAIL PROTECTED] By the > way guys the > Texoma group meets every Saturday at 8AM on 3.890. > > > Very Best 73's > Bob W1PE > The Voice of Mesquite > www.w1pe.com > > "Money is only temporary, but radios are forever" - > Jim Little aka "the > old dog"/K5BAI > > > > __ > Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net > AMRadio mailing list > List Rules (must read!): > http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html > List Home: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > To unsubscribe, send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the word unsubscribe in the message body. > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
[AMRadio] Elmer
My first visit with a ham was when my dad took me out to a small country store in Blair, SC, to visit the late Claude Ragstdale, W4EGH, "Eggs, Grits and Ham". He would work the SC AM net each noon, and he flipped his Valiant/HQ180 combo up to 10 meters and we made a contact with a ham in Tacoma, WA. I was hooked. He set the hook. He had his shack sitting in the middle of the store, with a potbellied stove nearby. When a very infrequent customer came in for a sack of flour, or a R/C Cola, moon pie, or pack of 'shacks' (crackers), he would stop QSO and sell it, then return to his rig. Apparently I wasn't too mike shy. This would have been early 1970s. Then I met the late Connie Arrington (call unknown now) who had a Globe champ I think, and a HQ129X or something like that. And another fellow who had a Swan 250, he helped me get my novice as a VEC. I wish I could remember more - sigh. And I had this neighbor who was a tinkerer, not a ham. He played with electronics, tubes, just built neat stuff out in this ancient shed in his yard. For some reason never was a ham, pretty quiet guy - Obie Johnson was his name. He always was building some circuit out of old parts, taking things apart, built an electric go-cart for his nephew out of an old washing machine motor and an inverter he built. He gave me an old failed Eico 400 scope, which I fixed and used for years. The final elmer was another guy who worked in broadcast engineering at the local 1250, and also at the control room of the local experimental nuclear reactor (Not Homer Simpson). He really pointed the way for me to get into electronics and become a broadcast engineer at the time, so I got my 3rd, 2nd and 1st class FCC ticket in a few years period. Anyway, the point is, W4EGH was as close to an elmer that I had. He inspired me to continue to pursue my interest, with that Valiant, all the wires strewn everywhere, and a happy demeanor. I remember he would chat a lot with the late Ben Teams (W4AM) near Columbia. I spoke with Claude over the years, even on 75m AM from my Apache, all the way into the late 1970s. Went back to visit him in the 1980s and took a few photos of his shack, polaroids, that I have somewhere. Last time i was at my parents home in central SC (2006), I drove out to Blair and his store was still there boarded up. I could still see glass feedthru insulators on the wall and remnants of wire strung out amoung trees in no apparent pattern, his low band antenna was a long wire with a surplus tuner. He passed away years ago, though, and his store was emptied. All those guys are deceased now, but i owe each of them a lot of inspiring me and encouraging me, showing me their hobbies, and influencing me to become a nerd/geek in my own right. Also my father for continuing to introduce me to his friends who were hams, even though he wasn't. Happy Holiday to all, John K5PRO (former WN4PRO, WB4PRO) __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
[AMRadio] TEXOMA AM NET
This AM on the Texoma AM Swap net W5JKK checked in from OK City Running a Homebrew rig. He will be 93 years old on Wednesday the 19th. His birthday party on Wensday will be at McDonalds in OK City. Man Isn't that great 93 and still on AM and a Birthday at McDonalds. His XYL Is making Peanut Brittle for everyone that attends.. Lets all send Him birthday wishes and yes he has E Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] By the way guys the Texoma group meets every Saturday at 8AM on 3.890. Very Best 73's Bob W1PE The Voice of Mesquite www.w1pe.com "Money is only temporary, but radios are forever" - Jim Little aka "the old dog"/K5BAI __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] bandplan thoughts
"They have their own people to do that when THEY feel it's appropriate" Kinda sums it up.. The ones of us who subscribe to the AM reflector have seen, in print, the rather nasty note the Great Lakes director penned. And, we've seen the pages of QST and the ARRL Newsletter devoid of information pertaining to IARU proceedings of late. Guess "they" don't think any of this is appropriate enough to warrant comment. We've seen the ARRL jump the tracks any number of times where "they" made decisions that were not necessarily in the best interest of ham radio. For the amateur community the ARRL is the only lobby in Washington we have to represent our collective radio interests. I expect them to represent me and all amateur operators fairly and to be forthcoming in their plans and decisionsBEFORE the fact, not after. The IARU thing is a done deal. We can only wait for the other shoe(s) to drop beginning in January. My crystal ball is no better or worse than the others on this reflector, but I firmly believe the IARU bandplan for Region 2 is the springboard for change that the ARRL will pursue with the FCC and ultimately result in major changes in Part 97some of which will drastically affect many operators across the USA and maybe beyond. It's just one man's opinion. I feel strongly about it. And to those who have taken similar views to the top of the ARRL and IARU, more power to you. As before, YMMV... Best 73 to all W4MIL Chuck -Original Message- From: Peter Markavage <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: amradio@mailman.qth.net Sent: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 9:48 pm Subject: Re: [AMRadio] bandplan thoughts Sorry Chuck but I'm not a spokesperson for the ARRL They have their own people to do that when they feel it's appropriate. As a member, the ARRL is my representative and spokesman in arenas where I have limited or no access. You said: "I'm a simple ham who knows how to make a transmitter and receiver work and who is not afraid to experiment to improve that process. I wish to continue in the mode/emission manner that works well for me and many other hams worldwide. I don't think the ARRL leadership is even remotely aware of the operating pleasure/challenges that many of us encounter daily on the active ham bands." In my opinion, I don't see anyone stopping you from continuing to what you like to do as part of your ham radio activities. You said: The "real" (ed. "real" I'll assume this is your own personal definition) ham who can build a transmitter and receiver is ignored. CW is archaic! A.M. is simply a bunch of guys who reject change. To me, there is something inherently wrong with this." Lovers of homebrew, CW, AM, Digital, QRP, Packet, Contesting, traffic nets, etc. are all "special interest" groups of ham radio operators. The ARRL has said on a number of occasions that as long as there is interest in these activities, the ARRL will continue to support them. The "etc" probably includes dozens and dozens more. Trying to maintain an equitable support for all them at the same time can be a monumental task even for the ARRL. Pete, wa2cwa On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:57:49 -0500 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Well, Pete: You're a great spokesperson for the ARRL, IMHO. You make the case I speak of. The ARRL will, in conjunction with their advertisers, promote a mode/band plan schedule that will alllow the manufacturers to profit nicely. (Insert here.more QST ad revenues) They will allow enough time for firmware/software adjustments to be made which will allow, in your words, "regulation by bandwidth probably would be a boom for new manufacturer production. I would suspect manufacturers would fully support it down the road." Your words are prophetic for the rice box merchants and fully in line with the suspected ARRL agenda. Personally, I don't own stock in these rice box companiesI'm not interested in their profits or technological gains! I'm a simple ham who knows how to make a transmitter and receiver work and who is not afraid to experiment to improve that process. I wish to continue in the mode/emission manner that works well for me and many other hams worldwide. I don't think the ARRL leadership is even remotely aware of the operating pleasure/challenges that many of us encounter daily on the active ham bands. So, here's where we fall off the wagon.. What about all the hams who are still experimenting, building and operating under the auspices of their current license permissions? Who, in the ARRL or otherwise, feels it is their place to dictate just what and where the ordinary ham operates? We, as hams, know this already! We don't need to be told or advised of what we already know. Sure, the ARRL and the rice-box (or similar) manufacturers MUST fall in line with whatever a spectrum plan includes. Otherwise, they couldn't make money and sell rigs.
Re: [AMRadio] bandplan thoughts
Peter Markavage wrote: You said: The "real" (ed. "real" I'll assume this is your own personal definition) ham who can build a transmitter and receiver is ignored. CW is archaic! A.M. is simply a bunch of guys who reject change. To me, there is something inherently wrong with this." Lovers of homebrew, CW, AM, Digital, QRP, Packet, Contesting, traffic nets, etc. are all "special interest" groups of ham radio operators. The ARRL has said on a number of occasions that as long as there is interest in these activities, the ARRL will continue to support them. The "etc" probably includes dozens and dozens more. Trying to maintain an equitable support for all them at the same time can be a monumental task even for the ARRL. Are you saying that the ARRL, while saying they'll support the 'special interest groups' as long as their used? Explain to me why CW is no longer a requirement for a Ham Radio license. CW is -still- being used on the ham bands. Removing CW from a Ham Test doesn't sound, to me, like it's a mode that the ARRL supports. What's next? 3kC AM? And, really... what's all this hoopla about, anyway? Haven't we already discussed (to death) the lack of enforcement on existing rules and regs? So, someone is running 2.5kW on positive peaks on his AM rig. As long as the rig is as spectrally clean as possible, and the station is run with good 'common sense', no one is ever going to say a word about it. There's been -so- much discussion about how to properly measure PEP, and there are those 'hams' out there that SWEAR their (_insert_mfgr_here_) SWR/peak-reading/ohm/volt/amp/watt meter is the absolute -best- but the bottom line is, if there is still so much controversy about HOW to measure PEP, who's going to set the standard as far as figuring how -wide- an AM signal is? More importantly, 'who cares'? 6kc of AM for hams is the 'standard'. Sure, you can generate a 15kc wide signal, but if the remote receiver is only set to 3, or 4.5kc to remove adjacent channel interference, who's gonna hear it? -- Driving your AM Rig without a scope, is like driving your car at night, without headlights. (K4KYV) -- 73 = Best Regards, -Geoff/W5OMR/5 New Orleans __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] ER Magazine
Peter Markavage wrote: Back in the "good old days" real hams didn't need Elmers. The 'good ol' days'? ~~~ *What AM Is To Me* by John E. Coleman, WA5BXO *O*perating AM is not about communicating using the most efficient mode of transmission or the latest technology. It is about technical understanding of what is really happening in one's transmitter. Not just the standard old definitions but down in the nitty-gritty. It is about understanding the technology of old and new. It's about understanding why one circuit is better suited for a job than another even though both have the same definition. It is about home-brew equipment and modifications. It is about fellowship and a gentleman's mannerisms. It is about fun in learning. It's a little new stuff mixed with some nostalgia and used in a mode that is pleasurable to the operator and the listener. Sounds a lot like Ham Radio in general. Don't misunderstand me, there is a lot more to Ham Radio than operating AM. There are so many aspects of Ham Radio that I'm sure I could not do the list justice. For this I am glad. Ham Radio has always been the seeds of electronic and communication technology. And I hope it continues to be. Somewhere deep in my brain are the memories of the days of learning and wonderment. I can not forget the first time I saw the bottom of the Sears 1950 TV as the repairman went in with his meter and hand tools to repair the set so that I could watch Roy Rogers and Dale Evans on the next Saturday Morning. All the tubes glowing and how did it get in there (the picture and the sound) I asked myself and many others. Then later while in high school and having upgraded to general class, I was privileged to not only see some of the greatest radio transmitters to have ever been home brewed, but I was known by the men that built them on a first name basis. Walking in to the shack of K5SWK in the evening to see the 833s and 866s glowing and to hear the feedback from the modulation transformer and slight hum of the pole pegs is a memory that will always make me stop what I doing and ponder the nostalgia. Do I operate AM because I can't let go of a childhood memory? You bet I do. And I hope to stir some of those memories in others if possible and to plant some seeds of my own. Many Thanks and 73 to those Elmers Wayne, W5FJS Otis, K5SWK Tom, K5IBW Koby, K5MZH Jake, K5IQV Bill, WA5DWXGene, WA5ATH Gene, W5HQJ Roy, W5MRY Steve, K5LTK Ronnie, K5MKB Don, K4KYV This is just to name a few and I know that a lot are silent keys and some have changed their calls. But I will always remember them with the calls heard first. ~ Pete, John either just made, or is going to make 60 years old, this year. He got his novice as a freshman or sophomore in high school. We're talking some 40 years ago. How far back does one have to go to be in the 'old days'? -- Driving your AM Rig without a scope, is like driving your car at night, without headlights. (K4KYV) -- 73 = Best Regards, -Geoff/W5OMR __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Todd's redhead and some news
Thanks Bill, I don't think that I'll procrastinate another 7 years John - Original Message From: Bill Horne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 7:53:05 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Todd's redhead and some news John Flood wrote: > [snip] > I passed the general with only 2-3 errors. [snip] > Be warned, you guys are really stuck with me now > > Happy __ (insert your winter festival) > > John Flood > KB1FQG/AG > Congratulations, and best of luck at the next Extra session. Bill, W1AC -- Lookng back through time you know its clear that i've been blind I've been a fool To open up my heart to all that jealousy that bitterness that ridicule David Gray __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body. __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Todd's redhead and some news
Thanks will do! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! - Original Message From: K3PID <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 8:15:28 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Todd's redhead and some news Congratulations! On to the Extra... But lose the PC crap! Merry Christmas!!! 73 K3PID Ron H -- This outgoing email was scanned by Norton Antivirus Corp. Edition and found to be virus free! __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body. __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
