Well, I should be in St Martin now getting warmed up for WW, but thanks to
someone named Luis, I'm stuck here in the cold and rainy Windy City,
wonderful.
The response to the station registry from the US has been good. I'd like to
see more DX stations added to the list, along with some Canadians (there are
no VEs on the list as of now.) There are 34 US stations and 3 DX stations on
the list. If there any mistakes on the list, let me know.
For those who aren't aware of my project, I'm compiling a list of stations
and/or operators who are willing to open their stations to new operaters in
order for them to gain experience and hopefully get motivated to op more
contests in the future. If you willing to let a new guy op from your place
or join a multi-op effort, let me know and I'll add you to the list.
Here's who Ihave so far.
K1KP Andover, MA
K1VR Lincoln, MA
K5ZD/1 Wocester, MA
KY1H Western MA
W1FY Framingham, MA
KB1GW Avon, CT
KE3Q Bowie, MD
ND3F Baltimore, MD
KA4RRU Northern VA
AA4NC Raleigh, NC
K1ZX/4 Tampa, FL
W4NVU Miami, FL
AB4RX Louisvlle, KY
WB4FLB Bowling Green, KY
AC5CT Dallas, TX
WB5VZL Austin, TX
NI6T Los Gatos, CA
W8AKS/6 Tehachapo, CA
K6XO/7 Salt Lake City, UT
K7FR Eastern WA
N0AX/7 Seattle, WA
N6TR/7 Portland, OR
N7UJJ Phoenix, AZ
W8FN SouthWest OH
W8FJ Norristown, PA
KF9PL Central IL
K9ZO Central IL
KO9Y Indainapolis, IN
K9SD/0 St Louis MO
K4VX/0 Hannibal, MO
KM0L Kansas City, MO
NX0I Kansas City, MO
WA0PUJ Northern MN
N2IC/0 Denver, CO
DX Stations
F5VCO (TM1C....)
ON4UN (OT5T....)
PA3ERC (PA6WPX and PI4COM)
ON4UN is going to have an entire crew of newer guys for WW SSB using OT5T!
Great!!!!!!! If there are any other multi-ops planned for upcoming
contests that wouldn't mind having a new guy stop by, let me know. That's
one of the best ways for someone to learn.
Also, there are a few guys who are looking for places to operate in upcoming
contests. Dave Kalahar, KD4HXT/7, is looking to for a place to op just
about every contest in the next couple months. He just moved to Tucson, AZ
and doesn't have a station set up yet. Email him at cool-fm@theriver.com
The same goes for KK5EA. Sim (not a typo... Sim) is in SE Alabama and wants
to op a few contests in the coming months. His email is
jamescs@mail.auburn.edu
Ray, WQ5L, also wants to be added to the "will guest op for food" list. His
station is in disarray and wants to operate before he pulls all the hair out
of his head. He's in Long Beach, Mississippi (wherever that is) and will
drive "several hours" for food, ur uh... I mean for a contest. Email him at
rocker@datasync.com if you can give him a bowl of soup.
Then there's Fred Cady, KE7X, who is gonna be in the Atlanta area over SS CW
weekend and wants to find a place to op for a few hours on Sat before he
heads back to MT on Sun. If you can help Fred out, let him know at
cady@mainman.ee.montana.edu
All for now
Paul WX9E@aol.com
>From Dan Robbins <kl7y@alaska.net> Fri Oct 20 09:13:05 1995
From: Dan Robbins <kl7y@alaska.net> (Dan Robbins)
Subject: shunt-fed towers
Message-ID: <9510200813.AA27586@alaska.net>
Re shunt feeding a WT-51 tower: It should work. As a starting point, run
the gamma rod or wire to the top of the tower. I prefer a single gamma
capacitor as it's simpler and possibly may have more bandwidth than the
omega match, but you may not be able to get a good match with just the gamma
configuration. If you can get close, changing the separation between the
gamma wire and the tower can usually dial in 1:1 SWR. Otherwise try the
omega or a different height on the gamma where it meets the tower. Since
that is a crank-up, there may not be solid RF connections between sections
or it may generate noise in the wind. You might want to run a heavy wire or
old chunk of coax from the the top down to the bottom to avoid joint
problems. Put Penetrox or No-Al-Ox or some kind of anti-corrosive on your
gamma connections, especially where your copper or aluminum meets the
galvanized tower. An old corroded joint and some loud AM broadcasters will
fill 160 with crud that filters won't take out. Same applies to the ground
screen. Finally, be sure to work KL7Y in the 160 meter contests so I can
hear how loud all of those shunt-fed towers will be. KL7Y Dan
>From Greg Richard KC4ZV <kc4zv@iquest.com> Fri Oct 20 12:45:22 1995
From: Greg Richard KC4ZV <kc4zv@iquest.com> (Greg Richard KC4ZV)
Subject: various
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD.3.91.951020063320.16256A-100000@vespucci.iquest.com>
Going to be putting up a cushcraft 2l 40 this weekend. Is there a
better choice for element lengths and spacing than the one is the cushcraft
manual?
The local cable company uses the rg-59 for its house to telephone pole
runs, the cable they use has a separate aluminum wire used as a stringer.
it looks like a 16 ga wire with its own jacket and it can be seperated
from the main rg-59 (or whatever the rg number is). has anyone used this
wire for beverages or antennas? There is plenty available for free locally
and before i jump into that trash dumpster, want to make sure its worth
doing.
I have an sb-220 with dead finals, i have a pair of 4-400a's that a local
told me would work in place of the 3-500z's. his explanation made sense
but he ended the conversation with "let me know if it works" which left me
concerned. Has anyone tried this? Does it work?
thanks in advance for ur replies..
greg kc4zv@iquest.com
>From WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com Fri Oct 20 15:58:00 1995
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com (WEDGE, STEPHEN)
Subject: FW: Mugs and the frozen North (was A New Section?)
Message-ID: <3087B932@pria.com>
----------
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN
To: owner-cq-contest
Subject: RE: Mugs and the frozen North (was A New Section?)
Real men pound a few while running 200+/hour on 80!
--- Steve, KT1O
! If your lights don't dim when you key the amp- IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH!!
----------
From: owner-cq-contest
To: Dr. Eugene Zimmerman; Fred Hopengarten
Cc: cq-contest
Subject: RE: Mugs and the frozen North (was A New Section?)
During tests the K1NG M/S crew downs gallons of JOLT Cola (twice the
caffeine
of regular cola - sez so right on the label!). Afterwards, we relax and
reflect on our efforts whilst sipping the homebrew beers of KI1G and WF1B.
James/kd1ng ..
_________________________reply separator_______________
>I consume copious quantities of Dr. Pepper, the drink of champions,
>recommended by both Fred Laun K32O and Bob Cox K3EST.
>As for wimpy tea or worse, coffee, I'll have Nunavut.
>73 Gene W3ZZ
>From WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com Fri Oct 20 15:59:00 1995
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com (WEDGE, STEPHEN)
Subject: FW: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
Message-ID: <3087B948@pria.com>
----------
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN
To: owner-cq-contest
Subject: Re: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
I don't know where you live, Ken, but here in New England they'll be dead
within another month. If you want to stop them after that, try some grease
under the plate for next year. If you live in a warm place like Arizona
you'll have to wait 'til you get a night in the 30's or 40's. Go up first
thing in the morning and use the stuff that sprays 12 feet! Alternatively,
try a pump can full of Diazinon or Sevin and really P-U-M-P it up: it
should shoot 30 feet or so. Wear clothing that covers your whole body and
goggles to prevent overspray from getting on you.
Blasting it off with a pressure-washer will also work but you'll need to run
like hell as soon as it drops :)
--- Steve, KT1O>>
----------
From: owner-cq-contest
To: Kenneth Ramirez
Cc: CQ-Contest
Subject: Re: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
Don't start the rotator. the buzz will be perceived as
a mating call with the obvious results.(Brings new meaning
to "Mounting the Antenna".)
On Wed, 18 Oct 1995, Kenneth Ramirez wrote:
> I've heard of a Hornet's nest of Controversy but this is
> ridiculous! While halfway up my microwave tower to straighten out a 903
> Yagi I came under heavy aerial attack by a swarm of WASPS! And i don't
> mean the rich,bigoted types either! It seems that they have found a
> nice dry place to procreate right under my rotor plate up at the top.
> How in Hell do I get rid of them short of hiring a Hook and Ladder
> company? I am not about to climb up there with a can of spray as I
> believe: 1- I would either get stung enough to lose all bodily control
> which would no doubt lead to paralysis,losing my grip, and falling to
> my death.(Not to mention probably peeing my pants from fright)
> 2- Have to set a world record coming down the tower when the little
> critters got the first whiff of RAID. This,I also believe, could lead
> to some sort of injury.
> Don't even mention a safety belt! The thought of securing myself to
> the top of a tower next to a wasps nest is equivalent to dropping in
> for dinner at a convention of Cannibals!!
> Does anyone have a solution? Do I wait until Winter and catch
> them in suspended animation. What happens if they wake up?
> Do I Load up the tower on 160m during the 160 contest?How much power
> does it take on 160 to roast a wasps nest?
> Do I ask on the local 2m repeater if a newcomer to the hobby would
> like to learn tower climbing techniques and let him handle it?
> Should I rotate the antennas for 24 hours back and forth and hope
> they'll get tired of the Buzz of the rotor. That may actually soothe
> them...
> Help!! Any ideas? Ken
> P.S. I really need to get my 903 antenna back in alignment with the
> other antennas. Ken
>
>
>From WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com Fri Oct 20 15:59:00 1995
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN" <SWEDGE@pria.com (WEDGE, STEPHEN)
Subject: FW: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
Message-ID: <3087B9CE@pria.com>
----------
From: WEDGE, STEPHEN
To: owner-cq-contest
Subject: Re: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
Kerosene would be a LOT safer!!!! Please, please- DON'T use gasoline, it's
just too volatile. Kerosene will make a nice flame, too but burns slower.
I lost an uncle years ago who used gasoline as an accelerant while burning
leaves. Burnt over 90% of his body. When that stuff ignites, it can do so
explosively- if you're lucky your moustache gets singed off. If you're not
lucky, well...
--- Steve, KT1O
----------
From: owner-cq-contest
To: kp4xs
Cc: cq-contest
Subject: Re: Hornet's Nest of Controversy...
>
> Help!! Any ideas? Ken
>
I have an idea. It may only be worth the amount I am charging you for it.
I had yellow jackets. Close enough, I think. Anyway, I was able to
carefully climb to about 12 feet below the nest without getting them
excited. I then took a 12 foot piece of aluminum tubing with a rag tied to
the end of it and soaked with gasoline and lit it on fire. (Makes a big
ball of flame for several minutes.) I poked the flaming rag right up under
the nest and it rained yellow jackets. It singes their wings and they can't
fly. You have to dodge them as they drop. You may burn a control wire or
two, but probably not. It only takes a few seconds to do this. I never got
stung.
Good luck . . .
Stan W7NI@teleport.com
>From Ed Miske <MISKE@A1.ISD.UPMC.EDU> Fri Oct 20 18:09:38 1995
From: Ed Miske <MISKE@A1.ISD.UPMC.EDU> (Ed Miske)
Subject: PA QSO Party results
Message-ID: <D236ZVZND59Q7*/R=EDISON/R=A1/U=MISKE/@MHS>
For Glenn, N3BDA and others
I have been collecting the PA QSO party restults posted here. Have also
received a few replies direct. I'll be doing a summary next week.
Once again, anyone want to send results direct to
"miske@a1.isd.upmc.edu" I will gladly accept, or, I will collect as
posted here.
73
de N3BGV, Ed
>From George Cook <george@epix.net> Fri Oct 20 15:46:59 1995
From: George Cook <george@epix.net> (George Cook)
Subject: Chip-Talker
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951020104508.20337A-100000@plum.epix.net>
I have a mint condition copy of the article and will make copys for
anyone that asks:
Please send an SASE and $1 (I have to feed the copier at the post office
and a quarter a pop!)
to
George C. Cook
POB 897 East Stroudsburg, PA
18301
GC
On Thu, 19 Oct 1995, Bob Patten wrote:
> I got my Chip Talker PC board from Peter Jennings and it looks
> really nice. Unfortunately, I did not keep my 1991 issues of QST. Can
> anyone help me with a copy of the article?
>
> Bob Patten, N4BP
> 2841 N.W. 112 Terrace
> Plantation, FL 33323
>
>
> Bob Patten
> bobpatt@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us
>
>
>
*************************************************
* George Cook AA3JU Bangor, PA FN21 *
* george@peach.epix.net AA3JU@N3IQD.EPA.USA.NA *
* If you're not FRC remember:............... *
* .......There's no shame in being 2nd best! *
*************************************************
>From Stephen Lufcy <km0l@tyrell.net> Fri Oct 20 23:34:06 1995
From: Stephen Lufcy <km0l@tyrell.net> (Stephen Lufcy)
Subject: PA QSO Party results
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951020172806.7022A-100000@tyrell.net>
Hi Ed-
I made a mistake in the Pa QSO Party results I posted on the reflector.
Please correct my score to show: 64 Q'S (all CW), 111.5 points x 28 counties
= 3,122 + 400 bonus = 3,522 claimed score.
I posted a score of 2,522 - I caan't multiply (or spell) too well!
My submitted logs also contained the same mistake- hope they catch the error.
I'll do better the next time! 73 de KM0L (MO)
>From WF3T <steve.steltzer@paonline.com> Sat Oct 21 03:47:45 1995
From: WF3T <steve.steltzer@paonline.com> (WF3T)
Subject: WF3T Pa qso results
Message-ID: <30885F51.3F95@paonline.com>
1995 PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTY
Call used: WF3T Location: =
PA
Category: Single Op All Band Mode: MIXED Power: =
1500
Callsign of Operator: WF3T
If multi-operator, show calls of all operators and loggers:
=
______________________________________________________________________
Exchanged Information: WF3T nr PA
Hours of Operation: 29:54
band CW QSOs CW pts SSB QSOs SSB pts
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4
160 29 58 7 7
80 159 318 127 127
40 223 334.5 113 113
20 92 138 151 151
15 24 36 17 17
10 1 1.5 4 4
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4
TOTAL 528 886 419 419
( 1,305 ) QSO points X ( 131 ) Multipliers =3D 170,995
Plus 6 Q's with W3YA =3D 1,200
Final Score =3D 172,155
Club or Team Name: Frankford Radio Club
Comments: Didn't get the 160 antenna back up in time, fried the tuner
loading the 80 mtr v on 160, so couldn't even tune the 80
for phone. Had to use the internal tuner in the rig and low
power.
Lots of activity, lots of fun, but seems almost everyone
forgot 10 and 15 exist!
I have observed all competition rules as well as all regulations for
amateur radio in my country. My report is correct and true to the
best of my knowledge. I agree to be bound by the decisions of the
contest committee.
Date_________ Signature_____________________________ Call____________
Name: Steve Steltzer Call: WF3T
944 Cedars Rd.
Lewisberry, PA 17339
-- =
*\* steve.steltzer@paonline.com (WF3T) *\*
*\* "NO FEAR" =3D "NO BRAINS" *\*
>From Tony and Celia Becker <becker@shell.portal.com> Sat Oct 21 02:34:33 1995
From: Tony and Celia Becker <becker@shell.portal.com> (Tony and Celia Becker)
Subject: Hornets: This method is certain to take care of them
Message-ID: <199510210439.VAA29564@nova.unix.portal.com>
Thinking about the flaming gas-rag on a stick method made me
remember item from last summer. You would have to be very careful
to get the cigarette stuck in the nest first, but the rest of the
process wouldn't take very long. Kids DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!
(This *did* occur - the URL points to real photos and video of
this event! The pictures and the audio on the home page mentioned in the
text below are worth the trip!)
######## begin included file
Today's culinary topic is: how to light a charcoal fire.
Everybody loves a backyard barbecue. For some reason, food just
seems to taste better when it has been cooked outdoors, where
flies can lay eggs on it. But there's nothing worse than trying
to set fire to a pile of balky charcoal.
The average back-yard chef, wishing to cook hamburgers, tries
to ignite the charcoal via the squirt, light, and wait method,
wherein you squirt lighter fluid on a pile of briquettes, light
the pile, then wait until they have turned a uniform gray
color. When I say "they have turned a uniform gray color," I am
referring to the hamburgers. The briquettes will remain as cold
and lifeless as Leonard Nimoy. The backyard chef will keep this
up - squirting, lighting, waiting; squirting, lighting, waiting
- until the bacterial level in the side dishes has reached the
point where the potato salad rises up from its bowl, Bloblike,
and attempts to mate with the corn. This is the signal that it's
time to order Chinese food.
The problem is that modern charcoal, manufactured under strict
consumer-safety guidelines, is one of the least-flammable
substances on Earth. On more than one occasion, quick-thinking
individuals have extinguished a raging house fire by throwing
charcoal on it. Your backyard chef would be just as successful
trying to ignite a pile of rocks.
Is there a solution? Yes. There happens to be a technique that
is guaranteed to get your charcoal burning very, very quickly,
although you should not attempt this technique unless you meet
the following criterion: You are a complete idiot.
I found out about this technique from alert reader George
Rasko, who sent me a letter describing something he came across
on the World Wide Web, a computer network that you should
definitely learn more about, because as you read these words,
your 11-year-old is downloading pornography from it.
By hooking into the World Wide Web, you can look at a variety
of electronic "pages," consisting of documents, pictures, and
videos created by people all over the world. One of these is a
guy named (really) George Goble, a computer person in the
Purdue University engineering department. Each year, Goble and
a bunch of other engineers hold a picnic in West Lafayette,
Indiana, at which they cook hamburgers on a big grill. Being
engineers, they began looking for practical ways to speed up
the charcoal-lighting process.
"We started by blowing the charcoal with a hair dryer, " Goble
told me in a telephone interview. "Then we figured out that it
would light faster if we used a vacuum cleaner."
If you know anything about (1) engineers and (2) guys in
general, you know what happened: The purpose of the
charcoal-lighting shifted from cooking hamburgers to seeing how
fast they could light the charcoal. From the vacuum cleaner,
they escalated to using a propane torch, then an acetylene
torch. Then Goble started using compressed pure oxygen, which
caused the charcoal to burn much faster, because as you recall
from chemistry class, fire is essentially the rapid combination
of oxygen with the cosine to form the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers (or something along those lines). By this point, Goble
was getting pretty good times. But in the world of competitive
charcoal-lighting, "pretty good" does not cut the mustard Thus,
Goble hit upon the idea of using - get ready - liquid oxygen.
This is the form of oxygen used in rocket engines; it's 295
degrees below zero and 600 times as dense as regular oxygen. In
terms of releasing energy, pouring liquid oxygen on charcoal is
the equivalent of throwing a live squirrel into a room
containing 50 million Labrador retrievers. On Gobel's World
Wide Web page (the address is http://ghg.ecn.purdue.edu/), you
can see actual photographs and a video of Goble using a bucket
attached to a 10-foot-long wooden handle to dump 3 gallons of
liquid oxygen (not sold in stores) onto a grill containing 60
pounds of charcoal and a lit cigarette for ignition. What
follows is the most impressive charcoal-lighting I have ever
seen, featuring a large fireball that, according to Goble,
reached 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The charcoal was ready for
cooking in - this has to be a world record - 3 seconds. There's
also a photo of what happened when Goble used the same
technique on a flimsy $2.88 discount store grill. All that's
left is a circle of charcoal with a few shreds of metal in it.
"Basically, the grill vaporized," said Goble. "We were thinking
of returning it to the store for a refund."
Looking at Goble's video and photos, I became, as an American,
all choked up with gratitude at the fact that I do not live
anywhere near the engineers' picnic site. But also, I was proud
of my country for producing guys who can be ready to barbecue
in less time than it takes for guys in less-advanced nations,
such as France, to spit.
Will the 3-second barrier ever be broken? Will engineers come
up with a new, more powerful charcoal lighting technology? It's
something for all of us to ponder this summer as we sit
outside, chewing our hamburgers, every now and then glancing in
the direction of West Lafayette, Indiana, looking for a mushroom cloud.
>From Steve Steltzer <steve.steltzer@paonline.com> Sat Oct 21 13:16:09 1995
From: Steve Steltzer <steve.steltzer@paonline.com> (Steve Steltzer)
Subject: NA for Texas QSO party
Message-ID: <01BA9FAF.7C07F760@slip75.paonline.com>
Howdy boys,
Any of ya'll down in Texas have a profile and mult tables for NA 9?
Thanks and GL,
Steve, WF3T
|