Covenants, Restrictions

Tue Jun 14 19:29:11 EDT 1994

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>From evans Tue Jun 14 09:58:37 1994
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>From: evans
>Message-Id: <9406141558.AA14903 at jupiter.RPI>
>To: <interput>"IN%""cq-contest at tgv.com"""
>Subject: Re:  Covenants, Restrictions

>solicit direct responses.  What will happen when we have direct
>broadcast satellites,and have the opportunity for maybe hundreds
>of channels for reception?  It will supposedly only require a small
>(3 ft??) dish, but it is nevertheless an 'outdoor satellite antenna.'
>Everyone in a CCR - based neighbor will, I would guess, immediately
>move to change their restrictions to allow these small antennae.

DBS dishes seem to be very common in England these days. I don't believe
that their pervasiveness has had any effect on the generally draconian
regulations regarding Our (TM) antennas.

The diameter of DBS dishes is somewhat less than 3 feet. My estimate is
closer to 2 feet. Perhaps a non-ex-pat G can give us more details.

  Doc  NQ0I / G4AMJ (chuffed that 20 actually opened to G for a sked
                     for the first time in ages this morning)

>From Steve Harrison <sharriso at sysplan.com>  Tue Jun 14 18:59:39 1994
From: Steve Harrison <sharriso at sysplan.com> (Steve Harrison)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 13:59:39 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: re. VHF Test Gripe
Message-ID: <Pine.3.87.9406141339.C6231-0100000 at eagle>

The gripes are, indeed, partially about unsportsmanlike conduct on the 
part of N8FMD and his operators (and at least one other MM contestant); but 
this conduct is a direct result of their operation on 2 meter FM. What 
they are doing is simple: they stake out, contest after contest, 146.55
and 144.197 MHz as "their" frequency, and do not allow anyone else, 
including non-contestants, to operate on those frequencies without 
interference. When they return to one or the other frequency and you 
complain that you have been there for the last 20 minutes (while FMD 
was on "their" other frequency over that time period) they 
state "We've been on this frequency since the contest began!", and ignore 
you. Their operation on 2 meters is especially notorious; but they do 
exactly the same thing on all of the other bands.

N4MM has attempted to let we contesters know that he, as an ARRL 
official, is receiving complaints not only about the unsportmanlike 
conduct of individual contesters (such as N8FMD's operators), but also how 
our use of the 21 FM channels is becoming a serious problem in the entire
northeastern U.S.. The reasons that the problem is becoming worse are several:

1. more and more serious V/UHF contestants are operating on the FM 
channels in an effort to remain competitive;
2. many of the serious contestants utilize very high output power and 
high-gain antenna systems, causing saturation of entire areas on a single 
channel and usually overloading receivers of non-contestants to the point 
that the adjacent channels are also unusable;
3. there are many more non-contestants than at any time in the past 
thanks, in part at least, to the no-code license; and
4. the loss of 220 to 222 MHz has reduced the V/UHF space into which 
those no-code licensees could have expanded. 

Sooner or later, the non-contestants are going to raise a real stink over 
the issue. But in addition, there are many, many smaller and very serious 
V/UHF operators who resent the fact that, if they want to win their 
section for any band up to and including 440 MHz (especially in the 
northeastern U.S.), they have to have two separate and competitive 
antenna systems (one horizontal, the other vertical) since FM QSOs count 
the same as SSB/CW. The situation is not at all the same as winning a 
band in an HF contest, where it is relatively easy to erect a broadband 
single antenna for both the SSB and CW portions of the band. There are a 
multitude of contests available on the HF bands for all kinds of 
activities and interests. If I want to operate CW only, I can choose from 
any of several dozen HF contests. If I want to operate on only one band, 
there is at least one contest for each of the non-WARC bands to choose 
from. If I want to operate Sweepstakes and make a strong showing in my 
section, I only need a medium-size tribander and a pair of inverted vees.

But if I want to compete on 6, 2, 220, 432 and 1296 for top band scores in 
my Section, I have to have, at the least, 9 arrays, all high gain. Five 
I, and almost any other serious V/UHFer can easily handle. A duplicate 
antenna setup, except vertically polarized, and which I never would use 
for anything else (except, perhaps, to access the packet nodes several 
states away when the backbone goes down), is out of the question. The
multiop stations can easily handle this requirement, and so can some 
of the more wealthy single ops. But the majority of us cannot, and few of 
us will attempt to.

There are several V/UHF conferences/meetings scheduled for the next 
several months throughout the U.S. at which these and several other issues 
will be discussed. Ideas of how to prevent a backlash from the FM-operating
non-contestants on the East Coast are sorely needed and solicited.

73, Steve KO0U/4

On Tue, 14 Jun 1994, Michael Owen wrote:

> >I hope this does not trigger another round of attempts to eliminate or
> >further limit the use of FM in VHF contests. To do so would only further
> 
> The gripes have nothing to do with FM.  They are mainly directed at
> N8FMD for "unsportsmanlike conduct" on SSB/CW.
> W9IP
> 
> ************************************************************************
> Michael R. Owen, Ph.D.                        a.k.a.: W9IP
> Department of Geology                         Northern Lights Software
> St. Lawrence University                       Star Route, Box 60
> Canton, NY  13617                             Canton, NY  13617
> (315) 379-5975             -  voice  -        (315) 379-0161 (6-9pm)
> e-mail: MOWE at SLUMUS            FAX   -        (315) 379-5804
> ************************************************************************
> 

>From ken.silverman at atlas.ccmail.AirTouch.COM (ken silverman)  Tue Jun 14 21:11:11 1994
From: ken.silverman at atlas.ccmail.AirTouch.COM (ken silverman) (ken silverman)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 94 12:11:11 PST
Subject: More Wrist Rocket Tips
Message-ID: <9405147716.AA771621071 at atlas.ccmail.airtouch.com>

Lots of questions generated by this topic.  First, a wrist rocket is a type 
slingshot, and can usually be found in most stores carrying hunting/fishing 
equipment.  Besides the typical sling shot aparatus, it has an additional 
arm/bar that lays on your forearm that allows you to get a better pull from the 
sling.  It also steadies (sp?) your shot.

With a little practice, you can hit your mark within a few feet.  I'de suggest 
you go out and buy a dozen or two of the sinkers, and just take practice shots 
into the branches.  Play with the distance from the tree (thus the angle) and 
see what that does to your height.  You also might want to paint the sinkers a 
bright red color.  Nail polish works relatively good.  When practicing, it is 
likely that the sinkers will penetrate into the ground an inch or two, so you 
should just write them off.  

The wind will greatly affect the accuracy of you shot.  Besides the wind 
dragging the sinker, it will greatly drag the monofiliment line, which will 
often get caught up in trees.  I do not suggest you try this, especially your 
first time, on a breezy day.

One comment was written that you try an egg insulator.  I tried this once, and 
personally would not suggest you do this.   The reason I suggested you use the 
elongated sinker (I dont know the technical name for it) is that it fits neatly 
into the sling, and has the right weight to get you the height - 90' that is - 
into the trees.  If you use a heavier weight, like the 2 ounce, you will reduce 
the height you can get into the tree.  

You will find that for some reason, different shape weights will leave the 
sling differently - such that some launch nicely and you get the desired 
effect.  The elongated sinker is one of them (the one that kinda looks like a 
tear drop with the moled hole).  Others kinda wobble when you release them, and 
maybe go 20 feet in the air.  Upon switching back to the ole faithful sinker, 
it works FB.  No other explanation offered on this (I guess aerodynamics), but 
you can try it for yourself.

You will also want to de-burr the hole of the sinker if there is a sharp piece 
of flashing on it.  Ive lost sinkers that way.  You will also need to become 
profecient at tieing good knots with the monofiliment.  

I often only use the monofiliment once.  Once you start pulling on the 
monofiliment line to help get it around branches etc, you tend to nick the 
line.  Reused line will break at the worst moment - like when you make the 
perfect shot, and are now pulling the rope over.

Regarding rope:  I first use a thin nylon mason line, or similar.  I pull this 
all the way over the tree.  Then I attach the final desired rope to this line, 
and pull it back in reverse.  The main problem with the going directly from 
monofiliment to final rope is that the weight of the rope will bog you down, 
and the knot will tend to jam in many of the branches.  Having the knot jam 
once you are using the mason line is not a big problem, for you can put a lot 
of force on it.  If you try and to the same with the monofiliment line, it WILL 
snap.

Word of caution:  make sure you pick up all the monofiliment line, and place it 
in a bag before you throw it out.  The monofiliment line gets caught real easy 
in the lawn mower.  If you just put it in the trash, it usually drops out when 
the trash man empties that can, and will again end up wrapped in your lawn 
mower.

Is all this worth it?  Well, I used to put up a different yagi, or quad or 
whatever each week when I was in high school.  They were all in 80-90' trees, 
and all for 40m.  

The final hint is that you do not string the antenna too tight.  The branches 
will sway, and will eventually eat at the ropes.  A tree mounted antenna system 
is usually a fairly high maintenance item, especially if you dont weight the 
down rope, and just tie it off.

Happy Shooting, Ken WM2C  
ken.silverman at atlas.ccmail.airtouch.com

>From sellington" <sellington at mail.ssec.wisc.edu  Tue Jun 14 15:55:48 1994
From: sellington" <sellington at mail.ssec.wisc.edu (sellington)
Date: 14 Jun 94 14:55:48 U
Subject: More Wrist Rocket Tips

I suppose one argument in favor of the sling-shot versus bow and error is
that, if you have neighbors, they tend to get a bit testy if they find
your arrows in their back yards when the line breaks.

Scott Ellington, K9MA
sellington at mail.ssec.wisc.edu