WA8YRS 160MTR RESULTS

Sat Dec 9 14:51:48 EST 1995

WA8YRS
Single op, 100w, in Ohio
Hrs: 21:12

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552 qso's X 59 mults = 65,667  (1 dx mult)
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SoapBox:

This is a fun contest.  My only problem is the High Power Stations
within a couple of hundred miles make it hard to copy West Coast
stations.  On the other hand, if it were not for the High Powered West
coast stations, I wouldn't even have heard the West Coast!

Highpoint:  Working more than one California Section
Lowpoint:   Not working all the California Sections!

I put up a different antenna about every year for this.  I may have
found a keeper.  I used the outside braid of my 80 mtr dipole feed line
as part of an inverted L.  Fed it in the shack with more coax.  Had 18
radials about 87 ft long.  This resonanted at about 1690Khz,  so I use
an antenna tuner.  Worked fairly good for me!  Anyone have experience
with a vertically orientated Half 
Wave loop?  I'm thinking of trying one....

73, Don, WA8YRS                    don russell at ecr.knox.com

>From james.mollica at compudata.com (JAMES MOLLICA)  Sat Dec  9 19:18:00 1995
From: james.mollica at compudata.com (JAMES MOLLICA) (JAMES MOLLICA)
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 95 15:18:00 -0400
Subject: Balloon source?
Message-ID: <8B69396.01F4014214.uuout at compudata.com>

Anyone know of an outfit to purchase helium balloons from?
Edmund Scientific has 4 to 16 ft balloons but are only .002 thick
when inflated.  Want to put up a 5/8 vertical for the CQ160SB
but don't trust the light duty balloons.
Tnx es Seasons Greetings, Jim N2NRD.

 * 1st 2.00 #1439 * N2NRD @ AMSAT.ORG

>From herbr at netcom.com (Herb Rosenberg)  Sat Dec  9 21:49:28 1995
From: herbr at netcom.com (Herb Rosenberg) (Herb Rosenberg)
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 1995 13:49:28 -0800
Subject: (fwd) Opinions on Force12 Antennas?
Message-ID: <199512092149.NAA05417 at netcom16.netcom.com>

I am interested in getting comments from any hams out there that have had
any experience with the line of Force 12 antennas.  I am in the early
planning stages of designing a new antenna system for HF operations, and I
would like to get a top quality and top performing multi band HF solution. 
It was been suggested that many contesters and dx'ers consider Force 12 to
be a leading design, and I would appreacite any comments. 

The last ime I was seriously looking for HF antennas was more than 20
years ago.  At that time, it seemed that most of the world class stations
were using Telrex antennas.  Unfortunately, Telrex no longer makes HF
antennas for hams.  I know that Hygain, Cushcraft, Mosley, and KLM still
make excellent antennas for HF, but I would like to know, what is
currently considered the "best" 

I will be setting up a 71 foot tower on a standard city lot, and would 
like to have a competitive DX and contest station for all hf bands.  I am 
not looking to compete with world class antennas farms, but still would 
like to be competive.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly apprecaited.

Thanks and vy 73's.

Herb - KG6OK
-- 
herbr at netcom.com

>From steven at zianet.com (Steve Nace KN5H)  Sat Dec  9 22:58:46 1995
From: steven at zianet.com (Steve Nace KN5H) (Steve Nace KN5H)
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 95 22:58:46 +0000 (CSTCST)
Subject: 160m DX Window

rjohnson at server.nlbbs.com (Roger D. Johnson) writes:

>ARRL enforce the window? Not a chance! Rumor has it they're afraid of
lawsuits. 

You mean I can sue the ARRL over contest related stuff? Thanks for the pointer.
Now I can afford to be the next P40V or ZD8Z of even EA8whatever. Tnx for the
hint!

de Hose  KN5H

PS> Can I sue OOs also??

>From Mr. Brett Graham" <bagraham at HK.Super.NET  Sun Dec 10 11:51:23 1995
From: Mr. Brett Graham" <bagraham at HK.Super.NET (Mr. Brett Graham)
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 1995 19:51:23 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: VS6BG ARRL 10m score
Message-ID: <199512101151.TAA13823 at is1.hk.super.net>

Category: single-op CW-only
QSOs: 1
Mults: 1
Score: 4
Comment: Last year #6, this year I'm lucky to have made a single Q!
         Hopefully beat WX9E for lowest score again...

73, VS6BrettGraham aka VR2BG bagraham at hk.super.net

>From Mr. Brett Graham" <bagraham at HK.Super.NET  Sun Dec 10 11:51:42 1995
From: Mr. Brett Graham" <bagraham at HK.Super.NET (Mr. Brett Graham)
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 1995 19:51:42 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: TS-950S CW VOX problem?
Message-ID: <199512101151.TAA13837 at is1.hk.super.net>

Replies so far from: AB6FO, K0KR, K4XU, KF3P, N2IC, N6IG, NQ0I, W6XR &
WA3FET.

I had noticed the 950S was particularly finnicky to SWR - anything other
than 1:1 & it rolls back - my IC-751 was better & the OMNI-6 was the best.
However, the 751 no longer has a display & the OMNI was riddled with other
problems.  Ten-Tec's solution of limiting current to the final is
definitely the way to go - rather than reacting to the SWR, just prevent
the finals from taking so much current that they fry.  Perfect for us crazy
contesters, QCAO types & DXpeditions with an Antenna From Hell.

The 950S does occasionally show a high SWR spike on it's meter, but this
radio had been fried by lightning & I foolishly bought it for not quite
cheap enough from its previous owner - changing the whole FINAL unit was
cheaper & easier than changing every bloody semiconductor device on the
board. It's quite possible that there are still faults elsewhere - the
occasional high SWR indication happens even without the amp in line.  The
previous owner supposedly left town but didn't, though doesn't show his
face anymore... Wise, as I am not the only local to have been screwed by
the bloke.

The lightning thing added to the possibility in my mind that the fault may
have been related to the power level required to drive the amp.  Despite
other than flat input SWR on some bands with my Ten-Tec Hercules-2, the
problem wasn't there.  But one wouldn't expect to see slow TR switching in
something designed for QSK.  Then again, one would also expect a 950S to
work fine with a TL-922...

Wrong.  WA3FET gets the award for mentioning Kenwood's SB-962 service
bulletin mod for this very problem.  Folks with 950SDXs need not bother as
they have a bandaid in the software.  However, KF3P mentions that the mod
does result in extra clipping of the first bit of a character that triggers
the VOX.  The ultimate solution, as suggested by KF3P & NQ0I, is to drop
VOX completely - which means springing for K1EA's next release or using TR
- though whether I've had too many or no MGDs at all, I still can't drive
TR worth a damn - as I demonstrated publicly at Dayton...

So there - a bit of useful info there for fellow 950S owners & something
for the rest of you to read as the ARRL 10m draws to a close.  Reckon most
of you didn't have rates that much better than I did & could use something
to read as you wear out that F1 key...

73, VS6BrettGraham aka VR2BG bagraham at hk.super.net

>From john.devoldere at eunet.be (John Devoldere)  Sun Dec 10 15:14:17 1995
From: john.devoldere at eunet.be (John Devoldere) (John Devoldere)
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 1995 15:14:17 +0000
Subject: ANTENNA TOWERS AND REGULATIONS: HELP!
Message-ID: <199512101513.QAA06724 at box.eunet.be>

Hello there, avid Contesters / DX-ers.

I need your help!

In this country (Belgium...) it becomes increasingly difficult for hams to
obtain a permission to put up towers. The "RIGHT TO AN ANTENNA" has been
recognised as the number one issue for the survival of amateur radio in this
country, and I am sure it will be soon the same in many other countries. 

Today I have been approached by a lawyer, who has been defending a Belgian
Ham in sereval courts on such a matter of "RIGHT TO AN ANTENNA".

Indeed, a particular Belgian ham has been fighting the right to put up a
tower for antennas in SEVERAL Belgian courts. The issue has now been dealth
with at the HIGHEST courts of the country and the outcome, so far, has not
been 100 % satisfactory. Therefore this case is now going to be moved to the
EUROPEAN COURT IN STRASBOURG. The UBA (Belgian IARU society) will be
sponsoring this lawsuit, and is putting the right lawyers on the case. What
we aim for is to have the European court in Strassbourg condemn the Belgian
state, so that we can look for a bright future for amateur radio in this
country. Of course, this case will have its importance on a European level,
as it will be dealth with in a European court!

One of the lawyers called me today, and asked me if I could give him
reference articles, prefarably from UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, explaing how high
towers must be to to the job. What we want of course is what WE ALL KNOW: 24
m (80ft) is a strict minimum for an antenna tower, and according to the
bands we need a tower ranging from 18 m (60 ft) for the 10m band, to 40 m
(135 ft) for the 80m band, and that in ideal cases the antennas should be on
separate towers. 

I know there must be some of you that have information that can be helpful.
Again, what I need is identification of PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE that we can
use to support our case.

The matter is rather urgent I have been told. I would appreciate hearing
from anyone who has ideas, in the next few days.

Thank you for your co-operation!

MERRY X-MAS!

John, ON4UN

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john.devoldere at box.eunet.be  
Call us in all major 1995 contests: OT5T or ON4UN
John Devoldere (ON4UN-AA4OI)
POBOX 41
B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)