FW: The Space Shuttle and...

K8DO at aol.com K8DO at aol.com
Wed Jun 28 10:59:03 EDT 1995


The pictures in Jan 95 S&T are fascinating.......

              

>From Bob McGwier <n4hy at ccr-p.ida.org>  Wed Jun 28 15:59:07 1995
From: Bob McGwier <n4hy at ccr-p.ida.org> (Bob McGwier)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:59:07 -0400
Subject: IARU Zone Map
Message-ID: <199506281459.KAA00355 at wahoo.ccr-p.ida.org>


I think Callbook publishes one still.  I have the same one I have had for ages.

Bob

>From biss at epg.nist.gov (Robert Biss)  Wed Jun 28 11:43:34 1995
From: biss at epg.nist.gov (Robert Biss) (Robert Biss)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:43:34 +0000
Subject: LIGHTNING...AGAIN
Message-ID: <QFF16A97 at washer.NIST.GOV>

----------
X-Sun-Data-Type: text
X-Sun-Data-Description: text
X-Sun-Data-Name: text
X-Sun-Content-Lines: 21
X-Sun-Content-Length: 967

Lightning seems to be a BIG topic lately...On Monday evening one of the 
local weather forcaters had a guest on his program, demonstating a device 
that 'WARNED' of lightning being with-in 40 miles.

Big CONTEST station owners and most anyone with a tower might/could be 
interested in this electronic device.  It is about the size of an HT and the 
cost is about $200.  During the guests  'whole' 30 seconds or so the device 
was just flashing away....we had a storm nearby....

The unit had 2 or three ranges (scales) on it, one being 8 to 20 
miles...this could be very useful and adaptable to letting you know to get 
the antenna's disconnected etc...

For more info contact:    Automated Weather Source
                          2-5 Metropolitan Ct.
                          Gaithersburg  MD  20878
                          301 258-8390

No, i'm not affiliated with them....the XYL just did a great job of writing 
all the info down....

73's....bob....K3ZNV  


>From John Boudreau <ve8ev at gov.nt.ca>  Wed Jun 28 17:04:04 1995
From: John Boudreau <ve8ev at gov.nt.ca> (John Boudreau)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:04:04 MDT
Subject: Field Day "Results"

Field Day Report - VE8YEV   QTH: Inuvik, NWT   Class: 1A
-------------------------   PWR: 100w          Antennas: 20m inv. vee, G5RV

Band     QSO

40CW       2
40SSB      6              TOTAL TIME ON: 20 HRS (Yes, 20 hrs!)
20CW      10
20SSB     19
15CW       1
SATELLITE 10
          --
TOTAL     48    SECTIONS: 24

Highlights:

- No problems with interference from SSTV
- Was able to take any frequency we wanted and hold it indefinately.

Lowlights:

- Setting up in driving rain, wind and temp of 38F.
- Bands in poor shape.
- Pushup mast folding over during setup destroying 20m vertical.
- Not enough sun to operate solar panels (in a place with 24 hour sun!).
- Both batteries that were supposed to be good were totally dead.
- Bands go completely dead on Sunday.
- Rain stops for teardown; replaced by a gazillion mosquitos which haven't
  been fed for 2 days.

Actually, conditions were so bad on Sunday at 2000z that we decided to
quit.  No signals of any kind could be heard on any band.  If I didn't
know for sure that the antenna was connected I would have thought someone
cut the coax.  You guys just have to operate from up here to believe it!
Next year I'll sit at home and hand out the 1D contacts.

John - VE8EV               Next weekend: Canada Day Contest
ve8ev at amsat.org                          0000z-2359z July 1
 

John Boudreau VE8EV     INTERNET: ve8ev at amsat.org
Inuvik, NWT, CANADA       PACKET: VE8EV at VE8YEV.#INU.NT.CAN.NOAM



>From George Daughters" <G.DAUGHT at Forsythe.Stanford.EDU  Wed Jun 28 17:00:52 1995
From: George Daughters" <G.DAUGHT at Forsythe.Stanford.EDU (George Daughters)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 95 09:00:52 PDT
Subject: Dayton '96 - HELP?!



Dear anyone-in-the-know,

I have a certificate for an airplane ticket that
turns into a pumpkin in a couple of days, but I want
it to turn into a round-trip to Dayton '96!!! (So I
can go to all of the CONTEST activities!)  Does
anyone know for sure the dates?  It's in May next
time, I'm fairly sure, but what are the solid-gold,
for sure, authentic dates?

Please e-mail me direct ASAP at

g.daught at forsythe.stanford.edu

many thanks es 73,

George, AB6YL


To:  CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM

>From           Greg Miller at 9_52 SST Eng at InterBold" <uszvn9l6 at ibmmail.com  Wed Jun 28 17:43:49 1995
From:           Greg Miller at 9_52 SST Eng at InterBold" <uszvn9l6 at ibmmail.com (          Greg Miller at 9_52 SST Eng at InterBold)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 12:43:49 EDT
Subject: 1A SC FD

Date:          Wednesday, June 28, 1995 at 12:33:34 pm EDT
Attach:
Certify:       N
  
---------------------------- [Message Follows] ---------------------------------
  
                      ARRL FIELD DAY       1995
  
  
      Call: N4VYT                    Country:
                                     Category: Multi Single
  
      BAND   CW QSO  CW QSO PTS   SSB QSO  SSB QSO PTS
  
  
      160        0       0             0       0
       80       61     244            41      82
       40      142     568            28      56
       20       94     376            65     130
       17        0       0             0       0
       15       58     232            43      86
       12        0       0             0       0
       10        0       0            11      22
        6        0       0            10      20
        2        0       0             4       8
      NOV        0       0             0       0
      SAT        1       4             0       0
      PKT        4      16             0       0
     --------------------------------------------
  
               360            +       202     =    562 Total QSO
  
(1440 CW QSO PTS + 404 SSB QSO PTS) X 2 POWER MULTIPLIER + 900 BONUS = 2,744
  
  
Operator List: Max N4VYT, Greg W8XY, Ray W8WAI
  
  
Equipment Description:
  Low Bands/RS-12: TS850/wires
               6M: Swan 250/2el quad
        2M/packet: generic FM stuff
  
  
Comments:
  
  Boy, this is embarrassing after seeing KU8E's score. I guess we aren't
  "experts" yet.
  
  Our seventh consecutive entry, but not as good as last year, when 6m
  proved to be much more valuable. It seemed that we had to struggle a bit
  harder to make the HF Q's, too. Can we blame the progagation? Sure,
  why not. Additional computer for vhf/packet/satellite was really handy
  even though we didn't add many Q's with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ... we'll be back.
  
  
Club Affiliation: Max and Greg's Auto Repair (neither a real club nor a
  real business hihi)

>From aa4nu at raider.raider.net (Bill W. Cox [AA4NU])  Wed Jun 28 19:16:50 1995
From: aa4nu at raider.raider.net (Bill W. Cox [AA4NU]) (Bill W. Cox [AA4NU])
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 13:16:50 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Lightning + 240v Lines ...
Message-ID: <m0sR1fP-0005eWC at raider.raider.net>

Now that the FD un-CONTEST is over the IARU CONTEST is almost here ...
(see I used the word twice..)

Lots of excellent info on keeping the station 'alive' thru the summer has 
been posted. I just rcvd the Polyphaser book (YOU NEED THIS BOOK) and was
comparing the present ground system vs what is should be, and what to do 
about it. I've been at this QTH for 12 years now and have had enough damage 
to want to do it right this time. ... I hope ... :) and noted this idea ....

As you review your setup don't forget the 240v line(s) to the amp(s) ! 
Going to the trouble of the single point ground for the 120v lines, rotors,
coax, control lines, etc ... and neglecting the 240v lines is not wise. That
still leaves a path for trouble ... In fact the last major electrical related
damage here I chalk up to remembering to snatch the 120v lines out of the 
walls, undoing the coax, but forgetting about the 240v line to the amp. 

After the flash/pop/smell of "burned air" ... I kept thinking "how did it 
run in/out along the stn ground" ... then it dawned on me ... the amp was 
still plugged up ... and it's ground provided a path for the 'bad stuff' to
come on down via the gadzillion control lines to remote boxes/rotors/etc ...
(lines which were not protected ... nothing in the station was then) I had
always figured, heck pull the plugs (120v!) and the coax and not worry ...
another idea is that the "bad stuff" came thru the 240v INTO the shack 
ground ... either way or both, it was an expensive lesson to go thru ...

I haven't checked the ICE book yet, but a call to Polyphaser this am finds 
they do offer a 240v protector that can be mounted on the single point 
ground. I asked them about NOT doing anything to the 240v and they 
confirmed my ideas/fears. 

BTW, the at Polyphaser guy was very prepared to answer questions and make 
suggestions as to how to do it right the first time. Read the book !!!! 

Folks, There's not going to be a 'cheap fix' to this topic to do it right. 
But then again it looks like it's going to be cheaper than my deductable on 
my home owner's policy if I take another hit, and like someone else mentioned,
might just provide a discount ! ... and a whole lot more piece of mind ! 


73 Bill AA4NU (aa4nu at raider.raider.net)

>From jeffrey (j.) wittich" <jwittich at bnr.ca  Wed Jun 28 19:10:00 1995
From: jeffrey (j.) wittich" <jwittich at bnr.ca (jeffrey (j.) wittich)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 14:10:00 -0400
Subject: RTTY rules
Message-ID: <"29054 Wed Jun 28 14:12:07 1995"@bnr.ca>

Hey guys...in the July CQ, on page 112 are the rules for the
CQWW RTTY DX test.  Rule 4 a. says that the antennas must 
physically be connected by wires to the transmitter.  I was asked
by club members why that was a rule, and how else it could be
done.  I had to say I didn't know but would try to find out.
Can anybody help me with this?

Thanks,

Jeff
***********************************************************************
jwittich at b4pph107.bnr.ca   *** CW ops let their fingers do the talking.
AC4ZO           *** BNR claims they know nothing of my employment here.
***********************************************************************

>From Bill Standerfer <bills at hpislwes.lvld.hp.com>  Wed Jun 28 20:08:44 1995
From: Bill Standerfer <bills at hpislwes.lvld.hp.com> (Bill Standerfer)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 13:08:44 -0600
Subject: LIGHTNING...AGAIN
Message-ID: <199506281908.AA192226529 at hp.com>

biss at epg.nist.gov (Robert Biss) wrote:
>Big CONTEST station owners and most anyone with a tower might/could be 
>interested in this electronic device.  It is about the size of an HT and the 
>cost is about $200.  During the guests  'whole' 30 seconds or so the device 
>was just flashing away....we had a storm nearby....

Seems to me you could build up a small 100khz receiver with some sort of
threshold detector and alarm to do the same thing.  Come to think of it, I've
got one in my airplane called a Stormscope.  It is a little pricey for home
use, but is just 100khz receiver with a little software. ;-)

You could also use a VHF receiver since you only want to detect the closer
events.  When the squelch breaks on my 2M HT due to a strike, I know it was
quite close.  Either 10M or 6M would probably be a good compromise for a
detector.

Bill

Bill Standerfer                        *        Hewlett-Packard Company
CFI-A, IA, ME                          *        Measurement Systems Division
bills at lvld.hp.com                      *        Loveland, CO  80539 
Baron N222AB - KF0DJ - Pikes Peak 253  *        970-679-2378

>From Brian Short <ke7gh at PrimeNet.Com>  Wed Jun 28 20:19:19 1995
From: Brian Short <ke7gh at PrimeNet.Com> (Brian Short)
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 12:19:19 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Another FD Result
Message-ID: <199506281919.MAA02210 at usr2.primenet.com>


                         ARRL FIELD DAY -- 1995
      Call: KE7GH   1B 1-Op Remote Location in DM-54, AZ

      BAND   CW QSO  CW QSO PTS   SSB QSO  SSB QSO PTS
       80       26     104             0       0
       40      179     716             0       0
       20      200     800             0       0
       15       19      76             0       0
     --------------------------------------------
               424            +         0     =    424 Total QSO

(1696 CW QSO PTS + 0 SSB QSO PTS) X 2 POWER MULTIPLIER + 100 BONUS = 1,796

Equipment Description:
FT-890, Carolina Windom, Laptop w/computer key, CMOS II keyer, battery.

Nice camping trip, slept, took nap, made dinner, etc.






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