recognizable signals

[WD5N%mimi at magic.itg.ti.com]

from: WD5N at msg.ti.com
 
subj: re: recognizable signals
 
On the subject of having "recognizable" operating techniques so others know
who you are before hearing the callsign, my TS-940 has a very slight chirp on
CW.  Seems to make the signal "stand out" slightly in the pileups, too (with-
out bothering others like intentional key-clicks, which irks me).  I didn't do
anything to it, it's just always been that way.  Haven't used it too much
lately, mostly it's been a loaner. So if you hear a slight chirp, it may be
WB5VZL with my '940  :-)
 
                73,   Dave Harper  WD5Natural   <wd5n at msg.ti.com>
 

>From David & Barbara Leeson <0005543629 at mcimail.com>  Fri Mar  3 18:46:00 1995
From: David & Barbara Leeson <0005543629 at mcimail.com> (David & Barbara Leeson)
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 95 13:46 EST
Subject: Antenna Const. Mat'ls
Message-ID: <65950303184656/0005543629NA5EM at MCIMAIL.COM>

Because they always seem to gall and bend anyway, I've given up on stainless
U-bolts and use Dorman plated muffler clamps for antenna projects...you can
order them from any car parts place that is willing to dig out their Dorman
catalog and place an order for you (look for a place that has the orange
Dorman nut, bolt and stud cabinets)...the cost is next to nothing, around
$2-3 per piece, and delivery is typically less than a week...I bought a
few dozen in 2", 2 1/4", 2 1/2" and 3", and I feel like the muffler clamp
king!  Now I always have what I need.

I buy 6061-T6 tubing from the local aluminum supply houses, such as Tube 
Service, Kilsby-Roberts or Tubesales, all of which have excellent catalogs
and are listed in most Yellow pages around the US...I've also bought from
International Metals, the supply house of choice for the LA gang...spare
parts from manufacturers are priced much higher because of the swaging, 
stocking and handling costs, etc...I buy plate from a local scrap metal
place called Aluminum Rem Center, at about $2-3/lb...it's great to find
precut pieces that are just right for a project, so there's no cutting.

BTW, two specific sizes I'm still looking for are 2.5" OD with 0.120 (not
0.125") wall to telescope 2.25" OD, and 1.5" OD with 0.120 wall to
telescope 1.25" OD...extruded tubing, such as from Texas Towers, has ID
tolerances that typically result in an interference fit with the size you
hope to telescope...I have found 2.25" x 0.113" wall that telescopes 2" OD
beautifully, and have found 1.25" x .12" wall that telescopes 1" OD, both
at Tube Service out of their catalog...if you can actually go to a warehouse,
most will let you check to see if the tolerances permit telescoping before
you load up, and may also help you select the ones that fit.

Last nit:  I've long been curious if there was a standard for overlap of a
slip joint...I found a great book by ASCE on steel power poles, that
specs the overlap to be 1.5 x inner tube OD for a welded joint...you might
double that for a riveted, bolted or hose-clamp joint, but it's interesting
to find the answer at all.

73 de Dave, W6QHS   BTW, no relation to Nick!