ARRL CAC input sought

Sat Aug 3 02:18:24 EDT 1996

jdowning at intelenet.net wrote:
>I'd like to pass my input to the group on the proposed M/S 10 minute 
>rule change.  The proposal is simple: eliminate it entirely.  Simple 
>rule: only one transmitter and one receiver allowed on at any one time. 
>QSY as much as you want.  But no second rig for "running" two bands at 
>once.  (Call it the "30 second" rule if you like).  This approach keeps 
>the amount of equipment for a competitive operation to a minimum - 
>unlike the CQWW that forces us to build two complete and separate high 
>power stations to be competitive.   For those of us that journey 
>offshore for these shindigs minimizing the amount of stuff to be 
>shipped, broken, and lost makes a real difference.  

As a veteran of 2 DXpeditions to V3 for the ARRL contest, I agree
1000% with this idea.  My trips to Belize were one-radio operations,
but we went M/S due to their being more than one operator taking turns
with the radio.  The 10-minute rule was a real pain and kept us from
making band changes (to 160 for example) that would have given a new
mult to someone but would then have left us stuck on a dead band for
10 minutes, time that could be more productively used elsewhere.  The
ARRL test already has a "multi-2" category anyway that the 2-radio 
guys can use.  Especially for a contest like the ARRL, where the DX
guys can only work W/VE stations, I think it is to the organizers'
advantage to make things as easy as possible for the guys that cough
up their hard-earned bucks to go overseas to give everyone else a
mult.  (Yea I know there's a tropical trip in the wintertime involved 
too, but I never spent more than 1 day before or after the contest in
Belize before coming home, so it was basically just a radio trip so
don't turn on the flamethrowers!)

73 - Alan NS0B/V31EV

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Alan Braun MD, NS0B/V31EV *Internet: albraun at socketis.net       *
* Jefferson City, MO        *Packet: NS0B at N0LBA.#cemo.mo.usa.noam *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

>From garyk9gs at solaria.sol.net (Gary Schwartz)  Sat Aug  3 04:14:30 1996
From: garyk9gs at solaria.sol.net (Gary Schwartz) (Gary Schwartz)
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 1996 22:14:30 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Malta Contest Site
Message-ID: <Pine.3.02.9608022225.D4437-b100000 at solaria.sol.net>

On Fri, 2 Aug 1996, Jeff Morris wrote:

Wow!  Christmas sometimes does come early!

> 2nd August 1996
> 
> 9h1el at global.net.mt
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> 	Paul, 9H1BT and I have recently gained access to an 
> 8-acre plot on a hilltop close to my QTH here in Malta. It was a site 
> used by the British Army for communications to selected parts of the 
> world. It  consists of 13 masts what appears at first to be scattered 
> around the site, until it was realised that they were positioned for 
> rhombic antennas to be pointed in the desired directions. 
> 
> 	The masts are all about 100ft high, are heavily engineered
> but are not rotatable. It would appear that the best ideas for 
> antennas would be either:
> 
> 	1. Re-install the rhombics, so that all desired directions for
> contesting can be covered.
> 
> 	2. Buy 6061 aluminium tubing from overseas and construct
> the farm using fixed yagis.
> 
> 	3. Build fixed delta loops in all directions suspended from a
> rope or wire between masts.
> 

While the above ideas are all very sound ideas, I wonder if you might want
to explore attaching a Rohn 25 top section at the top of at least one or
more of the masts.  That way, you could easily put up one or more rotary
yagis on each.  A lot would depend on how and what the masts are
constructed out of.  Care to elaborate?

So how hard is it to get a flight to Malta anyway? :)

73,
Gary K9GS 
   __________________
  /       K9GS       |______________________________
 /   FP/K9GS, TO5M   |Society of Midwest Contesters |____________________
(                    |   garyk9gs at solaria.sol.net   |Secretary/Treasurer/
 \   Gary Schwartz   |   K9GS at WA9KEC.WI.USA.NOAM    | Greater Milwaukee/
  \__________________|     PacketCluster: NB9C      |  DX Association (
                   (________________________________|       GMDXA      \
                                                  (_____________________\

>From k7ss at wolfenet.com (Danny Eskenazi)  Sat Aug  3 05:02:12 1996
From: k7ss at wolfenet.com (Danny Eskenazi) (Danny Eskenazi)
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 1996 21:02:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: New FCC RF exposure rules
Message-ID: <199608030402.VAA27659 at wolfe.net>

EGAD!

will have to change my shirt.......        "Lifes too short BECAUSE of QRO"

keep us posted OM! 

73 de Danny
K7SS nee K6W

At 06:04 PM 8/2/96 -0400, you wrote:
>As I warned y'all a few weeks ago, the FCC has now issued their new rules
>on RF exposure limits.  They were required to make a final ruling in this
>matter per the Telecom Act of 1996. 
>
>I've just been flipping through my copy (100+ pages), and at first blush,
>it seems things came out somewhat close to what I expected.  It could
>certainly have been worse--this is not the end of the world or anything so
>dramatic--but the new rules will clearly have an impact on practically all
>CONTESTERS in the U.S. (except maybe you QRPp-only types). 
> 
>Amateurs were NOT EXEMPTED from the new rules, although if you only run 50
>Watts or less, you are basically presumed to be in compliance.  The rest
>of us will be required to "perform a routine evaluation to predict if the
>RF radiation could be in excess of that allowed." 
>
>Fortunately, amateurs and members of their immediate household are
>considered to be in a controlled environment, and thus the less-stringent
>"occupational/controlled" limits will apply.  But your neighbors are
>considered part of the general public, thus you must meet the tighter
>"uncontrolled" limits for them.
>
>I haven't read enough of the details yet, nor done any calculations to see
>just how often CONTESTERS might be expected to exceed the limits.  Even if
>it's a very rare occurence, it seems like the burden of proof has been put
>on us.  I can certainly envision more opportunities for our less-friendly
>neighbors to make life difficult for us. 
> 
>Pse don't swamp me with a bunch of questions at this point.  I don't know
>much more abt this yet than what I said above.  I'm sure more details will
>be forthcoming soon.  For a copy of the FCC news release, with links to a
>complete copy of the R&O (all 100+ pages), check out the following URL: 
>
>http://www.fcc.gov/oet/headline/fcc96326.html
>
>It looks like N2AA might have to add a footnote to his "LOUD IS COOL"
>tee-shirt--maybe something like, "except where prohibitted by law?"
>
>See y'all in NAQP this wknd (with 100 Watts and a "low RF emission"
>all-band vertical).
>
>73,
>
>Tim Totten, KJ4VH - kj4vh at iglou.com
>    (also kj4vh at contesting.com)
>    http://www.iglou.com/kj4vh/
>
>
>
---------------------------
Danny Eskenazi
k7ss at wolfenet.com
---------------------------

>From wes at prysm.net (Wes Attaway)  Sat Aug  3 06:26:47 1996
From: wes at prysm.net (Wes Attaway) (Wes Attaway)
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 00:26:47 -0500
Subject: laptops for contesting
Message-ID: <199608030526.AAA13511 at ns2.prysm.net>

I am preparing to purchase a laptop (Pentium class) for combination
business and contest/remote hamradio use.  I need something that can stand
up to the rigors of travel and the heat/cold of outdoor contest or casual
cw operating.  Would appreciate comments and recommendations from those of
you who have experience with laptops.
--------------- Wes Attaway  (N5WA) ----------------
2048 Pepper Ridge, Shreveport, LA 71115
    318-7973012 (Office); 797-4972 (Fax)
------------------- wes at prysm.net ----------------------

>From 9h1el%global.net.mt at TGV.COM (Jeff Morris)  Sat Aug  3 19:08:02 1996
From: 9h1el%global.net.mt at TGV.COM (Jeff Morris) (Jeff Morris)
Date: Sat, 03 Aug 96 11:08:02 PDT
Subject: Malta Contest Site (2)
Message-ID: <MAPI.Id.0016.006831656c2020203841393130303031 at MAPI.to.RFC822>

3rd August 1996
9h1el at global.net.mt

	Thanks for all the messages and help regarding the site.
Suggestions from AA6MC, G3SXW, K9GS, V31DX, W3LPL,
WA1GUV, WX3N (so far at the time of writing) were much 
appreciated. However, one or two important points were omitted
by me when I sent the first message.

	Each mast has it's own small building, one room suitable
for several operators, and with it's own electrical switch box for main
power. These boxes however are in a terrible state, and would 
require replacement. Underground power cables have been used to
feed each building. It is hoped that when we dig up flagstones to 
reveal all cables, we will find professional quality co-ax and power 
lines also. It will be necessary to replace windows, whitewash walls 
and other chores before anything can even be considered, if the job 
is to be of any quality. 

	I feel I should provide a better description of the masts.
They are of tubular construction, about 10 inches dia at the base, 
with a pad-eye at the concrete base and bolt arrangement, allowing 
the masts to be lowered (lilted over) but a heavy duty winch would be 
required. Fitting tower sections to the top of the steel masts, as
suggested by Gary,  K9GS, and Frank W3LPL, is an interesting idea, 
another difficult task but would undoubtedly reduce the amount of 
work constructing antennas for different directions. This is a point 
worthy of further thought. Each mast has pulleys fitted at the 60ft and 
100ft level, although none has any ropes attached. They are well 
guyed, again heavily engineered. There are no climbing steps, so 
any maintenance would have to be done with the mast in question 
tilted over. There are professional riggers here of course, but they 
cost money already.

	One other thing that I wasn't exactly clear upon, and I 
think that is necessary to be so, is that Paul and I are not looking for 
donations. We will be able to finance the project ourselves, but when 
it comes to having the site available for other groups, in contests 
where we don't take part etc (I hate WAE) then in order to pay for 
site rent, electricity fixed and consumption charges, maintenance etc. 
then we would like to recoup some of our investment. For sure it is 
not going to become a commercial enterprise. We just want to offset
some of the costs.

	When Don, G3OZF was here for IOTA, he mentioned 
'Equity shares'. I wonder if any big groups have utilised such ideas 
among their members. As Roger, G3SXW commented, this is a 2-3 
year project, and will take a lot of effort. There are only two of us and 
Paul is ultra-busy at work. 

	Regarding antennas, the low bands are easy. I intend to 
use fixed delta loops suspended from a catenary rope between two 
masts. The high bands are the bigger problem. Dave, WX3N and 
Tom,  WA1GUV suggested some rhombics where the facilities exist 
in any desired direction, and aluminium in other desired directions. 
We'll have to make up ATUs for the rhombics of course. We will 
have to import the aluminium. 

I hope that I have cleared up a few points, if not please ask for any 
other info. Thanks very much to all for the help so far, I really 
appreciate this.

73
Jeff/9H1EL/9H0A.

p.s. am awaiting WPX CW result, 10m single band 1678/375/670k
9H0A multi-single IOTA 2604 (8 dupes)/295 mults/ 5.69M points.