CONTEST STATION TVI/PHONEI SOLUTION

[N3ADL at aol.com]

I commend Bill's excellent commitment to good neighborhood relations but I
live in a cluster of homes where there are nearly 100 neighbors! My solution
is a tad different... I have the ONLY antenna of ANY kind outside for a 6
block area so I cause EVERYTHING !! ( Mosley PRO 67B at 60 on xtra hvy duty
Tristao motorized crank-up )   I get into TV's, radio's, toaster oven's,
vibrators, kids toys, fish tank's, ad nausum...(have a 35" Panasonic big
screen into a 220 watt Onkyo surround sound system 20' away from the shack
with ABSOLUTLEY no TVI or RFI  with ALPHA three holer at full tilt) ....so I
hold my ground on complaints...I listen with compassion ( I know how I'd feel
if someone interupted my Flyers hockey game) and then invite them into the
shack for a quick 25 cent tour....I show them TVI free consumer products and
give them a copy of the FCC's interference handbook while showing them the
names and numbers of the folks to write to in order to have the appliance
fixed properly....show them what es where to order in "bullet proof" fones
and filters...then I try and isolate the problem over the fone...usually with
them standing here talking to a loved one on the LL   I even had the cable TV
engineer out after cable complaints to make tests door to door ( found out
that two of my neighbors were getting premium channels without paying for
them and got caught with their pants down :)  ) ....in short I TRY and be a
good neighbor BUT... I draw the line when it comes to buying the stuff.... I
know MY neighbors... I'd be buying FILTERS for EVERYONE.....My approach has
produced pretty fair results.... I work most of the major contests and chase
the new one and hardly ever get a complaint any more (knock on wood) even
running QRO...It is REALLY not our fault on most of these petty
complaints....There is a ton of JUNQUE on the consumer market..I just wished
the watchdogs would make these damn manufacturers build the things right the
first time. Good Luck on ur next endeavour, Bill
                                                             73 de Doug //
N3ADL



                                                                            F
R C


>From David Robbins <robbins at berkshire.net>  Thu Feb  8 06:36:20 1996
From: David Robbins <robbins at berkshire.net> (David Robbins)
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 22:36:20 -0800
Subject: new yccc web address
Message-ID: <311999E4.7D7F at berkshire.net>

sorry for any inconvenience but it appears the http://yccc.ummed.edu/ 
address doesn't work for everyone all the time.  i'm not sure if aa1aa 
is still working on it or there is some other problem.  the actual 
physical address of the page is still 
http://www.berkshire.net/~robbins/ycccinfo.html and will probably be 
there for a while so you can keep that until the ummed.edu one is 
working properly.  even if it moves in the future i will keep a pointer 
to the official address in place as long as i am on berkshire.net.

73, dave

-- 
ky1h at berkshire.net   or   robbins at berkshire.net
http://www.berkshire.net/~robbins/ky1h.html
WWW Page now has New England Flea Market list from W1GSL


>From George McCrary <geo at nando.net>  Wed Feb  7 23:10:46 1996
From: George McCrary <geo at nando.net> (George McCrary)
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 96 18:10:46 EST
Subject: Interference etc.Long, but good :)
Message-ID: <9602072310.AA06489 at merlin.nando.net>

Hello,

        As some of you know I work at JPS Communications in Raleigh, NC.
Recently the European Economic Community implemented a new standard for
electronic equipment. Any equipment sold in the EEC countries must pass this
test or it can be refused entrance to the country or confiscated from the
dealers. 

        You guys wouldn't believe the tests we had to go through just to get
the NIR 12 (a DSP audio processor) certified. There is absolutely no way
that most of the TVs, computer monitors or telephones sold in this country
would pass.

The tests involved the following:
Conducted Emissions: This tests for any radiated enegy that is conducted
back into the AC wall outlet.

Radiated Emissions: This is done at an open field test site or an anechoic
chamber and involves pointing a very wide bandwidth antenna at the unit and
sweeping just about from DC to daylight while checking a spectrum analyzer.
The unit is rotated and the antenna raised and lowered until the worst spot
is found. If this worst case spot is anywhere near the limit the test guys
mess with the cables and do their best to find a combination that will fail!

RF Immunity: The unit has an antenna pointed at it and and RF from HF to
Daylight is beamed at it in an attempt to get it to fail.

ESD Immunity: A handheld static discharge gun is zapped at 8Kv on every
chassis scew, knob, switch, input and output to try to break it.

Conducted Immunity: All input and output cables are put in a big inductive
clamp. Large voltage spikes are conducted into the unit.

        All these tests must be conducted while the unit is doing whatever
it does. As I found out firsthand, the test setup used to simulate normal
operating can cause a lot  more problems than the unit under test.

        The bad thing about all this is that it is a one way street!
Something made in Europe that would not pass these tests can be shipped to
the U.S. I hate to even think about all the cheap electronic equipment from
the far east that will be dumped on our markets because it can't be sold in
Europe! 

        I wish the FCC guys would get some teeth in their enforcement. By
the way I think the EEC laws are a good thing. It sure will keep design
engineers on their toes!

                                                73 DE KQ4QM (George)



>From Al Quaglieri <alcue at globalone.net>  Wed Feb  7 23:23:58 1996
From: Al Quaglieri <alcue at globalone.net> (Al Quaglieri)
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 18:23:58 -0500 (EST)
Subject: The "Good Old Boys on 75M"
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.960207182203.1479A-100000 at shell.global1.net>

On Tue, 6 Feb 1996, Gary Schwartz wrote:

> On Tue, 6 Feb 1996, Al Quaglieri wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 5 Feb 1996, N7AVK wrote:
> > 
> > >      I have every right to a clear frequency... especially during a 
> > > contest... and will use every method I know of to use that frequency... 
> > > especially when being the object of flak from the deviants. I have in the 
> > 
> > Even if it involves demolishing ongoing QSOs plus or minus 3 kHz from my 
> > frequency....
> > 
> > Al NN2U
> 
> Al, if you are having trouble with a station +/- 3 kHz away, I think you
> need to look at buying a new radio.  Furthermore, nobody should have the

Not true, Gary. The inconsiderate bastids using 5 kW and their processors 
set on "stun" are the ones slopping up and down the bands.

Al
NN2U


>From rfedor at magellan.cloudnet.com (Ralph Fedor)  Wed Feb  7 23:59:54 1996
From: rfedor at magellan.cloudnet.com (Ralph Fedor) (Ralph Fedor)
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 96 17:59:54 -0600
Subject: IC-736 Mod
Message-ID: <9602072359.AA00376 at magellan.cloudnet.com>

I recall an article in a past NCJ (I think) regarding the IC-736, a 160 to 6
transceiver with built in supply.

The article described a mod to the power supply allowing one to switch from
a 120 VAC source to a 240 VAC source.  Has anyone done this?

It would make a great DX'pedition radio if this is easily accomplished.

73 -
Ralph  -  K0IR
rfedor at cloudnet.com



>From Doug Grant <0006008716 at mcimail.com>  Wed Feb  7 03:07:00 1996
From: Doug Grant <0006008716 at mcimail.com> (Doug Grant)
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 96 22:07 EST
Subject: Contest stations in emergencies
Message-ID: <62960207030726/0006008716DC6EM at MCIMAIL.COM>

I was involved in a sort-of emergency situation a few years back.

I had spoken many times with Victor, LY2BIG, of UP1BZZ/LY2ZZ, and we had met
inperson at Dayton. One fine day in 1991, I ran into Victor on 15 M. He told me
he was going to Vilnius later, because things were getting difficult there. He
asked me to keep an ear open for him.

Later that day, I was tuning 20 M, and heard a Joe Tribander sort of guy trying to 
pull out the signals from LY2ZO/P, who was running low power to a makeshift
antenna on top of the Lithuanian Palriament building. I was copying the LY
fine with my contest station's above-average antenna and equipment.

I began relaying for Joe Average, then identified myself. Some anonymous guy
listening on the frequency said something like "Let that loud guy take over.
I think he has one of those big contest stations, and he'll be able to keep
the frequency open". Several other guys seconded the motion, and I was drafted
into service as Net Control of the ad hoc Lithuanian Emergency Net.

The Emergency had something to do with the Parliament building being surrounded
with Soviet troops who took a dim view of the Lithuanians' bid for independence.

I should note that my motivations in helping out were simply at the request
of a friend in trouble. I am not a Lithuanian-american, and I won't offer an
opinion on right or wrong - I was just helping a friend. 

At any rate, the LY parliament had just passed a law regarding succession to power
if "anything should happen to the duly elected leaders", and they asked me to 
realy that to a certain station in the midWest, and I did. They also asked me
to help keep a channel open for them, since all other international comms links
were out of service.

It wasn't a natural disaster, but the point was that someone in trouble needed a 
reliable communications channel and I was glad to help. I should point out
that N4ZC, another contester, also helped out - his status as a retiree gave
him a lot more free time to ehlp out for several days during the work week. I
played the role of "weekend warrior".

We both received nice letters of thanks from the President of Lithuania as a 
result of our assistance, and that letter hangs proudly on the wall of my
shack, along with some contest plaques.

I did not hang up the letter I received from people who felt I had provided a 
service that interfered with the internal politics of another country.

I was happy that I could use my station's capbilities to provide a more
robust comms link for a while.

We *do* have bigger stations, and we ought to use them for this purpose once
in a while.

73,

Doug  K1DG


>From David Robbins <robbins at berkshire.net>  Thu Feb  8 09:48:30 1996
From: David Robbins <robbins at berkshire.net> (David Robbins)
Date: Thu, 08 Feb 1996 01:48:30 -0800
Subject: ts-870 interesting failure
Message-ID: <3119C6EE.389 at berkshire.net>

During the CQ 160m CW test we were attempting to use two radios so we 
could listen on one and run on the other.  It was working fairly well 
until at one point we must have gotten too much RF into the 870's 
antenna jack.  The RX on the 870 lost most of it's sensitivity (read 
this that we could only barely hear a couple stations on the band).  
After several minutes of troubleshooting I determined that there was a 
small bulb in series with the reciever that had opened.  It looked like 
it was in a socket, but it turns out that it was just soldered into a 
plastic carrier that is surface mounted to the board.  The investigation 
also showed that the "RX ant" jack on the back has a similar bulb plus 
resistor in series with it.... plugging the beverage cable into the rx 
ant jack restored the 870's RX for the rest of the contest.

The location of the bulb is not very easy to get to without removing the 
board (its under the back lip of the case) and i wanted to have the rest 
of the rx checked out so i sent it to groton electronics for repair.  
the technician there says the part is a new one and he didn't know when 
he could get it, or even what the cost would be (it would be covered 
under the warrenty anyway).  In order to get it back on the air by the 
ARRL DX tests he swapped the bulbs so now the rx ant jack doesn't work, 
but the regular tx ant does.  He is going to send me the bulb whenever 
he gets it in.

I think it is interesting that they now build in protection like that, I 
just wish the bulb was in a socket, or at least easier to get to.

-- 
ky1h at berkshire.net   or   robbins at berkshire.net
http://www.berkshire.net/~robbins/ky1h.html
WWW Page now has New England Flea Market list from W1GSL


>From Doug Grant <0006008716 at mcimail.com>  Wed Feb  7 02:50:00 1996
From: Doug Grant <0006008716 at mcimail.com> (Doug Grant)
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 96 21:50 EST
Subject: Dayton Call for Speakers
Message-ID: <20960207025002/0006008716DC6EM at MCIMAIL.COM>

As Chairman for the Dayton Hamvention(tm) Contest Forum, I am soliciting
speakers for the 1996 Forum.

This year, in response to the survey we conducted at the 1995 Forum, we will 
be focusing primarily on Contest Station Design. Several speakers have already
signed up, but I could use 2-3 more.

Specifically, I am seeking speakers willing to share their experiences in 
the design and construction of the "inside" part of a contest station. A 
slide or two about antenna system design is appropriate, but talks about
antenna design and construction probably belong in the Antenna Forum (contact
Tim Duffy, K3LR...).

If youown (or have been involved in) the design and construction of a real
world-class contest station, and are interested in participating as a 
speaker at the Contest Forum, please let me know.

The format for the talk can be slides, overhead foils, or video. Plan on
about 20 minutes, then some time for Q & A at the end, when the audience will
be encouraged to ask questions of any or all of the speakers.

If you have particular skills in the areas of electrical, ergonomic, or similar
aspects of station design, please consider sharing your insights with your
fellow contesters.

AS I fill out the program, I'll publish the final list of speakers. I will
offer one teaser, though - one of the stations to be featured is PJ1(9)B.

73,

Doug Grant  K1DG
k1dg at mcimail.com


>From Michael Tope <mtope at iu.net>  Thu Feb  8 01:55:41 1996
From: Michael Tope <mtope at iu.net> (Michael Tope)
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 20:55:41 -0500
Subject: Tower Help
Message-ID: <199602080155.UAA22555 at bb.iu.net>

Hey Folks,

I am in seriously contemplating putting up a tower here at my QTH in
Florida, and was wondering were I could get information on how to make wind
survival versus tower size tradeoffs, guy selection, etc. I am considering a
60 to 70 foot guyed tower with a something like a Force-12 C-3 Tribander
stacked under a Cushcraft 402CD. Being in Hurricane country, I would like to
be able to do wind survival comparisons between Rohn 25, 45 and 55 to see if
the heavier tower sections are worth the added expense. I just got a copy of
Dave Leeson's book "Physical Design of Yagi Antenna's", from what I have
seen so far, an excellent book, but it seems focus mostly on antenna and
mast design - no too much about towers. No sense putting up a antenna and
mast rated for 120 mph if the tower is going to buckle at 95 - HI HI. 

Please respond direct to me at mtope at iu.net. I'll summarize and post the
responses on the reflector.

Many thanks!

73 de Mike, AD4VH

**************************************************
**  Michael Tope, AD4VH (ex KD8NS, KA8ESD)      **
**  200 Easy Street                             **
**  Melbourne, FL 32934                         **
**  Tel: (407) 259-7494                         **          
**  Email: mtope at iu.net                         **
**************************************************

"It is the empty space inside the vessel that makes it useful" - Lao Tzu