WASHRag May 2000 - N3sh

Page 32 ISSUEWASH Amateur Radio Club News BriefsNext WASH VE Test July 20th!Our Next VE exam sessions will be Thursday, July 20th, 2000, at7:00 PM, at the John McMillan Presbyterian Church, 875 Clifton Road,Bethel Park, PA. Talk-in on 146.955 MHz. All examiners are ARRL VECaffiliated. Morse code exams are multiple-choice. Walk-ins are alwayswelcome, but if you plan on attending the test session, please contactVE Team Liason Bob Sanford AA3FI, telephone (724)-356-4020or E-Mail: sanfordb@access.hky.comN3SH Update!:Our long patience has been rewarded! The FCCdatabase, effective Wednesday, April 19th, shows N3SH as one ofthe club calls of the Wireless Association, and Steve W3SRL as it’strustee. [QRZ?, UALR, and others now do too.] It‘s taken 4 months,with the ULS situation not helping, but it’s finally done. WASHNetNCS stations can immediately resume using N3SH while running thenets if they so desire, as had been our custom. Our thanks, onceagain, to Riley Hollingsworth K4ZDH and his staff at the FCC,without whose help and expertise this may not have occurred.Is “The Packeteer’s” the upcoming sequel to “The Rocketeer”?Please bring the following to your test session:Picture ID or other suitable identification (2 forms of ID required)Pen / Pencil / CalculatorOriginal FCC license plus a copy of license (if upgrading)Original CSCE plus a copy of CSCE (if upgrading)Check or Cash in the amount of 6.65 (payable to: ARRL VEC)Speaking of well-deserved thank-you‘s, thanks to Chuck KC3ET andGino WA3IOU of the SWPA Digital Group for their excellentPacket Radio presentation at our March club meeting.(Hint to other clubs: Book these guys!)Mark N3RDV is still holding 1999Field Day pins for four members of theoperating crew! If you are due for a pin andhaven’t received it yet, please contact MarkASAP. He will have them available at the Maymeeting for you to pick up.1999 Field Day Pins Outstanding:April WASH VE Exam Session ResultsApril 6, 2000New Novices:Larry ManuelJennifer TaterRobin ThomasNew Technicians:Christopher YoungPaul Vogrin (age 10)Element 1C CSCE:Ray Renninger, K3ECZElement 3B CSCE:Kevin Maiers, N3ROXEd Oelschlager, N3ZNIEdgar Payne, N3HWUHarold Rosenberger, KB3CPIFranklin Speicher, K3FSSElement 4B CSCE:Greg Babin, KQ3DXGerald Evans, WA6SVJMark Malik, N3TAWAttendance:16 Candidates13 VE’sApril 20, 2000New Technicians:Joel BussardNew Technicians w/HF:Carson ChristopherNew Generals:Bryan Beyer, WB4OXCDave DeMotte, N3IDHWilliam Kweder, N3XHVGeorge Lang, KA3JZRKevin Maiers, N3ROXSam Mayberry, W3CYOJohn O'Neill, WA3KUKRobert Saxman, KB3BMFRobert Stoner, KB3EPCWilliam Zeitz, WA3VSSNew Extras:Greg Babin, KQ3DXJackie Gosselin, N3ZELRobert Ketzell, KB3INMark Malik, N3TAWWilliam Popp, K3RKSGlen Roberts, KE7FDJohn Russell, N3JYFJames Workley, N3KJJAttendance:21 Candidates10 VE’sCongratulations to all of the candidates at both sessions! And aspecial “thanks” for all of their hard work to all of the WASH VE Teammembers who came out for one or both nights of April testing.Doug W3HDH has resigned from hissecond tour of duty as the Pa QSO Party chairman, as he is takinga new job out of state (Good luck Doug, we‘ll miss you!). TheNittany ARC has appointed Woody Brem K3YV as his successor forthe 2000 contest. Congratulations Woody!New PA QSO Party Chairman:Responding to a routine fire call by SteveW3SRL and his shift, turned out to be the discovery of the firstvictim of the April 28th shooting rampage. They probably missedthe murderer by a few minutes. As tragic as the day was for all ofthe victims and their families, we must admit to relief that no harmcame to our friends on the Mt. Lebanon fire & police crews.April 28th Close Call:Several members of the WASH VETeam ended up lending a hand to our friends in WACOM duringtheir VE Test session at the WACOM Spring Hamfest. Anytimeguys, and we’re glad you’re hamfest was a success! On a relatednote, congratulations to Paul NØVLR for winning the main prize, a2 Meter Quad from Lightning Bolt Antennas. Mike Duddy told Paulthat in 12 years of donating prizes & discounts, Paul is the firstperson to ever say “thanks” for a prize he won! Well Mike, beadvised that WE all appreciate all of your prize donations toSHARCfest/WASHfest and over local hamfests over the years!WACOM Hamfest VE Tests:Bill N3INT reports from our NorthernOutpost that his new bride Susie passed her Tech Plus license and isawaiting her call sign. Great news Bill! Now don’t forget toinclude Susie when you renew your membership for the year g !Report from Natrona Heights:With Dayton, Breezeshooters, and Field Day allcoming up, why not look sharp with a club logo golf shirt? TLCEmbroidery can now do the “true” club logo on a shirt for 20 (seepage 11) and Ham Threads will be at Dayton, taking orders forhats and jackets. Now is the time to order don’t delay!Club Logo Shirts:Sign Up for the Electronic Edition! wa3sh-subscribe@egroups.com

W I R E L E S S A S S O C I A T I O N OF SOUTH HILLSPage 4Minutes, April 11th 1999 MeetingARRL Atlantic Division 2000 Award WinnersSteve Lane W3SRL Vice President/Secretary WASHBernie Fuller N3EFN, Director, ARRL Atlantic DivisionBill Edgar N3LLR, Vice Director, ARRL Atlantic DivisionMeeting was called to order by WN3VAW at 19:00 local time. Therewere 14 members present and 4 guests.Introductions were made, as is our custom, followed by a moment forSilent Keys and other deserving persons.The minutes of the March 9, 2000 meeting were read and approved.N3QMV / W3WH.Secretary: WA3SH call sign is now in ULS database. N3SH to follow.VE Team: KE3XB — Session on April 6, gave 23 elements, 16candidates. Another session to be on the 20th of this month. Last areaVE session under old rules in Plum Boro, April 14th at 7PM on CenterNew Texas Road for actual testing, followed by a paperwork onlysession at midnight just to process all those CSCEs that have been pilingup. Ed, N3UE reported a Breezeshooters VE session on Saturday, April15th at Noon at their location on Perry Highway.Repeater: W3SRL — The move is on! 440 going to move first, thenthe 2m machine. Mt. Lebanon is going to pay the freight for the move.Treasurer’s report: N3RDV — Read and accepted.2 Meter FM Net: WN3VAW for KQ3DX — Need Net Control Stations,as usual. Greg apologizes for his work-related absence.10 Meter Digital Net: KE3XB reported some limited activity. Hoping toget PSK-31 on line, and to do that during the net.Contests: Field Day: Need to nail down a site for Field Day. WACOMinvited us to do a joint FD this year, and Mineral Beach is still an option.The Lion’s Club Field is also an option, if it is available. W3WH offeredto check into the Lion’s Club site. Elevation is very good, and there is anice shelter there. W3WH was appointed the quartering party of onefor Field Day. He will secure a site.Other contests: WN3VAW – Thanks for the great effort at CQ WPXcontest from his QTH. Also, the certificate is here for the PA QSOcontest. We placed first for Clarion County Multi-op Category with207 QSO’s.Old Business: NoneNew Business: N4MIS reported a new FREE ISP called Blue Light.COM.Good of the Order: WN3VAW reported on the upcoming publicservice events in the area. WACOM Hamfest is April 30th.Motion to Adjourn: W3WH / N3QMV and carried unanimously.Presentation on Packet Radio by Chuck, KC3ET and Gino, WA3IOU.Enroute to Hamvention?Frequencies to Monitor:— 146.520 Simplex on the Road— 146.955 Simplex at HARA ArenaDayton Area Repeater FrequenciesChart on Page 10WASH 2000 New & Returning ISNP2JFW3RJMW3SRLW3VFAW3WHWB3BPHWN3BOJWN3VAWCarol DankoDan MohrJoAnn CottrillMarilyn Nizinski2000 Annual Dues PaidThrough April 30thList complied byMark Stabryla N3RDVVice President/TreasurerThe Atlantic Division ARRL is pleased to announce thewinners of the 2000 Atlantic Division awards.The Amateur of the Year is Riley Hollingsworth K4ZDH, fromGettysburg, PA. Riley is an ARRL member. As SpecialCounsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement of the FederalCommunications Commission, Riley has been leading enforcement onthe Amateur frequencies. Almost every ham who wanted theamateur bands cleaned up has heard of him, and some of thosethat didn't clean up their act on the air have also heard of and,quite possibly from, Riley.He's tried some new ideas to encourage compliance with Part 97rather than coming down hard on those in violation of the rules. As afellow amateur radio operator, Riley shares a passion for wantingour hobby to grow and for it to last for future generations.The Grand Ole Ham lifetime service award for 2000 goes BillThompson W2MTA, from Newark Valley, NY. An ARRL member, Billhas been actively involved with the leadership of both the WesternNew York Section and the National Traffic System. His dedicationto Amateur Radio goes well beyond his duties as Section Managerand the National Traffic System. He is one of the hams to worksatellite operations in its early stages; he is an avid, expert CWoperator; and has been involved with packet radio operations fromits beginnings.While he has "retired" as Section Manager of Western New Yorkafter 20 years, he remains in active leadership positions with theNational Traffic System. Amateur Radio thus continues to provide achallenge to him, and continues to receive the benefit of hisexpertise in this vital aspect of the hobby.The Technical Achievement award for 2000 goes to Frank BauerKA3HDO, living in Silver Spring, MD with his wife Janet, and their 3children. Frank is an Electronics Engineer, and a graduate of PerdueUniversity, earning both the BSEE and MSEE degrees.Frank is an active ham and served as Vice President of theGoddard Amateur Radio Club for the past two years. He is alsoactive in Club programs including education and outreach, in FieldDay, and in AMSAT. He is also a member of the ARRL. Frank is VicePresident for Human Space Flight Operations, working on ARISSProgram and other Ham Radio-in-space related activities. In hisAMSAT role, he is actively involved in activities such as the Phase IIID environmental testing, which took place at Goddard's Building7&10 Testing Complex late last fall. He is also Vice Chairman ofthe SAREX/ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International SpaceStation) working group and is responsible for the acquisition,integration and testing of the ARISS Permanent Equipment Sets (VHFand UHF radio(s), cables and antenna sets for the Astronauts andCosmonauts on the Space Station) to be flown later this year on theSpace Shuttle and permanently installed on the Russian FGB Moduleearly in 2001.The 2000 awards will be officially conferred at the Atlantic DivisionConvention, held in conjunction with the Rochester, NY, Hamfest onJune 2nd through June 4th, 2000.

Page 5VOLUME 2 I S S U E 5John on BooksJohn Benitez KE3XBGlobal Communications Since 1844: Geopolitics and TechnologyPeter J Hugill, John Hopkins University Press, 1999This is a FASCINATING book! I obtained it for free, so don't have anaccurate price for it — it runs approximately in the 30 range. Ihave always been interested in history, geopolitics and the reasonwe do thing or exist the way we do. Much can be learned from ourhistory; not just US history, but from world history. This book combinesthese approaches but ties it in to modern communications since 1844.The book is divided into the following eight chapters: Information technology, geopolitics, and the world-system Telegraphy and the first global telecommunications hegemony "The whole world kin": telephony and the development of thecontinental polity to 1956 Radio telegraphy, radio telephony, and interstate competition,1896-1917 Challenges to British telecommunications hegemony: continuouswave wireless Military uses of radio communication: the development ofcommunications, command and control Communications, command, and control in the war in the air:radar, World War II, and the slow transition to American power Telecommunications and world-system theoryIt has an extensive glossary, a list of references, and a name andsubject index. Just reading the table of contents started me drooling!World history and radio communications all rolled into one.The first chapter was a brief review of communications theory. Notthe stuff I had read about in ham or related books. More like stuffon the "cultural archetypes" of communications:Type 1 - Durable (heavy and not very portable) communicationsmedia (e.g., stone, clay and parchment) allow cultures to controltime. Such cultures express themselves best in architecture andsculpture. They tend to be decentralized geographically but to havehierarchical social systems and systems of government.Type 2 - Ephemeral (light and easily portable) communicationssystems (e.g., papyrus and paper) allow cultures to control space.Such cultures express themselves best in administration and trade.They tend to be centralized geographically but to have relatively lesshierarchical social systems and systems of government thancultures using Type I systems.The book then goes on into the W.W.IIand subsequent areas and thedevelopment of communications,command and control systems.Wonderful description of thedevelopment of radar by warringcountries: initially Great Britain andGermany. How the USA got into theradar business is an interesting storyyou should read!The book then discusses several theories of future communications and"who controls it." The actual and planned fiber optic transoceanicphase, megalopolises and future megalopolises, and the transnationalcontrol of communications are discussed. An interesting phase of thecommunications & communication controversies that we’re heading into.Amazing that the "communication revolution" is not starting now asmany in the popular press describe. It is ongoing! Great reading!Enjoy!"Don'ts"An amateur wireless operator's guide cut from amagazine and found in a stack of papers, c. 1925From The Telegraph Office Web Page by Neal McEwen K5RWCourtesy of Jqcque Gosselin N3ZEL Heavy stuff. Never thought of countries or culture in those terms. Sortof makes sense as you start to think or it. The author remind us thatno culture or country uses one system exclusively, but more on howdifferent elements within a culture uses one or the other systems. The book goes on to describe telegraphy as it developed across theworld, and the politics behind it. Interesting! Already the differentcountries tried to control geopolitics by controlling telegraphycommunications., then telephony communications., then cablecommunications., etc. A fascinating story to me, was how transoceanic cables werecontrolled, and used prior to and during W.W.I to discover theintents and actions of warring nations; and soon to be warringnations (USA). Don't try to transmit without a license.Don't connect the lightning-switch to an inside ground.Don't forget that tube sets are far more efficient than crystal sets.Don't use iron for an aerial.Don't handle the crystals of your set.Don't forget to keep the aerial & lead-in insulated from all otherobjects.Don't try to get a fine adjustment while touching the detector withbare hands.Don't expect to get good results with an aerial less than 100 feetlong or low down among other buildings.Don't fail to make good connections.Don't run your aerial parallel with electrical wires, elevated tracksor steel bridges.Don't forget to scrape off the insulation and have wires brightbefore making connections.Don't forget that a good ground is necessary.Don't cover joints with adhesive tape; use "spaghetti" or varnishcambric tubing wherever possible.Don't try to use your instruments just before, just after, or during athunder storm.Don't oil any portion of a set.Don't be discouraged if the first galena crystal you try is not verysensitive. Try a number of pieces.Don't blame your set until you are sure it is not your fault thatsomething is wrong.Don't rush blindly at the set and turn knob and handles hit or missif anything goes wrong. Be calm and patient and go slowly. Hastemakes waste in radio as in all things.

W I R E L E S S A S S O C I A T I O N OF SOUTH HILLSPage 6The Hollow State: Frequently Asked QuestionsHello! This page last month inaugurated a new regular columnin WASHRag on old time ham radio. My focus will be on hamradio as it was. But I will also discuss collecting, restorationand personalities of times gone by. My hope is that somethingI write about will spark your interest because this hobby has awonderful history.By way of introduction, I am 47 yearsold, a new WASH member and a 5year new ham. I have been collectingold ham gear and other earlyelectronics for about 7 years. I amblessed with a wonderful family thatincludes 8 kids ranging in age from 9 to 21. I haven't beenable to interest any of them in ham radio yet. But there's stilltime.My primary boatanchor equipment interests are 1930's hamgear, homebrew tube gear and mechanical RTTY gear. I alsolike armchair boatanchoring and enjoy researching the peoplethat built this hobby and the equipment they developed. Soyou will see all that reflected here.In this column, I want to dispose of the most commonly askedquestions about collecting boatanchors. So here goes.What's It Worth?Despite what you sometimes hear, you have a much higherchance of getting rich playing the PA lottery than you do ofselling a boatanchor for more than the cost of a single carpayment. Some boatanchors are worth a few thousanddollars--but very few. 97% are worth less than 350 and thatassumes excellent, original cosmetic condition, though it neednot be working (or even tested!). Virtually all boatanchors areworth less today (in today's vastly-depreciated dollars) thanwhat they cost originally. Beyond those generalities, I will behappy to answer specific boatanchor price questions atmerz.ds@mellon.com. I can also point you to specific priceguides and other resources if that is useful. I very seldom buyany new boatanchors though so please don't take my priceestimates as an offer to buy!Okay, so how do I sell it?Either at a hamfest or online. Hamfests are the easiest waybecause there's no packing or shipping involved. Shipping a120 pound boatanchor is nobody's idea of fun. But you almostalways pay for this by having to take a lower price for theboatanchor. There's the trade-off: Is the aggravation and riskof packing and shipping worth more than the difference inwhat you can get for the rig? If you choose the online route, Isuggest an eBay auction. Be sure to use keywords that buyerswill find when they do general searches. So for example, use"Old Johnson Ham Radio Transmitter" instead of "JohnsonRanger Two Boatanchor." If all of this is new to you, contactme and I will help you through it.Can I Just Plug It In?No, you can't. The sudden surge of juice through the oldbuzzard might destroy it when there is really nothing wrongbeyond normal aging. The minimum that you must do is bringDon Merz N3RHTthe voltage to the radio up very slowly on a variabletransformer (the trade name is Variac). This processshould take a minimum of several hours and a die-hardwould say it should take several days. As you slowlyincrease the voltage applied, you must somehowmonitor the current drawn to make surethat it does not exceed what youexpected. And never touch any metalpart while doing this. The chassis mightbe hot and it might like to ground itselfthrough your body--definitelyundesirable. That's the minimum. I'lldescribe a much better process in alater column. For now, just remember that you can't "justplug it in."Will You Fix It For Me?No. But I can tell you where to take it. The choice ofrepair shop will vary depending on what is beingrepaired. And you may have to ship it, so be preparedfor that. But please don't hesitate to ask where to takerepairs. I sometimes have my stuff professionallyrepaired or restored just to save my time.You have amuch higherchance ofwinning thelottery thanselling a boatanchor formore than acar paymentSee you next month with an article on those great oldradio magazines.Photo of a “typical” 1959 Hallicrafters station courtesy of & 2000 Hallicrafters Collectors AssociationHmmm Now About those “Weather Balloons”RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A hacker disrupted service for 36 hours to the Web sitethat displays detailed satellite images of Area 51, the top-secret Air Forcesite in Nevada. Raleigh-based Aerial Images Inc. said the hacker struck sixhours after five images of the desert proving ground were loaded onto thesite, http://www.terraserver.com. The attack, combined with traffic 10 timeswhat the site usually bears, meant millions of people had difficulty accessingthe site or could not connect with it at all.The Air Force only recently acknowledged that Groom Dry Lake Air ForceBa

WACOM Board Meeting 26 27 N. Hills ARC Elmer Net 28 29 Memorial Day Breezeshooter’s Net Beaver Co Public Service 2 Rivers ARC Net Triple “A” ARC Net 30 North Hills ARC Club Net SATERN Net 31 Steel City ARC Social Nt. Allegheny Co ARES Net Westmoreland Co ARES 10IQ Net 6/1 WACOM Meeting RA Erie Meeting 6/2 Elco RS Meeting 6/3 RA Erie VE Tests