squelch tales - ks1r ham history-part 3 ... international radio conferences partitioned off ... we...
TRANSCRIPT
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Squelch TalesNewsletter from the Merrymeeting Amateur Radio Association for August 2017
Six Meters & JT65a By J. Bruce Randall, W1ZE
This past June we had some enhanced propagation
on the Magic Band (6M). However for those of us
up here in northern New England we noted the
E-skip has been about average when using modest
antennas and ERP. Good contacts were being made
with stations south of the Mason-Dixon Line and
west into W8 and W9 land. But as usual the station
in W4 and W5 land are getting the best DX into
Europe, Central America and South America.
I monitor the Telnet DX cluster on a regular basis
looking for six meter openings into and out of New
England, plus other worldwide HF DX spots but
there are not a lot of postings for six meters as of
the last of June. What I was seeing were 6 meter
DX postings on 50.276 MHz, even from W1 and
W2 land. What was happening there were postings
from folks operating in the JT65A, the very weak
signal digital mode. Most the six meter foreign DX
spots are on 50.276 and 50.270, the recommended
JT65 frequencies.
Several months ago in a conversation with Six
Meter Guru Paul “Lefty” Clement, K1TOL he
indicated he was looking into getting on JT65A
because of all the DX that can be had in that mode
on six. Recent observations on the DX spotting
network indicate that Lefty has jumped into that
mode with both feet. He is good to post DX spots
himself and many are on 50.276.
Recently I loaded the WSJT/JT65a program onto
my ham shack PC. I am building a new soundcard
interface that uses the JT65’s program’s
PTT/keying command to key my transceiver in lieu
of the FT-897d’s digital VOX because of the VOX
delay in the Tx/Rx transition, to slow for accurate
JT65.
For more info on JT65A, checkout the following
websites:
• http://nw7us.us/jt65a.html
• http://jt65-hf.com/downloads/
• http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/
• https://sourceforge.net/projects/jt65hfhb9hqxedi/
• http://nw7us.us/jt65a/2010_10_JT65A-Part-
1_Compressed.pdfAug-17.docx
• https://www.google.com/?trackid=sp-
006#q=JT65a+Communicating+under+the+nois
e+
JT65 is not a rag chew mode but has become very
popular with DXers and paper chasers on the HF
bands too. Modest antenna systems, low power and
poor band conditions can still yield some good DX
while on your DXCC, WAZ, WAS & VUCC quest.
73, W1ZE
Early Ham History-Part 3
As DX became 1000, then 1500 and then 2000
miles, amateurs began to dream of transatlantic
work. Could they get across? In December, 1921,
ARRL sent abroad an expert amateur, Paul F.
Godley, 2ZE, with the best receiving equipment
available. Tests were run, and thirty American
stations were heard in Europe. In 1922 another
transatlantic test was carried out and 315 American
calls were logged by European amateurs and one
French and two British stations were heard on this
side.
Everything now was centered on one objective:
two-way amateur communication across the
Atlantic! It must be possible—but somehow it
couldn't quite be done. More power? Many already
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were using the legal maximum. Better receivers?
They had superheterodynes. Another wavelength?
What about those undisturbed wavelengths below
200 meters? The engineering world thought they
were worthless—but they had said that about 200
meters. So, in 1922, tests between Hartford and
Boston were made on 130 meters with encouraging
results. Early in 1923, ARRL-sponsored tests on
wavelengths down to 90 meters were successful.
Reports indicated that as the wavelength dropped
the results were better. Excitement began to
spread through amateur ranks.
Finally, in November, 1923, after some months of
careful preparation, two-way amateur transatlantic
communication was accomplished, when Schnell,
1MO, and Reinartz, 1XAM (now W4CF and K6BJ,
respectively) worked for several hours with Deloy,
8AB, in France, with all three stations on 110
meters! Additional stations dropped down to 100
meters and found that they, too, could easily work
two-way across the Atlantic. The exodus from the
200-meter region had started. The "short-wave" era
had begun!
By 1924 dozens of commercial companies had
rushed stations into the 100-meter region. Chaos
threatened, until the first of a series of national and
international radio conferences partitioned off
various bands of frequencies for the different
services. Although thought still centered around 100
meters, League officials at the first of these
frequency-determining conferences, in 1924, wisely
obtained amateur bands not only at 80 meters but at
40, 20, and even 5 meters.
Eighty meters proved so successful that "forty"
was given a try, and QSOs with Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa soon became
commonplace. Then how about 20 meters? This
new band revealed entirely unexpected possibilities
when 1XAM worked 6TS on the West Coast, direct,
at high noon. The dream of amateur radio—daylight
DX!—was finally true.
Don’t trash that old
Heathkit DX-40 because the
power transformer is bad!
As our “vintage” ham gear gets old, especially
the old tube type transmitters, receivers, amps and
HV power supplies, one of the common things that
go bad in addition to vacuum tubes and capacitors
are power Transformers, filament transformers and
filter chokes, all heavy iron stuff. When this
happens a lot of hams just give up and scrap the rig
out because finding a replacement transformer is
difficult and if you do the seller wants its weight in
gold or silver.
Hold on folks, there is a second option and much
less expensive. Remove that transformer from the
rig and get it rewound by a rewind facility then
reinstall it giving your old vintage rig a new life.
Good news folks, here in Maine there is a fellow
ham in Orono, Gary Brown, WZ1M who operates,
TRANSFORMER REWIND SERVICE
478 FOREST AVE, Orono, ME 04473
Ph: (207) 942-5745
Pete Russell, K4POR (ex K1MJP) Google him,
to see what he does and found out he can rewinds
power, audio, chokes, modulation transformers,
etc.. Reports are that Gary does a great job at a fair
price.
So if you are in need of a transformer rewind, you
may want to contact Gary and see if he can do the
job for you and give that old rig a new future.
The above is COPYRIGHT 1962 by ARRL. The Handbook back then cost $3.50.
Next time Part 4: Public Service
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Reported by MARA’s Photojournalist Marjory Turner, KX1I
Under experienced coordinated support by John
Goran, K1JJS this year's L.L.Bean Road Race
Event on July 4 was a marked success.
Instead of the usual briefing at 0615 hours, John
emailed assignments and race information prior to
the event. Net Control opened on two meters
simplex net at 0645 and all stations were active by
0700am.
Generally all aspects of communications seemed
to run smoothly.
There were the usual issues of trying to
communicate with the "Shadow" around buildings
in downtown Freeport, and with the mid-course
terrain. A change in propagation occurred mid-
race, but the radio operators picked right up on it
and got the messages through.
L.L.Bean’s Ethan Hempwell thanked all
participants with an email saying "All went very
well. Thank you as always for the great
support. Happy 4th!!"
In brief this was a well-run event, beautiful
morning and amateur radio performed its tasks
well.
After Net control closed the net shortly after
0900 hours, several MARA members and XYLs
drove into town to watch the 1000 parade.
HAM PARTICIPANTS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Steve Kercel - AA4AK
Rick James – W1JLB
Marjorie Turner - KX1I
Dan Lindsly - N5AGG
Tom Berman - N1KTA (as Shadow for Ethan
Hemphill, Race Director)
John Goran - K1JJS
Mike Kilmartin - N1GRO
John Bogner - W1JLB
Bryce Rumery - K1GAX
Steve Sidelinker - N1NCC
Chris Tupper - KC1CIG
Jason Cote - W1WDW
Ariel Cote - KC1CCB
Don Wakeman - KA1WAL
Jim McIrvin -
N1IPA 73, KX1I
Sad Day for Ham Radio
restorers and tinkerers By Bruce Randall, W1ZE Sad
Last month a famous Ham and commercial
crystal manufacturer, International Crystal
Manufacturing, ICM closed its doors for ever.
See: http://www.radioworld.com/business-and-
law/0009/international-crystal-will-close/339307
To my knowledge this leaves no domestic
supplier of crystals for the ham radio builder,
equipment restorer, or experimenter. Other crystal
companies like Jan, Jet, and Cal Crystal that cut
crystals for hams are no longer in business.
If you see an old IC-22A or other crystal
controlled transceiver at a flea market and want to
get a set of crystals for your favorite repeater or
packet node, it looks like you are now out of luck.
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If you restore an old Heathkit DX-40 or other
vintage transmitter and want a crystal for 3885 kHz, the AM calling frequency, you can no longer just have
one made. You will have to rely on eBay or a fellow
ham who is selling one. I now expect crystals like
that will be worth their weight in gold.
It appears that there may still be one company, Bomar
Crystals http://bomarcrystal.com/thankyou.html that cuts
crystals for hams. However, a cut crystal from them will
cost you about 50 bucks. If you find another crystal
maker for the ham radio market, please let me know at [email protected].
As a follow up article, check out Patrick Brown,
N7KRG’s posting on the influence of Ham radio on the
crystal market at: http://www.bliley.net/XTAL/Industry-Hams.html
Sadly, W1ZE
Is Packet really dead? A report by W1ZE
A few months ago Donnie Dauphin, WD1F who
loves all things digital started playing around with
the old keyboard digital error free mode of Packet.
He was able to make packet links to nodes that are
still up and running and active around the State of
Maine.
He experimented with KISS mode which was OK
but he liked using the old TNCs that allowed for
digipeating, mailboxes and BBSs.
He discussed this mode with me and Scott,
Higgins, W3VNE. This rekindled the packet fire in
both of us. We both unpacked our old multimode
TNCs, and in my case it is a PK-232mbx. Scott
was the first to get his TNC connected to an old
2-meter transceiver and get on 145.010 and send out
packet RF in hopes of connecting with WD1F. I on
the other hand had to do some restart maintenance
on my 232, such as replace the memory battery and
free-up the frozen DCD control pot. As of this
writing I am looking for a 2M only transceiver to
connect it to. I was going to put crystals in my old
IC-22A for 145.010 and maybe 145.050 but as the
previous article on crystals pointed out that plan
was scrubbed. I’ll be looking for a good old
2-meter rig to put me back on packet, hopefully
soon.
Packet ability to convey error free messages is
very handy for sending messages by ARES folks
and groups is support of served agencies and
facilities like hospitals where accurate messaging is
a must.
If you are one of those folks who used to be on packet
but moved on and put your old TNC in storage, why not
dig it out, hook it back up and get on 145.010 and see
what is going on.
Now admittedly HF packet has just about gone accept
messaging on 14.105 (300 baud packet). Host folks have
moved on to PSK, and other computer soundcard
generated modes but with an old multimode TNC
RTTY, ASCII, keyboard CW and other digital modes
are still useable. 73,W1ZE
Join your fellow hams for a delicious
DXCC/Contest dinner at Boxboro
Accompanying us will be Jeff Briggs,
K1ZM/VY2ZM, recounting the story of the 7O6T
DXpedition to Yemen in 2012.
A retired commercial banker and living with his wife
Miriam (KC1HHH) on Prince Edward Island, Jeff is
both a contester and a lowband Dx'er with a special
interest in 160m. He enjoys participating in most of the
major contests each
season including CQWW/ARRL DX/CQWPX and the
160m contests.
Jeff is a member of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame and
the FOC Operators Club, and has participated in many
DXpeditions including ZX0F, NP4A, ZX5J, A61AJ,
7O6T and others. Adding to his ham radio repertoire,
Jeff was the principal founder of the Yankee Clipper
Contest Club (YCCC) and its first President in 1977/78.
Attendees have their choice of a chicken, fish, or a
vegetarian meal.
The DXCC/Contest dinner will feature door prizes,
including a grand door prize! - Tickets available at
http://www.boxboro.org
73,
Bob - K1IW, Boxboro 2017! Publicity Chair
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Merrymeeting Amateur Radio Assoc.
1 Smithfield Crossing
Phippsburg, ME 04562-4047