NOTES FROM JMP's JUNKBOX

Valiant efforts notwithstanding (every time I tried to sneak off into a corner to do this Newsletter, the boss found me with more work to do), this issue wound up a bit late. Ergo, it's a combination edition again. Hopefully, when Viking gets into its cruise mode, things will slow down a bit. Until then, please bear with us... Now, on with the news.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Field Day was an outstanding success; everyone who participated had a great time. Stan Brokl/K6YYQ did a superb job of organization and planning. Dick Spear/WN6MBW kept the Novice station operating almost constantly with only occasional breaks to make room for more coffee. Dick's outstanding performance produced over 20% of the Club's total score. Skip Reymann/W6PAJ set up and operated one of the few Field Day OSCAR stations that succeeded in making contacts through the satellite.

The hot dog sales at the JPL Picnic again netted a nice profit for the Club treasury, under the leadership of Jay Bastow/K6CV.

The long planned "Shack in the Trailer" is progressing toward reality. The trailer has been painted and is equipped with power, lighting and air conditioning. Action has also been initiated to obtain a complete Collins station to outfit the trailer. Rich Spear/WN6MBW will chair the committee and organize the work parties that are needed to put the station into operation.

Anyone interested in RTTY should contact Ralph West/WB6YMF; he is planning to put W6VIO into operation on RTTY, with I kw.

Norm Chalfin/K6PGX, who did such a great job on the publicity for Field Day, has agreed to be the Publicity Chairman for the Club.

Jim Lumsden/WA6MYJ is going to organize a commemorative operation for the Viking landing in July 1976.

Merv MacMedan/W61UV is relieving Mike Gauthier as Chairman of the Education Committee. Mike requested this relief because of unexpected increases in his work load. Anyone interested in obtaining or upgrading a license, and anyone interested in teaching code or theory should contact Merv. If there is enough interest, he plans to start a class in a month or two.

FIELD DAY REPORT de Stan/K6YYQ

Field Day 1975 appears to have been a success for W6VIO. Our rough total of 4650 points is more than double last year's total. We had Z99 CW contacts, 81 of which are due to the excellent work of our Novice, Dick Spear/WN6MBW. We also had 22Z phone contacts, amassed by Jim Lumsden, Gordon Crawford, Skip Reymann and Walt Diem, working SSB and FM. We have 550 bonus points for running 100% emergency power, plus running solar power, publicity, message origination and OSCAR station operation.

Special mention should be made of several behind-the-scenes individuals who helped advise and counsel me on antennas and organization: Chuck Weir's advice on our open-wire low band antenna and his loan of a TH-3 beam helped make W6VIO heard in Japan, the West Indies and all across the nation with 5 w. Merv MacMedan coached and advised me on delegation and also where to find equipment; he is a very good CW operator too.

Special mention also goes to Skip Reymann for his tremendous effort in setting up and running our first OSCAR station.

I'd like to thank all of you that supported and participated in W6VIO's Field Day exercise for a job well done! !

HOT DAWG!!!

Once again, the JPL Amateur Radio Club sold hot dogs at the Annual Picnic to raise funds for the Club. Although we did not do quite as well financially this year because of holding our prices in the face of increasing costs, we did realize a profit of $191. The support by Club members was much better than has been in recent years and this help was appreciated very much. Again, Ralph West provided transportation for the booth and supplies and put in a full day of work. At the risk of offending a member we missed or didn't recognize, the following Club members and, in some cases their wives or girl friends, offered their help in the booth: Ralph West/WB6YMF, Gil Schuler/WA6ULA, Jim Lurnsden/WA6YMJ, Gordon Crawford/WB6DRH, Alan Cassel/WAOUYU, Marshall Fong/K6AOC, Stan Brokl/K6YYQ, Glenn Beery/K6GHJ, Bob Brodkin/WA6TBH, Jim Longthorne/WN6KPW, Walt Ross/W6VPN and Gil Yanow/K6TOS.

Without this help, we couldn't carry out this activity each year and raise additional funds for the Club --- Thanks again to all!

FCC DOES LISTEN

Chuck Weir recently wrote a letter to the FCC regarding the subject of power measurement and levels; it was reprinted in April-May 1975 issue of W6VIO Calling. He received a speedy reply, which we quote here:

Dear Mr. Weir:

Thank you for your comments of May 11, mainly on the subject of power measurement and levels.

I am inclined to agree that a DC input measurement would be most appropriate. Regarding the overpower fellows, a combination of rated filament power, plate dissipation, and maximum plate voltage available should take care of it without any question. It is almost impossible to successfully prosecute those fellows on the basis of field strength measurements. When solid state devices come along economically in the 1 kW category, similar factors can be applied to them as you indicated.

Thanks for writing and don't give up hope that things will get better ! ! Cordially 73,

    A. Prose Walker, Chief, Amateur and Citizens Division

SPEED UP LICENSE HANDLING

FCC license application handling at Gettysburg should be speeded up by a new mail sorting system. Effective now, all non-CB applications should be addressed to different PO boxes per the following: Amateurs, P.O. Box 1020; Aviation, Box 1030; Marine, Box 1040; Restricted Operator Permits, Box 1050 -- all are at Gettysburg, PA 17325.

DESIGN TEAM WRKG ON VHF/UHF SYSTEM

A design team, headed by Bob Akers/K6CYY, is working on fulfilling a commitment made to JPL management several years ago, i. e. , that the JPL ARC will provide and operate an emergency communication link between JPL and other Caltech/JPL sites. To assure that the system is maintained and always operational to support an emergency-, the design team is incorporating features that will attract Club members to exercise the system daily for recreational communications.

To prevent problems and to assure that the system meets the Clubs needs, Bob Akers and committee submitted a list of objectives and constraints to the Board of Directors for approval. This was given at the July 23 meeting, and the Charter reads as follows:

JPL ARC VHF/UHF COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DESIGN TEAM

Objectives:

1. Provide a useful VHF and/or UHF emergency communication capability between JPL and other Caltech/JPL sites (e. g. , Goldstone, Edwards, Table Mountain, and Campus) should normal telephone service be inoperative or inadequate in a disaster or emergency.

2. Provide a useful VHF and/or UHF repeater capability to enable the JPL ARC to better support the emergency communication needs of the local community (e.g., RACES, AREC &Pasadena Chapter of the American Red Cross).

3. Provide a Club VHF and/or UHF repeater system to provide a common calling frequency for Club members, to improve communication between members, and to foster interest in the Club and its various activities.

4. Provide useful VHF and/or UHF open repeater(s) for emergency and recreational use of JPL ARC members and the amateur community.

5. Provide a useful VHF and/or UHF closed autopatch capability for the use of JPL ARC members.

6. Provide coverage of the Los Angeles basin which shall include JPL, Crescenta Valley and San Gabriel Valley.

7. Provide open, operator controlled, linked, repeater communications between the Los Angeles area and the Mojave desert, and vise-versa.

8. Minimize the cost to the Club and member potential users.

Constraints:

1. All user capabilities shall be available to all JPL ARC members.

2. System design shall conform with FCC regulations and provide reasonable safeguards for operation in accordance with FCC regulations.

3. A functional design review shall be held and the design approach approved by the JPL ARC Board of Directors before making any commitments.

4. A budget shall be prepared by the design team and approved by the JPL ARC Board of Directors before making any commitments.

5. Telephone expenses of the Autopatch will be defrayed by those members using the autopatch, not by the general membership.

6. Site agreements shall be approved by the JPL ARC Board of Directors.

7. Incorporation into the system of any stations not licensed to the JPL ARC shall be covered by a written agreement with the parties concerned and approved by the Board of Directors.

8 Frequencies shall be, to the maximum extent possible, coordinated with the appropriate frequency coordinating body.

9. These objectives and constraints may be modified only with the approval of the JPL ARC Board of Directors.

CLUB & MEMBER ACTIVITIES

Earl Higa of JPL had emergency traffic for his parents in Okinawa. Being aware of the JPL Amateur Radio Club, he contacted us and was referred to the MARS station of Gene Baron/W6MHI in La Canada. At 5 pm the same day, his message was transmitted and confirmed.

This isn't the first time that the general public has turned to the Club for help and received outstanding service. What better way to gain the support that Pete Hoover urged us to foster as one way of defending our frequency allocations at the World Administrative Radio Conference in 1979? Let's take his advice to heart.

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Dick Piety/K6SVP passed his General exam on 23 July. Dick first received his Technician license about 25 years ago and has been active on both 6 meters and in radio control. On 6, he has worked 40 states, Canada, Mexico and Buenos Aires. Dick is now busy setting up a HF station; Walt Diem sent him a bunch of antenna books, and Dick's big concern at this point is the size of the antennas! (Ed. Note: Could this be called cultural shock?)

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Jess Ball/W6BFO reports that he constructed a solar cell panel using his own funds and resources. He got the array going during the weekend of June 14 and made his first contacts on 40 meters with his Atlas 180.

The array delivers 15. 7 volts @ 200-ZZ5 ma, while charging a 14. 3 v, 4. 7 a-h NiCad battery. It provides enough power to operate 2-3 hours per week. The cells are 3/4 x 2-1/2 in and required 50 in series; 115 cells were purchased at a cost of $25.

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W3ABC of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club reports a number of instances where brand new JAN tubes (WW II surplus) put into service after years of sitting on the shelf had no emission. He suspects some degrading process is at work even when they are not in use and so what you think you may have for spares might, in reality, be quite limited.

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The high vs low power controversy rages on. Here is Gil Yanow's side of the story:

I read with great interest the article on using low power by Stan Brokl/K6YYQ. I too have suffered the crippling effects of that infamous Ham disease, low power; that never-never land between QRP and the California Kilowatt.

I, too, would be left out at the local DX pileup; every time I went to bathe in the air waves, the big bullies with the rippling 2 kw muscles would kick RF in my face.

After reading Stan's article, I was so moved, I strung 220 v out to my shack and turned on my homebrew pair of 57ZB's, that had been sitting in the corner gathering dust. I loaded up slowly; I knew that one must be careful -- you can't feed a starving man too much food at once. I stopped at 600 w dc input. With shaking, sweating hands, I phoned the local neighbors and waited as they checked --- no TVI! ! It was now time for the big test. Would I make it?

Stan had been cured; maybe I would be, too.

There it was, a pileup on a UK9. I called. My voice was full of emotion as I said, "From K6TOS, King Six, Texas, Ontario, Santiago. " I released the push-to-talk button and waited. Oh Lord, those seconds seemed like hours. Then, the UK9 came back: "Will the call with the Ontario try it again?" I made it! ! ! I had kicked RF in the faces of the high power guys! ! I was cured; I, too, could work DX.

Thank you Stan. I followed your lead. Bless you.
                         88, Gil/K6TOS

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Merv MacMedan/W61UV will begin code practice classes in September on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the noon hour. Those of you in need of such practice, fill out the coupon below to register. You will be notified when and where the first meeting will take place.

The scope of these classes will be determined after your needs are understood. Please comment freely on what you would like to see us do; we want to help.

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CODE CLASS REGISTRATION

Name __________________ Call __________

Phone Ext. ___________ License Class _________

Immediate Objective:

Raise Code Speed from ___ wpm to ___ wpm.

Study Operating Techniques _____

Prepare for Written Exam _____ Class.

Can Help as an Instructor _____

Comments _____________________________________

Tear out and send to Merv MacMedan 114-122.

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CIRCUITS 'N STUFF

Quite a number of ICOM IC-230 2-meter fm transceivers are in use by Club members. Walt Diem offers up two circuits that can improve the operating capability of this unit. One provides automatic offset switching and the other shows how to wire in a Touch-Tone pad. Both were supplied, courtesy of ICOM-West and copies will be made by ye olde Editor for anyone interested. Call Stan Hench at X2475.

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John Pettingell/WB6JIZ, of the TRW Amateur Radio Club, has been quite active in constructing 2-meter equipment from either kits or adapting some cheap Radio Shack receivers. He reports his doings in the TRW Club Bulletin, Crosstalk. Anyone interested in seeing what John has done (and it looks very good!), contact Stan Hench at XZ475 for info and/or copies.

THE MEMBERS SPEAK UP

From time to time, we receive letters from the members that cannot be classified as news, per se, but warrant the attention of the Club. These will be printed as space and time permits, so if you have a good idea you'd like to share, or just want to get a load off your chest, fire away. Here's a good example:

To the Editor:

The time may be ripe for the Club to move into a more prominent role in the OSCAR program by actually building a flight subsystem for a future OSCAR.

I suggest the way to begin is by designing, building, testing and operating a 2-m to 10-m fixed transponder. The fixed site could be located at places such as Table Mtn. Mt. Pinos, Santa Ynez Peak, Catalina, etc. We would begin with the blueprints from the Eastern AMSAT Group, but do our own thing and design, innovate, etc.

Objectives and purposes would be:

1. Enhance the JPL Club's know-how and reputation in the eyes of JPL management and other hams.

2. Provide a fixed target for beginning users to learn with before going operational on the live OSCAR.

3. A Torrance group wishes to develop techniques and know-how to pump medical data through the live OSCAR. A fixed transponder would provide the necessary test device and encourage this approach.

4. Provide a project for true systems engineering and design for advanced, sophisticated techniques and ideas many hams have only dreamed about. We should be able to transfer some of our well-known professional success to this project.

5. Provide a platform for any wild or proven thought to be tested.

6. Provide ground wave propagation experience (i. e. , Mt. Pinos to San Francisco on 29 and 145 MHz).

7. Provide the opportunity to design a self-powered package with solar cells for sites where other energy sources are not available; power storage data and know-how will evolve.

There is no timetable; we can set our own pace. Several people have been contacted and are ready to start. The big need at this time is a project leader. Any volunteers ?

                Jess Ball/W6BFO

FOR SALE

Automobile license frames, with "Amateur Radio" 1-1/16 inch high lettered, white on blue. Space provided for self-adhesive alphanumerics for your callsign, or ?. Specify stick-ons required. Will fit '75 cars. $2.50 each, incl tax. Contact Mike Morris, 230-311, Ext. 2583 (11:30 pm-8:00 am, or 447-7052 during days).

WANTED

To solve a rig problem -- a chance to Xerox part of a SB-100 manual. Steve/WB6VVS, 790-2666.

WANTED

5-band transceiver with pwr supply, $300-400. John Flynn, Ext. 3869 FTHL-D-102.

CODE PRACTICE SCHEDULES

WR6ACB 146.19/146.79, 8 pm PDT, 5-13 wpm, Tu, W, Th.
W6QIE 3. 590 MHz, 8 pm PDT, Tu thru Sun, 5-35 wpm.

JPL ARC STAFF

President Walt Diem WA6PEA
Vice-Pres Gil Yanow K6TOS
Secretary Ralph West WB6YMF
Treasurer Jim Lumsden WA6MYJ
Trustee Jay Holladay W6EJJ
Emergency Communications Merrill Burnett K6BER
Imm Past Pres Merv MacMedan W61UV
Prog Coord Nash Williams W6HCD
Historian Gordon Crawford WB6DRH
LA Council of Radio Clubs
   Delegate Jay Holladay W6EJJ
   Alternate Glenn Berry K6GHJ
Goldstone Liaison Bill 0. Wood WB6FXJ
AMSAT/OSCAR Skip Reyman W6PAJ
Education Merv MacMedan W61UV
JPL Picnic Jay Bastow K6CV
Field Day Stan Brokl K6YYQ
NASA Net Geo. Williamson K6YGN
RACES Jay Bastow K6CV
AIRES Suppt Walt Ross W6VPN
By-Laws Merv MacMedan W61UV
Publicity Norm Chalfin K6PGX
VHF/UHF System Bob Akers K6CYY
Trailer Facility Rich Spear WN6MBW
Viking Activity Jim Lumsden WA6MYJ
Newsletter Editor Stan Hench WB6JMP
Assoc Editor Gil Yanow K6TOS

DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE

In the hopes of getting back into sync with the calendar, the deadline for inputs to the next issue of W6VIO Calling has been set for the first week in September. Get all of your material to Gil Yanow at M/S 79-6 as soon as possible. Otherwise, you wouldn't want to see another combined issue, would you?

73, Stan/WB6JMP



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