AUGUST MEETINGS FEATURE WARC SPEAKER
Bruce Alan Johnson, WA6IDN/WA1ZQP, from ARRL HQ International Services will speak on the topic, "WARC 79: It is More Important Than You May Think" at the next JPL ARC meeting, August 10. He will be addressing other clubs in the area while on this trip, so if you can't make our club meeting, perhaps you can catch him on Monday, August 8th at the Los Angeles Area Council of Amateur Radio Clubs. The meeting begins at 8pm at the Department of Water and Power Auditorium, Ill N. Hope St., Los Angeles. Park in Lot No. 6. Since WARC 79 is the key to the future of amateur radio, this should be a very enlightening talk about the future of our hobby. Don't miss it!
ARRL MEMBERS - LOS ANGELES SECTION - VOTE!
ARRL members in the Los Angeles Section should have received their ballots for the Section Communication Manager (SCM) election. If not, write ARRL HQ immediately! If you haven't yet voted, we urge you to do so, as the ballots must be in the ARRL HQ offices by August 19th to be counted. Who's running? We're not going to try to bias your vote in any way, but one of the candidates is our own Director, Stan Brokl, K6YYQ. Don't forget, vote for your next SCM, K6YYQ! [K6YYQ]
W6VIO CELEBRATES VOYAGER LAUNCH AUGUST 20
Although the moratorium on Special Event Calls prevented us from obtaining a call like the "N6V" we used for Viking, we will still celebrate the Voyager launches, the first of which is scheduled for August 20th. While we must use W6VIO, the phonetics lend themselves to somewhat special attention: "Whiskey Six Voyager In Outerspace." The plan is to be on the air from 1430 UTC August 20, and continue for 7 to 9 days, depending on the interest it generates. HF operations will be conducted on CW, SSB, and SSTV, and VHF operations will include 2 meter and 220 MHz FM. While the intense operating schedule of N6V will not be anticipated for JPL operators for this event, it is hoped that many operators will take advantage of before work, lunch, and after-hours time to keep the station active as much as possible. QSL's will be only returned via SASE. Rich Ward, N6BF, is Mgr.
AMATEUR CALL LETTER LICENSE PLATES
On June 18th, Len Bleier from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Sacramento, was the guest speaker and on the "hot seat" at the ARRL Southwest Division Officials Meeting in Riverside. Mr. Bleier said that Senate Bill 915 will be rewritten so that Amateur Plates will not have the recurring "vanity" fee, but that there is no way around the initial processing fee. They are trying to estimate the actual cost of processing these requests, and their figures show the cost to be about $16. We should expect new plate requests to cost about this figure in the near (1-2 years) future. But one point the DMV made was that only 33% of the Amateurs licensed in the state have call letter plates. This figure should be higher if we want to show the DMV and Senate Transportation Committee that we do care and are proud of our hobby! So, if you do not now have call letter plates, apply before the cost goes up and show Sacramento we mean business! For more info on commenting on SB 915, contact Stan Brokl K6YYQ, X 2715. [Tnx The Common Ground and K6YYQ]
W6VIO GOES SOLAR
The JPL Amateur Radio Club will set up and man a Solar Powered Amateur Radio Station at the "Energy Fair 177" to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center (across the street from Disneyland) on November 3, 4, 5, and 6, 1977. The station will not operate the first day, as the show is open only to people in the trade on that day, Plans for the operation are now being made, but we do hope to have at least two VHF and two HF stations in operation. Needless to say, we will need operators. Taking a lesson we learned from Field Day, we will make sure we get operators by allowing them and their families free admission to the Energy Fair. If you are interested in helping out, please call Gil Yanow, K6TOS, at X 6713 or 2402. [K6TOS]
COMPUTER STILL BOSS AT FCC
No Amateur licenses have been mailed out since mid June, primarily to delays by the supplier of the special forms - early July delivery had been promised, now stretched to mid-August! Processing has continued, however, with only a brief delay for computer program cleanup, but all licenses granted during the holdup are receiving a June 17 grant date, even if mailed in August! [Tnx HR Report 158]
FIELD DAY - 1977 By Stan Sander, N6MP
The Club's 1977 FD operation was a smash; 1246 QSO's for a total of 3874 points (including bonuses.) This performance should result in an excellent showing in the 3-transmitter battery class. The QSO breakdown by band and mode is given below:
The Field Day activities are illustrated here in photographs by Norm, K6PGX, and Merv, N6NO. Pictured in the upper left is the SSB station with Fred, WB6LNO, operating, and Dick, K6SVP, logging. (Dick was in charge of the beer, and by mid afternoon he felt the best he could do was log.) In the upper right, Stan, N6MP, is pounding the brass. Middle left: Rich, WA6BTX, holding down the VHF position with a pair of 11-element yagis at 20 ft. Middle right: Jack, WB6TXG and Sam, WB6EMO, operating the Novice Station. Lower left: A crowd of interested onlookers watches in cynic disbelief as WB6TXG and N6MP monitor the battery charging. (It really worked!) Lower right: Ralph, WB6YMF, and Gordon, WB6DRH, firing up the BBQ for the free steak dinner (which was excellent ... Ed.)
The level of participation and enthusiasm this year was outstanding. Thanks go to everyone who came and helped: Jim, WB6KBK; Wes, W6PVR; Jim, WA6QOD; Gerald (awaiting Novice call); Sam, WB6EMO; Vince, W6RNO; Steve, WB6MJK; Dick, WA6JBZ; Gordon, WB6DRH; Erv, K6JUB; Booth, N6BH; Jerry, N6JH; Ralph, WB6YMF; Rich, WA6BTX; Jack, WB6TXG; Dick, K6SVP; Norm, K6PGX; Fred, WB6LNO; Merv, N6NO; Stan, K6YYQ; Walt, WA6PEA, and Greg, N6GS. See you in 78.
DE WR6APQ PASADENA ... By Booth Hartley, N6BH
Here's the latest 220 MHz Repeater information our G-2 efforts have been able to acquire. Again, be careful to check thoroughly before spending money on crystals - we can't guarantee anything!
- In Out
Call Location Note
- 222.30 223.90 WR6ARO Glendale 1
- 222.32 223.92 WR6ANW Santa Cruz Is.
- 222.34 223.94 WR6AER LA (Highland Park)
- 222.36 223.96 WR6AFI Santa Barbara (B'cast Pk)
- 222.36 223.96 WR6AZN Table Mtn. 2
- 222.38 223-98 WR6AFG Pomona (Johnstone Pk)
- 222.40 224.00 WR6AWF Upland
- 222.42 224.02 WR6AOX Ventura (Sulfur Mtn)
- 222.44 224.04 WR6APQ Pasadena (JPL)
- 222.46 224.06 - Reserved for Baja
- 222.50 224.10 WR6AHX Santa Ana
- 222.54 224.14 WR6ANI/WR6AEY Long Beach/Mono Lake (Linked)
- 222.56 224.16 WR6ABA Mt. Baldy
- 222.62 224.22 W6HIL Long Beach 3
- 222.68 224.28 WR6AKU Palos Verdes
- 222.70 224.30 WR6ABR E.LA(RACES) 4
- 222.78 224.38 WR6AVQ Carson
- 222.82 224.42 WR6AAA Catalina Island
- 222.84 224.44 WR6AOY South Pasadena
- 222.86 224.46 WR6AKY San Diego (Pt. Loma)
- 222.90 224.50 WR6ACB Anaheim
- 222.94 224.54 WR6AID San Diego
- 222.96 224.56 WR6AUJ Running Springs 6
- 222.98 224.58 WA6VNV Canoga Pk
- 223.00 224.60 - Repeater Testing Chan 5
- 223.02 224.62 WR6ADL Hawthorne (Northrop)
- 223.06 224.66 WR6AIZ Lemon Hts (Orange Co.) 3
- 223.08 224.68 WR6AQR Baldwin Hills 3
- 223.10 224.70 WR6AYI Laguna Beach RTTY
- 223.14 224.74 WR6ABJ LA (Hollywood Hills)
- 223.16 224.76 WR6AUT Santa Ana 6
- 223.20 224.80 WR6AOV/WR6AUE LaPuente/Flintridge (Linked)
- 223.22 224.82 - Reserved for Baja
- 223.26 224.86 WR6ACJ Crestline
- 223.32 224.92 WR6ANA Mt. Palomar
- 223.32 224.92 WR6AWS Palos Verdes
- 223.34 224.94 WR6AJI Idyllwild(Pine Cove) 7
- 222.30 223.90 WR6ARO Glendale 1
This list only consists of open, operating repeaters in the Southern California area.
Footnotes:
- 1.Switching to this
frequency from 222.86/224.46 because of adjacent channel interference
with WR6AOY 222.84/224.44)
- 2. Moving to this frequency on July 30, 1977, due to coverage overlap with JPL repeater on 222.44 224.04.
- 3. Open repeater with closed autopatch.
- 4. Planned to go "closed" in near future.
- 5. Many older Midland rigs were supplied with 223.0 simplex before 223.5 became the national simplex frequency.
- 6. Just started testing.
- 7. Frequently being moved. Was on Mt. Wilson, probably now in Hollywood, and eventual destination is Pine Cove, near Idyllwild.
- 2. Moving to this frequency on July 30, 1977, due to coverage overlap with JPL repeater on 222.44 224.04.
New Calls on WR6APQ:: Add to your May & June lists:
- N6BF Rich (Formerly
WA6VOG
- N6NO Merv (Formerly W61UV)
- WB6QWR Randy (Formerly T12RJJ)
- W6KIV Dale (Garden Grove)
- N6NO Merv (Formerly W61UV)
Linkup between JPL and Table Mountain: We are in need of someone willing to have a 220 MHz auxiliary link station installed in his home which will allow WR6APQ to be tied into WR6AZN when required. The only requirement is that the location permits reception of both stations. From some previous tests, suitable locations may be Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Norwalk, Orange County and some spots in the San Gabriel Valley (e.g., Covina, West Covina, possibly others.) Please get in touch with Walt Diem, WA6PEA, X 3186, if you have a place to volunteer. Note ... the property doesn't have to belong to a ham!
Two More Modifications to Improve Your 220 Rig:
#1 To reduce bandwidth and reshape audio to improve intelligibility in Midland 13-509 & Clegg FM-76, change C-188 from 0.01 uf to 0.022 or 0.027 uf.
#2 To improve receive sensitivity and SNR, replace RF Amplifier Transistor (TRI) with a 3N225. Use a ferrite bead on the input gate. Additional improvement may be obtained by also changing the Mixer (TR2) to a 3N225 with bead on gate. Late production Midlands (Brown paint) already have an equivalent modification and little additional improvement would be expected. This fix is for older units. [Tnx WA6PEA]
Power Supply Mystery Solved: Those of you who built the 12-volt power supply for your 220 MHz rigs that was described by Ron Ploszaj, WA6TPW, in the February issue, may not have had any trouble with it. But if you added a current-sensing overload circuit like I did, you may have had trouble when running high power (10 watts.) My rig worked fine in the 1-watt position in the kitchen, but the supply went out of regulation when the rig was operated at 10 watts. At first, I thought the current drawn was too high for the overcurrent sensing resistor (0-3 ohms) and I lowered its value, but that approach helped little.
Then one day as my XYL, HK4CVV/W6, was operating her schedule with HK4-land on 15 meter SSB, I noticed that my 220 rig in the kitchen was being power modulated by her signal while in receive standby! You could hear her audio from 15 meters, and you could see her audio as the S-meter light dimmed on voice peaks!
With this clue, the solution I finally arrived at was to shunt the overcurrent sensing resistor with a 0.2 uf disc. The resistor, which is really a coil of fine wire, had been picking up the RF energy (220 MHz as well as 15 meters) like an antenna. The voltage developed across it shut down the regulator as if it saw an over-load. The disc capacitor shorts out the RF voltage across the resistor, but for real do overloads the modified circuit will still work fast enough to protect the power supply. [N6NO]
CONGRATULATIONS ...
... To George Morris, who passed his Advanced Class exam on July 20 and hopes to get his old call back, W6ABW. George is an Engineer working on the SETI program in 331, and has been encouraged to get back into the hobby largely by K6YYQ. The club also helped with code tapes and oscillator. Welcome, George!
... To Ralph West, WB6YMF, who was also at the FCC on July 20 and came back with his Extra Class! FB!
... To Norm Chalfin, K6PGX, who was appointed Public Relations Assistant for the Press in the L.A. Area, which is equivalent to what Lenore Jensen, W6NAZ, has been doing for ARRL in the Radio/TV media.
ARRL SEMI-ANNUAL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
ARRL Official Bulletin Nr 660 July 23, 1977
The ARRL Board of Directors at its second annual meeting in Hartford, CT. on July 21 and 22, 1977, approved an approach for the League's response to the Fifth Notice of Inquiry on Docket 20271, the WARC proceeding which will determine the U.S. position on future frequency allocations. A full time staff coordinator for Washington ARRL activities was approved. The Board endorsed retention of the Novice program and the present examination level, and the General Counsel was instructed to petition FCC to extend the 80-meter novice band to cover 3675 to 3750 kHz. The Board renewed its request for increased voice segments already on file in comments on Docket 20282. An ARRL Hall of Fame will be established under guidelines to be drawn up by the Headquarters Awards Committee. The ARRL Request to authorize Technicians on any part of the 50 and 144 MHz bands will be renewed.
A four-part program for League representation by the President, First Vice President, General Manager, and General Counsel to Congressional committees was adopted. A group insurance program for League members on a voluntary participation basis was approved. Matters committed to committee study include a program to encourage amateur microwave activity, confirmation requirements for singlemode DXCC, rules for providing availability of ARRL member mailing lists, categories of club contest participation, WAS mileage requirements, zero-base budgeting of funds authorized by the Board of Directors, and ARRL band plans for 50 MHz and above.
Other actions included preparation of lists of stolen gear to be made available on request to amateurs and dealers for a trial period of one year, endorsement of a proposal to establish a code of ethics for advertisers, encouragement of expansion of amateur examination opportunities at conventions and hamfests, authorization of a request for special FCC temporary authorization for a study of narrow bandwidth television on ten meters, instruction to the General Manager to provide a legal guide for antenna problems, provision of more information in QST on low priced gear for Novices, renewal of efforts to permit use of ASCII by amateurs, urging of favorable FCC action on providing Spanish language amateur exams, publication of a QST article on woman's image in amateur radio, increase in auto travel rate of 17 cents per mile, request for more flexible hours for FCC exams, dissemination to members of complete information on RFI legislation.
Commendations were made of former Director Albright for the EC Workbook and of the DX Advisory Committee for its exhaustive survey. The proposal to start DXCC over in 1980 was defeated. Complete minutes will be printed in September QST. [Tnx W6EJJ]
WARC PROCEEDING DEADLINE EXTENDED
ARRL Special Bulletin Nr 105 July 26,1977
The FCC has extended the deadline by two weeks for comments in the Fifth Notice of Inquiry, Docket 20271, the World Administrative Radio Conference preparatory proceeding. The new deadline is August 15. See July QST, page 56, for details on how to file comments in this important proceeding. [Tnx W6EJJ]
JPLARC JULY BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
The July Board meeting was held on July 27. Present were:
- Glenn Berry, K6GHJ* Jack
Patzold, WB6TXG*
- Stan Brokl, K6YYQ* Dick Piety, K6SVP*
- Norm Chalfin, K6PGX Skip Reymann, W6PAJ
- Walt Diem, WA6PEA Walt Ross, W6VPN
- Jay Holladay, W6EJJ* Gil Yanow, K6TOS
- Merv MacMedan, N6NO * = Board Member
- Stan Brokl, K6YYQ* Dick Piety, K6SVP*
1. Patzold read last month's minutes; approved as read.
2. Patzold announced an ASR28 TTY terminal with tape punch and reader had been acquired and the TTY capability in the trailer was operational.
3. Diem announced that he has another group purchase being formed for Midland 220 MHz rigs (13-509's) and needs 4 more orders to complete a group purchase of Wilson 220 Hand-helds.
4. Holladay announced that Midland was coming out with a synthesized 220 MHz rig in October, and that a company in Ventura was coming out with a synthesizer add-on for the Midland/Clegg 220 rig momentarily.
5. Yanow announced the JPLARC committed participation in "Energy Fair 177" to be held in early November. A planning meeting was set up for August 3 at noon, in 198-111. All interested are asked to come.
6. Reymann announced that the next Oscar, A-O-D will fly the JAMSAT 2m-to-435 MHz translator. Because of extensive use of ATV in this band, an aircraft test flight like our club has provided twice in the past, is advisable. Expected launch is late February 78. Skip will present an official proposal/request to the club at the next Board meeting.
7. Piety reported that recent tape orders have exceeded his supply of SSTV Mars (N6V) cassettes. Motion to purchase 25 more copies at a cost not to exceed $2 per copy was approved unanimously by the board.
8. Board Meeting adjourned at 1pm. [N6NO]
W6VIO RETURNS TO RTTY by Rich Ward, N6BF
Jack Patzold and myself have been resurrecting the W6VIO RTTY capability. The station is located in the trailer and consists of a 75A4 receiver, KWS-1 transmitter, homebrew AFSK and demodulator, old Tektronix scope and Model 28 teletypewriter. The KWS-1 is a 1500 watt SSB, AM, and CW exciter/linear, covering 80-10 meters. It appears to be working satisfactorily on all bands and modes, except it drifts the first hour. Through Jack's scrounging expertise, we acquired an ASR28 TTY unit, which has tape punch/read capability. It is hoped we can get this new unit going with some tapes for the Voyager commemoration. We also need a smaller scope for a tuning indicator ... the present scope is the largest piece of gear on the table! Some more work is needed to bring the setup to W6VIO "flight quality." If you are interested in helping or if you want to get checked out to operate the equipment, feel free to contact me, Rich Ward, N6BF, at X 7226.
FOR SALE
Kenwood R599, T599, 3599, Matchbox/SWR meter, Keyer & Paddle, $550 takes it all. Also Model 15 Teletype, Terminal Unit, Tape Distributor, Power Supply, Line Unit, all for $60. Dan Wilt, WB6FLL (Cal Tech Grad Student) 795-6811 X 1315 (63-37) or 793-6332.
WANTED
Low Band communication receiver covering 200 kHz to 22 MHz. Quality similar to Hammarlund HQ-18O. Berg Hawkins, X 6lO4; Home, 798-6010.
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Calling Index.