Tacos Digest, Vol 123, Issue 3

Fri May 3 11:30:16 CDT 2013

We are fine. Actually I think the last news I heard the other night was thirteen inches of rain in Mobile and three to four more on the way. We had a good ten inches of rain here in Baldwin County, but no serious effects. My yard was pretty much dry in between Wednesday's rain and Thursday's. Between the absorbent ground and all the years they have spent perfecting drainage around here, it takes something on the scale of a hurricane to get much notice.  
     One thing I was aware of here is they seem to have all the extended EAS alerting in place and working. My cell phone kept going off with floods, etc., plus it was all over TV and radio too.
    How is the leg coming along?   I Hope things are going well for you. 

We are waiting for the electrician or someone very much like him to show up from the power company and put the meter in. After that. We should be bee-lining it to getting on the air and getting the work bench set up. 
    I have three quarters of a mile of electric fence wire for putting in 60 1/4 wave radials for 80 meters. I would like to have used 14ga THHN insulated copper as in the past, but a radial field like that is almost 4000 feet of wire and at $70 per 500 feet it was out of the question. Galvanized steel doesn't have as a good electrical properties as copper, but it should last a minimum of 5 to ten years by which time we can be moving on to something else. I have another quick fix on the way, a 50 foot Channel Master push up mast from which to float a several inverted vees. On 80 meters, that should put the radiation center almost high enough for regular dipole operation. If I get a little NVIS out of it, so much the better. 

-----Original Message-----
From: tacos-request <tacos-request at amrad.org>
To: tacos <tacos at amrad.org>
Sent: Fri, May 3, 2013 04:33 AM
Subject: Tacos Digest, Vol 123, Issue 3


Send Tacos mailing list submissions totacos at amrad.orgTo subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visithttps://amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacosor, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' totacos-request at amrad.orgYou can reach the person managing the list attacos-owner at amrad.orgWhen replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specificthan "Re: Contents of Tacos digest..."Today's Topics:1. Chinese 'throwaway' radios (Iain McFadyen)2. Re: Chinese 'throwaway' radios (Elton A Sanders)3. Re: Chinese 'throwaway' radios (Dan Romanchik KB6NU)4. Re: Found a new broadcast station in Fairfax (Robert Stratton)5. Passing on a plea for help for a public service event...(Iain McFadyen)Attached MessageFrom:Iain McFadyen <ki4hlv at gmail.com>To:tacos at amrad.orgSubject:Chinese 'throwaway' radiosDate:Thu, 2 May 2013 13:20:10 -0400I brought my Baofeng UV-5R with me to Trinidad.All was going well till I discovered that I have cracked the plastic screen and LCD.So it looks like my experiment with cheap Chinese radios has progressed to the next stage.I can still scan and transmit on the pre-stored channels but cannot program new ones.With my collection of? batteries, headsets and chargers, I will probably replace like-for-like. Must also take note of the flimsy plastic screen.:-(?? IainPort of Spain, TrinidadAttached MessageFrom:Elton A Sanders <radiodog77 at pobox.com>To:tacos at amrad.orgSubject:Re: Chinese 'throwaway' radiosDate:Thu, 02 May 2013 13:55:16 -0400Use a programming cable to set channels and see if you can turn on thevoice channel announcement. I could try to find you a new one at Dayton.Or will customs cause problems getting it to you?SandyOn 2013-05-02 13:20, Iain McFadyen wrote:> I brought my Baofeng UV-5R with me to Trinidad.>> All was going well till I discovered that I have cracked the plastic> screen and LCD.>> So it looks like my experiment with cheap Chinese radios has> progressed to the next stage.>> I can still scan and transmit on the pre-stored channels but cannot> program new ones.>> With my collection of? batteries, headsets and chargers, I will> probably replace like-for-like. Must also take note of the flimsy> plastic screen.>> :-(?? Iain>  Port of Spain, Trinidad>> _______________________________________________> Tacos mailing list> Tacos at amrad.org> https://amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacosAttached MessageFrom:Dan Romanchik KB6NU <cwgeek at kb6nu.com>To:Elton A Sanders <radiodog77 at pobox.com>Cc:Tacos <tacos at amrad.org>Subject:Re: Chinese 'throwaway' radiosDate:Thu, 2 May 2013 14:03:53 -0400I wonder how easy it would be to find one that's non-functional for some otherreason and use the display from that radio to fix yours.73!Dan KB6NU----------------------------------------------------------CW Geek, Ham Radio InstructorStation Manager, WA2HOM at the Hands-On Museum (www.wa2hom.org)Read my ham radio blog at http://www.kb6nu.comOn May 2, 2013, at May 2,1:55 PM, Elton A Sanders wrote:> Use a programming cable to set channels and see if you can turn on the voicechannel announcement. I could try to find you a new one at Dayton. Or willcustoms cause problems getting it to you?>     Sandy>> On 2013-05-02 13:20, Iain McFadyen wrote:>> I brought my Baofeng UV-5R with me to Trinidad.>> All was going well till I discovered that I have cracked the plastic>> screen and LCD.>> So it looks like my experiment with cheap Chinese radios has>> progressed to the next stage.>> I can still scan and transmit on the pre-stored channels but cannot>> program new ones.>> With my collection of  batteries, headsets and chargers, I will>> probably replace like-for-like. Must also take note of the flimsy>> plastic screen.>> :-(   Iain>> Port of Spain, TrinidadAttached MessageFrom:Robert Stratton <bob at stratton.net>To:Tad <tad at planetisuzoo.com>Cc:tacos AMRAD <tacos at amrad.org>Subject:Re: Found a new broadcast station in FairfaxDate:Thu, 2 May 2013 16:13:39 -0500 (CDT)Did 66 move? When I was in high school, my stepfather worked for them. One nightwe noticed the audio go out, then the picture became slightly fuzzy, so we droveout in a rain storm (which seemed a lot farther than Fairfax) and discoveredthat the antenna must have taken a lightning strike right down the waveguide,setting the insides of the transmitter on fire.There was a radio station (I believe unrelated) in the same building, separatedby a cinder block wall. They had no idea that there was a transmitter burningright next door to them.--Bob S.----- Original Message -----> FWIW, that tower has been there for ages. It has TV channel 66 on it, and a> number of other things. They may have added to the tower in 08, but it has> been there far longer than that.>>> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 8:45 PM, Michael Chisena < ka2zev at yahoo.com > wrote:>>>> Hi all,> Quite by accident I found a new broadcast station.>> What I was trying to do is see if the AM site near the Legion Hall in Fairfax> was active.> The search function on the car radio stopped on 730 WTNT.> They announced their AM frequency then an FM Frequency.> Dialed up to 102.9 and heard them again.> One web site said they are running about 30 watts.> I can hear them mobile in Herndon and Reston.> Some spots better than others.>> This was weird enough for me to consult with an expert.> Gave Chip Fetrow a call and passed the information.>> He was kind enough to look up the station and send me the information below.> Re: W275BO> Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 7:18 PM> Subject: W275BO> The FCC:>> http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=142771>> The FAA (sort of):>> http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrApplication.jsp;JSESSIONID_ASRSEARCH=lztMR3TVkWK7pXvMvYK1zQQBG6WWn7y7mgbc0c8LJhLS33wf8fFQ!-1235362946!1830035102?callingSystem=RS&applKey=4105930>> Plug in the address at:>> http://classic.mapquest.com>> 6119 Old Arrington Ln> Fairfax Station, VA 22039-1350>> It is a relatively new tower, approved in 2008. It appears to be in> a park, next to tennis courts, and very near a swimming pool. The> community appears to be very much upscale, so the tower must have been> built on county or state land to prevent NIMBY issues.>> The tower is owned by a follow on company of my company.>> chip> ........................>> This could be something interesting to see what the owner makes of it.>> Be well all.>> Mike>>>> Michael F. Chisena> KA2ZEV at Yahoo.com> 703 863 4574>>>>>> "You are, what you do, when it counts"> The Masso>> _______________________________________________> Tacos mailing list> Tacos at amrad.org> https://amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacos>>>> _______________________________________________> Tacos mailing list> Tacos at amrad.org> https://amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacos>Attached MessageFrom:Iain McFadyen <ki4hlv at gmail.com>To:tacos at amrad.orgSubject:Passing on a plea for help for a public service event...Date:Fri, 3 May 2013 09:32:09 -0400In case anyone is able to assist... the walk is on?SATURDAY.*************************> From: Jeff Fishman <ljfish1 at comcast.net>> To: FARC reflector <farc at mailman.qth.net>; Emcomm <emcomm at madxra.org>; MADXRA <madxra at madxra.org>> Cc:> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2013 1:39 PM> Subject: [FARC] A FEW MORE OPS NEEDED FOR SATURDAY!>> Due to some last minute changes, we are in desperate need of radio operators for> the Hike Across Maryland at:>> Washington Monument? ? ? ? 0900-1230> Weaverton? ? ? ? ? 1300-1700? and? 1700-2045>> Please contact me ASAP if you can help! Both locations are drive-to so you can> operate from your vehicle. All of the details are below and in the attachments.> Please forward this to other local ham reflectors. Thanks.>> Jeff KB3FIO>>> Subject: Hike Across MD Assignments>>> Here are the amateur radio checkpoint assignments for this Saturday's Hike> Across Maryland (see also attachments):>Pen Mar? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0500-0630? ? ? ? ? ? Tim N3VNGHigh Rock? ? ? ? ? ? 0530-0745? ? ? ? ? ? Tom K3RTWRaven Rock? ? ? ? ? 0600-0900? ? ? ? ? ? Mark AB3KS & Herb K3HCPCowell Shelter? ? ? 0630-0930? ? ? ? ? ? Justin K2ZBM???????????????????????? 0930-1230? ? ? ? Ron KB3SYABoonsboro Rd.? ? ? 0845-1345? ? ? ? ? ? Rick N3ROWashington Mon.? 0900-1230? ? ? ? ? ? open????????????????????????????????????? 1230-1530? ? ? ? Danny K3PDKLambs Knoll? ? ? ? 1030-1400? ? ? ? ? ? Larry KB3WRT?????????????????????? 1400-1700? ? ? Joe KB3LNMGathland? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1130-1530? ? ? ? ? ? Travis AB3RD??????????????????????? 1530-1930? ? ? ? Ray KB3VWKWeaverton? ? ? ? ? ? 1300-1700? ? ? ? ? ? ? open???????????????????????????????????? 1700-2045? ? ? ? openHarpers Ferry? ? ? ? 1300-1700? ? ? ? ? Jeff KB3FIO?????????????????????????? 1700-2045? ? ? ? Curtis KB3WHX>> If there are any problems with these assignments, please let me know ASAP.>> Our Mission - To assist the Mountain Club of Maryland officials by relaying> vital hike status reports and summon emergency services for injured or sick> hikers.>> Operations - While most of the checkpoints require only a mobile 2M rig as you> can work from your vehicle, a few of the locations may require a 100-200 yd.> hike into the checkpoint (High Rock, Cowell Shelter, Lambs Knoll), so some type> of 5W HT or portable rig with a good antenna is needed for these. Dress> appropriately for the weather and bring your own food and water and a notebook.> Wear some type of bright clothing or safety vest and identify yourself to the> hike officials when you arrive. We will be utilizing the Target repeater system> (www.madxra.org/target.htm), and you should plan on entering Frederick, Clear> Springs, Berkeley Springs and Charles Town freqs. into your memories as you> sometimes never know which you will be able to hit the best. You can also use> the 70cm repeaters if you like, and 146.580 simplex sometimes works well for> short range communications. Use ITU phonetics when necessary. We will not be> using APRS this time around.>> Plan on arriving 1/2 hr. before your shift to allow time for setting up. Please> use tactical calls (Boonsboro, Gathland, etc.) appropriate for your location.> There will be a Net Control in charge during this event, but you are allowed to> contact another checkpoint directly. Try and keep your communications brief as> emergencies can occur at any time. You will be required to remain at your post> until all hikers have checked into the next checkpoint, and then only after Net> Control has released you.? A "sweep" hiker will follow everyone to> check for stragglers. Make sure you know when he or she passes your location. As> some hikers drop out, it is vital that the hiker's number be relayed to Net> Control. ALL hikers must be accounted for!>> Thanks for volunteering. Let me know if you have any questions. Have fun!>> 73,>> Jeff Fishman KB3FIO> Fred. ARES Emergency Coordinator> C) 240-285-6596>_______________________________________________Tacos mailing listTacos at amrad.orghttps://amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacos
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