Macroni Net -- what the deal ?

[WA3VJB]

So I was surprised to hear Fred, KB2IXT taking part in an AM roundtable Saturday.
This was 75m where I haven't been on since late May or so.
I take it his Macroni Net has moved into Glenn Baxxter's old slot at 3892 or so ?
Has he also reformed himself into a part-time AMer ?
Terry, W2PFY summed up a suspicion I had, telling Fred he's no friend of AM and is just sucking up to a few of us.
Jury's out until I hear more.

QTF, over ?

[Ed KB1HVS]

I got on with Fred very breifly on Sat. just to let him know how I sound. Seems someone used my call a while back and had a qso with him on AM. He said I sounded very different from the dude who he talked to. Something just isint right though......

[WA3VJB]

Well maybe we should all take turns using your call Ed, and do a head trip on him.
"I have a new voice processor, does it make my voice sound different?"

[Ed KB1HVS]

Well maybe we should all take turns using your call Ed, and do a head trip on him.
"I have a new voice processor, does it make my voice sound different?"

    Good idea. We should get a Mr. Marvelous voice processor and all sound the same. Really though it was sort of a head trip for me someone using my call with Fred. Someone must be bored.

[W1UJR]

So I was surprised to hear Fred, KB2IXT taking part in an AM roundtable Saturday.
This was 75m where I haven't been on since late May or so.
I take it his Macroni Net has moved into Glenn Baxxter's old slot at 3892 or so ?
Has he also reformed himself into a part-time AMer ?
Terry, W2PFY summed up a suspicion I had, telling Fred he's no friend of AM and is just sucking up to a few of us.
Jury's out until I hear more.

QTF, over ?

Yes indeed, I heard him there last night.
I'm with you Paul - my jury is still out on Fred, perhaps he has reformed, perhaps not.
Frankly I don't mind the idea of a net, AM or otherwise, as it adds a sense of community to the bands, as long as it is run in a welcoming and diplomatic fashion.

One thing that may be helpful is Fred's presense on Glen's spot.
I feel makes it hard for Glen to come back on or neart that freq.
Strictly for entertainment value, should it happen, would be a Glen v. Fred match.

And of course moving off of 3.872 allows the AM community to use 3870-3875 spectrum.
With that said I do wish Fred would observe 5KC spacing so 3.890 is usable.

As the world turns........

[W1IA]

So I was surprised to hear Fred, KB2IXT taking part in an AM roundtable Saturday.
This was 75m where I haven't been on since late May or so.
I take it his Macroni Net has moved into Glenn Baxxter's old slot at 3892 or so ?
Has he also reformed himself into a part-time AMer ?
Terry, W2PFY summed up a suspicion I had, telling Fred he's no friend of AM and is just sucking up to a few of us.
Jury's out until I hear more.

QTF, over ?

Yes indeed, I heard him there last night.
I'm with you Paul - my jury is still out on Fred, perhaps he has reformed, perhaps not.
Frankly I don't mind the idea of a net, AM or otherwise, as it adds a sense of community to the bands, as long as it is run in a welcoming and diplomatic fashion.

One thing that may be helpful is Fred's presense on Glen's spot.
I feel makes it hard for Glen to come back on or neart that freq.
Strictly for entertainment value, should it happen, would be a Glen v. Fred match.

And of course moving off of 3.872 allows the AM community to use 3870-3875 spectrum.
With that said I do wish Fred would observe 5KC spacing so 3.890 is usable.

As the world turns........

For whats its worth...I spoke with Fred on the phone about a month ago to bury the hatchet. He agreed to move above the window to allow more space for the AM'rs and I agreed not to beat up his net anymore. Take it with a grain of salt. For the most part things have been quiet. Time will tell...but perhaps its a step in the right direction.

Brent

[K1JJ]

For whats its worth...I spoke with Fred on the phone about a month ago to bury the hatchet. He agreed to move above the window to allow more space for the AM'rs and I agreed not to beat up his net anymore. Take it with a grain of salt. For the most part things have been quiet. Time will tell...but perhaps its a step in the right direction.
Brent

Yes, as I've mentioned on the air, Brent, you did everyone a great service moving them up the band! The problem with ssb betwen 3870 and 3890 is no big deal until it becomes local and loud. Then the trouble starts. We've all tolerated the distant/weaker groups on 3875/78 for years but in your face operations sux. Now we NE guys know what it's like being an Amer in W4 or W8 land with strong ssb QRM trying to operate 3870-90.

The idea of Amers spreading out operations over the entire band is a good idea, and some do, but lets face it, the majority of Amers love to operate the 3870-3890 area by habit. And, many nights I hear no AM activity there, BUT, the ssbers stay away by habit too.

Other than the Marconi Net operation on 3872 conflicting big time with the AMers, I could never really understand why they incited so much ridicule and abuse on the the air. They seem to run a friendly operation. Now that they've moved to 3892 [yes, 3895 wud have been better] we'll see if they can now live their lives and prosper....  Personally, I find the net boring with too much "hi hi FB OM" talk, but each his own.  I say leave 'em be -  and let's get on the air actively - and have a fun time ourselves this new AM season. 

T

[W2VW]

Next time you guys are having a nice friendly FB conversation with the "new" Fred, please tell him that I'm looking forward to finishing up some business with the old Fred. Thank you. I'm good in the callbook.

[W2VW]

Er uh? Not to seem like a mean rotton nasty person here but how is 5 kc spacing going to make 3890 usable on AM? If someone is using 3895 on lower slimeband then they are using the space between 3892 and 3895 + any products down from the main signal off to the sides. An AM signal on 3890 will use a minimum of 4 kHz either direction. Most AM signals take up more space than this. This spacing will not work. There are a lot of guys who have trouble figuring this out for some reason.
The 3892 squatters still complain nightly about "wide" signals and "splatter" from down the band. There is little hope for technical education here as it's easier to just whine.

[W1UJR]

Er uh? Not to seem like a mean rotton nasty person here but how is 5 kc spacing going to make 3890 usable on AM? If someone is using 3895 on lower slimeband then they are using the space between 3892 and 3895 + any products down from the main signal off to the sides. An AM signal on 3890 will use a minimum of 4 kHz either direction. Most AM signals take up more space than this. This spacing will not work. There are a lot of guys who have trouble figuring this out for some reason.
The 3892 squatters still complain nightly about "wide" signals and "splatter" from down the band. There is little hope for technical education here as it's easier to just whine.

Understand.

As for 3895 operation and the 5KC QSO spacing, better than having them on 3892 and ruining 3890 with the lower sideband - 3892KC -  3KC = 3889.

I'm a public school grad, but I still figure that 3895KC - 3KC = 3892, thats 2KC more of breathing room for those of us on 3890.



-Bruce

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

"With that said I do wish Fred would observe 5KC spacing so 3.890 is usable."

That was my question too - 5 kc spacing from what?

The reality is that there has long been a group on 3895 and there's no way they would let anyone use " their frequency." If the Macaroni Net fired up there, they would be crushed. There used to be a fairly regular group on 3892.5, but they seem to have faded away recently.

I know I wouldn't want to try to start up a new net (so called in the Macaroni's case) at night on 75 meters. So many frequencies are already "taken." Moving in or near can rain down severe jamming on ones head. My guess is 3872 was a somewhat logical choice in that there wasn't a group on there EVERY night who guarded the frequency jealously. Sure there were AM operations on or near 72, but not right on the frequency every day/night. Lots of nights there's not any AM activity below 3880 because of the interference from the corn-pones on 78 and the sanctimonious jammers on 75.

It's good the Macaronis moved, and kudos to you Brent for helping it along. But in some ways, it's not surprising they wound up on 72. (This doesn't take into account the possibility the Macaronis were looking to push out the AMers or wanted a fight of some kind. Who can say what is in the minds of some people and I have not followed the entire Macaroni evolution very closely.)

[W1UJR]

"With that said I do wish Fred would observe 5KC spacing so 3.890 is usable."

That was my question too - 5 kc spacing from what?

The reality is that there has long been a group on 3895 and there's no way they would let anyone use " their frequency." If the Macaroni Net fired up there, they would be crushed. There used to be a fairly regular group on 3892.5, but they seem to have faded away recently.

I'm not privy to much that happens above 3890, and did not know about the next on 3895.5 group - how does one occupy a ".5" anyway?  What prompted the Marconi folks to move?

I realize that nets are not for everyone, and I am confused about the origin of the name "Marconi Net" and how it applies to the current net operations. Still, I think I may make the effort to check in the Marconi net on AM on occasion, just to see how things progress.

Thanks to Brent for burying the hatchet, just where did you bury it, if that prompted the move.

I subscribe to Herb K2VH's "AM Ghetto" theory. What amazes me is how open the lower part of 75 is in the evening. Unless propagation does not propagate here in coastal Maine, large segments of 3800-3850 seem quite clear in the evening.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

"With that said I do wish Fred would observe 5KC spacing so 3.890 is usable."

That was my question too - 5 kc spacing from what?

The reality is that there has long been a group on 3895 and there's no way they would let anyone use " their frequency." If the Macaroni Net fired up there, they would be crushed. There used to be a fairly regular group on 3892.5, but they seem to have faded away recently.

I know I wouldn't want to try to start up a new net (so called in the Macaroni's case) at night on 75 meters. So many frequencies are already "taken." Moving in or near can rain down severe jamming on ones head. My guess is 3872 was a somewhat logical choice in that there wasn't a group on there EVERY night who guarded the frequency jealously. Sure there were AM operations on or near 72, but not right on the frequency every day/night. Lots of nights there's not any AM activity below 3880 because of the interference from the corn-pones on 78 and the sanctimonious jammers on 75.

It's good the Macaronis moved, and kudos to you Brent for helping it along. But in some ways, it's not surprising they wound up on 72. (This doesn't take into account the possibility the Macaronis were looking to push out the AMers or wanted a fight of some kind. Who can say what is in the minds of some people and I have not followed the entire Macaroni evolution very closely.)

And the Collins Collectors Association (CCA) also have three weekly 75 meter nets:
Tuesday nights on 3805 at 8pm Central,
Thursday nights on 3875 at 8pm Central,
Friday nights on 3895 at 8pm Pacific, 10pm Central...(CCA West Coast Net)
plus the 1st Wednesday of the month 3880 AM Net

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I realize that nets are not for everyone, and I am confused about the origin of the name "Marconi Net" and how it applies to the current net operations. Still, I think I may make the effort to check in the Marconi net on AM on occasion, just to see how things progress.

Thanks to Brent for burying the hatchet, just where did you bury it, if that prompted the move.

I subscribe to Herb K2VH's "AM Ghetto" theory. What amazes me is how open the lower part of 75 is in the evening. Unless propagation does not propagate here in coastal Maine, large segments of 3800-3850 seem quite clear in the evening.

Here's some info on the Marconi Net:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Marconi-Net/

[W2VW]

I still figure that 3895KC - 3KC = 3892, thats 2KC more of breathing room for those of us on 3890.



-Bruce

3895 - 3 = 3892. Now how much is 3890 + 4? That gives you - 2 kc of breathing room. The 2 "channels" are overlapping to the tune of 66%.

How do you occupy a .5? You are kidding, right?

[W2VW]

I realize that nets are not for everyone, and I am confused about the origin of the name "Marconi Net" and how it applies to the current net operations.

We asked the same question a while back right at the time we installed a ham station and a vertical T right down the road from the first commercial USA Marconi site. I stopped by and gave them the details and figuring they knew something or had some special interest in Marconi. They said that they just thought it was a cool name.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

The "channels" were, 3892.5 and 3895. Why they picked 92.5 instead of 92, I do not know.

"What amazes me is how open the lower part of 75 is in the evening. Unless propagation does not propagate here in coastal Maine, large segments of 3800-3850 seem quite clear in the evening."

That's why I have not followed the evolution of the Macaroni net very closely, nor the surrounding hubbub. Over the last year, I've spent most of my time on 75 meters operating in the 3825 kHz area. Come on down sometime Bruce. The water is fine.

[W2VW]

The "channels" were, 3892.5 and 3895. Why they picked 92.5 instead of 92, I do not know.

I can't do this on my fingers wise guy.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Toes are OK too.

Just remember, naught plus naught is naught.

[W2VW]

Toes are OK too.

Thanks. You just reminded me that it's time to cut my toenails. Hey, how high can I count if I save the cut nails?

[W1UJR]

Over the last year, I've spent most of my time on 75 meters operating in the 3825 kHz area. Come on down sometime Bruce. The water is fine.

What, and leave the comfort of the AM Ghetto??? 

Actually used to operate quite a bit on 3815.2 when I lived in Buffalo.
The Buffalo AM Triangle or Buffalo Bookends used "15.2" paid to pay hommage to WKBW operating at 1520KC on your YAAAM dial.

Ok Steve, thanks for the invite, I'll look for you in "Pleasant Valley" and perhaps I'll do more evening AM operating out of the Ghetto!

[K1JJ]

The "channels" were, 3892.5 and 3895. Why they picked 92.5 instead of 92, I do not know.

My guesses:

Well, normally these ssb gangs like 3 kc spacing. It's like 3875, 3878, etc.  It can go like that all the way up and down the band. However, I'll bet the 3kc sequencing got thrown off cuz of the 3870-3890 AM activity.

So, some guys just picked nice round numbers like 3890 and 3895 to start up again above the active AM area. Later on, another group decided to shoehorn themselves into 3892.5, half way between the two.

Might be that the groups were far enuff apart geographically to pull it off. Plus, most ssb riceboxes roll off sharply at 2.5 kc anyway.

Then again,  3892.5 could also be a reminent of the K1MAN situation where 3890 USE TO be their ssb freq, but they got shoved as high as they cud go before running into 3895.

"Dot 5's" are common these days on 75M whenever you hear tight congestion. 

It's a proven fact that Dot Fivers tend to do the Wooble, the Jerk, the Pattie Duke, the Jackie Gleason, the Boogaloo, the Shingaling, the Twine, the 81, the Funky Chicken, the Funky Four Corners and the Disco Duck at their class reunions.

T

[W2PFY]

When ever Fred is on AM, I think he is testing the waters for a AM net with him in control. Why have it any other way?? I wonder what he would call the net?

I'll start with the PUKE Net  

[W2VW]

The Phredophiles will never make it on AM. It takes too much dedication and knowledge to put out a decent quality signal. You can't do that with a storebought G5RV and a ricebox with an audiophool tube pre-amp. You might hear them on AM from time to time but Phred will not get his dose of feeling in control and will have to revert back to appliancedom mode before suffering withdrawl.
I feel sorry for the nice group of ssb people who were displaced from 3892.5 by this anathema. I feel even more pity for the newcomers who are taken in by this guy's sickening sweet R.F. fellatio. Think how much time and effort they will waste trying to follow some of the great technical advise heard on the net. Better off calling up someone on channel 19 for advise.
Did I mention that I don't like this guy?

[WA3VJB]

Gee, it seems to me one of you guys with a dominant slopbucket signal ought to be a little more charitable and offer to fill in for the guy from time to time.