NUMBER 64 SEPTEMBER, 1988
Scanned, OCR'ed, and proofed by Bob "Bacon" Bruhns WA3WDR

Rewrite Docket Deadline Extended!

AMers: NOW IS THE TIME

By Norm Scott, WB6TRQ

(Washington, D.C.) The FCC has extended the comment period for the rewrite of Part 97 until November 29, 1988, with reply comments due January 31, 1989.

Many stories have been published in the AM Press/Exchange on what would spell the end to AM operation. Some think it's poor operating procedures by some AM operators, others have pointed out it is because of hi-fi audio, and still others believe it is because some AMers have strapping signals.

We have never lost a docket battle for any of the above reasons, and it would be safe to say that if none of the above were true, our situation would still be the same.

The last black eye we received was over the novice SSB-only phone band. The FCC received 326 comments on that docket, and only 10 comments were from AMers. This breaks down to about 3%, which is better than the 1% the FCC thinks we have.

The demise of AM, if it happens, will come from the lack of support comments for AM. SPAM members number over 600 and there is no reason why we can't have 300 comments from AMers in support of changes to Part 97 which help AMers.

We will not see any better time than NOW in terms of timing, and in this time frame we have to organize an effective campaign.

It is VERY VERY IMPORTANT that we bring up AM issues NOW, because the FCC is not obligated to bring up the AM power issue before June 2, 1990, and they may just sit on it and let it go into effect without any comments. The FCC has opened the door, and now it is time for all of us to put our foot in it. This could be our last chance - let's not waste it!!!

In order to be more effective, we need to limit our comments to AM issues. It is very easy for AM issues to become lost if in your comments you try to save all of amateur radio. Many other amateurs will be looking out for amateur radio; you will be the only one looking out for AM.

SPAM has already sent the FCC 9 pages of comments on the rewrite of Part 97, which covers AM for novices, change of the power limit to 1500 watts carrier output, and have pointed out some of the problems with the FCC measurement standard for power output.

Anyone who wants a copy of the SPAM comments to work from, in helping to write your own comments, please write or call SPAM today.

Your participation in this matter is crucial to our success. There can be no free rides. We can not afford to kick back and let the same 10 AMers write our comments for us. If we do, then this is what will kill AM. If you care about AM then take the time, get a copy of the SPAM comments and write your own in support of AM.

AMers are an independent lot, who march to the beat of a different drummer. Our independence is a strong point, but it may be our downfall if we are not careful. If we are going to prevail we must stand up as one, just like the mode we love, each component is independent but all are in phase with each other.

Let me say something about AM that I have not seen in any of the stories. What makes AM so great is not the quality of the sound, or its ease of operation, but it is the quality of the men and women who operate it. You will not find any finer anywhere in amateur radio.

Well, it is up to you. If you need help or have a question please call or write. Please provide one copy of your comments to SPAM, so that we can support your comments in our reply comments. Also, I need someone who would be willing to go to the FCC docket reference room 233 in Washington D.C. and look over the comments for any AM problems that may pop up. Please don't delay, let's send them a message.

73s de WB6TRQ

P.O. Box 27

Potrero, CA 92063

(818) 478-9347

SPAM 24-hour HOT LINE

 

AM Activity on 7160

For the past few weeks, on Friday and Saturday nights, 7160 kcs has been a popular AM place, after the BBC vacates the frequency at 11:45 PM, MDT (0545 GMT). So far, a maximum number of four stations have participated. C'mon everybody, remember about 8 years ago when there were sometimes over a dozen AM stations, coast to coast, border to border?

Let's make it happen again! Forty has been excellent at this hour. I realize this is late on the East Coast (1:45 AM, next day), but you only live once!!

- K8MLV/0 EDITOR'S NOTE: This frequency may be especially appropriate now that Radio Moscow has once again been putting in a strong signal on 7290 khz!

 

HELP!

Our manuscript tray at The AM Press/Exchange is empty! We urgently need camera-ready manuscripts of articles of interest to the AM community. This includes technical articles on theory, homebrew projects, equipment modifications (especially articles on upgrading the audio quality of all kinds of commercial and surplus equipment used by AMers), editorial comments, personal histories, human interest features - anything you believe would interest other readers. This includes photographs of you and your station for our "Meet the AMers" feature.

 

A Different Means of Remote Antenna Tuning

Bill Kleronomos KD0HG

P.O. Box 1456

Lyons, CO 80540

Here I am again, out of sync with the times. It's midsummer, near the peak of the sunspot cycle, and my hamming thoughts are about that perfect crisp January night on 160, you know, the noise level's down to S0, and you'd swear you could copy a wire scratched across a car battery in Tibet. Many AMers have been known to operate on 160 and 80 from time to time, and perhaps this article can stimulate the experimentally minded to try something new.

Many folk who frequent our two lowest frequency bands use some sort of shortened vertical, one less than an electrical quarter wave long which is brought to resonance with an inductor or L network. And, of course, some means of tuning this antenna to resonance is necessary to cover a goodly chunk of a band. If the antenna or ATU is a distance from the operating position, traditionally, a motor driven variable capacitor or rotary inductor, or switched components have been used to retune the antenna system. This, of course, is a major headache (and may explain why no one moves very far away from 3885...). I'd like to describe a means of passively tuning an antenna using no moving parts.

I'll assume that most of you know what a swinging choke is. Contrary to what you W6s think, it's simply a choke used in DC power supplies that is designed to change inductance inversely to the current drawn through it - the more current drawn, the less the inductance. This property is due to the fact that the core of the inductor saturates easily, by design. A standard type of filter choke has a gap put into the core to prevent such magnetic saturation from happening, so it maintains more or less a constant inductance regardless of the current put through it, but a swinging choke has no such gap.

All magnetic core materials exhibit a change in permeability as the flux changes, not only steel cores such as those used in the aforementioned power supply chokes, but also powdered iron and ferrite cores as used in RF applications.Suppose you are using a 160 meter vertical and resonating it with a series inductance. My suggestion is to use this same principle to vary the inductance of your loading coil as a means of tuning the antenna system to resonance.

Drawing 1

Drawing 1 shows the concept how this can work. The inductance required to resonate the antenna is made by winding the appropriate turns of wire on a large toroidal core of the type sold to wind HF baluns on. This inductance, L1, is selected to resonate the antenna at the lowest frequency in the band operation is desired. There is a second winding on this toroid, L2. This coil is for the purpose of magnetically biasing the core with a DC current, which changes the permeability of the core, and therefore changes the inductance of L1 in inverse proportion to the current put into L2. So, if the antenna system resonates at a particular frequency, then increasing the current through L2 reduces the inductance of L1, and hence, retunes the antenna system to a higher frequency. By this means, instantaneous changes in the antenna's resonant frequency can be made - no motors, switches, or relays.

I did not intend this to be a construction article, merely food for thought. I cannot give particular component values or the like. I can suggest the following general principles. The permeability change of the core is in proportion to the ampere-turns of L2. The more turns L2 has, the less current will be required for a given inductance change. I'd suggest something like 100 turns and about an amp or two for starters. I also suggest keeping L1 and L2 separated as far as possible on the core. The standard cores sold by Amidon and Palomar are of two types, ferrite, and powdered iron. There are also other types of core material that might work better for this application. Amidon has an excellent catalog for the experimenter.

I am starting to experiment with this antenna tuning concept. Maybe it'll work, perhaps not. If anyone else gets one working, write it up in the P-X!

Note: Amidon and Palomar are both regular QST advertisers.

 

It's a STORY . . . it's a REVIEW . . . It's a TIP

by Master Jeff, WA1MBK, Mighty Big Keilbasa Radio

While doing some window shopping recently, I noticed that a new Radio Shack store had opened in this particular plaza. "Ah, just what the world needs," I mused, "yet ANOTHER Radio Shack store!" This was the closest one to my house, though, and for potential future convenience's sake, into the store I went to see how healthy their parts inventory was.

It appeared that the Tandy marketing staff in Fort Worth had set a trap for me. This store had some hooks, items priced well below regular price, to get people into the store; grabbers, if you will. Right in the entrance area of the store was a placard displaying these hooks.

It jumped out at me; it REALLY did. The Radio Shack 10-band stereo equalizer model 31-2018, normally priced at $79.95 (ouch!) was on Grand Opening Special for a mere $39.95 (now THAT'S more like it!)! Quickly locating a nearby phone booth, I frantically called the XYL, Pam, KA1QVE, and proceeded to beg, promise, plead, cajole, and do all those things that married men do, yet seldom admit to doing, when they want to spend some of the "mutual funds" on some new toy for the shack. Yes, my secret crazy money stash was depleted at the time.

We agreed (she dictated) that I could buy an equalizer for MBK Radio if and only if I bought yet ANOTHER one for our (her) home stereo system in the living room. I feigned reluctance, yet agreed to those terms.

To make a long story even longer, the equalizer works fine. There is in/out patching on the microphone channel strips of the MBK Audio Mixer Board - where I patch one channel of the equalizer. The other channel of the EQ is presently just a space. Thus far, the EQ has been immune to RFI. The cabinet is fairly well shielded, although I did wrap the AC cord on a ferrite rod close to the chassis. This was more an exercise of goodwill than of necessity. The EQ features a stereo expander circuit which can be switched in and out. It appears schematically to be a variable phase control and operationally gives significant bass boost in my set up.

Therefore, fellow AMers... if you notice a new Radio Shack store open up in your neighborhood, stop in. They may be pushing the same EQ special at half-price as part of their grand opening act of generosity. You would be hard-pressed to build an EQ that "equals" the model 31-2018 for less than the $39.95 special price.

 

PLEASE DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER! If you don't save your back issues of The AM Press/Exchange, please preserve at least one mailing label, or at least jot down the code number. The code number MUST accompany renewals, address change requests, and other correspondence concerning your subscription. Omission of the number will result in a considerable delay in responding to your request.

An Antenna for 15

Byron H. Kretzman W2JTP/7

Arriving at a new QTH it became desirable to check out 15-meter band conditions, and local occupancy. While a simple doublet antenna might have sufficed, a little more gain appeared to be a good idea... A little more without too much more effort. Getting it up in the air involved throwing ropes over the lower branches of a couple of conveniently located pine trees. This brought it up to about 35 feet above the ground.

The antenna, made from #18 electric fence wire, consists of two half waves in phase with a quarter wave open wire matching stub in between the two half waves. Each half wave was cut to 21 feet 11 inches. The quarter wave matching stub was made from two #14 wires spaced 4 inches apart. Its length was 10 feet 11 Inches. Five spreaders were made from 3/8" fiberglass fishing rod stock. Antenna insulators, and the bottom spreader of the matching stub, were made from scrap pieces of printed circuit board, without the foil. Machine screws at the bottom spreader made it easy to connect one end of the RG-59/U feeder used.

Diagram of the antenna

While it might have been more formal to put a shorting bar (wire) at the bottom of the matching stub and top the feeders up an the stub, simplicity dictated the more convenient arrangement of feeding the bottom of the unshorted stub directly from the coax transmission line.

The results were surprisingly good. The VSWR ran 1.4 to one from 21.450 MHz down to 21.250 MHz. Below 21.250 it went up to 1.5 to one. Loading was quite uniform across the band.

 

Enhanced Modulation

By Wardell Smith, W2BRQ

What is "enhanced modulation", anyway? That's a fair question. The easiest way to begin the answer is to say what it is not. It is not ultra-modulation, the Taylor system, or any other of the exotic techniques described in the past. Enhanced Modulation -- a high-level technique which expands carrier power yet limits modulation level to 100 percent -- is a completely new approach.

The "enhanced modulation" technique actually performs two functions, as suggested above. When properly adjusted, it assures that all audio supplied modulates the carrier 100 percent regardless of the level; it also acts to expand the carrier level so that (by ordinary standards) the modulation percentage would approach 1000 -- that is, the RF power on audio peaks may be 10 times as great as that of the resting carrier.

In an ordinary AM modulator, overmodulation is prevented by regulating the maximum audio power, either by clipping or by some form of AVC. In the "enhanced modulator", overmodulation is prevented by increasing the DC plate power to the modulated stage, and using the excess audio power to supply the extra DC.

In order to explain thoroughly the operation of 'enhanced modulation", let's first review briefly the operation of an ordinary plate-modulated stage (Figure 1). Let's assume plate voltage (B+) is 100 volts. When the peak-to-peak audio voltage developed across the secondary of transformer T1 equals 100 volts, 100 percent modulation will be obtained, as shown at B.

Figure 1

Note that the modulated peaks of B are twice the amplitude of the carrier envelope A. This represents a 4-time increase of antenna power.

If the audio voltage across T1 is increased above 100 volts peak (say, to 125 volts), the oscillogram of the carrier will take the form of C, which indicates heavy overmodulation.

In order to prevent overmodulation and at the same time expand the carrier, the DC B+ voltage should be increased to equal the new peak-to-peak audio voltage. For example, with 125 volts peak across T1, if the DC voltage is raised to 125 the carrier will take the form of the dotted lines of C. This can easily be proven by making B+ a variable voltage and adjusting same.

Practical use of this idea is accomplished with the circuit of Figure 2 -- the basic circuit of "enhanced modulation".

Figure 2

Two audio channels (A1 and A2) are employed with a separate gain control for each channel. A1 provides the modulating signal, and A2 provides the same signal, which is rectified by diode D1. This rectified voltage is then applied in series with the normal plate voltage.

Figure 3

By setting the gain controls in channels A1 and A2, the modulation percentage can be set at any desired level. In Figure 3, the dotted line indicates peak-to-peak volts generated across T1 (channel A1) with different degrees of audio signal intensity applied to the input of the audio system. The solid line indicates the variation in DC voltage across rectifier D1 for different settings of the gain control in channel A2. If A2 is set so that the DC increases (as in Figure 3A), the modulation percentage will go down with an increase in audio amplitude. If the gain is set as in Figure 3B, the modulation percentage will remain constant at about 95, as the DC should always be slightly more than the AC. If the gain is set so that the DC follows the curve of Figure 3C, the transmitter will then be overmodulated at all times as the AC peak-to-peak voltage exceeds the DC voltage.

In standard plate modulation, where only the AC power to the plate is varied, an average power increase of 50% is the limit before overmodulation occurs. In "enhanced modulation", an average output power increase of between 20 and 30 times with modulation can easily be obtained, since the DC plate voltage increases along with the AC component.

When this system was first proposed, it was expected that serious distortion would result and that the rise and decay times of the extra DC developed in channel A2 would be too long for practical operation.

To prove out the principle, several tiny rigs using the hybrid principle (12-volt-plate tubes plus transistors) were built and tested. These rigs had initial unmodulated carrier power of less than 100 milliwatts and they produced modulated peak output power of 2 1/2 watts without overmodulating; distortion was in the neighborhood of 5 percent -- entirely acceptable for communication use. Reliable range of these units was in excess of 17 miles.

A 50-mc transmitter incorporating this system of modulation is shown in Figure 4A and Figure 4B. This rig uses a pair of 12K5's as a push-pull crystal oscillator (with a 25-mc crystal) and two more 12K5's as a frequency-doubling final. The final amplifier, since it's doubling, is not neutralized. A pair of 2N242 transistors in push-pull is employed in each audio channel. The RF section is shown in Figure 4A.

Figure 4A

In the audio chain, a 12FM6 is used as a high-gain amplifier for a variable-reluctance mike. The output of this stage feeds two gain controls, one for each channel. Each channel then has another 12K5, used as a driver for the modulating transistors. This modulator is shown in Figure 4B.

Figure 4B

Despite the rather unusual modulator circuit, construction of this rig is straightforward.

The prototypes were built in modular style, with audio and RF sections on separate chassis, to allow easy experimentation. You can do it the same way, or put all on one chassis if you like. If you follow the single-chassis route, be sure to shield the audio stages completely.

Because of the way it works, this unit has a few more adjustments than does a conventional rig. Most are in the audio section.

For instance, resistor R3 controls mike output. It becomes the main volume control; all other adjustments on the audio section should be sealed once they are set.

The two 10,000-ohm potentiometers (R6 and R7) control modulation percentage. R6 should initially be set wide open, and R7 then adjusted for 98 percent modulation. If you can't reach 98 percent before R7 is all the way open, reduce the setting of R6 and try again. Refer to the graph in Figure 3 for guidance in interpreting interaction between these controls.

The 5000-ohm resistors (R10 and R11) in each transistor stage are for adjusting the bias of that stage. The best method of adjusting R10 is to feed an audio signal into the mike input (from an oscillator, etc.) and observe the waveform from the collector of Q1 to the collector of Q2. The resistor should be set for the highest amplitude consistent with a clean waveform.

Resistor R11 is adjusted for maximum DC across capacitor C7 (use a VTVM for this measurement).

In all cases, keep the audio input below 5 millivolts to avoid overloading the system.

Tune-up of the rig is conventional, except that (due to the small resting output) a flashlight bulb can be used for a dummy load. Instead, use a 51-ohm composition resistor and a VTVM with RF probe; tune for maximum output voltage indicated. Most RF probes are good up to better than 100 mc, so the indication at 50 mc will be accurate.

Although this rig was designed for 12-volt use, the voltage in a mobile installation often runs to 14 or more This will do no harm; the only effect is that power output increases slightly.

PARTS LIST

C1, C2: Hammarlund BFC-38 capacitors.

L1: 19 turns No. 18 enameled wire, spaced one wire diameter, on 1/2-inch polystyrene rod.

L2: 11 turns No. 18 enameled wire on 1/2-inch rod, spaced one wire diameter.

L3: 1-microhenry slug-tuned coil (Miller No. 21A106RBI or equivalent).

L4: Same as L3, spaced 3/4 inch from L3 center to center.

L5: 2-microhenry slug-tuned coil (Miller No. 21A226RBI or equivalent).

L6: 2 turns No. I8 enamel over cold end of L5.

B1: 4-1/2 volt battery (3 penlight cells in series).

S2: 3 volt battery (2 penlight cells in series).

RFCs: 25 turns No. 26 wire closewound on 1-meg 2-watt composition resistor.

D1: Any 500-ma silicon rectifier.

T1, T2: Argonne type 504 driver transformers

T3, T4: Thordarson No. 26F67 12.6 VCT filament transformers, connected backwards.

Q1 through Q4: 2N242

This article originally appeared in VHF Horizons and is reprinted here with permission of the late author's wife.

 

Requiem for the AM Connection . . .

or

Shame, Shame! We're to blame!

by Master Jeff, WA1MBK, Mighty Big Keilbasa Radio

There was NO warning. "THIS IS THE LAST ISSUE OF THE AM CONNECTION" read the blurb on the last page of the Summer 1988 issue of the AMC.

This newsletter was real. This newsletter was people. This newsletter was AM. Although not nearly as well known nor political as the AM Press/Exchange, it was just as much fun for us to anticipate its delivery by stalwart U.S. Postal Service personnel and then sit down and read it cover to cover in one sitting. It was MORE than just another newsletter, though.

The AM Connection was a labor of passion for Editor/Publisher Harold Storer, WD8MRE. Harold did virtually ALL the work in putting this newsletter together ... from gathering bits and pieces of dope to make up articIes, aII the way to paste up, mastering, copying, cutting, collating, stapling, folding, attaching the address labels, licking the stamps and mailing the 200 copies. You may ask, "What did Harold charge for a one year subscription?" Sitting down, faithful AM brethren? The "subscription", which you will see is actually a misnomer, was no-charge! Yup, ZERO ... you know, like the brain cell count of some of the SSB alligators on 75 meters. Harold set a limit of 200 issues per quarterly and only asked for donations ... stamps, IRCs or money. That's right, only donations. I suspect he would have even accepted an egg-laying chicken to be fair trade for a subscription.

You see, Harold didn't want to make a profit off the AM Connection. All he wanted to do was generate a newsletter that paid for itself and did not cost him anything other than his time... time, I might add, that he unselfishly gave the AM community... time that he could have been spending with his family... time that he could have been enjoying himself on the air.

I got in contact with Harold to let him know how sorry I was to read that the AMC was to become a thing of the past. I also wanted to propose that I would be more than willing to either take over all the work editing and publishing the AMC or any part, or parts of the process that he may desire to farm out my way. He sounded interested in the idea so we kicked around a few different ideas. Harold told me that he needed some time to think it over and would be getting back to me.

A couple of weeks passed and I received a letter from Harold stating that although he appreciated any interest in helping to continue printing the AMC, he was going to stick to his original decision and shut down the presses. Further, for several personal reasons, Harold requested that I not use AM Connection as the name of any possible future venture in the publishing of an AM based newsletter that I may start up. I decided, albeit reluctantly, to honor his request.

So another newsletter has bitten the dust. Another quarterly compendium of personal views and opinions, news, technical articles and shack photos will no longer be promulgated by the TRULY "free press", the AMC.

SHAME on those of us who said we were going to got some stamps off to HaroId one of these days, and then never getting around to doing it.

SHAME on those of us who never contributed an equipment review, audio modification tip, antenna project or even a Polaroid snapshot of the shack. SHAME on those of us who never even wrote or called Harold to tell him that we would indeed miss the AM Connection and ask him to please reconsider shutting down the presses.

Who knows . . . the AM Connection could be alive today if one of us had been benevolent enough to have shipped Harold that egg-laying chicken.

It's time to wake up, fellow AMers. I said, WAKE UP!!! As this is being written, many things are happening that will have a lasting affect on our hobby. The 1990 AM power restriction deadline is drawing near, the FCC has proposed a rewrite of the Amateur Rules and are RIGHT NOW in the process of taking the bottom 2 Mc of the 220-223 Mc band from us. If the vast majority of the 200 "subscribers" of the AM Connection are too lackadaisical to support that publication, I seriously doubt that this vast majority will bother submitting formal comments to the FCC. We as AMers and amateur radio licensees, ALL of us, may indeed be in deep faces. THINK about it.

Jeff, WA1MBK

 

open forum

Editor, AM Press/Exchange:

I would like to issue an appeal for technical consultation concerning an HQ-110 Hammarlund communications receiver. All replies will be welcomed!

I have components "frying" in the I.F. strip. Up a stump! I can't locate the problem, and no one locally is available to help, at 10:30 ZULU, or otherwise. I would like to hear from Hammarlund "fans". Good luck to all.

Lloyd Williams, KA0ZCX

R.R.1 Box 248Baxter Springs, Kansas 66713

Editor, AM Press/Exchange:

I have reworked J44 and J38 keys that have bakelite bases. First, wash in warm water. Then dry. Then use Armor All cleaner. Last, but not least, use the Armor All as directed. The bases of both keys shine like new. I've also used it on knobs. Works well. Try it on some old pieces and see if you like the results.

Marty, WB2FOU/5

Bill Kleronomos

P.O. Box 1456Lyons, CO 805408/20/88

Correspondence From Members

John Hennessee ARRL, Newington

While not often a participant, I have observed the various on the air contests becoming a preserve of the well-heeled amateur. One of the major intents of contests such as the CQWW, etc., was the sharpening of operating skills, as well as the construction of more efficient and effective amateur equipment and antennas. This has almost been eliminated in this day, except, perhaps, for the construction of multi-kilowatt amplifiers, in favor of the expenditures of vast sums of money on commercially manufactured equipment.

Therefore I am proposing to the sponsors of various contests the following: First- that the points differential for power levels be scrapped. This goes back thirty years, and everyone these days can afford a kilowatt+ amplifier, as well as the cheating factor involved. This power level points differential should be replaced by a money spent on equipment points system to even things out in a fair manner. If someone wants to assemble a $50,000 contest station, so be it, but the guy with $1,000 invested in a typical station can have a competitive chance to win. Secondly, additional points should be awarded for the use of a homebrew transmitter and/or receiver. Thirdly, additional points could be awarded for the use of vintage amateur equipment over thirty years old.

The above rules changes, if implemented, would go a long way towards making contests a test of skill, instead of financial resources, and encourage the improvement in technical skills and construction techniques, which is what contests used to be all about, instead of the perverted parody they've become.

Sincerely, Bill Kleronomos, KD0HG

cc: Press-Exchange

 

Attention!! S.P.A.M. 40/20 Meter AM jAMboree!!!!!!

Well it is back, the contest that's not a contest. On Friday, September 23, 1988 at 3:00 PM (EDST), the 40/20 meter AM Jamboree will start and run until Sunday, September 25 at 9:00 PM (EDST). This should be a good combination of bands to provide opportunity to promote AM all day and all night.

AWARD... The winner will receive a 1 year subscription to the AM P/X.

SCORING... One point for each station worked.

MULTIPLIERS... Each State, Province and country is counted as a multiplier of one.

BONUS POINTS... Real opportunities here... for each new station you work running ssb, if you can get them to try out AM during your QSO and provide SPAM HQ with the name and address of that station, add 10 points for that contact.

During this time you can also double your fun by also operating in the Fall Classic and Homebrew Radio Exchange sponsored by fellow SPAM member Jim Hanlon, W8KGI of the Classic radio Newsletter. See September 1988 QST for contest details.

Other than the Classic radio contest this looks like the only phone contest running during this time. Let's have FUN! I hope some of the members will be able to unweld their band switches off of 160 and 80 meters or find the plug-in coils for 40 and 20 meters.

Remember to send the log sheets to SPAM, Post Office Box 27, Potrero, CA by October 26, 1988. Results will be in the November 1988 AM P/X.

73 DE WB6TRQ

 

NORTHEAST AM SCENE

By Bill Wolf - KA2EEV

NEW ENGLAND TOUR: Our AM Press Exchange editor and publisher, Don, K4KYV, recently made a whirlwind tour of the northeast during his vacation in late July. Along the way, Don made a few friendly visits to several AMers including Tim, WA1HLR, Steve, KA1SI, Dean, WA1KNX, and Charles, N2GII. While visiting Tim's place in Maine, Don and the crew were attacked by a swarm of savage bees. It has been reported that a certain someone among the group got nailed at least five times. I'm not going to mention names, but, his initials are Don Chester. oops!

BAGGAGE DEPARTMENT: Several northeast AMers, including myself, have either recently moved to a new QTH or are in the process of moving. John, W4KYL, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is already active on 75 and 40 meters from his new site in Pennsylvania. Charles, N2GII, of Mine Hill, New Jersey, is presently looking for a home up in Maine. Byron, W2JTP, recently left his Huntington, Long Island home and went clear across the country just outside of Seattle, Washington. On the KA2EEV homefront, my wife and I anticipate moving out of Newark within about a year and expect to buy a home in Union Beach, New Jersey, a nice quiet little town about 25 miles south of here on the northern part of the Jersey shore.

WELCOME WAGON DEPARTMENT: Lenny, WA2FKN, is back in action again on 7295 after being off the air due to problems with his Ranger. Lenny is one of those carefree guys who always makes you feel right at home. If you share a QSO with WA2FKN you're bound to get a chuckle or two. Lenny seems to have a smile behind the mike and his infectious laugh will no doubt get you going.

MISSING INGREDIENT DEPARTMENT: Byron, W2JTP, says there is hardly any AM activity to be heard from his new QTH near Seattle, but, he hopes to change all that. (So do we!!!) Maybe some of you Pacific coast AMers can work out some arrangements with Byron for 75 or 40. I suggested that he contact some of you high power guys in "6 land" for such possibilities. You can be sure that Byron will have many stories to tell you about his years of AMing here in the northeast.

By the way, Byron also mentioned that his old friend and long time AMer, Joe Matteson, W2RZ, of Latham, New York, is now a "silent key". Joe was an active ham way back in 1938. He reached a ripe old age of 95 before passing on. Some of you may have known him also.

That's about it for this months report. Till next time, 73.

KA2EEV

 

EXCHANGE

(Names omitted - past copy)

WANTED: ET318 power transformer for an Eldico SSB:10F.

TRADE: Pair of new Eimac 75TL's for a single 592 (Eimac 3-200A3)

FOR SALE: Tubes, components, modulation transformers, power transformers, modulators, Millen exciter late model $60. Power supplies inquire on needs.

WANTED: Hallicrafters low frequency converter HA10 tuner. FOR SALE: Heathkit AC-1 $10, no manual.

FOR SALE: Johnson Desk Kilowatt $750.

WANTED: Audio transformers, 30-watt push-pull parallel 2A3's or equivalent to class-B grids driver transformer, broadcast quality. UTC LS-49, Chicago BD-2 or equivalent.

FOR SALE: Johnson Viking II, revamped and retubed, has push-to-talk relay, improved audio, 122 VFO, with manual, $95. Collins 51J4 general coverage receiver, 3 mechanical filters, top cover, original manual, near mint condx $100. 2 Heath DX-100's, manual $100.

WANTED: Type 6000 tube for T368 exciter. Also anyone with experience in converting this deck to exciter service. Need 6000 tube data sheet at minimum.

FOR SALE: Collins 32V-3 Good working condition. Includes spare 4D32, power and audio transformers, gears, many other parts.

WANTED: A good copy of an owners manual & schematic for a Knight R-100A rcvr & also for a Wells Gardner (signal corps) BC-348-Q Rcvr.

WANTED: S-meter for Hallicrafters SX-42 receiver. If none available, please recommend a suitable replacement. Tnx.

WANTED: Good stable communications receiver for 20 metres.

 

NOTICE: Back issues of The AM Press/Exchange are not available from the publisher. Extra copies are given away as samples, and not kept on file. If you need a particular issue, please feel free to have one of our readers possessing that issue to photocopy it for you.

This is the AM PRESS:

An amateur radio publication dedicated to Amplitude Modulation.

This is the AM EXCHANGE:

Offering FREE ADVERTISING to enhance the availability of AM equipment and parts.

DISPLAY ADVERTISING: Rates upon request.

Edited and published by Donald Chester, K4KYV

NOTICE: The purpose of this publication is the advancement of Amplitude Modulation in the Amateur Radio Service, and there is no pecuniary Interest. Therefore, permission is hereby expressed for the use of material contained herein without permission of the publisher, with the exception of specifically copyrighted articles, provided that The AM Press/Exchange is properly credited.