K8AXW

Your description of the cryptographers that you worked with (precise, anal-retentive, well organized) is stereotypical of rote learners who would be expected to learn Morse code quite well. Visual learners are people who see the big picture as a whole and ignore the details. We think in pictures rather than words. We tend to see the correct answer to complex problems without methodically prodding through the detailed steps. Specifically, we would learn a foreign language quicker by immersion in the culture rather than tedious repetitious drills in a classroom

I didn't claim my learning style prevented me from learning Morse code. I couldn't justify the effort if the end reward was having QSO's at the bottom end of the band with prejudiced OF's like you.

Joseph, K9RFZ

I believe you'll find that people with strong analytic skills are predominantly visual learners and therefore work at a disadvantage when developing new skills that require auditory learning. I hold degrees in mathematics and physics so I'm trained to look for patterns and make multiple associations between observations. In my attempts to learn Morse code, I struggled with turning off the analytic side of the brain and letting the reflex side take control. I contend that people with poorer analytic skills who are less accustomed to critical thinking will be better at learning Morse code because they are more likely to act reflexively and less analytically. In short, the analytic person will think before doing and the emotive person will do before thinking. Learning Morse code is a 'do without analyzing' skill. If an analytic person can resist the ingrained habit of looking for a pattern in the code, then he can eventually hear the sound and reflexively know the letter or word. 

Joseph, K9RFZ

I can list three options and you can see which fits you best;

1) Ameco sells just a box with speaker and the oscillator circuit pre-built. I just checked Universal Radio's webpage and they sell them on the same page as the Ameco keys.

2) The ARRL Technician License manual used to have a chapter on Morse code and it provided a diagram for a simple oscillator circuit that runs from 9Vdc. If you have an aptitude for building, then you can do this one with parts from Radio Shack.

3) I did a web search and found several sources for a similar oscillator circuit that you can download for free. I searched "Morse code oscillator" and got several hits for the diagram.

Good luck and have fun.
Joseph, K9RFZ

Apparently the one QSO rule is ignored by some of the big guns. AMSAT runs a contest that coincides with ARRL Field Day and that probably adds to the congestion as well. Although, the contest does specify a one QSO rule. See this link for contest rules and useful operating tips.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/awards/amsatfd.php

Joseph, K9RFZ

With Field Day only a month away, will someone please reply with a list of the top two or three FM satellites with the highest chance of successfully making a contact during Field Day weekend?

Also, since there will be many more operators trying to make a contact during the June 26 - 27 weekend, on behalf of all Field Day stations trying to earn the sat QSO bonus points, let me make a plea to all regular sat operators. Please limit contacts to one per pass and give the FD operators a chance for there one contact. This event occurs one weekend per year, so maybe the operators who make sat contacts year round can hand out a QSO to a calling FD station and then just listen out that pass. You'll do more good to promote satellite operations if first time ops can successfully make a contact during Field Day. Everyone's cooperation is appreciated.

Joseph, K9RFZ

If you're trying to receive the NOAA polar orbiting APT signals, then you're going to be disappointed because you need at least a 25kHz bandwidth FM receiver to get good images. I work for the company that builds the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) that produces the images and I have built quadrifilar helical antennas to receive the signals. A standard ham transceiver doesn't have a broad enough bandwidth to produce a decent image. You may want to modify a cheaper scanner to open its filtering or consider the Hamtronics receiver made for this purpose. You'll get an image, but you'll be losing a lot of the image quality trying to use your ham transceiver.

Joseph, K9RFZ

In my experience, you'll be disappointed by using the Elk antenna in a fixed polarization mount. I routinely use my Elk either handheld or on a mount I designed (see my listing on qrz.com for a picture). To maintain a strong receive signal, you need to adjust polarization throughout the pass. This may seem like heresy to the many satellite operators who compromise with fixed polarization antennas and make all sorts of contacts, but even they have to admit the frustration of fades. The Elk antenna has a beamwidth of about 60 degrees, so setting a fixed angle of 30 degrees to the horizon should cover all the way to the zenith. My mount allows me to tilt the primary rotation axis to closely match the satellite's orbital plane for a specific pass. The other axis allows me to manual rotate antenna polarization for best receive signal strength. Hope this gives you more food for thought before you install your one axis roof mount.

Joseph, K9RFZ

I own both the Icom T7H and the Yaesu FT-60R. I prefer the ergonomics of the T7H over the FT-60. Both are solid radios, however I owned the T7H first and only bought the FT-60 when I wanted to work FM satellites and discovered the T7H won't do odd splits between bands. Concerning the SMA connector on the FT-60R, I purchased the SMA to BNC adpater offered by KC2BHO Stephen Gulyas and never remove it from the FT-60R. I recommend the FT-60R, but the Icom T7H is still a good radio.

Joseph, K9RFZ

Joel,

I see you live in Cromwell Indiana. Are you aware of the monthly foxhunts ran in Fort Wayne/Allen County? You can read about each month's foxhunt in the local ham newsletter posted on acarts.com. These are vehicular hunts and some of the Noble county hams have attended recent hunts. Maybe you were one. Sorry if my post is too late.

Joseph, K9RFZ

Try "Storing Independent Transmit Frequencies - odd split" page 28. You first load the downlink frequency into a memory location and then you can specify a separate band TX frequency. It works. I use it to make satellite contacts. It is not a dual VFO radio, but the FT-60R will do the odd splits.

Joseph, K9RFZ

To K9FON

I do not know the specific incident when you didn't feel welcome at a Fort Wayne ham radio club meeting, but I belong to both the Fort Wayne Radio Club and the Allen County Amateur Radio Technical Society (the hamfest host) and like most clubs, if you arrive at a meeting and attempt to be friendly, then either group will meet you half way. If you show up to a meeting with a know it all attitude, then you will probably receive a cold reception. From several of your other posts on Eham, (your abusive attitude toward the BMV female workers trying to resolve your vanity call license plates and the moaning about sub-optimal temporary QTH due to your current divorce proceedings) you give the impression of a loose cannon with a short fuse. Often times, how you are treated in an iniitial personal contact simply mirrors your outward impression. Friendliness is rewarded with friendliness and hostility is countered with hostility. I can give you plenty of examples when non-members were welcomed warmly at the Fort Wayne Radio Club meetings because they shared a sincere interest in the program topic that evening and they made a humble effort to meet people.

Joseph, K9RFZ

To AB8ZX,

I am not an organizer of the Fort Wayne hamfest, but I volunteer each year. I was the person at the announcer's stand when you arrived and requested that we make a public announcement about your lost/stolen wallet. It is not the policy of the hamfest to make personal annoncements unless it is an emergency. If we make an exception, then the flood of personal announcements would be overwhelming. Do you want to constantly hear, "KC9XYL your husband wants you to meet him at the concession stand in 10 minutes"? While I'm sorry you lost your wallet, what did you really want me to do? "Attention everyone, there's a missing wallet reported. Will the person who stole it please return it to the announcer's table". We do what is reasonable to accomodate people's requests. We did ask you to give us your contact info in case an honorable citizen did return the wallet. You didn't mention that in your original post. Your sour grapes comments sounds like you blame the hamfest organizers (or me)for your lost wallet. Before flaming this response, first consider what you would have done differently in my place.

Joseph, K9RFZ

PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS. JOIN THE EHAM MOVEMENT TO IGNORE SUCH INANE POSTS. THE MODERATORS WON'T POLICE THIS NONSENSE, SO PLEASE RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO RESPOND.

If you're addicted to this ham's contentious ramblings du jour, then email him direct. Let's all work to keep Eham on topic and relevant to grow amateur radio. If you feel the need to criticize me for this post, then do so directly (k9rfz@yahoo.com), but please do not attract attention to this original post.
73,
Joseph, K9RFZ

The absurd lengths some operators will go to trash talk ham emcomm volunteers is astounding. Three non-licensed people are killed while installing a ham band antenna, therefore the local EMA should perform more stringent backgound checks when accepting volunteer amateur radio operators. The lack of critical thinking by hams like W4AD should make public safety officials more wary. Fortunately W4AD is in the extreme minority and there are many civic-minded rational ham operators who build credibility with public safety officers through their professional attitude and consistently reliable performance.

Joseph, K9RFZ

I re-posted to this topic to bring it to the top of the emcomm forum. Sorry if that violates some code of conduct, but I believe it's interesting to reread some of the responses to my original question in light of recent FCC clarifications. Some of the respondents in this thread may want to eat a little crow, while others will feel vindicated. The leasson I take from the many well-meaning interpretations offered to the FCC regulation is that only the FCC can provide the definitive interpretation.

Joseph, K9RFZ