Thanks for the responses.

> Your tower spacing question is answered in your link...

Shame on me, should have read the whole page more carefully, thanks for pointing that out.


Eric

I have SQ-50 and SQ-144 loop antennas, see

http://www.ku4ab.com/6m-horiz.html
http://www.ku4ab.com/2m-horiz.html

I want to "side mount" them on a tower (out of room at the top).

I am going to make up a support that looks like the letter "Z" straitened out and on it's back. One side of the Z bolts to the tower, the middle part of the Z extends straight out and the vertical part of the Z I bolt to loop to.

Question is, how far from the tower do I need to get with the horizontal part of the Z for the 6M and 2M ants?

How long should the vertical part of the Z be for the 6M and 2M ants?

I am guessing for the 6M it should be 2-3 feet from the tower at the closest, and the vertical part a foot or so high.

The 2 M I am guessing 2 feet out and 6 inches up.

Or is that too little?

I asked this question by email to ku4ab but did not get a response. Any advice appreciated.

Eric
www.va3ep.net

The original post was just an attempt to pass on the positive feelings that the new ham and I felt that day, not to troll  :-)

Speaking of "better times", the single event that impacted me the most growing up was watching the US going to the moon, and this single quote impacted my life more than any other:

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard....." President John F. Kennedy.

Or as my dad used to say "nothing of value is achieved without effort".


Also kind of like this one:

"Yes, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side of the Force, are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will…as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."
Yoda to Luke Skywalker[src]


73, and happy holidays!

Eric
www.va3ep.net

Thought I might pass this on to all the other Elmers out there.

I am a Canadian "Accredited Examiner" and had the privilege of testing my 29th new ham a few days ago (not a lot, but every bit helps the hobby).

This fellow was in his 60’s, retired, into SWL and electronics and had just “never had time”.

In Canada, you do not need to have Morse for access to all bands, but we kept the test in case you want to travel to a CEPT country. This fellow WANTED to learn it anyway.

He got 95% on the written test and scored 100% on the 5 wpm transmit and receive tests. He was as happy as a kid in a candy store.

Just goes to show you that there IS interest in Morse code, even when you don’t have to do it.


Eric Pierce
www.va3ep.net

p.s. the last one before him was 24, so there is hope for younger hams as well (although he did not do Morse)!

p.p.s. I am not trolling to get the debate going again, you don't like Morse code, fine. You do, fine :-)

This is a book that I recommend for people I am elmering:

"Electronics For Dummies by Gordon McComb, Earl Boysen"

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0764576607.html

Very hands on orientation, a great starter book. Does not assume previous knowledge or deep math/physics knowledge.

There is a lot in there about how transistors work for amplifying and switching.


Eric
www.va3ep.net

Thanks for all of those that offered to build and test a version of my project.

All of the pre-programmed chips are spoken for.

However, if you have access to a PIC 18F2620 and the capability to program it, and are still interested let me know and I will send you the draft documentation and HEX file by email.

Hopefully an article about this will be accepted and published in the fall, at which time the full source code (as well as pre-programmed chips) will be available.

I will reply here with that information at that time.

A few have asked about a version of the code that would run on the PIC-EL(mer) II board. This would require an 18 pin to 28 pin adapter (as there is no 18 pin chip with enough memory to run it) but would certainly be doable, but it would be a while before I get to it.


Eric
www.va3ep.net

I have recently completed a low cost, portable, battery operated, PIC (18F2620) powered Morse code practice QSO generator project called “WalkMorse”. The code in it is about 5000 lines of “C”, which compiles to almost a full 64K bytes.

The goal of WalkMorse is to generate unique random QSOs that never repeat, allowing you to listen for practice to improve your copy. It is NOT really meant to be used to learn code, so does not have a lot of different setups to generate different lessons, etc. like the MFJ units.

I traded off that flexibility to allow it to generate an almost infinite supply of long QSOs that never repeat, and have a lot of variety, optimized for copy practice when you already know the code. Speed goes from 12 to 40 wpm (fixed or variable by QSO) and tone 700-800 Hz (fixed or variable by QSO).

Pictures, some sample QSOs and schematic are at:

 http://www.thecountygeek.com/walkmorse.htm

I am using it to listen to Morse Code every day in my vehicle during my commute, and find it is helping my copy. I am interested in submitting an article to QST but would like to get some help with the following from some fellow CW fans:

 1) Read my article and give me feedback. What needs to be added or taken away?
 2) Build a prototype and give me feedback on both the construction and the operation. Is it easy to duplicate? Are the random QSOs good practice? What needs to be added or taken away?

I have had a couple of fellows build one and they work OK, the problem is that they are not really CW folks and can’t give me a lot of feedback on the QSOs generated.

If you are interested in building one and using it, you can do one of the following:

 1) Email me and I will email you the documentation, schematics, pictures, and HEX file (the PIC is an 18F2620)
 2) If you do not have the ability to program an 18F2620, I will send you a pre-programmed PIC for $15 US (basically my cost). I have 10 pre-programmed chips available, and as an added incentive I will refund the full amount to the first 2 people to complete one and send me pictures and a review

Anyone that builds one and provides me feedback (and photos if possible) will get credit if my article is published.

NOTE: I am in the process of moving this summer, so sometimes my mail response may be a bit slow. I did, however want to see if I could get some feedback on this so I can submit the article in the fall.

Thanks a lot

Eric Pierce
va3ep@rac.ca OR va3ep@arrl.net
www.va3ep.net

Thanks for the answers.

It was not PSK31, MT63 or RTTY in the 14.050 to 14.150 US band plan digital or packet range.

As I said it was in the US band plan SSB voice range, all the way up to 14.350. The signal itself sounded pretty wide band.

It may have been PACTOR/Winlink. I listened to some samples on the net and it sounds a bit like that (but more "one sided" if memory serves me correctly).

If this is what it is, then a LOT of people are starting to use it. A few weekends ago if you tuned from 14.112 to 14.350 there must have been 10 or more signals.

Guess that is why some people have been speaking out against Winlink. In my opinion, data in the voice range of the band plan seems out of place.

Eric
www.va3ep.net

I am not very active lately, just a little bit of mobile on the weekend, and the last number of weekends when tuning around the 20 meter SSB frequencies I have noted a LOT (less this weekend with the contest, but still a bit) of some kind of digital packet signal.

Anyone tuning around 20 Meters the last few weekends could not have missed it.

The packets are distinct, maybe up to a second long, so the signal sounds like brahhhp, brahhhp, brahhhp over and over again.

Is that the "new" G4GUO protocol? Has it become that popular?

Or is it something else?

Have googled around and can't seem to find out what it is.



Thanks

Eric
www.va3ep.net

Good luck on your trip to VE/A land!

If you can make it to Toronto but don't have a lot of time, in my opinion the ONE place to go is the CN tower.

You can go to the regular observation level, then take another (more $$) elevator to the very top of the concrete, Sky Pod, where the big tower starts. At that point you are 1,465 ft up.  

The view is amazing, especially if you arrive before sunset and then watch the sun go down and the lights come out all over the city. On a clear day you can see the mist from Niagara falls. Take your binoculars and HT, and have some fun!

Lots of info at http://www.cntower.ca/


Eric
www.va3ep.net

Thanks to all those who responded, looks like 20 wpm is the answer (at least for US / Canada).

BTW, the URL for "The Art and Skill of Radio Telegraphy" is at:

 http://www.qsl.net/n9bor/n0hff.htm

You can download the pdf of an older version, or order the paper version when the next version prints.

Very intersting reading.

Eric
www.va3ep.net

Thanks for the information. For some reason, 20 wpm seems to be the common answer you get from people, but most cannot attribute a source.

Your reply inspired me to do some more refined google searchs in a Canadian context. It looks like 20 wpm may have been the highest for Canadian hams (and going down since then), but higher for other services:

http://jproc.ca/rrp/nro_ww2.html
Telegraphists ... regular course ... transmitting and receiving Morse at 22 WPM.

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwapj/comments_e.pdf/$FILE/comments_e.pdf
"Canadian Commercial Radio Operator’s license issued in 1948 when one was required to copy 20 wpm for 5 minutes without an error."

http://www.ve3atc.spruce.ca
"I sweated on the 20 WPM code test and missed a few characters..."

http://www.iosphere.net/~sullivan/Radio.htm
"Once you passed the 18 wpm tests you were excused daily morse practice."

http://www.kwarc.org/extra1.html
"va3dg Go back to the system we had, i.e. an Amateur Class with 10WPM code and an Advanced Class with 15WPM code."


Other confirmation from V*'s appreciated.


Eric
www.va3ep.net

In a discussion with a person I am elmering this question came up. Searched around and could not seem to find this information here or anywhere else on the net.

The question is, what was the FASTEST that the morse code test has evern been in the US?

What years were that?

Can you quote a source document(s) (preferably on line)?

Do you know what the fastest test has ever been in Canada?

Other countries?


Thanks

Eric
www.va3ep.net

" ... I got involved because I wanted to DO IT ALL. I know I could have bought everything or asked ... "

We have to learn how to bottle up that type of spirit and sprinkle it on all newbies (and even a few old f@&ts).

So refresing to see in this "I want it now" instant gratification world!

Sometimes we forget that "The Journey is the Reward".


Eric
www.va3ep.net

Good helpful discussion!

Just an observation that 60 Meters in not availble in Canada (at this point at least) where the base poster is from,


Eric
www.va3ep.net