THE LIVE WIRE

A Publication of the Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Society, Inc.
http://www.brars.org
APRIL 1999  

From Marty - K4MLW
To begin this issue I wanted to thank everyone that attended this years sticker party. The repetitive movement of peel stick flip stack, peel stick flip stack could be quite monotonous…. If you had to do it alone. That must be the reason someone decided to make a party out of the task. If you missed this years sticker party I hope you will be able to make it next year. At the next meeting ask around and find a few of the many who attended. I am sure they would be happy to tell you what a great time they had. After all when you get that many hams in one room anything can happen and usually does! HiHi

There has been a great deal of discussion lately on the local repeaters regarding learning Morse code and increasing speed from 5 to 13 and 20 WPM. In light of this I thought I would pass along some advice that has helped me advance my code speed. Before I begin let me state I do not profess that it is my way or no way. This is simply an excellent time proven method suggested by several of my ELMERS who have not steered me wrong thus far. Amateurs have discussed what method of increasing code speed is best for decades and so long as Morse code is allowed on amateur frequencies the discussion will continue.

To receive and send code at top speeds and deadly accuracy you should not attempt to study code. Don't attempt to learn code! Many hams get stalled at different speeds as they progress. Each point you stall at is a testament that you have studied code. Have I lost you yet? I thought I might…. You don't want to learn code, you want to react to it. A person can learn the combination of dits and dahs in a half hour or less and be able to read code if sent slowly enough. If someone fires a pistol you flinch. This is a instant response! This is what you want to do when you here a Morse character. You don't hear the bang make a mental image of the hammer dropping crushing the primer thus igniting the powder and building pressure inside a cartridge thus propelling a lead bullet forward through a barrel, then make a decision to duck right or left. You simply react. This is what you have to do with code.

Now how do you get to the point where you no longer hear the combination and pause to say "Um that's and A and then write the A on your scratch paper. You could spend lots of money on subliminal code tapes, herbal brain expanding capsules, earwax cleaning kits, or any number of goofy ploys or you could employ a time proven method.

Listen to small groups of Morse code characters at the speed you want to obtain until you can write them down as a reaction. If you pause in the slightest to ponder was that a "3" or a "V" then you should continue to listen and practice reacting to the auditory stimuli until you respond in a manner that is correct. The sound that you hear for the character "V" that is often written dit dit dit dah should not require any thought to translate into a written "V". If you hear this as 4 separate syllables or you hesitate to decide if it was three dits or four your headed in the wrong direction. Make your own code tapes borrow a friends, or use a code tutor but for at least a few minutes a day if not several times for only a few minutes each day listen to a selected group of characters and practice responding to the sounds. As many before me I suggest small groups of similar sounding characters. Different persons will group different letters but here are the groups I use.

To many of you all of the above will be old news. A few of you will have already tried this method and abandoned it because it doesn't produce results quickly enough. Many seeking to increase speed will jump from method to method searching for the magic program that is in sync with their individual need. While your searching I will be using a tried and true method and building within me a reaction time that will allow me to enjoy sending and receiving Morse code for hours with out wanting to sling my key out the shack window. Hi Hi

73,
K4MLW

FCC'S RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH VISITS ARRL HQ

After six months as the FCC's top Amateur Radio enforcer, Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says he's pleased with the progress he's made and the support he's received from the amateur community. "I though it would take a year or two years to be at this point," he told ARRL staff members March 17 during a visit to ARRL Headquarters. "We've had some very good enforcement luck."

Amateur Radio enforcement has been "one of the few victories the Commission has been having these days," Hollingsworth said, and he doesn't expect the impending FCC restructuring--including creation of a new Enforcement Bureau--to affect its course or momentum. At the same time, Hollingsworth expressed some concern that his efforts not be perceived as the FCC "gone crazy" on Amateur Radio enforcement. "I don't want people saying, 'This is too much government,'" he said. Hollingsworth said that enthusiasm for amateur enforcement has even spread to FCC field personnel, some of whom are hams and who now ask to be included in amateur cases. He pointed to a recent case of interference to a Pennsylvania repeater system that came out of an investigation at the field-office level.

Calling Amateur Radio "a great natural resource," Hollingsworth said he felt privileged to be in his current enforcement role and was enjoying his work immensely. At this stage in the FCC's latest enforcement initiative, Hollingsworth says he's still making up for the FCC's "long period of neglect" of amateur enforcement. But he said he also looks forward to the day when he's no longer needed. He also said he can appreciate the frustrations of the Amateur Auxiliary during the years of FCC enforcement neglect and he welcomes their cooperation in the future.

In the weeks ahead, Hollingsworth said he hopes to turn his attention to such problems as the incursion of unlicensed operators on 10 meters-the so-called "freebanders" who often stray onto amateur frequencies--as well as the improper marketing of equipment to unlicensed individuals and examination fraud cases. He also plans to add some casual monitoring capabilities at his Gettysburg office. "If they know that we're out there bandsurfing, it will help," he said. Hollingsworth said he's currently working about a month behind in replying and advised those contacting him to use either a letter or e-mail (rholling@fcc.gov) instead of the telephone.

ARRL officials and staff members were quick to praise Hollingsworth's successes as well as his approach, which has been a combination of stern sanctions and "jawboning" with alleged offenders to resolve enforcement issues. As a result, he has not had to designate any amateur cases for hearings. "Few hams have the ability to change the hobby radically," ARRL First Vice President Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, told Hollingsworth. "We're real fond of you." ARRL Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, WA1STO, called Hollingsworth "a huge breath of fresh air" for ham radio.

During his visit, Hollingsworth made a quick contact with an acquaintance on 20 meters from W1AW. He also had the rare opportunity to wield the original Wouff Hong and Rettysnitch--the traditional symbols manufactured and invoked by "The Old Man" during the early years of the hobby to combat poor operating practices. League officials expressed the hope that the experience would provide an additional boost to Hollingsworth's present-day enforcement efforts.

Notice
I would like to remind all BRARS members of my Amateur Radio Land Line BBS. It can be reached at 235-8708. A lot of ham files and the only ham BBS in the state.

73 LeRoy

Check out W4VIW's BBS @ 235-8708

If you have an idea for a program, or know someone who would be willing to come speak to the BRARS club please contact Al Holden - KM4TN.

When weather proofing coax connectors….. Use ordinary electrical tape to seal the connectors. Start a half inch below the first connector and circle the cable and the connectors in the overlapping motion normally used to seal out moisture. Now tear off a strip of sealant putty and start another ¼ or half inch below were you started with the electrical tape. Continue in the same motion used before with the electrical tape until you have gone a ¼ to half inch past the top end of the electrical tape. For the final step again use your roll of electrical tape. Start ½ inch below the putty sealant and overlap the electrical tape over the putty. Continue in the same wrapping motion used before until this layer of electrical tape is passed the putty and at least ½ inch on the coax jacket above the connectors. Take a plastic tie wrap and secure the end of the tape.

This may seem like over kill, but these are the reasons the above steps are taken. The first layer of electrical tape provides moisture protection to the connectors but more importantly it protects the connectors from getting covered in the sealant putty. The sealant putty is then applied because it protects the connectors from moisture more efficiently than electrical tape could ever attempt to. However it is critical that the putty be applied to at least ¼ inch of the coax jacket above and below the coax connectors. After you have applied the sealant putty if any portion of the under lying electrical tape is visible moisture could overtime migrate between the tape and the coax jacket to reach the connectors, thereby never encountering the best moisture resistor the putty itself. Lastly we will seal over the putty with electrical tape. If you have never molded sealant putty over connectors before you may not be aware how sticky it is. Once you have progressed this far in our exercise the putty that was once the texture of cold play dough may now just from the friction of being molded and the heat from your hand be sticking to your fingers much like discarded chewing gum. Imagine what this putty does in the middle of July in the hot summer sun. You guessed it!….. the last layer of electrical tape is to keep the putty secured over the connectors, and not dripping down that heated length of black plastic jacket. Last but not least the tie wrap is a means of keeping the end of the last layer of electrical tape from peeling up from UV damage, brutal summer heat waves, winter ice storms and everything else mother nature throws at our beautiful antennas and their feedlines.

Surely you could just wrap you connectors in electrical tape but with the cheaper coax being 30 cents a foot and some popular coax being well over a dollar and commercial grade feedline being well over that…… a little extra time and effort is good insurance. My favorite reason for sealing coax with this method is that when I decide to rearrange things in a few years. I can run my knife blade through all three layers and peel it away from the coax connectors and the sealant putty will be neatly tucked between two layers of electrical tape and my connectors will be bright and clean.

If you have learned a few things the hard way…. Please share them with us… For the less adventurous… we can tag your encounters with Murphy with the byline anonymous.

Minutes of the 03/01/99 BRARS Club Meeting

• Meeting was called to order by President Buddy, KA4END, with introductions of members and guests.

• Applications affirmatively approved at the March 1, 1999 meeting by the membership are as follows:

• Treasurer, Carlisle Rogers presented the treasurers report
• Discussed the upcoming UPSTATE HAMFEST to be held on May 8. Preparations are continuing, but a bunch of help will be needed as the magic date approaches. The hamfest will be discussed in more detail at the April Meeting. Still looking for several volunteers to assume responsibility for handling several of the individual TASKS. HOW ABOUT IT FOLKS????
• Again discussed Field Day, which will be coming up June 26 and 27. Johnny Allison volunteered to help coordinate it. Field day site was discussed. Where?? Same place as last year near Dacusville; Sassafras Mountain; Park at Lake Robinson north of Greer; OR WHERE??? If anyone knows of any other possible site, check it out and bring the information to the April Club meeting to discuss it. Site location decision was tabled until the April Club Meeting, at which time the location MUST be decided.
• Library Book Set was discussed, with the cost of $170.00. Motion was made and seconded, and carried to proceed. Dan Donovan will coordinate publicity.
• Door Prize won by John Welchel, W4KOW.
• Sue, N4ENX, announced that the March of Dimes Walk will be held on 24 April. A minimum of 17 communicators will be needed: 12-rest stations plus 5-poop vans. If you can help, please e-mail Sue at: n4enx@mindspring.com
• Question was raised as to whether anyone had interest in contesting, sweepstakes, etc. or any type of specialized operating.
• A brief discussion of Billy Hall was held.
• Meeting adjourned