Proposed bands for tomorrow?

~3q5[]- ~~~[][] kHz

~l§J[] = ~~[] kHz

Drake FS-4 Solid Slale Synl hesizer

shown with Drake R·4C, MS·4 and T·4XC

Drake is ready
for 1979 TODAY!
• NEW and EXPANDED amateur Drake 4-Lin e gear is already designed to give you coverage of any
bands will be proposed at the 1979 of the proposed new amateur band expansions in the hf range .
World Administrative Radio You can have them a//, and everything in between, with the Drake
Conference! FS-4 solid state synthesizer. It's ready to go with the R-4 series/T-4X
series without modification. You can transceive as is or run split
• If you have the Drake 4-Line, you frequ ency with the Drake 1524 adapter.
are ready NOW for any of these hf You can adapt the Drake SPR-4 solid state receiver to use with the
frequencies by using either the FS-4 by ordering interface kit 1523. The SPR-4 receiver will even
Drake FS-4 solid state general cover the proposed new 1600 meter band at 160 kHz. If you do not
coverage synthesizer or Drake wish to use the FS-4, you may select any of the specific new ranges
selectable range crystals. with front panel selectable range c rystals. There are 15 extra
ranges on the R-4C, and four on the T-4XC.
• Drake 4-Line equipment is Also consider the Drake L-48 linear amp I ifier - full power 2 kW
designed for you to use-without PEP, ssb and 1000 W-d c cw, full rated for ATTY, offering full
fear of obsolescence -year after operator convenience with front panel by-pass switch and built-in
year after year. p recision high power wattmeter.

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FREE HyGain 15M beam
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•

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PEP input on SSB, shifted-carrier CW, upper & lower SSB, It features: 10 thru 80 meter coverage, 160 watts - 80 to 15
VOX or PTT. Item No. 3588-113 meters, 140 watts on 10 meters, solid-state throughout
except for final and drive stages, noise blanker circuit, 2-
The AC-4 supplies all re- position amplified dash-type ALC c ircuit, 8-pole crystal
quired voltages with proper filter, high- stability FET VFO, amplified-type AGC circuit
filtering & regulation, may (3-posltlon), provision for up to 4 fixed channels, carrier
be o perated from 120 or 240 level control on front panel , VOX/PTT/ MOX circuit, Semi-
AC, 50 of 60Hz. Item No. break In with sidetone, RIT, Dual gate MOS FET 3SK35.
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110 AC or 220 AC or 13.8 VDC, 1A. Accessory circuits: AGC HyGaln Model 153BA beam. The 153BA is a full-sized 15
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Indicator. Item No. 8505-113 feeds with 52 ohm coax, factory pretuned with exclusive
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frequency range from 3.5 to 29.7 MHz. High stability VFO, 1 for the 153BA. Forward gain: 8.5 dB, 25 dB front-to-back
kHz dial readout, very effective 8 pole crystal filter, AC ratio. Surface area: 3 sq. ft. Item No. 8311-113.
power supply built-in, AM transmission available, 11
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•
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More details? Ad Check page 78. May1 977 m 1

 The variable-frequency osci l- six, Rusty communicates on a
lator (vfo) has liberated today's dai ly basis with other Amateurs
Radio Amateur from the woe of on the fifteen- and forty-
the rockbound, but it was not meter bands .
always thus. This story of how
the U.S. Navy, Howard Hughes,
lFilS MONrHS and hams brought the oscillator
to where it is makes some very
Simple
Electronic Keyers
interesting reading. More and more of modern com-
munications circu itry is based
on multi-legged integrated cir-
Your Transmission Line cuits which have complete cir-
cuits within a single package.
Like a chain, the performance of Some amateurs shy away from
your radio station is no better ICs, but like anything , the
than any of its links - your toughest part is getting started.
HORIZONS transmission line is one of those
links . Often neglected ,
Here are a couple of sim ple elec-
t ronic keyers which will help you
sometimes mal igned, seldom get you r feet wet with the ver·
appreciated, and usually satile , low-cost 555 time r IC.
misunderstood, it deserves bet- Come on in - the water's fi ne!
An Oracle - ter. Here are some tip s on
Radio Astronomy choosing the right feedline for
your station, and how to get the 80-Meter Top Hat
Radio signals from other most out of it.
planets? From the Milky Way? A small antenna in a miniscule
Yes indeed . . . but don't expect back yard may not be what you
to hear far-out rock groups or the would select for a world-beat ing
Music of the Singing Spheres. SSB - Transmitter installation - but if that is the
More properly termed "emis- And Speech only choice you have, here is the
sions," these signals are indica- Why does speech need way to make the best of it. The
ti ons of the presence of processing? What is in a materials used are commonly
elements and processes that are multiband ssb transmitter? available, not too expensive, and
basic to matter in the universe. What is a "t hird -method " the author tel Is you how to put
Here is a story of the planning generator? W1SL tells abou t it all together in a neat and
and dedication of those who are these parts of the ssb story in effective package.
trying to unravel the puzzle of this concluding art icle of the
what's "out there ." series.
HRH Interviews
A Plan For In the th ird part of the interview
with John Johnston , the
Morse Code Instant Phone Patch discussion includes the Novice
One of the first steps in reac hing A phone patch is a sometimes drop-out prob le m, t rai ning
for the Amateur Radio Oper- handy thing when you need an programs , the code-free license
ator's li ce nse is learning Morse interface between your radio idea, and the scheduling of
Code. This arti cle will not only and the telephone system. Here examinations.
tell you why, but how, and is one that entails just about a
outlines some plans that will minimum of fuss and effort to
make it easier for you. The get going. Further, you can store
author speaks from the ex- it out of the way until yo u HAM RADIO HORIZONS May
perience of having conducted need it. 1977, Volume 1, No. 3. Publ ished
many classes in this art. mont h ly by Communications
Techno l ogy , In c ., Greenvi lle,
New Hampshire 03048. One-year
The Variable World's subscription rate, $10.00; three·
Frequency Oscillator Youngest Amateur year subs cript ion ra te, $24.00.
Applicat io n to mail at second ·
Nowhere are the handicaps of Neil " Rusty" Rapp received his c lass post age rates is pending at
being " bound " to a few fixed first Amateur (Novice C lass) G reenv i ll e, New Ha m pshire
and crowded frequenci es more li cense - WN9VPG - at age 03048 and additional offices.
evident than in CB operation. five! Now WB9VPG , and age

2 m May1977
 The Small Computer
Twenty-five years ago a computer as powerful as the Sol-20 offers all these features as standard:
new Processor Technology Sol-20 priced out at a cool million. 8080 microprocessor- 1024 character video display
Now for only $995 in kit form or $1495 fully circuitry-control PROM memory-1024 words of static low-
assembled and tested you can have your own small computer power RAM - 1024 words of preprogrammed PROM-built-in
with perhaps even more power. It comes in a package about the cassette interface capable of controlling two recorders at 1200
size of a typewriter. And there's nothing like it on the market bits per second-both parallel and serial standardized interface
today. Not from IBM, Burroughs, DEC, HP or anybody else! connectors-a complete power supply including ultra quiet
It fills a new role fan - a beautiful case with solid walnut sides - software which
If you're an engineer, scientist or businessman, the includes a preprogrammed PROM personality module and a data
Sol-20 can help you solve many or all of your design problems , cassette with BASlC-5 language plus two sophisticated computer
help you quantify research, and handle the books too. For not video games-the ability to work with all S-100 bus products.
much more than the price of a good calculator, you can have high Full expansion capability
level computer power. Tailor the Sol-20 system to your applications with our
Use it in the office, lab, plant or home complete line of peripheral products. These include 'the video
Sol-20 is a smart terminal for distributed processing. monitor, audio cassette and digital tape systems, dual floppy
Sol-20 is a stand alone computer for data collection, handling disc system, expansion memories, and interfaces.
and analysis. Sol-20 is a text editor. In fact, Sol-20 is the key Write for our new 22 page catalog.
element of a full fledged computer system including hardware, Get all the details.
software and peripheral gear. It's a computer system with a Processor Technology, Box E, 6200 Hollis St.,
keyboard, extra memory, 1/0 interfaces, factory backup, service
Emeryville, CA 94608. (415) 652-8080.
notes, users group.
It's a computer you can take home after hours to play
or create sophisticated games, do your personal books and taxes,
and a whole host of other tasks.
Those of you who are familiar with small computers
will recognize what an advance the Sol-20 is.
 May, 1977
Volume 1, Number 3

CONrENrs
An Oracle - Radio Astronomy 12
John J. Ronan , W1 HLV
T.H. Tenney, Jr., W1 NLB
Publisher
A Plan For Morse Code 20
James R. Fisk, W1HR Clay Laster, W5ZPV
Edltor-ln·Chlef
The Variable Frequency Oscillator 26
Editorial Staff
William I. Orr, W6SA I
Thomas F. McMullen, Jr., W 1SL
M anaging Editor
Your Transmission Line 32
Patric ia A. Hawes, W A1WPM
Execut i ve Editor James R. Fisk, W1HR
Charles J. Carroll , W1GQO
James H. Gray, W2EUQ Taking The Mystery out of SSB, Part 3 42
Ass istant Editors
Thomas Mc Mullen, W1 SL
Publishing Staff
Fred D. Mol ler, Jr., WA1 USO Instant Phone Patch 48
Advert is ing Manager Alex F. Burr, W5QNQ
Cynth ia M . Sch losser
Assistant Advert is ing Manager
The Youngest Amateur 51
Therese R. Bourgault
Circul ation Manager James H. Gray, W2EUQ

Ham Radio Ho rizons is published Simple Electronic Keyers 54

monthly by
Communications Technology, Inc Joe Buswell , WA5TRS
Greenville, New Hampshire 03048
Telep hone 603·878·1441 80-Meter Top Hat Vertical 62
Subscript ion rates are Stanley Sm ithson
$10.00 per year. worldw ide
HRH Interviews FCC's John Johnston, Part 3 66
Copyrigh t 1977 by Communications
Technology , Inc. Title reg istered Joseph J. Sc hroed er, W9JUV
at U.S. Pat ent Office

The Cover Act ivities Calendar 72 Perspective 8

The 140·foot radio telescope at Ad Scan 77 Post Box 73
Green Bank, West Virg inia,
gazes at a distan t part of the Advertiser's Index 78 Product Showcase 74
galaxy. Author Ronan tell s us DX Forecaster 70 Subscription Agents 78
what it ' s searching for, starting
on page 12. Photograph
Focus and Comment 6 This Month's Horizons 2
courtesy of NRAO. Newsline 11

May1977 m 5
 FOCUS &COMMENr
It has been said that time heals all wounds. It seems that time also can bring about a
complete change of attitudes and responses. It was only a short 20 years or so ago that
we Amateurs were suffering from the " TVI plague" and, because of the very unfavorable
opinions held by most of the view ing public, decided that the less said about our
hobby, the better. Inconspicuous was the watchword for antennas and lead-in wire,
w herever possible. Equipment was bulky , and the answer to keeping it out of the public
view was often a basement or attic hide-away for the shack. Fortunately for us, public
opinion has changed , and with it our ability and freedom to "tell and show." To wit:
The clerk who was taking care of my order in a hardware store was nervous and ke pt
looking at th e clock. It turned out that he needed to get across town to pick up his car
at a repair shop , and the salesman who had promised him a ride was late. The shop
was on my way home, so I offe red a ride , which was accepted. He spotted the two-
meter fm rig immed iate ly, and was just about to ask what my "hand le " was when
someone came on the repeater and used the autopatch to call the loca l police to report
a m inor traffic mishap. Then , the questions started . "Why is it so c lear ... is the
telephone bit legal . . . how far can you talk . . . how many statio ns are on the
channe l?" The expression on his face was beautiful to behold when I answered the
last two qu estions by picking up the microphone and ask in g for a demonstrat ion roll-
call. It was late afternoon, and the homeward ru sh had not yet started , but the response
of 39 stations , at distances up to almost 65 miles from where we were, was very
impressive.
More questions, dozens of them . He kn ew abou t CB - he had worked at one time for
a local fuel-oil company whi ch had tried CB in their trucks. One lin e of questioning was
about the difficulty o f "learning all that stuff. " I asked him "How long did it take you to
learn how many pipe sizes there were , the names of the f itting s, and the difference
between th e types of copper tubing?" When he rep lied that it had taken "about a
month , maybe a month-and -a-ha lf ," I said , "Rightl That's about how long it will take you
to learn all that stuff about radio to pass the exam ." Hi s face brightened - I sensed
that the bug had bitten .
We arrived at his dest ination before I could finish answering the many questions, so I
gave him the locat ion of the next radio c lub meeting, and invited him to come visit. He
did, and I am happy to relate that he is now more than half-way through a li cense class
that was formed short ly afterward.
The point of all of thi s is that it is truly great to be able to exp lain what your
equipment is and how it is used without fear of being c lass ified as "one of those radio
nuts who ruins my ballgame."
There are obv ious ly many s imil ar opportun iti es to explain our hobby , and the public
is more receptive than ever because they are now awa re of commun ications as a part of
l ife . Let's ride thi s wave of favorable reaction for all it's worth. You no lo nger need be
afraid to answer questions. And , if someone asks one that you canno t answer - don't
worry about it. Tell him "I know someone in my club who can answer that for you. "
When he meets all those friendly peop le at your next meeting , who a re so g lad to help
him toward getting his Amateur li cense, a lot of his misapprehension will turn into
enthu siasm . And you can wear a big sm il e if someone asks what you have done late ly
to help your hobby.
Thomas McMullen, W1SL
Managing Editor

6 m May1977
 Clockwise from lower-left.! 1(:;zO 4MHz. 2 meter, All Mode Tran~celver; ,I C-HS Moblle'2 met~·Traiisceiv·.i;~- l'c22s Mobile VHF
FM-Transceiver: IC-502 Portilb~e 50·MH2 SSB Transcelver: __IC_2 15 Po;rtable 2 rnet,er FM .Traiiceiy, _t:c,C.30-':M,obile UH.f, FM Transceiver.

Ask your dealer for ICOM's complete product line catalog, or

mail your request to an address betow. , ·
VHF/UHF AMATEUR AND MARINE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT Distributed by:

ICOM WEST, INC. ICOM EAST, INC. ICOM CANADA

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More details? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 7

 PERSPECTIVE
Several years ago we heard a lot about an unpopular fellow who was supposed to be a
typical representative of the United States abroad. You and I know that his false
description was no more appropriate than any other generalization , and we also know
that there are ugly as well as beautiful people in all countries of the world; but what if
people think it's true? "Aye, there's the rub ... ,"as Shakespeare said. To be thought
ugly is as bad as being ugly.
We Americans like to think of ourselves as popular because, after all, we should be
popular shouldn't we? We've done more than most to help our fellow man, haven't we? It
hurts our pride - and vanity - to be seen in an unfavorable light, and t0 be tagged with
such an unfortunate name.
America is physically represented abroad by ambassadors, businessmen , servicemen,
missionaries, Peace Corps volunteers, medical personnel, and workers of
all kinds who live in various countries and meet people face-to-face every day. ls this
enouah to create a false impression? Perhaps not.
America is also represented abroad by its newspapers, magazines , television shows,
and movies - in short, the communications media. Is that where a foreigner's
impression of us as a nation comes from ? Perhaps it is, in part, but cons ider something
for a minute: You and I represent the largest and most comp rehe nsive commun ication s
medium that ever existed on th e face of the earth - Amateur Radio.
As Amateurs, we have the power to do more good than almost any other
"representative" of our country, because our type of communication provides a very
c lose person-to-person link with another "ham," a contact that can be heard by
thousands of sho rtwave li steners, as well. The normal barriers of time and distance
disappear and, in fact, permit us to be "present" in the shack of every foreign Amateur
we talk to. Wh at better opportunity could we possibly have to represent our country and
ourselves? There are more than 280,000 licensed Radio Amateurs in the United States
and, even if only one-in-a-hundred of us contacts a foreign Amateur, we still have nearly
3000 "representatives" abroad !
Do you wonder what thi s has to do with you? I'm sure that th e answer is already
apparent. By our conduct in everyday conversation s with each other, our courtesy,
interest, sympathy, and understanding, we convey impress ions to foreign Amateurs; we
are wh at they hear! How do we sound?
Think about thi s when you make your next contact, and when you talk to a DX
station. Think about it when you are tempted t o "wash dirty lin en" in public because, in
reality, you are the Voice of America. You are judged more often by your operating
habits and by what you say than by what equipment you use or the height of your
antenna.
So, the next time you go on the air, remember that you hold in your hands the means
and opportunity to represent American Radio Amateurs as you'd like them to be
represented. You have the power to erase th e image of the "ugly" Ameri can. What you
do with that opportunity is important to all of us.
Jim Gray, W2EUQ

8 m May 1977
 made its debut, with unique and exciting operating
advantages made possible by full solid-state technology.

At the moment, there are over 7,500 solid-state TEN-

TEC transceivers in service in nearly every Free-world
country. We are acknowledged, we think, to be the
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HF Transceivers. And there Is no short cut to design
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Since 1969, the year in which TEN-TE C introduced
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rapid. It was in this year that we produced the POWER- manufacturer that has placed a five-year pro-rata war-
MITE which triggered the booming QRPp activity. Two ranty on output transistors - with an unlimited guaran-
years later, the ARGONAUT followed, demonstrating that tee the f irst year against failure from any possible cause
Ham Radio can be more than just push-button com- under normal operating conditions.
munication.
You can put your full trust in the integrity of design,
Then, in 1972, a break-through - the 100 watt " 405" quality, craftsmanship and performance to specifications
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More details? Ad Check page 78. May1977 m 9

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and features second to none, and at a price that makes it the operation only ... .$745.00
best amplifier value ever o ff ered to th e amateur. Constructed TEMPO 2006
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at ful l legal pow er. If you want to put that strong c lear sig nal So lid stat e power amplif iers for use in most land mobile
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A high quality linear amp lifier designed for commercial and Tempo 100C30 30W 100W $159.1 Te mpo100C10 10W 100W $149 .
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conservative th·ree kilowatts PEP input on SSB with efficien- Tempo 130A30 30W 130W $189. Tempo BOA02 2W BOW $1 59.
c ies in the range of 60% . Th is result s in PEP output in excess Temp o 130A10 10W 130W $179 . Tempo 50A10 10W 50W $ 99 .
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Tempo 80A30 30W BOW $149 . Tem po 30A10 10W 30W $ 69.
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4K-ULTRA Tempo 70D30 30W 70W $210.1 Te mpo 40D01 1W 40W $185.
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general coverage o perat ion from 3.0 to 30 MHz. Us ing th e Tempo 40010 1ow 40W $145 . \ Te mpo 10001 1W 10W $125.
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Prices subject to ch.Inc• without notice.
NEWSLINE.....__ _ _ __
10 METER LINEAR AMPLIFIER coverage would be prohibited and type acceptance of
commercially manufactured Amateur Radio equipment would be required under the terms
of two new Notices of Proposed Rule Makin~ adopted by the FCC.
Linear Amplifiers: The Commissioners have proposed the outright banning of th e
commercia l manufacture and sale of linear amolifiers capable of operating in the
24-36 MHz range. Individual Amateurs would still be permitted to build their own
10-meter linears, however, and existing used linears with 10-meter coverage could
stil l be bought and sold.
Tyte Acceptance: The Commission has also proposed that type acceptanc e be required
for a l commerc ially manufactured Amateur Radio equipment . The Commissioners appear
to feel that type acceptance wou ld benefit the Amateur Service since i t would establish
technical standards for Amateur equipment (the Amateur Service is the on l y FCC -
administered service which does not have such a requirement) as we ll as permit the
Commission to set requirements that would make Amateur equipment more difficult to
adopt to non-Amateur use . As with the linear ban, individual Amateurs would still be
permitted to build their own equipment; type acceptances would apply on l y to commer-
cially manufac cured gear, with provisions for type accepting kit - built equipment.
FCC CONT INUES TO CRACK DOWN on che HFers, and is in the proc es s of lifting the CB
licenses of 21· members of HF Int ernational for operating on frequencies not assigned
to the CB service. All were also cited for participating ''in an organized scheme to
operate radio cransmitting apparatus ille gally and avoid detection by identifying
with 'HF' numbers in lieu of their assigned callsigns . "
AMSAT'S AO-D SATELLITE (the future OSCAR 8) is schedu led for launch on November 15th .
It ' ll carry 144- to 29 - MHz and 144- to 435 - MHz transponders, and with a 500-mile high
orbit will be even easier to access - though for shorter periods - than the present
Amateur satellites.
Professional ualit Machine Sho , mechanical and draft i ng work is badly needed to
keep t e AO-D OSCAR project on its late 19 77 launch schedule. W3GEY brought word
from the January 18th, Phase 3 meeting in France that the European Space Agency needs
some data on the o lanned Amateur satellite immediately, putting a very heavy burden
on AMSAT's limited manpower - volunteers should contact Perry Klein at AMSAT.
WARC ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AMATEUR RADIO meeting was spent on new and strengthened
supporting arguments for new Amateur HF bands at 10, 18, and 24 MHz . Even though the
FCC's Notice of Inquiry had not included those previously requested bands, the group
felt they were important enough - both for improved communications capability and
to take care of the predicted Amateur Radio growth through this century's end - that
another strong p l ea was called for.
ARRL GENERAL COUNSEL Bob Booth has added another Amateur to his Washington office,
Demetrios (Demy) Pulas, WB2QKT/WB4BTF .
Bob ' s WJPS Call is wel l known to Amateurs, of course, but according to one of the
trade magazines he also sports the hand le "Wet Noodle" on 11 meters!
"MOVIN' ON 1977" wi ll be a giant (200,000 expected) CB fair Memorial Day weekend
at the Pennsylvania Pocono International Rac eway. Camping facilities are avai lable ,
and the event will provide an outstanding opportunity for some nearby rad io club to
present Amateur Radio to a tremendous number of prospects while enjoying a group
family holiday outing . Contact Ann R. Strawn, Pocono Productions, 842 Hamilton Mall,
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101; tol l free (800) 523-9470 for details.
"THE CLUB PAPER," an excellent manual for editors and publishers of radio club
periodicals, is available to members of the Amateur Radio News Service. Copies are
also available to new members of ARNS - send $4 (annual dues alone are $3) to ARNS
Secretary WAJHEN to join and receive a copy.
AMECO'S FIRST NEW AMATEUR ACCESSORY in some time is their solid - state Model PT - 2
preamp/station control. The updated version of Ameco's popular Model PT uses a field-
effect transistor.
BELATED CONGRATULATIONS to W7LHI/WA7KZT, recently elected t o Arizona ' s State House
of Representatives.
"AMATEUR RADIO ... IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST" is a very attractive report on Amateur
Radio in 1976 published by the ARRL for use in presenting the Amateur Service to
public officials and the media. Copies for PR use are now available on request , but
do specify with your request how and where they'll be used.

May 1977 m 11
 Skyline Drive - one of the
most scenic roads in the
eastern part of the country. A
pathway to numerous camping
.. sites, hiking trails, picn ic areas
- an escape-to-tranquillity for
many of the inhabitants of the
busy seaboard areas of North
Carolina, Virginia, and the
District of Columbia. The Drive
is an aptly-named part of the
Blue Ridge Parkway which
follows the ridges and turns of
the mountain range that is
encompassed by the
Shenandoah National Park.
From a scenic overlook near
the southern end of the Drive
you can look east toward
Charlottesville on the busy
highway from Richmond ,
Newport News, Washington ,
and Colonial Williamsburg .
The view to the west is
inspiring; mountain ranges pile
An Oracle Comes of Age: up one behind the other, with
always a distant blue tip
hinting of more to be found
THE NATIONAL beyond the last range in sight.
Somewhere to the southwest,
near the second and third
RADIO ASTRONOMY ranges to be seen, is another
town that is the western
OBSERVATORY terminus of a trek by many a
scientist , engineer, and
technician. Green Bank, West
Virginia - the name is
suggestive of pastoral calm
and is not inappropriate. From
the quiet, self-confident bustle
of Charlottesville to the peace
of Green Bank there is little to
denote that they are both vital
parts of an effort to Iisten to a
universe that man has never
heard. The discipline that t ies
the two together is Radio
Astronomy; a field that requ ires
both the serenity of an area
isolated from the electronic
hubbub of the business world
While most of us are happy and an administrative center
with access to that same world
to communicate with the with its computers and
world immediately around technology.
us, there are those who The science of radio
listen to the universe astronomy is less that 100
years old. Yet, there are over
eighty major installations in the
BY JOHN J . RONAN, W1HLV world today, their dishes
dotting each of the continents
like miniature lunar craters.

12 ~ May 1977
Some of the sites - Jodrell
Bank in England, Arecibo in
Puerto Rico, Vermillion River in
Illinois, Hat Creek in California
- are well known and
beginning to acquire the
romance always associated
with stars and distant galaxies.
But the vortex of radio
research is in Charlottesville,
Virginia, hard by the Blue Ridge
Mountains, at the National
Radio Astronomy Observatory
(NRAO). Now 23 years old, the
obervatory was born in 1954
out of talks between
Carnegie Institute, Cal Tech,
and the National Science
Foundation (NSF). Like its
sister institution, Brookhaven
National Laboratory, NRAO is
operated by the Associated
Universities, Incorporated (AUi), One of the pioneers in Radio Astronomy, Karl Jansky, used t his antenna array at t he
a non-profit organization made Bell Telephone Laboratories to discover radiat ion fro m the Mi lky Way. His wo rk in
up of Columbia, Cornell, 1930-32 was intended to study the interference that bothered t ransatlan tic radi o
telephone circuits. A replica of this antenna stands at Green Ba nk, West Virg inia (Bell
Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Laboratories photograph courtesy of NRA O).
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Pennsylvania, facilities under AUl's guidance director, now David Heeschen,
Princeton, Rochester, and Yale. get most of their financial who manages the budget and
Created in 1946, AUl's support from the federal over 200 NRAO employees. The
mission was to run large-scale government: Brookhaven from elite core of that staff,
research facilities which are the Atomic Energy averaging only 30 members , is
beyond the economic clout of Commission, and NRAO from made up of the astronomers
any single school. NRAO, one the National Science themselves - the scientif ic
of the largest radio-astronomy Foundation, which are both research staff.
complexes in the world, with major sources in this country The secret behind that sma ll
an annual budget nearing of "clean," or non-defense, number is another facet of
$20,000,000, certainly fits that money; a fact that both NRAO's existence: It is
description. Brookhaven and N RAO primarily a vis itor insti tution .
AUi, whose president is scientists are proud to Though its staff generates a
Gerald Tape, is steered by a point out. good deal of the experi ments,
Board of Trustees. Both of the NRAO itself is run by a half of the observatory's
purpose is simply to prov ide
access to its equipment for
anyone with an approved
orG rTIZING
CAUBR ATJON
SIGNAL (Q LJrPM[N T program, whether American or
foreign. And it does serve that
purpose: Ove r 60 per cent of
PUNCHED
PRE - CA.ROS the time on the telescopes is
AMPUF1£R

OR
s pent by non-NRAO personne l.
Programs run through NRAO
PAP ER
TAPE
have accounted fo r some
DETECTOR
spectacular discoveries, such
MAGNETlC
as the first detection of a
TAPE pulsar* by American
AMPLIFIER
astronomers, and later the
fl~~~RS t - - - - - L . __ __,of.c~
, ..-, .~.-
. .~'f
CHART
RECORDINGS
~
LLJ
~-~

*Pulsar: A rapidly rotating star

ANTEN NA RADIO RE CEIVER REC ORDI NG EQUIPMEN T
approx imately of the mass of the sun,
but of much higher density. Th ey emit
regu lar pulses of radio radiation, once
Fig. 1. Here is a simplified block diagram of the sophisticated technique that turns o r twice per rotation. The Crab Nebula
the static-like noise from a distant star or galaxy into something that astronome rs pulsar has also been obse rved optically
can interpret. and in x-rays.

M ay 1977 m 13
detection of a pulsar in the usually months in advance , that
Crab Nebula. This second not only states the purpose of

/
discovery, in November, 1968, the experiment but also ·~
. I
was important because the requests a certain telescope
Crab pulsar is one of the few and receiver. Generally, larger '
that is both a radio and a light
source.
It was at NRAO that the first
telescopes (antennas) are
efficient at longer wavelengths,
but the precise wavelength
.v
I
.(
.,
measurement of a magnetic used is determined by the
fi eld in hydrogen c louds was receiver, just as in household
made, and it is at NRAO that radios.
the continuing study of the Though the actual process is
structure of the galaxies goes far more complex, the
on. On a " local" level, the telescopes and receivers are
NRAO staff has examined the interchangeable in somewhat
radio emissions of the planets, the way tuners and speakers
especially Venu s and Mars. The are in large stereo shops.
information, on both The astronomer - or
atmosphere and ground shopper - can request any
characteristics, has been used combination, depending on the
by NASA to help solve practical " sounds " he is after. The
engineering problems. astronomer goes further; he
specifies the exact location in A c loser look at one of the 85-foot anten-
Shopping for time the sky as well as the duration nas . Th is is th e Howard E. Tatel
telescope, one of the oldest at the o bser-
Exactly who gets time for of tracking time . Then, vatory. It is the fixed part of the in-
what experiments is he waits. terferometer array; the other two are
determined by an elaborate The NRAO administration movable al ong a track in o rder to obtain
screening process. It begins hands the proposal over to a va r iable baseline (photo cour-
tes y NRAO).
when NRAO or visiting three independent, anonymous,
astronomers submit a proposal, referees who judge the
individual proposals solely on
Another early explorer of the radio universe was Grote Reber. He built his antenna in merit. Since NRAO is a visitor
1937. using 26-gauge galvan ized iron sheet for the surfac e. It cost approximately institution, its staff is in direct
$4000 at that time. and we ighed ap proxi mately two tons exclusive of the turntable. competition with radio
Gro te exp lo red the 160· and 480-MHz area from his backyard in Wheaton, Illinois. Wh ile astronomers from other
not exactly a mobile piece of equipment, nevertheless it was moved from Wheaton to
Sterling, Virgi nia, then to Bo ulder, Colorado , and finally to NRAO at Green Bank. It was observatories. They bid against
restored under Reber's supervis ion in 1959-60, and stands at the entrance to t he one another for the telescope's
West Virginia site of NRAO (photo courtesy NRAO). time. The decision of the
judges, as in other contests,
is final.
If a proposal is approved , it
is given to the Ch ief Telescope
Operator who in turn gives it to
the Duty Operator assigned to
the appropriate instrument. The
astronomers are never actually
allowed to operate the
telescopes.
Finally, the experiment is run
while its sponsor, somewhat of
a tourist for the time being,
waits. Once the data is
recorded and analyzed , boxes
of read-out sheets are at last
offered up, like the riddled
responses of the ancient
oracles, to the man who asked
the questions.
Research facility
The purity of scientific
research in Charlottesville is
complemented by the

14 [ill} May 1977

 the ladder is clear. Most of the
Scientists are tenured and
those below are on short-term
appointments, ranging from
one to three years. The largest
single group of staff members,
the Research Associates, are
on one- to two-year
appointments. Unfortunately,
this points to one of NRAO's
few flaws - insistence that the
rapidly changing staff produce
quick, visible results, a parallel
to the old academic "publish or
perish" demon.
Still, the observatory thrives.
One of the most striking
projects at NRAO is the search
for organic matter in inter-
stellar and inter-galactic space_
The existence of organic
molecules outside of a life
environment was once thought
impossible but, now, almost
thirty different molecules are
known to exist in free space.
A diameter of 300 feet (91 meters) makes this radio telescope at Green Bank an awe- About two-thirds of them were
inspiring sight. The first American to discover a Pulsar used this dish to do so in discovered through NRAO.
1968. Some idea of the size can be gotten by comparison to a football field or by con- It is amazing that this
sidering that many houses in urban areas are on land areas less than one-quarter of the
antenna size (photo courtesy NRAO). research has shown the
existence of such complex
atmosphere. The single, three- consult with a colleague. Such structures as acetaldehyde
story brick building that is conversations, heard from a (CH 3CHO), used on earth in the
NRAO headquarters sits quietly distance, are a garble of manufacture of perfume,
at the base of one of the Blue syllables marked only by the methyl alcohol (CH 30H),
Ridge's foothills, near Thomas general lilt and dip of the commonly known as wood
Jefferson's University of language; the topic could be alcohol, and formic acid
Virginia. In fact , the structure is baseball . But when the words (CHOOH), the substance which
leased from the university and come clear they are not likely makes a bee sting painful.
the legal tie, along with the to be about home runs:
physical proximity, gives NRAO " ... so it looked like the galaxy The computer used in data reduction is
much of the colonial calm that dropped by a hundred in flux an IBM 360/65. Here Sharon Spooner at
the Charlottesville c enter puts the
Jefferson designed into the on the same scan . . . no mac hine through its paces c ranking out
University of Virginia. indication of change in the the numbers (photo courtesy NRAO).
Visitors come to the glassed- spectral index_ ..
door entrance by way of a J03D r2 cm2 . _ . " Whatever,
circular drive that loops around it is not baseball.
a large bed of ivy and through Reflecting NRAO's university
the invisible scent of dogwood. origins, the research staff
Once inside, the mood and retains the academic ranking
pace seem almost monastic. system that includes, at the
The full-time members of the top, tenure. Moving from the
scientific staff, which has been most temporary to the tenured,
all male for most of NRAO's the ranks are Research
history, work in cell-like offices, Associate, Assistant Scientist,
poring over data that has been Associate Scientist, and
disgorged by the IBM 360/65 Scientist. The academic
which is housed in the penchant for word play, where
basement. years of work and study mean
Occasionally, a hand flutters the moving of "Associate"
over a desk calculator or from the right to the left,
someone pads down a long, is obvious.
Holiday-Inn-like corridor to But through the word-murk,

May 1977 m 15
 except for the destination, is a
trip into the past. It takes three
hours on State Highway 250 as
the two-lane road twists and
toils its way over range after
range of mountains, beginning
with the Blue Ridge. Beyond
West Augusta, in extreme
western Virginia, 250 cuts
th rough the George
Washington National Forest
and seems, at times, to pass by
permission of the trees alone .
Past Headwaters, 250 enters
some of the remotest country
east of the Mississippi. The
villages here - McDowell,
Monterey, Hightown, through
which 250 inevitably becomes
11 11;.111 •Stl .. !. 10"1
. .. ~ ~ 1. ' L tHj, :.
\'[ LOCI ITUC. J
the Main Street - are the type
I~ q 1. 1 I ll-lit
"O IY I l '<l '!.0 1
I" " ' '"' 10.111 11 l·ht ISV!O where four-bladed ceilinq fans
su rvive and turn so slowly in
Computers are used to reduce the received signals to a contour map that is more summer, that flies ride them
readily interpreted. This is the intensity chart of the 21-cm hydrogen line as taken
through the constellat ion of Scutum (NRAO photo). to cool off. They are the last
bastions of the eight-ounce
Coke. They are America forty
Further, it gives new, positive, leave Charlottesville. NRAO's years ago.
clues to the problem-of- dishes are located 120 miles Then, turning south onto
problems in all space research west, in Green Bank, West West Virginia Highway 28 to
- the quest for life. Virginia, nestled between the enter Deer Creek Valley, the
These are staggering feats Allegheny and Back Allegheny driver nears Green Bank,
for a science just 87 years ranges of the Appalachians. elevation 2700 feet, with 1300
young. It was only in 1890 that The trip from Charlottesville, additional feet of green
Thomas Edison , pausing
between phonograph and
vitascope, proposed Not the valley o f the dolls, but the valley of th e dishes. Th e row of 85-foot radi o
construction of a radio telescopes at the right are in an i nterferom eter array that i s 5000 feet (1.52km) long.
The 300-foot antenn a, left, and th e 140-foot equ atorially-mounted unit , far left, are bot h
telescope near Sussex, New in their "stow" position s for max imum saf et y in windy weat her (photo cour-
Jersey_ Edison wanted to tesy NRAO).
encircle a field with telephone
wire and "listen" to the sun.
The experiment even got so far
as the delivery of the poles, but
they were never erected_ More
interested in profitable patents
then in radio astronomy,
Edison let the experiment
languish.
No matter; the instrument
would have been too
insensitive to work. By
contrast, NRAO's telescopes
are able to detect signals many
light-years distant. It has been
estimated that the radio energy
that they, and all other radio
telescopes, have collected over
the past twenty years, is
equivalent to the energy
expended by the fall of a single
snowflake!
To get a look at these
delicate beasts a visitor mu st

16 m May1977
mountain protecting it to the meter) scope, completed in
east and west. Here, in the May, 1965, at a cost of almost
"Wilderness State," three miles $14,000,000. It was this
north of town , there suddenly telescope that was used to
appears, like the first view of discover formaldehyde, the
the invading machines in War first organi c molecule found
of the Worlds, * a field of in space.
telescopes. They are gawky, The largest of NRAO's
awkward things, each topped telescopes, and the one used
by a huge metal dish. Like to find the Crab Nebula pulsar,
lunar landers, satellites, and is a 300-foot (92 meter) dish
other apparatus built for work w ith a surface area of 1.8 acres
in space , they are without even (7300 square meters). After its
the pretense of a single completion in 1962, for almost
streamed line. They obviously Fig. 2. A n interferomet er is an instru- a decade it was the largest
ment that can map the position and
have to do with worlds far characteristics of di stant signal sources moveable radio telescope in
removed from West Virginia. by making use of the pa ttern the wo rld.
Spread over a 2700 acre tract, peculiarities of two or more antennas One te lescope not located in
there are eight telescopes. linked together electronically . Because West Virginia is a special , high-
Wally Oref, the Public of phase differenc es in the wave arriving frequenc y dish at Kitt Peak
at separate loc atio ns, one part o f the pat-
Information Officer for NRAO, tern will be reinforced, another part will National Observatory (KPNO),
runs an extensive tour and be cancelled. A computer can use this in· near Tucson , Arizona. KPNO is
information service during the f ormation to determine re lative size and the optical cou nterpart to
summer, and visitors are also somewhat pre c i s e l oc ati o n of N RAO and was c hosen as a
the source.
tree to walk the grounds by site for a radio telescope for
themselves. But only walk: the same reaso ns that the
sparking automobiles wreak visual astronom ers f irst
havoc with the receivers. the two moveable elements: claimed the peak: clarity of
A stroll around all the about 5000 feet (1500 meters). atmos phere at high altitude, an
telescopes is long, about three Though less sensitive than a important conside rat ion for
miles, and over largely real telescope of that size, the super-high-frequen cy wo rk.
untouched terrain, since the addition of longer hours of Hence, the choice of a single
Green Bank operation is as observation for higher 36 foot (11 meter), millimeter
ecologically "clean" as the resolution makes it well wavelength telescope for Kitt
money that built it. Deer Creek worthwhile. Peak, the heart of " enemy"
is unpolluted and cattle are The most imposing terri tory. (At one tim e there was
allowed to graze up to the very instrument is the 140-foot (43 a smal l, 6-inch [1 5cm], opt ical
shadows of the telescopes. In
fact , it's not unusual to be When the wavelengths get so s hort that they are in what is termed the mill imeter-wave
gaping at a mammoth dish, band, the surface of the dish mu st be ve ry ac curate to be effic ient. Th is mm-wave
perhaps tuned to the other end telescope is housed in a radome at Ki tt Peak, near Tucson, Arizona. The 36-foot (11 m)
instrument is operat ed by NRAO in a study of the co ld gas in the Milky Way (p hoto
of the universe, and discover cour tesy NRAO ).
that you have put your foot in a
more earthly texture, courtesy
of the cows.
Among the telescopes at
Green Bank are three 85-foot
instruments that, together,
form an interferometer. One of
the elements is fi xed and two
moveable so that , working
tog ether, they are able to
simulate a t elescope equal in
diameter to the separati on of
· w ar of The Worlds, a book by H.G.
Wells , was used as an early Science-
Ficti on rad io broadcast by Orson
Welles. It port rayed an attempted
invas io n of thi s planet by creatures
from Mars. Because the ficti onal
landing site for the alien s hips was in
New Jersey, the 1939 broadcast caused
wide-spread panic amo ng residents in
that part of the country.

May 1977 lfil 17

telescope at Green Bank, but,
hinting of a radio vs visual
rivalry that still survives in
astronomy, it is referred to as a
"toy" and never used.)
Green Bank, however,
remains an ideal site for
reception at lower frequencies.
To the residents' chagrin, it is
virtually impossible for them or
the telescopes to pick up
commercial radio and
television. And, since a state
zoning law forbids flying over
the NRAO sites, the equipment
is safe from aeronautical
interference.
Also, the mountains soften
the elements. There is little
snowfall and the humidity is
relatively low year round.
Though the telescopes are
operational in winds up to forty
miles per hour, velocities
seldom approach gale force. If
they do, the dishes are swung
to a "stow," or vertical
position, in which the sloped
underside of the bowl acts as
an airfoil and actually forces
the wind to help support it.
Despite their ruggedness,
each of the telescopes require
eight hours of shut-down time,
every week, for maintenance.
Only the personal intervention
of the director himself can
override this procedure.
Larger projects and equipment
That kind of care will be even
more necessary in the future .
The reason is that 1973
witnessed the first NSF
(National Science Foundation) _ ._.i&l"i
money - $3,000,000 - toward At the Very Large Array site in New Mexico, o ne leg of the system stretches to the
a project referred to in northeast horizon. A unique set of bogey wheels on the transporter allows the dishes
Charlottesville as the VLA, or to be brought to the main track from the spur, then moved at right angles, to another
position. The large building between the second and third antennas is an assembly
Very Large Array. The name is and repair facility. It is large enouQh that a complete 82·foot (25m) antenna can be
accurate. When completed in worked on inside. The facility is built in a Y configuration, with two arms 13 miles
1981, the VLA will be a (21 km) in length, and another that is 11.8 miles (19km) long. When it is finished, the 27-
complex of 27 telescopes , each dish installation will have the resolving power of a single dish approximately 26 miles
(42km) in diameter (photo courtesy NRAO).
25 meters across, spread over a
circular area many miles in
diameter. Working together, the
telescopes will form a giant
interferometer, with nine price of $80,000,000, it will also scientific administrative
dishes on each of three tracks be the "most expensive." problems. The new location , on
splaying out from a central hub The VLA, however, is not the Plains of St. Augustin, in
like the spokes of a peace being constructed at Green the Magdalena Mountains,
symbol. The VLA will easily Bank. The new site is over 1500 outside of Socorro, New
recapture the title of "world's (~400 km) miles west and may Mexico, will eventually employ
largest" for NRAO. At a total cause some rather non- over 60 people. Because of its

18 m May 1977
 equipment will have to be
constructed in New Mexico,
the re may be a transfer or
dupl ication of some personnel.
Beyond that, some non-
scientists, in purchas ing and
accounting , may also be
involved in the move.
The important thing to
remember about NRAO's
administrative pains is that
they are the growing kind and
not unpleasant. They mean
expansion on a grand scale. In
the last few years , NRAO's
budget has doubled; by 1981 ,
facilities w il l double. All of
wh ich means that radio
astronomy will move c loser to
equal ity w ith its older brother,
optical astronomy. It will he lp
give t he entire science a sort of
For truly awesome contemplat ion there is the 1000-foot (305m) installat ion at Arecibo,
Puerto Rico. A depression in the terrain was expanded and shaped, then lined wit h
binocular vision , a way to see
cables and su rfacing panels. Since this photograph was taken the surface has been f it· t he universe in true perspective
ted with panels of greater accuracy to extend the upper frequency range of the dish. It and depth.
has seen such diverse uses as radar sources, and for Amateur Radio communication
by bounc ing signals off the moon. Recommended Reading
1. John Heywo od, Radio
size and the personnel Both the Green Bank and Astronomy and How to Build Your
involved, the Socorro site will Charlottesville locations will Own Telescope , Arc Books, In c.,
not be as easily run by remote remain in full operaton; the New York,1964.
administrative controls as is seat of power, at any rate , will 2. Scientific American , Vol. 206,
the much smaller Kitt Peak remain in Virginia. But, since No. 2, " The Amateur Sc ientist ,"
operation . some of the scientific February, 1962, pages 163-174.
3. Denni s M . Downes , " A Simple
Radio Telescope," Sky and
Other parts of the world are into the Radio Astronomy studies too. The Max Planck In· Telescope , Vol. 24, No. 2, Au gust ,
st itute for Radio Astronomy in Germany has this 330-foot (100m) dish that is steerable 1962, pages 75-76.
in both azimuth and elevation. In addition to looking for emissions from SO-billion ligh t
years away, it will be used to receive signals from a Helios space probe being built 4. Joseph H. Alexander and Larry
jointly by the United States and Germany. W. Brown , " A Radio Telescope For
Amateurs,'' Sky and Telescope,
A pril, 1965, Vol. 29, No. 4, pages
212-214.
5. J. Kraus, Big Ear, Cygnus-
Quasar Books, Powel l, Ohio,
available from ham radio's
Communications Bookstore,
No. COB-A , $3.25.
6. F.S. Harris , " The Parametric
Ampli f ier,'' CQ Magazine,
November, 1958, pages 74-75; 159,
164, and 168.
7. Heiserman , Radio Astronomy for
the Amateur, Tab Books, Blue
Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania,
available from ham radio 's
Communications Bookstore,
No. T-714, $5.95.
8. J. Shields, Introduction to Radio
A stronomy, Howard W. Sams, Blue
Summit, Pennsylvania, available
from ham radio's Communications
Bookstore, No. 21246, $4.50.
HRH

May 1977 ~ 19
·- .••..•...••...•. --- ·-·
A PLAN FOR MORSE CODE
-- --- ·-· ....•.•. --- •...
BY CLAY LASTER, WSZPV

Why would you want to learn or commercial circuits,

the code? That's a good particularly when the going
question! Basically it boils gets rough.
down to whether or not you
want to open your own, International Morse Code
personal, window on the world. The International Morse
Radio amateurs - hams - Code is a simple "language"
have the freedom and the "ambassadorship of the air." with a fixed set of rules and,
means to communicate with Beyond that, learning to unlike formal languages, only
hams in other countries, no converse in code is fun; that's two fundamental skills need to
matter how small or far away. right - FUN! The language of be acquired to master
United States hams are the code transcends normal conversation in code. The first
particularly fortunate in the language barriers and enables is to learn the code itself, a set
available number of bands and you to talk to other hams of characters or symbols
frequencies for their exclusive wherever they may be. Radio representing the 26 letters of
use; every ham - in a very real transmissions using the code the alphabet, plus 10 numerals
sense - becomes a are called CW transmissions, and 8 or 10 of the most
spokesman for himself and his and have the unique ability to commonly used punctuation
country. be heard and understood even marks. The second is the
Freedom walks hand-in-hand when voice transmissions fail ability to send and receive
with responsibility and, in the miserably due to fading, static, these characters with speed
case of the ham, it is a interference, or other problems and proficiency enough to pass
commitment to himself and to that plague the airwaves from the Federal Communications
his country that's on the line. time to time. In addition to Commission test and to
In exchange for your freedom these plus factors, CW facilitate conversation with
to communicate by ham radio, transmitters are the simplest of another radio amateur.
Uncle Sam asks for something all to build, buy, and operate . Although it is true that some
in return: that you send and Almost any ham anywhere can people adapt to the code more
receive the International Morse afford a modest CW quickly than others, almost
Code with a proficiency transmitter, and in the less anyone can learn to send and
acceptable to him. Congress affluent countries CW is used receive the code at speeds of
has given to the Federal by amateurs almost 20 or 25 words per minute. The
Commications Commission - exclusively. only variable is the amount of
the FCC - the authority for Finally, it is a fact that, watt time you must spend to
determining your readiness to for watt, radio transmission by develop the required speed and
be licensed, and it is that body code is the most reliable proficiency. Age is no barrier to
that examines you before means of communication learning the code, for people
granting you your available, whether on amateur from ten to seventy continue

20 m May1977
with great regularity to pass
the FCC code test after Letters
adequate practice and self- A dit-dah J dit-dah-dah-dah $ dit-dit-dit
study. Sometimes it is easier to B dah-dit-dit-dit K dah-d it-dah T dah
learn the code by enrolling in a c dah-dit-dah-dit L d it-dah-dit-d it u d it-dit-dah
local class sponsored by an D dah-dit-dit M dah-dah v dit-dit-dit-dah
amateur radio club, the YMCA, E dit N dah-dit W dit-dah-dah
or a church group. F dit-d it-dah-d it 0 dah -dah-dah x dah-dit-dit-dah
G dah-dah-dit p d it-dah-dah·d it y dah·dit-dah-dah
If you are of average ability,
it will only take you about 10
H dit-dit-dit-dit a dah-dah-dit-dah z dah-dah-dit·dit
I . dit-dit R dit-dah·dit
hours to "memorize" the set of
International Morse characters.
You will need about another 10 Numerals
to 20 hours to develop the skill 1 dit-dah-dah-dah-dah 6 dah-dit·dit-d it-dit
required to pass the 5 word-per- 2 dit-dit-dah-dah-dah 7 dah-oah·d it-dit·dit
3 dit-dit-dit-dah-dah 8 dah-dah-dah-dit-dit
minute code speed and
4 dit-dit·dit-dit-dah 9 dah-dah·dah-dah-dit
proficiency test required by the 5 dit-dit-dit-dit-dit G dah-dah-dah-dah-dah
FCC before they will issue a
Novice or Technician Class
amateur license. An additional Punctuation marks and special symbols
30 to 60 hours of practice will
be needed for you to progress Period(.) Wait (AS)
from the 5 word-per-minute dit-dah-dit-dah-dit-dah dit-dah-d it-dit-d it
level to at least 15 words per Comma Pause or break (BT)
minute. (Thirteen words per dah-dah-dit-dit-dah-dah dah-d it-d it-d it·dah
minute, sending and receiving, Question mark(?) End of message (AR)
are required to pass the FCC d it-dit-dah-dah-d it-d it dit-dah-d it-dah·dit
tests for either the General or Fraction or slant bar(/) End of work (VA)
Advanced Class amateur dah-d it-d it-dah-d it dit-dit-d it-dah-d it-dah
licenses). These are only Error
Invitation to transmit (K)
estimates based on my dit-d it-d it-d it-dit-dit ...
dah-dit-dah
experience teaching code
classes, but your learning rate Fig. 2. Recommended set of International Morse Code characters for beginni ng
wi II probably fall somewhere amateur radio operators. The overscore as used here means t hat the two letters are run
within these limits. together.
Fig. 1 is a graph that shows
code speed compared with
average learning time based on adhere to the plan . Failure to practice each day of the week.
a systematic schedule of study. establish such a plan may Divide each learning session
In most cases the code cannot result in failure to learn the into practice periods of 15 to
be learned with a haphazard, code as quickly as you desire, 20 minutes, separated by rest
occasional study approach , and and perhaps not at all with any periods of 5 to 10 minutes. By
it is important that you plan a degree of proficiency. resting now and then, you
systematic, regular, study You ought to plan on avoid fatigue and increase your
schedule, and then make a spending between forty-five learning efficiency. Once in
personal commitment to minutes and one hour of awhile you may have to miss a
practice period , but you
20 shouldn't miss more than one
period per week or a " slide-
/ __ / back" in proficiency and
progress will result.
_/ __ ./ Fig. 2 is a set of International
Morse Code characters
recommended for beginners
and should be adequate for all
FCC code tests. At a later date
you may want to learn
0 io 20 JO 40 50 60 70 BO
TIME - H O URS OF STUD Y additional punctuation marks
Fig. 1. Code speed compared with learning time for an
and special symbols not
average person undertaking a sy stematic course of ordinarily used for amateur CW
study. communications.

May1977 m 21
 code speeds , poor or noisy
signals, and the inability to get
a " repeat" when needed are
AMICO CODE couur real drawbacks. Major

-
..........,._. M.rse Cede exceptions to such obstacles
~ 6 through 10
SIDE
are the regularly-scheduled
a code-practice sessions held by
W1AW, headquarters station of
the American Radio Relay
ANIECO CODE co\JllSE - League (ARAL). This station
lnternot\onal Morse Code
c,:::' transmits excellent code with
le,.on• 1 through 5 -
. ..
~
.-.oc;tc»
automatic keying equipment
which provides uniformly-
spaced-and-formed code
characters. Various code
speeds are sent each day,
usually in the evening at
convenient listening times, and
the signal from W1AW is
almost always loud and clear.
Specific information about the
Tape cassettes offer a co nvenient way to obtain code practice, either in substantial practice sessions is given in
sessions or in a short lesson of a few minutes duration . They are available fo r a wide OST, the monthly publication
variety of speeds. of the ARAL.
The code character groups
recommended for initial
During the initial learning learning the characters in learning of the code are given
period it is highly terms of their sounds, this two- in Fig. 3. This is an arbitrary
recommended that you learn step process of translation is selection , and variations of
the code in groups or blocks of eliminated. characters selected for each
characters and do not try to Many excellent code tapes group will not affect your
learn the entire set at one time. and records using this learning rate. You should learn
You will find that bite-sized approach are readily available each group completely before
groups of letters, numbers, and in the marketplace, and you will proceeding to the next one.
punctuation make learning the find advertisements for them in Practice text , composed of
code much easier. You wil l also most of the amateur radio characters in the group being
discover that there is another journals and magazines.• You studied - as well as
advantage to this method: might also check with local
you'll learn the sounds of the radio club members to see if
dits and dahs rather than there are any tapes or records
visualizing the dots and available within the club, or you Group
dashes. could also ask your local radio number character set
supply store for them. Many
Dits and dahs radio clubs periodically hold 1 E, I, S, H
One important aspect in "theory and code" classes for 2 T, M, 0, A
initial learning of the code is to beginners who want to become 3 A , w, J, K
always think in terms of dits 4 U, V, F, L
hams, and often have a set of 5 N, D, 8, G
and dahs instead of dots and tapes on file. You wi ll find that C, Y, 0 , x
6
dashes. Don't memorize a a cassette or tape player, a 7 P, z
character as a dot-dash record player, or a code 8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
combination. If this is done the machine will be a valuable aid 9 6, 7, 8, 9, 0
mind has to translate a sound to your learning process 10 period (.); comma (,);
(in terms of dits and dahs) to because you will be able to question mark(?);
dots and dashes, and finally repeat sections of the practice slant bar (/); erro r
translate the dots and dashes text as you need them , and 11 wait (AS); pause (BT);
to the transmitted character. By learn at the rate best for you. end of messa_g_e (AR);
You may already have a end of work (VA)
receiver for listening to "on- invitation to tran smit (K)
·cassette tapes from 3 V2 to 40 wpm
are available from ham radio ' s the-air" CW transmissions
Communic atio ns Booksto re, Greenville, between I icensed amateur Fig. 3. Recomm ended c harac ter sets
New Hampshire 03048. radio operators, but unknown for " bite-size" code lesso ns.

22 m May1977
characters in previous groups
- should be available for study
sessions.
Regard less of t he code
transm ission rate, each
time for co pying , with the
resu lt that you gradually fall
behind . If you plan to progress
to the Amateur Extra Class
I icense, you should begin now
0 I
"'""1
2 3 -·.
r
4 ~ 6
Q

7 8
TIM( I N TERVALS OR U NITS
EL EMENT DURATION ANO SPACING FOR CHARACTERS
9
1
10
]UNITS

II 12
r
13

-- ---
character of the International to write out the letters and
Morse Code is always words instead of printing them. M 0
tran smi tted in dits and dahs of A final suggestion that will
uniform lengths, with uniform help you copy code ~ 3UNITS i.-
spaces between them. Spacing successfu lly is to ignore ELEMENT SPACING BETWEEN CHARAC TERS

between c haracters and words mi ssed characters. When your

is also uniform , and Fig. 4
shows thi s relationship.
Another suggest ion for
learning the code is to se lect a
brain refuses to id entify a
particu lar character - and this
happens occas ionally to even
the m ost experienced operator
·- - ·- -·. ·--
AT A
- L 1.- ...L
UNrTS UNITS
~
ELEMENT SPACIN G BE T WEEN WORDS
NEW

cassette or tape which sen ds - ig nore it and qui ckl y go on Fig . 4. T ime in t erv al sp ac i ng for
the individu al code characters to the next character. This el ement s of a c haracter , be tw een
at a speed of approximately 13 ability is not difficult to characters and between words .
words per minute but spaces deve lop if you start right away,
the charac ters far enough apart and it will help you avoid the
so that the effective overall bad habit of stopping to recall
sending rate is only about 4 or the t ransm itted character and your own sending and play it
5 words per minute. In this missing the next two or three back for analysis. This
manner, the sound of the c haracters. technique helps you learn to
charac ters is learned at a One way to help train send more perfect code and at
speed comparable to that yourself to develop this the same time augments you r
rquired for the FCC code test valuable t ec hnique is to insert receiving abil ity by the process
at 13 words per minute. This a dash in place of the missed of repet it ion .
means that you don ' t have to character, and continu e Finally, if you feel you 're
re -learn the sound of eac h copying. Later, you can go back " st uck" and not ma king the
character every time the code and fill in the missing character pro gress you think you ought
speed is increased, and - at after co mpletion of the copy. t o be making, take heart.
the same time - you Sol Kupferman, W2GVT, Refe rring aga in to Fig. 1, noti ce
automaticall y prepare yourself recommends that you learn to t hat the learn ing " curves" are
for th e General or Advan ced insert a random character for a broken by separations or
Class code test as well as the missed character and cont in ue " plateaus." You 'l l remember
Novice and Technician Class to copy. He reports that in t hat we talked about how long
code test. The brain has no many instances the random it takes an average beginner to
difficulty recognizing individual character will be the correct learn the code, based on
characters sent at a faster one because the subconscious estimates gathered over a long
speed if sufficient time is mind had instinctively provided period of time, and from many
allowed between the th e right response. This code classes . Well , these
characters. Many companies method could be a bonus, estimates also all ow fo r the
who supply amateur radio parti cul arly if you are taking the " learn ing plateaus"
instru ction materials employ FCC code test and desperately experienced by most peop le.
this technique for their code need that twenty-f ifth character A plateau is sim ply a time of
tapes, cassette s and records. to pass the test. little o r no apparent prog ress in
Don't ignore the need to send ing or rece iving speed and
Getting it down on paper develop a good code sending is caused by a mental barrier in
In order to copy code on abi lity along with a good code which th e brain simp ly refuses
paper at a rapid rate , it is receiving ability. One way is to t o adapt to a faster speed for a
recommended that you write obtai n a hand key and code temporary (and usua lly short)
the letters and words in practice osci llator, and practice period . You r plateaus may
longhand rather than print send ing code for 5 or 10 occur, for example, at 6-7, 10-
them . Thi s is contrary to what minutes during each training 11 , 13-15 words per min ute and
you w ill hear from many session. Sending practice at higher speeds. The on ly
teac hers , but at high speeds provides a pleasant and solution to overcoming these
suc h as 20 words per minute I relaxin g diversion and also obstacles is practice and more
have found that the time helps you develop greater code practice. Almost everyone will
required to print each character receiving proficiency. If a tape experience one or more
is greater than the allowable reco rder is available, record plateaus whi le learn ing to

May 1977 ~ 23
 ON- OFF
receive code at the higher SWITCH 2. Plan a systematic
SI
speeds , so don't be +~o--...-~...-~..--wRIY--1,.._-, schedule for code practice and
discouraged. Keep at it. RZ
stick to the schedule.
100*
TON£ 3. Ignore missed characters
Code practice oscillator CONTROL
during practice; write in a dash
You may want to build a or random substitute character
l002C2

0
code practice oscillator as a quickly, and concentrate on the
" first " electronics construction next character.
project. Kits, such as the 4. When practicing, always
Heathkit HD-1416 Code , 2 3 4 SPEAKER
copy at a speed that is faster
TOP VIEW
Practice Oscillator (with hand OF NE555
than a " comfortable" speed.
key), can be obtained for this K£Y~
purpose. Fig. 5. A simp le code practice oscillator 5. Develop the ability to
An excellent code-practice can be built around Slgnetlcs NE555 and transmit code by devoting a
oscillator may be built from handful of components. portion of each learning
"scratch" using a Signetics session to code sending
NE555 integrated-circuit c hip a range of approximately 300 to practice.
(timer chip) and a handful of 1000 Hz by means of a 6. Plan for over-qualificat ion
small components. The IC and potentiometer, R2. The when you take the FCC code
necessary components can be volume is adjustable to a proficiency test. If you'll be
purchased from most comfortable listening level with taking a 5 word-per-minute
electronics parts suppliers or R3. A more complete examination , make sure you
from local Radio Shack or description of this code- can copy " solid" at 6 or 7
Lafayette Electronics stores. A practice oscillator may be words per minute; and if you're
diagram and parts list for this found in The Radio Amateur's taking a 13 word-per-minute
oscillator is shown in Fig. 5. Handbook. test , be able to copy 15 words
You can install the oscillator in Summary per m inute. Everyone
a small utility box or cabinet experiences some
Seven principles for
for a "p rofessional" apprehension before and during
developing code proficiency
appearance, and include a two· a test , and the ability t o copy
are:
or three-inch diameter speaker "solid " at a slightly higher
having an impedance of 1. Practice, practice, and speed will pay big dividends.
between three and eight ohms. practice some more; this is the 7. Get in touch with some
The oscillator tone is primary key to learning the members of your local ham
adjustable to suit your ear over code. radio club for assistance and
possible code and theory
classes once a year, or more
often, depend ing upon demand.
Working with hams who have
passed the FCC tests will
provide motivation for you to
acquire the necessary skill to
carry on conversations in code . .
Good luck, pilgrim.
Bibliography
1. Learning the Telegraph
Code , American Rad io Relay
League, Newington,
Connecticut, 1970.
2. Solomon Kupferman ,
W2GVT, "Some Ideas on Code
Practice," CO, November, 1975,
pages 37-38, 79-80.
3. The Radio Amateur's
Handbook, American Radio
Relay League, Newington,
Connecticut, 1976.
A code-practice oscillator and key are necessary for the beginner to build up his code 4. T. McMullen, W1SL, " The
vocabulary . There are many excellent model s available and advertised In the amateur Code Box," QST, September,
literature. 1976. HRH

24 ~ May1977
 $29.95 each communloGllOftl 1pHialiN 'K-1 FIELD REPLACEABLE,
PLUG- IN, FREQUENCY
Wired and tested, complete with P. O. BOX 153 .
DETERMINING ·ELEMENTS
K-1 element BREA: CALIFORNIA 92621
$3.00 each

•
(714) 998-3021

More details? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 25

The
VARIABLE
FREQUENCY
OSCILLATOR
Where it came from,
and what happened to it BY WILLIAM I. ORR, W6SAI

The exploration of the high propagation theories, led to the fleet moved from San
frequency spectrum in the early vast changes in Francisco to Australia. The
1920s by Marconi in Europe communications technology outstanding results of these
and radio amateurs in the and convinced the Navy that transmissions led the
United States led to a the higher frequencies were Commander-in-Chief to
revolution in communications practical and that a reliable, recommend that the Navy be
that is still producing shock variable-frequency transmitter equipped with two-way radio
waves today. One of the first design was a prime necessity. equipment capable of instant
parties to grasp the importance In 1925, an experimental operation at frequencies up to
of the high frequencies, and to shortwave station, manned by 18 MHz. Within a few years the
understand the need for Fred Schnell of the ARRL, was U.S. fleet was provided with far
improved long distance installed on the fleet flagship, more reliable communications
communication via short the U.S.S. Seattle, tor long- equipment than any fleet in the
waves, was the United States distance transpacific tests as world.
Navy. In spite of the millions of The James Millen Manufacturing Company of Malden, Massachusetts
dollars invested in a world· was among the first of many companies to specialize in equipment for
wide, low-frequency network, Amateur Radio stations. Qual ity , price, and performance were their
the Navy moved into the strong points. This Millen 90700 Variarm vfo was one of the first vfos
shortwave field with speed and available to Amateurs. The main tuning dial was supplemented by a
vernier arm connected to a small variable capacitor that allowed the
enthusiasm, aided by radio operator to easily shift frequency by 1 kHz or less.
amateurs.
Assisted by the American
Radio Relay League, the Naval
Research Laboratories
observed that frequencies
between 2 MHz and 4 MHz
carried much further during
darkness than during daylight,
and that frequencies between 4
MHz and 12 MHz were better
for daylight use. A variable·
frequency transmitter was used
by John Reinartz, W1QP and
W1 XM, in tests that were
monitored in the Laboratory
and also in Orlando, Florida.
Signal strengths were logged
over a period of months. The
1924 tests showed a "zone of
silence" which varied with the
frequency in use. This was the
discovery of skip distance, and
this phenomenon, which did
not fit in with the older wave

26 m May1977
 from the pages of QST after the
station description of 1926, but 12.
13
Dow was not unknown to
commercial and ham operators;
7 8
in 1922 he had published the
CW Manual, a compilation of
material concerning the use of
Federal arc transmitters and it
is known that he was a radio
officer on the U.S.S. Utah
during the period 1932-1933. Fig. 2. Ele c tron coupling between
Fig. 1. The Dow "constant frequency However, it was his work in the oscil lator circuit and l oad ci r cuit
oscillator." The screen of the tetrode Naval Research Laboratory in minimized frequency variation as load
tube was used for the anode of the shifted. For maxi mum isolat ion , feed·
the late 1920s that is of
oscillator c ircuit. In this vers ion , the back capacitance of tube is neutral ized
importance today, as his by capac itor 12.
cathode is at ground potential and the
screen is at rf potential. A later version design of a reliable variable-
shi f ted the ground point from the frequency oscillator took place
cathode to the screen. (Figs. 1·3 from during that time.
Proceedings of the IRE, December, 1931 , The Navy required a power vacuum-tube tetrode was used,
Volume 19 , number 12 , "A Recent
Development in Vacuum Tube Oscil la- oscillator for their shore and at power levels up to 100 watts
tors" J.B. Dow). marine transmitters that was output. To achieve maximum
reliable, rugged , and resettable. isolation from load variation,
A Congressional Dow developed a "constant Dow neutralized the
appropriation of $550,000 in frequency oscillator" circuit feedthrough capacitance of the
1926 set the stage and the (Fig. 1 ) which depended for its tube (Fig. 2). His published
Navy's Bureau of Engineering operation upon the "electron works included a master-
announced that, "facilities coupling between the oscillator, power·amplifier
were conducting research oscillation-generating circuit arrangement (Fig. 3) which was
based upon the new and the load circuit." In the used as an exciter unit for a
requirements." It fell to the lot early circuit s an 865 or an 860 500-watt Navy tran smitter
of a radio amateur to solve the The Mill en Model 90711 vfo was a more soph isticated ve rsion of the earlier Variarm.
complex problem of Not e the sl ide-ru le dial , separate band spread swi tch , and vern ier tuning arm. In those
days Amateurs used th e 11 -meter band, and its incl usion is therefo re no surprise. The
multifrequency operation and
olde r vfos were housed in cabi nets larger than most modern t rans mit ters . Mill en's f ull
quick frequen cy c hange. This is line of stati on acc essories s uppl ied the Amateur with everyt hi ng he needed to put an
the story of that development outstanding signal " on the ai r."
and how it affected amateur
radio.
The beginning
The February, 1926, issue of
QST magazine featured a
description of amateur station
1 BAY, of Cambridge,
Massachusetts, owned and
operated by a 29-year o!d Naval
Lieutenant, Jennings B. Dow.
Dow's transmitter, a 100-watt
job, was completely home-built
(as were most transmitters of
the times) and featured crystal
control, a rarity in those days.
Dow had ground his own
crystal and admitted that his
station, "was primarily for
experimental purposes and
little time was available for
operating." Nevertheless, he
had received a report from
Ireland and had worked the
West Coast a number of times.
Radio 1 BAY disappeared

May 1977 m 27
Fig. 3. Master-oscillator
power-amplifier (MOPA)
circuit devised by Dow ,.:;r_f'~ 1§fr.r~, tH;, .-- ;,1,, ·• power output on all bands
between 160 and 10 meters,

':
for frequency contro l this two-tube exciter was a

~-r~-- : lr~~
unit of 500--watt Navy giant step toward all-band
transmitter. Two UX--865 e,, '
operation. Before the efforts of
tetrode tubes are used. I p I I ?. l I : - Dow and Lamb, radio amateurs
Oscillator circuit (5,6) is _, : -1f-- ' ' --fr-
~~--_.__...,.__, ~--~­ were chained to crysial control
coupled to screen and ""-
grid of fi rs t tube. Plate-
I - . -r
__ J __ __ .J ___ _ on one or two bands, to
1_ _ __ _ _ _ ____ , _ ___ _
·-' -- - - -- -'
to-gr id capacitance i s ,....,.,.,,.......,~
IJ
unstable self-excited osci l lator
neutralized by capacitor operation on a number of
12. Second UX--865 acts bands, or to separate
as an amplifier or as a
doubler (18)_ t ransmitters for each band in
use. Now for a few dollars, a
few parts, and a handfu l of
capable of operation up to 24 revised the circuit for low-- plug-in coils , operation on any
MHz and which provided a power crystal control that the
"pure de crystal note. " Dow oscillator advanced into
ham history (Fig. 6). Lamb
The radio amateur version analyzed the circuit as a low--
Dow publicized his improved mu triode oscillator with its
oscillator circuit in QST grid directly coupled to a high--
L,
magazine of January, 1932 (Fig. mu screen-grid amplifier. He
4). A 100-watt tetrode (type 860) substituted crystal control for
was used, with a frequency-- Dow's tuned circuit and the so--
determining circuit consisting called Tri-tet oscillator was
of an air-dielectric capacitor born (Fig. 7).
and a copper-tubing tank coil The plate circuit of the Dow-
(L 1-C1). The screen grid of the Lamb oscillator could be tuned
860 served as the anode of the to harmonics of the crystal,
triode oscillator circuit. The providing multiband operation.
filament of the tube was above Curiously enough, Lamb's
ground potential, as far as the interpretation of the circuit as Fig. 5. A practical Dow osci ll ator for
oscillatory circuit went, so a shown in Fig. 6 was not hams _A wi re-wound coil was substituted
bifilar coil was used, with one absolutely correct, as the for the co pper tubing coil of Fig. 4. A low
filament wire pulled through cathode circuit is not tuned to capacitance fi lament tra nsformer was
used to allow t he filament circui t to
the copper tubing. In a later the crystal frequency for assume an rf potential. A s ingle 860
version (Fig. 5), published in optimum performance. Rather, osc illator was capable of driving a pair of
the March, 1933, issue of QST, it is tuned to a frequency 860s in parallel for a two-stage kilowatt
a special, low-capacitance approximately 1.5 times higher transm it ter _ Keying was usu ally accom-
pl is hed in the screen c ircui t (drawing
filament transformer was used than the crystal frequency and reprinted with permission of QST) .
so that the bifilar tank coil functions as a feedback
could be eliminated. control. And finally, by the
However, amateur interest November, 1933, issue of QST, high-frequency amateur band
was minimal in an oscillator a circuit was developed to was poss ible.
that used a 30-dollar tube, and provide either crystal control or
it was not until James Millen, variable-frequency operation for The Perrine vfo
W1 HRX, and Jim Lamb, W1AL, the amateur (Fig. 8). Capable of Crystal control afforded good
the technical editor of QST, providing from 3 to 8 watts stabi Iity, but variable-frequency
high-powe r osc il lator operation,
Fig. 4. Improve d Dow
oscillator circuit was shown in while acceptable for the U.S.
January 1932, iss ue of QST. Navy, was not stable enough
Oscillator developed 40 watts for the narrow amateur bands ,
power output on the second ;., fc::d and the electron-coupled Dow
harmoni c . "Hot" cathode
circuit was fed via secondary
osci Ila tor gradually got a bad
winding in cop per tubin g name. By 1936 most amateur
oscillator coil. Because of the stations were crystal
low grid-plate capacitance o f Cs controlled, despit e the fact that
the 860 tube , neutralization th e crystal limited the operator
was unnec essary when th e ri:l------T--J>--+---~
to a single frequency and its
plate c irc uit was tuned to the fundamental frequency ~ L,;1~v"'.l
A I ,q~ harmon ics. Changing
of the osc illator (drawing reprinted with permission
ofQSD- -B •B frequen cy, therefore, became

28 m May1977
an expensive and time- Fig. 6. The Dow oscillator was
consuming operation. Most analyzed by Jim Lamb of QST
as a low-mu triode oscillator ,J:.;r.-r~ J ,;.,e('l"I C. d
1

hams had one or two crystals, directly coupled to a high-mu ..:~·:,r9AJ f+.:l'~~n

and that was that! tetrode amplifier. James Millen i'" ~ ••

In October, 1938, the cover of adapted this circuit to crystal Ou'/ "'·
Radio magazine announced , control by placing a crystal in nh
series with the grid of the Dow L,
"W2GOQ, W2UK, and W6CUH oscillator. By proper tuning of
work KHBRC around the the tetrode plate circuit power c,
world!" It was the famous output on the second harmonic
globe-girdling flight of Howard of the crystal frequency was
achieved. The Lamb circuit - a •H ,.,,
Hughes who circled the globe
(shown here) placed the tuned circuit in the cathode, whereas the Mi llen c ircu it tapped
in three days, nineteen hours, the cathode at a point on the grid tuned circ ui t. Feedback was varied by moving the
and eight minutes! Amateur cat hode tap, whereas with the Lamb circuit the impedance of the feedback path was
radio scored a triumph , too , as varied by means of a variable capac itor sh unted across the feedback coil (draw ing
contact was maintained with reprinted with permission of osn.

frequency (Fig. 9). It was early oscillators of Dow and

R, recognized by Perrine that a Lamb, and from the pre-war
high-Q coil, rigidly mounted, XEC exciter of W6CUH, came
contributed to frequency to fru ition after World War II in
stability. The heater and the improved variable
cathode of the Perrine oscillators available in amateur
L, oscillator tube were held at the equipment. One of the better
same rt potential by the oscillator designs was that
expedient of an interwound coil used in the Coll i ns KWM-2
that carried filament power to transceiver (Fig. 10). Wh ile Dow
the tube. The XEC also and Lamb undoubtedly would
Fig. 7. The Lamb " Tri-l et" oscillator cir- incorporated temperature have recognized the c ircuit as a
cu it. The name came from the idea of a compensation by virtue of the version of their original
comb inat ion triode oscillator and a addition of a small capacitor des igns, the execution was
tetrode amplifi er. The cathode circ uit is
in the plate to cathode return ; rf voltage that had a negative temperature bold and new. The Collins
developed in the plate circ uit is imposed coefficient. When used with a 70K-2 oscillator used induct ive
on the grid c ircuit in proper phase and regulated plate supply , the tun ing and derived the cathode
amplitude to sustain oscillat ion . The osc i Ilat or had a drift of less voltage from a capacitance
main advantage of the Tri-tel was that
even a poor crystal could be made to than 1000 Hz at 14 MHz over a bridge, instead of from a tap on
oscillate. Crystal cu rrent, however, was temperature variation of 30 the oscil lator coil. Oscillator
very high in this bas ic design. Later degrees fahrenheit. This would readout is linear so the tuning
designs incorporated cathode bias for be considered mediocre by dial could be calibrated in
reduced crysta l current (drawing today's exacting standards, but ki lohertz, and t he vfo could be
reprinted with permission of osn.
nevertheless the XEC was head instantly shifted i n frequency
and shoulders above anything by means of a voltage-variable
the Hughes plane by radio else available to the radio capaci tance diode placed
amateurs as it sped around the amateur, so far as frequency across a port ion of the
world. Dick Stoddart (call stability was concerned. osci ll ator circuit.
unknown) and Charles Perrine, And, finally , the vfo concep t
The post-war vfo
W6CUH, of Hughes Aircraft was converted to solid state.
The lessons learned from the Heat was removed from the vfo
Company deserved the credit
for the design and development by the eli mination of vacuum
of the ground and air tubes; polystyrene and mylar
equipment responsible for the
radio communication for the Fig. 8. The QST "all band" exciter unit was the latest
record flight. design in 1933. Using two 59 pentode tubes, the bread-
And it was a few months board exci te r prov ided
later at Hughes Aircraft that betwee n 3 and 8 watts o n
any amateu r band be
W6CUH developed the famous tween 160 and 10 meters.
"crystal e.c.o .," or XEC exciter. It was poss ible to rear-
This sophisticated version of range t he grid ci rcuit for
the Dow oscillator featured a self-excited operatio n ,
very high-C tank circuit which as s hown . Mo st ama-
teurs, however, preferred
helped materially to swamp out crystal control (drawing
the effect of tube and circuit
changes on the oscillator
-· ....•300
reprinted w i th per-
mission of osn .

May1977 m 29
 Fig. 10. Ultimate vacuum-tube vfo design is that used by Collins in the KWM·2 transceiver and
S·line equipment. Cathode feedback voltage is derived from a voltage divider across the
oscil lator coil which forms a portion of the tuned circuit. Note that inductive tuning is
employed.

capacitors took the place of capable of holding frequency frequency to 10 Hz or less

mica units; oscillation within 100 Hz, or better, over an when they are powered by a
amplitude was diode limited; extended period of time. voltage-controlled supply.
and frequency control was Precision oscillators of this The crystal-control led Tri-tet
accomplished with varicap general type, operating in the oscillator has faded into
diodes. A modern vfo is middle-hf range, can hold obscurity as the years have

C, 807 O• RK3~

CO VPL1NC.
i TOCONC.CH•
TAIC l..INt

1---------.~"~r ~--, ID.)V,

'"°.. T ~ RFC,

HO.Tl'..AS 8SK7 H £AT£R

x x y

110V.
'\..

Fig. 9. In December, 1939, the famous W6CUH "XEC" vfo-exciter was shown in Radio magazine.
Thi s frequency-control unit was voltage and temperature stabilized . Th e filament of the 6SK7
oscillator was isolated from ground by mean s of a bifilar winding on the oscillator coil, thus
reducing drift caused by varying filament-cathode capacitance within the tube. Optional crystal
control, using ovens, was provided. A novel regulated power supply was included in the unit.

30 m May1977
 This MF J Antenna T Liner ...
lets you operate all bands - 160 thru 10 Meters -
.,
with a simple random wire. Use virtually any
transceiver - up to 200 watts RF power OUTPUT.

. . ·,·11'1!19
. . ..
. . $ 95
KEY ...
MFJ ANTENNA TUNER
ll_od~I -M F J · \GQ\()

Imagine being able to operate all made from two stacked toroid cores,
bands - anywhere, with virtually any and a quality capacitor manufactured
transceiver - using a simple random especiall y for MFJ .
+350 V
wire and an antenna tu ner s mall Try it - no obligation . If not
Fig. 11 . Modern version of the Tri-tet enough to carry in your hip pocket. delighted , return it with in 30 days for a
osci llator. Usin g an FT-243 style 7-M Hz Size is only 2-3/16 x 3-1 /4 x 4 inches. refund (less shipping) . This tuner is
crystal , the 807 oscillator will deliver 7 Operate from your apartment with a unconditionally guaranteed for one
watts at 14 MHz. The cathode ci rcu it is makeshift wall to wall antenna. Tune a year.
tuned to about 10 MH z. si m ple vertical for lo w angle, DX To order, simply call us toll free
o peration. Operate from your motel 800-647-8660 and charge it on you r
room with a wire dropped from a BankAmericard or Master Charge or
window. Tune out the SWR on your mail us a c heck or money order for
passed. Better circuits, mobile whip. Enjoy ham rad io on a $39.95 plus $2 .00 for shipping and
providing enhanced harmonic camping or backpack trip wi th a wire handling .
output and a higher order of th rown over a tree. Prepare for an Don't wait any longer to operate on
stability, have come into being . emergency. Take it on a DX exped ition all bands. Order t oday.
But for the amateur interested or use it for Fi eld Day .
in trying out this interesting Match both high and low impedances
by interchanging input and output .
MFJ ENTERPRISES
idea, a modern circuit, using an P. 0. Box 494
S0-239 coaxial connectors are used. Mississippi State, MS 39762
807 tube, is shown in Fig. 11. The secret of this tiny , powerful
This version makes use of the tuner i s a 12 position variable inductor Call Toll Free . .. 800-647-8660
large FT-243 style crystal
because the more compact
crystals in the HC-6/U holder
won 't stand the gaff. With a 7-
MHz crystal, appreciable power
is available on 14 MHz from the
oscillator, with crystal current
held to less than 50 mA. The
improved circuit features
cathode bias which provides /1n~ ii lime you liatl your
protection for the tube in case
oscillation ceases; this also
own per1onal compuler?
tends to reduce crystal current. Read BYTE, the leadin~ national publication covering the fantastic new field of per-
The circuit will work equally sonal computer applicabons. Today, large scale integration has made it possible ror the
individual to enjoy the unique benefits of a general puryose computing system. Now, an
well with a 6L6GC or a 6V6GT entire micro industry markets microcomputer related items, products that range from
computer system kits to peripherals, software and literature on the subject. But where
at reduced voltage. should you go for all the details about your personal involvement in computer
Most oscillator circuits are technology?
named after their inventor, or Read BYTE, the Small Systems Journal devoted exclusively to microcomputer
systems. Every issue a monthly compendium of lively articles by professionals, com-
the engineer who popularized puter scientists, and serious amateurs.
them: Hartley, Colp itts, Pierce, Fill in subscription coupon today, or phone your request directly- call 003/924-7217 and
Seiler, Clapp, and Vackar are a ask for subscription department. Read your first copy of BYTE, if it's everything you
expected, honor our invoice. If it isn't, write 'CANCEL' across invoice and mail it back.
few of the names that come to You won't be billed and the first issue is yours.

r.----------------------- ,
Allow• to 6 weeks for processing.
mind. But Dow never received
the recognition due him, as his
circuit is generally known as
IE'111 70 Main St .. Peterborough, N.H. 03458 34A3 I
the "electron-coupled
I Please enter my subscription to BYTE . . . I
oscillator" . Lieutenant Dow I 0 $12 One Year 0 $22Two Years 0 $30Three Years I
I D Bill me D Check Enclosed I
continued his career in the I 0 Bill BankAmericard 0 Bill Master Charge I
Navy electronics through World I Credit Card Number DDDO OODOODO DDD I
War II, retiring shortly I Credit Card Expiration Date I
thereafter with the rank of Name (Ptease Print) I
Commander. He died in I Address I
City State Zip. _ _ _ __
February, 1970. HRH
L-------------------------J
May1977 m 31
TRANSMISSION
LINES ... performance can often be
improved a hundredfold! In this
article we'll give you some tips
on how to select the best
YOUR PIPELINE transmission line for your
station and how to hook it up.
Balanced feedlines
TO THE Years ago all amateurs used
balanced open-wire feedlines
made from no. 12 or 14 (1 .5-
OUTSIDE 2.0mm) copper wire, separated
every two or three feet (1 m) by
spacers as shown in Fig. 1A. In
\NORLD the very early days most
amateurs made their own
feedline spacers by boiling
wooden dowels in beeswax;
later on, after ceramics were
perfected, several firms made
low-cost ceramic spacers
How to choose which were very popular.
the right feedline Following the war, plastics with
good rf insulating properties
for your station became available and they
and how to get quickly replaced the more
the most out of it expensive ceramic spacers.
Plastic spacers also lended
themselves to the manufacture
of commercial "ladder line" -
whereas wood and ceramic
spacers had to be tied in place,
plastic spacers had a low
BY JIM FISK, W1HR melting point so they could be
attached by simply heating the
wire and pressing it into the
Receiver, transmitter, building blocks in your station plastic.
transmission line, antenna - - like a chain which is only as Twinlead or ribbon line, Fig.
each is equally important to the strong as its weakest link, you 1B, was the next step in the
operation (and success) of your can't neglect one of the links development of balanced
amateur station. No matter how without affecting overall station feedlines. Originally designed
good your antenna is, or how performance. Your for use with television
powerful your transmitter, if transmission line is one of receivers, it consists of two
your receiver is insensitive or these links. parallel wires imbedded in a
unable to separate strong, After spending a good chunk web of polyethylene plastic.
nearby signals, you won't be of your hard-earned money on a Although television twinlead
able to hear all the stations transmitter and receiver, and was an inexpensive answer to
that can hear you. Likewise, if putting up the best antenna the feedline problem, the
your receiver is super, but your you can afford (or your landlord conductors were pretty small
transmitter isn't doing the job will allow), the transmission for transmitting purposes, and
it should, you will be able to line is often an afterthought. losses increased dramatically
hear weak, faraway stations Little attention is paid to its whenever it rained. The
that your transmitter just can't selection or installation, and manufacturers solved the
reach. So it is with each of the yet, for only a few dollars, its conductor problem by

32 m May1977
introducing heavy-duty twinlead conduits, taped to tower legs,
with heavier conductors which buried in the ground, or even
was marketed specifically for run underwater. Although
transmitting purposes. The balanced feedlines predate
effects of rain were minimized coaxial cable so far as amateur
to a certain extent by the use use is concerned , the basic
of the tubular construction coaxial structure received
shown in Fig. 1C which considerable attention from
provides a longer path between telephone eng ineers in the late
the two conductors. 1800s who were trying to
Fig. 2. Constructio n of modern , flex ible improve telephone
There was a time, 45 or 50 coax ial cable. Center insulat or may be
years ago, when practically polyethylene, Teflon, polyfoam , or other transmission, particularly in
every transmitt ing station in low-loss plastic. Some types may have a transatlantic submarine cables.
the world used open-wire d oub l e bra i d cove r i ng fo r e x tra In the early 1930s Bell
feeders - there was simply shielding, or silvered conductors for low Telephone engineers started
loss.
nothing else available. experiment ing with coaxial
Although balanced feeders had lines for the transmission of
very low loss, a big plus, they high-frequency radio waves,
also had their problems: They by everyone, the transmitters of and found that they worked
had to be kept well away from the time were designed to very well. The rigid , air-spaced,
metal objects; they had to be match them. That isn 't true solid copper lines used in
i nstalled high above ground; anymore, but some of the these studies weren' t practical
bends and turns in the line had popular amateur antenna for amateur stations , but
to be very gradual , and they handbooks still persist in commercial broadcasters
often twisted in the wind , push ing the use of twinlead quickly adopted them as
shorting out the two and open-wire feeders. This is standard equipment. Most of
conductors. Since balanced, not to say that balanced these early coaxial li nes were
two-wire feedlines were used feedlines are all bad - in some bu ilt with ceramic disks or
applications they are a very beads spaced at intervals along
good choice - but modern the line to support the inner
amateur equipment is designed conduc tor, a technique that is
for use with coaxial cable and still used today (Fig. 3).
0 BALANCED OPEN·W tRE LINE
is not directly compatible with Flexi ble coaxial cable first
balanced feedlines. In fact, if appeared on the scene in the
=JC:--=- --- --_J
0 T WI NLEAD
you were to make a survey of
active amateurs, you'd probably
find that 99 out of 100 are
late 1930s, but it was

using a coaxial t ransmission

line.
3~- -- - j Coaxial cable
e TUBULAR TWINLEAO The coax ial transmission line
Fig . 1. Three types of balanced feedlines is inherently unbalanced and
wh ich are s ome ti m es used by rad io consists of a center conductor
amateurs. Many years ago the open-wire which is surrounded by a
feeder in A was used by pract ically every
radio statio n in the world; today it is
grounded shield or outer
seldom seen. Tw inlead B was o riginally conductor as shown in Fig. 2.
developed for home television receivers, Since the rf field is contained Fig. 3. Co ns tru c tio n of coax ial air-
al t ho ugh heavy-du ty vers ion s are completely within the shield , insulated line which is used by high-
ava i labl e f o r transmi tt ing u se. Th e th is type of transmission line is power, commercial st ati o ns. Th is ar-
tubular twinlead in C has somewh at rangement was first devised more than
lower loss than conventional twinlead , not sensitive to nearby objects 40 years ago, and except for the use of
but is available only in low power ver- - unlike balanced feeders, it modern plastic spacers (usually Teflon),
s io ns. can be run through metal it has changed very little.

May1977 m 33
expensive, and amateur trouble. However, commercial
transmitters of the day were television was on its way, and
designed for balanced the impact of television
feedlines, so few amateurs interference quickly put an end
were interested in giving it a to unshielded radio
try . Although this cable used transmitters - and their
woven copper braid for the balanced feedlines. Although
outer conductor (and a natural balanced feeders don't radiate Fig. 4. Every t ransmission line is made
rubber weather shield), the under ideal conditions, few up of di stributed c apac itanc e and in·
resemblance to modern flexible amateur stations were ideal, duc tan ce, a s s ho wn here. Whe n rf
coax stopped there. with the result that the feedline energy is applied to t he line, these com-
ponents set up a f ixed relationship be·
Polyethylene was discovered in often radiated unwanted rf into twee n voltage a nd cu rrent , t hereb y
1937, but wasn't available in nearby television sets. Coaxial es tabl ishing t he c harac teristi c im -
commercial quantities until transmission line didn't solve pedan ce of the line.
much later, so this first flexible all the TVI problems but it did
coax used ceramic spacers like keep the rf bottled up until it Any transmission line,
its more expensive cousins. reached the antenna where it balanced or unbalanced,
Some manufacturers tried belonged. twinlead or coaxial line, has a
using natural rubber as a certain amount of capacitance
flexible dielectric, but the Feedllne characteristics and inductance per unit length
losses were far too great for If you've read the operating as shown in Fig. 4. These
use at radio frequencies. manual for your transmitter (or components are distributed
Most of the military transceiver), you know that the equal ly along the length of the
equipment built during the war rig likes to " look into" a 50- line (called distributed
was designed for use with ohm load, with a standing -wave components) and don't behave
coaxial transmission lines, and ratio (swr) not greater than 2:1. exactly like individual
the armed services bought You have probably asked capacitors and inductors
thousands and thousands of yourself , " Why a 50-ohm load? (which are called lumped
feet of flexible coaxial cable Why not 25, 75, or 100 ohms, or components). When rt energy is
which used polyethylene as the some other value?" This is a appl ied to the transmission
center insulator. After the war good question - with an line, the distributed
ended , much of this cable answer that has an interesting components establish a fixed
showed up on the surplus story behind it. But before we relationship between voltage
market, but many amateurs get to the story, let's talk a and current which, from Ohm's
were still using transmitters little about one feedline law, results in the
from the 1930s and didn't think parameter that's always listed characteristic impedance of
the conversion from balanced in the catalogs : Characteristic the line.
feedlines was worth the impedan ce. Since the distributed
capacitance and inductance
along the line are a direct
resu lt of condu ctor d iameter
and spacing , and the insulating
mate rial used between them , it
follows that the characteristic
impedance of the line can also
be calcu lated from the same
dimensions. For coaxial
transmission line the
characteristic im pedance is
determined by the ratio of the
size of the outer conductor, D,
to that of the inner conductor,
d , as shown in Fig. 5.
Assuming the outer diameter is
held constant, say at 1 inch
(25mm), the smaller the center
conductor, the higher the
characteristic impedance.
Unfortunately, there is no
one ratio of conductor
diameters which is optimum for
Braider machines in Amphenol's Chicago plant; machines cover thousands of feet of all important transmission
coaxial cable daily with copper braiding (photo courtesy Amphenol). parameters. For example, a

34 ~ May1977
 2 .0
coaxial line which has high-frequency amateur bands
minimum loss (called because most of the commonly
attenuation) is not optimized used 50-ohm coaxial cables can J. 8 \
for maximum power, and a line easily handle the maximum
\
which is designed for amateur power limit of 1000 \

'.
1.6

maximum breakdown voltage watts. ...

does not have minimum loss. The attenuation minimum "'u
~ 1.4
\ -'

This is shown graphically in which occurs at 77 ohms (Fig. ~

0:
~"'!.
f( \~
Fig. 6. As can be seen, power 6) explains why the CATV ~ 1.2
handling peaks at a
"
n.
companies use 75-ohm coax in
~
characteristic impedance of 30 their cable distribution systems ~ 1. 0 ,,... ....r-:-.. . !............ ~ 1. . -
ohms, breakdown voltage
peaks at 60 ohms, and
- they're looking for minimum
signal loss over a cable which
"'
..J
4J
0:
, ,. '·
-- -- -
i
minimum attenuation occurs at may be thousands of feet long.
0.8
I
'i-- ~~~"
' ,..,o
-~~
.,..
about 77 ohms. In amateur stations the I~
":<t,
Where, then , did the 50-ohm transmission line is seldom 0 .6
r-----'.""'
I ~"
'·~.
standard originate? Well , when more than 150 or 200 feet (40- r/ Pv
I "
the U.S. Navy was establishing 60m) long, so the difference in 04
' '·,
standards for coaxial cable loss between 50- and 75- ohm o ro ~ ~ 50 ro ro ~ ~ ~

during the war, an industry coaxial li nes is so small it can't IM PEDANCE (OHMS)

committee recommended that be measured (assuming, of Fig. 6. The important transm ission line
50 ohms be selected as a course, that both lines have the pa r a m eters as a fun c ti on of the
compromise between the three c haracterist ic impedance of a coax ial
same type of center insulation). line. Power handl ing peaks at 30 ohms,
important transmission If you compare Teflon insulated volt age br eakdown is h ig hest at 60
parameters and commercially line (such as that used by the ohms, and minimum loss occ urs at 77
available copper water-tubing CATV companies) with ohms. The 50-ohm lines often used by
sizes . It's interesting to polyethylene lines, you'll find a amateurs represent a good co m promise
between these values.
speculate where we would be measureable difference -
today if the plumbers hadn't Teflon is an easy winner.
come to the rescue! lines have a certain amount of
Actually, the 50-ohm coaxial Cable loss factors loss . Th is is usually measured
transmission line is a pretty If a transmission line were in terms of decibels
good compromise because loss perfect it would have (abbreviated dB) per hundred
is only about 10 per cent absolutely no losses, and no feet of line. Dec ibels are a
greater than the minimum at 77 power would be lost as the rf measure of power input to
ohms, and the power handling traveled from your transmitter power output, or power ratio,
capability is only about 14 per to your antenna. Unfortunately, as shown in Fig. 7, and greatly
cent less than optimum. This is it's impossible to make a simpl ify the mathematics when
of little consequence on the perfect line so all transmission you have to fi gure out total
loss (or gain). For example,

~
100

90

80

JV
/v
/
v

J........v--
.-- i.--
i.--
..- -- -- wh en a transmit/receive relay
which has 0.5 dB loss is
connected to a lowpass filter
which has 0.3 dB loss, which is
connected to a transmission
l:
~ 70 line with 3 dB loss, the total
(; V ->''oY"" loss from the transmitter to
g~
(J._'t/- ,,..s" ;/
antenna is 0.5 + 0.3 + 3.0 or
p~~
60
k' Ji 3.8 dB (see Fig. 8). If these

i~
~
- 50 ,j~'
same losses were expressed i n
u
;:
vt
ct
l? - simple arithmetic terms, 0.5 dB

831
40
v 1--
~
u
"'~
0: J O
I
I I/
/ LJj 1 - -1 - -
loss through the relay means
that only 89 per cent of the
power at the input connector
u
J COAXIAL STRUCTURE
makes it through to the output.
/, I Similarly, 0.3 dB loss in the
tO
tilter corresponds to 93 per
JI
tO 20 J.O 4. 0 5 .0 60 70 80 90 10 ,, cent power transmission , and
CONDUCTOR q
, ATI O, Did 3.0 dB cable loss is the same
Fig. 5. The characteristic impedance of a coaxial line is determined by the ratio of the as 50 per cent transmission.
conductor sizes, and the material which is used tor the cen ter insulator. Let's say your transmitter

May1977 m 35
 feet (30m) of transmission line,
it's very easy to translate this
figure to the actual length of
10 _ r"'-. . : -:~---,~--~-.-.....: line which you are using. This
60 - - J """" I +---._J_ _ - -\--_..__-I--- is another benefit of using dB
- "- ____j_ I I
50 values - they are directly
"- I -~I- '-+----+--.,...-t-·...J
proportional to line length. If
40:- :~·+__j-=_:_ _ ~I · -, ~ - L
~ - I I I 100 feet (30m) of cable has 4

-, 1+
- j I - •

1 :- ~ . 1 ....... ·-""==- ~-,--+---+-+--t--i dB loss, for example, half that

~ ~~ I ',~-: - - -
length or 50 (15m) feet will
exhibit half the loss or 2 dB; 40
feet (12m) w i 11 have 40 per cent
iii 20 _J~_J -11 -: --·
-=P-: I f-· ~"' _:: =- 1- 1-
of the loss or 1.6 dB; 30 feet
~~- ~ - 1-t--t-~ (9m) will have 30 per cent of
•5
:
:_ ' _ :__j t - - -
-"'l~
,-,:::=::::=:t=1
._ the loss or 1.2 dB, and so on.
:::
J

j !
1I
i ...___
.._. t--t---i Conversely, 150 feet (45m) of
- . . L l____l_ -+----+--+-+----+--+-~----<
10=.LL - I i --- - ~K line will have 1.5 times the loss
0 .:; ~ 6 1 10 of 100 feet (30m) or 6 dB, 200
TRANSMISSION LI NE LOSS (dB )
feet (60m) will have twice the
Fig. 7. Decibel or dB values expressed in te rm s of power ratio. loss, etc.
Since cable loss in dB is directly proportional to cable length, the
use of dB sim plifies loss calculatio ns, as discussed in the text. Choosing coaxial cable
Table 1 lists the important
operating parameters for the
various types of coaxial cable
has 100 watts output. Because lines commonly used by which are commonly used by
of loss through the relay, only amateurs. RG-8/U, for example, amateurs. At last count there
89 per cent of the power at the has 0.66 dB loss per 100 feet were something like 300
input is available at the output, (30m) at 14 MHz. With 100 different types of coaxial cable
or 89 watts. The loss through watts into the transmitter end on the market, but many of
the filter reduces this still of the transmission line, this these are specialized types
further, so 93 per cent of 89 means that 86 watts will make which are not designed for use
watts (about 83 watts) is it to the antenna to be radiated. as rt transmission lines;
available at the input connector However, this figure assumes RG-62/U , for example, a 93-ohm
to the transmi ssion line. Since that the antenna is matched to line which is used for pulse
only 50 per cent of the power the feedline - that the input work, or RG-125/U, a 150-ohm
makes it through the impedance to the antenna is line with extremely low
transmission line, the power the same as the characteristic capacitance per unit length.
into the antenna is about 41 .5 impedance of the coaxial cable. There are coaxial cables with
watts or 41 .5 per cent of the If the line is not matched to the lead sheaths for underwater
total power delivered by the antenna, the loss will be installations, cables with
transmitter. This is exactly the slightly higher, as will be braided steel armor, and even
same as 3.8 dB loss, as can be discussed later. some with very high
seen from Fig. 7, but the dB Note from Table 1 that the attenuation for use in test
values are obviously a lot higher the frequency, the equipment. However, most of
easier to use because they can higher the loss per 100 feet. the types used by amateurs are
be simply added together. This is a characteristic of all listed in Table 1.
If you're not familiar with types of feedlines and explains Perhaps the most popular
using dB, here are some why cable selection at vhf and type of coax is RG-8/U, a
guidelines which may be uhf is even more important medium-size cable with a maxi -
helpful: First of all, 1 dB is than it is for the high-frequency mum power rating of 2000 watts
about the minimum change bands . Note also that the at 28 MHz, and somewhat more
which you can detect with your smaller diameter cables have
ear; - 3 dB represents 50 per much higher losses. RG-58/U, ANTENNA
~ 1.5W

cent loss; -6 dB corresponds for example, has 3.5 dB loss

to 75 per cent loss; and -10
dB is the same as 90 per cent
loss. With these values in
per 100 feet (30m) at 50 MHz -
with 100 watts into the
transmi ssion line, only 45 watts
TIR
R ELAY
LOWPA SS
FILTER
T
mind, it's not too difficult to get to the antenna - the other ·0., d8
I0.891
· O.J dB
10.931
interpolate for values in 55 watts are used to heat up
Fig. 8. Example of a loss calculation us-
between. the cable! ing dB. The total loss of 3.8 dB cor-
Given in Table 1 are the loss Although dB loss figures are responds to power tran s mission of
figures for coaxial transmission almost always given for 100 41 .5%.

36 ~ May1977
Table 1. Important operating characteristics of 50- and 75-ohm coaxial cables used by amateurs. Types with non-
contaminating jackets (designated NV} should be selected for long life. Power rating is given for 30 MHz and is
somewhat higher on the lower frequencies; this is power into the transmission line, not transmitter input power.

Loss In dB/100 Feet (30m) Power Rating

Cable Zo at 30 MHz
Type Jacket* (Ohms) 3.5MHz 7.0MHz 14.0 MHz 21 MHz 28MHz (watts)
RG-8/U v 52.0 0.29 0.43 0.67 0.81 0.98 1900
RG-8A/U NV 52.0 0.29 0.43 0.67 0.81 0.98 1900
RG-11/U v 75.0 0.34 0.55 0.81 1.0 1.2 1375
RG-11A/U NV 75.0 0.34 0.55 0.81 1.0 1.2 1375
RG-17/U v 52.0 0.13 0.22 0.35 0.42 0.52 6400
RG-17A/U NV 52.0 0.13 0.22 0.35 0.42 0.52 6400
RG -58/U v 53.5 0.54 0.82 1.25 1.6 1.9 575
RG-58A/U v 52.0 0.69 1.05 1.6 2.1 2.5 500
RG-588/U NV 53.5 0.54 0.82 1.25 1.6 1.9 575
RG-58C/U NV 50.0 0.69 1.05 1.0 2.1 2.5 500
RG-59/U v 73.0 0.55 0.80 1.15 1.4 1.7 700
RG-59A/U NV 75.0 0.55 0.80 1.15 1.4 1.7 700
RG-598/U NV 75.0 0.55 0.80 1.15 1.4 1.7 700
RG-8
Poly foam v 50.0 0.28 0.41 0.60 0.75 0.90 2000
RG·11
Polyfoam v 75.0 0.32 0.51 0.73 0.93 1.10 1425
RG-58
Polyfoam v 50.0 0.80 1.18 1.70 2.1 2.5 500
RG-59
Polyfoam v 75.0 0.40 0.59 0.88 1.1 1.3 750

•vindicates a vinyl jacket; NV Indicates a non-contaminating vinyl jacket.

than that on the lower high- loss and lower power limits a small diameter cable
frequency bands. Attenuation than RG-8/U. It also costs less, recommended for short cable
ranges from about 0.3 dB per which may be a consideration, runs between equipment in
100 feet (30m) on 3.5 MHz, up but since the difference is your station; RG-11 /U is
to nearly 1 dB per 100 feet something less than $10 per medium sized cable
(30m) on 10 meters. RG-8A/U 100-foot roll, in the long run I recommended for long runs to
(also marketed as RG-213/U) think RG-8/U is well worth the your antenna. Except for their
has identical electrical char- slight extra cost. However, for impedance difference there is
acteristics but has a so-called connections between various little practical difference
"non-contaminating" outer equipment in your station between RG-8/U and RG-11/U,
jacket which means that it has where short lengths of cable or between RG-58/U and
considerably longer life. The are used, RG-58/U is an RG-59/U for that matter.
black plastic covering on excellent choice.
RG-8/U contains chemicals At the other end of the size Standing-wave ratio
(called plasticizers) which, spectrum Is RG-17/U , a heavy, As was mentioned earlier,
when exposed to sun and large diameter cable which has the feedline losses given in
weather, leach into the center less than half the loss of Table 1 assume the input
insulator and increase cable RG-8/U. It is also much more impedan ce to the antenna is
loss. In practical terms this expensive so it's seldom used the same as the characteristic
means that it should be by amateurs unless the impedance of the transmission
replaced about every five years. transmission line is several line. However, if the antenna
The newer RG-8A/U (or hundred feet long. "Non- feedpoint impedance is not the
RG-213/U), however, doesn't contaminating" versions of same as that of the line, a
have this problem and has a RG-17/U are RG-17A/U (also mismatch results, and a portion
useful life of 20 years or more. designated as RG-218/U), and of the rf energy is reflected
Since the cost difference is RG-178/U, which has a silver- back down the line toward the
only a few cents per foot, plated double braid and is transmitter. This is most easily
RG-8A/U or RG-213/U is a better designed for uhf use (also measured In terms of standing-
choice. designated as RG-177/U). wave ratio or swr. Although the
(or Its later "non-contami- Although I haven't mentioned complete story of reflected
nating" version, RG-588/U and the 75-ohm cables listed in power and standing-wave ratios
RG-58C/U), but note that It has Table 1, the same sort of is beyond the scope of this
significantly greater arguments apply. RG-59/U is article, Just let me say that,

May1977 m 37
 90

80

- !dB 70

'.
60

-2 dB ~
00
2
0
Vi 90
100
"'
:ii
"'<!2 80
,_a:
80 - I dB 70

70 60
21 MHz
- 2dB
,_ , 60 00

10 12 6 8 10 12
6
SWR " SWR

Fig. 9. The effect of swr on transmission line loss. So long as line loss with a matc hed load is low, as it is on the high·
frequency amateur bands, swr has little effect.

contrary to popular belief, higher loss cables such as can be reduced only at the load
reflected power is not lost. RG-58/U , high swr can end of the line, so you may be
However, a mismatched load drastically increase power loss. able to get a better match to
does have the effect of This is another good reason to the line by pruning your
increasing power loss because choose lower loss lines such antenna - a better match
the portion of the rf power as RG-8/U or RG-11 /U. If high means lower swr. On the other
which is reflected makes two swr doesn't cause significant hand, you may be using an
complete trips through the power loss on the high- antenna with a feedpo int
cable - once toward the frequency bands, why, you may impedance that presents more
antenna, the other back toward ask, do so many operators than 2:1 mismatch to your
the transmitter. Since the worry about getting the swr transmission line - such as a
reflected power makes two down to 2:1 or less? Because very short vertical, or a dipole
trips through the line, each the tank circuits in modern that is operated at a frequency
with attenuation, it receives transmitters simply aren't we ll away from resonance. This
twice as much loss as that designed to cope with an swr often happens on 80 meters
portion of the power which greater than that. They could when you want to use a single
makes only one trip down the be, but it would increase their antenna to work CW on the low
line to the antenna. selling price. Also, high swr end near 3.5 MHz, and 75-mete r
However, this slight seriously degrades the power sideband near the upper band
additional loss is not serious handling ability of the line so if edge. If you cut the dipole for
on the high-frequency bands you run high power and have the cente r of the band, at 3750
where cable attenuation is low, high swr you may find that you kHz, you'll find that the swr at
as shown in the four graphs in are operating above the power 3.5 and 4.0 MHz will be close to
Fig. 9 for 100 feet (30m) of limits of the line. If this 5:1. The solution here is to use
RG-8/U on 80, 40, 20 and 15 happens, the line may actually an antenna tuner or
meters. Even at 21 MHz, where get hot eno ugh to burst. T ransmatch between your
cable attenuation is relatively On the other hand, you're not transmitter and the feedline as
high at 0.81 dB per 100 feet, an going to gain much by shown in Fig. 10. When the
swr of 5:1 - high compared to twiddling with your high- T ransmatch is tuned properly,
normal standards - increases frequency antenna to get a it will present a 50-ohm load to
total line loss by less that 1 dB; perfect match. So long as the your transmitter. So long as the
the difference would be barely swr is less than 2:1, your swr on the line is within
perceptible in terms of received transmitter doesn' t care, and reasonable limits - say 10:1
signal st rength. On 3.5 MHz the the stat ion at the other end with RG-8/U on 80 meters -
effect of swr is perhaps even won't be able to tell the the stations you are working
more surprising: An swr of 10:1 difference. won't know the difference.
increases lin e loss by the If the swr on your
same, barely perceptible 1 dB. transmission line is greater Installing your
If cable attenuation is high, than 2:1, you probably won't be transmission line
as would be the case at vhf or able to tune your transmi tter to If you're using coaxial cable, it's
if you were using long runs of its maximum rated input. Swr pretty hard to get into trouble,

38 m May1977
but here are some tips that will small cables like RG-58/U and
help get the most out of it. RG-59/U .
1. Use coaxial connectors 6. Don ' t install coaxial cables
which are designed for the TRANSMtnER LOWPASS ANT(NHA near hot-air ducts, furnace
FILTER TUNER
cable you are using, and make pipes, or steam radiators . The
sure they are properly installed. Fig. 10. Using an antenna tuner to pro· thermoplastics used in cable
Complete assembly directions vide a good match to your transmitter. manufacturing get soft with
are usually provided when you Swr on the line between the tuner and rising temperatures and may
the antenna is of little importance if line swell ou.t through the braid.
buy the connectors, but if loss is low. The lowpass f ilter behaves
they're not, any recent edition as it should on ly when it's terminated in
The center conductor can also
of the ARRL Antenna a matched load, so it shou ld be placed sink, from the force of gravity,
Handbook will show you how. between the tran smitter and the antenna through the temperature-soft-
2. If you use a coaxial
tuner. ened center in sulator and short
out the cable. When either of
connector where it's exposed
you do find evidence of these things happen , the cable
to the weather, weather-proof it
moisture you probably won't is permanently damaged and
with several coverings of
have to replace the entire must be replaced.
plastic electrical tape. If
moisture seeps into the cable length of cable - unless it has 7. Use cable hangers or
through an unprotected been exposed to moisture for a supports for long cable runs.
connector, at the fairly long time. If you cut it The "Pop-Top" lids from drink
very least it will increase loss back a foot (30cm) at a time, cans fit nicely over RG-8/U and
- at the very worst it will you'll probably find that several make excellent cable hangers
short-circuit the line. feet (1-2m) back from the - just drive a small nail
damaged end the line is as through the tab into the nearest
3. If you suspect that good as new. support. If you run a coaxial
moisture has gotten into the cable to the top of your tower,
line, you can often tell by 4. If you have to run your
coaxial line under a window to tape it to one of the tower legs
removing the connector. The every four or five feet (1-2m).
copper braid should be bright get to your antenna, don't push
and shiny, and the cen ter the sash down so hard it 8. Inspect the cable every six
insulator should look the same mashes the cable. If the cable months or so to make sure it
as it did when you originally is pinc hed, it changes its hasn 't been knicked, cut, or
put the connector on. If you're characteri stic impedance and otherwise damaged. If you
in doubt on this point, compare inc reases the swr on the line, discover the probl em soon
it with a piece of new cable. If no matter how well your enough , you may be able to
antenna is matched. If you repair it before moisture
want to run your cable under a destroys the usefulness of the
window, make a wood spacer complete cable. If you find a
that runs the full width of the damaged spot in the center of
window and close the sash on a long run , cut the cable in two,
it. Then drill a hole through the remove the damaged portion,
spacer slightly larger than the and install connectors on each
outside diameter of the cable end. Then buy a straight
(or large enough to pass the adapter (such as a PL-258) and
connector if it is already connect the two cables
installed). together. If the junction is
5. Don 't install coaxial cable outside, seal it well with plastic
with tight bends; this changes electrical tape.
the cond uctor spacing which If you carefully choose your
affects the impedance of the feedline, and follow these
line. If you have a very tight simple guidelines, your
bend in the cable , the center transmi ss ion line should last
conductor may eventually work a
for good many years. In fact,
its way through the insulator if you buy coaxial cable with a
until it touches the outer braid, non-contam inating jacket you
shorting out the line. What do I may never have to replace it; I
mean by a tight bend? A bend know of one length of RG-8A/U
radius less than about ten in an underground run to a
times the diameter of the cable tower that doesn't have any
Some of the many types of coaxial cable
whi c h are ava ilable on the market. - about 4 inches (10cm) for more loss now than it did when
Several of the cable s shown here have medium-sized cable such as it was buried fifteen years ago!
double braid s for addit ional shie lding . RG-8/U , or 2 inches (5cm) for HRH

May 1977 ~ 39
 From Novice•••

to General•••

40 m May 1977 More det ails? Ad Chec k page 78.

Heathkit Amateur radio equipment has been the a dial clearly marked in 500 Hz segments makes
" ticket" for thousands of Hams the world over, and tuning easy and accurate. And while you're listen-
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formance every Amateur wants, and always at big the HD-1416 Code Practice Oscillator.
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because it is in kit form, you get a knowledge and
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For General and
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CATALOG { 0 ;,:.-:···.·
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More detail s? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 41

 to "hear better" as well.
TAKING THE MYSTERY Transmitters could " punch
through" when the conditions
got rough, and the receivers
OUT OF could "dig down deep" in the
layers of signals that
,,1111111111111 1111111111111,,, ,,11111111111111 1111111111111,,, ,,1111111111111 1111111111111,, sometimes appeared when a
rare station made its presence
SINGLE SIDEBAND known.
A second type of speech
processing is very much talked
"'1111111111111 1111111111111''' "'111111111111 1111111111111'' "'111111111111 111111111111'" about today, and it has both
good and bad points. This
system is one of trying to fill in
the valleys between voice
peaks, thereby making the
BY THOMAS McMULLEN, W1SL transmitter more efficient. The
human voice is a very complex
In the previous two issues of hertz in some instances. This thing, and there still is much
Ham Radio Horizons I talked practice did not apply only to research being done to analyze
about single-sideband in the development of ssb, the purpose and effects of
general, covering the reasons though. As far back as the each part of the spoken sound.
for the improvement in middle 1930s the more popular In addition to the wide range of
communications ability, and ham bands were becoming tones found in the voice, there
about receiving ssb. Much of crowded enough that many are also great variations in the
the information covered is still authorities recommended that strength, or amplitude, of those
applicable to this part of the the speech-amplifiers in a-m tones. An example of this is
ssb picture - transmitting. The (amplitude modulated) shown in Fig. 2. The greatest
basic process of generating the transmitters be modified to amplitude represented in the
sideband signal has been limit the range of frequencies drawing is called the "peak." It
explained, which makes this that would be amplified is that part of the voice that
"transmitting" portion of the especially the higher tones. drives the transmitter to its
discussion a bit easier. All that Not too many amateurs were greatest output, so you can see
remains is to delve just a bit enthused about giving up their . that if the "peak" voltage is
more into the generation "wide-range" sound on the air, there for only a short period of
process, and then apply the but there was a small group time, then the transmitter is
principle to developing a useful that did follow the suggestion. sending out its maximum
signal for some of the popular Part of the great space-saving power for a correspondingly
amateur bands. ability of ssb is that one short time. If there was some
sideband and the carrier has way to increase either the
Audio processing been eliminated, as we have length of time of the peak, or
Throughout most of this seen. Almost as important is to bu i Id up the portions that
discussion I have talked about the restricted range of were not as "loud," it should
a single audio tone instead of a frequencies that the audio cause the transmitter to
"band" of tones or frequencies, amplifiers and filters will allow produce its greatest power for
just to make the steps a bit to pass (Fig. 1 ). Considerable a longer time.
easier to follow. Where experience was required before The type of speech
reference was made to voice a majority of amateurs were processing that does this little
frequencies, the example used convinced that it really was trick can perform its deed
was limited to frequencies possible to transmit reasonable either by limiting the amplitude
between 100 and 5000 hertz. I sounding audio - good of the strongest parts, while
am sure that you realize that enough for communications allowing the weaker ones to go
many voices cover more than purposes - by using only untouched, or it can use a
that range, depending upon the part of the voice frequencies. complex circuit that detects
gender and individual This not only had the benefit how strong the signal is, and
characteristics (Fig. 1). of decreasing the spectrum by electronically changing the
Actually, the range of voice taken up by each signal, gain of a stage, force the
frequencies used in ssb but the additional output to stay at or below a
communication is made even filtering involved in the desired level. In other words,
more narrow - 300 to 3000 receivers allowed the amateur the stronger you talk, the more

42 ~ May1977
off it turns the amplifier! TV set, all while you are trying
Either the limiting or the to say something. Furthermore,
gain-changing method must be if the amount of limiting or
accompanied by numerous compression is set too great
other circuits that do such (not enough difference between
things as keep the voice from the peaks and valleys) the voice
becoming badly distorted, keep loses its character and people
the amplifiers from creating will wonder if you are in great
new frequencies outside the pain. Certainly either condition
voice range, and other house- is not of great value to
keeping duties. There are communication .
several ways of getting to the Another fault with the use of
same goal , and, since the many processors I ies in the
confusion factor is high mistaken idea that there is no Fig. 2. Speech processors can also be
enough with just the basics of limit to the amount of desi gn ed to re sha pe t he max im u m
ssb, I'll not go into all that in improvement in output power s t rengt h of the mod ulating tone s o r
this series. that can be obtained by simply voice. The variations in average vo ice
peaks can be seen in A . A c lipper can be
Some of the benefits of turning up the gain knob or by desig ned in t o t h e circuit, and will
speech processing for ssb are; talking closer or louder. The remove the upper part of the highest
a) you get more overall limitation comes in the peaks, B. A volume com pressor or gain·
efficiency from a transmitter transmitter elements reducing ci rcui t will keep the original
because it is kept working hard form of the peaks , but prevent t hem from
themselves. Many tubes and rising as hig h, shown in C. The important
longer, b) it fills the frequency transistors are working close to thing here is that the average level is in·
(channel) you are using with their rated values in Amateur creased, t he reby allowi ng better effi·
more signal , thus making it equipment, and it does not take c iency in the transm itt er and improved
easier to receive at the other much of an increase in input signal readabil ity.
end, and c) it can build a from the speech end of things
weaker voice up to a real to make them reach their limit. Modulator or mixer
"loudmouth" level if needed. Beyond that limit, any further In earlier port ions of this
Most of the disadvantages tend "push" from the microphone series , I used the terms
to show up when a speech will simply cause the " balanc ed modulator,"
processing system is transmitter to "saturate," which " balanced mixer," and " mixer,"
misadjusted or improperly means that it has " had it right from time to t ime. In many
used. If the overall gain is set up to here," and cannot work ways they are alike -
too high, background noises any harder. Under these pract ically interc hangable. It' s
tend to be almost as loud as condit ions , you are most l ikely j ust that if you are us in g a
you are - believe it or not, doing more harm than good, given c irc uit as a part of a
most people do not like to hear because the people who wan t transmi tter that produces a
the dog barking next door, your to carry on a conversation on sideband signal from voice,
kids playing upstairs, and the an adjacent frequency are then you call it a modulator. If
Saturday Night Movie from the being "splattered on. " you happen to use the same
one for the purpose of
~ COMM~N~~TIONS--i translating a low-frequency to a
I I higher one, or vice-versa, then
I I
0 I it is more properly called a
I mixer. The balanced part stems
I
I from the application of the
;: I voltages in such a manner that
~ ro
....'" "
I
I
the whole circuit is working ,

.,.,.
AMPl.tFlf R_ , '
>
;:
RESPONSE 1 rather than having one part of
:5 zo the c ircu it working against
~
. ''
ground (Fig. 3).
In part 1, I explained how a
J o~~-2~0~~~
,s~~~'"-o-'-~
~~0~~60
~0~~,~200
~~2~ ' ~a'-oo
•00~~. sideband was generated, and in
FRE QUENCY IN HERTZ part 2 I showed how it could be
Fig. 1. The power invo lved in voice freq uencies shows a response peak translated to a part icular
between 400 and 1000 hertz. This plo t is fo r an average male voice when Amateur frequency (and then
speaking at normal loudness. By selectin g the proper portion of the curve, "detranslated" so you could
none of the essential tones necessary for communicat ing are lost. The hear it). Now I'll refresh your
dotted line shows an idealized response c urve for an audio amplifier that
would let the impo rtant parts of speech through. If the curve were shifted memory and at the same time
lower, the vo ice would sound boomy; emphasizing the higher parts would use as a practical example
cause the voice to sound tinny and lack "pun c h." some frequenc ies that might

May1977 ~ 43
be found in a piece of modern BALANCED
MO DULATOR
stage, or (here he comes
ssb gear. OUTPUT again!) it heterodynes the 9·
In Fig. 4, you can see the MHz sideband signal to an
familiar balanced modulator Amateur band. Here 1 have
that has been talked about placed more crystals and a vfo
before, along with a speech ' - :UDIO t --""---+ ----+ in the circuit. Thus you can
amplifier and a carrier 0.
INPUT - AUDIO CURRENTS
~ _ _h~~~fZr~A RRIER
select an output frequency in
generator. Since this is not a the 3.8·, 7-, 14-, 21 -, or 28-MHz
construction article, I have not band. Nothing hard about that
shown all of the components UNBALANCED - it is nearly the same as I
MODULATOR
needed to build a circuit like told you about last month in
this. However, there have been flLTER
the receiver portion of the
many very similar circuits
published in Amateur literature,
so if you would like to explore
r
VOICE
CIRCUIT series. But, with one of these
switch positions 1 am pulling a
sneaky on you. When you
further, you can do so. (See CARRIER
BLOC Km G
switch the vfo to obtain an
References for additional 0
RF CHOKE output on the 3.8-M Hz band,
reading suggestions) . The the voice comes out upside
AU DIO
carrier used here is 9 MHz, and INPUT down! (Remember Fig. 4 in the
the carrier-generator osci I lator April issue?) There's an easy
Fig. 3. The balanced modulator A, is
is crystal controlled. Either used in many ssb-generating circuits cure for that, however - you
upper or lower sideband can be because of its greater efficiency and simply connect this set of
obtained by simply switching because the carrier more effectively crystals and the 9·M Hz carrier
the crystal that is in use. cancels itself after performing the basic generator crystals to the same
function of turning the diodes on and off
Following the balanced at a rapid rate. This is in contrast to the
switch , and wire them so that it
modulator you will notice a unbalanced modulator (or mixer) at B, changes the crystal at the
filter. This is a crystal filter that which requires good fi lters at the output same time you change bands.
has the response curve to remove leftover carrier energy. How about that! lncidently, the
necessary to select the right voice starts out upside-down,
portion of the sideband and right from the modulator and
reject the unwanted parts, filter. It has to because of the
along with the unwanted has an appreciable loss (you frequency translation that takes
sideband. (Refer to Fig. 5 in the get less out than you put in), place in the second mixer for
March issue). The filter stage is which is, in turn, followed by a the bands 40 through 10
followed by an amplifier, mixer. meters. The mixer stage should
necessary because the f ilter This mixer is a "translating" be fol lowed by several

AUDIO
AMPLIFIER

S SB
6AL ANCf0 9 - MHz BALANCE D OUT
FIL TER
4MPU Fl fR Mr(PL/FIER TO
MODUL ATOR MJXE R U N[AR
S TAGES

16,23,30
0 ~ 37 M1"11

CARRIER VFO
PRC
5 0 TO 5 5 M I X[R
GENERATOR
"'"' 42 5 MHz

USB,80METERS
L S8, .:o THQOJG/"f / D \
L5 B, 8 0 M'E T£RS
usa)o THR OU GM 10
>0~11 35 5MHz
/h
•5<f' Il l /h
cwI' ~
OSCILLATOR 20 28 5 MNz

9000 -
.H, r r r - - 90015
.H,
TU N ING
•o ~I
2 1 SMHr
/h
8998 5 II /h
Fig. 4. A simpli fied bloc k diagram of an ssb transmitter that is typical of many units in use today. The cho ic e of
frequencies to use for generating the bas ic ssb signal is determined somewhat by the availability of good filter
components. Fortunately there are several good crystal fi lters available in the hf range between 3 and 21 MHz.
However, great care must be used in select i ng all of the frequencies involved because unwanted mixing pro·
ducts are often difficult to eliminate. They could cause trouble by being transmitted along with the correc t pro·
duct, or could block the receiver with a very strong signal.

44 m May1977
 Midland makes four tough, top-performing mobile The third row lines up Midland's basic 2-Meter
transceivers for serious amateurs. Reading from the mobile-Model 13-500. Th is popular 12-channel,
top: There's Midland's newest-Model 13-510-with 15-watt transceiver has a complete multiple FET
P.L.L. synthe~izer, simplex and offsets to give it front end couple with high-Q helicalized cavity
4,000 frequency capability between 144 and 148 MHz. resonators. Despite its small size (2%'' h. x 63/e" w. x
Combined with just about the most sensitive, selec- 87/a'' d.), it's des igned for exceptional service and
tive dual conversion receiver you'll find, and a serviceability.
transmitter that puts out an honest 25 watts, you
could hardly ask for more. At the bottom is Model 13-509, Midland's " 220"
mobile. With 12-channel capacity, crystal controlled ,
In the second row, there's Midland's deluxe, 30-watt it shares the compact size and receiver features of
2-meter mobile-Model 13-505-featuring selective the 13-500 above, while delivering 10 watts output
or simultaneous control for 12 crystal-controlled power (switchable to 1 watt when you want it).
channels with "Channel A" priority switching, and
such Midland standards as automatic VSWR pro- All four are leading values from the leading name in
tection and connection for tone burst. personal communicat ions: Midland.

~~!JE~~~~~t·A~ Want to know more about

Midland Amateur Radio?
Write for our free
Communications Division brochure today.
Dept. H, P.O. Box 1903, Kansas City, MO 64141

More details? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 45

 amplifiers, of course, because BALANCED l-C BALANCED
the power level at this point is MODULATOR FjLTER MODULATOR

very low - only a few tenths of

a watt. Several stages can be
used, one after another, until use LSB

the power is built up to 0 0 Q

whatever level is needed - CL?,fK o--- - t - --t ~~~: 1~Y
VF O
JN
DIVIDE BY
FOUR IC
l - C
FILTER
SSB
OUT
hundreds or thousands of K

watts.
The "third method"
I have already talked about BALANCED l-C BALANCED
two common types of ssb MODULATOR FILTER MODULATOR

generated circuits, the filter

type and the phasing type. Fig. 5. A block diagram of a "third-method" of developing ssb. Although it is a
variation of the phasing system, it makes use of modern components and digital
There is another way of techniques to an extent. Because of the upper frequency limit of most divider ICs,
obtaining a sideband signal; the system works to approximately 8 MHz. Improved integrated circuits cou ld ex-
one quite popular in Europe tend this limit. The "clock" mentioned in the text and shown here has nothing to
and England. Generally, it is do with timekeeping in the normal sense, but rather designates the function of
turning a portion of the circuit on and off at a periodic rate.
referred to as the "third
method." It may eventually gain
in popularity over a larger part whenever the a is on, variations in the approach to
of the world because it makes and vice versa, thus one IC can bui Id i ng an ssb transmitter,
use of some digital circuitry, give you two outputs, which are receiver, or transceiver.
which is the "in" thing these 180 degrees out of phase with However, they must all follow
days. each other, and an output from one of the three methods I
A block diagram of a system the K section that is 90° out of have talked about, at least until
using the "third method" is g_hase with both the Q and the someone finds a "fourth
shown in Fig. 5. The basic Q pulses. method." A reference section
generation can be An advantage to this method follows, containing some
accomplished in six integrated of ssb generation is that the recommended reading for
circuits. Other circuitry, not filters needed are relatively those who would like to delve
shown, is required to provide simple and inexpensive, deeper into the principles,
the clock input, and of course consisting mainly of circuitry, and perhaps the ways
there must be an audio inductance and capacitance in in which you can build
amplifier stage and a vfo to combination. Another plus is your own.
complete the picture. In one that the system can directly
example of this system, produce a variable-frequency References
reported in the Radio Society output , without the addition of
of Great Britain publication an external mixer that accepts 1. The Radio Amateur's Handbook ,
Radio Communication, the ssb and the vfo input. A Single-Sideband Transmission
October, 1974, the designer (A. disadvantage, at the moment, chapter; American Radio Relay
de Muijnkc of Holland) used is that the frequency-divider League, Newington , Connecticut
7400 Hz as the clock input and ICs most commonly available 06111, 1977.
a vfo frequency of 14 MHz, to will operate only to 30 or 40 2. Single Sideband for the Radio
provide ssb output in the 3.5- to MHz. Since the vfo input must Amateur, American Radio Relay
4-MHz band. (See References be at four times the expected League, Newington, Connecticut
for further reading). output frequency, this puts a 06111, 1970.
It is basically a phasing type limit on the number of bands 3. Robert L. Schrader, Electronic
of generator, with the phase that can be covered with Communication chapter 17;
changes taking place in the present ICs. There are some McGraw-Hill Book Company, New
frequency-divider ICs. For dividers available that work York, 1975.
those of you who are not well into the uhf range, but the
familiar with the workings of 4. A. J . Turner, G3UFP, "Single
expense is prohibitive .
digital circuitry, let me point Sideband , Suppressed Carrier
out that the output of a divider, Conclusion Generation ," Wireless World,
such as the 7473 used here, This series of ssb September, 1973.
consists of a pulse from what exploration articles has been 5. P. Hawker, G3VA, "Third-method
is termed the "Q" output, and intended to help the beginner ssb generator," Technical Topics,
another from what is called the to understand some of what Radio Communication , October,
"not-a," represented goes on inside the many boxes 1974, Radio Communication , 35
by an overscored that send and receive that Doughty Street, London WC1 N
Q (Q). The Q output is off mode. There are many 2AE, England. HRH

46 m May1977
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Mo re detail s? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 47

 one for $15.95, unless it

instant happens to be on special sale

for less.
To operate this particular
unit, just place the telephone

phone patch handset in the cradle on top of

the amplifier, turning the
amplifier on. The signal from
the telephone handset is
picked up by an induction coil
beneath the cradle, is
This simple, inexpensive, and reliable
amplified, and carried into the
phone patch needs no electrical room by the amplifier speaker.
connections to your telephone system A simple volume control allows
you to set the audio at a
comfortable listening level for
BY ALEX F. BURR, W5QNQ anyone in the room.
To couple the telephone
amplifier to your radio, just
place the amplifier's acoustic
chamber in front of the
transceiver speaker and hold
the microphone above the
speaker of the telephone
amplifier. The photograph
shows the arrangement I use
with my two-meter transceiver.
I found that by holding the
microphone about one inch
(2.5cm) above the amplifier
speaker when it is adjusted for
a comfortable listening level,
my transceiver provides just
the right deviation for the local
repeater. For the telephone to
pick up audio from my
transceiver speaker at a useful
level, I found that I had to turn
the radio's volume control up
The voice on the two-meter to render a public service had until it seemed a bit louder
repeater contained a note of been lost. than normal.
urgency: "Does anyone on Why? Because some two-
frequency have a phone meter repeater users consider a Results
patch?" Dead silence followed phone patch too expensive, too My instant phone patch has
the squelch tail as seconds time-consuming to build, or too been quite successful, and I
dragged into minutes. An complicated to connect f ind it particularly useful when
autopatch system for the between their commercially- some mobile radio operator
repeater had been under constructed rigs and the wants me to make a
construction for three years, telephone equipment. complicated phone call.
but no recent progress had Would you like to have a Usually he has not thought out
been made. The only known good phone patch that takes the message he wants
phone patch owner was away only 30 seconds to put together conveyed and it turns out to
from his rig and the matter at and requires no modifications involve three contingencies and
the fire truck accident and fire to your rig or the telephone two choices. Then I just say,
was too complicated to be set? Yes, it can be done, and "Here, I wil l dial the number
handled by the usual formal costs less than $16, too! and you can talk." I push the
message procedures. Finally, a The key to this " instant" amplifier in front of the rig, dial
radio car from the sheriff's phone patch is a two' way the number, place the phone
office arrived and the fire telephone amplifier of the type on the amplifier cradle, hold
marshal was able to complete readily available from radio and the mike over the speaker, and
his emergency call, but an electronic supply houses. push the mike button at
opportunity for amateur radio Radio Shack, for instance, has appropriate intervals.

48 m May1977
 R-X NOISE BRIDGE M
E
Of course something as T
simple and inexpensive as this E
instant phone patch does not
have all the refinements of a
R
more complicated system.
However, because it has no
and HF too • • •
direct connections to the
telephone line, you need only Chicago
be concerned about two things:
Do not put too much audio into Area
the telephone, and make sure
that no tones in the region of Hams!
2700 Hz are used. I use this
arrangement only for two-meter .J Learn the truth about Come in or call for the
fm work, although in principle
it will work on all bands. On
your antenna .
.J Find its resonant liii ERICKSON
two meters the signals from frequency . • COMMUNICATIONS
repeaters are almost always .J Adjust it to your
clear, strong and noise-free, operating frequency quickly Cash or trade deal on:
hence acoustic coupling works and easily. • Ameco • ASP • Atlas
well . Most modern transceivers • Belden• Bi rd •COE
incorporate automatic If there is one place in your station
deviation-limiting circuits so it where you cannot risk uncertain • CES • Collins • Cushcraft
results it is in your antenna. • Data Signal • Dentron
is hard to overmodulate the
transceiver. The audio output The Palomar Engineers R-X Noise • Drake • ETO • HAL
from most transceivers is not Bridge tells you if your antenna is
resonant or not a nd, if it is not, •Hy-Gain• lcom • KLM
overwhelming, so there is little whether it is too long or- too short.
danger of overloading the All this in one measurement • Kenwood • Larsen• MFJ
phone lines. Besides audio reading. And it works just as well
with ham-band-only receivers as
•Midland• Mosley• NPC
loud enough to cause overload with general coverage equipment • Newtronics • Nye
of the telephone system would because it gives perfect null
drive you out of the room. readings even when the antenna is • Regency • Shure• Swan
not resonant. It gives resistance and
Furthermore, on fm there is reactance readings on dipoles, •Standard• TPL •Tempo
usually no trouble with inverted Vees, quads, beams,
multiband trap dipoles and
•Ten-Tee• Yaesu . . .
hetrodynes or other tones verticals. No station is complete
which would cause trouble for without this up-to-d ate instrument. Touhy
the telephone switching Why work in the dark? Your SWR
circuits. HRH meter o r your resistance noise
bridge tells only half the story. Get 294
the instrument that really works,
Glossary of Terms the Palomar Engineers R-X Noise
Bridge. Use it to check your
Phone patch Is a device that
antennas from 1 to 100 MHz. And .,E
use it in your shack to adjust -;:::
connects a radio and a telephone resonant frequencies of both series "'
::r:
for two-way conversations. and parallel tune d circuits. Works
better than a dip meter and costs a
Repeater is an automatic radio lot less. Send for our free brochure.
relay station, remotely controlled,
that receives, amplifies and The price is $39.95 and we deliver
postpaid anywhere in U.S. and
retransmits a low-power signal Canada. Californ ia residents add
over considerable distances. sates tax.
Deviation refers to the frequency
Italy write 12VTT, P.O. Box 37,
"swing" imparted to an fm signal 22063 Cantu . Elsewhere send
by modulation . $42.00 (U.S.) for air parcel post
d elivery worldwide.
Squelch tall is the burst of noise Hours: 9 :30-9 Mon. & Thurs,
heard from a squelched receiver Fully guaranteed by the originator
every time a repeater ceases of the R-X Noise Bridge. ORDER 9:30·5:30 Tues, Wed. & Fri.
transmitting and awaits the next YOURS NOW! 9·3 Sat.
signal to be repeated.
Autopatch is a phone patch at the
repeater site that can be dialed
PALOMAR ERICKSON
remotely from any properly ENGINEERS COMMUNICATIONS
5935 N. Milwaukee Ave.
equipped and authorized station. BOX 455, ESCONDIDO, CA 92025 Chicago, IL 60646
Phone: (714) 747-3343 (312) 631-5181

May1977 m 49
 .··
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for under $299*
'{' '~'. H~~on ~-outclaises them all! 25wattoutput2'Meie~ FM transceiver Because no ·two transqeiver applications are ei<aclly
-, · ' /' .· ·· for HAM. CAP, and MAAS• Full 12 channel capability alike, Standard also makes the rugged 1 A. An
·· • All solid state • Compact size: 6Y• x 23!! x 9 inches • action Handheld for 2 meter FM, the
Weighs less than 4 pounds • Dynamic 'microphone • 146-A, Ii ke the Horizon "2:' is also avail-
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I I

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FT- lOlE TRAN SCEIVER
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ORDER Housed i n rugged, weather-proof
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Write • Safe, low-voltage operation from
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See us for a ll you r Amateur Radio needs. Optiona l connectors and specia l
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Mail Orders accepted. N. Y. residen ts add sales tax. switchi ng syst ems are ava ilab le.
$29.95 incl shp, no cod SASE will get our list or used Amateur Equipment.
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PHONE: 607-739-0187 Box 1010 ISU Station
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Fri. & Sat. subject to Hamfest weekends. Closed
Roseville, Ca 95678 Sun. & Mon. Phone: 515-292-7114

50 m May1977 More detai ls? Ad Check page 78.

THE YOUNOESTr"
H
BY JAMES GRAY, W2EUQ

Who says you can't learn presently a first-grade student Class license examination. Of
Morse code? Who finds it at La Salle El ementary School the 47 prospect ive Novices who
difficult to unravel the mystery in Vincennes. Around started, 24 passed the code
of electronics theory, and Christmas t ime a year ago, test, and , of these, 19 passed
despairs of ever passing that Rusty (then in Kindergarten) the theory examination. It is a
first big hurdle - the Novice and his dad became interested matter of record that Rusty
Class license exam? Well, even in ham radio an d joined a received a better score than his
if you feel that way sometimes, Novice license preparation dad, but that doesn't matter. On
don't let Neil Rapp, WN9VPG, class led by Howard Hazelman, July 17, 1976, Rusty received
ever hear you . Neil, called K9SLV, and Bill Sage, K91HU. his new call , WN9VPG, making
Rusty by his family and friends, The class was sponsored by him a Very Proud Guy!
is five years old; that's right - the recently-reorganized Old His very first on-the-air QSO
f ive! He is the youngest radio Post Amateur Radio Society took place the next day with
amateur ever licensed by the and met in the Radio and TV Jim Cobb, K3DIF, in Silver
FCC and, as far as we know, building at Vincennes Spring, Maryland. Jim is a
the youngest radio amateur in University. Rusty was the member of the staff of the
the world . Until now, that youngest member of the class; Washington bureau of
distinction was held by Gary the oldest member was Arthur Associated Press, and promptly
Lewis , WN7BBG, of Seattle, Rinehart , 55. Although a half- sent Rusty his first QSL card
Washington . Back in 1964 Gary century separated the two, both commemorating that all-
received his Novice license at found a common interest in important first contact.
age 7. amateur radio. Soon after, Rusty racked up
Rusty is the only son of After practicing the code and his furthest contact at that time
Delbert and Margaret Rapp , learning basic theory, the class with WN1YNA in New England.
Vincennes, Indiana, and is members took the FCC Novice Although a "seasoned" ham by

M ay 1977 m 51
 couldn't be in Vincennes on
September 22nd, but he did the
next best thing. He called
Rusty, congratulated him, and
told the Rapps that a new
Kenwood TS-520 transceiver
was on its way with the
compliments of the company!
Following the telephone call ,
Rusty asked his mom: "Do you
mean I'll get to keep the
radio?" Answered in the
affirmative, he replied: "Well , I
sure hope he's paying for it!"
(Rusty and his dad had started
saving for a new radio, but
knew it would be a long time
before they could afford it.)
When the package arrived,
Rusty couldn't believe it, and
still wasn 't sure he'd be
allowed to keep It. It took a
while for the significance of it
all to sink in, but when it did,
Rusty sent an ARAL Radiogram
to Barry.
There was more to come,
however. A birthday party had
been arranged for October 7th,
and Barry planned to be at the
Rapps home for the celebration
and formal presentation of the
transceiver. This, too, was a big
event for Rusty, as you can see
from the photograph. It turned
out that not all the surprises

Barry Copeland, left, tells Rusty that the new TS-520 Is his to keep. Rusty's expression
says It all I.photo by Paul Ingram).

now, WN9VPG still enjoys - was by no means elaborate.

talking to his former classmate It was modest, like Rusty
Carol Smith, WN9UKC, also of himself, but older - much
Vincennes. Carol is 10! older. Barry also discovered
Rusty has become a much that radio operator WN9VPG
sought-after personality at would be soon celebrating his
hamfests and on the air. He sixth birthday on September
even has a fan letter from 22nd. Rusty's first QSO was with Jim Cobb,
"First Mama" Betty Ford who As Sales Coordinator for K3DIF, Sliver Spring, Maryland. Jim Is
with the Washington Bureau of
sends from the White House Trio-Kenwood Communications, Associated Press. The QSL card shown
"all good numbers" his way Inc., Barry approached his Is a facsimile of the original.
along with her "best wishes for company with the idea that
a good day today and a better Rusty's birthday celebration
day tomorrow." would be an appropriate time
When Barry Copeland, to reward a remarkable
WB6EJV, heard about Rusty's accomplishment and, at the
unique accomplishment , he same time, further the cause of
decided to do a bit of private amateur radio. Management
investigating and learned, for liked the idea and gave Barry
example, that radio station the green light to put It into
WN9VPG - though adequate effect. Unfortunately, Barry

52 m May1977
 NEWI IC KEVER
all with the words , "Stay in The World's Greatest
ham radio all your life. It's the Sending Device
best hobby in the world."
Coincidentally, the final
surprise was provided by FCC .
Only a few days after the party,
Rusty received a letter
containing his new license and
cal !sign - WB9VPG - issued
under the FCC program which
will eliminate distinguishing
Novice callsigns.
What does the future hold for Adjustable to Any
World's youngest ham, Neil "Rusty" Rusty and his family? Well, for Desired Speed
Rapp, WN9VPG , is shown at the one thing, Rusty and his dad Now available from Palomar
operating position of his first station in will be using the new TS-520 a Engineers - the new Electronic
July, 1976. The Station i s jointly
operated by Rusty and his dad, who
lot, as you'd expect. Then IC KEVER. Highly prized by
professional operators because it
received his Novice license at the same there's study and practice for is EASIER, QUICKER. and
time (photo by Paul Willis, Vincennes the General Class ticket that MOR E ACCURATE.
Sun - Commerciaf). they hope to get soon. It transmits with amazing eas e
Meanwhile, Rusty has his first- CLEAR, CLEAN -CUT signals at
grade activities to keep up with any desired speed. Saves the
arm. Prevents cramp, a nd
were one-sided, however, for at school. e nables anyone to send with the
when Barry arrived at the Rapp His parents, Del and skill of an expert.
home, a handmade sign Margaret, agree that the family
SPECIAL
greeted him: "Welcome needs a rest and a break from RADIO MODEL
WB6EJV," and a homemade the pressures and tensions that
cake spelled out the words accompanied the events of the Equipped with large specia lly
constructed contact points.
"Thank you Trio-Kenwood" on last year. That next step to the Keys any amateur transmitter
its icing. General Class ticket is with ease. Sends Manual,
Semi - Automatic , Full
Bill Sage and Howard expected to be long and drawn Automatic, Dot Memory .
Hazelman, Rusty's instructors, out because it's time for Rusty Squeeze. and Iambic - MORE
were there, too. Perhaps Barry to relax and have some fun. FEATURES than any other
keyer. Has built-in sidetone,
best conveyed the feelings of After all, he's only six! HRH speaker, speed and volume
controls , BATTERY
OPERATED. heavy shielde d
Margaret and Del Rapp, Rusty's parents, are understandably proud of their son who die-cast metal case. FULLY
seems to be thinking , " Okay if 1 operate now?" (photo by Paul Ingram). ADJUSTABLE contact s pacing
and paddle ten sion. The perfect
paddle touch will AMAZE you.

Every ama teur and licensed

operator should know how to
send with the IC KEVER.
EASY TO LEARN. Sent
anywhere on receipt of price.
Free brochure sent on reques t.
Send check or money orde r.
IC KEVER $97.50 postpaid in
U.S. and Canada. IC KEYE R
LESS PADDLE and non-skid
base $67.50. Add 6% sales tax
in California.
Italy write i2VTT, P .O. Box
37, 22063 Cantu.

Fully guaranteed by the

world' s oldest manufacturer of
el e ctronic keys. ORDER
YOURS NOW!

May1977 ~ 53
SIMPLE
Although the 555 timer

ELECTRONIC circuit actually uses 24

transistors and 16 resistors,
broken down to its essentials it
consists of a flip-flop which is

KEYERS controlled by two comparators,

as shown in Fig. 1, a simple
multivibrator (oscillator) circuit.
The flip-flop drives two outputs:
one is used to control external
Get your feet wet with integrated circuits - circuits; the other is used to
here are two simple electronic keyer circuits control charging and
discharging current through the
which are based on the low-cost 555 timer IC external timing capacitor, C1.
Operation
Free-running oscillation of
BY JOE BUSWELL, WASTRS the 555 timer IC occurs when
pins 2 and 6 are connected
together, and the voltage on
pin 4 is higher than 0.7 volt. If
the voltage across the
capacitor is less than one-third
the supply voltage, V cc. the
comparator connected to the
trigger toggles the flip-flop,
causing the output , pin 3, to go
high, and the discharge, pin 7,
to go to a virtually open circuit.
The capacitor now charges
Many amateurs, beginners and So, the question arises, how from Vcc through resistors Ra
old timers alike, would like to do you get started with ICs? and Rb. When the threshold
experiment with some of the Well, there's at least one low- voltage at pin 6 reaches two-
new integrated circuits which cost device on the market that thirds the supply voltage, the
are available on the market, but can be used in any number of second comparator toggles the
are scared away by their amateur applications. This is flip-flop, causing the output to
apparent complexity. Many of the versatile 555 timer IC which go low, and the discharge to go
these devices are designed currently sells for about 45 to ground. The capacitor now
with essentially one electronic cents. It can be used to provide discharges through Rb to pin 7
task in mind, and since you variable time delays from until the voltage at pin 2 drops
can't get into the innards of the hundreds of a second to hours, to one-third the supply voltage.
IC to modify the circuit, you as an oscillator, as a tone-burst At that time, the flip-flop
have little choice - you use it generator, or as a touch retoggles and a new cycle
for its intended job or select control. It has been used by the begins. By varying the values of
another IC. With thousands of automotive industry as a seat- the two resistors, Ra and Rb,
different ICs available, this is belt timer, speed warning and the timing capacitor, C1,
no easy task, especially if you device, and auto burglar alarm. you can adjust how long the
don't have any hands-on IC If you looked inside your output is low, and how long it
experience - and access to washing machine, you'd is high. The timing formulas, if
the various manufacturers' data probably find one providing the you're interested, are provided
books. automatic timing cycle. at the end of the article.

54 i::::=JJ May1977
 If, in the circuit of Fig. 1, the CONTROL
value of resistor Ra is small VOLTAGE

compared to the value of Ab, r - - _ - _ ___ ____ _ Rf.S;J 4 8 5 --- - - - - --,

the output will be a square
wave with a 50 per cent duty
cycle - "high" time equals GATE
"low" time. If you were
building an electronic keyer,
this would be the requirement
for generating tbe dots of the
Morse code. Unfortunately, if DI SCHARGE
GATE FLIP-FLOP 1--i- + - - i
OU TPUT
S TAG(
t------<>"----<> OUT PVT
'1
you keyed this simple circuit , I
the voltage on pin 6 must rise I
I
from nearly zero to two-thirds I
the supply voltage (2/3 V eel on I
I
the first dot, and from 113 to 213 .---T~
HRii"ES-'HO.:::.lD-'¢6-
VK ~ 21 3 I
- - -- --l COMPARATO R ..___.__J
Vee on the succeeding dots. Vee I

This means that the first dot I

I COMPARATOR
would be 40 to 50 per cent
longer than its successors. I
I
This problem is solved with I 555
L- -- - - -- -- - - ---l' -- ------ -- 2 ____ _J
the bias arrangement show in
Fig. 2, which holds the voltage fRIGGER
on pin 6 slightly higher than 113 V1.. • 113 Vee

Vee when the circuit is at rest , Fig. 1. A stable multivibrator (osci llat or) circuit using a 555 timer IC.
allowing it to fall below the
required threshold during key
down - forming an almost
can be accomplished by dot pulse goes high. This is
perfect first dot.
various methods, of which two normally accomplished by the
The control , A2, is used to
are described here. The first, slight time lag caused by the
adjust the resting voltage
slightly higher than the internal which is generally used with discharge of the timing
trigger voltage and allows for digital logic circuits, is to capacitor, C2, down to the
frequency divide the dot pulse trigger voltage where the
the voltage drop of diode CA1.
A2 should be approximately train by two and add the results 555 output toggles high.
equal t o the value of A1 to to the dot pulse train as shown If the bias voltage set by R2
allow sufficient adjustment in Fig. 3. The length of the is too close to the trigger
range. The task of A1 is to limit dash formed by this technique voltage, there may be
the current drain on the power is always three times the insufficient time between
length of one dot, which is the grounding of the J input and the
supply when the key is closed
standard dot/dash ratio. The arrival of a dot. The result
and R2 is inadvertently
adjusted to maximum voltage. method also provides a dash is a dot followed by a dash.
Diode CR1 is included so that space equal to one dot-length. The remedy is to increase the
The circuit for accomplishing bias voltage by R2 until reliable
the bias circuitry won't disturb
operation of the timer during this little feat is shown in Fig. dash operation is accomplished
the charge-discharge cycle. 4. The 7470 J-K flip-flop divides without excessive delay in
the in coming train of dots by initiation of characters after
Dash-dot ratio two; this pulse train is added to key closure.
The generation of dashes the dot output by diodes CR2 After the dash starts, the key
and CR3. can be opened because the Q
Closing the dash key output, in the low state, will
grounds the timer control keep the timer running through
through diode CR4 and initiates the second dot initiation by
a dot. At the same instant thee virtue of diode CR5. At the end
timer is initiated, the J input of the first dot the a output is
(pin 5) to the 7470 flip-flop is left high. The leading edge of
brought low - this readies the the second dot resets a low
a output (pin 8) to go high on but th e dash continues for the
the next rise of the dot pulse duration of the dot. The timer
Simple electronic keyer has speed range
(also called the clock). cannot start another dot (or
from 4 to 26 words per minute and has a However, it is important that dash) until the time lapse of a
built·in sidetone monitor. the J input be low before the space has occurred. Also, a dot

May1977 m 55
 cannot be changed into a dash the output of U2, if it is low, is R~ 1 · vcc
while the incom ing dot pulse is impressed on one input of gate -~·.,..,'-.-' - ---- - --..
high. Therefore , the keyer is A, caus ing it~ output t? go ·1tc TO CR4 AHD
CR5, FIG4
self completing . high. Gate B inverts this to a
low which allows the bias on
Keying speed control pin 2 of U2 to be removed . The
RI
2"
R4
68• VI
The speed range of the keyer charge on C2 is bled through R3
NE5'5 OIJTPUT 10
CR2 AND
CRI !CO•
with the components shown is R3 and R4 to pin 7 of U2, which 2-~· R2 I N91 4 PIN 12, UZ, FIG.4

four to twenty-five words per is grounded. When the voltage •2

.
minute. You may prefer to use
values of 250k and 33k for R3
and R4 , respectively (Fig. 2).
on pin 2 drops to 1/3 Vee, the
internal flip-flop toggles,
opening the ground on pin 7 DOTK~
Cl

l'V rl·F NC

This will give a speed range of and presenting a high state to Fig. 2. Dot generator using the 555 timer
6 to 50 words per minute. Use a pin 3, the output. IC. Potentiometers R2 and R3 shou ld
reverse log taper control for R3 The states of gates A and B have a l inear taper (see text).
if it is available . If not, an audio reverse, but U2 is not affected
taper control can be wired by the bias change because C2 low, causes current flow
backwards (counterclockwise is charging above the bias through R2 and CR1 and a
rotation increases speed) to voltage. Since the output of resulting low condition on CR2.
help linearize speed vs shaft gate C is high, there is very This allows capacitor C2 to
rotation . little voltage drop through R2, charge through R3, R4, R5 and
Variable dot-dash length so pin 7 assumes nearly the R6 until pin 6 of U2 reaches 2/3
supply voltage potential. The Vee· At that time the flip-flop
A second keyer circuit which rate of charge is thus toggles, ending the dash and
was built to explore the use of dependent on the values of R4
logic control circuits and beginning the discharge of C2.
and R3. When the voltage on Capacitor C2 discharges
exploit the capabilities of the pin 6 reaches 2/3 Vee. the flip- through R3, R4, and pin 7 of
555 timer is shown in Fig. 5. In flop toggles , causing pin 7 to U2, resulting in the length of
this circuit , when no character go to ground and pin 3 to go to the dash being a function of
is being formed , both inputs of logic low. The current through the values of R3, R4, R5, and
gate A are high, forcing the R2 is increased because of R6, and the length of the space
output low (gates are part of a grounded pin 7. C2 now
7400 quad NANO gate IC). Gate being a function of the values
discharges through R3 and R4. of R3 and R4.
B, wired as an inverter, has a If the dot key is still closed , If the dash key has been kept
high output. R1 , acting as a gates A and B would have
voltage divider, places a bias c losed, another dash will be
again changed state at the initiated at the end of the
on pin 6 of the timer IC, beginning of the space, space when the output goes
designated U2, which prevents removing the bias from diode high. It is impressed on one of
the internal flip-flop from CR3 and allowing pin 2 to go to
toggling, leaving it in its last the inputs of gate C, latching it
1/3 Vee, which would restart the for the duration of the second
state which is low on the cycle and initiate another dot.
output, pin 3. The low imposed If the dot key is opened after
on one of the inputs of gate C the dot is initiated, the bias
forces it high. This high is from R1 will remain on CR3
100<.JrPIJT
""Vee CR2
CR6 " r 1
placed on one of the inputs of
~~1m. I N 914
.z.~~ II

i r~
preventing pin 2 of U2 from
gate D. The other input of gate dropping to 1/3 Vee and leaving R6
I R7 4 , 10 , fl,13
TIC PIN$ 2 ,3,

D is also high so the output is 4 7• J 3• m

low. This latches gate C output
U2 in an off state. ,. rTOGETHER
If the output of the timer, U2, j
70 XM TR

high. is low when the dash key is

0
zg~re~~rG6
CR J
When the dot key is closed, closed, one of the inputs of IN914

12 c V2
gate A is forced low, which
OOTS
.. causes the outputs of gate A to
74 70

w go high and gate B to go low. - 6

0
U2 triggers and the output goes
OOTS• Z :J I L_ high. C1 delays the high signal
to the dash paddle for a suffi-
IOOTS+ZJ:J
-1- 00TS w LJ L cient length of time to allow
gate C to switch low latching Fig. 4. Dash generator circuit. Reed relay
Fig. 3. Timing diagram showing the for- K1 is a 1A5AH, manufact ured by the
mation of a dash length that is three the combination of gates C and Electronics Applicatio n Co mpany, 2213
times as long as one dot. Circ uitry for ac- D for the duration of the dash. Edwards Avenue, S . Elmonte, California
complishing this in shown in Fig. 4. The output of gate C, which is 91733.

56 m May1977
dash. If the dash key is opened to include a tone generator to satisfactory.
after dash initiation, gates C allow tune up without keying Audio frequency is adjusted
and D will reset when the the transmitter sidetone, to by R1. Since the timing
output of U2 goes low. al low code practice with the calculations are upset by the
keyer, or simply for "show and speaker load, the value of R1
Adjustment tell " demonstrations. There is was determined experimentally.
The standard duration of a nothing exciting about a tone R2 is only included to prevent
dash is three times the generator, but the one I used in pin 7 from drawing damaging
duration of a dot; the length of these keyers is about as simple current when it is grounded.
a space equals that of one dot. (and inexpensive) as any you're Capacitor C2 limits the current
Adjustment of the keyer is best Ii kely to find. which would flow each cycle
accomplished by first setting Fig. 6 shows the tone after the initial voltage rise has
the dot speed and then the generator circuit using, you thumped the speaker cone and
dash length. Close the dot key guessed it, another 555 timer. done its job. The value of C2
and count the dots generated In this circuit, the 555 is wired can be varied to achieve the
in 21/2 seconds (or 5 seconds, as an astable multivibrator desired volume level.
dividing by 2). This will be (which means oscillator) the On one of the keyers I built I
close to the keying speed in same as the dot generator used chose prepunched , unclad
words per minute. Set R3 to the in the keyers. Refer to the circuit board with holes on 0.1
desired speed. Now, close the operation of the timer in either (2.5mm) centers. Conductor
dash key and adjust R5 until keyer for a description of why it paths and solder connections
the number of dashes oscillates. The only difference were made by combining
generated in 5 seconds equals in hookup is pin 4 of U3. This is adhesive-backed copper
the number of dots generated a reset pin . Grounding this pin conductors and insulated
in 21/2 seconds. (One dash plus (less than 0. 7 volt) forces pins 7 hookup wire. The !Cs were
one space equals 2 dots plus 2 and 3 to logic low, regardless plugged into Molex connectors.
spaces). The keyer is now set of what else is going on. When When using this method of
correctly. If, at extremely low or the keyer is making a dot or construction, first decide on
high speeds, you want to vary dash, the reset pin is high and your layout, then stic k on the
the dot-dash length ratio from the timer is allowed to cycle conductors for the IC and other
the standard to improve and generate a tone. Normally, component s. When this is
readability, controls R3 and R5 the output of pin 3 would be a done, install the Molex
can be adjusted to suit your square wave, but because of connectors and solder them in
own taste. inductive loading by the place. Then break off the tie
speaker voice coil, the output strip between the connectors,
Sidetone Generator looks like a sloppy sawtooth. install the !Cs, and begin
On either keyer it is desirable However, the resulting tone is wiring.

R6
3JOJ:

R2
4_ 7 1f
UJ, ABCO
74 00
TO U3, PIN4,
FIG.6 flF USf OJ

Kl
R4
68• U2
NE5'.5

R3
CR3
IN91 4
=- TRANSMIT TER

RI
2.5k .
C2
lpF
l~V
l

Fig. 5. Variable dash length keyer c irc uit. Each of the gates are part of a 7400 quad NANO gate
IC. Reed relay K1 is a 1ASAH , same as that used in the circ uit of Fig. 4.

M ay1977 m 57
 +Vg___/
TOCR2 9 CR 3
FIG 4

•
.
R9
" C3
.5- VµF

RIO
~5~
25•
SF£AKER
8 OHMS

NC

Fig. 6. Sidetone audio generator circ uit

usi ng the 555 timer IC. Adjust the value
of C2 for suitable volume.

The !Cs are plugged into the

Molex strip before wiring so
the connectors don't fall out of
the perf board when you're Co nstruction of the simple IC elec tronic keyer. A reed relay is used to key the transmit-
soldering nearby. The tie strip ter.P rinted-circ uit component layout is shown in Fig. 8.
could be left intact until the
wiring is completed, but to test longer to lay out and drill the satisfactorily between 4.5 and 7
for small solder bridges small chassis box . volts, the range to be ex pected
between pins, the tie strip must from batteries. The bias voltage
be removed to check for short Power supply on the timer IC was adjusted
circuits with an ohmmeter. I prefer a power supply that on the threshold of free
A later version of the keyer doesn't have to be plugged into running with the speed control
was built on a printed-circuit the wall , doesn't require set to maximum and supply
board. The foil side of the recharging or battery voltage at the minimum which
board and component layout replacement, and doesn' t run would operate the relay. This
are shown in Figs. 7 and 8. down when it's accidently left should be around 4.5 to 4.7
Construction with a printed on - unfortunately, it hasn't volts, depending on the relay
circuit board is straight forward been invented yet. Therefore, I and the particular res you use
- with the small number of ran one keyer with four (they all vary sl ightly, even
components which are penlight batteries and the other though they have the same part
required, the circuit can be with a regulated power supply. number). The keyer, thus
completely built in less than an The fixed-ratio keyer was adjusted, has a built-in warning
hour. It will take somewhat battery powered and ran that the battery is getting low.

O WAS TR S KEY ER
I
Fig. 7. Full-size printed-circuit board for the simple electronic keyer. Component layout is shown in Fig. 8.

58 m May1977
 SPEAKER KEY
COMMON

0
SIDE TONE
TO SWITC H R3
~--~o XMTR o----~ +vcc DASH DOT
KEY KEY

Fig. 8. Component layout for the electronic keyer circuit board. Printed-circui t boards are availa ble fro m G. A.
Whitehouse & Co., 15 Newbury Drive, Amherst, New Hampshire 03031.

While making a character, afraid of blowing something up. generated voltage, and
current drain is 46 mA with The devices must be pretty transients carried by the power
sidetone on, 35 mA with it off. sturdy because I make a lot of line to my home. A large
Quiescent (resting) current mistakes and haven't burned up metallic tool held in the hand
is 27 mA. an IC yet. I would recommend , and touched to the circuitry
I tried a timer circuit which for the sake of spontaneity, the would trigger the timer. I could
interrupted the power if the use of a breadboard such as not duplicate the condition in
keyer was left idle for ten the one manufactured by E & L the lab where an oscilloscope
minutes, but it drew valuable Instruments, Inc; I have was to be used to track down
battery power and added wasted a lot of pert board the method of spurious
unnecessary complexity to the before I got smart. Now I can triggering. The final solution,
keyer. wire up any of the circuits on my radio bench at least, is
The simple regulated power described here in less than to refrain from touching the live
supply in Fig. 9 is good for up fifteen minutes (including circuitry with large metallic
to 100 mA if the transformer correcting mistakes). tools!
and filter capacitor are stout I was afraid that rf would
enough . The voltage-regulator create some problems without Timing calculations
IC, 78L05, provides a 5-volt shielding and bypassing these Although it's not necessary
output with excellent circuits, but there was no to make any timing
regulation, and includes built-in problem around my equipment calculations if you build either
protection so you can't damage with the transmitter turned on. of the electronic keyers
the device, even if you put a However, there was a problem described in this article, you
short circuit across the output. with stray, power·line field- may like to try the 555 timer in
Final comments
Within the pages of this
magazine are the means to
IN
generate the thril I of discovery 78 l 0 5 1--"
0V "'- T -- --O+ S v

in anyone with a little curiosity

and even less money. The cost
of the parts is certainly 6.3 VAC
rh
+
Trooo;.ir
l !j V
1001
FILAMENT
nominal; the 7400 quad two- TRANSFORMER GNO
O U T e fN
input NAND gate cost me 16
78LO~
cents, the 7470 JK flip-flop, 42 SASf D IA GRAM

cents, and the 555 timer, 45 Fig. 9. Regulated 5-volt power supply for the 555 electronic keyers. Di odes are 500
cents. At those prices I'm not mA, 50 PIV. Maximum available current from the s upply is 100 mA.

May 1977 m 59
 NEW FOR 1977
RF TRANSFORMER 136Pages-8"x11"
/

197 7 AMATEUR RADIO

EQUIPMENT DIRECTORY
~
TEN-TEC

Ckff
a ....
MFJ
0CUlh:n:lll
_
J~ntl -~ ........

snctllOMC:S
another project, such as an
audio generator, for example. If
that is the case, you'll have to
change the values of the timing
capacitor, Ct, and the two
resistors , Ra and Rb (see Fig.
YAESU KLM fROIDT] 1 ). The time the 555 output is
l[l[ICOM[ high, and low, is given by the
-~
r~~-, ....
following equations:
~ ~l'JmMI

j$~.~ocl
Thigh = 0.685 (Ra + Rb)
-~~~~· C1 seconds
Featuring ham radio equipment of over
e New! Broadband antenna
60 manufacturers, contains descriptions, Ttow = 0.685 (Rb)C 1 seconds
pictures, specifications & price~ . . .
matching. no advertisements! A must addition to The total time period is
every ham library.
• For all verticals and mo- Send for your copy today Thigh + Ttow = 0 .685
bile whip antennas.
$2.95 Postpaid (U.S.)
(Ra + 2Rb)C1 seconds
e Smaller size and higher (add 75¢ for First Class Mail) where Ra and Rb are in ohms,
efficiency. Only 3V2" KENGORE CORP - Dept. A C1 is in farads, and T is in
diameter for full 5-Kw 9 James Ave. Kendall Park, NJ 08824 seconds.
PEP capability. CLUB DISCOUNT 15% (M IN. 10 COPIES)
For example, assume you
MAIL NOW want to build a 1000-Hz audio
Here is the answer to the match- Enclosed is my O Check 0 MO for $2.95
ing problem for vertical antennas
($3.70 1st Class Mail). Please send the 1977 generator using the 555 timer
Amateur Radi o Equ ipment Directory.
and mobile whips. A broadband IC. A 1000-Hz square wave has
transformer that matches your a period of 111000th of a
50 ohm transmitter to 32, 28, 22, second (1 millisecond). With a
18, 12, 8, or 5 ohms . Plenty of 50 per cent duty cycle, this
taps to match any vertical or whip.
means that Thigh and T1ow are
And with no tuning or other ad-
justment. The RF Transformer is
each one-half tnis or 500
completely broadband 1·30 MH z microseconds. Choosing a 0.1
(1-10 MHz on three lowest taps). µF timing capacitor,
So when you change frequency
within a band you need only re- Thigh = 5 x 10- •seconds =
tune the antenna to resonance;
not fiddle w ith a matching net- 0.0685 x 10- •(Ra+ Rb)O. lxlO - •
work. 5 x 10-.
Also, more power goes to your 0.685(0.lxlO-•)
antenna. The RF Transformer is
more efficient than a matching = 7300 ohms
network or tuner-less than 0.1 Since the value of Ra should
db loss.
be about 115th the value of Rb
As always, when you buy Palomar
Engineers you get the best: large
for a 50 per cent duty cycle,
ferrite toroid core, teflon insu-
lated wire, sealed epoxy-encap-
Ra + Rb = 1.2Rb = 7300 ohms
sulated weatherproof construc-
tion , stainless steel mounting Rb = 1300 = 6083 ohms
hardware, full 2000 watt CW 1.2
(5-Kw PEP) capability. Ra = 7300 - 6083
Send for free brochure. =
1217ohms
Improve your station . Simplify
your tuneup. Get better results
These are not standard
with the new Palomar Engineers values, as is usually the case in
RF Transformer. circuit design, so you can use
Order direct. $42.50 postpaid U.S. the nearest standard
and Canada. California residents components, 5600 ohms for Rb
add sales tax. and 1000 ohms for R a· This
yields an output frequency of
about 800 Hz. If you use a 10k
pot for Rb, the output
frequency may be varied from
about 700 Hz to well over
5 kHz. HRH

60 m May1977
Does Your Transmitter D

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More details? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 61

 I
<~ljJFOR DX
To work DX on 80 meters, you They are not buried , but are
need a lot of real estate for the securely fastened to the turf at
antenna farm, right? Not one-foot (30cm) intervals with
necessarily! If you can spare a "hairpins" of no. 15
chunk of yard 50 feet (15m) in (approximately 1.4 metric
diameter, this vertical may be gauge) galvanized wire. A year
just what you need. It has been of lawn mowing at our station
used on 80 CW and 75 ssb at has not disturbed the ground
W3TQM's station to plane.
consistently work Europe,
Construction
South America, Australia, and
New Zealand with only 200 To build this vertical, begin
watts input to the final. by driving a 6-foot (1.8m)
galvanized steel ground stake
Description half-way into the dirt. I used a
Fig. 1 is an isometric sketch two-inch (5cm) diameter "line
of the antenna system. The post" of the type sold by Sears
main pole, 28 feet (8.5m) tall , is Roebuck or Montgomery Ward
mounted on a ground stake for chain-link fenc ing.
with two insulators. The ground Next, assemble the 28-foot
stake is a 6-foot (1.8m) (8.5m) main pole. This can be
galvanized steel pipe driven done with telescoping
half-way into the ground. aluminum tubing, as I did, or
Four metal guy wires are with other material.• Fig. 2
electrically connected to the shows two suggested methods
top of the main pole. The wires of assembly . My antenna used
are 39 feet (11 .9m) long and the system of Fig. 2A, but if
terminate at 6·foot (1.Bm) telescoping tubing is not
vertical poles spaced at 90- available, the "lap joint"
degree intervals about the main method of Fig. 28 can be used.
pole , to form a capacitive "top Either aluminum or steel pipe
hat." With this arrangement, will work. But beware - if you
the current near the top of the use commonly available TV
vertical can be much higher masting, remove the paint or
than that of a base- or center- anodized coating to insure
loaded whip . In addition, the Q good electrical contact
of this antenna is lower than between sections.
that of a whip of the same The four top-hat wires are
height, giving it greater attached as shown in Fig. 3.
bandwidth . They are 39 feet (11 .9m) long. I
Sixteen radials, each 25 feet used 15-gauge (approximately
(7.6m) long, are spaced evenly
·1 obtained the aluminum fro m a mail·
on the ground, and radiate o rder firm, and you could do the same.
outward from the ground stake Write to Smithe Aluminum, Box 442,
at the base of the main pole. BY STANLEY SMITHSON Lau rel, Maryland 20810.

62 ~ May1977
 ~
1.4 metric gauge) aluminum
1- l/4 " OD
wire in the first model, but ~ 2: CM

found that 17-gauge galvanized

electric fence wire works just ::"'
~
I- 3 / B"O D

as well in the second model.

"
. .., 3 5CM
Fig. 2. Aluminum t ub ing I,
Both are available through the sect ions are joined to form "'"' :·;r
'!)-

Sears Roebuck catalog. the cen ter po le. If non· ~ 1- 112''00

Mount the main pole on the telescoping tub in g is all

that is available, the sec· ~ .v..\
3 9CM

ground stake as shown in Fig. lions may be jo in ed as '~ '~ ~

·- - ·1

4. Insulate it with two pieces of shown in A. Te lescoping

~ -- - - - ~ 1
I - 518° 00
4 2 CM
2-inch (5cm) black polyethylene tubing sect ions are s lotted
· I : ,~
plastic pipe. These are 2 inches at ends and j oined w i th ~ ~ f ;•

hose clamps as shown in B.

(5cm) long and are slit along I • J / 4" 0 0

their length with a hacksaw to

form insulators s haped like the
If necessary, TV mast sec·
tions may be used. 0 LJ ~ 45C M

0
letter C. Wrap them around the hose clamps. Only thi s time, series of articles by W2DU a
base of the main pole. Exercise make sure that one wraps few years ago, and have not
care to overlap the cut ends of around the base of the main worried about swr since!
the insulator, or to adjust the pole and makes good electrical Who can argue with
gap so the hose clamp does contact. It is used to attach the success? While most books
not short against the main "hot" end of the feedline to the prompt you to tune antennas
pole . Allow 2 inches (5cm) of pole. The other clamp wraps for low SWR, and leave the
space between ground and the around the ground stake and impression that my vertical
bottom of the main pole. connects the 16 radials and couldn't possibly fly with thi s
In my in stallation , I used two shield braid of the feedline to means of feeding it, I ignored
hose clamps to wrap around the ground stake. their advice. I was too busy
each insulator. The slotted, Install four posts to hold the working DX to worry much
stainless-steel band of one was top hat. I used 6-foot (1.8m) about the matter. It seems that
pulled taut by the worm of the steel fence posts o f the sort most s ignals that could be
other, giving the effect of using sold for wire fencing. Tie the h eard could be worked, and
one large c lam p. If you cannot end s of the top hat wire s to QSOs with Gs, Is, Fs, OKs,
fi nd large clamps to do the job, nylon rope, usi ng about 3 feet VKs, etc. were racked up
you can copy my procedure. I (1 m) of rope as an insulator on w ithout trying hard.
used this trick only because eac h wire. Be sure to insul at e If yo u have t rou bl e with
the junk box co ughed up a bag the ends of these wires, as the matching , I have since found
o f smaller hose c lamps . rf voltage is high at these the simpl e network of Fig. 5
Clamps of the type needed point s. very usefu l on th e second
are available at most hardware Finall y, spread the 16 ground- model. It was first sug gested to
and auto parts stores . They are plane radials uni fo rml y around me by ex-W3MTI some quarter-
also available in the plumbing the ground stake. Attach one cent ury ago. The LC c ircuit is
department at Sears Roe bu ck end of each wire to th e gro und resonant on 80 or 75 meters.
and Montgomery Ward . stake hose c lamp. Fas ten the The coax cable is permanently
While you're perusing Fig. 4 , radi als to the ground with 8- connec ted between ground and
go ahead and install two more inch (20cm) hairpin s o f the midpoint o f th e coil .
galvanized steel wire, using Beg in by attachin g the
o ne hairpin per foot or two (30 vertical to the same coil tap as
to 60cm) of radial len gth . the coax, and tune the LC
circuit for minimum swr. Move
Tuning and operation th e antenna t ap up or down
I worried a bit about feed- one turn and re-t une the circuit
poi nt impedance, bandwidth,
swr, and match ing. But , before
measurements were completed,
I took the easy way out - the
"what, me worry?" approach of
Fig. 1. Is a view of the top-hat ve rtical Fig. 4. I attached the coax
antenna for 75 and 80 met ers . Center
pole is on ly 28 feet (8.5m) high, radials directly to the verti cal and
are 25 feet (7.6m) long , and top-hat wires radial s as if it were a standard
are 39 feet (1 1.9m) long. This antenna is quarter-wave antenna. It
very effective for DX ope rat ion , and worked! To be sure, the line Fig. 3. Method of attaching the top-hat
feed line match ing does not appear to be wires to the ti p section of the center
a problem. A simple tuning network may
swr was not 1:1, but I can't be
pole. A sing le hose clamp secures the
be used if desired. See text and Fig. 5 fo r convinced that I should do any- four wires which also serve as guy wires
detail s. thing about it! It seems I read a for the system.

May 1977 m 63
 FREE
NEW CATALOG
' '
I ! 3'

l!JCMI
Fig. 4. Method of attaching the base of
the center pole to a six-foot ground
stake. Insulators are made from slotted
pieces of plastic pipe that fit over the
base o f the pole. Note that shield braid
of coax ial cable feedline and ends of
radial s all connect to the ground stake,
and that center conductor of cable at-
taches to center pole with hose clamp.
NOW'S THE Tl ME
to request your free new for lowest swr. Repeat this
catalog on many, many procedure to get the lowest swr
exciting Amateur products you are willing to work for.
including: Weatherproof the LC network
Data-Tone Keyboards with a large plastic container,
Data -Tone Encoders such as a polyethylene freezer
Handheld Encoders container, or an empty bleach
Automatic Data-Tone Dialers bottle. I generally use a bleach
CW Keyers
CW Memories
bottle as a "rain hat" with the
Auto Patches bottom left open for air
Receiver Preamps
Single Tone Encoders
Single Tone Decoders
DON & :SO:S'S circulation.
Closing comments
Tone t o Pulse Converters
SUPER BUYS You will find this antenna
rather surprising , particularly if
FOR EXAMPLE LOOK AT OUR CALL US FOR QUOTES
DELUXE C-MOS P.C. KEVER you've been trying to DX with
& ITEMS NOT LISTED
some of the commercial
COE B ig Talk ·'- 100 It rot o r cable $100
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WIRE, ETC. Premax heavy-duty 4 f t ground
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Use a base tuning network if
wire : = 14 stranded $5.00 / 100 ft. ;; 12 you must, but I am is still going
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longwire antenna wire $2.50/ 1000 ft. direct - I can't seem to be
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bothered with weatherproofing
CALL US TS520, TS700A, TR7400A, Atla s coils and variable capacito rs.
350XL, A tl as 2 10X, ETO. All in sea led
car ton s. HRH
Complete C·MOS keyer in kit form,
or wired, just right for your c ustom EXTRAS 5 ea , •;," sha ft knobs for panel.
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tone m onitor and 90 day wa rra nty ohm kw t winlead $19.00 / C. Amphenol COAX CABLE
the Data S ignal PC Keyer is the one PL259 59r. U Gl75 19r.
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C·MOS Keyer Wired $24.95: Kit $19.95 22X L $50.00. Belden 8 w i re rotor cable
14r ft. Fig. 5. An opt ional tuning netwo rk for
CABLE 5 / 32 " , 6·s t r an d , soft.drawn guy
ca b le. For mast or l ight to wer, 3 r foot. matching the feedline impedance to the
CALL U S FOR QUOTE on Tempo 2020. impedance at the base of the antenna.
TS820. Mu lt i 2700A, Yaesu FTIOIE. The coil and capaci tor combination are
DATA SIGNAL, INC. All Prices FOB Houston. Quotes Good 30 O• ys.
All Items GuManteed . Call Us' Send letterhead
for Amateur Dealers prict list.
chosen t o resonate on th e desired
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2403 COMMERCE WAY coax ial cable is permanently attached to
ALBANY, GA. 31707 MADISON the center tap point on the coil. and that
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ELECTRONICS SUPPLY, INC. only the antenna connect ion is moved.
1508 McKinney Houston, Texas 77002 Swr can be brought to 1:1 with this
71 3 /65 8-0268 Nites 713/497-5683 arrangement.

64 r:::;:::) May 1977

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More details? Ad Check page 78. May1977 m 65

 INTERVIEWS
JOHNJOHNSTON,K3BNS
Chief, FCC Amateur and Citizens Division
When we concluded last encourage to get on the air - an individual bas is. One
month 's segment we had been will be stuck with the long important concern in the
talking about the growth of license delays. We hope the present Novice mail exam
Amateur Radio and the cu rrent , experimental program wi ll system is the dropout rate.
more receptive attitude toward show us the standards needed Less than half the Novice
prospective Amateurs. We open for good novice training li censees have been mov ing up
with another question. courses. With well-trained to the higher operator class,
graduates, there might be a which indicates some th ings
HRH: Do you see the
number of things that could be are probably wrong with the
implementation of Novice system as it is. Perh aps the o ld
Licensing on the local level - hit or miss train ing isn ' t very
the resolving of the legal One important area of con· good. Maybe the Novice
objections that have been cern in the present Novice experience doesn't add the
raised so clubs or schools can mail-exam system is the knowledge or incentive needed
get on with some sort of dropout rate. to move up the ladder. Perhaps
"certification" for Novice the training methods for the
done to get them on the air next step up aren 't as good as
right away. Otherwise, with the they cou ld be.
system we have, there's the We believe good Novice
mailing delays, back and forth. train ing courses might solve
We have to be careful about these problems. If more
abuses. We have to check each newcomers understood that a
time , for example, to make sure sound grounding at the Novice
the volunteer examiners are level can greatly reduce the ir
licensed amateurs. The system prob lems later on , maybe that
we have now is not very would he lp, too.
satisfactory from the time I've wanted to do some
standpoint. We hope the formal surveying along these
experimental program will lines for some time - I worked
Direction·findlng equipment at several suggest some possible ou t a program a while ago,
FCC monitoring stations can take bear· which I couldn't get funding
ings on a signal under investigation. The solution to these problems.
headings are all plotted on a large board
for, to follow a group of new
to indicate where the transmitter is HRH: If you cou ld go into this Novice licensees as they
located - at the i ntersection of the training program - having progressed or dropped out and
lines. authorized or certified clubs , find out why. I had questio ns
schools, and the like certifying like :
Novices - would you do so to
the exclusion of the traditional • How did you find out about
applications and thus speed up Amateur Radio?
the licensing process? individually administered
Novice exam or would that • What do you expect from
John: We've got to find ways to ham radio?
method still be open?
speed up the process, because • Where d id you get your
if we don't, the new hams - John: We have no intention of training?
the very ones we want to terminating the mail exams on • Why did you drop out?

66 m May1977
and so on. We know that most restructuring proposal met with
Novices won't carry through , a lot of opposition, much of it
but what we don't know is why. possibly just resistance to
I understand the League survey change. I do think that, some
asked a group who had already day, people are going to say,
dropped out similar questions. "You know, that 'dual ladder'
Pract ically all of them said they (from the restructuring docket)
really intended to come back wasn't such a bad idea at
into Amateur Radio some day! that!" There, of course, the
Whether they will or not, of idea was to keep the high-
course , is som ething else. It's frequency bands and privileges
too early to predict the impact pretty much as is, and to make
on what the deletion of the 1 the vhf/uhf bands more
year wait before re-exam will available to newcomers to
have. We hope it will be amateur radio. As I see it, the
beneficial. big challenge to amateurs now
will be to accommodate their
HRH: We're working on an
growing ranks in the limited HF Mobile monitoring units can be used for
article on that subject already, many purposes. Th is one can be used to
bands.
to be called something like, compi le data on how th e rad io spectrum
"Why Didn't Johnny Novice HRH: How about higher class is occ upied.
Make It?" licensing and licensing
programs? Hasn't the League Novices being au thorized on
John: We'd sure like to get been doing something in that
some statistics on that subject. the local level. Do you see that
area? philosop hy moving the
I've always felt that it isn't just
a problem with the training John: I understand they've administration of higher class
phase, but that the step conducted a survey as to why Amateur exams out from under
between Novice and Technician hams have or have not been direct FCC superv ision being
may be too big. That's one of upgrading, and presumably are extended? As it's p resently set
the things Docket 20282 tried up, we 're really limited,
to address. Moreover, Tech particularly in rural areas, by
privileges greatly exceed the "Do you see a code-free the lack o f FCC Field Off ices
Element 3 requirements. But license on the horizon and personnel to provide
even those requirements may anymore?" Amateur exams on a frequent
still be too big a step up from schedule.
Novice. basing their training programs John: That is a possibility. If
HRH: Of course, now that on that. It wasn't until recently the Amateur ranks grow
that anyone took much interest ap prec ia bly , the FCC could be
Technicians have Novice
in why people stay in or drop forced into such a move.
privileges, the whole structure
makes more sense and you can out of Amateur Radio.
HRH: Do you thin k it would be
move up in a step-by-step HRH: Do you see a code-free good if you were forced into
fashion and you no longer give license on the horizon any something like that?
up something at that important more?
Novice-to-Tech upgrade! John : Well, first I'm sure that
John: A lot of people, both everyone wants a good system.
John: That change was a key inside and outside the The test program we had for a
issue in the restructuring Commission, want that. One while with Civil Service
matter. It was a very pragmatic real holdup for us is the lack of administ ered exams had some
decision. As you know, the resources to process the advantages, but it cost money.
number of new Amateurs we'd If someone could only come up
probably get with such a with something like that that
license! This is true for any d idn't cost money! Field Office
changes in privileges which Bu reau is mak ing adjustments
would make ham licenses more to the exam schedules to
attractive, or easier to obtain. reduce the t ravel problem as
much as possible.
HRH: That brings us back to
another point we discussed a HRH: Have you thought abou t
bit earlier. Eventually charging a prem ium for special
something will happen with the examination handling? For
The FCC has many monitoring stations; experimental training program example, what if a local
this one is a Grand Island, Nebraska. and could possibly have postmaster would give an

May1977 m 67
Amateur exam but you'd have Johnson , W3GGO, and Greg sponsors from making the rules
to pay a service charge say $10 Jones, WB6KAV, in the Rules they need for their purposes.
for his time. That would be and Legal Branch. They did Amateurs really should give
cheaper and more convenient much of that work on their own more thought to what they can
than driving even 50 miles to a time. We were so busy here do for themselves, rather than
big city, and a lot of the during the day that there was depend upon the FCC to do it
population is much farther from simply no time to sit down with for them .
an FCC Field Office than 50 the door closed and think Of course, Amateur reaction
miles. things through, so they took a to the bandwidth docket was a
lot of it home with them. For a big disapointment to us. That
John: The Field Office Bureau while we were turning out an setback , plus many other
is always looking for better item a week, but then we things, have come along since
ways to do their job. They have started running into opposition to take our minds away from
already done several things to from amateurs. Amateur matters, so we've
broaden the individual 's We first ran into opposition simply put bandwidth on the
examination opportunities. back burner. Recently CB has
on the portable/mobile
Many of the bigger hamfests identification proposal (deletion been taking a lot of time. For
now have FCC license of the requirement that an example, we've started a big
examinations as a regular part Amateur station ind icate his project rewriting the CB rules
of the program. One suggestion to make them more readable.
status when operation away
that sounds interesting is the from the licensed premises , There's simply so much to do
setting up of an "FCC which finally became effective in CB right now that I don 't see
Auxiliary," something like the on November 26, 1976. Editor). as many actions affecting the
Coast Guard Auxiliary, with Initially, we did not anticipate Amateur service in 1977 as we
part time or volunteer people such problems and thought it accomplished in 1976.
authorized to give exams, could be done with a simple
answer questions, and the like. HRH: We touched on CB a bit
order but some negative
earlier .. . in the relationship
HRH: So far we've barely comments on the idea popped
between the two services. Is
touched "deregulation," yet it Amateur Radio benefiting from
is really one area in which or being hurt by CB?
There's nothing in Part
you've done a great deal.
Where do we go from here? 97 that forbids contest John: I used to see much
What's going to happen next sponsors from making mi sunderstanding and lack of
on re structuring Docket 20282? the rules they need for cooperation between people
their own purposes. who were in only one service or
John: We're no longer under the other but that seems to be
the pressure for deregulation correcting itself. At one big
that we were last year. Then we up. So we had to go through a hamfest recently I asked the
were under specific proposal and comment phase. question at the FCC Forum ,
instructions to deregulate the Then the bandwidth docket - "How many of you came into
Amateur service because of Docket 20777 - got very ham radio through the CB
inputs from various Amateur negative reception and we
ranks?" A good number of
groups and individuals who'd started hearing some hands got up, and I'm sure if
presented arguments to the comments to the effect that you made a survey you'd find
effect that "Amateur Radio is deregulation was going too far. that many new hams are indeed
in a straitjacket," and "we need In the end, the Commission coming from CB. I did myself.
only minimal regulations." The went ahead and dropped the My family is into CB quite
Commission was anxious to ''portable/mobile" requirement. heav ily. We find it very useful.
see us respond to those inputs While we're talking about that As crude a radio service as
because , frankly, if rule c hange, it's a good some amateurs view CB to be , I
deregulation doesn't work for opportunity to reflect on the happen to think it is providing
the Amateur service, it probably whole deregulatory theme and great training and research.
isn 't going to work anywhere! Amateur reaction to it. Many Millions of people are finding
Again, there's that fine Amateurs filed comments to out how two-way radio can be
reputation that Am ateur Radio the effect that a portable of real use to them . We're all
has for self-regulation. identifier was useful for learning what the needs for
We got off with a running contest work so we asked personal radio are. I think we
start early in 1976. Probably ourselves, "why should a will some day credit the
more items and more government regulatory agency
amateurs for some of the
deregulatory actions came out have a Rule simply because technology that will be needed
in 1976 than ever before in a someone wants it for hi s to sati sfy those need s.
similar period of time. Give the contest?" There' s nothing in
credit for all that to Joe Part 97 that forbids contest HRH

68 m May 1977
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 broadcasting that takes place
throughout the band. The S-9
plus signals of these stations
often mask the DX. A sharp
filter will be a big help to you

DX lorecaster on the 40-meter band.

3.5 MHz is a bit
unpredictable this month,
because May is a transit ion
period between Spring and
May, 'J.977 Summer. Although absorption
levels play havoc during mid-
day, rendering the band
practically useless between
about 11 AM and 3 PM , the
With seasonal progression, give up easily . Short skip morning and afternoon hours
Spring DX opportunities slowly signals wil l be present on most wi II keep you happy and busy
give way to the doldrums of the days of the month, with good wit h signals coming in from all
summer solstice. The DX word contacts possible between directions between about 50
is humdrum. Increasing about 600 and 2400 miles (1000 and 250 miles (85 to 425
atmospheric noise from and 4000 kilometers). k ilometers). After dark, " short"
thunderstorms means that the 14 MHz is the " steady Eddie" skip w ill provide QSOs out to
1.8-M Hz (160-meter), 3.5-M Hz of DX bands, and will continue about 1800 miles (3000
(80-meter), and 7.0-MHz (40- to mair.itain its reputation in kilometers) or more, particularly
meter) bands will be generally May. Opening shortly after if the country around you is
poor for DX. Although the 21- sunrise local time, it will peak free of thunderstorm activity.
MHz (15-meter) and 28-MHz (10- about an hour or two later, 1.8 MHz will be dormant
meter) bands will be quieter decline somewhat during mid- until Fall. Nothing will be
because they are not as day, and peak again during the coming through during the
subject to "atmospherics ," late afternoon. In general, the daylight hours, and very little
(static , or ORN), they will be 20-meter band will be open all during the evening . Be alert for
quieter for another reason - day and well into the evening nice evenings when the noise
fewer DX signals. for DX to most parts of the level is low, and look for
28 MHz will provide world, especially when the occasional stations from as far
occasional openings along a solar index is up. DX will blend away as 1000 miles (1600
generally north-south path with short skip of 400 to 2400 kilometers), but don 't expect
between the United States and miles (650 to 4000 kilometers) the " solid" winter-type signals.
Central and South America during the afternoon hours, and
during afternoon and early it will sometimes be diffi cult to Propagation special
evening hours. Short skip is a tell which signals will be Sometime around the 11th or
favorit e summertime trick of stronger in your receiver! 12th of May, there is a
the ionosphere, so if DX to you 7 MHz can still provide some possibility of some extra-
means 750 to 1500 miles (1200 good DX openings, particularly special ionospheric activity,
to 2400 kilometers), keep your if you're a "night owl" living in accompanied or shortly
receiver tuned to ten meters, a part of the country where followed by unusual
especially on those days when thunderstorm activity is not at mosphe ric activity.
WWV tells you that the solar severe. Start checking just
index is above 70 and the before sundown and scan this Propagation chart
geomagnetic index is below 5! band frequently until an hour or An asterisk (") indicates that
21 MHz will be open to South so after sunrise. the same path may be open for
and Central America frequently Short skip conditions are the next higher band. A hyphen
during this month, and "normal" for forty meters (·) means that the path is not
Caribbean QSOs will be during daylight hours and will open on any band at that time.
commonplace. The best times bring in stations from Wherever a band is indicated,
to listen will be from noon distances of 150 to 750 miles the path should be open at that
local time until 8 or 9 PM. (250 to 1250 kilometers). Later time on an average of 50% of
Occasionally, when the solar in the evening " short" skip will the days. Don't forget that
index is up, trans-equatorial lengthen to about 2000 miles Daylight Savings Time will
paths to Africa and the South (3500 kilometers) or so. As come into effect in May; times
Pacific will open and provide always , the major problem with given are Standard, one hour
surprises for those who don' t forty is the foreign later than Dayl ight. HRH

70 m May1977
 WESTERN USA MID USA EASTERN USA
I
N NE E SE S SW W NW N NE E SE s SW w NW N NE E SE SW w NW
GMT MST
_, CST E ST
-- ___::__ t / - " - ' ~ / - "-. t / - '-... ~ / - / '-... ? / - "-.
0000 4 00 - - 5:00 6:0 0 7:00
--
0100
20 15 * - 15 15 -
6:00
- 20 - - - 15 20 -
7:00
-
20 ' 20
-
- - 20 15 20 20
500 - - 20 20 20 15 15 - - - 20 20 20 15 15 - 8:00 20 - - - 20 - 20 20
-- ,____
0200 6:00 - - - 20 20 15 15 - 7:00 20 9:00
-- ~f---+~--+-~+----+~--+-~-+-~-1-~
- - 20 - 15 15 - - 8:0 0 ,____ 20 - - - 20 - 20 20
0300 7:00 20 - - 20 20 20* 20* - 8:00 10:00
- - ~f---+~-+--~+----+~--+-~-+-~-1-~
20 - - - 20 20 15 20 9:0 0 - - - - 20 - 20 20
- -
0400 8:00 20 - - 20 20 20* 20* 15 9:00 1 1:00
-- ~ f---+~-+--~+----+~--+-~-+-~-1----l
20 80* - - 20 20 - 20 -10:0 0 - - - - - - 20 20
0500 9:00 20 40 : 40 20 20 20 20 20 10:00 20 40 40 40 20 20 - 20 11:00
- 12:00 - - - - - - - -
--
0600 10:00 20 40 - 20 20 20 20 20 11:00 40 40 40 20 - - 12:0 0 '1)0
- - ~r----t-~-t-~+---t~--+-~-+-~+---l
- - - - - - - - - -
0700 11 00 12:00
- 1(1() ? 00
- 40 - 20 20 20 20 20 - - 40 40 - 20 - - - - - - - - - -
--
-- -
0800 12:00 - - - 20 - 20 20 - 1 00
- - - - - 20 - - 2 00
- 3 00 - - - - - - 40 -
- - ---r---+~-t-~+---t~--+-~-+-~+---l
-
0900 1 2 00 3 00 •·oo
00 - - ' - - - 40* 40* - - - - - - 40* - - 40 - - - - - 40 -
-- - f---+~--+-~+----+~--+-~-+-~+---l ,__
--
1000 200 - - - - - 80* 80* - 3 00 - - 00 4 5 00
-- ~f---+~-+--~+----1~--+-~-+-~+---l
- - - 40* - - 40 - - - - - 40 40
'--
1100 300 - - - l - - 80* 80* 40 4 00 40 - - - - 80* 40 - 5 00
- 6 00 40 - - - - - 40 40
- - >---f---+~-+--~+----+~--+-~-+-~+---l ,____
1200 •OO - - - - - 80* 80* 40 5 00 6 00 7 00
-- >--- f---+~--+-~+----+~--+-~-+-~+---l
40 - - - - 80* 40 40 ,__ - 20 20 - - - 40 40
1300 6 00 7 00 8 00
!> OO 40 - - - - 40 40 40 40 - - - - 40 40 40 - 20 20 - - 20 20 20
- '--r--+~-+--~+----1~--+-~-+-~+---l '-- >-----
1400 7 GO 8 00 9 00
61l'l - - - - - 40 40 40 - - - 20 - 20 - - - 20 20 - 15 20 20 20
- '------
1500 7 00 - - - - - 40 40 -
- 8 00 20 20 - 20 - 20 20 20 9 00
- 10 00 - 20 - - 15 20 20 20
- - -- ,__
1 600 9 00 10 00 11 00
~ - 20 - - - 20 I 20 20 20 20 - 20 - 20 20 20 ,__
- 20 - - - 20 20 -
- -
1700
--
900 20 20 - - - - - 20 10 0 0 20 20 11 00 12 00 -
>-----
20 20 - 20 - 20 20 15 15 - 20 20 -
-- '--
1800 1000 11 OQ 12 00 1:00
20 20 - - - - - 20 ,____ - - - 20* - 20 20 - - 20* 15 15 15 - - -
-- -
1900 11 00 1'!0l1 1:00 2:00
20 20 -
-r---t-~-+-~+---+~--+-~-+--~+-----t
- - - - - - - - 20* - - 20 - ----- - - 20* 20* 20* 15 - - -
-- '------
2000 1:00 2:00 3:00
1200 - 20 - - - - - 20 - 20 - 15 - - - 1- - 20* 20 20 15* -
-- ---r---t-~-+--~+-----+----+-~-+-~+---l
' ,__ - -
' 2100 1 00
-- 2:00 3:00 4:00
: - - - 15* - 15 15 20 20 20* 15 - - - -
--
s::
I» -r---t-~-t-~+---t~--+-~-+-~+---l
,___ _ - <----
- 20 20 20 15 20* 20 20
'< I 2200 3:00
-
...... 200 - - 20 15* - 15 15 20 - 20 20* 15 - 15 - - 4:00 5:00 - 20 20 20 20* 20* 20 20
-f---+~--+-~+----+~--+-~-+-~+--~ ~
CD >--- 1---
...... I 2300 4:00
-
...... 300 - - 20 15* - 15 15 - - 20 20 15 - 15* - - 5:00 5:00 15 20 20 20 20 20* 20 20
-f---+~--+-~+----+~--+-~-+-~-1-~
'------ -
~ <( ~ !!
- CJ
. u
ii: .. a
<ii z u.. -z
~ ~ <( u <( ;:, u
_, u >= .... .... _, u _,
UJ w ii: u a::<(
~ ~ ~ ~ r:~ ~
.. .. ...._,
> Q.
w w u ii:
......
~ a: w a: N >-w
.... .. .. .. ...... .
~ <t f: ~ ~ ~ N ~~ .... 0 ::;
.."'
w
..
"'w a. a: z ii: w VlN
II:: z "' .. .... 3: .. w a: 3: a:: a:
0 .... u.. ::;
w
I "'~ zw
:::> z w a: z ~3:
w u ·W
..:::: ~ ~ u) ~ ~ ~g ~ u w ui
.. ........ z .
u..
..
u..
:::>
w u
. .. .. ui ui 0 3:z
HAM CALENDAR May1977
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
AMSAT Eastcoast Net 3850 kHz
Nortttwes1ern PtnnsylYania Hamtest - Crawford County Fairgrounds
9PM EOST (OI OOZ Wednesday Mudville, PA
MOJnlng)
AMSAT Mld·Cootintnt Net 3850 The PotomK Area VHF SOCttty Hamfest - Frying Pin Paril: on Wesl Ox
kHl 9PM COST (0200Z Rd - Herndon, VA - ThtS Is lhf HilmflSI l0tmerty hekt In
Delawa1e Valey Radio AssociahOfl (W2ZOIWR2AOE) Fteamat kel/ Auction westrrwistet. MD, bu! moved 10 Vlrgmsa because ot the rttef'llly
- Vila Vlctorla Academy - w. Trenton. NJ Wednesday Mormng)
AMSAT wes1coas1 Nel 3850 kHz ln.)Cle<f Maryland Uaders law - Into: KJOUA or WA3NZl
Brownfield ARC Swaplest - Brownfie6d. TX 8irmioghamlesl Amaleur Radio Corwent1C1n - Alabama Srare Fairgrounds
6PM POST {03001 Wednesday
r.tornlog) - S.rmlngh.lm. Al - 7-8
West Cont OValltylng Run t< ey West ARC Conthles1 - 7·&
May 71h conrtnoed t1e1ow· •
I 2 3 4 5 6 7
AMSAT Eastcoast Net 3850 kHz
9PM EDST 101001 Wednesday west Coast VHF Con1erence
Morning) MirilrNr Hotel MM:hi9an OSO Pany - Phone-CW - 1SOOZ 5114 - 0100Z 5/16"
AMSAT Mld·Contment Nel 3850 Santa Barbara , CA 1600·1900Z 15 meters C>O the noor and 10 meters on 1he N II 11Dur.
kHl 9PM COST 101ooz 13·15 No\llce lr&que11cles - 3725, 7125. 21125. 28125
Wed11esday Mornrng) M!Ctugan Wee ~ - Acttlevemen1 Award - 14·21
AMSAT Wes1coas1 Nel 38f>O kHz
SPM POST (03001 Wednesday
Morning)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
AMSAT E.as1coast Ne! 38SO kHz
9PM EDS! (0100Z Wednesday l:a(hllae MICh~n Swap/Shop - NJt10nal Guard A1mory - Cadillac. Ml
Morning) ARRl New York Sule Conven1'°n - Roehtslef. NY - 21·22
AMSAT Mld·Con11nent Net 38SO ARAL W1scons.n S1a1e Convenuon - Lake Oehon. WI - 21·22
Wanmnster ARC ' HAMMART'" Fteamartce1tAoct1on Wilham Teooenl
WIAW Ouallty1ng Run kHl 9PM COST (01001 f ott Vancouver Hamlair - 8y Clark County ARC - Ctart.: County
lntermecliale High SchOOI Sttetl Rd - Warm.ns1er . Suets County PA Wt<lntSday Morningl Fairgrounds on l·S. 7 milts nonh of Vancouvtt. WA in cooperat.on with
- K3ZAC AMSAT Wesrcoast 'lei 3850 kHz PO<t~nd ARC - W7l0R - 21 ·21
6PM POST (0300Z Wednesday
M0tnlt'l9)
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
AMSAT Eas1c~s1 Nel 3850 k:H1
9PM EOST (01001 Wednesday
Morning) Durnamles1. NC - 28·29
WABAS H Counry ARC Hamfest - Wal>asn County -4 ·H Fairgrounds AMSAT M1d·Con11nen1 Net 3850 AML Tennessee Sta1e Corwen11on - Knoxv1lfe. TN - 28·29
Wabash, IN kHl 9PM COST !0100Z
vacahonlaM Hamfes1 - By Er~ ARS - Erie Co unty Fa1rg1ounas - S We<lneSd~y Morning)
Columbus Ave - Sand usk y, OH AMSAT w esicoast Net 3850 k:Hz
SPM POST (0300Z Wednesday
MOfn•ng)
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ,..._
,..._
AMSAT Eastcoast Nel 3850 kHz
Tenth Anntversary Jerusalem Award
- Tne Jerusalem Award ..Geo<9~ aso Party By 1he
....a>
Committee announce 1ne
9PM E.OST (OIOOZ Wednesd.ly
Morning) creauon ot a new cenihcate to
Columbus ARC. Inc - WOOl
511 - 0100Z 519" - CW & iU'
commemora1e lhe 1en1h AH 1n1eroauona1 events sucn as contes1s are shown on the GMT days on ~
0
AMSAT Mld·Conimeru Ne1 3850 SSB Try 10 rrw:ters on the hour
kHl 9PM COST (0200Z anniversary of tne un1huuon of and 15 meters on rne nan hOut wtwch they !.lke place ewn !hough !hey may 1tlually begin on the
weonesoay Mortung) Jerus.lem. The cert1hcate wlll evtnlng of the preceding day 11"1 North Amer.a
during daytighl hou1s. Novice
~
AMSAT Westcoast Ne1 3850 kHz t>t made avallaDM 10 Doth frequencies - 3718. 7125.
Amat~r RadlO operators and
SPM POST (O:JOOZ Wednesday 21110. 28110
Morning) snortwave 11s1ene1s. Into Ham
Radio H0t1Zot1S, G1eerw1llt , NH
29 30 31 03048 - all con1ac1s musl De
mace 1n the ytar 1977
....
N
 Rocky Road From CB to Ham" and Dear Horizons:
"Get on the Air on a Budget." Just received my March copy of
I am not a Ham but am very HR Horizons after having
interested in becoming one. submitted my charter subscription.
Before reading your articles I I am very much impressed with
always believed that to become a the publication and especially like
Ham you had to be an electronics the clear bold face type employed.
expert and also be very wealthy to The articles were very interesting
afford the equipment. Your articles and informative.
were very informative and that is I've been a General for 18
why I am writing this letter. months and am still learning ham
Please send me the information radio, especially the technical
on becoming a Ham; I would angle of it. The manner utilized in
appreciate it very much. HRH for an explanation of
W. E. Minnick propagation was superb. And that
Bena, Virginia is the adjective which describes
the magazine ... Congratulations
and good luck.
Dear Horizons: Gene Molter, WB2BAM
Congratulations! I have just Irondequoit, New York
received the first issue of Ham
Radio Horizons and I think it' s a Dear Horizons:
wonderful magazine for both Just read Tom McMullen's
beginner and old timer. article on ssb. Absolutely
Having been licensed since beautiful! Written with exceptional
1934, I think I qualify as an Old clarity and accompanied by
Timer and it's great to see a illustrations that make a point.
magazine for both catagories of Can't remember anything ever
Dear Horizons: users of the Amateur Service. May written in a ham magazine that
You are off to a good start. I we be ever mindful that the communicated so welt.
liked the article by W6SAI as I frequencies allocated to us are Keep it up! My subscription is in
have one of the Taylor Tube s still loaned and that we police them the mail.
in the carton. I am not interested and use them as they were Martin Wincoll K2BRY
in getting too deep into the new intended. Harrison, New York
stuff. I am more interested in the I have a couple of interested
person-to-person side. parties in my town and no doubt
Hope you w ill have more articles they will make excellent amateurs. Dear Horizons:
that new hams will like. I have recommended they read Your new magazine provided
Joseph M. McClain, W9KNY Ham Radio Horizons and have ju st the encouragement I need! I'm
Kokomo, Indiana assured them it will not be taking my Novice written exam
necessary to use a slide rule to tomorrow and the Technician exam
understand the basic for the second time in March.
Dear Horizons: fundamentals of radio. Since I'm not technically oriented
Congratulations on your first issue Geo. W. Warren, Jr., W4EXJ it 's a struggle but I intend to be
- may all future issues equal or Whiteville, North Carolina the winner.
exceed it. I visualize HRH helping As an XYL (my husband is
hams to upgrade their license and W8KEL) and potential Ham I'd like
ease the transition of serious Dear Horizons: to say thanks for Horizons . I have
CBers into the wonderful world of I am one of your initial subscribed to it for myself but I
ham radio. And ham radio certainly su bscribers to the new Ham Radio may let my husband borrow it!
needs a large influx of Horizons magazine. Diana Slabinski
enthusiastic newcomers to replace I just received and read my Chagrin Falls, Ohio
the old timers and increase our "complimentary copy."
total numbers. Hungry vultures are Even though I hold the
eyeing our frequencies and Advanced class license, I must The Horizons staff extends a
privileges. My subscription is admit this is the first Ham sincere thank you to our many
enclosed - of course. Good luck. magazine that I've read from cover readers who took the time to write,
Francis E. McAllan W2SPB to cover, and actually understood as represented by this small
Ocean, New Jersey what I read. sampling of the mail. We are
Thanks for taking care of us grateful for your plaudits,
"ordinary hams." Keep up the comments, and criticism because
Dear Horizons: good work. I'll be looking forward that is a vital part of keeping in
I just finished reading the March to the next issue. touch with people - and that is
issue of your magazine and I was Mike Witenko, WB8UBG what communicating is all about.
most interested in "The Not So Springfield, Ohio Editor

May 1977 m 73
 spon se has been tailored to Jensen tool kits and tool cases.
voice frequencies , 320 Hz to Also covered is tech nical data
PRODUCT 2700 Hz at - 6 dB. Di stortion
product s are less than - 31 dB.
on tool se lection, met ric and
temperature convers ion charts,
Frequency stability of the unit glossar i es of tool t e rms ,
during any 30-minute period is equivalency tables, safety tips,
less th an 100 Hz of drift. and specif i c i nfo rmat ion on
Rece ive r sensi tivity is 0.25 plastics and the sol derability,
microvo lts at S/N 10 dB. Selec- tensi le strength, and melting
tivity is variable: 2.4 kHz at -6 po ints of various metals.
dB for ssb; 4.0 kHz at - 60 dB for To obtain yo ur free copy,
CW and f sk; 0.6 kHz at - 6 dB; write: Jensen Tools and Alloys,
1.2 kHz at 60 dB with 6 kHz at -6 4117 North 44th Street, Phoenix,
dB; and 12 kHz at - 60 dB for a-m Arizona 85018; or use ad check
operati on. on page 78 .
Bei ng entirely solid state , the
SHOWCASE FT- 301 D ma y be directl y
powered by a 13.5-volt de battery Long Wire Antenna
source, negative ground, at 21 Tuner From MFJ
amperes in transmit , 0 .9
amperes receive. A matching ac
Newest Yaesu supply, Model FP-301 D with self- 1h OUCJANC E

H F·Band Transceiver contained speaker is available.

A series of transformer taps
enables the unit to operate on a
range o f line voltages from
~··~·
~· ~·
M FJ ANTENNA TUNER
100/110/117/200/220 or 234 volts M.odel M F"J. 1&-0,Q

ac, at 50/60 Hz. Compact and

lightweight, the transceiver
m easures 11 " x 4.9 " x 7.7 " (280 x
125 x 195mm), and weighs 9 kg . Most of us, at one time or
Th e matching ac supply another, have longed for the sim-
a •
Yaesu Electronics Corpora-
measu res 212x125x195mm and
weighs 10kg.
For furth er information, con-
plicity and performance of an in-
ex pensive lo ng wire antenna,
but we just haven 't been able to
tion has revealed the newest ad- tact an authorized Yaesu dealer, find a single tuner covering the
dition to its ex tensive line of or write Yaesu Electronics Cor- 160-through 10-meter Amateur
amateur rad io equipmen t , the poration, 15954 Downey Avenue, bands and capab le of accepting
FT-30 1 D all so lid-state digital P.O. Bo x 498 , Paramount , 200 watts of power, at a price we
transceiver. California 90723 , or use ad could afford. Now, at last, there
The FT- 30 1 D covers the check on page 78. is s uch a tun er - and i t's
amateur bands 160 through 10 available from MFJ Enterpri ses.
m eter s with provisi o ns for The MFJ-16010 Antenna Tuner
WWV/JJY recep tion for time New Catalog of provides all hf-band coverage
signals. Frequency readout to with a single random-w ire anten-
six places is accomplished by Hard-To-Find Tools na, and allows you to ru n up to
large, red -colored light emitting A new 128-page catalog of 200 watts of rf output power
diodes. Yaesu states that their unusual and hard·to·find tools is without any problems. Even bet-
new FT-301 D is the first com- offered free by Jensen Tools and ter, the MFJ -16010 Antenna
pl etely solid state transceiver All oys. The catalog describes Tuner is small enough to carry in
available with 200-watt ssb PEP with photographs, many in ful l your hip pocket, measuring only
power input, 200 watts CW and color, over 2800 tools of interest 2-3/16 x 3·1/4 x 4 inches
50 watts a-m and fsk. to engineers, electronic techni- (11.3x8.26x10.2cm)!
The fsk feature should please cians and instrument mechanics Low and high impedances can
the growing number s of working on fine assemblies. be matched by merely inter-
amateurs interested in teletype Major categories include changing input and output con-
communication . Provision is micro-too ls, power tools, test nections, and S0-239 connec-
made to accept keyboard con- equipment , soldering equip- tors are provided for convenient
tacts with shifts of 170 or 850 ment , engineering supplies , attachment of coax ial cable
Hz , depending upon the screwdrivers, pliers, wire strip- transmission line. This unique,
operator's desires. pers, tweezers, and a 30-page wide range, high -performance
The transmitter audio re- section featuring famous tuner employs a 12-position

74 ~ May1977
tapped inductor and two stack- this and other Nye products for For further information on the
ed toroid cores. Price is only the Amateur, write Wm. M. Nye new multirange Model 64 Volt-
$39.95. Company, Inc., 1614 - 130th, oh mm ete r priced at only
For additional information, N.E., Bellevue, Washington $130.00, and additional optional
write M FJ Enterprises, Box 494, 98005; or use ad check on accessories to extend its use in
Mississippi State, Mississippi page 78. highly specialized applications,
39762; call (toll-free) contact the Triplett Corporation,
800-647-8660, or use ad check Marketing Department , Bluffton,
on page 78. Fet Volt-Ohmmeter Ohio 45817, or use ad check on
How many times have you page 78.
wished for a volt-ohmmeter that
Brasspounders Delight you could use to measure
Filters Reduce
resistances or make continuity
checks without removing com- TV Interference
ponents from their circuits?
How about a portable, battery-
operated meter that is drop-
proof and burnout-proof; or one
that doesn't bias or destroy
sensitive diodes, ICs, or
transistors?
Well, your wishes have been
granted by Triplett Corporation
William M. Nye Company with their recently introduced
knows a good thing when they Model 64 fet volt-ohmmeter.
sell it, and you will too! Their This new, solid-state meter is
Viking Speed-X telegraph key, super-safe and features six low-
model no. 114-310-004 G.P., is power ohms ranges with an
made from the finest materials open circuit voltage of only 90
and finished with loving care to millivolts. The exclusive Triplett
last a lifetime. micro-power circuitry permits You 'll be glad to know about
As a special tribute to the continuous meter operation for these three TV interference
Bicentennial Year, the Speed-X over one year without changing filters from Avant i Resea rch &
is available with gold-plated its batteries! Development.
hardware, offering a deeply Developed for use in test The problem could be at the
satisfying, rich beauty for the laboratories, manufacturing transceiver, the TV set or in the
discriminating CW man who has quality control and inspection ac power line. If the transce ive r
everything. The key lever is departments for field servicing, is radiating harmonics of the
mounted in adjustable pivots on plant maintenance, and voca- same frequency assigned to one
a heavy metal base finished in tional or trade schools, the or more of the local TV chan-
black crackle, and the base is Triplett Model 64 covers 29 nels, installation of the Avanti
mounted on a black plastic sub- ranges clearly indicated in color- Model AV-800 Low Pass Filte r
base that provides a solid, non- ful bright green and easily on the transceiver should clear
slip, yet attractive support for selected by a single range- up the problem. If the problem is
the key. The key lever can be set selector switch. Beyond this, at the TV receiver due to front
to any desired "feel" from that the meter has a specially end overloading, installation of
of an Old Timer to the needs and engineered internal electrical Avanti's Model AV-811 Filter on
requirements of the youngest system to prevent explosive the TV lead-in should solve it.
Novice. A separate lever arm can arcs in high energy circuits up to The fi lter lets the TV signals
be used to close the key tem- the 1-ampere, 1000-volt fuse come through the line unhin-
porarily, leaving your hands free capacity, and features complete dered, while choking off the in-
to make transmitter tuning ad- insulation and protective-type com i ng amateur or CB signal.
justments. test leads. The third type of problem is
This truly beautiful key with A single selector switch caused by transmission of the
its plated hardware, crackle simplifies access to 29 ranges, signal through ac power lines.
finish, and "Navy" knob will including: de volts 0-0.3-1-3-10- This calls for the Avanti Model
grace the most elaborate station 30-100-300-1000; ac volts 0-0.3-1- AV-820 AC Line Filter which can
for only $50, prepaid, in the 3-10-30-100-300-1000; ohms (low isolate the signal at the trans-
United States. A standard , power: 0-1 k-1 Ok-100k-1 M -10M- ceiver. When used at the TV set
nickel-plated model is also 100M; ohms (conventional) this filter prevents an outside
available. 1000M; junction test, forward signal from entering the TV
For additional information on and reverse conduction. through the ac line.

May1977 m 75
 For further information, con- Underground find some local firms that you
tact Avanti Research & Develop- didn't know existed.
ment, Inc., 340 Stewart Ave., Ad- Buying Guide The Underground Buying
dison, Illinois 60101 or use Guide is available only by direct
ad check on page 78. mail from Peninsula Marketing
Services, 12625 Lido Way,
All-Band Whip Antenna Saratoga, California 95070. The
price is $5.95 plus 55¢ postage
For Receiver Use and handling. Californians add
If you are an apartment 39¢ sales tax. Moneyback
dweller, or have other restric· guarantee within 10 days if you
tions that prevent you from in· are not completely satisfied.
stalling that long-wire receiving For further information contact
antenna you've always wanted, Dennis A. King of Peninsula
your problems are over. Marketing Services at above
McKay Dymek has just in· address, Phone (408) 996-0471,
traduced its new DA100, all- or use ad check on page 78.
wave, omni-directional whip
antenna ; the first practical
replacement for the traditional Three-Function
outside long-wire receiving Peninsula Marketing Services Template for
antenna.The DA100 is a four-foot has just published a new direc·
collapsible whip attached to a tory that helps amateurs, CBers, Circuit Design
smal I weatherproof box that experimenters and computer
does away with the necessity of hobbyists locate equipment,
having to string an outside wire, parts, supplies and services.
while providing excellent per· Over 600 sources of standard
formance. and hard-to-find gear are listed
The DA100 contains a broad- in the handy guide. Many of the
band, untuned preamplifier hav· 600 sources are mail order firm s
ing a 50-ohm output impedance and many allow discounts, too.
covering the frequency range of All are firms that do business
50 kHz to 30 MHz. It includes a with electronic hobbyists. Tangent Template has just in·
standard coaxial connector for The first section of the book traduced its new electronics
attachment to any multi-band lists the firms alphabetically, engineer template that in-
commun ications-type receiver and their complete mailing ad· corporates on one template the
that will accept an external dresses and phone numbers. most commonly used logic,
antenna. The whip/amplifier sec- Then, a list of the products or schematic and component
tion mounts to a pole or pipe, services they offer is provided layout patterns required for the
window frame, ledge or any high along with key product informa- majority of electronic circuit
place; the higher, the better. The tion, minimum order amounts, design applications. Each
control module, measuring only shipping charges , etc. You'll template includes a complete
9 x 5 x 9 inches (23x13x23cm) find everything from the million· set of half-size logic symbols
operates from standard house dollar mai I order firm that and basic schematic symbols
current and can be placed at any handles hundreds of product for preparing circuit diagrams.
convenient location indoors. lines to the week-end garage Component layout patterns in·
Power consumption at 110 or operation offering a low-cost elude capacitors, resistors ,
220 volts, 50-60 Hz, switch selec- accessory for a microprocessor diodes, transistors, ICs and DIP.
tab Ie, is 4 watts maximum . or CB transceiver. The template is designed ex·
Weight : 9 pounds (4 kilograms). The second section of the pressly for use by electronics
Price: $125.00, available from book is a breakdown of products engineers, circuit designers,
the factory only. and sources in over 200 technicians, and draftsmen. The
For additional information , categories. Under each category Electronics Engineer template
write McKay Dymek Company, is a listing of all firms that sell or is available with 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1
Box 2100, 675 N art h Park manufacture the items cross component patterns, at $5.00,
Avenue, Pomona, California referenced to the first section. $5.50, and $7.50, respectively.
91766; nationwide (toll-free) The last section of the book For further information con·
telephone (800) 854-7769; Cali· includes all sources by state so tact Tangent Template, Inc., P.O.
fornia (toll-free) telephone (800) you can buy from the firm Box 20704, San Diego, California
472-1783; or use ad check on nearest you when there are 92120 (714) 282-0494, or use
page 78. several choices . You'll probably ad check on page 78.

76 m May1 977
 SST T·l RANDOM WIRE ANTENNA TUNER
AU bend ~~1ioft 1160 10 n'lelir•SI ....,.,h
c most any '""°°"' wue 100 w;nr
lltfl9lh
• OUl0\11 oowet up.tJ1t11y Ideal tor ponablt
o r tiomir OCM:•l1tOn f iyotd 1nduc10t l0t
-. smaM S1H J x 4 .114 • , .J /8 Bu•l l-in n~
• I Ufte·UP indicator S0-239 C~-'1 conntCtO•
Guftfftltt(j IO< I v• • 10 <1;,y 1Jt41 Comt>Kt
• - usv 10 uit only 519 9S POU~~ IAdd
- S..ltiTU11\C1loll ( 21ll l76-S887

SST ELECTRONICS. P.O. BOX I . LAWNDALE. CA 90260

OVERSEAS HELP - Do you have small parts,

basic components for electronic projects, or
useful station accessories that would help a
beginner? Your help here could increase
amateur activity overseas . Contributions should
be sent to: Peter Mallalieu, VP2DM, cio RFD 2,
Pulpit Road , Bedford, NH 03102.
RADIO EXPO, CHICAGO. September 17, 18, at
Lake County Illinois fairgrounds . Manufac-
turers' exhibits, flea market, seminars, and door
RATES Regular classified is available STOP LOOKING For a good deal on amateur prizes. 4000 attended last year! Exhibitors are
at 50~ per word. Display classified (1 inch radio equipment - you' ve found it here - at urged to reserve booth space now - call Doug
your amateur radio headquarters In the heart of Thornton workdays at (312) 595-0020.
deep x 21/.1 inches wide) is $50, or at the
12x rate is $35. All Ad Scan payable in ad- the Midwest. We are factory-authorized dealers 18TH ANNUAL STARC HAMFEST, May 7th ,
for Kenwood, Drake, Collins, !COM, Ten-Tee,
vance. No cash discounts or agency com- Atlas, Tempo, Regency, Swan, Midland, Alpha,
Binghamton, NY. Flea market, snack bar, tech
missions allowed. talks, hourly door prizes. Admission $2.00, ban·
Standard, Oentron, Hy-Gain, Mosley, Cushcraft, quet reservation $6.00. Indoor exhibit reserva-
HAMFESTS Sponsored by non-profit and COE, plus accessories. For the best deal tion $5.00/table. Contact STARC, P.O. Box 11,
organizations receive one free regular around on HF or VHF gear, write or call us today Endicott, NY. 13760.
classified ad (subject to our editing). for our low quote and become one of the many
Repeat insertions of hamfest ads pay the happy and satisfied cust omers of HOOSIER HAMFEST! INDIANA'S FRIENDLIEST and
ELECTRONICS, P.O. Box 2001, Terre Haute, In· largest hamfest. Wabash County amateur radio
standard rate. diana 47802. (812}-238-1456. clubs 9th annual hamfest will be held Sunday,
COPY No special layout or ar- May 22, 1977, rain or shine, al the Wabash Coun·
rangements available. Material should be DESK CONSOLE EQUIPMENT CABINET. Build ty 4-H fai rgrounds In Wabash, Indiana. Large
typewritten or clearly printed (not all from design drawings, photographs , $4.75. flea market (no table or set-up charge), technical
Amateur radio monthl y publ ications listing,
capitals) and must Include full name and $2.95. Bili Morris, WA5RSC, P.O. Box 411, Lub-
forums, bingo for the xyl, plenty of free parking,
address. We reserve the right to reject un- lots of good food at reasonable prices. Only one
bock, TX 79408. ticket to buy this year. Admission Is $2.00 for ad
suitable copy. Ham Radio cannot check
each advertiser and thus cannot be held PARAL VZED and legally blind 40 year old man vance tickets, $2.50 at the gate. Children under
studying for General license now could really 12 years old are admitted free. For more Informa-
responsible for claims made. Liability for tion or advanced tickets , write Bob Milting, 663
correctness of material limited to cor- use an Amateur transceiver. Please help Richard
Jastrow, 10660 Melvin Ave., Northridge, CA Spring St reet, Wabash, Indiana, 46992.
rected ad in next available issue.
91324. Telephone 213·781·2004. NEW YORK CITY. The 4th annual Ha ll of
DEADLINE 15th of fourth preceding Science A.RC. Flea Market and Hamventlon.
month. B&K TEST EQUIPMENT. 15% discount. Free
shipping . Free catalog . Spacetron , Box 84, 11 lth Street and 48th Ave. Corona Queens.
SEND MATERIAL TO: Ad Scan, Broadview, IL 60153. Refreshments, Zoo Museum. Dealers booths,
Horizons, Greenville, N. H. 03048. test bench. Family fun Sunday, June 12 (rain
MOBILE IGNITION SHIELDING provides more date June 19) 9 AM·3. Admission $2.00 door
range with no noise. Bonding strap sale less prizes . Tal k in .34/ .94. Information (212)
MULTl-BAND DIPOLE TRAPS. PACE·TRAPS are than 504 each. Literature. Estes Engineering, 699-9400.
t he key devices required to build the All-Band 930 Marine Drive , Po rt Angeles , Wash .
dipole depicted In the ARAL Hand-Book. Two 98362. BIRMINGHAMFEST AMATEUR RADIO CON
models available. NG-Series (novice gallon) VENTION. May 7 and 8, 1977. Alabama State
$14.95 pr. FG-Serles (full-gallon) 16.95 Pace- CODE PRACTICE OSCILLATORS, hand keys, Fairgrounds, Birmingham, and Rodeway Inn -
Sulator (weather-proof no·solder center - in- electronic keyers , other product s. Free Oxmoor at 1-65 and Oxmoor Road. One of the
sulator) 4.95. Antenna Instructions furnished. catalogs. GLOBALMAN PRODUCTS, Box 246, El country's largest flea markets, technical and
Shipped post·pald In USA. Check or M.O. To Toro, Calif. 92630. 714/533-4400. operating forums, huge prize drawings,
Pace-Traps, Upland Rd ., Middlebury, Conn. manufacturers and distributors displays, ladies
06762. FREE CATALOG. Unique Components, Kits, and children's activities. TALK·IN: 34/94, 3965
Calculators, Digital Thermometers, Ultrasonics, kHz. No admission charge. Prize ticket dona-
ATIENTION MICHIGAN HAMS! See us for Col· Strobes, Ni-cads, Lads , Transistors , IC's, tions - $1. For booth display space, information,
lins, Drake and Ten-Tee gear. W8RP, WB8UXO, Chaney ' s, Box 27038, Denver , Coto . and reservations, write. Bl rmlng hamfest, P.O.
WB8VGR. Purchase Radio Supply, 327 E. 80227. Box 603, Birmingham, Alabama 35201 .
Hoover Ave., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104. Ph.
313-668-8696. NEED HELP For your novice or general ticket? LOOKING FOR USED GEAR? Buyers & Sellers
Complete audio-visual theory Instruction. Easy, radio brokerage has the equipment you want at
28th DAYTON HAMVENTION at Hara Arena, no electronic background necessary. Write for the right prices. Call our Ham Gear Hotl ine
April 29, 30, May 1, 1977. Technical forums, ex· free information: Amateur license instruction, 617·536·8777, Monday-Friday, 9-9.
hibits, and huge flea market. Program brochures P.O. Box 6015, Norfolk, Virginia 23508.
mailed March 7th, to those registered within ROHN 25145 tower sections wanted. W1/W2
past three years. For accommodations or ad· STAINLESS ANO GALVANIZED STEEL ANTEN· areas preferred , will pick-up. Ham-M or Hygaln
vance flyer, write Hamventlon, P.O. Box 44, NA GUY WIRE our specialty. Wilcox Electronics, 400 rotator s wanted . M . S . Pride
Dayton, Ohio 45401 . Box 1331, S.L.C., Utah 84110. 603-472-5000.
ATTENTION: Announ ci ng a new ham radio
dealer in New Orleans. Digital Electronics, Inc.,
TUNE IN THE WORLD WITH HAM RADIO and other
fine ARAL publications are available at:
WYOMING 1201 Annun ciation St reet is an authorized
Ranch land. Antelope, deer, elk, wild horses representative for many major manufacturers of
CB CENTER OF BERGEN COUNTY ham radio equipment and accessories. Large in-
11 Bennet Roed - Your " Antenna Ranch." 10 Acres $30
Englewood, New Jersey 07631 down, $30 month. FREE Info - maps - ventory! Competitive pricing! Write for quotes
(201 ·588-0738) photos. Owner. or call collect (504) 568·9879. BankAmerlcard or
We also stock 2 meter crystals, antennas and fine
Dr. Mlchael Gauthier, K81CS Mastercharge accepted . Digital Elec-
quality transceivers - 73·Mlke Cresci WA2GPY. tronics, Inc. - P. 0 . Box 30566 - New
9550HH Gallatin Rd., Downey CA 90240
Orleans, LA. 70190.

May1977 ~ 77
 LOOK
VAESU 101 SERIES IN STOCK
AD CHECK FT· lOlE, 160-lOm transceiver w/proces·
sor
FT·lOlEE, 160·10m transceiver wo/pro·
cessor
$729
$649
AD INDEX
FT· lOlEX, Transceiver AC only $589
FTV·650B, 6 meter transverter $ 199
... for literature, in a hurry - we'l l FTV-250, 2 meter t ransvert er $199 A ntenna Mart 50
fV.101 B, external VFO $109
ru sh your name to the com panies SP-10 18, speaker $22 Atlas Radio Cov. IV
whose names you check. SP-lOlBP, speaker/ patch $59
FA·9, cooling fan $15 BBC Electron ics 79
XF30C, 600 Hz CW filter $40 Byte Publications 31
Place your check mark in the space between XF30B, AM filter $40
name and number. Example: HRH ..::L_ 150. MMB·l, mobile mount for 101 $19 CFP Communications 50
YC-601, digital read out (101 & 401) $169 Communications Center 78
YD-844, base mike $29
FL-2 1008, linear amplifier $399 Communications Specialists 25
INDEX FR-1015, l60-2m receiver $489
FR-1010, 160·10m digital receiver $599 Cushcraft 4
Antenna Inter. Mag. _ 536 FL·lOl, 160- lOm t ransmitter $525 Data Signal, Inc. 64
Mart _ 009 FT·221R, 2m AM-fM.CW-SSB VFO $595
Jenson FT·620B, 6m AM·CW-SSB VFO $365 Dayton Hamvention 61
Atlas _ 198 Too ls _ 293 YC-500J, frequency counter $249
FRG-7, genera l coverage receiver $299 Dentron Radio Co. 61
Avan ti Kengo re _ 073 QTR-24, 24·hour clock $30 Drake Co.. A. L. Cov. II
R.&D._557 CALL OR WRITE FOR SPECIAL
Kenwood· Ehrhorn Technological Operations, 60
BBC PRICES ON DRAKE, TEMPO, SWAN,
Long's _ 468 Electronic Di stributors 47
Elect. _ 5 29 HY·GAIN. TEMPO 2020, TEMPO I
Erickson Communications 49
Byte _ 487 M . F. J . _ 082 & AC SUPPLY IN STOCK.
Prepaid shipping. 2% discount for certi- Glade Valley Radio Sessions 79
CFP _ 022 Madison • fied chec k or money order. Ham Radio Center 65
Comm . McKay Ca ll and talk to Bob, WB0 RQZ, Joe, Ham Radio HORIZON S BO
Center _ 534 Dymek _ 511 WA0 WRI, J im, WB0 MOX, Don, WB0 YEZ
or Roy, WB 0 WWA. Heath Company 40, 41
Comm . Midland _ 086 Open 7 days a week Henry Radio Stores 10
Spec._330 Nye _ 214
Cushc raft _ _ 035
Palo mar _ _ 093
402-466-3733 International
Communi cation Systems, Inc. 47, BO
Data Signal __ 270
Dayton
Peninsul a _ _ 539 Communications Center l com 7
Interface Age Magazine 65
Hamvention· Processor 2226 North 48th Street
Kengore Corporation 60
Dentron _ 259
Tec h. _
R. F. Power _
540
542
• Lincoln , NE 68504 j;:;:;I Trio-Kenwood Corp. Cov. Ill
Drake _ 039 Long's Electro n ics 1
Scott _ 519
E.T. O. • M FJ Enterprises 31 , 69
Shmegg _ 543
Elect. Dist. _
Erickson __ 047
044 Standard _ _ 109 MAXI TUNER Madison Electronics Supply
Midland International 45
64

Spectronics __ 19 1
Glade Valley _ 213
SOLVES ANTENNA PROBLEMS! Palomar Engineers 49 , 53, 60
Tangent Processor Technology Corporation 3
Ham Center _ _ 491 Template _ _ 166
R. F . Power Components 78
HORIZO NS _ 150 Ten·Tec'
Scott Communicati ons 47
Heath _ 060 Triplett _ _ 544
Sh megg Electronics 50
Henry _ 062 Whitehouse __ 378
Standard Communications 50
l.C. S. _ 553 Yaesu _ 127 Spectronics 65
lcom_065 T en·Tec 9. 79
G . R. Whitehouse & Co. 64
•Please contact this advertiser directly.
THE FINEST

Limit 15 inquiries per request.

ANTENNA TUNER AVAILABLE
Presonts SO· 75 Ohm Resistive Load to Your
.......................................................
Transmitter Usi ng Virt1ially Any Antenna
System
MAY, 1977 Improved Ultimate Tr<1nsmatch Circuit Matc hes
Please use before June 30, 1977 Coa x, Random Wire and Balanced Antennas Foreign Subscription Agents
- Continuous 1.7 -30 MHz Coverage for Ham Radio HORIZONS
- 229·203 Rotary I nductor (28 µ H)
- Rugged Cast Aluminum Turns Counter Ham Radio Canada
Tear off and mail to Bo..: 11 4 Godeoch
HAM RADIO HORIZONS - " Ad Check" - Handles 3 KW Pf P On1ano_Cana:C'til N 7A 3Y5
- Monimatch SWR Circuit Ham Radio Europe
Greenville, N. H. 03048 - Heavy Duty 3· Core Balun 80• 444
194 04 Uoola'\ds V3sbv. Sweden
- Velvet·Smoolh 6 to l Vernier Tuni ng
Ham Ra dio France
- 0·100 Logging Scale on Capacitors 20 bis. Ave nue des Cla r~ns
NAME - - - -- - - - -- - - Color Choices to Match E•isling Rig 89000 Au wem~. f'.rtt r,ce

- Availab le in Kil Form or Assembled Ham Rt1d10 H ollnnd

PosUws 305 1
- Orie Vear Factory Warranty Delft 2200 Holland
CA L~------- - Custom Vacuum Capacitor Designs and Indi- Ham Rt1dlQ l 1atv
vidual Components Available STE Via Man.ago 15
1 201 34 M ilano IUtly
STREET Call or Write tor Pricing. Spec Sheer. and F REE Ham Radio U K
A mateur Market Antenna Tuner Compari son Char t Pos1 Office Soll. 63. Harrow
Thar Tells tr Like It ls' M1dd~e~ HAJ 6 HS , Engltmc:J
Holland Radio 143 Grec:nw~v
CITY _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ Greenside. Joharmest>v1u
P. 0 . Box 11

STATE _ _ __ _ _ IP _ _ __ _
RF POWER
COM PONENTS Ladysmith, WI 54848
(7151 532-3971
Rcpubhc of Soul h A f nc:t

78 m May1977
 B• B•
ELECTRONICS COMPANY, INC.
c.
uONE OF THE FINEST NAMES IN THE INDUSTRY!?
SPECIALISTS IN
HIGH-POWER RF TRANSISTOR COMPONENTS,
CMOS INTEGRATED CIRCUITS & ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS.

WISHES TO ANNOUNCE
A COMPLETE LINE OF AMATEUR H.F. AND V.H.F. EQUIPMENT
INCLUDING THE BEST NAMES IN THE BUSINESS.
LIBERAL DISCOUNTS TO LICENSED AMATEURS, HAS BEEN, AND STILL IS, OUR POLICY

- TRADE INS ACCEPTED -

FOR YOUR AMATEUR NEEDS FROM $1 TO $ " "

WRITE OR CALL
B. B. C.
BLUE GRASS PLAZA • 2417 WELSH ROAD • PHI LA., PA. 19 11 4
PHONE: (215) 4 64-188 0

BULK ORDERS ACCEPTED BIDS SUPPLIED

MODEL KR50
Glade Valley School Radio Session • SUPERLATIVE "FEEL"
5-50 GRMS PADDLE FORCE
• AUTOMATIC OR
18th Year -July 30 thru August 12, 1977 MANUAL WEIGHTING
e DIT AND DAH MEMORIES
WITH SEPARATE DEFEATS
Hams do it with more frequencies! • "STRAIGHT KEY" OVERRIDE
Improve your slice of the spectrum FOR QRS OR TUNE-UP
by upgrading. e GUARANTEED FOR LIFE
BEARING PIVOTS
Glade Valley School in the Blue A sparkling new keyer with a
Ridge Mountains of North Caro- host of exciting f eatures. A
lina offers an intensive two week powerlul aid to cleaner. more
arti culate CW that is relaxing lo
Radio Session in code and theory use and a joy to copy.
starting at your level. The paddle assembly will delight the CW purist KR20A KRl ·A
as well as lhe recenl graduate from a bug or
Expert instructors and close as- hand key. The superlat ive " fee l" is attained by
Padd l e ha s un ique pr inc i ple This is the paddle mecha nism
with u ce!len t feel i or rhylh· used In the KRSO. Req uires 6·
sociation with fellow amateurs offer a magnetic return force. inslantly adjuslable to mic cw. Charact ers are self · 14 VDC for adjustab le electro·
completing , Bit we ight ing is mag neti c paddl e ret urn fo rce.
an opportunity for Saturation- exactly the right touch for you. optimize(! for norma l speeds . Adjust.a bl e conta ct sp.:ic ing
Weighting, the ralio of dit and dah (bil s) lengths Man ua l ~ey bu tton con11 e· Fo r iambic or comentiana l
Learning. to the spacing between them, is either automa· keyers. "S tr aight key" but-
n i ently l oca t ed fo r hand
send i ng . Side ton e sl, gnal ,
t on. Housed in an attractive
Novices upgrade to General, Techs tically or manually varied. In th e automatic posi- metal c.ase wi th cream front
Reed r el ay . Pl u g·in circuit
tion, it is programmed to lenglhen the bits at slow boards. l 15VAC or 6 t o 14 riane- 1, walm1t vi nyl top . Size:
become General and Advanced and speed for enhanced smoothness and decrease them v oe. Hwo 21/1 " x 4112 " x 2" X 4 " X 6", Wt. ll/-2 lbs.
as you advan ce th e speed, for highest articulation. 81,1._" , Wt. 21/2 lbs. PRICE $35.00
Advanced become Extras. Or. it can be adjusl ed l o a conslant value. PRICE $67.50
FCC exam available at close of The KR50 is versatile. Dit and dah memories are
session. provided for full iambic lsqueezel keying. Either KR5 ~A KRZ-A
dil or dah. or both. may be lurned off for opera-
r------------------- ------- -------, tion as a conventional type keyer. Self-completing
Simil ar t o t he KR20A but
wi thout mon ito r signal a nd
The paddle used in lhe KR20A.
Single paddle for non- iambic
: C. L. PET ERS , K4DNJ, Director
, P. 0. Bo x 4 58, Glade Valley, N. C. 2 86 27
:
,
characters at all times.
A convenienl "Straighl key" is built-in for ORS
AC power su pp l y. A grea t
v~ l ue. For 6·14 YOC operation .
Sile HWO 2.. X 4 .. X 6" .
I
keyers. " SfraiRh t ke y" button
conven ient ly located. cre am
alum i num case wi th wa lnu t
1 Please send me the Booklet and Ap- 1 sending or tune-up. Also an inlernal side-tone and Weight: Ph lbs . r
vinyl t op. Sile: X 4" X 6",
: plication Blank for the 19 77 G lade : ll5VACi 12VDC operation is prov)ded. PRICE $38 50 Weighto Jlh lb.
1 Va lley Sch ool Radio Sessio n. 1 The KR50 is designed to have a perm anent place . PRICE $15.DO
I I
in your shack for the years. perhaps decades,
1 Name Call~-- 1
I ahead. An investment in the enjoyment of CW. , ~.,~EN-TEC, INC.
I~~ :1 11
Ad dress 1
I
1 City/ St ate/Zip :
PR ICE $1l0.00 JVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE 37862
EXPORT: 57 15 L INCOLN AVE., CHICAGO, ILL. 60646
l----------------------------------1
More details? Ad Check page 78. May 1977 m 79
 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
1827 S. Dixie Highway
Pompano Beach, Fla. 33060 (305) 943-5950

AM COMM GENAVE STANDARD

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INCREASE YOUR RANGE selector

MODEL WATTS PRICE

$189.95 146A Handheld
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H B-140 150 $189 SPECIAL SALE
HB-120 100 $145 CREDIT NOTE CALL US FOR PRICE QUOTE
FOR $50

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80 Im May 1977 More details? Ad Check page 78.