"Brian Reay" wrote in message
...
If memory serves, the legendary FT101 even included 27MHz coverage. It was
certainly reported to be used by more CBers than licensed amateurs.
As you suggest, CBers may have been able to compensate for the antenna
impedance over their limited bandwidth by using the Pi network.
Which demonstrates that some amateurs are put in the shade in technical
skill by CBers.

Once again that is a an interjection of childish venom by you; I had been
using
valve PA stages for 24 years before I picked up in 1995 a museum piece of an
FT101e
that was in such pristine condition that I elected to wait until the full
manual
was availble to me before using it on transmit. I did use it on receive, and
fitted
the narrow CW filter to it.

However, with the passage of time, when I set out as an independent
contractor,
I needed to make room for my business interests, and a number of stalled
projects
were offered for sale. Now, when you sell a TX, you would be expected to be
honest
about its capabilities, but as I had not used it on transmit I could not
vouch for its
capabilities so I said why in the notice for sale, as I was brought up to be
decent
and honest, I could not have offered it otherwise.

(You can be confident thus, that should you purchase anything from me, that
you'll get
an honest appraisal about it)

For some reason, Brian, and I regrettably have to say that it seems to arise
from an infantile
spite, you time and again make sneers about it.

That sale was 16 years ago. Grow up. man!

-----ooooo-----

From: Gareth Alun Evans
Subject: Grand End-Of-Season Sale!!
Date: 1997/12/22
Message-ID: #1/1
X-Deja-AN: 309386492
Distribution: world
X-NNTP-Posting-Host: cemetery.demon.co.uk [158.152.37.12]
Organization: Humanity
MIME-Version: 1.0
Newsgroups: uk.radio.amateur



The following are available, no reasonable offer refused!

All will be skipped if no takers, (but I ain't prepared to give to you
for nothing!)

1. "Radio & TV Servicing", Original two volumes, 6 volume set, isolated
ones up till 1973, 18 volumes altogether.

2. FT101E, pristine condition, CW filter. (Purchased Longleat '95, never
used on TX by me 'cos critical tuning-up pages missing from manual!)

3. R1475 WW2 Naval Rx. plus power supply.

4. Original Amstrad 1512 PC (BW, 2 floppy) + DMP3000 printer + original
software disks plus manuals. (This one FREE to good home).

5. Two Field Telephones Type "L" + large drum of cable, believed to be
in excess of 200 yards and in one length, altho' never examined by me.

6. RA17

7. B&W Portable TV

8. 2 foot high pile of Wireless World (recent years)

9. 2 foot high pile of Practical Wireless (recent years)

10. Icom IC2E hand portable for 2m.

11. Box of 10 assorted Bakelite ex-eqpt meter movements.

12. Crystal Set, with Genuine BBC stamp.

13. Bound editions of pre 1920 "Electrical Review"

14. Pye "Wessie", originally intended for packet use.

15. Valve portable radio.

16. R210 radio (had mains transformer fitted internally by previous
owner).

17. Collection of computer memorabilia; Paper Tape punch, "LEO" core
store, Apple II with two disk drives, Nascom, Dragon, BBC, Spectrum,
Oric, ZX81 plus RAM pack (but no elastic band!)

18. One Field Telephone type "F".

19. Beta-Max vcr (historical, dinosaur, non-working)

20. Eddystone 840C

21. 227G, Early synthesized 2m mobile.

22. CB converted to 10metre FM.

23. Rabbit cordless phone (needs new nicads)


72's de Gareth G4SDW (nee G8DXY) GQRP 3339

In message ,
writes
On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 2:12:14 PM UTC-6, gareth wrote:
With the onset of automatic ATUs, is the the final technical

skill that disambiguates the radio amateur from the CBer

being lost?

I've never seen a case where the use of an automatic antenna tuner
drained antenna related knowledge from the operators brain pan.

Could that be because the knowledge was never there in the first place?

Because of the increase of domestic interference, the use of endfed
antennas - fed at the shack (house) end - is now definitely a 'bad
thing', whereas a remote feed usually results in fewer interference
problems.

The advent of remote tuners has been a godsend, as it obviates the need
to devise cunning methods of performing the remote adjustments. However,
I'm sure that there are now some amateurs who have the attitude "If I
sling a random length of wire in the air, and stick an auto-tuner on it,
it'll work just fine". As a result, the art of matching antennas has
become de-skilled, and we no longer need to have any idea whatsoever
about 'how things work'. Is this a 'good thing'?
--
Ian

"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
...
As a result, the art of matching antennas has become de-skilled, and we
no longer need to have any idea whatsoever about 'how things work'. Is
this a 'good thing'?

No, which is my point exactly.

An interest in how things work is the inexorable basis of amateur radio.

Here is my take on a FAQ which opines just that ...

-----ooooo-----



Q. What is Ham Radio?

A. Ham Radio is a technical pursuit for those who
are interested in the science of radio wave
propagation and who are also interested in the
way that their radios function. It has a long-standing
tradition of providing a source of engineers who
are born naturals.

Ham Radio awakens in its aficionados a whole-life
fascination with all things technical and gives
an all-abiding curiosity to improve one's scientific
knowledge. It's a great swimming pool, please dive in!

This excitement causes a wish to share the experience
with ones fellow man, and shows itself in the
gentlemanly traditions of Ham Radio.

Radio Hams are in a unique privileged position in that
they can construct and operate their own equipment! No-one
else has this privilege. Users, such as broadcasters,
the po lice and armed farces, CBers and mobile phone
users have to purchase ready-made gear. Manufacturers
are not licensed to operate their gear. Radio Hams
are qualified to design, build and then
operate their own pieces of equipment. They do this
with gusto, and also repair and modify their own
equipment. This is a privilege well worth the effort
to gain, and one to be jealously guarded.

The excitement that drives a Radio Ham starts with
relatively simple technologies at first, perhaps making
his own Wimshurst machine and primary cells. Small pieces
of test equipment follow, possibly multimeters and signal
generators. Then comes receivers and transmitters. It is with
the latter that communication with like-minded technically
motivated people takes off. The scope for technical
development grows with the years and now encompasses DSP
and DDS. There is also a great deal
of excitement in the areas of computer programming to
be learnt and applied.

The technical excitement motivates Radio Hams to compete
with each other to determine who has designed and manufactured
the best-quality station. This competitiveness is found in DXing,
competitions and fox-hunts.

-----ooooo----

However, beware! A Ham Radio licence is such a
desirable thing to have that there are large
numbers of people who wish to be thought of
as Radio Hams when, in fact, they are nothing
of the kind! Usually such people are a
variation of the CB Radio hobbyist; they buy their
radios off the shelf and send them back to be
repaired; they are not interested in technical discussion
and sneer at those who are; they have no idea how
their radios work inside and have no wish to find out;
they are free with rather silly personal insults.


-----ooooo-----

One infallible way to disambiguate the CB Radio Hobbyist
from the _REAL_ Radio Ham is to solicit their view of the
difference between CB Radio and Ham Radio. A Radio Ham will
perceive Ham Radio to be a technical pursuit and will
perceive CB Radio to be a social communications facility
no different in essence to a land-line telephone or a
GSM mobile in the hands of a 6-year-old. Thus a Radio Ham
could also use a CB set safe in the knowledge that
such use says no more about him than having a land-line
telephone, whilst continuing to regard Ham Radio as a separate
technical pursuit.

A CB Radio hobbyist, on the other hand, sees no difference between
Ham Radio and CB Radio. To him, they are
sisters-under-the-skin. Wrongly, the CB Radio Hobbyist then
tries to classify himself as the equal of the Radio
Ham when, in fact, he is nothing of the kind.

Ham Radio is not CB Radio and has no common ground with it!
Ham Radio is _THE_ technical pursuit for gentlemen; CB Radio
is the name for the operating hobby for those who buy their
rigs and equipment off the shelf.

-----ooooo-----

If you are the sort of person who is motivated by
a technical interest in how things work; if you took apart
malfunctioning clocks, toasters and the like and put them
right despite never having seen them working, then
a Ham Radio licence is your traditional route! There has
never been a shortage of such people, and those who gravitate
towards such an interest have always been welcomed into
our shacks and their interests fostered. There is not today,
nor has there ever been, a need to go out and encourage
and press children, children who have never expressed an
interest in Ham Radio, to come into our shacks. Such an
activity should cause eyebrows to be raised - what
normal well-adjusted adults seek the social acquaintance
of children?!

-----ooooo-----

Please remember that this FAQ is a _POSITIVE EXHORTATION_
to you to exert yourselves to join our fraternity!

On 12/02/2014 09:58, Brian Reay wrote:
Kafkaësque wrote:
On 12/02/2014 00:32, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

With the onset of automatic ATUs, is the the final technical
skill that disambiguates the radio amateur from the CBer
being lost?

However, you are correct that the ATU is a dying art. I've been
zapped by the high voltages produced by antenna tuners often enough to
suspect that dying might be involved in the tuning process. If it's
not science, it must be art.

Art - most definitely. But where's the "technical skill" in adjusting a
pi network of two capacitors and one inductor?

CBers may not need to worry about ATUs, but many are quite capable of
using the pi networks on the PAs of their valved rigs which have been
re-crystalled for 6.5 and/or 27 MHz.

If memory serves, the legendary FT101 even included 27MHz coverage. It was
certainly reported to be used by more CBers than licensed amateurs.

Just to add, I wasn't condoning the use of such radios on 6.5 or 27MHz.
However, there's no point in denying that it happened.

"arthur c. grindhouse" wrote in message
...
yes you are baiting as you are the master baiter.
serious question though.
why would an amateur use a limited tx unit they have built themselves with
a limited frequency range and possibly not harmonically sound against a
stable fully featured commercial unit from the big 3 or others ?
you listen about on hf and very few if any use a homebrew
transmitter--fact.
your argument falls apart evans.
you just use the term cber as a derogatory swipe against those that have a
foundation or intermediate licence.
you are a blight on the hobby and should remove yourself now.

I'm not sure that I used the description in the FAQ, although I certainly
did proscribe their use of gratuitous abuse, but there is a class
known as a, "CBer-masquerading-as-a-radio-amateur",
exemplified by the material quoted above.

Being a CBer-masquerading-as-a-radio-amateur is usually indicated by
a complete lack of understanding of what amateur radio is all about, also
as exemplified by the material quoted above.

The possession of Foundation* and Intermediate** licences when held by
grown -ups for more than the few weeks it would take a _GENUINE_
enthusiast to progress to the next level by his inherent technical
interest and self-education is a guaranteed indication of
a CBer-masquerading-as-a-radio-amateur

* Targetted at 5-year-olds, AKA A Fools' Licence when held by grown men

** Targetted at 10-year-olds, AKA An Idiots'' Licence when held by grown men

On 12/02/14 11:36, Kafkaësque wrote:
On 12/02/2014 09:58, Brian Reay wrote:
Kafkaësque wrote:
On 12/02/2014 00:32, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

With the onset of automatic ATUs, is the the final technical
skill that disambiguates the radio amateur from the CBer
being lost?

However, you are correct that the ATU is a dying art. I've been
zapped by the high voltages produced by antenna tuners often enough to
suspect that dying might be involved in the tuning process. If it's
not science, it must be art.

Art - most definitely. But where's the "technical skill" in adjusting a
pi network of two capacitors and one inductor?

CBers may not need to worry about ATUs, but many are quite capable of
using the pi networks on the PAs of their valved rigs which have been
re-crystalled for 6.5 and/or 27 MHz.

If memory serves, the legendary FT101 even included 27MHz coverage. It
was
certainly reported to be used by more CBers than licensed amateurs.

Just to add, I wasn't condoning the use of such radios on 6.5 or 27MHz.
However, there's no point in denying that it happened.


Indeed. I'm not sure why Yaesu included 27MHz, perhaps it is legal
somewhere for such kit to be used on 27MHz.

As for 6.5MHz, I thought that was, originally at least, mainly ex
military kit.

I see the usual suspects have started to ruin the thread, as they always do.

"Brian Reay" wrote in message
...

I see the usual suspects have started to ruin the thread, as they always
do.


Another venomous sneer, for was it not me to whom you disparagingly refer
as one
of "The Usual Suspects" who initiated the thread?

For myself, I see that the KkGk trio have started to ruin the thread, as
they always do.

On 12/02/14 13:01, Fred Roberts wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 12:18:41 +0000, Brian Reay wrote:


Indeed. I'm not sure why Yaesu included 27MHz, perhaps it is legal
somewhere for such kit to be used on 27MHz.

Did they not have an "aux" position on the bandswitch allowing 27Mhz
to be selected when the appropriate crystals were installed?

Looking at a manual, readily available, there is a position marked 11 on
the band switch at approx 11 o'clock. The other positions I can read are
15 for 15m etc.

So. 11 would be 11m or 27MHz,

There are special positions for WWV reference etc.

It is a while since I used a FT101 so I needed refer to a manual to
check but I was sure of the 27MHz position as it seemed "odd" and stuck
in my mind.

On 12/02/2014 12:54, Jeff wrote:
Manufacturers
are not licensed to operate their gear. Radio Hams
are qualified to design, build and then


Wrong again Gareth!!!

Manufacturers certainly can be licensed to operate their own gear!!

Correct - I have a test and development licence permitting 25W EIRP SSB
on the following frequencies: 2806, 5750, 7556, 9071, 10438, 11117,
16014, 18990, 20990, 24135, 26218 and 27045kHz.

"Brian Reay" wrote in message
...
Looking at a manual, readily available

Another venomous sneer, OM.

In 1997, in the days of trunk call dial-up, I did not spend any time on the
Internet other than to quickly dial in to Demon, download the latest
Usenet postings (KA9Q?) and read off-line.

FTP searching was right out on cost grounds.