20070513.ba v04_n050.bam.20070513 >From ???@??? Sun May 13 09:05:38 2007 -0500 Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 14:00:13 GMT From: Old Tube Radios To: Old Tube Radios Subject: BOATANCHORS digest 4050 Message-Id: <20070513140014.55A744701B1@srvr1.theporch.com> BOATANCHORS Digest 4050 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Kenwood R-600 receiver. by "Ken" 2) Re: A Better Mousetrap by "Tom Rauch" 3) Re: [GreenKeys] Re: Fax Machine Used in Flags of our Fathers by Richard Dillman 4) Inca Transformers by David Hollander 5) Re: Old style pots by wb3fau@att.net 6) Re: [AMRadio] Inca Transformers by Don Merz 7) Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges by "Arden Allen" 8) Tek 310A Fading Trace by Mike 9) Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges by "k4pf@juno.com" 10) Re: Inca Transformers by stuck in 50s 11) RE: Tek 310A Fading Trace by "Bill Hawkins" 12) RE: Inca Transformers by "Bill Hawkins" 13) Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace by "Arden Allen" 14) Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace by "Arden Allen" 15) Re: A Better Mousetrap by ail0@att.net 16) Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed by Mike 17) Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed by 18) Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed by "Arden Allen" 19) Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges by "Brian A Clarke" 20) Re: Old style pots by WA1KBQ@aol.com 21) Wanted: Cannon NK-27 male connectors by WA5CAB@cs.com 22) Simpson Multimeter Information Resource by Edward Knobloch 23) So Much for "Modern Technology" by "David Stinson" 24) Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges by "Arden Allen" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <001101c79255$b9c4b3e0$6b9c1f45@rtconline.com> From: "Ken" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Kenwood R-600 receiver. Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 09:18:47 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Gang, Can someone point me to the gound end of the AGC ciruit in the Kenwood R-600 Receiver? I am finally back on the air with my Central Electronics 100V and the R-600 but no control over the agc and I don't use an antenna relay, I use an electronic T/R switch but when I stand by after a transmission on CW, the reciever takes a couple seconds to recover. The full break-in system I want to use again in my replicated boatanchor station requires bringing out the ground end of the AGC circuit to a spdt relay. If someone can furnish me with a schematic of the R-600 maybe I can figgure it out. I don't think the R-600 uses IC's but I'm not sure. Take care, Ken N5CM ------------------------------ Message-ID: <02d301c79238$74d63e10$660fa8c0@radioroom> From: "Tom Rauch" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: A Better Mousetrap Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 08:49:09 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=response Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well that sounded so neat I ordered one of those testers to sit on the shelf with the ten other transistor and FET testers I almost never use. :-) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <8716772.1178661311042.JavaMail.root@mswamui-andean.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 14:55:11 -0700 (GMT-07:00) From: Richard Dillman To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Re: Fax Machine Used in Flags of our Fathers Cc: Roger Basford , David Weil , Greenkeys Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I did work on the Muirhead, an English FAX machine using a rotating Helix Scanning system and a chemical impregnated sensitive paper that was around 19" wide. Available for free - Pick up in San Francisco I have the Alden version of this machine. It has auto start and stop and will copy the weather fax broadcasts sent by today's USCG fax stations as well as many others (it has settings for multiple indexes of cooperation). When this thing starts up and the lights start to flash it is something to behold. It was my primary HF fax machine for many years. You can see several of these in the background at the flight service station in the movie "Airport". Any pilot of a certain age has viewed weather maps made on these machines. It is complete with the original Alden manual, some spares, *and* an almost complete case of several sealed, unused rolls of moist paper. The pleasure of watching this run is worth the effort of operating it. This machine is for that man that likes to interact with his equipment. Are you that man (or woman)? If so please contact me for photos and more information. Regards, Richard "Keep 'em Turning" Dillman ------------------------------ Message-ID: <46412172.1090907@cox.net> Date: Tue, 08 May 2007 18:18:42 -0700 From: David Hollander MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Inca Transformers Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have a couple of what I believe are Inca transformers. The number sra C5133Q and S95Q or 895Q (the marking is almost gone). Aside from the legend of these containing the Inca's gold, does anyone recognize these numbers and/or have info? Inca transformer catalogs seem to be harder to find then the transformers. Tnx es 73, Dave N7RK -- *********************************************************** Dave N7RK Boatanchors Home Page: http://members.cox.net/n7rk Phoenix, Arizona *DXCC Honor Roll* *WAZ#22 - 75 Meter SSB* ex-XE2/N7RK, N7RK/ZB2, VK2ERK, ZM0AJN, WB6NRK, WN6IWX Boatanchor and Antique Radio Collector ------------------------------ From: wb3fau@att.net To: Old Tube Radios Cc: John Sehring Subject: Re: Old style pots Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 17:28:43 +0000 Message-Id: <050920071728.5007.464204CA0005B4550000138F21603762239A0E00CC0D99@att.net> HMM now where is my bottle of carbon tetrachloride? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 18:30:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Merz Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Inca Transformers To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Message-ID: <543041.38277.qm@web56108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Inca was a subsidiary of Phelps Dodge Copper Co., based in L. A. The only Inca catalog I have ever seen is the one I have--mysteriously marked Bulletin No. L-31 but having no date on it. Sadly, neither of the numbers you asked about are listed--nor anything even close. All the numbers are a single letter followed by a hyphen and a one or two-digit number. Good luck. 73, Don Merz, N3RHT --- David Hollander wrote: > I have a couple of what I believe are Inca > transformers. The number sra > C5133Q and S95Q or 895Q (the marking is almost > gone). > > Aside from the legend of these containing the Inca's > gold, does anyone > recognize these numbers and/or have info? Inca > transformer catalogs seem > to be harder to find then the transformers. > > Tnx es 73, > > Dave N7RK > -- > *********************************************************** > Dave N7RK Boatanchors Home Page: > http://members.cox.net/n7rk > Phoenix, Arizona *DXCC Honor Roll* > *WAZ#22 - 75 Meter SSB* > > ex-XE2/N7RK, N7RK/ZB2, VK2ERK, ZM0AJN, WB6NRK, > WN6IWX > > Boatanchor and Antique Radio Collector > > > ______________________________________________________________ > AMRadio mailing list > List Rules (must read!): > http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html > List Home: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > To unsubscribe, send an email to > amradio-request@mailman.qth.net with > the word unsubscribe in the message body. > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <004501c791ac$a51e3050$44e47443@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 12:51:10 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dave, I can't make sense out of what you are saying. Do you have a 50 ohm VHF dummy load to check the bridges for zero SWR? That's all that's important. As long as an SWR reading is somewhere in the ball park you have a chance of tuning up the antenna properly. But if a bridge won't read zero with a flat load you will have an error in your matching. Arden KB6NAX ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 08:01:56 -0700 From: Mike Subject: Tek 310A Fading Trace To: Old Tube Radios Message-id: <000601c7924a$fcab04d0$6801a8c0@m0a1da7d341114> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=original Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The "current" project is to get a Tek 310A 'scope back in action. Problem #1 is that the trace fades out after a minute or two of operation. The HV gradually decays to a low value. The 300, 100 and -150 voltages are normal. Tubes check OK except for the HV rectifiers which I didn't unsolder to check. (Good initial HV) There was a thread long ago on this which I should have kept. Ideas? P.S: Anyone need an original 317 manual? Mike VE7MMH ------------------------------ Mime-Version: 1.0 From: "k4pf@juno.com" Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 18:02:34 GMT To: Old Tube Radios Cc: boatanchors@theporch.com Subject: Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain Message-Id: <20070508.110317.8794.3040682@webmail03.lax.untd.com> -- "David Thompson" wrote: I have both a Heath AM-2 and later HM-15. They are both set for 50 ohms= rather than 72 ohms. Any reason why the Heaths would not read SWR somewhat correctly on 6 and= 2? They are a 50 ohm in and out with a 50 ohm bridge. Hi, The Heath AM-2 is rated thru 2 meters, but the HM-15 is only rated thru = 6 meters, per the manuals available on BAMA. It's strange, because they= both have the same bridge design (a copper tube center conductor suppor= ted over an aluminum U-channel trough, with two parallel pick-up leads).= One good check would be to parallel two good 50 Ohm coax dummy loads, and see if the SWR meter reads 2:1 on the band of interest. 73, Ed Knobloch ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 15:33:01 -0400 (EDT) From: stuck in 50s Message-Id: <200705091933.l49JX13C028448@fracas.netboobie.org> To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Inca Transformers > Aside from the legend of these containing the Inca's gold.... inca dinca doo ------------------------------ From: "Bill Hawkins" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: RE: Tek 310A Fading Trace Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 16:21:48 -0500 Message-ID: <001f01c79280$0e4d3ac0$061ba8c0@cyrus> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Had to replace the HV xfmr resonating capacitor in mine. Had no HV, bad cap. HV rectifiers should be the last thing you replace. Bill Hawkins -----Original Message----- From: owner-boatanchors@theporch.com [mailto:owner-boatanchors@theporch.com] On Behalf Of Mike Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 10:02 AM To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Tek 310A Fading Trace The "current" project is to get a Tek 310A 'scope back in action. Problem #1 is that the trace fades out after a minute or two of operation. The HV gradually decays to a low value. The 300, 100 and -150 voltages are normal. Tubes check OK except for the HV rectifiers which I didn't unsolder to check. (Good initial HV) There was a thread long ago on this which I should have kept. Ideas? P.S: Anyone need an original 317 manual? Mike VE7MMH ------------------------------ From: "Bill Hawkins" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: RE: Inca Transformers Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 16:21:48 -0500 Message-ID: <001e01c79280$0e05aa70$061ba8c0@cyrus> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The Incas did well until the Spanish arrived, with their strange religious convictions and greed for gold. Then the Incas were known for having their feet held to the fire, as a civilized way to extract information about gold. I would expect an Inca transformer to run hot. Bill Hawkins -----Original Message----- From: owner-boatanchors@theporch.com [mailto:owner-boatanchors@theporch.com] On Behalf Of David Hollander Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 8:19 PM To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Inca Transformers I have a couple of what I believe are Inca transformers. The number sra C5133Q and S95Q or 895Q (the marking is almost gone). Aside from the legend of these containing the Inca's gold, does anyone recognize these numbers and/or have info? Inca transformer catalogs seem to be harder to find then the transformers. Tnx es 73, Dave N7RK -- *********************************************************** Dave N7RK Boatanchors Home Page: http://members.cox.net/n7rk Phoenix, Arizona *DXCC Honor Roll* *WAZ#22 - 75 Meter SSB* ex-XE2/N7RK, N7RK/ZB2, VK2ERK, ZM0AJN, WB6NRK, WN6IWX Boatanchor and Antique Radio Collector ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002501c79285$790317e0$f8e47443@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 14:07:29 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > ......The HV gradually decays to a low value. .... This sounds like the same problem as found in 503 and similar scopes. The HV transformer suffers from internal deterioration of the insulation. Air has leaked in over time and the effects of HV corona has gradually burned up the insulation to the point that the transformer is loaded down by what amounts to as a highly negative temperature coefficient resistor. With the transformer in that condition people stop using the scope, obviously. The transformer never gets worse. It just gets sold to the next hopeful after a two minute demonstration that the scope works! Who can remember the fellow in Florida that rewinds Tek HV tranformers? Is he still at it? Arden Allen KB6NAX ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002001c79287$50afb080$f8e47443@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 15:13:40 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ah, yes, Bill Hawkins jogged my memory. I also have replaced the resonating capacitor with a similar type of failure symptom. Tek finally wised up and installed mica capacitors, the only kind of cap that could withstand the high stress indefinitely. Arden Allen KB6NAX ------------------------------ From: ail0@att.net To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: A Better Mousetrap Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 23:38:07 +0000 Message-Id: <050920072338.26100.46425B5E000A3A97000065F42160466648CF04070E@att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_26100_1178753887_0" --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_26100_1178753887_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit -------------- Original message from "Tom Rauch" : -------------- > Well that sounded so neat I ordered one of those testers to > sit on the shelf with the ten other transistor and FET > testers I almost never use. :-) > I ordered one from their website 2 days ago and it is here already. Now to put it together. The manuals for it and all their other products are on one teeny, teeny, tiny, tiny, CD which I could not find at first in all the 'peanuts'. 'Wise OM', that I am, I had saved all the peanuts and stuff in a clean wastebasket, and, sure enough, it was hiding in among the peanuts! I copied the CD just in case. Art K3HBA --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_26100_1178753887_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

-------------- Original message from "Tom Rauch" <w8ji@contesting.com>: --------------


> Well that sounded so neat I ordered one of those testers to
> sit on the shelf with the ten other transistor and FET
> testers I almost never use. :-)
>
I ordered one from their website 2 days ago and it is here already. Now to put it together.

The manuals for it and all their other products are on one teeny, teeny, tiny, tiny, CD which I

could not find at first in all the 'peanuts'. 'Wise OM', that I am, I had saved all the peanuts and stuff in a clean wastebasket, and, sure enough, it was hiding in among the peanuts! I copied the CD just in case.

  Art K3HBA

 

--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_26100_1178753887_0-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 16:59:58 -0700 From: Mike Subject: Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed To: Old Tube Radios Message-id: <001e01c79296$262ef5f0$6801a8c0@m0a1da7d341114> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=original Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Thanks to all who replied. Trace could be made to fade in and out by spraying supercold on C705, a .001 uF 1000v cap across the "flyback" primary. Replaced it and 'scope is back to normal. Next the cap was measured and the capacitance was just about dead on, then put it on the megger (Megger works at 500v.) and measured 50M, a lot lower than I expected. The cap looks like a pint sized BBOD, no visible problems. I'm assuming failure due to aging therefore no further investigation required. (The cap, not me.) Mike VE7MMH ------------------------------ From: Message-Id: <200705100514.WAA26183@eskimo.com> Subject: Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed To: Old Tube Radios Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 23:14:09 -0600 (MDT) Cc: boatanchors@theporch.com (Old Tube Radios) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The esteemed Mike has said: > > Thanks to all who replied. Trace could be made to fade in and out by > spraying supercold on C705, a .001 uF 1000v cap across the "flyback" > primary. Replaced it and 'scope is back to normal. > > Next the cap was measured and the capacitance was just about dead on, then > put it on the megger (Megger works at 500v.) and measured 50M, a lot lower > than I expected. > > The cap looks like a pint sized BBOD, no visible problems. I'm assuming > failure due to aging therefore no further investigation required. (The cap, > not me.) > I came in on this one late---was going to suggest that you look at the oscillator circuit caps first. Also, the "try another tube" in the oscillator circut. Remember the old axiom that amplifiers oscillate; oscillators refuse to. The scopes with the failing transformers are 547's. I'm pretty sure that the same transformer was used in 544 and 546; maybe in the 545B as well. The other place to look, when having high voltage problems, is at the caps in the CRT blanking circuit. Tek used the black beauties in the 1950's; changed vendors ca. 1960. Note that the high voltage oscillator is a conventional class C oscillator circuit and NOT a "flyback" arrangement. The music is sinusoidial, not a ramping sawtooth. You're confusing postwar TV circuits, which use the horizontal sweep signal to drive the HV transformer. No damper rectifier used in Tek (and most other) scopes because it's a tuned circuit, and doesn't ring mightily. Hank -- Hank van Cleef (vancleef@eskimo.com, hvanclee@nyx.net) 1986 420SEL "A stranger in paradise" (Fremont Co. Wyoming) 1986 GMC 1500 6.2 diesel pickup "Seen one, seen them all" ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002401c792ca$e904bf40$9ee47443@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: "Old Tube Radios" Subject: Re: Tek 310A Fading Trace Fixed Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 23:16:53 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > .......because it's a tuned circuit, and doesn't ring mightily. No, it rings damply. ;-) Arden Allen KB6NAX ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00d901c79222$374ec140$0202a8c0@Belkin> From: "Brian A Clarke" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 20:10:04 +1000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Dave, Interesting that you believe you can read that accurately, let alone reliably. When did you look at the accuracy and resolution specifications of your two meters? The difference in reported reflected signal is less than 7%, ie, about 0.6 dB. Could I respectfully suggest that you are chasing butterflies in a tornado? 73 de Brian, VK2GCE ------------------------------ From: WA1KBQ@aol.com Message-ID: Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 22:40:17 EDT Subject: Re: Old style pots To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="-----------------------------1178851217" -------------------------------1178851217 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Some of the old RF gain pots are reverse log taper which is impossible to find a direct replacement for nowadays. In this case you have to try to fix the original which can often be successful with the proper technique. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. -------------------------------1178851217 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * -------------------------------1178851217-- ------------------------------ From: WA5CAB@cs.com Message-ID: Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 12:16:42 EDT Subject: Wanted: Cannon NK-27 male connectors To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_ce6.f32811d.3375f0ea_boundary" --part1_ce6.f32811d.3375f0ea_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Looking for any variant of the NK-27 male (chassis or cable connectors). Mainly need the inserts (and if black, the pins). Will be used to build up U-7/U for the ATC and AN/ART-13. Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) --part1_ce6.f32811d.3375f0ea_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --part1_ce6.f32811d.3375f0ea_boundary-- ------------------------------ To: Old Tube Radios Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 20:09:05 -0400 Subject: Simpson Multimeter Information Resource Message-ID: <20070511.200905.2324.2.k4pf@juno.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Edward Knobloch Hi, Gang Here is an excellent site covering the history of the Simpson 260 and other Simpson multimeters, including internal photos: www.simpson260.com Calibration instructions are included with the U.S. Army technical bulletins, on the "downloads" page. 73, Ed Knobloch ------------------------------ Message-ID: <000d01c7948d$b5edab20$0202a8c0@262ul> From: "David Stinson" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: So Much for "Modern Technology" Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 07:04:35 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >From the latest ARRL Letter: ==>HAM RADIO INSTRUMENTAL IN PACIFIC MARITIME RESCUE Amateur Radio played a critical role May 4 and 5 in rescuing two people from a foundering sailboat that had been en route to Colombia. Members of the Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) and Intercontinental Net on 14.300 MHz were involved in getting the man and woman aboard the 35-foot s/v Sailabout to safety after they ran into trouble some 700 nautical miles southwest of the Galapagos Islands in the South Pacific. The couple, identified as Gunnar Hansen and Grethe Haraldsen, both Norwegian nationals and neither an amateur licensee, put out a Mayday call on the Intercon/MMSN 14.300 MHz frequency the morning of May 4 after Sailabout sustained damage to its bow -- possibly as a result of losing a forestay, which helps to keep the mast upright -- and started taking on water. ... The Sailabout had only recently been equipped with an HF SSB transceiver..... Amateur Radio relays alerted the US Coast Guard at Alameda, California, to the Sailabout's predicament. At the Coast Guard's request, *relayed via ham radio,* Hansen set off the vessel's Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). Job says Henderson -- assisted by several other stations -- passed critical information to the Coast Guard. .... (they got rescued. ds) Throughout the ordeal, various Amateur Radio stations -- some of which simply stood by if needed -- made themselves available to update the Coast Guard, **which never had direct contact with Sailabout.** (emph mine) Call me a luddite, I guess... D.S. ----------------------- "Blog:" A toxic waste dump where humans gather to drain the septic sludge that accumulates between their ears. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <001501c794fa$fb2f1490$fb9d480c@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Testing SWR on 6 and 2 meters with Heath bridges Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 18:06:16 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > ...Could I respectfully suggest that you are chasing butterflies in a tornado? Maybe Dave thinks he can catch a butterfly before the tornado gets it? When all one has to worry about is whether his signal is "getting out" splitting needles on a SWR bridge can become an obsession. One thing some folks don't appreciate is the fact that a final can be tuned up to deliver full power to a reactive load (within reason). And then what good is an SWR meter? The RF "gets out" but the antenna radiation pattern is the butterfly with its wings just in a different position. That's where the flap meets the wind.... Arden Allen KB6NAX ------------------------------ End of BOATANCHORS Digest 4050 ******************************