[HCARC] Antennas, Radios and Elmering

Sun Aug 5 12:22:09 EDT 2012

In laymans terms you can't predict purely random mutations.  That's why they are RANDOM.  In layman's terms you can effect mutations and expect mutations by bombarding DNA and RNA with radiation.  You cannot predict a perfectly random distribution of ionizing radiation as to which cell it might affect.  Since it is purely a random distribution over the direction the beam of radiation is applied you would expect a random number of cells to be affected. We are dealing with a purely random event, although if I were to bombard the cells for a long enough time all would have mutations, but the cells would be dead first.

My problem with Ohms law is I assume it is NOT RANDOM and that resistance in a copper wire of 14 guage should be within limits pretty much the same dependent upon the diameter (gauge of the wire).  This shouldn't be random - more a function of the ability of a wire to be drawn to a nominal thickness.  I am told that the resistance of wire increases as distance increases in a copper wire, hence to run a certain amount of a/c electricity from my shop to one of my barns (450 feet away) requires larger and larger wire to reduce the resistance or I guess, to spread the resistance out over a longer wire diameter.  Said another way, the longer the distance run, the larger the wire required.   In the instance of the antenna Coax we were talking about previously, normal RG58 coax has a copper conductor that is probably somewhere around 20 gauge and it has a 50 ohm resistance.  The hard line mast for the AS-2259 which I am told is COAX  has a conductor inside (copper as far as I can tell) that is approx 1/4 inch in diameter inside of a hard casing with dielectric that is 1 1/2 inches in diameter - why supposedly does it have an enormous resistance???  One would guess that the 1/4 inch copper conductor would have much less reisitance than the much smaller RG58 conductor.  OR somehow the resistance is being affected by other factors that I am unaware of.  Please explain.

As for a 2 element answer to the radio - yes an Icom 746 might work, so would Icom 756 and the 756 Pro series of which the 7410 has largely replaced.  Really the Icom 7600 replaced the the 756's and the 7410 replaced the 746.  Having had a permanent search on Ebay that sends me an email every time Icom 746 and 756 (and many others too) appears in any auction I can tell you that the cost for a used one of either is almost as much as a new 7410.  And BTW, if you ask Dale, the first radios I talked to him about when I took his course were 746's and 756's.  I have been compiling some information about radios for other Newbies that I come across who are looking for radios.  What I cannot ever gain is the perspective that people have who have operated these radios over a period of years.  Eham tries to do some of that, but the reviews are as random as the person operating the radio and that person is unknown.  Who knows if that person had the smarts to get the SWR low enough that he didn't fry the transmitter and aren't ALL PROBLEMS THE MANUFACTURERS PROBLEMS, NEVER THE OPERATOR.  I am smart enough to know that just like airplane crashes and car accidents - the majority of the time problems are caused by operator error.  

OK, rather than a list of radios that are recommended for Newbies, then how about in the club roster, each person list the radios they commonly operate with, so if a newbie or an oldie wanted to know about a certain radio they would know which members to go and ask.  It doesn't have to be hard.  As for me, I probably will wait and get either the 7410 or 7600 finances permitting.  I have been saving since I began Dale's Course back in Feb or March.  However, I was under the impression that this site (Reflector) was for the benefit of all the members, not just me.  Hence, when talking about radios, I talk about radios available to more than just me.  Chuck Hopkins is using my General CLass Exam Book to get his upgrade.  I can guarantee he will be going through the same decisions that I am when he decides to get his HF radio.  Wouldn't it be nice for him to have some kind of database of some sort to go through to make an easier intelligent decision on what to buy or as important - what to stay away from.

Gary J
N5"BAA"

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bob Richie 
  To: Gary and Arlene Johnson 
  Cc: HCARC Reflector 
  Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2012 7:59 AM
  Subject: Re: [HCARC] Antennas, Radios and Elmering

  OK, you want a simple two element answer. here it is.
  Get yourself a good used Icom 746 and a Hustler 4 BTV vertical. You can easily modify the antenna to add 12 meter and 17 meter capability and you can screw an 80 meter ham stick into the top to add 80 meters. When your operating abilities exceed the capability of that system, ask your questions again.

  Don't like that answer? Then try this one. Wait until you can get the Icom 7410 since that seems to be the rig you want. If you can't get it right away that's ok. It is a fairly new rig and there may be some new rig issues to work out.

  As for the microbiology, please explain in layman's terms how you predict mutations.

  Bob
  K5YB
  Kerrville, TX 78028

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: Gary and Arlene Johnson <qltfnish at omniglobal.net>
  To: HCARC at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2012 11:45 PM
  Subject: [HCARC] Antennas, Radios and Elmering

  First to Bill Tynan - IT ALL HELPS - thank you very much for the response, and you answered my question in terms I could understand.  I asked what time it was and you told me.  Congratulations, you are one of the first!!  Barb S. will understand the last comment.

  Second to Bob R.  - IT ALL HELPS TOO - However, If I were to have anywhere close to that many radios I would be divorced - no kidding!!!  My wife is not that supportive of this "Extra Hobby".  It's the single most important reason why I am trying to find the best fit for being able to comfortably and reliably communicate with the least amount of gear trouble possible.  At least at first, I would really like to be able to eliminate (if at all possible) the radio from being a source of problems.  It's hard enough to learn all (some) that one needs to know without having to fight a radio too.  Trust me, I have been looking for the right radio.  The Icom 7410 which I have pretty well settled on (unless I can afford by some miracle an ICOM 7600 - not likely) as the radio I want to get pretty well makes it easy for me to get in and get my feet wet - reliably.  I cringe at the thought of trying to tell my wife I need/want 4-6 different radios for different things.  As for a niche - 
  I am a retired Naval Officer who was fortunate enough in his 24 1/2 year career to have traveled almost completely around the world.  The only part I haven't been through (and really never wanted to go there) is from the Indian Ocean side of the Suez Canal to the area around Thailand.  Other than that I have been the rest of the way around this big blue orb including Antarctica (3 summer seasons) and South Pole.  In fact I was lucky enough to have been able to make a MARS phone patch from Amundson/Scott South Pole Station back to California.  Bill Tynan told me the other night it was too bad I wasn't a HAM at that time so I could have taken a couple of handy talky's and communicated from each of the worlds time zones simply by having walked around the South Pole. I desire to be able to talk as far around the world as possible, to as many people as possible, as often as possible.  At this point in my Radio experience I find PSK31 and RTTY somewhat BORING, however I recognize 
  both as being ways to "talk" when propagation on the different bands is not conducive to SSB.  Yes, I know that CW is even better, and trust me I will get there, but I am not close to "there" yet.  There are many things that pull on my time, some of which are raising sheep and goats and Stock Guard Dogs, being married, and radio has to fit in with those for time.  Thankfully, radio works in the dark of night, and thankfully I have a good retirement - otherwise there would have been no time to even start.  If I had to try to juggle full time employment with all the other things going on I would not have even gotten started in Dale's class either.  Oh, did I mention I like to fish too??

  I do not think I am that much different than most of the new Hams I have met.  As a group, we seem somewhat frustrated with one thing or another.  Some of us are trying to find the right radio, others are struggling with antennas, some are struggling with finances in this poor economy.  The simple statement of "just get a radio and try it out" seems the easy way out when someone asking for information.  It might be the proper response, but I don't think so - yet.  Of the group of Newbies, I am (probably) the most vocal.  I don't mind trying to move people out of their comfort zones.  I probably ruin more relationships than I help.  Tilting with windmills is a past time of mine.  And if you haven't realized it yet I am not afraid to toss in my 2 cents worth - frequently too my detriment.  The only bad question truely is the one not asked - I live by that motto.  At least I try though - shy, I am not.

  Last to Kerry - IT ALL HELPS TOO!!  However, some things don't seem to follow as to why some things have high ohms resistance and others - not so much.  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason to so much of it.  My Masters is in Microbiology.  In the sciences we were taught that things should follow in an orderly manner, obeying the rules.  Yeah, sure they do!!!

  I look forward to getting a few antennas and a radio together and trying them out.  Say when and I will buy the donuts.  Coffee and tea is BYOB as I am LDS (Mormon - we don't do coffee).  And yes we should do it when Jeff is available for the donuts.

  Gary J
  N5"BAA"
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