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IRC Session 4 |
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*** WB5KAN joins the channel
Jurian: heya :)
obany: Hello
*** Spotk2 joins the channel
WB5KAN: Hi everyone
KL0TW: Hello
WB5KAN: we can wait a few minutes for others to show up
WB5KAN: hi clipper
WB5KAN: does everyone have the web pages of the IC-707
available to referr to?
KL0TW: I just wanted to mention before I forget, I have
been using my police scanner to listen to 2mtr ham channels. It
works great.
Jurian: yup :)
WB5KAN: IV=IC
KL0TW: Yep
WB5KAN: great!
KL0TW: We have a great repeater system here.
Jurian: cool :)
Jurian: I think we'll need repeater systems after the
poleshift as well.. for the network we'll want to setup :)
Jurian: that IC 707 radio looks tiny ! :)
obany: what are repeater systems ... btw ??? :) maybe
stupid question from my side .. but :)
WB5KAN: it is tiny
WB5KAN: repeaters are a large and important part of UHF
and VHF operations.
KL0TW: A relay system. It repeats the signal and sends it
out again farther away.
Jurian: like a router on internet :)
obany: okay....
obany: know i understand :)
WB5KAN: we will have a series of sessions on repeaters
KL0TW: Cool
WB5KAN: Well, we have a lot of ground to cover, and I hope
you guys have questions so let's get started ... ok?
obany: ok
KL0TW: K
WB5KAN: The first thing that will help is to try to resize
your IRC window as small as can still be useful ...
KL0TW: Done
* Jurian brings in his 2nd monitor
KL0TW: Cheater
Jurian: :)
WB5KAN: Then bring up the web page with the photo and
resize so that just the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) shows fully
... that's where I will start.
WB5KAN: Please indicate when you are ready.
Jurian: ready
KL0TW: Ready
obany: ready
WB5KAN: Ok we'll start ... (when I end a xmission with ...
it indicates that I have more to say and am typing it.
WB5KAN: First, as you have noticed, this transceiver is
very small, operates off 12VDC, and has a very simple control
layout ...
WB5KAN: Many of the controls are intuitive and their use
is obvious but I will mention all of them ...
WB5KAN: Please interrupt me at any time with questions or
comments ...
WB5KAN: Starting at the left of the display in the
indicator "RX" ...
WB5KAN: This indicates that the transceiver is in Receive
mode, or listening ...
obany: ok
WB5KAN: When you push the transmit button on the
microphone the "RX" will change to "TX" for
transmit mode and you will no longer hear anything from the
speaker ...
WB5KAN: Simple enough I think. Questions? K
WB5KAN: OK ...
KL0TW: What does the "X" stand for?
Jurian: hehe.. I've given up trying to figure that out :)
obany: Xmission like you said before Ron ?
WB5KAN: The X is an abreaviation for "xmit" as
would be used for transmit ...
obany: k
KL0TW: Okay
Jurian: that's what I figured :)
WB5KAN: It is used with receive mode just for consistancy
sake ...
WB5KAN: Also, please excuse my spelling as I go along as I
am terrable at it
KL0TW: We forgive you :-)
Jurian: no problem at all
WB5KAN: Now, moving to the indicator "NB" next
to "RIT" and above "PREAMP ...
WB5KAN: NB stands for "noise blanker" there is a
control that turns this function on and off ...
WB5KAN: when the function of off the NB indicator will
disappear ...
Jurian: so.. like a filter.. right?
*** fr-transl left the channel
WB5KAN: like a filter, but also different ...
Jurian: hmm ok
WB5KAN: the noise blanker is used for pulse type signals
that are sometimes emmitted by auto ignition systems and also
faultly power line equipment ...
WB5KAN: one normally leaves the noise blanker off unless
this type of pulse noise is interferring with the ability to hear
well ...
WB5KAN: Questions? K
KL0TW: None here
obany: none here
Jurian: none
WB5KAN: Ok ...
WB5KAN: Next to the NB indicator is the RIT (Receiver
Incremental Tuning) indicator ...
obany: i see
WB5KAN: this function can also be turned on and off by a
front pannel control ...
WB5KAN: RIT is used especially when talking to a group of
hams as in a NET ...
WB5KAN: When starting the net the net control operator
will say "Please zero beat on me" ...
WB5KAN: this is somewhat an archaic phraise from the days
of the older radios and transmitters ...
WB5KAN: Today, in practice, it means please tune my signal
(with the RIT turned off) for best audio quality ...
WB5KAN: When everyone on the net does so, they are all
roughly on the same transmit/receive frequency ...
WB5KAN: Now and then, because of a number of reasons, one
or more of the stations in the group will be transmitting
somewhat off frequency and sound strange or even not be legable
...
WB5KAN: At this point you would turn your RIT ON and turn
the RIT control knob so that station sounds ok. When you
transmit, you will still be transmitting on the origional
frequency, as the RIT does NOT affect the transmit frequency ...
KL0TW: Cool
WB5KAN: In a net setting, it commonly happens that you are
frequently turning the RIT on and off and adjusting it for the
current station that is transmitting ...
WB5KAN: The RIT is similar in operation to the
"Clarifier" control on some CB transceivers ...
WB5KAN: Questions ? K
KL0TW: Is it automatic on more expensive radios?
WB5KAN: No, it is the same on all radios K
KL0TW: Okay
WB5KAN: ok ...
WB5KAN: Lets now look at the PREAMP indicator ...
WB5KAN: Normally the preamp is OFF. There is a 3 position
control that will change what is displayed here ...
WB5KAN: The control's positions are OFF, PREAMP, and
Attinulator ...
WB5KAN: whatever position this control is in is displayed
here ...
WB5KAN: Under normal circumstances this control is set to
OFF and nothing is displayed ...
WB5KAN: When you are listening to a weak signal you will
turn the preamp on and his signal will be boosted by about 20db
and much easier to here (although the background noise such as
static or inteferring stations will also be boosted) ...
*** fr-transl left the channel
WB5KAN: When receiving a very strong signal, say 40db over
S9 (I'll get to these terms momentarily) you would want to set
the control to attenulate and the display would show this control
setting ...
WB5KAN: When attenulating, the incomming signal is
decreased about 20db ...
WB5KAN: You would want to do this because extremely strong
signals can overload some of the receiver circutry and cause them
to operate in a non-linear mannor resulting is distorted audio.
WB5KAN: Questions ?
Jurian: nope
KL0TW: None here
WB5KAN: ok ...
WB5KAN: Now, lets look just below the PREAMP indicator...
WB5KAN: Before full function LCD displays this indicator
was a meater ...
WB5KAN: there is an associated control with this display
...
WB5KAN: On top of the dashed line is an "S" and
the numbers 1, 5, 9, and +60 ...
WB5KAN: This is your signal strength meter...
WB5KAN: when receiving a weak signal only the first dash
would light, indicating a signal strength of S1 ...
WB5KAN: A strong signal might indicate S9, while a very
strong signal might light all the dashed up to the one just
before +60 ...
obany: ok
WB5KAN: The S meter only operates when the transceiver is
on Receive mode ...
WB5KAN: The "S" system really has no units of
measure; but is a non-linear function that indicates the relative
signal strength ...
WB5KAN: once the signal goes above S9 the signal strength
is measured in db (or decibals) over S9 ...
WB5KAN: one decibal is the energy which will result in a
perveivable increase in audio output ...
WB5KAN: 3 db is approximately double the power level ...
WB5KAN: so, 9 db over S9 would be achieved by an increase
in power of twice the power of S9 (3db) plus twice that power
(6db) plus twice that power (9db) ...
WB5KAN: to get a better explination you will have to dig
in the books :-)
WB5KAN: Questions about the S meter?
KL0TW: Exponential
WB5KAN: yes
KL0TW: No questions
Jurian: no questions.. works just like the S meter on my
CB.. right? :)
WB5KAN: exactly
WB5KAN: I need a minute to go pee ... be right back K
Jurian: ok :)
KL0TW: Me too ......
WB5KAN: I'm back
WB5KAN: Below the bar is the PO (or power output) meter
which only operates while transmitting ...
KL0TW: Back
WB5KAN: there is a control on the front pannel to adjust
the output power from 5 to 100 watts ...
WB5KAN: that's pretty obvious but any questions?
WB5KAN: ok ...
KL0TW: None
WB5KAN: there is a control that controls the function of
what is shown as the PO meter ...
WB5KAN: It can also indicate SWR (same as on CB) and you
want to keep the swr less than 1.5 to 1 ...
WB5KAN: and usually an ALC position ...
KL0TW: ALC?
WB5KAN: ALC stands for Automatic Level Control ...
KL0TW: Okay
WB5KAN: about the middle of the scale is where you want
the ALC indicator to peak as you are speaking ...
WB5KAN: ALC limits the peak output power so that you don't
drive the transmit circuit onto a non-linear condition and thus
emmit distorted and spurious signals, sort of like overdriving a
CB with a power mike and splattering over adjacent channels ...
WB5KAN: questions ?
KL0TW: None here
WB5KAN: ok ...
WB5KAN: moving on to the frequency, which is the large
number in the middle of the display ...
WB5KAN: frequency is in MHz so this is showing 14.170.7
MHz, which is in the 20 meter band ...
WB5KAN: under normal conditions this frequency is
controlled by the large tuning knob just below the display. If
the RIT is turned off this is the frequency you are listening on,
and the frequency when you transmit ...
WB5KAN: questions ?
WB5KAN: ok
obany: no questions
KL0TW: None
WB5KAN: to the right of the frequency display is an
indicator that currently indicates VFO A ...
WB5KAN: VFO stands for Variable Frequency Oscillator ...
WB5KAN: This is the circutry that controlls the receive
and transmit frequency ...
WB5KAN: This transceiver, as do all modern transceivers,
has two VFOs ...
WB5KAN: A is one while B is the second ...
WB5KAN: you can use either with absolutely no difference
in operation of the transceiver ...
WB5KAN: There is a specific reason why the transceiver has
two VFOs ...
KL0TW: Why two then?
WB5KAN: That is to enable you to operate "split"
mode ...
WB5KAN: Just under the VFO A indicator, we see the word
SPLIT ...
WB5KAN: 99 percent of the time you will NOT operate in
split mode; but transmit and receive on the same frequency ...
KL0TW: Ahhhh .... like 2mtr.
WB5KAN: The reason for split operations is that many hams
in countries other than the US, especially very small countries
with few Hams get hundreds of calls all at the same time from
other hams in the world who want to "work" them ...
obany: ah
WB5KAN: When they do answer a particular station, that
station frequently cannot hear the small country station because
the hords of other Hams are still calling wanting to be answered
...
WB5KAN: Therefore, the small country operator will set one
VFO to one frequency to listen, and another frequency to transmit
...
WB5KAN: it is this circumstance that one would use split
operation and both VFO's ...
WB5KAN: Questions?
KL0TW: None
WB5KAN: I need a very quick brake ... BRB
KL0TW: Okay
WB5KAN: I'm back ...
WB5KAN: Before looking at the 30 on the far right of the
display, just above the 14 on the frequency display is the
indicator USB ...
WB5KAN: This is the main operating mode indicator which is
controlled by a front pannel control ...
WB5KAN: This transceiver can operate all modes but some of
them are not implemented on this transceiver nearly as well as
the more expensive ones ...
WB5KAN: The modes that can be used and would be indicated
here are ...
WB5KAN: AM (just like CB), USB (Upper Side Band), LSB
(lower side band), CW (code), and with an optional add-on FM
(Frequency Modulation) ...
WB5KAN: It can also operate RTTY (Radio Teletype) and all
other digital modes when in the USB or LSB setting ...
KL0TW: Sounds like a good buy.
WB5KAN: An explination of the difference between these
modes is far beyond the scope of what I can adiquately explain
here, so you are going to need to do some reading in this regard
...
WB5KAN: Questions --- simple
KL0TW: None here other than a CB is AM :-)
WB5KAN: ok ...
obany: well Jurian you said it was FM :)
obany: ?
WB5KAN: The number 30 on the far right of the display is a
"channel, or Memory address ...
WB5KAN: the spec says: Number of memory channels: 32 (25
regular, 2 scan edges and 5 split) ...
WB5KAN: using the front pannel controls one can store
frequency and mode in these 32 "memory's" ...
WB5KAN: with a front pannel control you can change control
of frequency from one of the VFO's and mode to that stored in the
memory ...
WB5KAN: Since I don't see a seperate "channel"
control --- to change channels, I assume when you switch to
"memory" mode, the large tuning knob is used to switch
between memory channels ...
* Jurian back
Jurian: reading what's been said..
WB5KAN: This capability is extremely useful, particularly
when you meet regularly on specific frequencies for nets or just
general chat with a friend every evening ...
WB5KAN: Once I get the tt antenna erected and we start
having regular scheduled practice nets, you can set the frequency
and mode into a memory channel and simply switch to that channel
and all is set up to operate ...
WB5KAN: Questions?
KL0TW: Thats cool. None here
WB5KAN: Guess not ...
Jurian: none other than that I always was told that CB was
FM not AM :)
WB5KAN: Wonder where that came from ... humm ... maybe
where you are CB is done on FM rather than AM as in the States
...
KL0TW: That would be weird
Jurian: must be it.. pretty much 100% sure it's FM here :)
WB5KAN: it is difficult sometimes to keep in mind the
differences between operations and rules in different countries
...
KL0TW: I hear skip from different countries. If they were
FM, I would not hear them
KL0TW: Some countries even use that C thingy :-)
WB5KAN: and you guys should look out for statements by me
that are based upon my US only experience K
KL0TW: Agreed
WB5KAN: Well, we've been at it for almost 2 hours and I
feel that is enough for a single session ...
WB5KAN: so next week we can discuss the front pannel
controls ...
WB5KAN: ok? k
Jurian: ok :)
KL0TW: Okay
KL0TW: It was a good class Ron. Thanks
WB5KAN: I would also like to see more activity on the
tt-radio egroup ...
KL0TW: Just don't test us :-)
KL0TW: So would I.
Jurian: me too.. just dont know what to talk about :)
KL0TW: He means more members
Jurian: oh.. that too :)
WB5KAN: The Zetas are very much excited about what we are
doing and have recently stated that they will be joining us on
our nets post ps ... neet, hugh?
KL0TW: Excellent!
KL0TW: The Zeta repeater system:-)
obany: :)
obany: very strong .....
Jurian: kewl :)
WB5KAN: Actually, in order to lure some of the main stream
ham community that is into emergency operations I am considering
changing or forming an organization called: The Global Cataclysm
Communications System
Jurian: so.. what will the nets be like.. if possible.. we
could set up some form of IRC.. very low bandwith.. so that
shouldn't be a problem :)
KL0TW: God idea Ron.
Jurian: yeah
obany: Yes Ron that would be better.. good idea
KL0TW: God = good :-)
WB5KAN: I think it will be more like netmeeting, where
graphics, etc can be included ...
KL0TW: When you get that set up, I can give your info to
the Alaska Ham members.
KL0TW: The ham clubs would like that idea I think.
obany: but netmeeting isn't everything either, should be a
mixture or so.. i think
WB5KAN: I will also be setting up the equivalent of
egroups on the big system being built here so that threaded
discussions, email, file downloades/uploads, and other stuff will
be available.
KL0TW: You go Ron!
Jurian: cool :)
Jurian: so, is that system going to be connected to a
linux box? :)
obany: Jurian and Linux :)))
obany: ;)
Jurian: :P
Jurian: linux rox
WB5KAN: We really are setting out to form as close as
possable a replacement for the internet.
Jurian: we wont have windows in the aftertime I guess
WB5KAN: And yes, I plan to use Linux
Jurian: linux rox :)
KL0TW: Talk about your wireless modems :-)
WB5KAN: Well, I'm going to close this formal session of
tt-radio and head outside for more chores. At some point I would
like to get copies of all the logs to put on the web when I get
to it.
KL0TW: Agreed.
KL0TW: Thanks Ron
Jurian: I have the log in HTML format.. it's just one HUGE
file and you'll have to do some work on it.. let me know when you
want it :)
Jurian: LogBot is continually logging the channel in HTMl
format :)
WB5KAN: So, thinks for your participation and I'll see you
all again next week. Bye SK
obany: bye
Jurian: bye :)
KL0TW: Bye
*** WB5KAN left the channel