This message is a guide to buying and selling over Usenet. It is intended to
serve as a guide for users unfamiliar with common conventions used in the
Usenet marketplace. Questions and comments may be directed to the author,
Jay Maynard, K5ZC, via Internet electronic mail at
jmayn...@admin5.hsc.uth.tmc.edu. This message was last changed on 29 June
1994 to add the discussion about how UPS does COD remittals. Thanks go to
readers of the personal radio newsgroups, who provided feedback to the net
about proper use of this forum, and especially Paul W. Schleck, KD3FU,
pschl...@unomaha.edu, who compiled most of the net wisdom and suggested the
creation of this article.

Usenet has proven to be a valuable resource for many folks. Along with lots of
discussion, argument, and good, solid information, it's also a good place to
buy or sell equipment, and many people have done so successfully. As with any
other medium, though, there are conventions that make everyone's life easier
if they're followed as much as possible.

The following are some suggested guidelines for using the rec.radio.swap
forum, based on general net-wisdom from users. Most of it is basic common
sense, but it is unfortunate that some users have consistently abused this
forum by not following such basic common sense. The general guidelines will
serve as well for other groups on the net, such as misc.forsale and
just.about.anything.marketplace.

What is appropriate to post in rec.radio.swap?

Any offer to buy or sell radio and electronics equipment, such as
transmitters, receivers, antennas, electronics parts, and radio-related
computer equipment is appropriate for this forum. Posts concerning
non-hardware (but still radio-related) items such as documentation manuals,
books, radio-related software, and publications, are also welcome.

Please do not post discussion articles to this group. If you really must post,
please do so to the appropriate discussion group. Use email whenever possible,
especially if you feel someone has committed a breach of etiquette.

Articles concerning illegal equipment (such as CB linear amplifiers and police
radar jammers) are not welcome. Not only will you be severely "flamed", you
are also opening yourself (and possibly the owners and administrators of your
news site) up to civil and criminal liability. Individuals who are involved in
the regular business of buying and selling for profit are requested not to
abuse this forum by using it as a "free advertisement" service for their
business, although they are welcome to participate as individuals. The
distinction here is that there is a cultural bias on Usenet, and an actual
prohibition on some networks that carry Usenet traffic, against using the net
for commercial purposes. Let your conscience be your guide.

Doesn't this article violate its own guidelines?

Well, yes and no. In the strictest sense, this article violates the rule that
only buying and selling advertisements belong in the rec.radio.swap newsgroup.
However, since those using this newsgroup are most likely to see articles in
the same newsgroup, and since this newsgroup serves readers of the
rec.radio.amateur.*, rec.radio.cb, rec.radio.shortwave, and rec.radio.scanner
newsgroups, posting it here provides the greatest visibility with the least
intrusion. Other suggestions which achieve the same goals are welcome.  

If you are looking for something specific...

Try to first find the item through other channels before resorting to the net.
If the manufacturer is still in business, you may be pleasantly surprised that
they still have the items on the shelf. Other companies specialize in
discontinued and surplus parts and equipment and are your best source for
tracking down items. Consult the mail-order electronics list, available from
ftp.cs.buffalo.edu in file ~/pub/ham-radio/mail_order, or the advertising
sections of most popular radio and electronics publications.  

Once you have exhausted all other channels, then certainly do post. State
clearly what you are looking for (e.g. "a part# 345X56 Bakelite Frobnicator
for an American Hawk Fubar 2000, circa 1968-1970"), and how much you are
willing to pay (or that you're willing to negotiate). Avoid sending out
"equipment-wanted" posts unless you are willing to pay for shipping from
wherever it may turn up (this newsgroup is read throughout the world), or
state clearly where you're willing to accept items from. Use the Distribution:
header line to limit where your posting will go, but be aware that it's far
from an absolute restriction; articles with ba (San Francisco Bay area)
distribution, for example, are imported to places like Boston, London, and
Singapore regularly.

If you are selling equipment...

Be specific in your first post about what you are selling and how much you
want for it (or that you're willing to negotiate). State clearly whether or
not the price includes shipping, and if it does, be sure to allow yourself a
reasonable amount to cover the cost. Avoid sending out "for sale" posts unless
you are willing to arrange for shipping to whomever in the message
distribution wants to buy it (and remember the comment above about
Distribution: headers...); if you cannot limit the posting's distribution for
one reason or another, be clear in your message about where you will and will
not ship. The US Postal Service has a 50-pound limit on the weight of packages
sent through them, and United Parcel Service has a 150-pound limit; other
carriers have similar limits. Check with your carrier before shipping.
Anything heavier will have to go by motor-freight (read: EXPENSIVE). Don't
advertise equipment that you cannot ship within a reasonable amount of time.  

Once you have made a deal, state clearly your intentions and follow through on
them. Nothing angers a buyer more than delays and excuses. Once you do ship,
have it securely packaged (insurance is strongly recommended). Payment terms
should be whatever you and the buyer are comfortable with, and commonly
include options such as money up-front, COD (Collect on Delivery), or payment
upon receipt and inspection. Don't be offended if the buyer wants to take
steps to protect his position, since he probably doesn't know you. Most
readers of this forum are basically honest and want to maintain their
net-image, but the few bad apples should encourage you to only deal with
honest, reputable people and to reasonably protect your position in any
transaction.  

Remember that COD stands for "Collect on Delivery" and not necessarily "Cash
on Delivery."  The carrier collects the funds from the buyer, and then hands
him the package; they then send the payment on to you. They are not a party to
the transaction, and so they don't care if the buyer gives you a bad check.
Therefore, you may want to specify the collection of cash, money order, or
other certified funds for your COD. Check with your carrier for exact COD
options and policies. If you choose this option, make sure the buyer knows up
front so that he can make the necessary arrangements. One thing to remember
is that UPS, at least will send whatever is Collected on Delivery to the
shipper's address as recorded in their files, and NOT to the return address
on the package. If you use a commercial packing and shipping service, you'll
have to go back there to pick up your payment; if you send from your office,
make sure the shipping department knows what to do with the check they'll
get from UPS in the mail.

If you are buying equipment...

Respond to an advertisement in a prompt manner. (The item may well not be
available if you don't!) Don't skip a message just because you think the price
is too high; offer the seller a price you think is reasonable instead. You
might be pleasantly surprised. State clearly your terms and intentions and
follow through on them. Nothing angers a seller more than delays and excuses.
As radio equipment is generally bulky and fragile, allow for a reasonable
amount of money to package, insure, and ship your purchase properly. Payment
terms should be similar to those suggested under seller's guidelines, and
should reasonably protect your position (remember, you are probably buying
equipment sight-unseen from a relative stranger), but remember that he needs
to protect his position as well. If you are unsure of a given seller, ask a
net-regular discreetly via E-mail. He or she will be more than happy to either
ease your concerns or confirm your suspicions.  

In general...

When you post to rec.radio.swap, be sure to use a meaningful Subject: line.
"FOR SALE" or "WANTED", by themselves, give little information to the person
skimming through the group by looking at the message subjects. "IC-32AT dual
band 144/440 handheld for sale, $400" is much more useful; if the reader is
looking for HF transceivers, he can skip right past your message. If you have
lots of different things for sale, try to give as much information as you can,
but remember that most systems get unhappy at Subject: lines longer than 80
characters, and a few older ones truncate them at 40.

It's generally a good idea to include your geographic location and a phone
number where you can be reached somewhere in your posting as well. Besides
reassuring your potential buyer or seller that you are a real person, it's
often easier to bargain and make other arrangements on the telephone than
through a protracted electronic mail exchange. Some buyers prefer dealing with
folks in their local area, too, as that makes it easier for them to inspect
the equipment before paying money.

(Continued from previous part.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- K -
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michael S. Keller  AB5EL

71620....@compuserve.com

Areas of particular knowledge:

PC-style computers
Mobile installations (rearranging mobile HF right now)
Repeaters (after a fashion--building a 1.25m repeater)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

R.D. Keys

Dept. of Crop Science
NCSU
Raleigh, NC 27695-7620

rdk...@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu

de NA4G, "Boat Anchor Bob", an ol' cw fart .....

If I can be of assistance in older equipment, junk-boxing
your way to hamdom, the cheapskate's approach, let me
know.

22 yrs a ham, extra class, mostly cw, mostly boat anchors
and radio in the traditional sense.

{Telegraphy has been in my family for almost 100 years!}

              CWISTS Friday Night Fist Function

Standard time:  Friday Nights at MIDNIGHT LOCAL TIME

Standard freq:  80 meters --- 3702.5 khz for all hands.
                40 meters --- 7102.5 khz alternate, for all hands
                              (between the heterodynes)
                              (someone scout out a better QRG)
                                 ___
Standard calling signal:   CWIST IMI DE <yourcall> K  (if there
                           are no control stations calling for
                           you to check in), or,
                           CWIST DE <yourcall> K  (if there is a
                           control station inviting checkins)
                           (The alternative check in for those OTs
                           with salt behind the ears is a simple
                           DE to get the control station's ears
                           followed by DE <yourcall> K when the
                           control station acknowledges.)

 Note:  A simple informal net style protocol will generally be
        used, unless no control station assumes control for the
        evening, in which case it is an open roundtable format
        discussion group.

 Note:  The midnight local time gathering is designed to maximize
        the number of checkins spread out over the world, so less
        confusion and more checkins are heard.  The hope is that
        someone will be aboard almost anywhere and be heard at
        least locally, anywhere in the world.

Definition:  A CWIST is a person with an active interest in the PRACTICE
             and USE of continuous wave radiotelegraphy as directly is
             applicable to amateur radio.  Such PRACTICE and USE may
             take the form of learning about radiotelegraphy and its
             history in amateur/commercial areas, its application to radio
             telecommunication, the practicing of the art and craft of
             radiotelegraphy, and the refining and developing of the
             technology of radiotelegraphy.

Author of NA4G's National Electrical Code for Hams

                                 ABSTRACT

        This work was presented as a talk to  the  Homebrew  Special
        Interest Group (HB-SIG) of the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society
        (RARS), on 15 January, 1991  and  was  revised  for  another
        presentation on 26 January, 1994.

        This  document  contains excerpts of the National Electrical
        Code (NFPA 70-1990) that, in the author's opinion, apply  to
        the   installation  of  amateur  radio  equipment  as  would
        commonly be found in most amateur  radio  stations.   Direct
        excerpts   from   the   Code   are  contained  within  inset
        quotations.   Paraphrased  excerpts  from   the   Code   are
        itemized.  The author's interpretation and discussion of the
        Code is set full-width.   The  author's  interpretation  and
        discussion  of  various sections of the Code is not meant to
        be all-encompassing, nor the official interpretation of  the
        National  Fire  Protection  Association, nor of any official
        governing body having legal authority of  jurisdiction  over
        electrical  installations,  but  is  meant  to  be used as a
        teaching tool for amateur radio operators.

For ease of access, the group of files have been 'rolled into one'...

ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/academic/agriculture/agronomy/ham/things-to...

(861,677 bytes, for Unix jocks)

ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/academic/agriculture/agronomy/ham/things-to...

(732,309 bytes, using PKZIP 2.04g for MS-DOS users)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ian Kluft  KD6EUI PP-ASEL
ikl...@thunder.sbay.org (home)  ikl...@oes.amdahl.com (work)   Santa Clara, CA

Former Maintainer of rec.radio.amateur.misc and rec.radio.cb FAQ lists

Available from:

http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/radio/ham-radio/fa...
ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.answers/radio/ham-radio/faq/
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio/ham-radio/faq/

and

http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/radio/cb-faq/top.html
ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.answers/radio/cb-faq/
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio/cb-faq/

Currently the posting of these articles have been suspended indefinitely
(and will probably be removed from the above sites shortly).  New
editors are being actively sought to take over maintenance of the above
resources and keep them from disappearing from the net permanently.  As
with any volunteer effort, new volunteers are often needed.  We need new
editors to post the above FAQ's.  Preferably this should be someone who
has enthusiasm for hobbyist radio, experience with Usenet, and the
ability to work with the other editors.  No single person can know all
the various aspects of these diverse hobbies so the editorial review
groups are intended to make a greater combination of experience.

The FAQ's were posted with the AUTO-FAQ software, which is written in
Perl.  So it would be a plus for volunteers to post the FAQ to have Perl
installed on their system and be able to use "cron" or "at" so that
postings can go unattended.

Anyone who wants to make their contribution to the Net as a volunteer
should contact me at my E-mail address above.

The rec.radio.amateur.* Working Group Mailing List is now being
maintained by Jack Hill.  See his entry for subscription information.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'll be glad to help out with tube circuits and VE testing.
(W5YI VE# 3182)

73,
Louis J. Kohnen  K2ANC
Penfield, NY near Rochester

K2ANC.Wbst...@xerox.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- L -
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

John Langner WB2OSZ
115 Stedman St. #E
Chelmsford, MA 01824-1823
+1 508 256 6907    (home - civilized times only please)
jo...@world.std.com

Slow-Scan Television

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Alan Larson WA6AZP

lar...@net.com
lar...@w6yx.stanford.edu

My areas are fairly general, and I teach classes (Novice and
Tech, with and without code, and upgrade sessions) at W6YX.
My main audience is to the Stanford (University) community.

I am also involved with some less common modes, such as
fast scan television and weak signal VHF and UHF.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Zack Lau  KH6CP/1      Expertise: Design of SSB/CW amateur transceivers
c/o ARRL Lab                    : up to 222 MHz.  Design of transverters
Newington CT  06111             : up to 10.5 GHz.  Basic lossy filter
+1 203 594-0200                 : design.  Developing repeatable projects
z...@arrl.org                   : using cheap, easy to get parts.

I'm now starting to look into 24 GHz SSB/CW gear using 10 Ghz as a
convenient IF.

Especially looking to help anyone wanting to be a QST/QEX
author--I can't write it all myself!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet  : howa...@wb3ffv.ampr.org     |   Howard D. Leadmon  WB3FFV
UUCP      : wb3ffv!howardl              |   Advanced Business Solutions
PHONE     : +1 410 661-0447             |   4107 Martin Avenue
FAX       : +1 410 661-0644             |   Baltimore, MD 21236
PACKET    : WB3FFV @ WB3FFV.MD.USA.NA   |                                    

        HOW TO ACCESS THE WB3FFV AMATEUR RADIO INTERNET BBS !!!

I have placed a BBS system on-line that is mainly oriented towards the
Amateur Community (but there are plenty of other wares on-line).  Through
user support I hope to keep the latest and greatest ham software on-line.
The BBS also offers access to nearly all of the Internet (USENET) NetNews
groups, plus access to most Internet services such as Email, FTP, TELNET,
Gopher, WWW, Callsign Lookup, Etc...   Below is the information that is
needed in order to access the BBS via Telephone, Telnet, or FTP.  Please
pass it around to as many ham's as possible.

 System Name: WB3FFV
 User Login: bbs

    +1 410 661-2475 - 12/24/48/96/14.4/16.8/19.2/21.6/28.8
                      (V.32bis,V.32terbo,V.34,V.FC,HST,V.42bis)

    +1 410 661-2648 - 1200/2400/4800/9600/14400/23000
                      (MNP2-5, V.32bis, V.42bis, Turbo-PEP)

    TELNET/FTP      - telnet://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/  (login: bbs)
                      ftp://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/

 Data Settings: 8 Bits, NO Parity, 1 Stop Bit
 Times: 24hrs/365days  (except for routine maintenance)
 Software: UniBoard UNIX BBS Software (Version 1.30b)
 Misc. Info: Machine is an Pentium-90/MP running UNIX System V Release 4.2
             and features more than 4 Gigabytes of on-line file storage.
             Most transfer protocols are available!!  (5 phone lines)

  This article describes how to use a phone line as a shortwave antenna.

  WARNING: Connecting unapproved devices to phone lines may be illegal in
  your area.  There may also be a potential shock hazard.  Use at your own
  risk.

  Performance will vary depending on the kind of line you have.  Overhead
  lines usually make okay antennas, while underground lines generally don't.

  A highpass filter is used to remove signals below the shortwave bands.
  It rejects interference from local AM stations and decouples the receiver
  from the phone line.  In addition, all phone line voltages, including
  ringing, are eliminated and thus will not harm the receiver.

  In addition, a lowpass filter can be used to reject interference from FM
  stations.  If you use both filters, connect the output of the first filter
  to the input of the second (don't forget to connect their ground terminals
  together).  It doesn't matter which filter is connected first.

  By the way, these filters also work well with random wire antennas.  Just
  connect the antenna in place of the phone line.

  The filter(s) should be connected to the phone line in this manner:

   Phone line                                    RF connector
      red         --------    center cond.            / \
       or   o----|        |--------------------------|-o |  To receiver
     green       |        |                           \ /
                 | FILTER |  50 ohm coax               |
     ground      |        |                            |
       or   o----|        |----------------------------+
      N.C.        --------      shield

  N.C. = no connect.  I have tried connecting the phone line ground (yellow
  wire) to this teminal, but reception has been better without it (if you do
  this, play it safe and put a .01 uF capacitor in series).  If another
  ground is available, you can connect it here.

  Someone wrote asking about lightning protection.  I haven't thought much
  about it because thunderstorms are rare in my area.  Most phone lines have
  lightning arrestors on them where they enter the house, but my suggestion
  is to unplug the antenna when not in use if you experience frequent
  thunderstorms.

  The original credit for the highpass and lowpass filters goes to Paul
  Blumstein and John Shalamskas, respectively.  Edited versions of their
  articles are included here:

Date:    09 Jan 91 00:54:08 GMT
From:    pa...@harley.TTI.COM (Paul Blumstein)
Subject: BC Band Hi-Pass Filter

The following ascii-schematic diagram is a high pass filter that will filter
out Broadcast Band (MW) stations.  I found it a great boon to my shortwave
listening since local MW stations overload my ATS-803A front end & appear in
SW, especially with a long antenna.

If you remember my antenna saga, I went from 50 feet to 150 feet & had
overload problems causing me to cut back to 50 feet.  (Even at 50 feet, I
still have some MW interference).  I took the advice of Gary Coffman and
looked up filters in the ARRL Handbook.  With the filter in place, I intend
to try to increase my antenna length again.

Anywho, here is the filter, for interested parties.

           --------||---+----||-----+----||-----------
                        }           }
                        {           {
                        }           }
           -------------+-----------+-----------------

The outer capacitors are 1500 pf ceramic disks.
The inner capacitor is 820 pf ceramic disk.
The squiggly things are coils (two total).  Each one is 2.7 uh.  (a close
value will do).

Date:    12 Jan 91 00:44:25 GMT
From:    b...@videovax.tv.tek.com (William K. McFadden)
Subject: Re: BC Band Hi-Pass Filter

I built the filter that Paul Blumstein posted recently and measured it on a
gain-phase analyzer.  Here are its characteristics:

 100 KHz -120dB
 500 KHz  -68dB
1000 KHz  -38dB
1600 KHz  -15dB
2100 KHz   -3dB

The source and load impedances were 50 ohms.  Because the filter has five
elements, the attenuation is 30dB per octave.  The measurements confirmed
this.

This filter seems to be a pretty good compromise between interference
attenuation and passband response.  There is very little attenuation in the
120m band and above.  It could use a little more attenuation at the upper end
of MW, which could be done with more stages or a higher cutoff frequency.
Alternatively, you could build two of these filters and put them in series.
(Since two 1500pF capacitors in series are really 750pF, you could eliminate
one cap.)

Just for fun, I decided to put 470 ohms in series with the input to see how
the filter performs with an antenna mismatch.  The characteristics were:

 100 KHz -105dB
 500 KHz  -60dB
1000 KHz  -35dB
1600 KHz  -15dB
2300 KHz   -3dB

These figures are normalized to the passband response of -15dB, which is due
to the impedance mismatch between the source and load and would have been
there without the filter.  Hence, the filter works almost as well in spite of
the mismatch, which is good news to those who use longwire antennas.

Date:    22 Apr 92 08:59:33 GMT
From:    jo...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (John Shalamskas)
Subject: Construction of filters for SW reception

        Several people have asked for construction details of the filters I
        built for my DX-440.

        The high-pass filter helped some, but in my location the VHF/UHF
        broadcasters are also causing problems.  So, I dug out the ARRL
        handbook and chose a 7-element Chebyshev low-pass design that is -3
        dB at 35 MHz, -20 dB at 43 MHz, and -50 dB at 64 MHz (all calculated;
        it works well in practice!)

                LOW-PASS FILTER  (Rejects FM, TV, etc.)

                        0.36 uH  0.42 uH   0.36 uH        
       signal  -------+--UUU--+--UUUUU--+--UUU--+-------  signal
                      |       |         |       |
                 82  ___  180___    180___     ___  82
                 pF  ---   pF---     pF---     ---  pF
       shield         |       |         |       |         shield
        braid  -------+-------+----+----+-------+-------  braid
                                   |
                             chassis ground

        I had to do a little more improvising at this point.  I used .33 uH
        instead of .36, and .66 uH instead of .42, but it works fine.

        The 5-lug terminal strips were perfect for these circuits, since
        there are 4 lugs plus a grounded lug.  All "ground" connections go to
        the lug that is mounted to the chassis, and the other 4 lugs are used
        for each of the connections on the signal line.  One terminal strip
        is used per filter.  Since both filters were necessary to clean up
        the hash, I am going to put them both into one box when I get the
        time.

        The proper way to connect them is in series, i.e.

        signal in ------- filter 1 -------- filter 2 -------- signal out

        There is no difference between ends.  They are "bilateral" which
        means you can't possibly hook them up backwards.  (In the above
        schematics, left and right ends are interchangeable.)

COIL WINDING

You can make the coils yourself using this formula:

L = 0.2 * B^2 * N^2 / (3B + 9A + 10C)

L is inductance, in uH
A is length of coil, in inches
B is mean diameter of coil, in inches
C is the diameter of the wire, in inches
N is the number of turns

For small wire, you can assume C = 0.

PARTS SOURCE

All of the parts for these filters can be obtained from the following source:

Digi-Key
701 Brooks Av S
P.O. Box 677
Thief River Falls, MN  56701-0677  USA
Voice: 800-344-4539
FAX: 218-681-3380

PART                    DIGI-KEY PART NO.
82 pF capacitor         P4023
180 pF capacitor        P4027
820 pF capacitor        P4184
1500 pF capacitor       P4187
0.33 uH inductor        M8007
0.39 uH inductor        M8008
2.7 uH inductor         M8018

The cost of these parts is less than $1 each.

The services that the American Radio Relay League provides via the
internet include a World Wide Web page, an FTP file archive site,
an automated email information server (Info-Server), a number of email
mailing lists and direct email to most HQ staff. If you have any
questions about the following information, please send them to me at
mtr...@arrl.org.

Best regards - Michael Tracy, KC1SX, ARRL Technical Information Services.

* World Wide Web (URL http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc/arrl.html)

  The ARRL's Web home page is provided for by the generous folks
  at Oakland University in Michigan. This page, maintained by
  Scott Ehrlich, WY1Z, of the Boston Amateur Radio Club, features
  the following information links:

  Access to our FTP archive files
  The ARRL and our membership services
  Lists of upcoming license exam tests
  The complete text of FCC rules Part 97
  Contacts for volunteers who assist with emergencies and disasters
  ARRL sponsored hamfests and conventions listing
  ARRL sponsored contests
  The latest ARRL Letter
  Links to the web pages of ARRL affiliated clubs
  W1AW bulletins
  ...and more!

* FTP archive site (oak.oakland.edu)

  This FTP site (also at the University of Oakland) currently contains
  a complete mirror of the files on our Email Information Server.  It
  also features a growing number of files from the ARRL telephone BBS.

  To access this site, FTP to oak.oakland.edu. At the "login:" prompt,
  type ANONYMOUS and at the password prompt, type your email address.
  Change directory to pub/hamradio/arrl/infoserver and get the file
  index.txt for a listing of what files are available (and in what
  directories!)

* Email Information Server (i...@arrl.org)

  The Email Information Server (Info-Server, for short) is an automated
  mail server that gives you access to many text files relating
  to various facets of Amateur Radio. To obtain more detailed instructions
  and a list of available files, send an email message to i...@arrl.org
  with any subject (it is not used) and the following text in the body
  of your message:

  HELP
  INDEX
  QUIT

  Each file you request is then mailed to you automatically.

* Email Mailing Lists (lists...@netcom.com)

  The following email lists are distributed by Netcom internet services
  and are sponsored by Mike Ardai, N1IST, and the Boston Amateur Radio
  Club. If you have any questions about these lists, please direct them
  to Mike Ardai, N1IST at n1...@netcom.com. For more information on the
  Boston ARC, subscribe to barc-list.

  arrl-exam-list:  Amateur radio license examinations scheduled in the US
                   and in some foreign areas.
  arrl-nediv-list: Bi-monthly bulletins from the ARRL NE Division director
  arrl-special-olympics: Information about amateur radio's involvement in
the
                         Special Olympics
  arrl-ve-list:  Announcements to VEs and VE teams.
  barc-list:     Information, discussion and announcements for the Boston
                 Amateur Radio Club and hams in Eastern Massachusetts.
  barc-races:    RACES in Massachusetts and emergency management
  ema-arrl:      ARRL Eastern Massachusetts section discussions
  fieldorg-l:    ARRL field organization discussions
  fox-list:      Fox hunting and Radio Direction Finding
  ham-tech:      Technical discussions and questions about Amateur Radio
  ky1n-list:     VE exams in New England
  letter-list:   Redistribution of the ARRL Letter
  newsline-list: Redistribution of Amateur Radio Newsline
  w1aw-list:     ARRL bulletins, news, and information

  These lists are automatically maintained by the Majordomo software. To
  sign up or inquire about these lists, send mail to lists...@netcom.com
  with the following in the body (subject is ignored) of the message.
  <listname> is the name of the list to subscribe to.

  To subscribe:   subscribe <listname>
  To unsubscribe: unsubscribe <listname>
  For more information about a list: info <listname>
  For more information about Majordomo: help
  To post (to the two-way lists), send your message to <listname>@netcom.com

* Headquarters Email for the American Radio Relay League

  The complete list of HQ email addresses can be obtained on the
  Internet via:

  World Wide Web (http://www.acs.oakland.edu/barc/arrl.html) -
  Click on the "Contact information" link.

  FTP (oak.oakland.edu) - At the "login:" prompt, type ANONYMOUS and
  at the password prompt, type your email address. Change directory
  to pub/hamradio/arrl/infoserver and get the file hq-email.txt.

  Email (i...@arrl.org) - Send an email to i...@arrl.org with any
  subject (it is not used). Put SEND HQ-EMAIL.TXT on a line by itself
  in your message. For a set of instructions on using the email server,
  add the word HELP on another line by itself.

(Note:  This difference file is taken from the list body only.)

/bin/diff -c (last month's) (this month's)

*** /usr3/pschleck/faq/elmers/list.body.old     Thu Jun  1 06:00:47 1995
--- /usr3/pschleck/faq/elmers/list.body.new     Sat Jul  1 06:00:04 1995
***************
*** 1,4 ****
! Amateur Radio Elmers Resource Directory (as of 06/01/95)
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  - A -
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
--- 1,4 ----
! Amateur Radio Elmers Resource Directory (as of 07/01/95)
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  - A -
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
***************
*** 48,53 ****
--- 48,103 ----

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

+ Chuck Adams  K5FO
+
+ ad...@sgi.com
+
+ Maintainer of Standardized Info Sheets on QRP Rigs
+
+ They are available from the QRP-L WWW Pages at:
+
+ http://ncc1701-d.cc.nd.edu/qrp-l/index.html
+ http://www.lehigh.edu/lists/Archives/qrp-l/ (on or after June 1, 1995)
+
+ Owner of QRP-L Mailing List
+
+ The QRP mailing list is open for discussion of any subjects relating to
+ low-power amateur radio operation.  Example topics: portable operation,
+ equipment design and construction, solar and battery power, QRPp,
+ contesting, kit building, etc.
+
+ This list was started by me with an announcement on the
+ rec.radio.amateur.misc USENET group in early 1993.  Bruce Walker, WT1M,
+ maintained the mailing lists and FTP area from then through August 1994
+ on a system at Thinking Machines Inc., think.com.  Then it was moved to
+ qr...@netcom.com until May 14th, 1995.  Thanks to Mike Ardai, N1IST, for
+ all his hard work during the time that QRP-L was on netcom.com.
+
+ I am still the keeper of the non-electronic archives, including copies
+ of some schematics, etc.  Contact me directly or watch this list for
+ more info.
+
+ To subscribe, send E-mail to:
+
+      lists...@lehigh.edu
+
+ and in the body of the message, write:
+
+      SUBSCRIBE QRP-L your_name your_call
+
+ where "your_name" is your real name, and "your_call" is your callsign,
+ if any.  For example:
+
+      SUBSCRIBE QRP-L John Doe K5FJZ
+
+ A welcome message with more detailed help will follow shortly.
+  
+ To unsubscribe, type:
+
+      UNSUBSCRIBE QRP-L
+
+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
  Dave Alexander  KG7ZQ, NNN0IID

  da...@eskimo.com
***************
*** 130,137 ****
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

   """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
!  Brian Battles, WS1O  I Tel      +1 203 666-1541, x222 I
!  QST Features Editor  I Fax      +1 203 665-7531       I "Stamp out sex:
   ARRL HQ              I Internet bbatt...@arrl.org     I    Get married!"
   Newington, CT USA    I Amprnet  w...@ws1o.ampr.org    I
   """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
--- 180,187 ----
  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

   """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
!  Brian Battles, WS1O  I Tel      +1 203 594-0200, x222 I
!  QST Features Editor  I Fax      +1 203 594-0259       I "Stamp out sex:
   ARRL HQ              I Internet bbatt...@arrl.org     I    Get married!"
   Newington, CT USA    I Amprnet  w...@ws1o.ampr.org    I
   """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
***************
*** 195,208 ****

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

! Rob Bellville  N1NTE
!
! rbellvi...@aol.com
!
! http://www.ultranet.com/~bellvill/
!
! PO Box 515
! Millbury, MA  01527-0515

  Experience:
  * Computer Networking Hardware Technical Engineer (Yuck!)
--- 245,260 ----

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

!  <a href="http://www.ultranet.com/~bellvill/">Rob's cobWeb Page</a>
!  ------------------------------------------------------------------
!  Rob Bellville, N1NTE     |    <bellv...@bellville.ultranet.com>
!  PO Box 515               | Got an old PC or Mac? Millbury Schools        
!  Millbury, MA 01527       | are looking for donations dead or alive!        
!  ------------------------------------------------------------------
!            Technical Supervisor, Millbury Public Schools
!        Computer Technology and Radio Communications Consultant
!  *** World Wide Web Creation Services - Business and Individual ***
!  ------------------------------------------------------------------

  Experience:
  * Computer Networking Hardware Technical Engineer (Yuck!)
***************
*** 280,286 ****
  Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

  Collecting information for the next annual ARRL Computer Networking
! Conference.

  For information about the ARRL info server, send E-mail to i...@arrl.org
  with the word "HELP" in the message body.
--- 332,340 ----
  Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

  Collecting information for the next annual ARRL Computer Networking
! Conference:
!
! http://www.tapr.org/tapr/html/dccconf.html

  For information about the ARRL info server, send E-mail to i...@arrl.org
  with the word "HELP" in the message body.
***************
*** 919,924 ****
--- 973,979 ----
  For more information about rec.radio.info, see:

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/radio/rec-radio-in...
+ ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.answers/radio/rec-radio-info/
  ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio/rec-radio-info/
  news:rec.radio.info

***************
*** 1215,1221 ****
  Howard Goldstein   |  "Civilization is the distance man  |  h...@n2wx.ampr.org
  N2WX               |    has placed between himself and   |  CIS:75006,702
                     |        his excreta"   Aldiss        |
!                           http://www.tapr.org/~n2wx
                  "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" Lisa

  Wrote and maintain TAPR TNC-2 firmware (and some clones)
--- 1270,1276 ----
  Howard Goldstein   |  "Civilization is the distance man  |  h...@n2wx.ampr.org
  N2WX               |    has placed between himself and   |  CIS:75006,702
                     |        his excreta"   Aldiss        |
!                           http://www.tapr.org/~n2wx/
                  "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" Lisa

  Wrote and maintain TAPR TNC-2 firmware (and some clones)
***************
*** 1319,1326 ****
  American Radio Relay League        |  
  225 Main St.                       |
  Newington, CT  06111               |
! +1 203 666-1541 - voice
! +1 203 665-7531 - FAX

  ARRL Laboratory Engineer

--- 1374,1381 ----
  American Radio Relay League        |  
  225 Main St.                       |
  Newington, CT  06111               |
! +1 203 594-0200 - voice
! +1 203 594-0259 - FAX

  ARRL Laboratory Engineer

***************
*** 1550,1557 ****
  ARRL VEC Dept.            |             BIX: ARRL
  225 Main St               |          MCI ID: 215-5052
  Newington, CT 06111       |      CompuServe: 70007,3373
!    Voice +1 203 666-1541  | America On-Line: ARRL HQ
!    FAX   +1 203 665-7531  |
  -------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Listings of Examination Opportunities -- bi-weekly postings
    ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/rec.radio.amateur.misc/
--- 1605,1612 ----
  ARRL VEC Dept.            |             BIX: ARRL
  225 Main St               |          MCI ID: 215-5052
  Newington, CT 06111       |      CompuServe: 70007,3373
!    Voice +1 203 594-0200  | America On-Line: ARRL HQ
!    FAX   +1 203 594-0259  |
  -------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Listings of Examination Opportunities -- bi-weekly postings
    ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/rec.radio.amateur.misc/
***************
*** 1686,1696 ****
--- 1741,1753 ----
  Available from:

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/radio/ham-radio/fa...
+ ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.answers/radio/ham-radio/faq/
  ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio/ham-radio/faq/

  and

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/radio/cb-faq/top.html
+ ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.answers/radio/cb-faq/
  ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio/cb-faq/

  Currently the posting of these articles have been suspended indefinitely
***************
*** 1757,1763 ****
  Zack Lau  KH6CP/1      Expertise: Design of SSB/CW amateur transceivers
  c/o ARRL Lab                    : up to 222 MHz.  Design of transverters
  Newington CT  06111             : up to 10.5 GHz.  Basic lossy filter
! +1 203 666-1541                 : design.  Developing repeatable projects
  z...@arrl.org                   : using cheap, easy to get parts.

  I'm now starting to look into 24 GHz SSB/CW gear using 10 Ghz as a
--- 1814,1820 ----
  Zack Lau  KH6CP/1      Expertise: Design of SSB/CW amateur transceivers
  c/o ARRL Lab                    : up to 222 MHz.  Design of transverters
  Newington CT  06111             : up to 10.5 GHz.  Basic lossy filter
! +1 203 594-0200                 : design.  Developing repeatable projects
  z...@arrl.org                   : using cheap, easy to get parts.

  I'm now starting to look into 24 GHz SSB/CW gear using 10 Ghz as a
***************
*** 1795,1801 ****
      +1 410 661-2648 - 1200/2400/4800/9600/14400/23000
                        (MNP2-5, V.32bis, V.42bis, Turbo-PEP)

!     TELNET/FTP      - telnet://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/
                        ftp://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/

   Data Settings: 8 Bits, NO Parity, 1 Stop Bit
--- 1852,1858 ----
      +1 410 661-2648 - 1200/2400/4800/9600/14400/23000
                        (MNP2-5, V.32bis, V.42bis, Turbo-PEP)

!     TELNET/FTP      - telnet://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/  (login: bbs)
                        ftp://wb3ffv1.sed.csc.com/

Includes WARC-92 broadcast band extensions which may be used on a secondary
(non-interference) basis in the fixed service bands.  Please e-mail
corrections to me.

  SHORTWAVE BROADCAST BANDS                   UNITED STATES TIME ZONES

 2300 -  2495   120 Meters                         PDT     MDT     CDT     EDT
 3200 -  3400    90 Meters         GMT     PST     MST     CST     EST
 3900 -  4000    75 Meters         --------------------------------------------
 4750 -  5060    60 Meters         0000    4 PM    5 PM    6 PM    7 PM    8 PM
 5850 -  6200    49 Meters         0100    5 PM    6 PM    7 PM    8 PM    9 PM
 7100 -  7350    41 Meters         0200    6 PM    7 PM    8 PM    9 PM   10 PM
 9400 -  9900    31 Meters         0300    7 PM    8 PM    9 PM   10 PM   11 PM
11600 - 12050    25 Meters         0400    8 PM    9 PM   10 PM   11 PM   12 AM
13570 - 13800    22 Meters         0500    9 PM   10 PM   11 PM   12 AM    1 AM
15100 - 15800    19 Meters         0600   10 PM   11 PM   12 AM    1 AM    2 AM
17480 - 17900    16 Meters         0700   11 PM   12 AM    1 AM    2 AM    3 AM
18900 - 19020    15 Meters         0800   12 AM    1 AM    2 AM    3 AM    4 AM
21450 - 21850    13 Meters         0900    1 AM    2 AM    3 AM    4 AM    5 AM
25600 - 26100    11 Meters         1000    2 AM    3 AM    4 AM    5 AM    6 AM
                                   1100    3 AM    4 AM    5 AM    6 AM    7 AM
                                   1200    4 AM    5 AM    6 AM    7 AM    8 AM
    AMATEUR PHONE BANDS            1300    5 AM    6 AM    7 AM    8 AM    9 AM
                                   1400    6 AM    7 AM    8 AM    9 AM   10 AM
 1800 -  2000   160 Meters         1500    7 AM    8 AM    9 AM   10 AM   11 AM
 3750 -  4000    75 Meters         1600    8 AM    9 AM   10 AM   11 AM   12 PM
 7150 -  7300    40 Meters         1700    9 AM   10 AM   11 AM   12 PM    1 PM
14150 - 14350    20 Meters         1800   10 AM   11 AM   12 PM    1 PM    2 PM
18110 - 18168    17 Meters         1900   11 AM   12 PM    1 PM    2 PM    3 PM
21200 - 21450    15 Meters         2000   12 PM    1 PM    2 PM    3 PM    4 PM
24930 - 24990    12 Meters         2100    1 PM    2 PM    3 PM    4 PM    5 PM
28300 - 29700    10 Meters         2200    2 PM    3 PM    4 PM    5 PM    6 PM
                                   2300    3 PM    4 PM    5 PM    6 PM    7 PM

     AMATEUR CW BANDS

 1800 -  2000   160 Meters                       OTHER BANDS
 3500 -  3750    80 Meters
 7000 -  7150    40 Meters         535 -  1705   AM Broadcast (Mediumwave)
10100 - 10150    30 Meters        2170 -  2194   Land Mobile
14000 - 14150    20 Meters       25010 - 25330   Petroleum Industry
18068 - 18110    17 Meters       26100 - 26480   Land Mobile
21000 - 21200    15 Meters       26960 - 27410   Citizens' Band
24890 - 24930    12 Meters       27410 - 27540   Land Mobile
28000 - 28300    10 Meters       29700 - 29800   Forestry Service

     FIXED SERVICE BANDS         AIRCRAFT BANDS    MARINE BANDS     TIME FREQS

This administrivia file and the companion Amateur Radio Elmers Resource
Directory are intended for non-commercial distribution via Usenet.  Any
other uses, please E-mail for permission.

In order to standardize the Internet resource notation used in this
Directory, I've decided to adopt Uniform Resource Locator (URL) format
throughout.  In addition to being a straightforward, human-readable,
format for specifying File Transfer Protocol (FTP) archives, Gopher and
World-Wide Web (WWW) servers, and Usenet newsgroups, it is also amenable
to formatting as hypertext links in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
For example, users viewing this document at designated World-Wide Web
Servers (see "How may I obtain the latest copy of the Elmers List?"
below) will see all URL's converted to hypertext links on their WWW
client.  Rather than fumbling with the various conventions of FTP,
Gopher, WWW, and Usenet News software, the document or directory
referenced by a hypertext link is but one mouse- click (or key-click)
away.

Scott Ehrlich has graciously agreed to be a WWW Elmer and provide
further information about how to obtain and use WWW client software
such as Lynx and Mosaic (see his entry).  While I'm happy to
incorporate the latest and most popular information-formatting
standards into the documents that I maintain, I really can't allow
myself to be dragged into the role of a WWW help-desk for all of the
Internet.  Please understand this when I politely refer you to other
Elmers, easily-obtainable on-line documentation, or even local
expertise such as resident gurus, consultants, or help-desks at your
school, company, or information service provider.

I expect there to be a bit of controversy regarding my adoption of
this somewhat radical new standard, especially to many users who can't
or won't use WWW.  Those users should be assured that I wouldn't have
adopted a standard unless it was easily human-readable by those
accessing this document as straight ASCII (which is one of the main
reasons why the entire Elmers list isn't HTML, MIME, MMDF, or
one of many other competing, mostly non-compatible, information
formats).  The URL format is easily mapped into human FTP, Telnet,
Gopher, and Usenet News reader commands.  For example:

ftp://ftp.cs.buffalo.edu/pub/ham-radio/README

Anonymous FTP to ftp.cs.buffalo.edu and get the file README under
the /pub/ham-radio directory.

gopher://oes1.oes.ca.gov:5555/

Access the Gopher root page at oes1.oes.ca.gov via non-standard port
5555 (if the standard Gopher port of 70 was used, the ":5555" part
would be replaced by ":70" or most likely not appear at all).

telnet://callsign.cs.buffalo.edu:2000/

Initiate a Telnet (remote terminal) session with
callsign.cs.buffalo.edu via non-standard port 2000 (if the standard
Telnet port of 23 was used, the ":2000" part would be replaced by
":23" or most likely not appear at all).

news:rec.radio.info

Access the rec.radio.info newsgroup on your Usenet newsreader from
your local news server.

URL's that start with:

http:

Are only accessible via WWW client software (which is why almost all
http: URL's in this directory also have corresponding ftp: or gopher:
URL's).

For more information about URL formats, see:

http://www.cc.ukans.edu/lynx_help/URL_guide.html
ftp://nis.nsf.net/documents/rfc/rfc1630.txt
http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/Addressing/URL/URI_Overview.html

Disclaimer: While I have personally confirmed the accuracy of all
URL's through the Lynx WWW client, any referenced documents external
to this document are subject to future changes beyond my control.  In
addition, with networks and their administration being what it is,
many services with up-to-date URL's may be temporarily unreachable.
Please consult with your local gurus, consulting staff, or help-desk
to confirm that it's a non-local problem, then ask the Elmer him or
herself (me in the case of URL's which appear outside of individual
entries).  The currency and accuracy of URL's should be at least no
worse than that of the Elmers entries themselves (which are each
individually confirmed by me every 2 years, and updated within 1 month
on request of the Elmer).

A Brief Historical Overview:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If there is any one constant in the changing state of the communications
art, it is that "Hams" (Amateur Radio Operators) have always been on
the forefront of it.  Rumors abound where the term "Ham" came from.  
Some of the more amusing are described in the list of Frequently Asked
Questions for this newsgroup.

Regardless of origin of the name, a "Ham" is universally recognizable as
one who experiments in radio and communications.  

Whether it be constructing a low-power CW radio with vacuum tubes, or
designing TCP/IP packet networks, such experimentation has historically
spilled over into the mainstream such as was the case with Howard
Armstrong, who developed the regenerative oscillator and FM radio, or
General Curtis LeMay (W6EZV) who was instrumental in making Single-
Sideband the communications standard for the Strategic Air Command
(1947-1992, now reorganized into a joint command called USSTRATCOM) and
eventually the U.S. Air Force.  Although packet-switching techniques
originated from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and
the ARPANet, no one can deny the tremendous influence that amateurs
have had in demonstrating the viability of TCP/IP and AX.25
communications via radio links.  The efforts of AMSAT (the Amateur
Satellite Corporation), including the development of many ham satellites
and the low-orbiting Microsats (communications satellites no bigger than
a breadbox that use store-and forward packet techniques), have certainly
advanced the state-of-the-art in communications, one of the defined
purposes of the Amateur Radio Service, as recognized by international
treaty.

Since in many cases hams are writing "the book", there is often no
"book" or other established reference for a beginner to refer to.  
Traditionally, information has been passed on from ham to ham via word-
of-mouth.  Like many of the traditional crafts, a variation of the
Master-Apprentice system has emerged, the Elmer-Novice relationship.  
Called "Elmers" because they are usually older and wiser, having the
benefit of many years in the hobby, including several failed projects,
and an electric shock or two, they have traditionally been the mainstay
of amateur radio, and the source of many new hams, particularly those
interested in working on emerging technologies.

Even more importantly, Elmers provided an outlet for the impatient
newcomer who wanted "to know everything, and right away."  Faced with
such a request, a good Elmer will smile and proceed to lead the novice
through some project or operating experience.  Several hours, days, or
weeks later, the novice would have his answers, but would have earned
them.  Even better, the sense of accomplishment would boost the novice's
confidence and nudge him or her down the road to being a model,
experienced ham operator.

Many present hams feel that such an experience is missing today.  In
today's hustle-bustle world, the response to such natural curiosity and
desire to learn is, more often than not, "I'm too busy" or "RTFM." As a
result, the quality of new hams declines and the knowledge and operating
habits they develop in their first formative months and years leave much
to be desired. And the very same hams who claim that they "can't
understand the new generation" also, in almost the same breath, lament
about the "decline of amateur radio."

What is an Elmer today?
+++++++++++++++++++++++

An Elmer today is of any age, male or female, who has some expertise and
is willing to share it with beginners.  Elmers don't even need to be
licensed amateurs, just people with knowledge in some area of
electronics or communications technology.

What is a Usenet Elmer?
+++++++++++++++++++++++

With the ever-widening scope of the Internet, and the amateur radio
newsgroups on Usenet, the potential for Elmers to share their
knowledge to a wide audience has never been greater.  To that end, I
maintain a list of such Elmers.  Volunteers need only send me their
name, E-mail address, and area of expertise.  I have set up an
administrivia mailbox for this purpose (elmers-requ...@gonix.com, the
default Reply-To: of this message).

Those desiring a more extensive list, or who need more specific
assistance, are encouraged to contact Rosalie White, WA1STO, Educational
Services Manager at the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St.,
Newington, CT  06111 or via electronic mail addressed to
rwh...@arrl.org.

How may I obtain the latest copy of the Elmers List?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are currently 7 ways of obtaining the Elmers List.  Any site
at least reachable by Internet E-mail can use options 3 or 4:

1.  Usenet News:  The latest copy of the list can be found in the
companion postings to this message, "Amateur Radio: Elmers Resource
Directory [A-*]" and "Amateur Radio Elmers Resource Directory [*-Z]"
(The * represents a wildcard character, as the need to split the list
evenly to keep both parts under the 64K message limit for Usenet
requires that I adjust the split occasionally).  Since the list is
cross-posted to the following newsgroups:

news:rec.radio.amateur.misc
news:rec.radio.info
news:rec.answers
news:news.answers

Quick Search Index by Subject:

(Note:  This index is not necessarily all-inclusive and some Elmers are
listed more than once.)

This administrivia file and the companion Amateur Radio Elmers Resource
Directory are intended for non-commercial distribution via Usenet.  Any
other uses, please E-mail for permission.

In order to standardize the Internet resource notation used in this
Directory, I've decided to adopt Uniform Resource Locator (URL) format
throughout.  In addition to being a straightforward, human-readable,
format for specifying File Transfer Protocol (FTP) archives, Gopher and
World-Wide Web (WWW) servers, and Usenet newsgroups, it is also amenable
to formatting as hypertext links in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
For example, users viewing this document at designated World-Wide Web
Servers (see "How may I obtain the latest copy of the Elmers List?"
below) will see all URL's converted to hypertext links on their WWW
client.  Rather than fumbling with the various conventions of FTP,
Gopher, WWW, and Usenet News software, the document or directory
referenced by a hypertext link is but one mouse- click (or key-click)
away.

Scott Ehrlich has graciously agreed to be a WWW Elmer and provide
further information about how to obtain and use WWW client software
such as Lynx and Mosaic (see his entry).  While I'm happy to
incorporate the latest and most popular information-formatting
standards into the documents that I maintain, I really can't allow
myself to be dragged into the role of a WWW help-desk for all of the
Internet.  Please understand this when I politely refer you to other
Elmers, easily-obtainable on-line documentation, or even local
expertise such as resident gurus, consultants, or help-desks at your
school, company, or information service provider.

I expect there to be a bit of controversy regarding my adoption of
this somewhat radical new standard, especially to many users who can't
or won't use WWW.  Those users should be assured that I wouldn't have
adopted a standard unless it was easily human-readable by those
accessing this document as straight ASCII (which is one of the main
reasons why the entire Elmers list isn't HTML, MIME, MMDF, or
one of many other competing, mostly non-compatible, information
formats).  The URL format is easily mapped into human FTP, Telnet,
Gopher, and Usenet News reader commands.  For example:

ftp://ftp.cs.buffalo.edu/pub/ham-radio/README

Anonymous FTP to ftp.cs.buffalo.edu and get the file README under
the /pub/ham-radio directory.

gopher://oes1.oes.ca.gov:5555/

Access the Gopher root page at oes1.oes.ca.gov via non-standard port
5555 (if the standard Gopher port of 70 was used, the ":5555" part
would be replaced by ":70" or most likely not appear at all).

telnet://callsign.cs.buffalo.edu:2000/

Initiate a Telnet (remote terminal) session with
callsign.cs.buffalo.edu via non-standard port 2000 (if the standard
Telnet port of 23 was used, the ":2000" part would be replaced by
":23" or most likely not appear at all).

news:rec.radio.info

Access the rec.radio.info newsgroup on your Usenet newsreader from
your local news server.

URL's that start with:

http:

Are only accessible via WWW client software (which is why almost all
http: URL's in this directory also have corresponding ftp: or gopher:
URL's).

For more information about URL formats, see:

http://www.cc.ukans.edu/lynx_help/URL_guide.html
ftp://nis.nsf.net/documents/rfc/rfc1630.txt
http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/Addressing/URL/URI_Overview.html

Disclaimer: While I have personally confirmed the accuracy of all
URL's through the Lynx WWW client, any referenced documents external
to this document are subject to future changes beyond my control.  In
addition, with networks and their administration being what it is,
many services with up-to-date URL's may be temporarily unreachable.
Please consult with your local gurus, consulting staff, or help-desk
to confirm that it's a non-local problem, then ask the Elmer him or
herself (me in the case of URL's which appear outside of individual
entries).  The currency and accuracy of URL's should be at least no
worse than that of the Elmers entries themselves (which are each
individually confirmed by me every 2 years, and updated within 1 month
on request of the Elmer).

A Brief Historical Overview:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If there is any one constant in the changing state of the communications
art, it is that "Hams" (Amateur Radio Operators) have always been on
the forefront of it.  Rumors abound where the term "Ham" came from.  
Some of the more amusing are described in the list of Frequently Asked
Questions for this newsgroup.

Regardless of origin of the name, a "Ham" is universally recognizable as
one who experiments in radio and communications.  

Whether it be constructing a low-power CW radio with vacuum tubes, or
designing TCP/IP packet networks, such experimentation has historically
spilled over into the mainstream such as was the case with Howard
Armstrong, who developed the regenerative oscillator and FM radio, or
General Curtis LeMay (W6EZV) who was instrumental in making Single-
Sideband the communications standard for the Strategic Air Command
(1947-1992, now reorganized into a joint command called USSTRATCOM) and
eventually the U.S. Air Force.  Although packet-switching techniques
originated from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and
the ARPANet, no one can deny the tremendous influence that amateurs
have had in demonstrating the viability of TCP/IP and AX.25
communications via radio links.  The efforts of AMSAT (the Amateur
Satellite Corporation), including the development of many ham satellites
and the low-orbiting Microsats (communications satellites no bigger than
a breadbox that use store-and forward packet techniques), have certainly
advanced the state-of-the-art in communications, one of the defined
purposes of the Amateur Radio Service, as recognized by international
treaty.

Since in many cases hams are writing "the book", there is often no
"book" or other established reference for a beginner to refer to.  
Traditionally, information has been passed on from ham to ham via word-
of-mouth.  Like many of the traditional crafts, a variation of the
Master-Apprentice system has emerged, the Elmer-Novice relationship.  
Called "Elmers" because they are usually older and wiser, having the
benefit of many years in the hobby, including several failed projects,
and an electric shock or two, they have traditionally been the mainstay
of amateur radio, and the source of many new hams, particularly those
interested in working on emerging technologies.

Even more importantly, Elmers provided an outlet for the impatient
newcomer who wanted "to know everything, and right away."  Faced with
such a request, a good Elmer will smile and proceed to lead the novice
through some project or operating experience.  Several hours, days, or
weeks later, the novice would have his answers, but would have earned
them.  Even better, the sense of accomplishment would boost the novice's
confidence and nudge him or her down the road to being a model,
experienced ham operator.

Many present hams feel that such an experience is missing today.  In
today's hustle-bustle world, the response to such natural curiosity and
desire to learn is, more often than not, "I'm too busy" or "RTFM." As a
result, the quality of new hams declines and the knowledge and operating
habits they develop in their first formative months and years leave much
to be desired. And the very same hams who claim that they "can't
understand the new generation" also, in almost the same breath, lament
about the "decline of amateur radio."

What is an Elmer today?
+++++++++++++++++++++++

An Elmer today is of any age, male or female, who has some expertise and
is willing to share it with beginners.  Elmers don't even need to be
licensed amateurs, just people with knowledge in some area of
electronics or communications technology.

What is a Usenet Elmer?
+++++++++++++++++++++++

With the ever-widening scope of the Internet, and the amateur radio
newsgroups on Usenet, the potential for Elmers to share their
knowledge to a wide audience has never been greater.  To that end, I
maintain a list of such Elmers.  Volunteers need only send me their
name, E-mail address, and area of expertise.  I have set up an
administrivia mailbox for this purpose (elmers-requ...@gonix.com, the
default Reply-To: of this message).

Those desiring a more extensive list, or who need more specific
assistance, are encouraged to contact Rosalie White, WA1STO, Educational
Services Manager at the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St.,
Newington, CT  06111 or via electronic mail addressed to
rwh...@arrl.org.

How may I obtain the latest copy of the Elmers List?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are currently 7 ways of obtaining the Elmers List.  Any site
at least reachable by Internet E-mail can use options 3 or 4:

1.  Usenet News:  The latest copy of the list can be found in the
companion postings to this message, "Amateur Radio: Elmers Resource
Directory [A-*]" and "Amateur Radio Elmers Resource Directory [*-Z]"
(The * represents a wildcard character, as the need to split the list
evenly to keep both parts under the 64K message limit for Usenet
requires that I adjust the split occasionally).  Since the list is
cross-posted to the following newsgroups:

news:rec.radio.amateur.misc
news:rec.radio.info
news:rec.answers
news:news.answers

Changes preceeded by "|".  Please e-mail corrections and additions to me.

  INTRODUCTION

  This is a list of FCC license data sources available to scanner hobbyists.
  The FCC master contains a wealth of data about every non-government license
  in the United States (over three million records).  Most of the sources
  listed contain a subset of this data, although a few contain all or nearly
  all of it.  Government licenses are not administered by the FCC, and the
  data is not available to the public.

  If you are interested in purchasing FCC data, you might want to consider
  forming a co-op of people in your area to share the cost.  As far as I can
  tell, this is legal since the information is in the public domain.
  However, the software supplied to view or manipulate the data is usually
  copyrighted and must be purchased separately by each user.

  Prices are rounded to the nearest dollar and include shipping, if known.

  C.E.T.

  CET sells records of all stations inside a 30-mile radius for $80.  (Major
  cities cost extra.)  A 70-mile search costs $178.  The data is provided on
  floppy disks and is available in ASCII columnar and comma-delimited
  formats.

  CET does not provide data for licenses that do not contain specific
  geographic coordinates (i.e., mobile-only systems) or specific operating
  frequencies (e.g., amateur radio).

  To do the search, CET requires the latitude and longitude of the center of
  the 30-mile radius.  I calculated mine from a USGS topographic map I
  obtained at a local nautical supply store.  Alternatively, you can obtain
  the coordinates for your town from the University of Michigan's geographic
  name server.  Run "telnet 141.212.99.9 3000" and enter your zip code.  For
  my area, the server returned the coordinates of the main post office.

  CET can be reached at 800-445-0297.

  GROVE

  Grove sells FCC data on CD-ROM and floppy.  The CD-ROM covers the entire US
  and is available with or without mapping support.  The mapping version
  brings up a map with the requested station plotted on it.  The regular
  version is $103, and the mapping version is $173.

  Floppies are available by state for $43 per state (add $10 for CA, FL,
  TX).  The disk comes with a database search program.  Grove Enterprises can
  be reached at 800-438-8155.

  MICROFICHE

  The Bearcat Radio Club sells the FCC master by state for $15.  Bearcat
  Radio Club can be reached at P.O. Box 291918, Kettering OH, 45429.

  PERCON

  PerCon sells FCC data on CD-ROM.  The Spectrum CD covers the entire US and
  comes with a simple database search program.  The US Index CD also covers
  the entire US but comes with a more powerful database manager.  Regional
  CDs cover subsets of the US but provide more detail about each license.
  Finally, the mother of all databases is the seven-CD Frequency Set, with
  data organized by frequency.

  Spectrum costs $37, the US Index is $87, regional CDs are $107 each ($465
  for the complete five-disc set), and the Frequency Set is $1515.  Data is
  updated quarterly (the latest data is from Nov 94).  PerCon can be reached
  at 716-386-6015 (voice), 716-386-6013 (fax), or Perg...@aol.com (email).

  POLICE CALL

  This is probably the most cost-effective source of public service license
  information.  The detail is limited, but the information that is there is
  often more useful than the FCC master.  For example, an entry in Police
  Call that reads, "Portland Police, Net 3, North Precinct," reads,
  "Portland, City of" in the master.

  Police call is available in 9 volumes covering different regions of the
  US.  It can be purchased at Radio Shack stores for $10 per volume.

  RADIOMAP SERVICE

  Developed by long-time Usenet contributor Bob Parnass, this service
  provides a custom report of frequencies, callsigns, and licensee names for
  a specified area in any of the 50 states.  Coverage areas of 4 to 256
  square miles will be chosen by Bob depending on transmitter site density.
  The report includes a color plot with transmitter sites marked.

  To create the report, Bob requires the latitude and longitude (or nearest
  street intersection) of the center location.  Reports are $26 each.  Write
  to Bob Parnass at 2350 Douglas Rd, Oswego, IL, 60543, or call him at
  708-554-3839 between 6-10 PM central time.

  SCANWARE ASSOCIATES

  ScanWare Associates sells a PC-based database program called the FCC
  Frequency Retrieval System V2.x.  It comes with FCC data for one state,
  covering all services and all frequencies.  Data is updated approximately
  every six months (last update was Dec 94).

  Cost is $35 for the first state and $20 for each additional state.  Updates
  cost $30 per state.  (Add $5 for CA, FL, TX, NY.)  Quantity discounts
  available.  Fully working shareware copy downloadable from their BBS at
  206-871-4228 (FCC200.ZIP).  ScanWare Associates can be reached at
  206-698-1383 (voice) or 206-698-8207 (fax).

  US SCANNER PUBLICATIONS

  Similar in style to Police Call, this series of directories covers ALL
  radio services between 30 MHz and 2 GHz.  Each volume covers one state and
  costs between $14 and $29, depending on the state.  The volume for
  California is 820 pages.  Contact US Scanner publications at 800-890-6999
  (voice) or 503-233-5176 (fax).

  APPENDIX

  Here is table of data fields in the FCC master.  Fields provided by various
  products are indicated by "#" or the field length, if known.