Tag: sparc trivia

2 April 19

 The RG designation stands for Radio Guide; the U designation stands for Universal. The current military standard is MIL-SPEC MIL-C-17. MIL-C-17 numbers, such as “M17/75-RG214”, are given for military cables and manufacturer’s catalog numbers for civilian applications. However, the RG-series designations were so common for generations that they are still used, although critical users should be aware that since the handbook is withdrawn there is no standard to guarantee the electrical and physical characteristics of a cable described as “RG-# type”. The RG designators are mostly used to identify compatible connectors that fit the inner conductor, dielectric, and jacket dimensions of the old RG-series cables.

The above excerpt is from Wikipedia for more history and information Click Here for the National Mag Lab

1 April 19

The Blaw-Knox Company was out of Pittsburgh Pa.. Its Radiator Towers were patented in July of 1930 with the tallest being 1030 ft and is in Hungry.  They also built free standing conventional (uniform cross-section) towers. They built more conventional towers than the diamond radiator ones…. For more information and pictures use the 3 links below….

WikiPedia 

Radio TimeTraveller

Jim Hawkins’ Radio and Broadcast Page

28 March 19

The Armature’s Code is from The Quarter Century Wireless Clubs Website

The Amateur’s Code
by Paul M. Segal, W9EEA (1928)
The Radio Amateur is:
CONSIDERATE never knowingly operating in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.


LOYAL offering loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.


PROGRESSIVE with knowledge abreast of science, a well built and efficient station, and operation beyond reproach.


FRIENDLY with slow and patient operation when requested, friendly advice and counsel to the beginner, kindly assistance, co-operation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.


BALANCED Radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.


PATRIOTIC with station and skill always ready for service to country and community

19 March 19

LORAN, stands for long range navigation,[a] was a hyperbolic radio navigation system developed in the United States during World War II. It was similar to the UK’s Gee system but operated at lower frequencies in order to provide an improved range up to 1,500 miles (2,400 km) with an accuracy of tens of miles. It was first used for ship convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and then by long-range patrol aircraft, but found its main use on the ships and aircraft operating in the Pacific theater.

Wikipedia…… Encyclopedia Britannica

15 March 19

The solar cycle or solar magnetic activity cycle is the nearly periodic 11-year change in the Sun’s activity (including changes in the levels of solar radiation and ejection of solar material) and appearance (changes in the number and size of sunspots, flares, and other manifestations).

They have been observed (by changes in the Sun’s appearance and by changes seen on Earth, such as auroras) for centuries.

The changes on the Sun cause effects in space, in the atmosphere, and on Earth’s surface. While it is the dominant variable in solar activity, aperiodic fluctuations also occur. More at Wikipedia

The UCAR Center for Science has a lot of good articles on the sun….

The solar cycle is a 28-year cycle of the Julian calendar with respect to the week. It occurs because leap years occur every 4 years and there are 7 possible days to start a leap year, making a 28-year sequence. More at Wikipedia

9 March 19

As early as 1839, the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss postulated that an electrically conducting region of the atmosphere could account for observed variations of Earth’s magnetic field.

In 1926, Scottish physicist Robert Watson-Watt introduced the term ionosphere in a letter published only in 1969 in Nature:

We have in quite recent years seen the universal adoption of the term ‘stratosphere’..and..the companion term ‘troposphere’… The term ‘ionosphere’, for the region in which the main characteristic is large scale ionisation with considerable mean free paths, appears appropriate as an addition to this series.

The ionosphere is a shell of electrons and electrically charged atoms and molecules that surrounds the Earth, stretching from a height of about 50 km (31 mi) to more than 1,000 km (620 mi). It exists primarily due to ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

More at Wikipedia

8 March 19

The 33-centimeter or 900 MHz band is a portion of the UHF radio spectrum internationally allocated to amateur radio on a secondary basis. It ranges from 902 to 928 MHz and is unique to ITU Region 2.[ It is primarily used for very local communications as opposed to bands lower in frequency. However, very high antennas with high gain have shown 33 centimeters can provide good long range communications almost equal to systems on lower frequencies such as the 70 centimeter band. The band is also used by industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) equipment, as well as low powered unlicensed devices. Amateur stations must accept harmful interference caused by ISM users

More can be found at Wikipedia

33 Centimeters (902-928 MHz)

Frequency RangeMode
Functional Use
Comments
902.000-902.075FM / otherincluding DV Or CW/SSBRepeater inputs 25 MHz split paired with those in 927.000-927.075 or Weak signal12.5 kHzchannel spacing Note 2)
902.075-902.100CW/SSBWeak signal 
902.100                    CW/SSBWeak signal callingRegional option
902.100-902.125CW/SSBWeak signal 
902.125-903.000FM/otherincluding DVRepeater inputs 25 MHz split paired with those in 927.1250-928.000012.5 kHzchannel spacing
903.000-903.100CW/SSBBeacons and weak signal 
903.100CW/SSBWeak signal callingRegional option
903.100-903.400CW/SSBWeak signal 
903.400-909.000Mixed modesMixed operations including control links 
909.000-915.000Analog/digitalBroadband multimediaincluding ATV, DATV and SSNotes 3) 4)
915.000-921.000Analog/digitalBroadband multimedia including ATV, DATV and SSNotes 3) 4)
921.000-927.000Analog/digitalBroadband multimediaincluding ATV, DATV and SSNotes 3) 4)
927.000-927.075FM / otherincluding DVRepeater outputs 25 MHz split paired with those in 902.0000-902.075012.5 kHzchannel spacing
927.075-927.125FM / otherincluding DVSimplex 
927.125-928.000FM / otherincluding DVRepeater outputs 25 MHz splitpaired with those in 902.125-903.00012.5 kHzchannelspacingNotes 5) 6)

Notes:
1) Significant regional variations in both current band utilization and the intensityand frequency distribution of noise sources preclude one plan that is suitable for all parts of the country.  These variations will require many regional frequencycoordinators to maintain band plans that differ in some respects from any national plan.  As with all band plans, locally coordinated plans always take precedence over any general recommendations such as a national band plan.

2) May be used for either repeater inputs or weak-signal as regional needs dictate

3) Division into channels and/or separation of uses within these segments may be done regionally based on needs and usage, such as for 2 MHz-wide digital TV.

4) These segments may also be designated regionally to accommodate alternative repeater splits.

5) Simplex FM calling frequency 927.500 or regionally selected alternative.

6) Additional FM simplex frequencies may be designated regionally.

6 March 19

The Boy Scouts of America’s “Radio” Merit Badge… The Boy Scouts of America holds a Jamboree on the Air once a year which the ARRL is involved with at several locations, this event is also known as “JOTA”. Many Ham’s volunteer to be counselors to help scouts in obtaining this Merit Badge and promote Amateur Radio.

K2BSA Amateur Radio Association is all about scouting and amateur radio communications…. (Click Here)