MNQRP NEWS
November 1998 Volume 1 Number 11

Very Important November Meeting Agenda

This is a very important meeting! Please plan to attend. Officer Nominations and the vote on the club Constitution and Bylaws will take place. These will be the first items on the agenda at 1:30pm. CW Sweepstakes starts at 3:00pm, there will be plenty of time to get back to the shack for the contest. I would expect the entire business meeting to be done before 2:00pm. This month we have scheduled a Show’n Tell bull session. Bring your new toys and topics of conversation. PIC SIG will also meet with group buy parts available. Bring your books and programmers. Refreshments will be available and our meeting raffle will be held. (I will be bringing a 40-10 meter portable transmitting loop antenna and a resonant speaker. KA0GKC Cla)

Meeting Minutes October 3, 1998

By Dave Donaldson, WB7DRU

Attendance: There were 21 in attendance including 2 new members. There are now currently 76 members in the club.

Treasurers Report: Account Balance: $12

Announcements: In order for all of the items that are brought to the meetings for show and tell to be seen by all, there will be a brief go around the table to introduce the items during the regular meeting.

Cla is working on a Constitution for the club. He would like examples of other clubs constitutions to copy. Once we have a constitution we will apply to the ARRL to become an affiliated club. This will be done by the 11/1/98 meeting.

The program for the December meeting will be on QRP contesting.

Old Business: The hot sauce has finally arrived for those who were involved in FYOB this year. Those who received it were Jim N0UR, Cla KA0GKC, Bill N0BSN, Howard KB4UY, Les N0PPF, and Larry KB0R.

New Business: Web page: Cla is to make a members only web page which will allow easier access for members to the roster and other items which are for members eyes only.

Call for elections: There will be an election in December for officers. Larry, Howard and Steve will serve on the election committee. Cla will not serve as President again but will continue to do the newsletter.

Show and Tell time: Some of the items brought included a SGA 20/20, a Cascade with a Batman SWR-1 and the AADE coil/capacitor meter which uses a PIC processor.

Program: Bill Brisley (N0BSN) and Cla (KA0GKC) did a program on the use of digital modes with QRP equipment.

‘Apollo Beep’ Circuit for SSB Transceivers.

By Arjen Raateland, OH2ZAZ OH2ZAZ@OH2RBI.FIN.EU

Upon release of the PTT switch on the microphone, the circuit keeps its PTT out terminal high for a short period and simultaneously outputs a tone on its audio out terminal.

In principle PTT input to this circuit is by a switch to ground. If only a positive going PTT signal is conveniently available in the rig, a switching MOSFET like the 2N7000 or BS170 in common source configuration can be used to invert the signal and effectively ground the PTT input terminal of the beep circuit.

The PTT output signal is high (close to the supply voltage) when activated. Otherwise it is low (close to ground). This polarity is suitable for connection to the White Mountain (see below), but for many other rigs the PTT out signal will have to be inverted to simulate a closing PTT switch. The easiest way to do this is a 2N7000 or BS170 MOSFET in common source configuration.

The signal from the audio out terminal is mixed with the voice signal at a suitable point in the modulator chain. The signal level can be set for an appropriate output power. Values of R7 and R6 may need to be changed for a particular application.

Tune function: when the tune terminal is grounded both tone output and PTT output are activated. As long as the tune terminal is grounded the TX will transmit the beep tone which greatly facilitates adjustment of an antenna matching circuit.

If necessary, the beep frequency can be adjusted by changing the value of R4 and/or C1.

The circuit consisting of R1, R2 and C2 causes a slight delay in starting the beep, which was found necessary because some PTT switches produce noise glitches when the operator changes his or her grip on the switch. R1, R2 and C2 also set the duration of the beep.

The circuit was successfully applied in a White Mountain 80 m SSB transceiver with the component values given. Audio out was connected to U6 pin 2. PTT in from Q8 collector (point C) via a BS170 inverter. The 4k7 resistor between point C and U5 pin6 is disconnected from point C. PTT out then goes to the loose end of this resistor. Supply voltage is +Vr from U9 78L08.

By: Bill Todd-N7MFB,
Paul ValkoW8KC,
Claton Cadmus KA0GKC

(Editors note: I shamelessly stole this! With permission.)
QRPers from around the world have begun participating in the annual 5 month QRP "Fox Hunt" on 40 meters. If you haven’t been involved in this operating activity before, you are in for some real fun.

This extremely popular QRP event was created by Chuck, K5FO and is sponsored and organized by the Internet QRP Club. The "Fox" normally operates on or about 7.042+- for QRM. Please remember not to call "CQ Fox"! Listen for the station at the date and time listed below, and try to work them. The exchange consists of your Call, the Foxes RST, your State, and either your power used or your QRP-L number. BOTH Fox and Hound scores are accumulated over the course of the 22 weeks. That’s it - Enjoy!

Rules Version 3.01

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
The Fox and Hound make a two-way QRP contact exchanging calls, RST, QTH, Name, QRP-L Number and/or RF output power.

DEFINITIONS
QRP = 5 watts or less RF output from the transmitter.
QRO = any power greater than 5 watts.
QTH = State, Province, or Country if outside US/Can.
Fox = the station everyone tries to work. Also know as foxii, the fox, the wily one, the bushy tailed SOB, etc.
Hound = any station trying to work the fox. Also known as the hound, hunter, hunters, the skunked, the pile-up.
W8KC = Paul Valko, runs the foxhunt. Also known as, =paul=, the collector of TenTecs and other fine plastics,
Rule Maker, Rule Definer, Peace Keeper, Butt Kicker, etc.
Split = Classic DX-style operation on two distinctly different frequencies.

RULES

3.3 The Fox is responsible and is to be honorable in reporting scores.
3.31 All information exchanged must be done during the QSO, electronic "fills" via email are not permitted.
3.4 Hounds are encouraged to report both successful AND failed hunts to QRP-L (I do not need a Hound Log). This is also a propagation study, you know.

4.0 SPECIAL FOX EVENTS
4.1 A Special Event Fox may pop up once or twice to keep hunters on their toes. Stay tuned to QRP-L for these announcements.
4.2 A Novice Foxhunt will begin sometime in November.
4.5 There is a "Bye Date" where no fox is scheduled.
4.6 No Foxhunt is planned during Straight Key Night.
4.7 Any "sub-contest" such as "team competition" is the sole responsibility of the person who decides to run one.
4.71 Sub-contests must in no way interfere with the rules and smooth operation of the AUTHORIZED QRP-L FOXHUNT.

1998/1999 FOX SCHEDULE VERSION 1.00

OBTAINING A QRP-L MEMBER NUMBER
Send the following commands in the body of a message to: LISTSERV@LEHIGH.EDU.
RUN QRP-L X GETNR yourcallsignhere

OBTAINING THE LIST OF ASSIGNED MEMBER NUMBERS
Send the following command in the body of a message to: LISTSERV@LEHIGH.EDU.
GET QRP-L/MISC MEMBER_NUMBERS.TXT

FOX EMAIL ADDRESSES

Dave Ek <ekdave@earthlink.net>,
Clifton W Sikes <ab5uacw@juno.com>,
"Doc. Lindsey" <70511.3041@compuserve.com>,
"Michael A. Gipe" <mgipe@reliablemeters.com>,
k5zty@juno.com,
Walt Amos <waltk8cv@ameritech.net>,
Hank Kohl K8DD <k8dd@contesting.com>,
ARDUJENSKI@aol.com,
Monte Stark <ku7y@dri.edu>,
Thomas Jennings <jennings@eng14.rochny.uspra.abb.com>,
Lageson’s <LAGESON@worldnet.att.net>,
Marshall Emm <mgemm@mtechnologies.com>,
David Maliniak <dmaliniak@penton.com>,
"Kevin F. Glynn" <kfglynn@prodigy.net>,
Dan Presley <talljazz@teleport.com>,
Paul Erickson <paule@sfu.ca>,
"C. Leung" <cleung@cln.etc.bc.ca>,
Jack Bryant <Jack.Bryant@math.tamu.edu>,
Ron Majewski <majewski@erim-int.com>,
JFD / WA8GHZ /5 <jdougher@wt.net>,
Conard Murray <ws4s@infoave.net>

*** Events and Happenings Around November ***

Please send in upcoming events to the editor.
We can’t show them if we don’t know them!