Advanced Computer Controls, Inc. AMATEUR RADIO July, Aug., Sept., Oct. 1991
Repeater PatchMaster - The IMini-Notes Ultimate Phone Patch IDs of the Month Still pulling from Kevin Ritchey, ParchMaster 200 is a new high maintain. And finally, like our KD8IE's great collection (because performance phone patch aimed at a repeater controllers. it's easy to usc, we haven't heard from YOU!) ... wide range of two-way radio with voice prompts and responses "TIris is KD8IE. Watch for VB applications. Many of its features fit that tell users what's happening. testing on March 18th. Call WT8P well into Amateur Radio. making it PatchMaster works in simplex at 371-5999 for information." the ultimate "simplex autopatch." systems, or through repeaters, with "You're on 79, KD8IE." The product breaks new ground its sampling and VOX operating "With 200 watts of smoking RF, in several ways. First, it makes modes. Duplex and repeater con this is KD8IE." communications more effective by troller modes let you connect Fiber In the Home offering powerful new capabilities, PatchMaster to a repeater, and even In our last issue, we summarized including built-in voice mail and a provides a simple repeater control an article, "Into the Telecosm", local telephone set port. Second, it ler function. Two mobile users or which made the point that for our simplifies operation in some cases groups of users are supported with nation to benefit from the advances by not requiring DTMF codes to different access and privileges, in computing power, our communi access the patch and other functions. Request the PatchMaster bro cations infrastructure needs to keep Third, it's easy to install, program chure and pricing information. And pace. And that means developing a (using DTMF or a terminal), and read more on page 2. fiber optic network into the home. The FCC recently acted to allow this to become a reality by newly Character Change For Ham Radio? permitting telephone companies to deliver video entertainment - the In a provocative proposal reported Amateur Serviee which could be only service large enough to justify in the Amateur press, Ralph Haller, helpful in absorbing demand in the initial investment in a fiber FCC PRB chief, suggested that the other services like marine, business infrastructure. And only the phone prohibitions on business communi band, and public safety. There is companies can afford to build it. cation in Amateur Radio be relaxed. dispute over whether he actually He indicated the FCC would be used the words "excess capacity", open to a Petition for Rulemaking In any case, is his suggestion a Also In this Issue ••• from the League, welcome change, "lightening up" HaUer suggested newly permitted on unnecessary restrictions, or are Patch Master In Your Home 2 activities might include personal there deeper implications? Should business like ordering a pizza and hams try to deny something that is Most Voted - Voter Talller 3 buying/selling ham equipment, elub apparent to some - that there is an business, routine communications overcapacity ofspectrum allocated Radio Renegades 4 for charitable and public safety to Amateur Radio? Or should we organizations, news gathering, more recognize a need to either find new 220 Revisited 7 full participation in Skywam, and constructive ways to use our retransmitting weather. WWV. etc. spectrum ... or Lose it? Something to Spread Spectrum: Then & Now 7 Reportedly, his suggestion is think about, because this proposal based on the hypothesis that there's may be the seed of the next oppor Technical Support Q&A 8 excess capaeity of spectrum in the tunity for (or threat to) ham radio. "PatchMaster has much greater potential than just making phone calls." PatchMaster in Your Home
Simplex autopatches have long you can leave a digital recording for where over your radio. been popular in Amateur Radio. home, and the phone will be rung Programming selections are They offer a relatively private way every few minutes until it's an made using D'IMF with voice to place and receive phone calls swered and the mail retrieved. And readback ofcurrent settings, or over the radio. they can leave mail for you, too, through a terminal with easy-to-use Occasional personal. phone calls which you can retrieve easily over menus. Nearly every aspect ofits are a great use of AmateurRadio. the radio. (If you don't like the idea operation is programmable, and the but buying a box thaljust does that ofthem "initiating a transmission" menus let you quickly browse can be hard to justify. That's one by ringing out, they can simply through the defaults to see what reason why we designed our new leave you voice mail and you can you'd like to change. PatchMaster product to do so much quickly return the call.) Utilities for checking out your more. Even ifyou just want to The X-lO Interrace opens the radios include a DTMF keypad test, make an occasional phone call door to integrating your radios into an echo test (to hear how you're through your home station. Patch home automation. 1be X~lO remote being received at home), and the Master can still help you out every control system, now carried in a big ability to force a base station ro. day. It's unique phone patch, way by Heath, is controllable via Ifyou've ever thought about borrowing from ideas we pioneered PatchMaster and the Model 290 getting a simplex patch. or you in our repeater controllers. with our computer interface. Tum lights and want more than your existing patch new ideas injected. as well. appliances on and off from any can offer, please contact us! The typical simplex patch connects to a phone line and a radio. It may not be programmable at all, or may be programmable WA6ZTJ - Silent Key using keypad and LED display that On July 2S. Bill Stnu:k died as a his first repeater site. you access by taking the cover off. passenger in a car accident. At Motorola, Bill oversaw the You bring up dial tone by entering Bill was a long-time ham and a design and installation oflarge .., and hang up with *. And it's project manager for Motorola public safety communications aboutas useful as the patch you communications. systems. He had been working on a could buy ten yean ago. Even very early in his Amateur new massive, state-of-the-art PatchMaster goes beyond this. career, Bill made outstanding trunked radio system for Orange recognizing that your radios make contributions to the amateur com County and LA County Fire. up a communication system, which munity. As a fifteen year old in the Bill was one of the first owners has much greater potential than just earty 1960s, he and a high school of our '8:50 controller. His private making phone calls. The specific friend put up one of the first AM UHF repeater system is located on additions in PatchMaster include ... repeaters in the Los Angeles area. Mount Wilson, an outstanding site • A Local Telephone Port One ofBill's impressive accom overlooking the LA basin. which can be connected to a plishments in the project was the Bill was a special friend of ACC. telephone or to one line of a multi successful negotiation for access to He developed the Nspector pre line telephone at home. From over a repeater site - a city water treat gramming sheet software for the the air, you can ring the home ment plant in the LA hills. Not bad '850 controller. And he was a phone directly and talk to people at for a fifteen year old. constant source ofsuggestions and home, without going through the Bill's other passion was aviation. ideas for unique ways ofapplying telephone network. Similarly, He was able 10 fulfill a long-time and improving our products. (depending on how you interpret dream when he bought a second Bill was in the back seat of the control operator rules), your family hand helicopter and meticulously car, not wearing a seat belt, and was members can page you or ring out rebuilt it to better than new condi the only fatality. It's a terrible over the radio from the home tion. We were fortunate to ride in lesson to always buckle your seat phones. And ifeither of you isn't the two-seater, getting a unique belt. Even in the back seat. And if there at the time, you can leave ... view of Disneyland and the LA your back seat belts don't work, get • Voice Man. From the radio, hills. And Bill proudly showed us them fixed. 2 ACC Note. Area Code Split Most Voted - Voter Tallier Phone companies are running out From Doug Waugh ... VUJlID om outputs that is fed to the of telephone numbers. This is "After innumerable hours of hard RC·850's user tone inputs will be happening beeause ofnormal work, what we have christened the the one from the receiver location growth in business activity and "Voter Tallier" is on-line and has receiving the noisiestsignal. This population. But there are other been working flawlessly for the last caused our problem. The noisiest factors accelerating the shortage. two months. The Voter Tallier signal at the end of a transmission is The number ofFAX machines is allows us to more accurately assess not a reflection of which receiver exploding, and they operate best the workings of our multiple has been voted the longest. with their own dedicated lines. receiver site repeater system. To accomplish our goal of Modems, too, are also often given The idea for the Voter Tallier meaningful courtesy tone output we their own phone lines. And the came to us as we worked with our decided to build a microprocessor numberof homeoffices is increas system and discovered that we based voted-out counter. Our ing. meaning that homes can often wanted more from it. When we got creation is based on the Motorola have two or more lines. our RC-850 controller with a DVR, 68HCII microprocessor. The Voter All lhis means that there is a it made a great repeater system, but Tallier directly interfaces to the RC· wave of area code splitting sweep we still wanted more receive 850 controller and Doug Hall voter ing the nation to create new phone coverage. We added a receiver cards, and up to eight remote num bers. Here, the San Francisco voter (made by Doug Hall Electron receivers can be used. It also has a area is being split into the east bay ics) and remote receivers, then single-digit display indicating the and west bay, with Oakland and hooked the VOTED our outputs from receiver with the highest total time other east bay cities being given a our voter card to the '850 user tone voted during the transmission. new area code (415 changed to 5lO). inputs. However, there was one By utilizing the Voter Tallier we That's one reason we enhanced problem with this -the courtesy are now able to keep track of the the '85/,96 V5 software to allow tone generated did not tell us amount of time each receiver is "permitted area codes". Even with anything useful about what our voted. The Voter Tallier generates a toll restriction on, ten or eleven voting receiver system was doing. courtesy tone code that is sent to the digit numbers containing the We wanted the courtesy tone to 850's user tone inputs. This code permitted area codes are considered tell us which receiver had been results in a tone that always repre local, simplifying your patch voted the longest amount of lime sents the receiver voted the longest management. for each transmission. The Doug total time. The '850 controller builds further Hall voting system samples every Our problem is solved. Because on this concept to allow defining receiver that shows an active COS. the Voter Tallier assures that the local or long distance on an ex and works very fast. Our remote courtesy tones are valid, we can change-by-exchange basis for receivers are GE Master II VHF now more effectively use them as a nearby area codes. receivers sent back to the main site diagnostic aid. We always liked our Q. How do I store the Permitted via UHF links. The Master lIs have '850 controller, and adding the voter Area Codes wilh my '85/'96 Ver a variable rate squelch. which Tallier puts the icing on the cake! sion 5 upgrade? means the noisier the received For more information. feel free to A. The permitted area codes are signal. the longer the squelch holds contact Doug Waugh or Dan Feind. loaded into the controller like mes open. Consequently, the courtesy Rt. I, Box 539, Springfield. MO sages, using the message editor. If, tone resulting from the voter's 65803. (417) 836-5878. for exam ple, you want to permit toll- free 415 numbers to be dialed through your autopatch, one of the permitted area codes should be pro Wider Calling Area in California grammed as 415. Do this by un Pacific Bell (northern CA I NV) calling area, it's something that you locking the controller, selecting one recently significantly expanded the may be able to look forward to. It of the permitted area code mes calling area for its customers. Calls means that your repeater patch will sages, and entering "04 01 OS". The that previously would have been be even more useful, since your controller will respond by saying toll calls are now considered local. users will be more likely to make "four one five". Now write this If your phone company hasn't calls that don't run up the repeater message into memory (·0), and recently expanded your local phone bill. you're done. Ace Notes 3 er Notes of Interest
New Books From the IEEE demanding environment posed by by AT&T Bell Labs, develops the Here are two new books from the frequency bands above 800 MHz, concept of carrying all information IEEE Press (Institute of Electrical as well as the more familiar lower on a single unified telecommunica and Electronics Engineers). frequency bands.Experienced tions network. ntis book should be Land-Mobile Communications engineers and newcomers to the of particular interest to those Engineering brings together mate field will find this collection a interested in broadband ISDN. rial from scattered and sometimes convenient overview as well as a Price: $49.95 ($40.00 for IEEE difficult-to-obtain publications. It's single source for many of the members). designed to assist the engineer references they use frequently. Order either of these books from engaged in system design or Price: $64.95 ($52.00 for IEEE the IEEE at (908) 981-0060. applications engineering of mobile members). communications. It treats both the Perspectives on packetized voice and Data Communications, edited
"The Bad Boys ofHam Aitwaves Bicker, Berate Each Other, and Bend FCC Rules." Radio Renegades Make the L.A. Times An article in the Los Angeles "But users of the '4-3-5 repeater,' hobbyists worldwide. Unfailingly, Times by Bob Pool should make as they call Mt. Wilson, claim it's they are polite and proper as they every ham cringe. On the front page all good, clean fun." answer inquiries about signal strength ofthe lifestyle section "View", an The article describes the commu and reception. Things are different 80 column-inch article with three nications practices of Ted Sorenson at the Mt. Wilson Repeater Assn. 's photos, titled "Radio Renegades", lIT, Richard A. Burton, David frequency, which is heard at 147.435 details the distasteful activities on Hildebrand, and others who fre MHz on shortwave radios and scan the 147.435MHzMt. Wilsonre quent the repeater. ners in SOuthern California." peater. "Ham radio is a hobby, and hob Most of the participants are well "During one five-minute period bies are supposed to be fun. There's known. But there is a line ... "Ren last month, various hams heard a switeh on my radio - if I get of egades or not, those using the re themselves labeled on the Mt. Wil fended,I'lI tum it off (Darin peater say they draw the line at one son repeater as 'a lying scumbag.' Jones)." thing: jamming. Hams such as 'pothead' and 'drunken fool: And The article isn't a complete Clarke Harris of Torrance have in those are the milder descriptions. hatchet job - while it's a black eye stalled sensitive radio directional "Hams who use the other 320 for amateur radio, iLdoes point out finders atop their cars that can be mountaintop repeaters in Southern that the Mt. Wilson repeater activi used to track down those interfering California to amplify their low ties are unusual in amateur radio. with conversation. Abusers are re powered, z-meter walkie-talkies "While most of the 500,()(X) ama poned to the FCC." and transceivers grumble that such teur radio hobbyists in the Ll.S. are It's a case of"man biting dog" talk is outrageous. viewed as genteel, eccentric elec making the paper. And in the pro "The channel often sounds like a tronics tinkerers, those using the cess, a hard-to-repair image of bunch of drunken sailors at a water ham radio relay station atop a Amateur Radio has been created in front bar. lt's not a church. If you Malibu ridge have become the bad the minds of tens of thousands of stick your nose in there thinking boys of the airwaves. Other hams newspaper readers. you're going 10 get a church ser are preoccupied with antennae and Thanks 10 Dennis Gibson. WB6TNB, vice, you're wrong. transmitter tubes as they lap out for bringing this LO OUT auention. Los Morse code messages to fellow Angeles Times, October 2,1991. 4 ACC Notes -'---. --_.~,
advanced ; computer Name: _ ~ Date; --- ace connals. inc Organization: _ Call Sign: _
Mailing Address: Shipping Addren (nol a P.O. Bok): 2356 Walsh Avenue. Santa Clara. California 9505' (408) 727·3330
Day 11' _ Evening 11' _ Comments:' _ Custom Shgel Header (Nspector ordllrs only) _
To speed processing of your order, please ••• .t Providll bath a mailing and 5hipping address .t Provide bath day and evening tllillphone numb... where you can be readlad .t Shipping address cannot be a P.O. BOk (UPS does not deliver 10 P.O. Bokes) Price List and Order Fonn CD Subtotal $- W.rnnty periods ...; RC-6S0 Repealllr Cc:rllroll8r _2 y8Br'. (Amateur Radio Products) ri1 Cradlt for previously purdlaslld manual RC-Qll Repealllr Cc:r1tro1ler - 2 y.,.' RC&5Repealer Cc:r1tro1ler· 2 )'lilli'll - $- Digital vex. ~ - 1 )'lllIT P1ud1Maater zoo - 2 ~ Ql New subtotal $-- •. Inc:IudaI ~ Il:r d8maQII due 10 igt1"1tlg Price List #891A PAYMENT (il CA and FL rllsidenls add sales tax METHOD Of Cl Chedc. eneIoIed h>r IXIII 8mOUnl due 11 .. 31....8.o, 7.:!5" 7.~. 7.n. "'8.2ft.\ .$ _ a Deposit end.•' baIanc::e dU8 pnor 10IlhIpI1"8t1t a Deposll end. WI'beIllI'lal dU8 ceo Cer1. Funds (408) 727-3330 @ Shipping and insurance a ()wgI1O 9. VISA I MillrlBn::wa (ups IMlCD"ld day 8111: a CO!npIrJy p. O. -iubled III creditIIpprtJW81 FAX (408) 727-3413 RC-850 - &26.00 DVA - $21.00 Technical Support (408) 727-3414 RC-96·16.00 RC-65B-11.oo P.O. ,..__...... -.-", ...... -._.-.1 prUlO~) Pafl:flMBster 200 - 15.00 "-======cc Fc.lIOQlClB· 8.00 Aec8f,8CIrles - 5.00 MlInualll· no charge Cradlt card ,: _ ~0!'laI - call h>r QOOIe $ _ Expirallon dale: _
III C.O.D. 198 \~ I ~lcab...) .$ _ Nameon card: _
(ll TOTAL DUE .$ _ address:======
(Jl Deposh enclosad - $ _ SignabJre: @ BALANCE DUE .$ _ All prodUClJ 8A1l1Old under SOI1wBrIl Llc:&nllEl Agreemenl. Thank you for your orderl Prices and apedlDi1lons are 8UbjecllO c:nangewl1hotJ1 noIlcIII. ...,...... ~ RMIo DIYIMln Prlc:eeqlJOl8(lln Unillod Stales DOIIlI'lI. A.-a,11111 De!lcrlptlOli Pr ice Amateur Prlte· TERMS AND CONDmONS M"" RC-850 REPEATER CONTROLLER with Version 3 Firmware OllDRRING o RC850 Controller in rack mount enclosure with display 2900 2700 d~ AdvRll=:l c"",puta CQIIlTOIs' AmIIlcur R..IiQ poduw llre available flll:lnry Po&cllMlI8II:OC i. alllO o CIB Computer Interface- with Vocabulary Expensicn 525 350 availahle Ihrougb ...lh LlMlIEDWARRANTY DIGITAL VOICE RECORDER AdvBlloo:l Compuu:rCoolrols, Inr:. warranls lhallheprodua.t mamJfacuued by ACC will befru from o DYR DVR in rack mount enclosure with 2S6K memory 1350 1150 dcCeools in makrial and workmanship rce lhe "'lllTanty period from Lbe dete of shlpment. The liability ot a::J CU2/3 Second (and third) reconllpLayback channels 250 200 ACC is limited 10 replllCiogor repairibS, dAce', option, any defective producls which arere1lHl1ad r.o CDD MX3 256K byte memory (up to three additional) 125 100 ACe, Smta Clara, Californill.ln ftO tA5C ~ ~ UI be re.Dlmed wiLbOllt fImol:uininS p=niJ.ion MOVR Extra technical mannal'"'"'" IS from ACe. Thef<=soing warranty IllWJbOibe valid: (i) iflheproduets or pan, lJ...~ ba:IIlubjcclCd UI o to miau...., ....cidenl, alteIll1ion,neslcct, ~naulhoriJ.ed repair or inSlB1latiOfl: (H) for eitpelldable item. wilh Lbe prodUCl5; (ill) [or cusrcmequlpmenr ce prodaclS poduced UI =lIer"lipeCiflC8l.iom.. Aee &hall make Lbe PATCHMASTER 200 RADIO TELEPHONE INTERCONNECT fInal detenninatiQII as 10 lhe e~ilItence of any alleged defect. o PM200 PatehMaster 200 1200 960 o PM200SL Palc.hMaster 200 I Single line, no speech synthesizer 1050 840 Excepl as h=in abo~ ~vided, Ace ma.kr.s no w""""tieo, e~IRs, or implied, indudrng my WlllTanty o PCMl PCM Voice Delay 100 80 ofm...-.::bll8tabi.lilyorfitne•• for Q partiClllarpUIpOIie,."d liballnOi be liable for incidental oreooooquen. o PCM2 PCM vclce Nay and Prompts 180 145 tial dlunagcl, All implied warrmtie.o ~ limited in d....ali"" 10Lbeabove staled wamuuy period. Some s1.aleII do lIOl alia .. the udu.ian or limirariOD o( inl:idultal or eoosequential dam....gesa- oolJO\Il' lOllS an Cl PCMJ PCM Voice Delay, Prompts and Mailbox 375 300 implied "'OlITIUlry luLl. 00 cress cress Encode/Decode Module 115 92 o MODEM Intemall200 Baud Modem 150 12-0 LIMITATION OF UABlLITY o LOG ANI and Call Logging 450 360 Ace's liabmry underor forbreacb or lhi. agreement liball be limiLed. U1refund or the purcho Q. When I try 10 use my '850's You program the text version of the will never match a valid time and is mailbox from my terminal, no mes messages from the terminal using effectively cancelled. sages ,.,c ~g~~~~ Q .... controls. inc. 2356 Walsh Avenue Santa Clara, CA 95051 Archive of K6COP WR6COP Repeater