Subj : Handheld Tranceivers
To   : Andy Ball
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Sun Dec 10 2000 03:03 pm

AB>Hello Daryl!

Greetings, Andy...

AB>    > the capability of being linked up to several repeaters across
AB>    > the state.

AB>That sounds interesting, I wonder how common that is.

  It depends on the location, and I guess the demand for information. Getting a 
repeater on the air and maintaining isn't cheap.

AB>able to test it's output with a power meter and dummy load?

  I don't have those in my shack...plus, I'm not mechanically or electronically 
inclined.

AB>Sounds both interesting and worthwhile!

  It is. And, it appears we'll see strong thunderstorms here Monday...then snow 
Tuesday and Wednesday...so, I'm sure the area hams will be busy with 
communications.

AB>and apparently the twister came fairly close by us.

  I've had funnel clouds directly overhead...that is TOO CLOSE!!

AB>the doors.  I would like to see a tornado, but not at the expense of anyone'
AB>life or property.

  The safest place to see that is on video.

AB>    > circulation, the spotter will usually relay the report whether
AB>    > the circulation is aloft, or on the ground.

AB>We keep an eye out for those when we're out driving, especially when a
AB>'tornado watch' has been announced.  Am I right in thinking that these
AB>sometimes 'touch down' and become tornados?

  Correct. It depends on how strong the circulation is with the parent 
thunderstorms. The stronger the circulation, the more likely it is to become a 
tornado...and also more intense.

AB>describing on 2m hail-stones the size of baseballs!  My wife was actually
AB>quite
AB>close to that one, with a van full of kids (not ours).  Thankfully they got
AB>home safely.

  Even though tornadoes aren't exclusive to the United States, they happen in 
the U.S. more than anywhere else in the world. In fact, I saw video from a 
tornado that hit Spain!! Obviously, I wouldn't ice my tea glass with 
hailstones!!

AB>I ordered an AES catalog last night, it might help me choose an HT. This
AB>compact HF antenna, does it use a pre-amplifier to compensate for its small
AB>(and presumably less efficient) size?  Or is it a window- mountable magnetic
AB>loop antenna?!

  I believe it's a window mounted magnetic loop antenna. It's toward the back 
of the catalog (can't recall the vendor name), but I know it's on the left 
facing page. As I recall, it's around $100.

73,

Daryl, N5VLZ


 * OLX 1.53 * This message from Arkansas' GT Power and FIDOnet BBS Hub.



--- GTMail 1.26 
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS, Little Rock, Arkansas (1:19/33.0)

.