Of course...
Hope it hangs in there. One of these days I hope to catch you on the
air and we can have the Drakes talk to each other! I do alot of CW with
the SKCC group.
Curt
KU8L
Diane and Edward Swynar wrote:
Hi Curt,
Oh my, but you can be oh so VERY cruel there...! Hi Hi
But you're correct, of course: in order to properly verify / ascertain the
success of the "fix"---or, correctly identify the infamous "Red X" (as it's
dubbed in select circles of problem solving)---one needs to be able to turn
the problem "off", and then turn the problem "on" again, by repeating the
methodology of said "fix"...
But I think I'll pass here, thank-you very much! I am absolutely weary of
removing the top enclosure off of the transmitter, wrestling with that can,
AD NAUSEAM...time to make a few QSOs, & continue monitoring, for now...!
:>)
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
*****************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Curt Nixon" <cptc...@flash.net>
To: "Diane and Edward Swynar" <deswy...@xplornet.ca>
Cc: <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Drake Twins PTO Woes...
Now..after you have used it some more with no issue, you need to remove
the tin-foil to verify that the problem wasn't simply solved by a
repeated re-installation of the standard can ! :)
Curt
Diane and Edward Swynar wrote:
Good Day All,
Well, I think taht an update may well be in order here, as to the
outcome of
my "...red-neck hillbilly" (apologies to all you mountain-dwelling folk
reading this) "fix" in the matter of improving the shielding of the PTO
can
in my Drake T-4X transmitter...
In a word: it WORKS!!!
SO FAR it works, anyway...again to-day I've completed several CQ calls
on
40-meters CW, and was engaged in a couple of lengthy rag chews---and
there
was NONE of the previous intermittent tell-tale frequency jumpiness /
intermittent creeping / jiggling... NOTHING. Needless-to-say, I'm very
pleased.
Keep in mind, however, that my situation here was probably unique from
most
others: I had repeatedly removed & replaced the PTO shield cover here in
efforts to track-down what turned-out to be at least one bad solder
joint in
the tank circuit. No doubt this served to compromise the integrity of
the
shielding of the can. Additionaly, my station is situated in a very cold
basement environment, AND I have a fan extracting air out of the final
2x6JB6A PA cage, which by default, cools the entire inside of the
transmitter...
The rig's warm-up cycle was far from normal, as a result, I'm sure...
Anyway, FWIW guys, don't neglect the critical effect that even the
smallest
of gap changes in shielding seams can have upon the field of that
permeable-tuned tank coil, and by consequence, your transmit frequency.
The
aluminum strip shielding technique employed here may be far from
eye-pleasing, but the benefits of its presence sure are a joy to the
ear...!
Hi Hi.
Here's hoping that my travails may ultimately benefit another(s) in the
Drake community...
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
****************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Diane and Edward Swynar" <deswy...@xplornet.ca>
To: <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 5:42 PM
Subject: Drake Twins PTO Woes...
Good Day All,
Well, I took the T-4X off-line here to-day, & set it up on the bench
with
the top cover removed, exposing the PTO can...
I pondered the ways & means of "sealing" the small gaps between the
base
of
the can & its metal attaching surface, with the intention of
eliminating
any
consequent expansion/contraction effect(s) of the joints upon the
oscillator
frequency.
I settled upon a rather crude, but I think effective, expediency: I
simply
cut a strip of aluminum cooking foil, and wrapped it around the can
base,
being sure that there was overlap on the base that supports the "ears"
of
the can. I then bridged the strip (on both sides) with masking tape,
ensuring good bonding along the length of the strip...
It's inelegant, for sure, but achieves its end purpose, I think...
I put the transmitter on 40-meters CW, and noted the tell tale
frequency
creep one time---however, the rig had been on for only 10 minutes,
barely
enough time to warm up. After about 90 minutes, I made a couple of
QSOs,
and
called CQs, all-the-while monitoring myself on my R-4 receiver...
I'm happy to report that "...so far, so good." I'll need more time to
evaluate the results of all this, of course, but I'm encouraged.
Perhaps
the
ultimate answer lies in operating the rigs in an environment that's
warmer
than the 49F that the basement was this afternoon! Hi Hi.
Certainly, time will tell...I guess I could always place a small
incandescent bulb somewhere inside the T-4X to help speed its heating
/reaching "operating temperature"---but then that effort would be
defeated,
in large part, by the cooling fan that extracts air from the 2x6JB6A PA
cage! (that rascal keeps the whole inside of the rig cool to the
touch).
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
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