An opportunity arose for me to get in a site that would serve me well. Time was of the essence (before they changed their mind) Financially, it just happened to be a time where I didn't have the funds for 7/8 Andrews. I was able to get a LMR-400 Chinese equivalent for dirt cheap. This got the site up and running, and my presence and agreements established. Now, when I start to hear unexplained noise, I will lay out the cash for the Andrews. For all the LMR horror stories, I thought I would ad my success story.
--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Cort Buffington <c...@...> wrote: > > Not to beat a dead horse or anything (I know we talk about this a lot) > but once I started using RG400 (I know 142 is popular, I like the > flexibility of the 400) on everything "interconnect" (which are all > short) and hardline to the antenna, I've had no coax induced noise. > Period. > > I'm not saying this to promote my coax choices or to say my choices > are better than someone else's. but because I'm not sure I ever just > said it here. This recipe has really made life better -- in the end, > well worth the cost of the RG400. And a tip I've found for cost- > effective RG400 and RG142: Avionics. Avionics installations often have > to use "the good stuff". I've found it significantly cheaper from > aviation supply houses, or getting some throw-away pieces from > avionics shops. > > 73 DE N0MJS > > On Aug 31, 2009, at 2:13 PM, <n...@...> <n...@...> wrote: > > > Thanks for the correction Bob. I think it was still a little early > > for me > > when I typed that email. > > > > Corey N3FE > > > > On Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:14:58 -0700, n...@... wrote: > > > At 8/31/2009 09:03, you wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > >>Good Morning/Afternoon Jim! > > >> > > >>Not sure about the Antenna, I know Randy's (HJC) is working great! > > Any > > >>type of double shielded coax/feedline anywhere in the system will > > cause > > >>problems. As the temp inside or outside changes it can cause the > > shield > > >>to rub together and make a lot of noise on the repeater. Even if > > it is > > >>used inside on the duplexers... > > > > > > This is incorrect. Silver-plated double-shielded coax is > > practically the > > > > > standard for duplex interconnects. Non silver-plated braided coax > > will > > > generate noise, whether it's double shielded or not, due to the > > eventual > > > oxidation of the copper & resulting poor intra-braid contact. > > > > > >> I had mentioned to the person you are referring to that I may be > > able > > >> to find some 1/2" hardline but he thought it may be to weighted > > for what > > > > >> he is doing... > > > > > > This would be a good choice for the duplexer-antenna feed, with > > RG-214 > > > jumpers between the hardline & duplexer/antenna. > > > > > > Bob NO6B > > > > > > > > >>Corey N3FE > > >> > > >>On Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:46:36 -0400, "Chuck Kelsey" > > >>wrote: > > >> > Sounds like maybe a bad antenna. Don't use the foil/braid cable > > >> > anywhere in > > >> > > > >> > a repeater system. > > >> > > > >> > Chuck > > >> > WB2EDV > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > ----- Original Message ----- > > >> > From: "ka2ajh" > > >> > To: > > >> > Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 9:33 AM > > >> > Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Tram 1481 Dual Band UHF/VHF Antenna > > >> > > > >> > > > >> >> Hi Guys, > > >> >> We spent most of yesterday working on a UHF Mastr II Exec. > > Repeater, > > >> >> we > > >> >> are using a TRAM 1481 Dual Band Antenna on. This is the high > > gain 8.3 > > >> >> dB > > >> >> VHF/11.7 UHF. The system uses UHF Repeater, VHF Simplex, and > > IRLP. > > The > > >> >> antenna works very poorly on UHF and much better on VHF. The > > SWR is > > >> >> about > > >> >> > > >> >> 3-1 on both frequencies. The antenna is not DC Ground and > > there is no > > >> >> shorted connectors. Lack of help prevented us from taking the > > antenna > > >> >> down > > >> >> and apart at this time. We ran tests by putting the antenna on a > > >> >> portable > > >> >> > > >> >> and working a fixed base and again the VHF pinned the meter > > and the > > >> >> UHF > > >> >> was weak, only a couple of S units better than the portable > > rubber > > >> >> duck. > > >> >> Has anyone had a similar problem. I understand that the > > antenna is a > > >> >> compromise and not as good as a single band folded dipole for > > example, > > >> >> but > > >> >> several of us have these and they work great except for this > > one. I > > am > > >> >> thinking there are enough Tram 1481 out there and someone may > > have > > had > > >> >> the > > >> >> same problem. > > >> >> Also there has been many posts about the LMR400 used in repeater > > >> >> service. > > >> >> > > >> >> It is my understanding that the foil type should NEVER be used > > between > > >> >> duplexers, from the TX, RX to the Duplexers, but I am not sure > > about > > >> >> between the duplexer and the antenna. Comments please! > > >> >> My friend has the LM400 on the repeater mentioned above and I > > know it > > >> >> is > > >> >> NOT the present problem as even on simplex the antenna > > performance on > > >> >> 440 > > >> >> > > >> >> very poor. > > >> >> > > >> >> Thanks again an advance for your experiences and thoughts. > > >> >> > > >> >> 73 JIM KA2AJH > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> ------------------------------------ > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> > > >> > > > > -- > Cort Buffington > H: +1-785-838-3034 > M: +1-785-865-7206 >