RE: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This
I gather from the text about the HV meter and current meter that the current meter is above ground by 4000 Volts. I know that there are a lot of special mounting devices and hardware for this purpose but I still feel that it is a bad idea. I have always made sure that HV current metering was done in the current path that is close to ground potential. As a further precaution it is a good idea to put a 50 Volt or less avalanche diode across the meter in case it should become open. As for the defection phenomenon, it might even be possible that the continued HV on the meter has put permanent static charge in the molecular structure of the plastic. If this is the case then any connection even a ground on the meter would cause a deflection. In any case I would move the current metering circuit to the cathode circuit or the negative return of the power supply. Modification of initial circuitry sometimes requires lifting all the ground connections of filters and/or chokes to get a floating ground and then passing that through the meter for current readings. I my opinion it is well worth the effort. I always put chokes in the negative lead of power supplies as well. It is an interesting phenomenon though. So please let us know what you do find as the cause. 73, John, WA5BXO -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Knepper Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 5:31 PM To: Discussion of AM Radio; Collins Mail List Subject: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This That is right, only one lead connected and the meter is reading negative current. I switched this lead to the negative post and the meter still deflects downward past zero.
Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This
Dave, I am not familiar with the 20V, but the problem you are describing suggests a stray magnetic field around the meter might cause the deflection. Have you changed any other wiring routing around the meter? Byron, W3WKR - Original Message - From: "David Knepper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Discussion of AM Radio" Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 8:45 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This > Sorry John, but that is not the answer. I did clean the face. Besides > that, the meters of the 20V-3 are behind a glass panel to avoid accidental > contact with the meter zeroing adjustment. > > Nope, this is definitely a weird problem that occurs when you attach the B+ > lead and just one lead. > > Thanks > > Dave, W3ST > Publisher of the Collins Journal > Secretary to the Collins Radio Association > www.collinsra.com > Nets: 3805 Khz, Monday/Wednesdays 8 PM EDST > 14250 Khz Saturday, 12 Noon EDST > > - Original Message - > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: > Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 9:05 PM > Subject: Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This > > > > Static charge on the case? Disassemble and wash carefully with fine dish > > soap. Dry carefully with a paper towel and let it set a day until all > moisture is > > sure to be gone. Take precautions not to build up another charge when > > reinstalling. > > > > You might just wipe the face carefully and see if that has any effect but > if > > it has a big charge built up, you may have to mproceed as above. > > > > 73 and Happy New Year. > > > > John, W45AWM > > __ > > AMRadio mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > > __ > AMRadio mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This
Sorry John, but that is not the answer. I did clean the face. Besides that, the meters of the 20V-3 are behind a glass panel to avoid accidental contact with the meter zeroing adjustment. Nope, this is definitely a weird problem that occurs when you attach the B+ lead and just one lead. Thanks Dave, W3ST Publisher of the Collins Journal Secretary to the Collins Radio Association www.collinsra.com Nets: 3805 Khz, Monday/Wednesdays 8 PM EDST 14250 Khz Saturday, 12 Noon EDST - Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 9:05 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This > Static charge on the case? Disassemble and wash carefully with fine dish > soap. Dry carefully with a paper towel and let it set a day until all moisture is > sure to be gone. Take precautions not to build up another charge when > reinstalling. > > You might just wipe the face carefully and see if that has any effect but if > it has a big charge built up, you may have to mproceed as above. > > 73 and Happy New Year. > > John, W45AWM > __ > AMRadio mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] You Won't Believe This
Static charge on the case? Disassemble and wash carefully with fine dish soap. Dry carefully with a paper towel and let it set a day until all moisture is sure to be gone. Take precautions not to build up another charge when reinstalling. You might just wipe the face carefully and see if that has any effect but if it has a big charge built up, you may have to mproceed as above. 73 and Happy New Year. John, W45AWM
[AMRadio] You Won't Believe This
I own a Collins 20V-3 broadcast transmitter that is at the Collins Radio Center. The transmitter has been restored and worked perfectly after modifying it to 160 meters. Now, the plate current meter (0-800 ma.) is reading to the left of "0" with only the high voltage lead from the smoothing choke attached!! The high voltage meter is showing 4000 volts. The positive post of this meter goes to the positive post of the plate current meter through some multiplier resistors. That is right, only one lead connected and the meter is reading negative current. I switched this lead to the negative post and the meter still deflects downward past zero. Disassembled the meter to see if it may have a carbon path through the case to ground. Nothing. The meter looks "normal." When I hook a multimeter to the terminals: red to positive post and black lead to negative post on the meter, the needle deflects upward, which is normal for a current meter. I am really stumped on this problem. If someone told me that a current meter could deflect left of zero with only one lead attached, I would have thought that this was some kind of psychic phenonomen. Could the meter have changed polarity? Can anyone tell me what is going on. Thanks Dave, W3ST Publisher of the Collins Journal Secretary to the Collins Radio Association www.collinsra.com Nets: 3805 Khz, Monday/Wednesdays 8 PM EDST 14250 Khz Saturday, 12 Noon EDST
[AMRadio] Shack cleaning
Hello, everyone. Cleaning out the shack today & ran across a couple of items I have no use for. Perhaps you do. Payment accepted via PayPal or USPS money order. Shipping via USPS Priority Mail. - Technical Manual for Oscilloscope AN/USM-32 (NAVSHIPS 92257). Complete and original. Includes Changes 1 through 3 (up to 21 Sept 1959). $25 postpaid. - Instruction Book and Calibration Curves for Northern Radio Variable Master Oscillator Type 115 Model 1. Complete and original (mimeograph). $15 postpaid regards, Mahlon - K4OQ
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
Hey Don, They didn't place a new traffic light near your QTH? They have a habit of washing out even my FM broadcast radio in my car. I don't know if it is from the proximity sensors or the clock in the PLC that is the source but they are extremely RF noisy. Mike(y) W3SLK
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
Virtually all powered equipment designed for cardiovascular workouts is loaded with electric circuitry. There are memory circuits for user entered workout regimines, factory installed memories for the same thing, motor speed controls, digital readouts, built in heart rate and television monoitors and just about anything else one can imagine, even fans. Many of the self powered units such as exercise bikes have gel- cell powered circuits and built in user powered battery chargers. Let's face it folks, noise generators are everywhere. The other day, I bought some FLEXAMIN, a joint easing OTC compound, at the drug store. It was on sale so I didn't need it immediately. I put the bag on my dresser and forgot about it. That night when I turned out the lights, I noticed something flashing red coming from the direction of my dresser. I turned on the light and the only thing there that was new was that bag with the pills in it. I opened the bag and discovered a flashing LED built into the box to attract consumer attention in the store. I hadn't noticed it in the store since the shelf with the display was facing a sunlit window. Now it is a week later and the stupid box is still flashing! What next??? It's gonna get us, folks, Beware! 73 and happy New Year to all. John, W4AWM
Re: [AMRadio] Early version Johnson Ranger I
Hello Frank I have an earlyRanger that has a keyer added. Your right, it is a small chassie supported by three long standoff and is positioned above the operate switch. Since the transformer on the Ranger 1 did not have taps on the transformer for the negative voltage supply, there were abunch of 10 watt carbon resistors in a voltage divider to feed the 6al5 to generate the -40 volts for the keyer. If you considering modifications, look at W3AM and WA2HLR changes. I have made those changes and am within a week or so of completing then. BTW, they also have a PTT circuit if you going AM Byron, W3WKR - Original Message - From: "Frank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 2:19 AM Subject: [AMRadio] Early version Johnson Ranger I > Happy New year to all. > > I am in the process of restoring a Johnson Ranger I. I obtained part of the > manual and a schematic. That's when I noticed that two of the tubes were > "missing." The tubes are the 6AL5 bias tube and the 12AU7 keyer tube. > > My mystery was solved when I learned that the earliest version of the > Johnson Ranger I used cathode keying and omitted the circuits around the > 6AL5 and the 12AU7. I have since downloaded the schematic for this early > version Ranger from the bama web site. > > I would like to obtain a manual for this early version of the Ranger. I > have written W7FG to see if he has them available. So far, no answer. > > So can anybody help me out? Obviously I'd be happy to pay for the copying, > postage and the trouble. > > A second question is whether I should refit this old Ranger to bring it up > to the later version standard. Makes sense from an operational standpoint, > but what's the feeling about keeping this Ranger preserved as the early > version. > > Thanks and 73, > Frank, W7ND > > P.S. The serial # on my Ranger I is 622. > > __ > AMRadio mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
> >I had a problem with a treadmill. Even though it was > >not running, if left on it put out junk on 6, 2, and > >440. Only solution was to turn power switch off > > Wow, they are putting rf generating trash in EVERYTHING. What under the > sun does a treadmill use electronics for? Before we know it, we'll have the > same problem with flush toilets. Touch lamps were just the tip of the > iceberg. > > At the rate we are going, we won't have to worry about BPL. By the time it > is widely deployed, the bands will already be unuseable due to the combined > rfi from all the consumer junk China is exporting here. > > And I'll bet there is no FCC Part 15 label on the thing. Probably one of those heart/pulse/blood pressure monitoring devices, with a motorized belt that slides across the platform, and enables you to run, while you're 'wired for sound' (being monitored for health & safety reasons). The RFI started back longer ago than that, though. Old(er) TVs, when they had tuners that weren't on an IC, had a single, non-sheilded wire from the tuner to the circitry. No sheilding for RFI, whatsoever. John/WA5BXO could tell a lot of stories, being that he must have worked on at LEAST a Grizzilion TV's over the years, there at Delta Plaza, TV (Home Of The Whopper). ;-) Happy New Year, All! --- 73 = Best Regards, -Geoff/W5OMR May the warm winds of heaven blow softly on your home and the Great Spirit bless all who enter there. May your moccasins make happy tracks In many snows and May the Rainbow Always touch your Shoulder ~Cherokee Blessing
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
I had a problem with a treadmill. Even though it was not running, if left on it put out junk on 6, 2, and 440. Only solution was to turn power switch off Wow, they are putting rf generating trash in EVERYTHING. What under the sun does a treadmill use electronics for? Before we know it, we'll have the same problem with flush toilets. Touch lamps were just the tip of the iceberg. At the rate we are going, we won't have to worry about BPL. By the time it is widely deployed, the bands will already be unuseable due to the combined rfi from all the consumer junk China is exporting here. And I'll bet there is no FCC Part 15 label on the thing. Don k4kyv
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
I had a problem with a treadmill. Even though it was not running, if left on it put out junk on 6, 2, and 440. Only solution was to turn power switch off Cory/AD5QP --- Vince Wesa Werber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Don... > > I do think this might be the same type of noise that > I get from a new VCR that > my wife (n1yux) picked up a while back, that fool > thing makes some serious > RFI... > > Kinda,,, sorta like this problem you have I did > make a full report about > my situation to '1RFI at the lab but that was within > a week of when the VCR > came into the house I tried everything > reasonable to clean up the RFI > but ended up connecting it to a power strip with an > on/off switch to kill the > power when it is not in use... that was the only way > I could deal with it > without going to extremes... > > Time to break out you 'el-cheapo' portable AM radio > and do a 'search and > destroy' mission... > > Whatever it might be, please let us know OK, OM? > > Hey... you and yours have a happy new year! > 73 > vince > ka1iic > -.--. > > > > On Saturday 01 January 2005 12:42 am, Donald Chester > wrote: > > I first noticed this 24/7 interference a couple of > months ago. > > > <<<>>> > > __ > AMRadio mailing list > Home: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: [AMRadio] Early version Johnson Ranger I
I am in the process of restoring a Johnson Ranger I. I obtained part of the manual and a schematic. That's when I noticed that two of the tubes were "missing." The tubes are the 6AL5 bias tube and the 12AU7 keyer tube. A second question is whether I should refit this old Ranger to bring it up to the later version standard. Makes sense from an operational standpoint, but what's the feeling about keeping this Ranger preserved as the early version. The early version used cathode bias for the modulator. The later one used fixed bias with an external bias rectifier. You can get a little more positive modulation peaks by changing to fixed bias. On mine, I used a tiny 6-volt transformer (think I bought it at Radio Shack, but any small transformer will do - you might scavage one from an old wall wart). I connected the 6-volt winding across the filament line, and used a solid state rectifier to rectify the voltage that appeared across the 110 volt winding, an electrolytic cap, and a small pot to complete the bias supply. Once I set the resting plate current for the modulators, it stayed put and I never had to reset it again. I was able to mount all the components into existing space and use existing screw holes to avoid drilling any new holes. I would say adding the keying mods would depend on your preferences for cw. My rigs all use cathode keying, and I use a TV sweep transistor similar to a circuit in the 1980-era ARRL handbook, as a solid-state keying relay, so I wouldn't need to modify the rig to get direct keying voltage off the key. Don k4kyv
Re: [AMRadio] Strange interference
Don... I do think this might be the same type of noise that I get from a new VCR that my wife (n1yux) picked up a while back, that fool thing makes some serious RFI... Kinda,,, sorta like this problem you have I did make a full report about my situation to '1RFI at the lab but that was within a week of when the VCR came into the house I tried everything reasonable to clean up the RFI but ended up connecting it to a power strip with an on/off switch to kill the power when it is not in use... that was the only way I could deal with it without going to extremes... Time to break out you 'el-cheapo' portable AM radio and do a 'search and destroy' mission... Whatever it might be, please let us know OK, OM? Hey... you and yours have a happy new year! 73 vince ka1iic -.--. On Saturday 01 January 2005 12:42 am, Donald Chester wrote: > I first noticed this 24/7 interference a couple of months ago. > <<<>>>
[AMRadio] Early version Johnson Ranger I
Happy New year to all. I am in the process of restoring a Johnson Ranger I. I obtained part of the manual and a schematic. That's when I noticed that two of the tubes were "missing." The tubes are the 6AL5 bias tube and the 12AU7 keyer tube. My mystery was solved when I learned that the earliest version of the Johnson Ranger I used cathode keying and omitted the circuits around the 6AL5 and the 12AU7. I have since downloaded the schematic for this early version Ranger from the bama web site. I would like to obtain a manual for this early version of the Ranger. I have written W7FG to see if he has them available. So far, no answer. So can anybody help me out? Obviously I'd be happy to pay for the copying, postage and the trouble. A second question is whether I should refit this old Ranger to bring it up to the later version standard. Makes sense from an operational standpoint, but what's the feeling about keeping this Ranger preserved as the early version. Thanks and 73, Frank, W7ND P.S. The serial # on my Ranger I is 622.
[AMRadio] Strange interference
I first noticed this 24/7 interference a couple of months ago.
The interference covers the entire HF spectrum - from 80m to 30 mHz. It is
spaced intervals of approximately 30.475 kHz. On an AM detector it sounds
like a tone modulated carrier, but careful observation shows that there are
two distinct carriers heterodyning against each other; one is unmodulated
and the other has a spastic but barely perceptible frequency shift of a few
Hz, and each shift initiates with a click. The frequency shift averages
about twice a second.
The higher in frequency, the greater the spacing of the carriers. At 30
mHz, they are a little over 800~ apart, on 20m. they are a little over 400~
apart, on 40 they are 200+ hz apart, and on 80m about 100~ apart. Although
the signals appear approximately every 30.475 kHz, some frequencies are much
stronger than adjacent ones. There are a few holes in the pattern, where
nothing is audible on the expected frequency.
The signal appears to be local, since it comes in on 10m all the time, and
the S-meter remains stationary, thus excluding the liklihood that it is
skywave. The higher in frequency, the stronger the signal. It is louder
than my xtal calibrator on 10m, but on 80m it is almost buried in the noise.
Here are a few of the frequencies I measured that fall inside the ham
bands:
29.998826/29.999660 mHz
14.884912/14.885340 mHz
7.373734/7.373935 mHz
3.618225 kHz
The signal is extremely stable; I notice no drift over a 24-hour period.
It is not something in the house, since I cut the a.c. power at the main
utility entrance and the signal is still there.
javascript:PopUp('http://www.qrz.com/ib-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=bb184a566cd996d8331f5b3e57a1cd05&act=Legends&CODE=emoticons','HelpCard','200','400','0','1','1','1')
Emoticons
Anyone ever heard anything like this?
Don K4KYV
