RE: [Repeater-Builder] OT: great comic - for us mailing list folks
That's amazing! This just happened to me not 3 minutes ago! Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nate Duehr Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:18 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] OT: great comic - for us mailing list folks For those who've observed some great online debates over the years... http://www.xkcd. <http://www.xkcd.com/386/> com/386/ I just had to share. It helps keep it all in perspective! All the best! 73, -- Nate Duehr, WY0X [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:nate%40natetech.com> com
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: FS: IFR Aeroflex 1200
The prices listed on that page are only for calibration
Keith McQueen
801-224-9460
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-Original Message-
From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of b_totten
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 4:49 PM
To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: FS: IFR Aeroflex 1200
Found this unit for a reasonable price:
http://www.teknetel
<http://www.teknetelectronics.com/Search.asp?p_ID=11382&pDo=DETAIL>
ectronics.com/Search.asp?p_ID=11382&pDo=DETAIL
--- In Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com, "Keith, KB7M" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> These are desireable units, and sell regularly on eBay. The price will
> depend on which sub-model it is ('S', Super-S etc.) and on which
options it
> includes. Even basic models often go for well over $2K. Fully optioned
> Super-S models sometimes top $4-5K. There are also dealers that buy and
> sell these, but they will offer you a heavily discounted price (they
are in
> the business to make a profit after all).
>
> Just offering it here may likely result in offers for a fair price.
> Sorry to hear of the passing of your dad.
>
> Good luck!
>
> --
> Keith McQueen
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 801-224-9460
>
> On Feb 12, 2008 10:45 AM, Paul Robichaux <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > My dad, K5EYP, was an active member of repeater-builders. He
bought an
> > IFR/Aeroflex 1200
> > to use in his repeater building; I sent it out to be factory
calibrated in
> > April 2007. Sadly, Dad
> > is now SK; he died in a motorcycle accident in August. Now my mom
has me
> > cleaning up his
> > shack.
> >
> > I know this is a specialized and expensive piece of equipment.
None of the
> > family has any use
> > for it. I'd like to sell it, so I welcome advice on a) fair
pricing and b)
> > the most likely place(s) to
> > find a buyer.
> >
> > 73 de KG4RWS
> >
> >
> >
>
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Links RLC-4 and Echolink
Do you have a link or contact information? Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill Hudson Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 4:32 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Links RLC-4 and Echolink An even EASIER way is to buy a very inexpensive "made for the application" adapter cable from Marshall KE6SPV, that plugs into your Linkcomm RLC4 and the other end plugs into your sound card and IRLP interface card, and you are done! Professionally made, guaranteed, work good, and last a long time. I think that is the answer you were looking for.. - de W6CBS - Bill - San Francisco Bay Area _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 3:18 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Links RLC-4 and Echolink The easy way is to use an embeded node that David VE7LTD offers. Mike -- Original message -- From: "mickupi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Has anyone connected an interface to a RLC-4 controller to put your repeater on Echolink? If so, what interface did you use? Thanks, Mick
RE: [Repeater-Builder] New DB-224 w/water cooled phasing harness???
Condensation? Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of kc4wdi Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:22 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] New DB-224 w/water cooled phasing harness??? We have installed several new db-224 recently. This particular antenna was inverted and has been in service less than 6 months. While doing a routine test, I noticed the ref. power was a little high. The longer the TX was up, the lower the ref. power got; which typically indicates water in a connector or cable. We found water in the connector at the center of the antenna. It DID NOT come through/around the weather seal! The harness was carefully disassembled. Water (and corrosion) was found in the molded junction above the center connection. Has anyone seen this before? Has the quality slipped that much on the new db-224's? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
RE: [Repeater-Builder] R1225 Repeater
If this is the case, you may have steered full transmit power into the receiver. The results would not be good. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of n9wys Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 9:55 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] R1225 Repeater Hi Eric. The machine I have is as you described as "the latter" - it employs a mobile-type, 6-resonator notch duplexer. It is on 452/457 MHz. As for the exact model designation, it says "Radius GR1225" on the front panel... We've tried reversing the cables going to the duplexer, with no change in performance... I labeled the cables myself when we disassembled the unit to have the duplexer retuned, so I know which one was supposed to go where. I'm seriously beginning to think the duplexer is erroneously tuned to notch the RX freq on both sides. So in essence, there is no "high" and "low" notch, there is just "high". Mark - N9WYS -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com On Behalf Of Eric Lemmon Mark, Are we talking about the R1225 transceiver itself, or is the repeater actually a GR1225, RKR1225, or a GR400 or GR500 X-Pand repeater? If one of the latter, the duplexer is usually a "mobile notch duplexer" with six helical resonators in a one-inch-thick package. Does your R1225 repeater use such a duplexer, or is it a full-size BpBr unit with large cavity filters? When a service tech works mostly with BpBr cavities, it is a common error to tune the screws for the pass frequency instead of the notch frequency. A local hospital had a GR1225 repeater come back from a radio shop with the TX and RX cables reversed, and it wouldn't work very well. It tested fine on the service monitor, but the tech got confused about the "HIGH" and "LOW" labels on the notch duplexer. The ports should have been labeled "REJECT HIGH" and "REJECT LOW", with the former going to the TX output on the R1225 and the latter going to the RX input on the R1225. If the R1225 is a high-power (25-50 watt) model, it is possible that operating the transceiver with a mis-tuned notch duplexer can burn out the protection diodes in the RX front end. There is no tune-up required on the R1225. The RX front end is varactor-tuned by the CPU to optimize the RX sensitivity. The R1225 service manual is 6880905Z53, about $13, and is a "must-have" document. If your repeater is a GR1225, you also need the 6880904Z90 manual, also about $13. If your repeater is an RKR1225, you also need the 6880907Z10 manual, about $36. Finally, if your repeater is a GR400/GR500 X-Pand model, you also need the 6880905Z54 manual, about $13. Many early GR1225 repeaters were shipped with a duplexer harness made of RG58 single-shielded cable. I was setting up one such GR1225 on a VHF repeater pair with a 5.26 MHz split, and I was measuring almost 12 dB of desense. I cured the problem completely by making up a new harness using RG-400/U double-silver-shielded cable and the proper connectors on the ends- no adapters. That repeater is still in service after three years with no down time, but is being replaced with a new MTR2000 station. 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com On Behalf Of n9wys A friend of mine has a Motorola R1225 repeater that is as deaf as a fence post. We've tried re-tuning the original duplexer and replacing it with another known-good duplexer. We even tried separating the antennas, although we could only get about 30' of vertical separation between the two. Nothing seems to work - and at 150mW on an HT, I can only get about 30' away from the repeater antenna before I cannot access it. 4W will give me a range of about 100 yds. Does anyone have the manual for this machine? If so, I'd be much obliged for a copy of any receiver tune-up procedures. I hate to think this thing is junk. Thanks in advance, Mark - N9WYS
RE: [Repeater-Builder] TK-705D problem - slightly OT ?
Did you check for a shorted pin in the mic connector? Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of n3dab Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 3:56 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] TK-705D problem - slightly OT ? I am using a TK-705D for the receiver side of a low power 2mtr. rptr. The 705 was working fine (Tx and Rx) and was sitting on the workbench idling in Rcv. mode ,with no mic. attached and no signal being fed into it thru the antenna port, and suddenly went into the TX mode. I have powered it on and off, removed it from the rptr. and powered it up indepndent of anything else but it remains locked up in the Tx mode. I cannot even do a reset on it as it won't accept the program when I power it up. I have been able to disable the power module and the IC-6 chip that preceeds it and disable the diode Tx/Rx antenna switch to eliminate any RF output, but something else inside the circuitry is telling the radio to stay in the TX mode. Can anyone advise me how to completely disable the Xmit side, so I can get it back in the Rx mode and continue to use it for the rptr. rcvr.? Thanks in advance for any assistance. Doug
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Dallas Semiconductor Real-Time Clock (Was RC-96 Controller Problem)
You can purchase a GPS receiver for less than $100 that outputs an acurate time signal in NMEA serial format. Here's one: http://www.byonics.com/tinytrak/gps.php It wouldn't take much of a micro controller to convert that into the signal you need. If you can't find a way to interface with the repeater controller, you could probably roll something that would key up a radio and generate appropriate DTMF codes to set the clock. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Eric Lemmon Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 10:15 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Dallas Semiconductor Real-Time Clock (Was RC-96 Controller Problem) Nate, I appreciate your suggestions and comments, even though we have differing opinions about accuracy. In my area, starting an ARES or MARS net a minute or two early or late is not acceptable. We pride ourselves at beginning the net exactly on the second. After all, we're Hams, and we have access to WWV, don't we? I realize that some folks on this forum may be rolling their eyes at that statement, but hey- if sloppy operating is okay with them, let them do their thing! My obsession (yes, that's probably what it is!) with time accuracy began when I was Chief Engineer at WLRW, an FM station in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, back in the late 60's. There was an IGM (International Good Music) automation machine that played music and ran commercials and IDs during the periods when live talent wasn't on the mike. The machine was designed to join the ABC Network News feed every hour on the hour, and being a minute early or late was not an option. The problem was that the AC power was locally generated, and was not synchronized to the national power grid as it is today. Even though the timer in the IGM controller made preparations to join the ABC Network exactly on the hour, the small variations in the AC power frequency caused the connection to be made several seconds off, either early or late, and the station owner was on my case constantly. He didn't want to spring for a Favag or Western Union precision time service, so I cooked up a crystal-controlled power oscillator to drive the IGM schedule timer with a TCXO-stabilized power source. It used a Hewlett-Packard oven time base at 10 MHz as a standard, making it easy to synch to WWV. It was a kluge, to be sure, but it worked. With this background information, perhaps you can understand that all I really need is some signal that occurs at exactly some point in time, every day, that can be used to synchronize a repeater controller automatically. Most real-time clock chips, including those made by Dallas Semiconductor, have sufficient short-term accuracy to "flywheel" through one day without getting more than a second off. If I can tweak such a clock once a day to bring it to the exact time, that is enough. I really don't want to add phone lines, IRLP links, wireless networks, or anything else to make this happen. It would be great if the next-generation repeater controllers had a BNC or TNC connector on the back labeled "GPS antenna" or "WWVB antenna" and all I needed to do was install one simple antenna, and the controller would know the time! 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Nate Duehr Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 11:57 AM To: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Dallas Semiconductor Real-Time Clock (Was RC-96 Controller Problem) Eric Lemmon wrote: > Don, > > The "on-the-hour" tone is an 800 ms burst of 1500 Hz. I have built a PLL > 1500 Hz tone detector into a Hamtronics WWV receiver, and it works fine- > giving me a relay contact closure exactly on the hour. Unfortunately, that > would only allow me to jam-set the minutes and seconds to zero, and would > not correct an hour error- such as when DST starts and stops. Eric, There are a number of "easy" WWV and GPS projects to drive things like Nixie clocks, etc... from simple microcontrollers like the Microchip PIC and Atmel AVR. Those are a good starting point for a project to set a controller's time remotely. Adding code to the microcontroller to then drive a DTMF encoder (or even an R2R ladder for sine-wave output from multiple digital outputs if your micro is fast enough) to set a controller's time, is fairly simple. One of the local clubs here in town has had such a system for a long time, but hasn't published anything about it. From talking with their techs, they receive WWV at a ham's h
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Dallas Semiconductor Real-Time Clock (Was RC-96 Controller Problem)
YES! YES! YES! Thank you Ken! -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ken Arck Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 3:16 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Dallas Semiconductor Real-Time Clock (Was RC-96 Controller Problem) Alternately, we will be adding support to our products to use NEMA data from a cheap GPS for clock accuracy in the near future as well.
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RC-96 Controller Problem
RAM memory is not 100% especially as it ages. Stray gamma rays can corrupt RAM. It's rare here deep in the atmosphere, but it does happen. Satellites have to use hardened RAM for this reason (or as in the case of the HAM microsats, special software routines that continually watch for and correct errors in the RAM memory). It is also possible for RF to affect microprocessor circuitry. Again, if properly constructed and bypassed, this is rare. In older circuitry, the bypass capacitors that shunt noise to ground in computer circuitry, age and lose their efficacy. I'd say if there were no problems before and a reset seems to fix it, give the poor old beast another chance. If the problems re-occur, start looking for aged caps, aged EPROMS etc. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Eric Lemmon Sent: Friday, November 09, 2007 8:39 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RC-96 Controller Problem Bryon, Thanks for the response. I hadn't thought about EEPROMS having a finite lifetime- but it sounds reasonable. This RC-96 controller has been in service for just over 16 years. I should have mentioned that, once I disconnected the power to the RC-96 and reconnected it about 20 seconds later, it responded with the expected "Controller Ready" announcement. It seemed to be behaving well at that point, but I took it back to the shop for "forensic investigation" anyway, rather than walk away thinking everything was okay. 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryon Jeffers KØBSJ Sent: Friday, November 09, 2007 7:22 PM To: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] RC-96 Controller Problem Eric, Eproms are only good for so long.. One or more is starting to lose its stored/burned bits. I have not had this happen to an ACC controller but other older eprom devices. The last item had a Eprom about ten years old in it when it started to go crazy... Hope this helps! Bryon KØBSJ Eric Lemmon wrote: > One of the repeaters I maintain has been working perfectly for almost a year > since its last checkup. It is a 6m repeater that has a link to several > other 6m repeaters, and is controlled by an ACC RC-96 controller. It is > powered from a very large commercial UPS that ensures no-break power. > > One evening, the controller went berserk, for no apparent reason. It > started transmitting a string of Morse characters on both the primary and > secondary ports: "dit dah dit ... dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah > ..." for about two minutes. It would then be quiet on both ports for about > 30 seconds, and would then repeat. During the brief silent periods, the > repeater would operate as a repeater, but the Morse string muted any other > audio, once it began. The controller would not respond to my DTMF commands > on either the primary or secondary ports. To make matters worse, the > telephone line that gives me backup control to knock down the repeater was > dead at the hilltop end! I had to make a hasty trip to the mountaintop site > to take the beast off the air. > > As a result of this experience, I am adding a dedicated UHF control link to > give me positive control of the repeater. > > Has anyone else had a similar problem with the RC-96 controller? Note that > there is no lithium or similar memory battery inside the box that might go > bad. Oddball malfunctions like this can add more gray hairs than I want! > Any ideas, case histories, or suggestions will be appreciated. > > 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Part 97 question reference to Repeater control
This would amount to relinquishing control of the station to an unlicensed individual. This is not like operating 3rd party where you allow another person to communicate using your station. In 3rd party operation you must still remain in control of the station. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Clark Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 11:27 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Part 97 question reference to Repeater control One more question on this, if say you had a crossband at home, and you were out. Your wife is home to shutoff radio with a phone call, does that cover it or must it be a licensed operator?
RE: RE: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: duplexer isolation and reciever noise budget
The danger I see with this is when your antenna goes bad (and they all do eventually), your receiver will be hit with the full reflected power of the PA almost certainly turning it into a smoldering doorstop. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Barrett Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 7:47 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: RE: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: duplexer isolation and reciever noise budget An isolator wont cause intermod, but it may cause harmonics. Commercial installations usually use either a harmonic filter and 3db hybrid coupler, or a special type of band pass cavity to couple the output from the isolator to the feed line. (This info from an RX TX application note on transmitter combiners) I'm proposing a novel application of the circulator (an isolator without the dummy load on one port).. Instead of the dummy load, the 3rd port feeds the receiver chain. the transmit chain will still use more or less conventional combining techniques to merge the signals from the 3 transmitters. the output from the transmitter combiner goes to the input of an additional circulator, the circulator output goes to the antenna as you would normally expect for an isolator, and the "load" port goes to the receive chain instead of a dummy load. Since the path from the transmit chain port to the receive chain port is "reversed" compared to the normal signal flow in a circulator, it will incur 20-30db of loss, depending on the circulator specs. So long as the antenna is well matched, there will be minimum reflected power fed back into the receive chain. My "window" for all the transmitters and receivers is less than 1mhz, so matching the antenna shouldn't be a huge problem. _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron Wright Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 8:19 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: RE: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: duplexer isolation and reciever noise budget I am not sure why an isolator would cause intermod. Usually there are not active or non-linear components in them and they are often used to prevent intermod by preventing outside signals from coming in thru the feedline into the transmitter. In the past commerical sites would often require an isolator for this reason with strong transmitters close by. In better repeater equipment an isolator was built in. 73, ron, n9ee/r >From: Jeff DePolo <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:jd0%40broadsci.com> com> >Date: 2007/10/22 Mon PM 07:27:09 CDT >To: Repeater-Builder@ <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com >Subject: RE: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: duplexer isolation and reciever noise budget > >> This isn't guessing - its called RESEARCH > >When I said guessing, I was talking about quantifying the performance of >your radios rather than guessing how much isolation you need. In other >words, make measurements to actually determine how much noise supression and >carrier attenuation you need using the actual frequencies involved. Once >you know how much isolation you truly need, then you can work backwards from >there to determine the filtering requirements. > >I still think using an isolator is going to cause you new problems with >respect to IM into your receivers unless you have adequate filtering between >the isolator and antenna, which I believe you have no way of acheiving if >I'm understanding your layout right (i.e. isolator is connected directly to >the antenna with nothing in between save for a harmonic filter). > > --- Jeff > > Ron Wright, N9EE 727-376-6575 MICRO COMPUTER CONCEPTS Owner 146.64 repeater Tampa Bay, FL No tone, all are welcome.
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: TPL amplifier - aka repeater operation at the 250 watt power lev
I guess it's a different world out here in the wild wild west. Very few machines run more than 30 watts. Of course with our 10,000+ foot granite towers we don't need any more. Some machines have 100+ mile (radius) coverage. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TGundo 2003 Sent: Friday, October 19, 2007 8:08 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: TPL amplifier - aka repeater operation at the 250 watt power lev Imagine the fun we have at the Illinois Repeater Association meetings between the "Chicago" and "Downstate" guys? It's the same with politics too ;) Well, the last few meetings have been good, thanks greatly in part to the supurb job the IRA has done. Anyways, I a "downstate Chicago" guy, I live in the farmfields 45 miles south of the city. While I will not argue that there are some alligator systems in the city...and suburbs Be careful of acousing any of those machines of being "gluttons". I'm not sure which machines you had in mind, but probably the widest coverage 2m machine in the city is CFMC on 146.76. They have several reciever sites, and run modest power off one of the tallest buildings in the city- 45 miles away here at my qth running around mobile they are usually between 1/2 and full scale on an icom with a 5/8 nmo on the roof of the surburban. Of course I can access the system full quieting, so it's bretty balanced for the users in the greater metro area. Now- during a band opening I'm sure it can put out a good footprint. FYI- during an average opening in the morning or evining during the summer we can hear the downstate repeaters just fine as well. The corn fields don't stop much, the city is a different story. One of my uhf systems is in the cornfields south of the city, and it plays much farther to the south than it does to the north into the city. (omni antenna on top of a 300' tower) In comparason- one of the largest UHF systems in chicago, 16 recieve sites last I heard, is on one of the tallest buildings as well, and for the last few years has been running on exciter power (4-5 watts) that is being divided to three panel antennas (to put the footprint away from the lake), and on 1/3 or exciter power at that height from the panel antenna in any given direction it's very common to hear the output 70-80 miles away on a mobile with average conditions. Im sure on a good base 100+ miles is pretty easy, and during an opening, well, who knows. Does that make them a glutton? If you could put your antenna at 1300' AGL with a relativly short feed line, wouldn't you? There are issues in the metro areas & city with building penetration, intermod & general high levels of rf garbage, & topography around the city with a few "holes" and river valleys where it can be hard to recieve the talkout from the city. Skipp covered the rest well in his response. If there are specific machines you notice, please contact me directly, I would like to know which ones. I have a pretty good knowledge, and know people who have more knowledge of many of the boxes here, maybe I could help research this for you. I would just be careful of the glutton accousations, that's all. 73 Tom W9SRV Al Wolfe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Having a very high-level flamethrower repeater around is not only > a great communications resource... if the hardware operates well > it's also impressive on your technical resume and a lot of fun to > operate. So in other words, it's just an ego trip. These repeaters are commonly known as Alligators. We in downstate Illinois suffer from the two meter glut of RF out of Chicago. There they have repeaters there with dozens of receiver sites and multi-kilowatt ERP transmitters, usually running about half scale 150 miles away. But we cannot get into their systems running legal power. But they say they have "balanced systems"? What a crock! If a repeater is full scale and I can't get into it with 150 watts then something is very wrong! Al, K9SI Yahoo! Groups Links __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Reducing power out when on battery backup.
Interestingly enough, for most repeaters with average use, the idle (receive) current over time is a more significant draw than the briefer periods of transmit. An additional modification that you can use to lower the idle current, is to remove power from the audio amp (of course, this will only work if you are feeding your repeater from the discriminator and don't want a local speaker). There is a single resistor that powers the audio amp, so you just lift that resistor. I don't have the R number handy, so consult the schematic. If you have problems figuring out which one, let me know and I'll look it up for you. IIRC, it is one of the resistors that live on the right side of the audio board (with the radio oriented with the big main connector and the RF ports towards you, and the PA away from you) between the discriminator enclosure and the wall of the radio. This will also allow you to eliminate the power resistor used to load the audio amp. I've done this on all of my MASTR II repeaters with no problems. Keith McQueen 801-224-9460 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ed Yoho Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 7:37 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Reducing power out when on battery backup. ldgelectronics wrote: >Hello All, > >I have a requirement to install a battery backup system at a local >ham repeater. It's a GE Mastr II running about 100 watts. With that >much RF power, a couple of 100 AH batteries is only going to last a >few hours. > >My first thought was to add a second lower power RF amp (something >like 20 watts or so) and use coax switches tied to the AC mains to >switch to the smaller amp when the AC power was out. This should give >me a factor of 4 or 5 more amount of time on the backup batteries. > >The second thought (and here is where I need input), was to bring the >variable resistor (R8 on the VHF version) from the 10 watt driver >board to a smaller external board. Then add a second variable >resistor and a relay to switch between the two. This should give me >two independent amp settings that can be controlled by a single >control. > >Is there any reason why this should not work? It would save the cost >of the second smaller amp and two fairly expensive coaxial relays. > >The relay could be controlled from the repeater controller or >automatically with just a 12v DC wall wart. > >Dwayne Kincaid >WD8OYG > > Dwayne, A (hopefully) better method would be to use two RF relays to switch in or out the final stage of the stock amplifier. This will allow the sections to operate with their normal / nominal power settings and give a larger current reduction when in battery mode. relay 1 common to driver output relay 1 normally closed to final input relay 1 normally open to relay 2 normally open relay 2 normally closed to final output relay 2 common to antenna filter assembly This assumes the relays would be energized when in battery mode. A little more drain on the battery, but 99% of the time the coils would not need to be energized. Ed Yoho WA6RQD
RE: [Repeater-Builder] MSR-2000 Receiver acts like a barometer
Have you ruled out interference on the input that only occurs during these times? -Original Message- From: Chris Bunting [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 5:21 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] MSR-2000 Receiver acts like a barometer Problem is, it only happens every couple weeks, and lasts for a couple hours, if I'm available and I spend 30 minutes to get the the repeater site, I can only hope it's still doing that. We tried all new feedline, I looked in the antenna/hardline connector and everything is dry. We even tried a brand new antenna and duplexer. This didn't fix the problem, which leads me to beleive it's in the receiver itself > At 06:59 AM 11/30/03 +, you wrote: > > >I am having a problem with my MSR-2000 VHF receiver going flaky > >whenever it is (1) wet out (2) pressure drops > > > >It has a "oscillating" noise on the receiver, and sensitivity goes to > >crap on the RX. > > > >Anyone else ever run into this? > > > >I have some spare receivers, I think I'll try replacing it first, and > >see if it fixes this. > > > >Could my xtals be the culprit?? > > > >-K1CWB > >145.310/R Lancaster, PA > > More likely your antenna system. > > As a test go to the site on a day when it's really bad and unplug the > feedline from your cabinet and plug a dummy load into the cabinet. > > Try the system with a handheld. I'll bet that it performs just fine. > Then reconnect the feedline and move the dummy load to the top end > of the feedline and repeat the test... > > ...and so forth until you get to the antenna itself. > > I'll bet that you have moisture in the antenna system somewhere. > > Mike WA6ILQ > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
