[1000mp] Sticky relay?

[Scott Galbraith]

I would suggest that a "problem load" is related to this event. I have had
this happene to me with my Mk V on several occassions during the past 6
months. The problem started fairly intermittently and then escalated until
the CQWW phone contest started last year. That time period was pretty bad
here weather wise and during that period, the problem was almost constant
and then the Quadra which was switched in for CQWW started acting up and
giving alarms. Ultimate problem turned out to be a broken center conductor
on one of my feedlines (which was intermittent in wind and became mostly
constant when the weather got real bad.) Fixed the feedline and the problem
disappeared - completely.

Since that time, I have seen the problem now and then and each and every
time, I have determined that some type of load problem existed (cable
disconnected, external tuner in line when not needed, broken antenna
[again], Mk V auto-tuner wildly off [because I did not cause it to tune
when I was out on MARS/SHARES channels] etc.) Each time I have corrected
the "load problem" and the receive problem has gone away. I concur that it
appears to be associated with front end switching and have concluded that
it is driven or caused by excessive RF feedback on the lines - pronounced
when the Quadra is in use. The symptoms are as have been indicated - severe
loss of front end RF gain - sometimes appearing that th ATT switch is
turned full on or the RF gain control is full CCW. Most times (except
during CQWW when total failure happened) it would respond intermittently to
restore itself by clikciing the footswitch or mic button quickly.

I don't know if this is a "failure" in the MkV or if it is within "normal
design". I do know now that if I have a problem in the system outside the
MkV's or Quadra's range to handle (which is rare), the receive "problem"
happen and that if I cure the external problem, I have no problems with the
operation of the MkV.

My evidence is empirical and your experiences and mileage may vary.

- Scott
-- 
73 de Scott Galbraith
N3OK, Frederick County, MD
FM19ji
ARRL, QCWA 30013,  GERATOL 2198
NAVMARCORMARS - NNN0OPY
mailto:scottg@n3ok.com