[AK-VHF] NET: Saturday - 9am, 146.58FM

[Edward R Cole]

Good turn out:
KL7XJ - S7/8
KL7YK - S7
KL6M - S9+
KL4E - S9

Receiving on the 4-yagi eme array with WA2ODO PHMET preamp at tower 
top feeding my DEMI 2m transverter and K3 on 28-MHz IF.  Because of 
high SWR I transmitted using my FT2400 running 25w drive for 120w 
output from the RFC amp into the 17-foot ARX-270, 9-dBd 
vertical.  That's about 10-dB less gain than the eme array.

This afternoon I T/S my high SWR and found water in the far end of 
the 1-5/8 N-connector which I blew out the residual in the NF 
connector.  But I also had a bad coax jumper at the tower base so I 
removed it and directly connected the 1-5/8 to the LMR-600 run up the 
tower.  The NM coax connector on the jumper was stressed at an acute 
angle which split the heat shrink and allowed rain into the connection.

I guess the length of the jumper place a standing wave voltage null 
at the meter since reflected is higher now (changed from about 1.26 
to 1.34 at 144.200-MHz (4w ref for 180w fwd).  Since the LMR-600 was 
shortened a couple feet a few years ago when chasing bad SWR this has 
the 1-5/8 lifted off ground about 18-inches so I tied it off with 
some tywraps to both the tower and a wooden box that shelters the 
600m inv-L base coil.

I may make up a short LMR-400 jumper so the 1-5/8 can lie on the 
ground.  So the afternoon was spent walking from one end to the shack 
end testing after every change.  Initially I worried that the Heliax 
got penetrated with water, but it only collected inside the inner 
space at the NF to NM connectors.  Canned air and my heat gun were 
used to dry it out.  Now heat shrink plus double-layer of Scotch-33+.

Should be ready for 144.200 USB during next weekend Net and eme at 
end of the month.

73, Ed

At 10:53 PM 10/2/2015, Edward R Cole wrote:
>After two weeks of the net being idle, hopefully we can get it restarted.
>
>I am still working on rebuilding my station control, so I made up a 
>temporary lash-up to try getting SSB going for the net but ran into 
>a high SWR problem which means I cannot run the yagis for transmitting.
>
>Therefore holding the net on FM using my FT2400 to the 150w amp into 
>my vertical.  That means my signal will be lower  by 9-dB than using 
>the eme yagi array.  I will be able to receive on the array using the preamps.
>
>One of the risks of running before the new control is installed and 
>thoroughly tested.
>
>73, Ed - KL7UW
>http://www.kl7uw.com
>     "Kits made by KL7UW"
>Dubus Mag business:
>     dubususa at gmail.com
>
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73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
     "Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
     dubususa at gmail.com