[FADCA] Lake Panasoffkee Site

[Chuck Hast]

On 5/7/05, COMCAST.NET <W5TWR at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi Guys,  Just a note to ask advice.  The Sumter ARES Group is using a site
> at Lake Panasoffkee for Voice and Digital systems.  Lately, the Voice
> repeater has been "plagued" by popcorn on the signal.  It has gotten worse
> of late to the point we are thinking of shifting to simplex even though it
> would keep some of our members from checking in.
>     My Question is:  Does anyone have experience decontaminating a repeater
> site?
> The tower is very old and although very well grounded with multiple ground
> rods on a 20 foot circle and even heavy ground connections to the ring going
> to the guy wires which are also bonded together.  The power comes in
> underground from the Lake Pana Fire station.  The tower was put together
> with galvanized screws which have rusted when the zinc coating wore away.
> The tower itself is galvanized steel with feet that are screwed together by
> circular pads with three screw holes.  No maintenance has been done at the
> connection plates which are rusty.
>     Is this tower worth saving?  Would all the work to save it be a waste of
> time and money?  A new tower with stainless steel hardware might be wise,
> but the noise is so bad the digital repeater is basically in-operative.  All
> of the digital equipment works beautifully at a new different site, but
> which is poorly located for our purposes and on a very short tower (30 ft).
>     I would appreciate any suggestions and advice from those of you who may
> have experience with fixing noisy sites.      73, Ed Crowell, W5TWR
> 

Does the noise come and go or is it there all the time? Many times I have
found it to be from something that has come loose and is causing the noise
as it whips around in the wind.

What is the condition of the transmission lines (and associated equipment)?
look for loose connectors, make sure that lighting has not burned something
somewhere. Check your static discharge devices and make sure that they
are all in working order and not shot.

Are there amplifiers in the lines? If so you want to make srue that none of
them are oscillating.


-- 
Chuck Hast 
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."