[GCARC] 2M repeater power issue?

Sat Aug 28 08:24:27 EDT 2021

Hi Herb,

I’ve been running a WIRES-X link radio on the 70cm repeater for several months. When using the repeater while driving all over the area, the pattern seems pretty good, just the normal variations for terrain, vegetation, etc.

73,

John K2ZA

> On Aug 28, 2021, at 05:58, Herb Dyer <hdyer6161 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Is the 70cm analog affected also?
> Herb KT2Y
> 
>> On Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 8:39 PM Comcast Mail <colabrese at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Jim, Good catch.  Since you are seeing a 10db drop in the signal from the
>> repeater , I totally agree that someone from the repeater committee needs
>> to check it out.   Most likely, the transmitter power output is down.
>> Antenna or feed line problems would effect receiver performance as well.
>> 73, Chuck
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>>> On Aug 27, 2021, at 7:02 PM, Jim n2gxj <jim.n2gxj at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> We need help from repeater committee. Here's why.
>>> Steve and I fine, full quieting while Vinnie saying having trouble
>> hearing us until he increased rx gain at his end by using directional
>> antenna. Of couse we suspected something at Vinnie's end first, but then I
>> looked at rx power received at my base radio while Vinnie, Steve were
>> talking over repeater. Recall the rx signal strength I am measuring is
>> purely a function of the reaper and repeater antenna system.
>>> What I usually see is +20 db over s9.  What I saw during this test
>> surprised me. The signal I was receiving was 10 db down from normal. That's
>> alot. On every tx from the repeater no matter who using it.
>>> Didn't affect me using the repeater, as I'm close, but does offer a clue
>> as to why Vinnie, on the fringe, needed the extra gain from a directional
>> antenna to successfully have 2way comms with us on 147.180
>>> 
>>>> On Thu, Aug 26, 2021, 10:20 PM Comcast Mail <colabrese at comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>>> Hi Vinnie,
>>>> A couple of questions….     And some suggestions.
>>>> 1.  You say that you “ Just got on the repeater with Jim, and he was
>> totally distorted and unreadable “. How was your signal into the repeater?
>> Strong? Weak?  Could he read you?
>>>> 2.  Have you checked the SWR?  Have you checked the feed line?
>> Disconnect the antenna and connect a dummy load at the antenna end of the
>> feed line.  SWR at the rig end should be 1.0 : 1.0.
>>>> The high heat we’ve been having might have caused a problem with your
>> antenna.  It gets very hot in the attic and the temperature cycling could
>> cause an open internal connection in the antenna. With a coaxial antenna,
>> an internal element could be disconnected and the SWR will still look
>> fine.  The pattern and gain will be completely changed, but the SWR will
>> look good.
>>>> 3.  How are you receiving the repeater on the HT with a rubber duck?
>> Has that changed?
>>>> The fact that you can hear and get into the repeater with the HT and
>> the small tape measure beam makes me think that the repeater is working OK.
>>>> 
>>>> Try to get some signal reports from other users in the fringe areas of
>> the county and see if they’re also having issues hearing the repeater where
>> they once could.
>>>> 73, Chuck, WA2TML
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>> 
>>>>> On Aug 26, 2021, at 7:42 PM, Vinnie Sallustio <
>> Yankees_1996 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Over the last 2 Sundays, I have not been able to hear the Ares/Races
>> net at 8pm. This is a new problem and nothing in my radio has changed. My
>> antenna is in the attic and has not changed in 15 years. The symptoms sound
>> like a whole lot of white noise like a kid AM walkie talkie from the 1970s.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I notified Karl and Jim who were the net ops. I just got on the
>> repeater with Jim, and he totally distorted and unreadable. So we trouble
>> shot. I copy several repeaters fine, like Newtown, the 145.390, the KC3DUX,
>> and the 440 N3KZ. All are normal.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I decided to try an HT with my tape measure beam, and that worked. I
>> put the HT on the base antenna, and I get the same noisy reception, as I
>> get on the base unit.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I have ruled out my radio(s) and antenna.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I live in southern Gloucester County in Woolwich, and I can throw a
>> baseball to the Salem County line.
>>>>> 
>>>>> It appears that it may be a weak signal issue, which points to a
>> power problem
>>>>> 
>>>>> Is there any way this can be investigated?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Vinnie
>>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>>> GCARC mailing list
>>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
>>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>>>> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
>>>>> 
>>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>> 
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>> GCARC mailing list
>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>>> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
>>>> 
>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> GCARC mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
>> 
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> GCARC mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html