[SixClub] Odd Rig Behavior on 6M

[mikea]

On Sat, Sep 16, 2006 at 03:43:43PM -0400, kd4e wrote:
> Just attached my LDG AT-897 autotuner to the side of my
> Yaesu FT-897D and 6M is behaving badly (voltage drops to
> 9.7VDC on the rig but my large deep cycle battery is fully
> charged and has an Astron VS-50M floating across it).
> 
> I have a West Mountain Radio PWRgate PG40 handling
> the battery-powerstrip-power supply interface and
> am using a Rigrunner 4010S power strip.
> 
> I don't see this on any other band nor do I see it
> with CW or Packet selected, only the modulated
> modes, so I am guessing something is getting into
> something else and am eliminating possible causes
> one device at a time.
> 
> Anyone heard of this behavior on 6M?
> 
> I believe that my LDG AT-897D firmware version
> is 2.1

Certainly _something_ is causing the power drain, Doc. 

Have a very careful look at power output when this happens, using an 
external wattmeter. I suspect you're seeing runaway oscillation, not 
necessarily in the 6m band. I have a similar problem with my FT-857, 
and have not yet tamed it. Maybe we both need to throw more toroids 
at the whole rig-and-cabling system. 

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin