[W8MWA] Issue with Reception of W8MWA

[Werntz, Carl]

1)      This is an occasional repeater issue, your gear is fine.

2)      The repeater is split antenna, with separate receive and transmit antennas.  This makes it possible for one to have issues when the other does not.  We will have similar issues when the antennas ice over in winter, but that usually gets better when the sun comes out the next day.

3)      We have had problems in the past with water (actually water following bullet holes) infiltration of the coax and the last time of the antenna itself had a hole (and water) in it.  Our transmit Stationmaster (at about 250-300 feet) is one of the lower antennas on the tower and apparently shooting at the tower is a something to do when the deer aren’t running by.  I the past this gets better when the weather is drier.

4)      Investigation using a TDR on the VHF antennas to see if this is a coax or antenna problem is on the to-do list.  In fairness, access to the site remains convoluted and this may be planned for when the system fusion repeaters are installed, which now seems to be happening.

Carl  WA3ZZU

From: W8MWA [mailto:w8mwa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Fritz via W8MWA
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 1:39 PM
To: w8mwa at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [W8MWA] Issue with Reception of W8MWA

During Monday's Monongalia ARES Traffic & Training Net, I had problems receiving the W8MWA repeater. It was extremely noisy at my QTH. (Based on some quick reports, it didn't seem that I was having problems transmitting to the repeater--only receiving.) The signal from the repeater that has been previously strong at my QTH has become very weak on receive on both of my two-meter rigs--the Leixen VV-898S and the Motorola Syntor X.

Both rigs share the same VHF/UHF vertical through a coax switch. Bypassing the coax switch made no difference. The VSWR measured with both rigs near to the W8MWA frequency was 1.15:1 and both rigs were able to make power (20 and 40 watts respectively.)

To find out what might have gone wrong, this afternoon I took a VHF/UHF mobile mag mount antenna and placed it on the copper roof of our front deck. This was done assuming that my vertical had gone bad. I measured the VSWR near the W8MWA frequency as 2.1:1. Not nearly as good as the Diamond, but certainly acceptable. Then I checked both base rigs for power output to the antenna. The 898S was putting out 20-watts and the Syntor X was putting out 40-watts. Both, of course, were normal.

Next I brought up the W8MWA repeater on both rigs using the mag mount antenna. Same thing. Lots and lots of noise. Perhaps a S2 or S3 if either rig had a decent S-meter.

I switched back to the vertical. Then, just for fun, I tried bringing up the Elkins repeater, N8FMD, on 145.230 MHz. Elkins is 51 miles from Morgantown--so that's not a short hop by any means on two-meters. Although it was noisy, as expected, I was able to repeatedly bring up Elkins and hear it ID itself.

Now I am wondering if I am dealing with strange conditions, or if perhaps some change has been made to the repeater. My QTH is in a coverage shadow due to higher hills directly between my QTH and Chestnut Ridge, but normally the vertical has enough gain to make that a non-issue.

If anyone in the club can shine any light on this recent reception issue, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks and 73,

Jeff, WB1AAL
jnfritz07 at yahoo.com<mailto:jnfritz07 at yahoo.com>
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