Good Evening,
Soon after starting the twenty meter net I got a very bad signal report.
This was not entirely necessary since I was experiencing a lot of difficulty on
my end. I tried a few quick fixes but this was not helping. I got on to my
Icom 706 and worked with its less than stellar QSK. I will never get used to
the relay clacking away at me as I key. Then there is the problem of the
sidetone being fixed to the AF gain. If I want to hear a weak station I must
hear my own keying extra loud. The filter is not up to Elecraft specs either.
But at least I was able to get on the air. My K2 has no output right now. Don
Wilhelm has a to do list for me so tomorrow I get to see how badly the K2 has
been injured.
Between nets I did get a chance to look inside. The AUX RF plug was the
problem. Yes, there was stray RF bouncing around inside my K2 causing the
relays to go crazy. I had gone on a field trip with my K2 and had put the
original top back on to use low power and its ATU. When I replaced the top one
of the pins in the RF cable to the amp must have become unseated since I found
one contact was intermittent. When the K2 got warm enough it opened. Well I
reseated the pin in the connector but by then the damage was done. Now I need
to find out how deep it goes.
I digress, the nets tonight, well at least the parts I was able to hear
went fairly well. Hopefully by next week I'll be able to hear better again.
On twenty there was much QRM from the DX contest while on forty there was some
QRN. Forty also appeared to be weaker than in the recent past. However,
between Tom and I a few folks were able to check in.
The lists.
On 14051 kHz (approximately) at 2300z:
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - 008
N2HTT - Mike - NY - KX1 - 98
W6BK - Dave - CA - ?
K4JPN - Steve - GA - K2 - 1422
WB1HGA - Ron - MA - K2 - 2135
W0NTA - Dick - CO - K2 - 3900
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138 QNI #10 !
K4BEH - Pat - GA - K2 - 5061 Welcome aboard Pat ;)
K2HYD - Ray - VA - KX1 - 608
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646
On 7045.50 kHz at 0200z:
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K2 - 1031
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - 008 QNI #150 !!!
K2HYD - Ray - VA - KX1 - 608
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
N2HTT - Mike - NY - K1 - 566
KE5BVC - Mitch - KS - TenTec TRITON 4
W1TF - Ty - GA - K1 - 1423
VE6ITA - John - AB - K2 - 5384
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646
W6BK - Dave - CA - ?
Any fills or correction in the above two lists are most welcome.
Since I am not at my normal computer this is not as easy to create. I am also
using web mail instead of my normal mailer. This is not my weekend for gadgets
:( Maybe tomorrow will go better. I'll be using a chain saw, a splitting
maul, and a sledge. What could possibly go wrong with them? Maybe I should
stick to the maul and the sledge and not find out ;)
Until next week you all take care now,
73,
Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Operator 5th Class in Absentia)
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