Rich, it sounds like an antenna, feedline, or tower/site issue. The easiest way to find out would be a dummy load connected in place of your antenna. Operate into the repeater locally with an ht and listen for any noise. What you're describing is a fairly common problem with repeaters that share an antenna for tx/rx. How was the antenna "Tested"? A simple vswr test usually won't reveal this sort of problem. Its usually caused by loose metal-metal contact in close proximity of the antenna. However anything's possible :) 73 and good luck.
Dan K8PLW Livonia, MI --- In [email protected], "Richard" <rra...@...> wrote: > > Sorry if I've been late in posting. First, the antenna and hard line is ok. > We've tested that part out and its working. We think ( I ) that we got zapped > through a unused phone line which is mounted behind the repeater rack. > Yes, we have tested the can's using both a IRL (?sp) and a General Dynamics > service monitor. They were taken apart and cleaned and retuned. Everything > indicated they were functioning normally. Till we put them back in service. I > don't know if they were tested with a dummy load. The technicians made many > trips to the site: the technicians worked for the company that we rent the > site from. We replaced all of the connectors and only found one that had > scorched indications on it, but that was all. > I asked if any of you knew how to find out if a can was operational, because > all the test equipment that was used indicated they were ok. We finally > found a workable solution. We added a fifth can, tuned to the transmit freq. > That stoped the crackling noise. > Now we're going to replace the can's, and go with a 6 can configuration. this > is what was reconmended by the technician. > > Rich K8JX > > www.w8usa.org >
