[Repeater-Builder] Re: follow up on lightening strike last spring response
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 Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, 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
[Repeater-Builder] Re: follow up on lightening strike last spring response
Most duplexers are passive, mechanical devices. You did say the cavities had been visually inspected and cleaned so we can assume the cans themselves are fine. In my opinion the single component on a duplexer that's most likely to fail would be the cable harness and its associated connectors/adaptors. Is this a vhf repeater? What is the power output? Dan K8PLW Livonia, MI --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, 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
[Repeater-Builder] RE: follow up on lightening strike last spring response
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
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: follow up on lightening strike last spring response
Richard (and everyone else), I just uploaded a file called antenna_pix.pdf to the group. Our local group had an antenna that was real noisy when duplexed but worked great otherwise. We spent months trying to fix the issue then decided to replace the antenna. Just goes to show noise issues could be anywhere. I hate tower rats! Jim WA2RJP - Original Message - From: Richard To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 13:47 Subject: [Repeater-Builder] RE: follow up on lightening strike last spring response 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
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: follow up on lightening strike last spring response
Something from left field: Does the nose have any pattern to it? My UHF seems to have site noise that is possibly generated by a 2.4g digital spread spectrum controller. At first, it seemed like it was regular but I found that a TV stationg jput this system in at the same time I changed to a new repeater package and 2 bay half wave spaced UHF Comprod commercial dipole. Frustrating to say the least but just a thought. Brian - Original Message - From: Richard To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 10:47 AM Subject: [Repeater-Builder] RE: follow up on lightening strike last spring response 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 recommended by the technician. Rich K8JX www.w8usa.org
