[Repeater-Builder] Distance between RX and TX antenna
Hi All On my duplexer The High port seems to be faulty. I have an additional antenna so I was thinking to use the LOW port of the duplexer with the existing antenna (because on the same tower a TV station is having its TX antennas: output power 250W, Police repeaters, Civil emergency repeaters and so) as receive and the other antenna directly on the TX radio as TX antenna. The tower is 25 meter high. And on the top of it are the TV antennas installed. Is there any formula to calculate the distance between the antennas (vertical and Hor) for proper isolation? The antennas are Procom UHF CXL2XXX series Operating Freq is RX 443Mhz TX 453 MHz
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Master II UHF repeater station stays keyed...
--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, w4wsm [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: hello most likely something on the audio board..there is a control on the board,that if you turn to high ,it will unsq and key xmiter.. wd4egd If the 10volt board is fine can it still be any of these? I've swapped ALL the cards with known good ones. OK, are you talking about the cage itself keying it? What other board is there when all the cards but the 10v is pulled? I know it's hard to do this without being here...hope to get Fred out here soon to see what magic he can work:-) Ben --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Coy Hilton ac0y8@ wrote: If you have a schematic of the 10V regulator board and or the back plain if the card cage check in this order. 1. On the back plain Pin B12 of the 10V regulator board connector. 2. On the back plain Pin D4 of the 10V regulator board connector. 3. On the back plain Pin A14 of the 10V regulator board connector. 4. On the back plain Pin D3 of the 10V regulator board connector. 5. On the back plain Pin A12 of the 10V regulator board connector. IF any of these are Low0 or less than a volt or so then the key request is comming from off the board to the Keying circuit on the regulator board. If none of these are pulled low then it could be either Q5 or Q6 on the regulator board most likely Q6 will be shorted it actually Keys the Tx and turns on the LED. THe schematic for this board is on the Repeater-builders website where the LBIs are posted. Good luck! AC0Y --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, w4wsm b.runner@ wrote: Repeater. Does it with only the 10 volt card when no controller is hooked up. This started it's life as a repeater. It's not a remote base. --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Fred Flowers fred_flowers@ wrote: Yes there is a jumper. Is this a repeater? Most likely the trouble is the receiver or controller.
RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem?
I'm suspecting the ferro cap after looking at it. It seems to have some oily residue on the top of the can so maybe it has been leaking. I'm unable to check capacitance but I did pull the leads of and check with my DMM on ohm range and its not shorted. It will start to charge up on the higher range but then again unknown capacitance. Anyone know where I can get a new cap like this?? Bill... -Original message- From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:12:09 -0800 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem? Pull out the ferro cap and test it. Or alternatively, take the cap out, tape up the leads that went to it, and fire up the supply again and see if you get the same amount of sag under load. If so, then it sure sounds like the cap is open. --- Jeff Hi Jeff! Thanks for the reply. The no load voltage is about 14.1 volts. Bill... -Original message- From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 16:28:07 -0800 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem? I'm setting up a Mastr II VHF station for a 2 meter repeater and when I got to the power amp to check everything I can only get about 86 watts out of the 110watt PA. I noticed that the power supply starts to fold over at about 20 watts out and when I get to 80 watts the supply is only at around 8 to 9 volts. If this station is using the stock Mastr II supply, my first bet is that the capacitor in the ferro circuit (7.5 uF IIRC) is bad. What's the voltage without load? --- Jeff Yahoo! Groups Links -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.411 / Virus Database: 268.17.25/669 - Release Date: 2/4/2007
RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem?
I'm suspecting the ferro cap after looking at it. Seems to me last time I ordered one I got it from either Newark or Allied. It might have been classified under motor-start capacitors or the like. I believe I was able to cross-ref the part number off the failed unit and get an exact replacement. M/A-Com probably still has replacement parts as well if you strike out elsewhere. --- Jeff
Re: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem?
Jeff and Repeater-Builders I have found a ready source of these caps to be at my local refrigeration supply. They have a very good assortment of motor start or motor run capacitors and they are AC not DC. Tom Manning, AF4UG - Original Message - From: Jeff DePolo To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 10:18 AM Subject: RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem? I'm suspecting the ferro cap after looking at it. Seems to me last time I ordered one I got it from either Newark or Allied. It might have been classified under motor-start capacitors or the like. I believe I was able to cross-ref the part number off the failed unit and get an exact replacement. M/A-Com probably still has replacement parts as well if you strike out elsewhere. --- Jeff
[Repeater-Builder] COR\COS switch
This question has probably been answered before but here goes I am looking for a small,simple but reliable cor\cos switch circuit so that I can take a high cor\cos signal and convert it to a low. I am doing a project in which the most reliable cor\cos is at 5 volts but the PTT goes to ground, so I need to take a high signal to ground for keying the TX radio. Also if the receive radio looses power the TX radio wont key up. This project will be running on solar power. Thank for your time Steve
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Vega Tone remote model C-514B
And... who seems to have manuals for everything..? second of course only to MDM Ted. Jack, Do you want the manual on the radio side remote or the user side remote? I already have the radio side remote paperwork scanned into pdf. skipp jack_kr9q [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hello to the group, I need a manual and a schematic for this tone remote. The Telex website has nothing. An electronic copy would be perfect! Many Thanks Jack KR9Q
[Repeater-Builder] Caps in resonant supplies (replacement caution)
Re: Caps in resonant supplies Hello Sailors, Don't remember if I posted this already. If you replace the cap in a resonant layout supply... be sure to replace it with the original value. If you use a larger or different value the end results in some layouts can be quite the large bang... There is a serious reason why a specific x-value of cap is used. cheers, skipp Bill McLure [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm suspecting the ferro cap after looking at it. It seems to have some oily residue on the top of the can so maybe it has been leaking. I'm unable to check capacitance but I did pull the leads of and check with my DMM on ohm range and its not shorted. It will start to charge up on the higher range but then again unknown capacitance. Anyone know where I can get a new cap like this?? Bill... -Original message- From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:12:09 -0800 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem? Pull out the ferro cap and test it. Or alternatively, take the cap out, tape up the leads that went to it, and fire up the supply again and see if you get the same amount of sag under load. If so, then it sure sounds like the cap is open. --- Jeff Hi Jeff! Thanks for the reply. The no load voltage is about 14.1 volts. Bill...
[Repeater-Builder] Re: COR\COS switch
Re: COR\COS switch I can probably do that circuit up for you using one or two vn10 (aka 2n7000) type fets. If no one pops up with an easier circuit just let me/us know and I'll throw one out. Sometimes it's betta' to work with bipolar transistors which tend to be easier to control in high rf areas. Fets just love to turn on with the greatest of unwanted ease so you have to always bypass them... in some cases triple bypass is the only thing that seems to work 100%. But since you're solar the mentioned fets should probably be used. Anyway let's also see what others have to offer. cheers, skipp www.radiowrench.com/sonic nvradtec [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This question has probably been answered before but here goes I am looking for a small,simple but reliable cor\cos switch circuit so that I can take a high cor\cos signal and convert it to a low. I am doing a project in which the most reliable cor\cos is at 5 volts but the PTT goes to ground, so I need to take a high signal to ground for keying the TX radio. Also if the receive radio looses power the TX radio wont key up. This project will be running on solar power. Thank for your time Steve
RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem?
I found a 7uf 660vac from Allied part no #591-7040 will that work? -Original message- From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 16:18:00 -0800 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Spam] RE: [Repeater-Builder] Mastr II Station Power Supply Problem? I'm suspecting the ferro cap after looking at it. Seems to me last time I ordered one I got it from either Newark or Allied. It might have been classified under motor-start capacitors or the like. I believe I was able to cross-ref the part number off the failed unit and get an exact replacement. M/A-Com probably still has replacement parts as well if you strike out elsewhere. --- Jeff
[Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Does anyone know what the GaSA transistor is and have a source for the replacement. Thanks Wayne
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Wayne, They will Know http://www.advancedreceiver.com/index1.html I sent one in it was Fixed Very Fast, Tuned to My Repeater for less then half price of a new one . Good Luck Don KA9QJG
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Seems like ARR sells them for around $15 each. sb
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Has anyone else looked at the input return loss on their ARR preamp? I had one that, when put in place, was throwing off the tuning of a two-cavity bandpass filter I had ahead of it. I swept it and found the return loss to only be about 5 dB. I put an Angle Linear preamp in its place and all was well. That was a few years ago. Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. He had an ARR preamp mounted to the duplexer bracket. Once the four cavities were properly tuned, I hooked the preamp back up and swept again, providing power to the preamp, terminating the preamp with a good 50 ohm terminator, and sweeping at -50 dBm instead of 0. As I had found years ago, the duplexer was severely detuned via the additional of the ARR preamp. A sweep of the preamp alone showed about 6 dB. Yuck. I'm starting to wonder if ARR tunes these using a noise figure meter only, without regard to input return loss, gain, or anything else? Bad news if you're terminating a cavity filter into one of these preamps. All of the Angle Linears I've tried, on 2, 440, and 900, all had very good input return loss, in some cases 20 dB. --- Jeff
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Gentlemen, It has my experince that pretty much all* the manufacturers of equipment in our field are very helpful. All it takes usually is a phone call or email and you can get all kinds of info. *now, a certain 'bat wing' company may be the exception if you don't have an account Don KA9QJG [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Wayne, They will Know http://www.advancedreceiver.com/index1.html I sent one in it was Fixed Very Fast, Tuned to My Repeater for less then half price of a new one . Good Luck Don KA9QJG - It's here! Your new message! Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Hi Jeff, Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Don, KD9PT - Original Message - From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 3:32 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 Has anyone else looked at the input return loss on their ARR preamp? I had one that, when put in place, was throwing off the tuning of a two-cavity bandpass filter I had ahead of it. I swept it and found the return loss to only be about 5 dB. I put an Angle Linear preamp in its place and all was well. That was a few years ago. Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. He had an ARR preamp mounted to the duplexer bracket. Once the four cavities were properly tuned, I hooked the preamp back up and swept again, providing power to the preamp, terminating the preamp with a good 50 ohm terminator, and sweeping at -50 dBm instead of 0. As I had found years ago, the duplexer was severely detuned via the additional of the ARR preamp. A sweep of the preamp alone showed about 6 dB. Yuck. I'm starting to wonder if ARR tunes these using a noise figure meter only, without regard to input return loss, gain, or anything else? Bad news if you're terminating a cavity filter into one of these preamps. All of the Angle Linears I've tried, on 2, 440, and 900, all had very good input return loss, in some cases 20 dB. --- Jeff Yahoo! Groups Links !DSPAM:1016,45cce8c0690733712038390!
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Using the golden screwdriver means somebody went and diddled with something that they shouldn't have diddled with, and probably did so without using any test equipment. I don't know where the term originated, but I would guess the notion it's something along the lines of If you possess The Golden Screwdriver, you can fix anything even if you don't understand what it is or how it works. --- Jeff
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
At 01:32 PM 2/9/2007, you wrote: Has anyone else looked at the input return loss on their ARR preamp? I had one that, when put in place, was throwing off the tuning of a two-cavity bandpass filter I had ahead of it. I swept it and found the return loss to only be about 5 dB. I put an Angle Linear preamp in its place and all was well. That was a few years ago. ---I swear by my last breath that I will *never* use anything other than Chip's stuff - there is simply *nothing* on the planet that comes close. I've been using his preamps and multicouplers for close to 20 years now and have *never* been disappointed (nor have I ever been disappointed with his service!). Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. ---I once got caught outdoors with some repeater equipment during a torrential downpour. Try as I might, I wasn't able to keep all the water out of things and they did require some work afterwards. Was that a golden shower? Ken (sorry, couldn't resist) -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of the world famous RC210 Repeater Controller and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Don if you were ever in CB ,We had a Golden screwdriver But after upgrading to Ham Radio We got platinum screw Drivers Ha Ha It is basically a Term that was Used when a Person would Peak and Tweak the Radios, An example trying to get 2 more Watts that would not make a difference anyway, just another Name for the Tuning tool. We still use them to Peak and Tweak things up Even Brand New out of the Box , Because We know it can be done better then the People who designed it. And if it gets messed up some just take it to the Hamfest or E-Bay and Sell it as hardly used. Happy Repeater Building Don KA9QJG
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Don Kupferschmidt wrote: Hi Jeff, Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Its a derogatory term usually applied to a moron CB'er type who has a radio shack multimeter and a pocket knife and thinks he knows exactly what he is doing under the lid of whatever electronic equipment.. Spotting the work of a golden screwdriver is easy.. Look for globs of solder from a 100w iron on an SMT PCB, or chunks of hookup wire patching blown traces from their first attempt at fixing whatever problem, or large amounts of wiring bundled with jap-wrap(cheap vinyl electrical tape) and patches with said product instead of heatshrink. --- Jay Urish CCNANetwork Engineer http://jay.unixwolf.net Home)972.691.0125Cell)972.965.6229 -- Jay Urish W5GM ARRL Life MemberDenton County ARRL VEC N5ERS VP/Trustee Monitoring 444.850 PL-88.5
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
On 2/9/07, Don Kupferschmidt [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? The golden screwdriver is either: 1. The device used by a novice/idiot to screw something up. 2. Sometimes also used as a reference to an award for doing same (e.g. the Golden Screwdriver award for blowing up the power supply by wiring it up backwards goes to...)... In other words, if someone golden screwdrivered something -- they didn't know what they were doing and mis-tuned it, mis-aligned it, installed it wrong, or otherwise just totally screwed it up... sometimes beyond all hope, sometimes repairable. In this case, it sounds like someone who didn't know what they were doing was messing with a duplexer on-site, which led to the repeater owner/operator having to remove the system from service, take the duplexer to someone with proper test gear, and having it re-tuned properly for his frequencies. Some clubs go so far as to issue Golden Screwdriver awards each year: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/sscspot/2001/0321/index.html And stuff like this makes it all the more fun to do that: http://www.amazon.com/PB-Phillips-Tipped-Screwdriver-interchangeable/dp/B0002GF5XY And in the workplace it goes hand in hand with the long-running joke between field support staff and engineers... Never let the engineer touch/bring a screwdriver to the field! Nate WY0X
[Repeater-Builder] Def: Golden Screwdriver
For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Simple: You realized someone before you has already touched the radio/circuit you're working on. Definitions from The Online Plain Text English Dictionary: Golden Screwdriver (v.) Alignment, adjustment or modification by a person or persons with poor knowledge, experience and/or skill level, both the electronic and/or mechanical type. (v.) Didn't really know what the heck they were doing. s.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Hey Jeff, I have a very dear friend who cannot keep from 'improving' on alignment. This started with the old railroad T43GGV up to the Regency RH250B, and an Atlas 210. I gave this fellow the RH250B, tuned and programmed for the local 2M FM repeaters and put a stick on seal on the case - Bill, if the seal is broken, don't bring the radio back - ever. He went close to 6 years before the on/off switch pooped out, 73, steve
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
---I swear by my last breath that I will *never* use anything other than Chip's stuff - there is simply *nothing* on the planet that comes close. I've been using his preamps and multicouplers for close to 20 years now and have *never* been disappointed (nor have I ever been disappointed with his service!). I agree 100%. I've NEVER had any of Chip's preamps fail. Ever. Out of probably 50 or more in service, amateur and otherwise. They just work. About a month ago I decomissioned a 220 ACSSB LTR system, including a Sinclair combiner and multicoupler. I was suprised (pleasantly) to find that Sinclair used one of Chip's high-level preamps in the multicoupler! Was that a golden shower? Don't go there. --- Jeff
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
or large amounts of wiring bundled with jap-wrap (cheap vinyl electrical tape) Hey, thanks, I learned a new term today! That one will come in handy! --- Jeff
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
At 03:11 PM 2/9/2007, you wrote: About a month ago I decomissioned a 220 ACSSB LTR system, including a Sinclair combiner and multicoupler. I was suprised (pleasantly) to find that Sinclair used one of Chip's high-level preamps in the multicoupler! Chip has built for Sinclair for many, many years (which is why their multicouplers are so good!) Don't go there. ---Yea well.. Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of the world famous RC210 Repeater Controller and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
The golden screwdriver is someone who does not know what the hell he is doing nor should own the screwdriver. -- Original message -- From: Don Kupferschmidt [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Jeff, Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Don, KD9PT - Original Message - From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 3:32 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 Has anyone else looked at the input return loss on their ARR preamp? I had one that, when put in place, was throwing off the tuning of a two-cavity bandpass filter I had ahead of it. I swept it and found the return loss to only be about 5 dB. I put an Angle Linear preamp in its place and all was well. That was a few years ago. Then, last week, a friend brought over his 440 duplexer (Wacom 678) and asked me to tune it on the network analyzer as it had been victimized by the golden screwdriver. He had an ARR preamp mounted to the duplexer bracket. Once the four cavities were properly tuned, I hooked the preamp back up and swept again, providing power to the preamp, terminating the preamp with a good 50 ohm terminator, and sweeping at -50 dBm instead of 0. As I had found years ago, the duplexer was severely detuned via the additional of the ARR preamp. A sweep of the preamp alone showed about 6 dB. Yuck. I'm starting to wonder if ARR tunes these using a noise figure meter only, without regard to input return loss, gain, or anything else? Bad news if you're terminating a cavity filter into one of these preamps. All of the Angle Linears I've tried, on 2, 440, and 900, all had very good input return loss, in some cases 20 dB. --- Jeff Yahoo! Groups Links !DSPAM:1016,45cce8c0690733712038390!
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
At 03:11 PM 2/9/2007, you wrote: I agree 100%. I've NEVER had any of Chip's preamps fail. Ever. Out of probably 50 or more in service, amateur and otherwise. They just work. ---Well, I managed to kill one or two when I was first setting up my EME station. Chip's repairs were fast and reasonably priced. I've never lost on a repeater though Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of the world famous RC210 Repeater Controller and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Has anyone else looked at the input return loss on their ARR preamp? The better question is... have you looked at the input section of the circuit diagram? Looks like a high Z input doesn't it... :-) I had one that, when put in place, was throwing off the tuning of a two-cavity bandpass filter I had ahead of it. It will for a number of reasons at part of it being the preamp input impedance and part of it related to the cavity loading... plus the number of series cavities. I'm starting to wonder if ARR tunes these using a noise figure meter only, without regard to input return loss, gain, or anything else? They are adjusted for low noise below the defined F-center as probably are Chip's preamps (per my last conversation with him). The resultant gain is at least the rated/spec value. Bad news if you're terminating a cavity filter into one of these preamps. Also depends on the cavity filter... All of the Angle Linears I've tried, on 2, 440, and 900, all had very good input return loss, in some cases 20 dB. --- Jeff Both ARR and Angle are good preamps but we must pay attention to the details. cheers, skipp
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
I guess I got an education here tonight with all the users responding . . . . Don, KD9PT - Original Message - From: Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 4:54 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Using the golden screwdriver means somebody went and diddled with something that they shouldn't have diddled with, and probably did so without using any test equipment. I don't know where the term originated, but I would guess the notion it's something along the lines of If you possess The Golden Screwdriver, you can fix anything even if you don't understand what it is or how it works. --- Jeff Yahoo! Groups Links !DSPAM:1016,45ccfbc2697375802679531!
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Def: Golden Screwdriver
Ahh... That explains how all the cores got broken in the last Mastr II that I worked on.. 8-) df --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, skipp025 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? Simple: You realized someone before you has already touched the radio/circuit you're working on. Definitions from The Online Plain Text English Dictionary: Golden Screwdriver (v.) Alignment, adjustment or modification by a person or persons with poor knowledge, experience and/or skill level, both the electronic and/or mechanical type. (v.) Didn't really know what the heck they were doing. s.
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
The better question is... have you looked at the input section of the circuit diagram? Looks like a high Z input doesn't it... :-) Don't think I've seen an ARR schematic, but most GaAsFET preamp designs I've evaluated will tend to produce least noise figure with an input Z quite a ways away from 50+j0, and with gain a few dB below the maxima. It will for a number of reasons at part of it being the preamp input impedance and part of it related to the cavity loading... plus the number of series cavities. Well, yeah, of course I know WHY. I was just stating that the detuning effect is what prompted me to evaluate the preamp further. Without having seen it on the VNA I wouldn't have had any reason to bother testing the preamp. They are adjusted for low noise below the defined F-center as probably are Chip's preamps (per my last conversation with him). The resultant gain is at least the rated/spec value. Gain is the least of my concerns, and in a repeater installation, giving up a fraction of a dB of NF or a couple of dB of gain is no big deal if it means getting a better match. I would think it would behoove ARR to ask the customer what the intended use was, and align the preamp accordingly, if their design can't provide a decent match when the preamp is tuned for low NF. For weak-signal work, where you typically have nothing in front of the preamp to avoid any increase in NF caused by losses ahead of the gain stage, this might not be that big of a deal, but you still have to consider the degraded power transfer and VSWR on the feedline (yes, VSWR in a receive situation) when the input match gets to be that bad. Again, I don't know if *ALL* ARR preamps have this problem, or if I just happened to stumble across two bad ones by accident. That's why I originally posted the question - has anyone else swept an ARR, particularly P432VDG models? Also depends on the cavity filter... ...and you can show me a coaxial cavity filter that won't be out-of-tune when connected to a load Z different than what it was properly tuned for? And, no, futzing with cavity tuning as a makeshift means of conjugate matching doesn't count. P.S. I see you're interested in my Telewave isolator ;-) --- Jeff
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Hi Nate, Love those links. Especially the 2nd one. I've decided to buy the drill set for my test bench. It should come in handy when tuning my TX-RX 28-37-02. Drilling more holes in the duplexer should make it work more better, or maybe less worse. Also, I have an IFR 1200S that's running a tad bit warm. I think I'll drill some holes into that to, and see if the performance improves. Don, KD9PT - Original Message - From: Nate Duehr [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 4:59 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 On 2/9/07, Don Kupferschmidt [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? The golden screwdriver is either: 1. The device used by a novice/idiot to screw something up. 2. Sometimes also used as a reference to an award for doing same (e.g. the Golden Screwdriver award for blowing up the power supply by wiring it up backwards goes to...)... In other words, if someone golden screwdrivered something -- they didn't know what they were doing and mis-tuned it, mis-aligned it, installed it wrong, or otherwise just totally screwed it up... sometimes beyond all hope, sometimes repairable. In this case, it sounds like someone who didn't know what they were doing was messing with a duplexer on-site, which led to the repeater owner/operator having to remove the system from service, take the duplexer to someone with proper test gear, and having it re-tuned properly for his frequencies. Some clubs go so far as to issue Golden Screwdriver awards each year: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/sscspot/2001/0321/index.html And stuff like this makes it all the more fun to do that: http://www.amazon.com/PB-Phillips-Tipped-Screwdriver-interchangeable/dp/B0002GF5XY And in the workplace it goes hand in hand with the long-running joke between field support staff and engineers... Never let the engineer touch/bring a screwdriver to the field! Nate WY0X Yahoo! Groups Links !DSPAM:1016,45ccfe93699111342210631!
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
Hi Nate, Love those links. Especially the 2nd one. I've decided to buy the drill set for my test bench. It should come in handy when tuning my TX-RX 28-37-02. Drilling more holes in the duplexer should make it work more better, or maybe less worse. Also, I have an IFR 1200S that's running a tad bit warm. I think I'll drill some holes into that to, and see if the performance improves. Don, KD9PT - Original Message - From: Nate Duehr [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 4:59 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 On 2/9/07, Don Kupferschmidt [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: For those who are inquiring minds and not up to all of the terminology, what is a golden screwdriver? The golden screwdriver is either: 1. The device used by a novice/idiot to screw something up. 2. Sometimes also used as a reference to an award for doing same (e.g. the Golden Screwdriver award for blowing up the power supply by wiring it up backwards goes to...)... In other words, if someone golden screwdrivered something -- they didn't know what they were doing and mis-tuned it, mis-aligned it, installed it wrong, or otherwise just totally screwed it up... sometimes beyond all hope, sometimes repairable. In this case, it sounds like someone who didn't know what they were doing was messing with a duplexer on-site, which led to the repeater owner/operator having to remove the system from service, take the duplexer to someone with proper test gear, and having it re-tuned properly for his frequencies. Some clubs go so far as to issue Golden Screwdriver awards each year: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/sscspot/2001/0321/index.html And stuff like this makes it all the more fun to do that: http://www.amazon.com/PB-Phillips-Tipped-Screwdriver-interchangeable/dp/B0002GF5XY And in the workplace it goes hand in hand with the long-running joke between field support staff and engineers... Never let the engineer touch/bring a screwdriver to the field! Nate WY0X Yahoo! Groups Links !DSPAM:1016,45ccfe93699111342210631!
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Def: Golden Screwdriver
On 2/9/07, na6df [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ahh... That explains how all the cores got broken in the last Mastr II that I worked on.. Yours too? We really should find the guy and break his fingers. (GRIN) (Well, only one core was broken in this one, but still...) Nate WY0X
[Repeater-Builder] Doug Hall RBI for sale
I have a Doug Hall RBI remote Base interface fer sale. I purchased this unit new about 6 or 7 yrs ago. It is in great condition and works fine. Will come with the power cord, manual and and 1 rbi to kenwood 8pin mic pigtail. $135.00 shipped to lower 48 US States. Contact Dennis no5c 601 527-6880 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tnx to all and 73
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148
A preamp that is tuned with a noise figure meter is in most cases not going to be the same when installed in the system as the input load is going to be different. How much the input load changes is going to depend on what it is hooked to. Best noise figure performance usually doesn't yield a 50 ohm input impedance. Noise figure is best adjusted with the preamp connected in the circuit in which it is going to operate. 73 Gary K4FMX _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 7:26 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Advanced Receiver Research Preamp 144-148 The better question is... have you looked at the input section of the circuit diagram? Looks like a high Z input doesn't it... :-) Don't think I've seen an ARR schematic, but most GaAsFET preamp designs I've evaluated will tend to produce least noise figure with an input Z quite a ways away from 50+j0, and with gain a few dB below the maxima. It will for a number of reasons at part of it being the preamp input impedance and part of it related to the cavity loading... plus the number of series cavities. Well, yeah, of course I know WHY. I was just stating that the detuning effect is what prompted me to evaluate the preamp further. Without having seen it on the VNA I wouldn't have had any reason to bother testing the preamp. They are adjusted for low noise below the defined F-center as probably are Chip's preamps (per my last conversation with him). The resultant gain is at least the rated/spec value. Gain is the least of my concerns, and in a repeater installation, giving up a fraction of a dB of NF or a couple of dB of gain is no big deal if it means getting a better match. I would think it would behoove ARR to ask the customer what the intended use was, and align the preamp accordingly, if their design can't provide a decent match when the preamp is tuned for low NF. For weak-signal work, where you typically have nothing in front of the preamp to avoid any increase in NF caused by losses ahead of the gain stage, this might not be that big of a deal, but you still have to consider the degraded power transfer and VSWR on the feedline (yes, VSWR in a receive situation) when the input match gets to be that bad. Again, I don't know if *ALL* ARR preamps have this problem, or if I just happened to stumble across two bad ones by accident. That's why I originally posted the question - has anyone else swept an ARR, particularly P432VDG models? Also depends on the cavity filter... ...and you can show me a coaxial cavity filter that won't be out-of-tune when connected to a load Z different than what it was properly tuned for? And, no, futzing with cavity tuning as a makeshift means of conjugate matching doesn't count.
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Motorola phone patch model L1159A
HI I put it in the mail a good while ago and it came back with the address label distroyed...I haven't received any emails from you..Just send me your address off board and I'll put it in the mail Monday. Sorry! C --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Coy, I would really like to have my manual back. I have sent numerous emails to you without any response. Look at the date of your email you sent me July 18, 2005; it is now Feb 8, 2007. I sent the manual to you in good faith and knowing you would send it back to me. I have learned my lesson ... do not send the only copy I have to any one!! I want the manual back Sorry to the list for having to try and contact you thru the list. Rod KC7VQR --- Forwarded message follows --- Date sent:Mon, 18 Jul 2005 15:23:26 -0700 (PDT) From: Coy Hilton [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Motorola phone patch model L1159A To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Rod, Well, I couldn't beleave my eyes Sunday morning at about 10:29 when I looked out my kitchen window to find a mail truck sitting there. Beleave it or not it slid in under the wire. Thanks! I will get it back to you in a week or two, when I can get it copied or scanned. 73 Coy --- End of forwarded message ---
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Master II UHF repeater station stays keyed...
HE said in an earlier post that it stayed keyed with all cards removed except the 10V regulator card so, I don't think that it's a audio card problem. --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, charliejohn74 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, w4wsm b.runner@ wrote: hello most likely something on the audio board..there is a control on the board,that if you turn to high ,it will unsq and key xmiter.. wd4egd If the 10volt board is fine can it still be any of these? I've swapped ALL the cards with known good ones. OK, are you talking about the cage itself keying it? What other board is there when all the cards but the 10v is pulled? I know it's hard to do this without being here...hope to get Fred out here soon to see what magic he can work:-) Ben --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Coy Hilton ac0y8@ wrote: If you have a schematic of the 10V regulator board and or the back plain if the card cage check in this order. 1. On the back plain Pin B12 of the 10V regulator board connector. 2. On the back plain Pin D4 of the 10V regulator board connector. 3. On the back plain Pin A14 of the 10V regulator board connector. 4. On the back plain Pin D3 of the 10V regulator board connector. 5. On the back plain Pin A12 of the 10V regulator board connector. IF any of these are Low0 or less than a volt or so then the key request is comming from off the board to the Keying circuit on the regulator board. If none of these are pulled low then it could be either Q5 or Q6 on the regulator board most likely Q6 will be shorted it actually Keys the Tx and turns on the LED. THe schematic for this board is on the Repeater-builders website where the LBIs are posted. Good luck! AC0Y --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, w4wsm b.runner@ wrote: Repeater. Does it with only the 10 volt card when no controller is hooked up. This started it's life as a repeater. It's not a remote base. --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Fred Flowers fred_flowers@ wrote: Yes there is a jumper. Is this a repeater? Most likely the trouble is the receiver or controller.
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Vega Tone remote model C-514B
The user side, please 73 Jack KR9Q _ Turn searches into helpful donations. Make your search count. http://click4thecause.live.com/search/charity/default.aspx?source=hmemtagline_donationFORM=WLMTAG
[Repeater-Builder] GE Master II ICOMs Needed
Need two GE Master II Icoms Transmit: 19A129393G15 420-450 MHz 2C 2ppm version Receive: 19A129393G4 420-450 MHz 2C 2ppm version Contact: Dave Meadows - K4LDI, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
