Tim, Ed
In my case, I am not as practiced with hardware as I should be. I do a lot more wire antenna work where it does not require delicacy...I am clumsy with huge hands and bad near-vision (in the Far Side cartoons, they call it "mechanically DE-clined."). I should be more comfortable, as part of the Radio Amateur's creed and as an Amateur Extra since 1990, but focus on work with travel 46 weeks a year has deteriorated my hardware skills. That added to my impatience is a sort of handicap of sorts. Although it sure was thrilling to get that preamp working late last nigh!
For sure, I have found that some sort of operator error or simple explanation is the culprit...both with the radios and at work with computer programming.
Mark Lunday WD4ELG wd4elg@arrl.net http://wd4elg.net