Hi folks,
The grid expedition to FO00 is over, and it was a success despite the technical problems I was experiencing.
Many months ago, in my satellite infancy, I removed the stock diplexer from my Arrow antenna and replaced it with a Comet (or Diamond?) diplexer. The commercial diplexer was built in a heavy cast cabinet and used SO-239 connectors. It was big and heavy, so I took it apart and installed it in a small Hammond diecast aluminum cabinet with BNC connectors. Much smaller and lighter. I attached it to the Arrow's boom it worked like a charm up until last weekend.
Late Saturday night, while struggling in the dark to connect a cable to the diplexer I noticed that one of the female BNCs on the cabinet kept spinning as I attempted to lock the cable into place. Eureka!
I opened up the diplexer cabinet later that night and found that while the center conductor connection was still solid, the ground/shield connection was shaky at best. I tightened it as best as I could and the problem went away!
I want to thank you all for the many helpful responses. I read all of them carefully and followed all of the suggestions, to the extent that I could...800 km from home and with only a Swiss Army knife and needlenose pliers with me.
73 and thank you again!
Ken Alexander VE3HLS
-------------------------------------------- On Fri, 3/31/17, Ken Alexander k.alexander@rogers.com wrote:
Subject: [amsat-bb] Problems with my Arrow To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Friday, March 31, 2017, 8:24 PM
I just checked the SWR using my FT-817ND's built in meter. I connected directly from the 817 to the appropriate connector on the Arrow.
At 435 MHz the SWR meter shows 5 bars, which doesn't sound good to me.
At 145 MHz I get a very brief indication of 6(?) bars and then the the bars immediately disappear. This sounds to me like a protection circuit engaging, and subsequent presses of the mic button produces no output. It also explains why I practically never get into SO-50.
The FT-817 manual is silent on the meaning of the bars on the SWR meter. Does anybody have an knowledge of the 817's SWR meter that they could pass along to me? Any assistance would be very gratefully received!
Many thanks in advance,
Ken VE3HLS
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I almost suggested removing the Arrow diplexer if you had one and connecting the radio or meeter directly to see if it was the antenna or diplexer, but since you were using an 817 I figured you had two and were operating full duplex without a diplexer.
73, John Brier KG4AKV
On Tue, Apr 4, 2017 at 12:44 PM, Ken Alexander k.alexander@rogers.com wrote:
Hi folks,
The grid expedition to FO00 is over, and it was a success despite the technical problems I was experiencing.
Many months ago, in my satellite infancy, I removed the stock diplexer from my Arrow antenna and replaced it with a Comet (or Diamond?) diplexer. The commercial diplexer was built in a heavy cast cabinet and used SO-239 connectors. It was big and heavy, so I took it apart and installed it in a small Hammond diecast aluminum cabinet with BNC connectors. Much smaller and lighter. I attached it to the Arrow's boom it worked like a charm up until last weekend.
Late Saturday night, while struggling in the dark to connect a cable to the diplexer I noticed that one of the female BNCs on the cabinet kept spinning as I attempted to lock the cable into place. Eureka!
I opened up the diplexer cabinet later that night and found that while the center conductor connection was still solid, the ground/shield connection was shaky at best. I tightened it as best as I could and the problem went away!
I want to thank you all for the many helpful responses. I read all of them carefully and followed all of the suggestions, to the extent that I could...800 km from home and with only a Swiss Army knife and needlenose pliers with me.
73 and thank you again!
Ken Alexander VE3HLS
On Fri, 3/31/17, Ken Alexander k.alexander@rogers.com wrote:
Subject: [amsat-bb] Problems with my Arrow To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Friday, March 31, 2017, 8:24 PM
I just checked the SWR using my FT-817ND's built in meter. I connected directly from the 817 to the appropriate connector on the Arrow.
At 435 MHz the SWR meter shows 5 bars, which doesn't sound good to me.
At 145 MHz I get a very brief indication of 6(?) bars and then the the bars immediately disappear. This sounds to me like a protection circuit engaging, and subsequent presses of the mic button produces no output. It also explains why I practically never get into SO-50.
The FT-817 manual is silent on the meaning of the bars on the SWR meter. Does anybody have an knowledge of the 817's SWR meter that they could pass along to me? Any assistance would be very gratefully received!
Many thanks in advance,
Ken VE3HLS
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (2)
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John Brier -
Ken Alexander