I’ve become aware that my Arrow may be failing. I’m less and less able to hear the birds towards LOS and sometimes it’s taking the 1st 1/4 of an FM pass to hear anything typically more than 30 degrees elevation.
I know there are many of you working at much lower elevations so I’m beginning to think I have a problem. It’s a salty environment here in C6 and there a little corrosion here and there. Sadly, I have no antenna analyser with me for UHF or VHF. I’ve already stripped it down once and cleaned everything so any advice on the following gratefully received:
What elevations is it reasonable to hear each FM sat using a THD-72 (listening VFO A). What other places might I look for reduced performance?
Thx and 73
de John, C6ATS
Without obstructions, you should hear all FM satellites horizon to horizon with an Arrow and TH-D72. I'd check out the internal duplexer as a possible point of failure.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 6:19 PM, John, 9H5G kk4oyj@gmail.com wrote:
I’ve become aware that my Arrow may be failing. I’m less and less able to hear the birds towards LOS and sometimes it’s taking the 1st 1/4 of an FM pass to hear anything typically more than 30 degrees elevation.
I know there are many of you working at much lower elevations so I’m beginning to think I have a problem. It’s a salty environment here in C6 and there a little corrosion here and there. Sadly, I have no antenna analyser with me for UHF or VHF. I’ve already stripped it down once and cleaned everything so any advice on the following gratefully received:
What elevations is it reasonable to hear each FM sat using a THD-72 (listening VFO A). What other places might I look for reduced performance?
Thx and 73
de John, C6ATS
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'd think coax is a more likely failure point (I speak from experience)
73, Gabe AL6D/VE6NJH (ex NJ7H/VE8 for those that experienced it with me)
On Jan 2, 2018 2:19 PM, "John, 9H5G" kk4oyj@gmail.com wrote:
I’ve become aware that my Arrow may be failing. I’m less and less able to hear the birds towards LOS and sometimes it’s taking the 1st 1/4 of an FM pass to hear anything typically more than 30 degrees elevation.
I know there are many of you working at much lower elevations so I’m beginning to think I have a problem. It’s a salty environment here in C6 and there a little corrosion here and there. Sadly, I have no antenna analyser with me for UHF or VHF. I’ve already stripped it down once and cleaned everything so any advice on the following gratefully received:
What elevations is it reasonable to hear each FM sat using a THD-72 (listening VFO A). What other places might I look for reduced performance?
Thx and 73
de John, C6ATS
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
Bypass the diplexer and attached coax completely with a single coax run to either the 70-cm elements or 2-M elements (depending on which band you are listening on). Compare the results to the antenna array with the diplexer coax arrangement. I had a failed BNC connector on my Arrow and have heard of folks with coax problems at the diplexer board.
Andy W5ACM And C6ACM when on appropriate cruise ships...
-----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of John, 9H5G Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 5:20 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Falling Arrow
I’ve become aware that my Arrow may be failing. I’m less and less able to hear the birds towards LOS and sometimes it’s taking the 1st 1/4 of an FM pass to hear anything typically more than 30 degrees elevation.
I know there are many of you working at much lower elevations so I’m beginning to think I have a problem. It’s a salty environment here in C6 and there a little corrosion here and there. Sadly, I have no antenna analyser with me for UHF or VHF. I’ve already stripped it down once and cleaned everything so any advice on the following gratefully received:
What elevations is it reasonable to hear each FM sat using a THD-72 (listening VFO A). What other places might I look for reduced performance?
Thx and 73
de John, C6ATS
_______________________________________________ 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
Pull everything out of line of an individual antenna and its feedpoint. Take a known good piece of coax, attach it to one of the bands (2 or 70 cm) and see if the results improve. Work backward from there to isolate which component is having a problem. But if both bands are not working, you already know there is a problem in a common component (diplexer or shared coax from diplexer to radio).
Bob N4HY
On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 6:19 PM, John, 9H5G kk4oyj@gmail.com wrote:
I’ve become aware that my Arrow may be failing. I’m less and less able to hear the birds towards LOS and sometimes it’s taking the 1st 1/4 of an FM pass to hear anything typically more than 30 degrees elevation.
I know there are many of you working at much lower elevations so I’m beginning to think I have a problem. It’s a salty environment here in C6 and there a little corrosion here and there. Sadly, I have no antenna analyser with me for UHF or VHF. I’ve already stripped it down once and cleaned everything so any advice on the following gratefully received:
What elevations is it reasonable to hear each FM sat using a THD-72 (listening VFO A). What other places might I look for reduced performance?
Thx and 73
de John, C6ATS
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 (5)
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Andy -
Gabriel Zeifman -
John, 9H5G -
Paul Stoetzer -
Robert McGwier