On 6 Jan 2008 at 18:59, Andrew Rich wrote:

Does anyone have any detailed info on a AG-35 ?

When you de-power the preamp, does it goto bypass ?

I just install a brand new one on my 17 elem linear yagi here is my report

1-Instead of been able to work SO-50 AO-27 only at +- TCA i start to hear them at AOS +3 degrees the same at LOS.

2-The inside relay is a big plus as i have 2 burn preamps sitting near me with so tiny FET that i don't know when i will be able to try to play in them!!! The relay switch off when he's getting RF but i don't recommend using it in full QSK CW.

3-I powered it with the internal Yaesu FT-847 DC over the coax but i switch to an external DC injector as i like high meter reading... probably a trend from my past CB era :) but i found been able to switch the internal preamp give some help when polarity change side on overhead pass (Effect on signal most noticeable)

4-I got absolutely no desense my 2 meter uplink is a KLM 2M 14C but ass soon as i tilt the antenna below the horizon i start to see desense the meter goes up too. It is quite a dramatic razor sharp effect as soon as main lobe power is directed towards the earth the preamp became desense. Is it because he pick up reflection or because he gets more direct RF? question remain open for discussion.

5-As a past non believer of mast mounted preamp i found there is more gain at the mast than at the shack.

Here is my observations but i cannot compare one brand against another one as i found been able to copy the sats from one horizon to another is enough ;( I don't fiddle too much with noise ratio figures and gain actually probably i can develop a more critical approach when getting older and when having not too much stuff to do...:)

Our normal winter WX here helps a bit to not complicate thing too much when sitting on the tower at minus 10C. or in rain at +5

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE