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On Sat, Apr 7, 2018 at 12:20 AM, Jim Panttaja panttaja@... [FT-857]

<FT-857@...> wrote:

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Thanks all who commented.

Still wrestling with it..?

Yes - the antenna is not physically grounded - relying on a mag mount. But it has worked… (Of course I can say that about any suggestion - because it worked until about a week ago).

The power to all outlets remains at about 13 volts - even though the radio reports less.

I have cheated on the wire - just ordered a bigger gauge wire

Also order battery connectors (all connections are PowerPole) with rings so I can get away from CLA

It tunes right now at 12M and 15M and fails at 18M and 20M. Sometimes the antenna does not go up and down - so the lack of voltage is impacting the tuning. But interesting that it tunes as 12M and 15M.

In about 10 days I will be back at my ‘home’ base - and will try my power supply connected to 110 and see what voltage readings I get on the radio.. (We are full timers in our Airstream - but periodically get back to a mailing address and a storage unit with supplies). I will also set up my tripod mount - although I don’t expect any difference in results. I do run radials off of that - but do not connect a physical ground.

Jim

KM6GUO

On Apr 4, 2018, at 8:52 PM, Jk mwblacksmith@... [FT-857] <FT-857@...> wrote:

The FT-857 draws 22amps at 100watts.

Hook a volt meter to power input connector on radio and validate your loosing 2-3 volts.

Check you batt and ground connections are ?solid. ?

Increase your wire gauge feeding the FT857 if you have reduced the wire size and or increased the length feeding power to the radio. ? ?

The tune system on the antenna supplies ?two different positive voltages to the antenna through the coax. ?One triggers up and other triggers down. ? ? I expect the voltage drop to radio is confusing the logic in the antenna controller. ?

If you install a dummy load and your voltage drop problem goes away, then your antenna may be drawing excessive current as if motor drive is binding. ? ?

K0var

On Apr 4, 2018, at 9:30 AM, Jim Panttaja?jim@...?[FT-857] <FT-857@...> wrote:

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I am operating my FT-857 with an ATAS-120 out of my Airstream Trailer. I have solar panels on the Airstream with two standard batteries. I connect the FT-857 to power with a CLA.

The ATAS-120 is mounted with a mag mount on my car next to the trailer.

When I try to tune the antenna - it works sometimes and not others.. Routinely the voltage (as reported by the FT-857) drops to 10.2 or lower while tuning. I assume I just don't have enough juice (although the Airstream reports that the battery is at 12.4 or even 13+ at the time).

But it does tune sometimes.

When tuned - no one 'hears' me. I have been trying for the last three days on FT8 - and no contacts (though I report signals). When I transmit - again the FT-857 reports a voltage drop to 10.x even though the base voltage is reported as 12.x - matching what the Airstream reports it has.

Does this sound like just a voltage issue - the battery isn't delivering enough (even though other measurements of voltage seem fine). Is there a better intermediate battery that I should use - charging it from my solar? With 200 watts of solar, I more than keep up with my needs in trailer this time of year. Currently camping in Lee's Ferry, Arizona..

By the way - this has worked successfully within the last month in other camped locations. So perhaps the voltage is a red herring, and my signal is just propagating from this location.?

Jim

KM6GUO

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