Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
Just trying to have the output match the sensitivity of the input.? The input makes it miles and miles farther out when just running the repeater barefoot.? About 100 gets it to parity based on a rough guess.
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Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
This is great information.? We have a few cavities around that may have been exactly for this at one time or another.? Will look into it.
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Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
It really sounds like water in the feedline issue.? Fiberglass antennas are not for repeater use…but we do what we have to.? Fiberglass bends with the winds and creates micro-cracks over time…resulting in “crackling”.? One could replace a fiberglass antenna several times over the years before the cost becomes greater than that of a nice Decibal Products antenna.? Are you running digital and is the PA compatible with digital?? Did it every work correctly?? Attach photos of your setup…repeater, cans, antenna, feedlines, jumpers, etc…maybe someone will spot something. ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jason Weisberger via groups.io
Sent: Thursday, April 3, 2025 12:02 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [repeater-builder] UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues? I'm sorry, correction.? Input is 447.900.
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Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
4 cans aren’t going to do it. Why all the power hungry? ?Turn drive down and enjoy it.
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On Apr 3, 2025, at 12:02?PM, Jason Weisberger via groups.io <jason@...> wrote:
? I'm sorry, correction.? Input is 447.900.
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Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
Hi
I can tell you that a 4 can duplexer does not provide enough rejection for 100 watts. Six cans of BpBr are needed with higher power above 40 watts.?
That's why these small mobile duplexers with six cans of only rejection are only?good for 40-50 watts.
Maybe you can simply add two more BpBr cavities.
Charles Adams K3HKZ
Industrial Communications Co.
Mobile 610-360-0050?
Office 610-253-1214?
cadams@...
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I'm sorry, correction.? Input is 447.900.
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Re: UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
I'm sorry, correction.? Input is 447.900.
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UHF Repeater Input Frequency Issues
Hello from Michigan!
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I'm wondering if some folks have an idea of what might be going on here.
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Equipment:
Yaesu DR-2X
Glenayre 97 series 250W UHF amp
Glenayre 2728 PSU
Sinclair preamp with a PA8075 chip.? Output split to 8 ports.? ASSY 363750, Board 261022
4 can UHF duplexer.? Unclear make/model.
1/2" Heliax, N Connectors
Polyphaser
Diamond 11dBi fiberglass vert
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I have an amateur band UHF repeater I've been working with exhibiting the following symptoms:
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Input desense when output amp is turned on, set to 100W.? ? It's being driven at 100W due to power supply current limitations of a single Glenayre 2728.? We've turned this off for now and are running the repeater barefoot at medium power (~20W).? This resolved this issue.? We'd obviously like our 100W back.
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Now what we have, again with the amp off and disconnected from RF, is that the input is nearly completely gone after significant rain or snow.? After the roof of the building dries up from evaporation, the input comes back.? There is no water in the antenna, feedline, or connectors after double checking all of this with 24 hours of rainfall.? SWR seems to be the same whether the input is functioning or not.? I'll attach photos of a NanoVNA sweep taken while the input was not working yesterday.
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I have someone running down to the site today to attach a regular HT to the antenna directly, bypassing the repeater, duplexer, and preamp.? With the input currently down, we'll see whether the HT fares better.
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Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Pic 1: Base of tower, connection to polyphaser.
Pic 2: After duplexer
Pic 3: After Polyphaser, 60ft of Heliax, but before preamp and duplexer.
Input frequency is 442.900.
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Thanks I will take a look. ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of M M via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 10:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [repeater-builder] TPL PA6-1AE UHF amp? An attenuator something like this one may be easier....?? use your
existing 5w input amp... I have no idea who this guy is, I'm just using his auction as an example.?? But $27 and free shipping? Decades ago I saw an attenuator between an exciter and an amplifier... it was a (roughly) 100 foot coil of RG58....? Please don't do that.
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An attenuator something like this one may be easier....?? use your
existing 5w input amp...
I have no idea who this guy is, I'm just using his auction as an
example.?? But $27 and free shipping?
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Decades ago I saw an attenuator between an exciter and an amplifier...
it was a (roughly) 100 foot coil of RG58....? Please don't do that.
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Mike WA6ILQ
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Re: THREAT TO 222-225MHz Spectrum
I am not just a ham, but I am a master falconer, and help?with tracking Wildlife collars. For??USF&W ?And the collars and bird tracking transmitters?operate on the 219mhz ?spectrum.
On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 12:43 PM, MICHAEL MAY via groups.io <may2142@...> wrote: Remember guys that it's not just us hams that may be interfered with either.
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Up here in Oregon the 217 to 219 MHz range is heavily used by the Electric power company for Their Tier II capacty plus DMR system.
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If we also make other non ham users of the band aware that they will also suffer then this could help us out.
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Chad,
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The easiest solution by far is an external power attenuator between the TPL amplifier and your transmitter to reduce power. This is a bolt on, or rather thread-on option that works easiest.
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Power attenuators are easy to order from Pasternack, ebay or Amazon and can be ordered with appropriate "N" connectors attached. Calculate the power you need to dissipate and the dB level of attenuation for the correct "drive", order appropriate model, then attach..... That simple!
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The above is the "solderless" solution to your problem........
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? ?You can't 100% rely on what the manuals say for TPL over at RB because if you own a later FET designed amplifier, they have no manuals for them, (RD60/RD70 FET) designs from the early 2000's onward till their demise.
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Rick w6re
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Re: THREAT TO 222-225MHz Spectrum
Remember guys that it's not just us hams that may be interfered with either.
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Up here in Oregon the 217 to 219 MHz range is heavily used by the Electric power company for Their Tier II capacty plus DMR system.
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If we also make other non ham users of the band aware that they will also suffer then this could help us out.
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?
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Re: DR-2X Failure to Switch to DC
Yes Mike pulled me head out of my rear end with his answer.
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The 120VAC coil would go between battery output and the repeater (either plug or hard wire config on your repeater), all it is doing is not letting the charging current to enter the repeater. If you lose AC Mains, he relay drops out about as fast as the system tries to swap to backup and you never notice anything. It has no effect on normal use, plugged into a wall outlet.
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Kory
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Re: DR-2X Failure to Switch to DC
Does the repeater still work on AC supply?
I ask because there's another failure condition which requires power cycling the RX and TX chassis's with a external FTM-400 control head. I had one on the shelf for months that wouldn't power up and that was the simple fix. Unfortunately no power button populated on the internal pair of FTM-400 control head boards used to drive the repeater's front panel.
Jeremy. K1LFK
See post 211955, if you break the DC lines with a high current 120VAC relay then you don’t have to remove any fuse or worry about the charger inducing noise. The battery will charge when AC is present and will be isolated from the repeater then will connect the battery when AC fails.?
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Re: DR-2X Failure to Switch to DC
See post 211955, if you break the DC lines with a high current 120VAC relay then you don’t have to remove any fuse or worry about the charger inducing noise. The battery will charge when AC is present and will be isolated from the repeater then will connect the battery when AC fails.?
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Re: DR-2X Failure to Switch to DC
Jim,
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You might know off the top of your head, in reference to the F6001 (1 amp ) fuse. If you were to pull this fuse from the circuit, #1 it should "disconnect" the internal battery charger circuit output and #2 will it have any effect operational wise on the repeater??
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As many of us know don't let the repeater charge LifePo4 batteries, my thought was and I can not find anything anywhere really on this, use an external charger on a 120VAC coil for on/off states, with this fuse removed, it should eliminate the internal charger and I do not see any reason it would have any negative performance results to the repeater itself.?
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Next Question on this line, has anyone heard of anyone complaining about RFI/EMI noise issues (transmitted over the air like a hum or whine) charging the battery with an external charger, during repeater normal VAC operations? I know HF world some power supplies can cause a whine/squeal/hum to be transmitted.
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This will be our first (two of them) Yaesu repeaters, and just trying to get some facts to get them ready to go on the air soon.
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Thanks
Kory
W4RZ
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Hey joe thanks for that, I'll have my radio shop guy maybe take a look at it and see what wecan do. I don't dare go in there because I'm blind and I don't know what I'm looking for. Chad Nelson WI9HF/WRPL979 Janesville Wisconsin 608-754-8671 Send from my spectrum iPhone 16.
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On Apr 1, 2025, at 9:12?PM, Joe Burkleo via groups.io <jburkleo@...> wrote:
? Chad,
From what I see in the manual, it says 1-6 watts input for 70-100 watts output.
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My experience with various TPL amps is that a little less drive is better than over driving them.
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It looks like the label on yours doesn't quite match this copy of the manual. That is not all that uncommon.
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I would start at 3 watts and work your way up. If you get to full output, that's where I would stop at with drive level.
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As was mentioned in a earlier post if you delete the pre-driver board your amplifier becomes a PA6-1BE and requires 10-15 watts drive for the 70-100 watts output.
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Joe - WA7JAW
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Chad,
From what I see in the manual, it says 1-6 watts input for 70-100 watts output.
?
?
My experience with various TPL amps is that a little less drive is better than over driving them.
?
It looks like the label on yours doesn't quite match this copy of the manual. That is not all that uncommon.
?
I would start at 3 watts and work your way up. If you get to full output, that's where I would stop at with drive level.
?
As was mentioned in a earlier post if you delete the pre-driver board your amplifier becomes a PA6-1BE and requires 10-15 watts drive for the 70-100 watts output.
?
Joe - WA7JAW
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Re: Tektronix Y400 vs Anritsu Cell Master
Thanks for the insight on this and the detailed comparison. I ended up buying an HP8921A but will consider the Tektronix or Anritsu down the road as a more portable option. Thanks again.?
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Re: Quantar running on batter
Thank you.? I will have check that.? Not familiar with Motorola or most repeaters in general and have never had to program one to use a battery, but that explains why.? ?Just need to get my old laptop working again so I can.
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Wayne Childers