开云体育

:) Dan


Jim W7RY
?CET Ma

Hi Dan,

Actually my repeater site is in my home. ?I should have specified that. ?I run a 70cm repeater and wanted to upgrade to hardline from the duplexer to the outside with a lightning arrestor to the antenna.

Thanks

Lewis

On Nov 25, 2022, at 4:53 AM, Dan Woodie <kc8zum@...> wrote:

?

This is Repeater-builder and there was no mention of a home - therefore it was assumed - and still is - that this solution is intended for a repeater site.??

I also disagree that this solution is inappropriate for a home.? A single or double port plate is much better looking than the hacked solutions many come up with.? ?Whatever you do, DO NOT use foam (great stuff, etc) to seal an entry.? This stuff decays very quickly when exposed to weather and mice and other small rodents will chew through it very quickly.

Thanks,

Dan Woodie, CETsr

KC8ZUM

On Thu, Nov 24, 2022, 3:41 PM Jim W7RY via <jimw7ry=[email protected]> wrote:

These are 100% totally overboard for a home.



Use a 2" pvc conduit sleeve (or large enough to pass your current and future needs) through the wall of you home.

73, Jim W7RY

On 11/24/2022 11:31 AM, Dan Woodie wrote:

Don't ever use that garbage.? Buy proper entry port, cushions, and boots.? They are readily available from Tessco.? Below is a 2-port 4" entry port I used at my repeater site.? Use a masonry hole saw to cut the holes then mount and seal this plate.? Get cushions appropriate for the cable size and number of cables used.? Below are some examples.? Remember you should have a ground kit on each cable outside of this port bonded to your EGB and a PolyPhaser on the inside bonded to your MBB/MGB - so installing this should be as easy as pushing 1 ft of cable through the port, installing the cushion and boot, tightening it up, and connecting the coax to the PolyPhaser.? Make sure you leave the provided rubber port covers on any unused entry ports.? Whatever you do, DO NOT do the hack thing and try to turn a port cover into a boot/cushion.? I have seen this too many times when idiots take a utility knife and just cut a hole - then they may try to seal it with Butyl which dries out and falls off over time.? None of this stuff is that expensive - just buy the right parts.









Dan Woodie, CETsr
KC8ZUM

--
Thanks and 73, Jim W7RY

If interested I have some Andrew type 40656A-3 wall/roof feed thru new in box.? View the URL below for details.? These are for a single run of 1/2 LDF.?

QRZ dot com for address / Email address.? 73 Bruce, W3YVV?

I would assume so, however I've never done any "non-ST" voting. Everything I use is either SpectraTAC or JPS SNV12 with status tone.

Most of the voting stuff I do is all in the cabinet and just used for diversity receive. You'd be surprised the difference that can make, by the way.

The stuff that is wider-area has E&M back-haul connected to it, so the status tone is OK to use.

Chris

--
Chris Baldwin, CETSr. (KF6AJM)
Trustee - MetroNET Cal. Intertie (KB3PX)

can anyone program a MDS UHF transceiver for me TLU28 ? This is not the data type radio it is the voice radio.
you can contact me off list by email
thanks
Steve Flory W9KOP
sflory@...
"I like climbing towers because people look up to me"

My experience has been the new black panel power supplies are less reliable than the older grey panel ones.

I have no comment on the difference in reliability between the old and new flavors as I don't remember having any failures. But I'll mention that I have a bunch (like, maybe ten) brand new black-version GE voter speaker/power supply units. So, if anyone needs one, I'm your guy...

--- Jeff WN3A



--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
www.avast.com

APC UPS = battery cooker.

APC = Another Panic Caused

I hate APC.

Actually, let me take that back. I love APC, they're a consistent source of
recurring revenue for us in the service business.


--- Jeff WN3A


--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
www.avast.com

They need to be checked on a schedule just like a flooded battery.? If you can't do maintenance, don't even install them.
Some of the things that happen, just like a flooded battery, they will sulfate over time and swell, sometimes short a cell
then the rest of the cells will overcharge and overheat and swell.? SLAs are no more robust than a flooded cell and
certainly don't last as long in cyclic service.? The small plastic computer type back-up systems just aren't big enough?
for a battery that last more than 10-20min tops, so it is hoped that the generator always starts within 5 minutes or the
battery will be toast and you will have to make a trip to the hill and replace all the batteries in those little back-ups
I would never put one of those on a hill because you often don't know how often or long the power has dropped until
the propane bill comes.

Also, make sure these are not sitting down in the carpet and don't have the battery door in the bottom of the unit or
things will get destroyed from a leak or maybe burn if a cell shorts.?

I have a surplus 350w unit that I picked up 3 for $20 and it runs the PC AND the ham radio in the home shack, but it
runs with an external flooded group 27 marine/start battery and charging system and can run for 10 hours of operation,
so I should be able to pull myself away from a pileup to start a generator or throw out some solar panels during that time.?
I was actually surprised it could do that without getting warm but I has no problem with that load.? There is no reason to
buy a new one every 6 months if you are going to re-engineer the battery system anyway.?

Once upon a time, a large network of terrestrial base stations had large 1500-3000va APC units with additional battery.?
It was a must to inspect the back-up systems anytime the vault was entered and yes occasionally the batteries had failed
or leaked.?

There is a good case for the whole site being on an inverter type battery backup.? The combined current drain is usually
a much lower average, so you don't have to plan for the maximum for each individual UPS on each station, nor would you
have to replace every battery if the generator didn't start.? I saw this at a site that had no AC service at all and originally
ran for many years 24/7 on a diesel generator.? This was changed to the Inverter/battery/solar and back-up generator
system and was very reliable.?

May be a little off-track, home vs "radio site."??

For my ad-hoc "entrance panel" I went to a local metal salvage/stock yard and acquired a 24" long x 2" wide strip of 1/8" brass.? Cost me maybe $20.

Drilled it out to hold several various protection bulkheads (12-13) and mounted it under the eave of the garage/office/shack structure.?

Bonded it to the station ground at the base of the tower 8 feet below.? Every feedline from the tower and a few off-tower wire antennas have drip-loops then 'meet' the panel before feedline enters the structure.? Most of the feedlines coming off the tower are 1/2" hardline or Superflex, only a couple runs of 'RG-8' with silver-plated N.??

It's a 'hack', not pretty, XYL tolerates it hidden behind a decorative panel around the lower 8 feet of tower (because it's also amid the pool patio)?

Fortunately, Silicon Valley, where we don't have severe weather or much moisture and we've never had little furry critters. After 3-1/2 years fortunately no corrosion or connection issues.? As well the station ground is run to a bus inside the shack top which everything is individually bonded. If a different environment I'd probably have to re-create it in some form of 'small' outdoor cabinet and deal with a lot more weatherproofing.

Also hosting a local 440 repeater, in addition to HF, a variety of "dual-band" rigs, and a couple of the antennas run to the bench for test purposes.?

开云体育

If you are only going to put a surge suppressor on the feedline you will have wasted your money. It takes more than that. Powerline protection, single-point grounding panel, and protection to anything else the repeater is connected to (Internet, phone line, etc.).

Chuck
WB2EDV

Agreed. I quit buying APC years ago and never had that problem again. Also, I don't replace the battery when it quits, I replace the entire unit. I'm talking about the 1000-1500 VA range UPS.

Chuck

开云体育

Hi Dan,

On Mon, Nov 21, 2022 at 09:58 AM, Burt K6OQK wrote:

Matt,

I used a circularly polarized antenna on the WA6TDD repeater back in the 70's and early 80's. The antenna was a single bay antenna made specifically for the repeater by the JAMPRO antenna Company as a test for the 2-way world. It even has de-icers!? If you're familiar with the JAMPRO Penetrator antenna, this was the same antenna with the exception that it was center mounted; the mast was straight down below the white insulator at the feed point. This replaced a (linear) Phelps Dodge 4.8 dB gain Super-Duper Storm Master antenna.? The gain went from approximately +4.8 db to - 3 dB.? The ERP went from 100 watts to approximately 13 watts. Just to clarify, the repeater transmit was now circular and all of the users were linear; none of the users were circular.?

The difference in coverage of transmit was amazing. For example: at the time I worked in a 33 story building with 6 levels of underground parking. With the linear antenna I was able to copy the repeater with its 100 watts ERP about 25 feet into the parking entrance and that was it. With the circular antenna on the repeater and a 19" spike on the top of my car I was able to copy the repeater solid down to the 2nd level and hear it spotty down to the 5th level.? At some places on the 5th level I could find spots that were almost full quieting.? People that listened to the repeater with radios like the old Patrolmen type receivers claimed that they no longer had to place their receivers near the window and fiddle with the antenna, they could now take the radio anywhere in their homes and hear the repeater with no problems. It was solid through areas like the Santa Ana Canyon and Sepulveda Pass.

I was one of those users back then. ?

And for those totally unfamiliar with Los Angeles geography (probably 99% of the readers) the attached JPG will provide some context.? The repeater on Mt Wilson is in the upper right of the image, Sepulveda Pass is my sloppy red line, it's on the left side and about 25 miles from the transmitter.? Burt's old work location with the 5-level deep underground parking garage is at the green circle and about 20 miles from the repeater.?? His mention of Sepulveda Pass is significant as to the performance of the Jampro antenna.?? The pass is about 6 to 7 miles (9.5 to 11.25 km) long, and the walls are from 200 to 1000 feet (60-300 m) tall depending on where you are in the pass.? The 405 freeway (4 lanes in each direction) is a major north-south traffic thoroughfare in the pass.? When the repeater was on the linear antenna it was hearable for about the first mile when going north or south. With the Jampro it was solid copy for the full length - the dead zone wasn't even there.

Nobody has discussed UHF yet.? Back in 2020 I talked to Dielectric about taking one of their CP antenna designs and special ordering it for ham band UHF.?? The nearest stock US frequency is channel 14 which is 470 to 476 MHz.? In the Los Angeles area (and many others) that's a commercial 2-way band, with 470-473 as repeater outputs and 473-476 as inputs.? I help maintain over 40 commercial repeaters in that range.

They were quite interested in making them.?? VHF as well.

They suggested this model....? Their words were: "this is the one you want":?? https://www.dielectric.com/antenna/dlp-low-power-antenna

Another page: https://www.dielectric.com/manuals/dlp-ib

As an alternate, they suggested this:?? Dielectric DCR (less expensive but single bay):?? https://www.dielectric.com/antenna/dcr-m-hdr-m

Several of the sites where I have commercial equipment have a 406-512 master receive antenna and a number of multiple cavity "window filters" feeding a mess
of repeater receivers at 440-445 (ham), 445-460 (commercial), 465-470 (ditto), 473-476 (ditto) and 508-511 (more of the same).??
The repeater transmitters are +5 MHz for ham, -5 MHz for 450 and 460 MHz, and -3 for 470 MHz.??
Multiple repeater transmitters are combined (as many as five) to a single transmit antenna.?? CP transmit antennas would be a benefit in this situation.

Dielectric pointed out that several models are designed to combine multiple TV transmitters and can be up to 60 MHz wide.

But the boss wouldn't spring for one...

Mike WA6ILQ

At 11/24/2022 09:53 PM, you wrote:

Whoever said SLA batteries do not leak was wrong. This is what I found when responding to a report of fluid leaking out of a UPS. Because the battery was swollen it took some convincing to get it out of the UPS. The inside of the UPS was wet and the battery was split open on both sides. My best guess is that the trickle charging circuit in the UPS failed and overcharged the battery until it burst. So much for the theory that sealed lead acid batteries won't leak.

I've seen stacks of bad APC UPS batteries at work. ALL of them were swollen.

APC UPS = battery cooker.

Bob NO6B

I have been reading this on ad off and decided to add my 2-cets
I am using both the new and older style GE voters for my 6M repeaters.
My experience has been the new black panel power supplies are less reliable than the older grey panel ones. Comparing the electrolytic filter caps to those used in the early supplies and one can see GE went to cheaper parts. This was discovered after a black panel supply started adding 120Hz hum to audio. The older (much older!) grey panel supply never had any hum.?
I replaced all electrolytics with fresh new 80C rated caps and they have been working well ever since.
Another gripe, removing a PS module is a PITA in these things, the line cord is hard wired and goes out the back so if you need to replace a PS you have to access the rear of the rack and fish the cord out as you pull the module. In some instances this can be a job. if they had used a plug/socket it would have been a lot better IMHO.? ?

I aso had one black face voter card fail. With its surface mounted components its basically trash now, no troubleshooting those things! Older grey panel cards have never faulted on me, maybe because they use pot cores.
There was a method of avoiding the problem with the older cards using incandescent lamps, because they send a fault when the lamps burn out. I think we added dropping resistors or used a higher voltage bulb but can't recall, this is one area the black panel cards are better with their LED's.? ?
As they say, YMMV so just be sure to replace the filter caps in the supplies, either new or old if you want to avoid a field trip eventually.
Despite all this, GE voters are great!? ?
Reid W6MTF

I contacted the OEM and got a quick reply. One of my questions is that they still are in business.? They had trouble obtaining certain parts in the past. I assume that's some special I.C.s.?? I would imagine the next version's engineering will take that into consideration. So far I'm impressed with what they have put out. I'll running over to that Group for further discussion.
--
-
Regards, Karl Shoemaker
To contact me, please visit SRG's web site at?
for the current email address.

Remember, too,that copper and alum are not very close on the Galvnic chart so use the proper interfacing "grease". Look up on line about galvinc (spelling?) corrosion.
Copper is more expensive however, most of the commercial and State remote mountain top sites go with that metal and not needing to "fix" such metal differences.
I found a copper ground buss at a fraction of the new price at a second-hand store.
All your line's outer shield will be copper anyway.?

On that other thread the transition points were not discussed, or from what I saw.? In this case you do want your runs to take sharp bends, hopefully 90°.
Lighting travels fast (LOL) and does not have nice "tires" to hold the corners so it flies off. Just have a "nice" landing place for all that voltage :)
RTFM.
--
-
Regards, Karl Shoemaker
To contact me, please visit SRG's web site at?
for the current email address.