Catch Up and Consolidation

[Charlie Young]

Hello guys and gals

I am in the process of trying to unbury things around here.  It is a tall order.  Light can be seen at the end of the tunnel.  My health is improving, but it is a work in progress.  My ham radio philosophy is changing in response to my health condx and overall aging, but overall the favorite activities will continue   The interest is still there. 

Right now, all bands are functional except 2M EME and 160M.  2M EME was operational until I shut it down in frustration after experiencing long lockout periods due to Faraday rotation.   I bought all the parts to mount a vertical set of elements on the 4 antennas.  It would take some work to reestablish operational condx now even if we go back to single polarization.   However, in 3 months I confirmed 30 2M DXCC on LoTW with the original, and there is a real shot we could confirm 2M DXCC, with or without the XPOL mod.   I hope to reestablish 2M soon.  I may go ahead with the XPOL mod first.  This is not hard physically but is time consuming.    The work steps include:

1. Remove the antennas
2. Measure, cut and mount the vertical elements
3. Remount the modified antennas on the frame
4. Replace the phasing lines for horizontal elements and add phasing lines for the vertical elements
5. Wire up and mount the switching controls
6. I have the preamps and additional power dividers, along with coaxial relays. 

Bottom line, some work and minimal investment will complete the XPOL. 

Before starting this, I need get the amplifier work caught up.   My philosophy regarding amp collecting has changed.  We are going to slim down the amp collection.  We have started by loaning out two amps to WVDXA folks so they could wrk Bouvet.   I was too sick to timely repair their broken amps.   Ultimately, I will trade my amps for their broken equipment, or if they want to do it , will  just swap their original amp back in working condx. It will be their call.  When the smoke clears, I plan to sell two amplifiers from the original stash.  Tentative buyers exist. 

There are amps here for others that will be quick turn arounds.  A tube swap for W8LMG's Acom.  A functional test of K8WVA's solid state MFJ amp.    I have one MLA2500 remaining to fix for K8WV.  Then I have the two amps that are here due to the Bouvet swap.  I want to get the amp backlong thinned down before starting a major antenna project. 

My goal is to eventually reduce my own amp inventory.   This might help some others. 

My own project amps can wait.   Speaking of project amps, I am about to acquire another.    This is a very high power 6M amp from a KY estate.   A verbal offer has been accepted and we are making arrangements for pickup at Shelbiana.    This is all I need, another big amp project, but this one is built and hopefully just needs checked out.  This might replace 2 that are under construction now.  You have to acquire this specialized equipment when it is available at the right price. 

The amp uses a YC-156/3CPX5000, the same tube that is in Karl's green machine and in Bart's Bertha.  This tube will run comfortably at 1500W out in any digital mode, all day long. Depending on the HV power supply, it will do 10KW plus output.  On my EME setup the tube should last forever.   Legal limt all day with no failed tubes.   Digital  modes eat tubes, due to the high duty cycle.   Well, legal limit operation will not affect this one 😊.  It has reserve on top of reserve. Many of the big boys on EME have big reserve.  Some we know about and some we don't find out until they go SK.    The YC156 tube is cheaper than an 8877 now.   I it almost a no brainer.    I expect to have t do some work to this amp. 

For some time I have been considering trying a YC-156 on 6 meters.    This is not a straightforward application, because the tube is big physically and has a considerable amount of interelectrode capacitance  and capacitance to ground.   On higher frequencies, the stray capacitance can exceed the value needed for a tune capacitor.  The solution is to mount the tube in a way to minimize stray capacitance.  Even on 10 meters, some folks have had trouble getting the amp to tune properly.   I know some folks have successfully mounted and used the YC-156 on 6 meters.   This amp appears to be one of them.  I believe we can make it tune.   There are other techniques to use if needed.   For example, I can get my amp  tune without using a tune cap.  It tunes fine just with the amp internal capacitance.   If necessary, I think the YC-156 will do the same, although the builder includes a vacuum tune cap.  I will do some work testing the optimization fo the tuning.   This can be done with an analyzer without powering the amp.  This will be a low cost learning experience. 

Both my 8877 amp and K8RRT's 8877 do use a tune cap by the way.    It could have been made to work without it. 

Well, that is enough for now.  Just some musings about what we have planned. 

73 Charlie N8RR 

, 

[Bob Anthony]

Tnx Chas, for the nice write up! I have been missing them for a while. Hopefully you will get back soon to get everything back to normal 

7 3 

W8om  (Papa November) 

Bob 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WVDXA DX Reflector" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to wvdxa+un...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/wvdxa/CY5PR11MB6284791959092E7B91E4C4F6D8212%40CY5PR11MB6284.namprd11.prod.outlook.com.

[Tommy Hodges]

Thanks on the update Charlie. If you need help, lifting, moving, antenna work….whatever, you have my info. I can swing by of the evening or sked a weekend day. 

Glad you are on the upswings. 

Tommy K8AAT

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/wvdxa/CAM7ScTDTiRsUJC5g%3D8QLz%2BrB6rgmDttbObUHBGQpTHCDyUA9sA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Larry Fravel]

Charlie-

Great to see you on the mend and back on the reflector.  Just take it easy and don't push yourself. A little bit each day.  Things will get done.  

Larry K8YYY & Beckie

 Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. 
–Elvis Presley

--