....

my setup for mobil was ft-857 with ldg at-110pro with Hustler antenna with triband adapter and resonators.

the way the setup worked was as follows

1. set at-100pro to autotunemode
2. set ft-857 ssb mode
3. key mike and push one of the Touchtone buttons on the mike
        ( this put out 20 watts constant power for the at-100)
4.most of the time the at-100pro would instantly tune since it remembers what settings work for each band and freq in a band..

my recommendation is an LDG autotuner...that is NOT radio specific (like the at-100pr0, at-200pro ) cause you can use it with any other radio when you decide on getting different radio.. this approach adds flexibility in any future radio choices....


my 2 cents which has been greatly reduced in value due to inflation


paul k3sf

hi

simple free solution

you can use teamviewer on the pc and on the mac. this will allow you to control the pc from the mac from anywhere on the internet. run whatever s/w on the the pc to control the radio. a good choice is HRD then use skype to handle the audio

my setup is as follows
home..

iMac running Vmware with Xp which is running HRD..which controls an Orion 565
both the iMac and VMware xp virtual machine are running their own instance of teamviewer...
i can allow friends access to the teamviewer and skype on Xp virtual machine
by which they then have remote control of the Orion with audio over skype

but
 
only i have control of iMac via the iMac teamviewer which allows me to monitor the virtual machine and shut it down of there is any problem or abuse ;-)

i also run IP based power switch to shut down everything in the event this is necessary
like timeout timer fails i can remotely shutdown the whole station
also
you should think of some timeout timer for the transmitter...

the remote computers have been...ipod touch, iPad, Laptop PC as well a macbookpro
teamviewer and skype run on all of these too

hope this helps

paul K3SF

hi

Based on you short description, i am assuming the following. That the elements failed due to metal fatigue as the result of a number of bending events due to winds and other weather conditions. The question i pose " are the other elements subject to the same events and the same bending events?"  My response would be similar but not the same as this is due to element  length and thickness, in short the geometry of the other element are different and most likely will fail in a similar fashion just hard to tell when and where.

you seem to have choices. One, refurbish the antenna by inspecting and replacing the appropriate elements. Two, refurbish the antenna by replacing all the elements. Three, replace the current old antenna with a new one.

I would rule out One because it is hard to detect metal fatigue without complex test gear

i would recommend doing a cost analysis of choices two and three and see what fits your budget. Also factor in that new T6 or even T8 have improved overall construction methods since you first purchased one and other antennaes on the current market may suite your current operating modes.  I currently have a 6 year old T8 that i greatly enjoy.

hope this info helps

Paul K3SF

i have had two different TET antennaes and this looks like one dual drive element concept with phasing  line...dont remember the 'spikes' could be used to add warc bands
paul k3sf

hi

i have a T-8 and has worked just fine for me

on yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TennadyneAntennas/
there are many there with T8s and a lotta  good advice

i also photographed my complete assembly of the T8 which can be found at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TennadyneAntennas/photos/album/1719437328/pic/list

from unboxing to raising..

manual doesnt offer much except step by step instructions which can easily get confusing
which is why i took pictures to help double check me as i went thru the process

no final measurement..

use of a balun is important..also more good advice from the group...


hope this helps some

Paul K3sf

hi

i have a new macbook pro 13 inch with i5 processor..i have installed 750gb hdd to replace the 350gb hdd and i installed 8gb ram upgrade...the ram is the most significant upgrade as this does affect overall performance...things run quicker with more memory..the hdd was due to a lotta data for my work

with this setup..

i can run vmware running xp for all my hamradio s/w and work s/w that only runs in pc environment while at the same time i am able to run other apps in OSX...this is mainly due to the additional RAM

the 500gb hdd should be sufficient BUT definitely upgrade the RAM to 8GB....

Paul K3SF

hi brian

i think sometime people think a bit too conventionally about sdr radio..oh listening to a single ssb or cw  or digital signal..there is a time for this type of activity..like when you want to make a contact

BUT

i think the big advantage is the ability to collect a large amount of spectrum data analyze and report what happening..SIMULTANEOUSLY

an example of this is cwskimmer..my setup is able to look at 196 khz using my sdr-iq and report in near realtime the activity of the current band being monitored..no way i can listen to 196khz and decode over 100 cw signals simultaneously...i then link it to to macloggerdx using the dxcluster spot feature and set an alarms  for countries i still need...

i use this setup cause it gives me the capability to have a local cluster of those station MY receiver hears and not some vague dxcluster posting...

once a station is noted as needed..i can fire up my more conventional sdr radio ( TT Orion)
by the way .. i can do this all remotely too..from an ipod touch, ipad or even my laptop

to me the  sdr radio is only part of an overall ham radio station...and how i want to enjoy the hobby
i have spent many hours sitting in front a radio and tuning and tuning and tuning..
listening to a lotta static in my ham life time...now i do like the assistance sdr and computers can offer to the  hobby

just my 2 cents ( which has been greatly devalued by inflation ;-))  )


Paul K3SF








have seen similar capability for digital modes too

ssb (voice and languages are  hard problems) is much more difficult but that would be the challenge for sdr..but the s/w would  have all the spectrum data from sdr ...

worked in 1979..card on the wall  KP1/N0TG 
on 10m ssb
so there are few of us still alive that remember when 10m being the band to work'em all

Paul K3SF ;-)

sounds like hygain 402b 40m 2el beam

see install of one at
http://wb4uic.com/40M/index1.htm

not my setup but nice job done by these guys..
although nobody had da hardhat on ;-(


manual can be found here
www.kb2ljj.com/Manuals/38-hygain/LJ-402BA.pdf


paul k3sf

i havent tried it but looks like VSPE (Virtual Serial Ports Emulator) might work...

http://www.eterlogic.com/Products.VSPE.html

32 bit version - FREE



just my 2cents and with inflation worth even less  ;-)

Paul K3sf

i use a IP power control unit... it has an internet/ethernet connection and a built in webpage that i can access remotely.  it has 8 power sockets and i can power up/down all or one at a time...i picked one up on ebay for about $40..these were used in computer server farms to do a power reboot of various servers..

i dont have a model number oto give now as i am away from home and i have shut down my remote station as i am in the process of a major rebuild...

paul k3sf

i use macloggerdx by ve3rw..which i pay for..i use cocoamodem by k7ay..which is free
if there was a 'good' mac version of HRD type radio control that would interface with the above s/w
i would be willing to pay some price just to be native Mac and integrated to these two great programs already.

with this kind of capability i could run remote station a lot easier than i do now...

jmho

Paul K3SF

hi.

.i  am long time Mac user...

my setup uses a Griffin iMic to do audio i/o via usb and appropriate connections to/from the rig to iMic....

the psk s/w i use if CoCoaModem (CCM) by w7ay...nice freebee that also does rtty, cw
the config panel in CCM allows you to select iMic for audio i/o for psk

simple

hope this helps
Paul K3SF

FYI....    your mileage may vary 
from paul K3SF

I currently use a tennadyne T-8, which is an 8 element LPA...it replaced a hygain th7dx.
i have also had cushcraft A3s....
and
another array  i had 
was 4 el 20m monoband, 5 el 15m monobander and 6el 10m monobander

the best overall performance was the stacked monobanders...(enough said)......

followed by the LPA  T-8  (couldnt fit the T-10  but more bands and better than the TH7DX)
followed by TH7DX ( one three bands but better than the A3s))
followed by A3S ( work'ed ok and better than my OCF)

copied from
MY Thought on the T-8 LPA on yahoo group for tennadyne LPA

This antennna just performs.

I have had the following antennaes on
the tower, cushcraft A3, hygain TH7DX and now the T8.
My reference antenna is 139ft OCF wire at 70 ft.

The A3 was 3 s-units better than ocf
The TH7 was 6 s-unit better than ocf
and
The T8 is 7 to 8 s-units better than the ocf.

Reference band is 20 mtrs. That was enough
to convince me that the T8 just works better.




same story as others about the instructions but i took some extra
time re-reading..and it eventually sunk in on how to assemble the
unit..

material quality is the best..high quality aluminum and stainless
steel used throughout. only had one problem and that was with the
boom splices not being properly machined to fit inside the boom. This
is a close tolerance assembly and a few thousands of an inch makes a
big difference.. easy vs hard to assemble.. after taking a few
measurement. I machined down the boom splices to a proper fit...looks
like the factory had started to machine the parts but didn't finish..
i let Roger know this problem via email.. so i figure they will keep
a better watch on QC'ing these parts.

i took a lot of pictures during the assembly process. this help me
make sure i was following the directions and to double check i was
using the correct parts. one thing i did notice from the pictures was
the elements segments that went into the boom had a small dimple on
the end that is to fit into boom.. not something i found in the
instruction but just noticed based on the close tolerence fit.. if
you dont use this key the element segment then have a little amount
(about 1/8 inch)sticking thru the boom rather than being flush with
the boom...may also affects the overall length of the element itself

picture are available on the yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TennadyneAntennas/

hi

FYI...


i use an internet power switch from WTI... I picked up a IPS-800 switch off ebay for aboput $50.. it allow for remote internet connection to control 8 power ports. it was designed to remotely power reboot servers thru it's own buillt-in webpage. This allows me to power up/down my remote station and all its components. unit i have is rack size but industrial strength.


Paul K3SF