Graham,

I had almost an identical experience yesterday (3/23/8) and numerous times in the past.  I've concluded if your not DX or don't have a "big gun" sound you're not fit for the peanut gallery bunch to respond to.  If I bother to turn the amplifier on and turn the beam toward big metropolitan areas I can snag a few QSO's.  Stay barefoot on the vertical and I can forget about a response to my CQ.  

I now do mostly contesting.  At least with that people are always willing to communicate albeit for only a few seconds.  Besides contesting is fun.

73,

Jim, AB0UK

Hi,

Didn't see mention of the display problem.  The transistor controlling the brightness of the display fails.  It's caused by heat build up from running the display at LOW brightness.  The transistor and display makeup a voltage divider.  When the display is ran at a low brightness a larger voltage is dropped across the transistor which causes it to overheat and fail.  With that low serial number the problem might not have been diagnosed when the rig was updated.

I've had an IC-746Pro for almost four years.  I have about $500 in repairs over three trips to the shop.  It's a great radio except making an expensive trip to the shop about once a year.

Jim, AB0UK

Correction....

Mid way thru the last paragraph above in my reply I should have said something like feed the audio to the transmitter rather than from the sound card to the computer.

Sorry 'bout that.

Jim, AB0UK

Good question.  There appears to be no established standard as to what is legal and not.  Yeah, when it splatters all over that is probably not good.  Different people with different equipment see it differently.  About a year ago I received a notice from an "official observer" (think thats what they call themselves) that my signal was too wide and "may" (their words not mine) contain other undesireable products.  Less than five minutes before I had asked someone about my signal and was told it was fine.  I had been running PSK almost daily for over a year at that point and had received no adverse comments in a year.  Since the notice I've ceased to do PSK because of the open interpertation of what is good and bad.  In some cases now the FCC is sending out notices after the third notice by an official observer for things like this.  

Most other modes are limited in transmitting bad signals by the equipment involved much more so than PSK.  There is a device advertised in QST that is supposed to measure IMD on transmitted PSK.  PSK software only measure received sigtnal IMD not your transmitted IMD.  I have not used the device but if I ever decide to get back into PSK it will be in use in my shack.  You might consider such a device.  

Be sure to turn off all bells and whistles in your rig.  These include compressor, DSP, (some rigs use them during transmit), RIT/XIT and equalizers (both receive and transmit). Keep your volume control at the normal level and set up your ALC per the manual for your rig.  ALC's operate and appear different on different rigs.  Use a commercial interface or if you homebrew your own be sure to use an isolation transformer between your rig and computer for transmit and receive.  You'll need a photo coupler isolator for PTT.  Without the transformer and isolator you most likely will have a ground loop causing a 60 cycle hum in your audio.  The transformer on the transmit side will also keep any microphone bias voltage out of your sound card.  Feed your computer with the mic level output from your sound card.  Do not use the line level...it is 30 plus db higher than mic level.  The mic level is the lower level of the two outputs.  Some sound cards only have one output and it is line level.  You'll need a resistor divider network to drop it to mic level.  Set your audio level out of your computer at less than 40-50 percent.  If your interface has adjustable levels set them for about the same.  Frequently ask other operators about your signal quality.  If you are home brewing your interface check on the internet for plans.  You'll find many there.

Best of luck and have lots of fun.  

Jim, AB0UK

The Alpha Delta DX-LB+ does 1.8 to 30 Mhz for about $140.  It is 100 feet long.  However, at the moment you may not be able to find one.  I've had a DX-LB on back order about three weeks from HRO and have been told it may be several more weeks before delivery.  I tryed to upgrade the order to the "+" and was told the same thing.  My understanding is Alpha Delta is filling a military contract.

Jim, AB0UK

Hi,

Several factors should be considered.  

1.  High duty cycle modes like RTTY at high power should be cause to consider a larger cable like RG-213.
2.  High SWR between your tuner and antenna (~>4:1)...ditto on larger cable.  Possibly put the tuner at the antenna base???  Remember the tuner only matches the impendence of your rigs output to that presented by the coax when connected to the tuner.
3.  Sharp turns or twists may cause migration of the center conductor....ditto on larger cable.
4.  Exposure to sun and a rough environment....ditto on larger cable.  Resulting heating, twisting and flexing can again cause center conductor migration.
5.  I've sold coax of various brands over the years and the brand you mentioned is relatively inexpensive but there are better quality brands in my experience.  Quality RG-213 for the distance you mentioned would only cost you $10-$15 more.

Try running 500 watts of RTTY into an SWR of 5:1 for 15 minutes and then run you hand along the cable.  You will find section (length and distance depending on frequency) that are very hot to the touch.  

Center conductor migration can lead to arcing and changes in characteristic impedence and hence changes in SWR and etc.

Lots of luck,

Jim, AB0UK

Hi Dave,

Some additional thoughts.  On initial reading it appeared that you were trying to get the SWR from 2.0 to <2.0.  To me now it appears that you may have said that even after tuning it is still >25:1.  If that is the case it sounds like the antenna is somehow not connected or is shorted inside the unit.  If possible put it into bypass mode and read the SWR with your rig's SWR meter.  Normally that should actually be something less than 25:1 SWR.  An SWR of 25:1 probably indicates a direct short or open in your antenna system which includes your tuner.  

Knowing MFJ's tendancy to add a little mystery to each of their items I would open the case and carefully check all solder and other mechanical connections.  If you don't find anything obvious that you can correct I definately would exercise their one year "No Matter What" warranty.

Good luck again and 73,

Jim, AB0UK

Hi Dave,

My tuner is the MFJ-994..big brother to the 993...rated at 600 watts.  Under setup on page 9 in the 994 manual the target SWR can be set to 1.5 or 2.0.  Yours may be set at 2.0.  Also, SWR threshold may need setting per instructions in Auto Tune SWR.  

Don't know if the above will correct the situation but it is a place to start.  Good Luck.

73,

Jim, AB0UK

Hi Rob,

In my estimation another major factor with an inverted vee is that it's take off angle is increased over a flat top.  A flatop top installed 40-50 feet up will have a take off angle around 10 degrees, maybe more or a little less.  An inverted vee can be 20-30 degrees or even more depending on the angle between the sides.  It should always be at least 90 degrees....120-150 would be better.  The flatter the vee the lower the take off angle.  Obviously the flat top would be better if you are chasing DX.

If you really want a challenge try modeling it in something like EZNEC software or other simliar program.  A free demo version should handle this.

Have fun,

Jim, AB0UK

With all due respect gentleman no one really answered my question as to what is the mission of MARS today.  Someone said "communication support."  Please elaborate more on that.  Remember my experience with MARS goes back to 35 years ago plus.  I would really like to understand what it is doing these days before I decide to try again to get into it.

My home is in Colorado and my interest is in Air Force MARS.  I am very loyal to the Air Force.  I've tryed several times over the last three years to get a handle on this and have ran into road blocks in every instances.  I even left my name and contact information at the Hamvention MARS booth one year and never heard a word from anyone.  Yes, I was told by email that I had to have 12 hours of training before I could be issued a call sign.  That was my understanding of the way it was explained.

Jim, AB0UK

Does MARS have a simple and concise mission statement?  What is it if it exist?  I remember MARS from 35 years ago and obviously it has gone in a different direction.

How does one actually get into MARS.  I tryed to join about a year ago and was caught in a typical catch 22.  I was sent an application to complete.  It said I had to have 12 hours of training before getting a call sign and it had to be on a net.  But, they forgot to tell me where and how to find the nets....something about local nets frequencies vary.  But, no place to find the frequencies.  (BTW, how do I check in without a call sign?)

Thanks for any light.

Jim, AB0UK

Hi,

I own both radios.  I've had the VX-5R for about two years and the FT-60R for just over a month.  The former is smaller than the later and it does 6 meters.  Never done much with 6 meters on it.  I've heard it is next to worthless on 6 meters.

The FT-60R is a bit easier to use (program) than the VX-5R and that is the main reason I purchased it.  it has a seperate squelch control.  The squelch control on the VX-5R is menu controlled.  That really became a severe problem for me on foxhunts.  Probably the main reason I finally decided to find a simplier radio.

There are a few (how many???) FT-60R's that the display darkens almost to the point of not being able to read it when the temperature goes below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.  I experienced that problem on my first one.  The second has it to a much lessor degree.  The FT-60R gives no indication when the battery is charging or is completely charged.  When you turn it on it does give the battery voltage.  The VX-5R tells when charging and when complete.  Audio on both is about perfect in my estimation.

Recently I've found on the FT-60R that a plug in ear/mike piece will work it's way out of the socket a bit and cause the radio to transmit until you realize what is happening and push it back in.  The radio gets awfully warm after a few minutes and of course people don't like the QRM.

The price on the FT-60R at HRO has recently been dropped to $194 and the VX-5R to $199.  If you live near a dealer buy one and try it a few days and if you don't like it swap it for the other.  Basically, for me on a day to day basis the FT-60R is easier to get along with than the other in spite of it's own short comings.

Good Luck with your decision.

Jim, AB0UK

My review here on eHam mentioned the display problem when cold.  The first was almost not usable here in Colorado when outside on a normal winter day.  A couple minutes out of the pocket and the display was almost totally black.  The replacement FT60R is from a different serial number group and has the same problem but to far lesser degree.  Our local club just purchased one for a prize at our upcoming swapfest.  It is from yet another serial number group.  It too has the problem to a small degree.  Average person might not notice it without being told.  I understand Yaesu is looking into the problem.  By the time they go through all their analysis it probably will be months before a resolution is reached, IF they decide to do anything.

I have no experience with the other Yaesu you mentioned.  The FT60R is a bit easier to use than say the VXR5.  But as mentioned in my review there is no way to know the battery is charging or is charged on the FT60R.  It does show voltage when turned on.  Might get the one you seem to perfer and try it for a couple days and if it doesn't suit you exchange it for a different radio.

Good Luck,

Jim, AB0UK

The following information comes from several sources.  Height = 28 ft, Cost = $289, Ground plane = simliar to MA5/6V, Capacitance hat to obtain electrical 1/2 wavelength.  To be released in December 2004.

That above information was from a couple months back.  Looks like they may miss the December date.

Also, most Cushcraft antennas have some kind of balun, either built in or an external that is made and installed by the owner.  This looks like it will be the same.


Good Luck,

Jim, AB0UK

Hi Allen,

This past summer I put up a Universal aluminum self supporting tower that is the 9-30 model that you mentioned.  It has a Cushcraft A3 and Cushcraft 6 meter 3 element beam on top with a rotor.  It has a 2 meter j-pole on a side arm at 20 feet.  Another side arm is at 28 feet for a wire antenna.

I built everything on the ground with the tower propped up about eight feet high at the top.  It sat on a 6 foot step ladder at about the 25 foot level.  Total weight of tower, rotor, masts, three antennas and two side arms came to nearly 150 lbs.  It took four people to push it up into place.  We added a fifth person to get it initially started.  Two of the four were on my roof pulling on ropes attached at the 25 foot level and two were actually on the ground walking in to the base as it went up.  We could not have done it with less people.

I tryed to walk the tower up myself with only the rotor and mast installed and could not.

Do not under estimate the project.  It took me about six months of serious planning and work to get it up.  Plan every step in detail, write your plan down and discuss it with someone knowledgable with amateur towers.  You have not mentioned digging the hole for the base nor pouring the concrete nor grounds nor cabling.  They will all be major task.  You mentioned being older....I'm 62 years old and had to have lots of help from lots of friends.

There is an article about my tower in the August 2004 issue of our local clubs newsletter.  I don't have the URL in front of me.  However, do a Google search for PPRAA (Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association).  Once you have found the site look for the 0-Beat (newsletter's name) link.  I believe it is in the upper right of the opening page.  The article with pictures is in the August 2004 issue.

It is a doable project that you will be proud of if you do it right.  If you have thoughts or questions email me at ab0uk@yahoo.com and I will try to help you.

Best of luck my friend.

Jim, AB0UK