Well I'll be!  E-ham actually had someone who complained loud enough, that they drove a ham company out of business!

Congrats, WB3DLO....

Sarcastically Yours,

Bill

 

OK, many of you are missing an important point here; The U.S. Postal Service AND UPS.

What you hear from the lame street media every time postage goes up, is that "the price of a stamp will be going up".  They NEVER tell you how much package shipping and DX shipping is going up.

Last January 21, 2013, the prices for USPS SKYROCKETED!  A 40% average increase across the board on parcels!  

Parcel post is a non-issue, since they keep the price just a nickel or dime below Priority Mail.  There is no such thing as First Class after you get above a few ounces in weight.  It automatically becomes Priority Mail.

Since January 21, 2013, I have had to turn away DX orders because it costs more to ship the customer my antenna than the price of certain antennas!  I had to turn away an Australian customer last week because the shipping was around $40 for a 3 pound package!  Earlier this week, a German ham said no thanks... after he learned the $40 antenna he ordered would cost $23 to ship!  If you Google further, you will find that the USPS is literally driving some mail order companies out of business because of their horrific price increases.

Now, regarding UPS: Had you had the connectors placed in a "bag" envelope, your connectors would have poked through, or had been dented/smashed/crushed, etc.  Then you would be on here discussing how The Ant Farm didn't ship it "the best way".  BTW, UPS pricing isn't much better UNLESS you do thousands of dollars worth of shipping with them every year, and then you qualify for quantity discounts.

Many of you have no idea what we are facing out here in the ham business world.  From the new Obamacare taxes, to possible 50 state sales tax collections the Senate took up this week, to the huge price increases and collusion between the USPS, UPS and FedEx... it may be time for some of us to just call it a career.

After 25 years, I am seriously considering throwing in the towel on December 31st, 2013.

BTW, does anyone want to ask why the USPS is spending MILLIONS OF DOLLARS on "Secret Shoppers" like Bare International ? ? ? ?  

http://www.baidata.com/custom/client_files/profiles/USPSGUIDELINESLANDINGPAGE-12941.pdf

73, Bill

I just received an e-mail from Barry at Hy Power Antenna.  He basically said the same thing about coax loop chokes.

I think this would be a sturdier installation anyway; running a double sided PL-259 to connect the current balun/isolator to the PAR ten meter and then running the coax straight out of the current balun/isolator.

73, Bill

Anyone see any possible issue of using the PAR OA-28B antenna with the Hy Power GULI 6-160 current balun?

Here's what Dale at PAR wrote:

On our VHF/UHF antenna, we build the balun into the matchbox. But on HF,
given 1KW+, it is impossible. So you may either use a current mode choke or
wind up (the) feedline.

I know I can make a current balun with the appropriate diameter/number of coax loops.  However, I am looking for a long lasting, professional style installation.  I can't climb the roofs like I use to....

http://www.parelectronics.com/hf-omnis.php

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/5472.html

73, Bill - WA8MEA

13 Colonies - The standard by which all other SE's should emulate.

Certain other SE's should learn from 13 Colonies.  Enough ops so there isn't a problem with no shows or late shows, as with the other big SE's.

OK.  160 has now opened up here in Michigan. 

I connected the Icom 745 to the power supply I use for all of the other rigs.  (The 745 was actually using its own INTERNAL supply, until I switched....)

After several QSO's, all seems well and good.  I even had one helpful ham playback a recording of myself....and it sounds excellent.

Thanks Dale; and to one and all!

73, Bill

Dale said:


Thank you Dale.  All other requested info is/was irrelevant.  For brevity's sake, I reduced the info to the necessary facts.

I had an old Yaesu that had RF issues via the power supply.  I suspected the same issue here.  But before moving a bunch o' equipment around, I wanted to get a confirmation from someone else with a lot of experience.

Thanks Dale and Happy New Year!

73, Bill

P.S.  Poor choice of words; directly and indirectly.  Indirectly meant connected through my coax switch.

I think I know the reason for this situation.  I guess I am looking for confirmation. 

When using my four different rigs, only the Icom IC-745 gives me horrible transmit RF on 160 meters using a standard dipole with about a 1.3:1 minimum SWR at 1900 KHz.

One of the other rigs, an Icom 718, seems to be much more vulnerable to RF on other frequencies with unconventional antennas and feed-line.  But the 160 meter dipole works very well with the 718.

I have the same problem if the dipole is connected directly or indirectly to the Icom 745.

As stated above, I have an idea where the problem might be.  I just want to see if others in this group duplicate my theory.

73 and Happy New Year,
Bill - WA8MEA
http://HamRadioFun.com

Why not simply add a transverter???

http://www.elecraft.com/XV/XV.htm

Why couldn't it be the dummy load?

I was one of those that thought all dummy loads were the same, UNTIL I ran across one that gave me a 3.5:1 SWR on certain bands.

I didn't see it in your original post, BUT....do you show 30 watts into a dipole or antenna with approx. 1.5:1 (or better) SWR on 160 meters?

I use a 160 meter dipole on my 718 and it QUICKLY drops down to 35 watts and a 3 to 1 match about 80 KHz away from minimum SWR of 1.2:1.

73, Bill

BTW, your external speaker wires are still soldered/connected just the same as always.  It's just that this third lil' piece o' wire has been added for grounding to the chassis.

That is all.  You my now resume normal programming.

The Icom IC-718 has been known to have its external speaker jack "loosen up" so that proper contact isn't made, which can result in an occasional incident of "dead air" reception. (Usually at a very inopportune moment....)

Figuring this was a very similar problem to the Sangean 818 receiver's antenna jack, where the external antenna jack ground would separate from the PC board, I quickly surmised that instead of opening up the rig....it was best to "re-ground" the jack from the outside of the rig.

I took and soldered a short piece o' wire to the ground side of the 3.5 mm plug and connected a small alligator clamp to the other end of the short piece o' wire.  I clipped the alligator clip to the ground post a few inches away and BINGO....the ground side of the plug/jack are now firmly grounded to the ground. (Like the lady in the Toyota commercial says....)  No more intermittent audio problems.

73, Bill - WA8MEA

Oh, boy Alan....

You are gonna get about as many opinions with this question....as hair follicles on a butt cheek.

For some reason, I am one of those who believes that certain companies/products are just snake-bit with some folks.  It's like Ford, GM and Chrysler.  Some swear by them; while others swear at them.

I, too, gave up on the switching supplies because of the RF hash.  So that meant regulated supplies with heavy transformers and BIG shipping charges.

My first issues started with Astron.  I bought TWO 25 amp supplies that buzzed more than my electric chain saw!  I then upgraded(?) to a marine battery and smart(?) charger until the smart(?) charger went haywire and started a fire in the shack.  So back to power supplies.

I began with Tripp-Lite...on the "Lite" side.  A four amp for QRP stuff and a 10 amp for VHF stuff.  They have worked perfectly for more than a decade.  I then opted for an MFJ regulated for the HF rigs.  Fan was noisier than my Lesko box fan in the summertime! 

I then went to Amazon and found a new Pyramid PS-36KX dirt cheap and free shipping. (Which is great for as much as this regulated variable supply weighs.)  That supply has been working FB for me for several years, IN SPITE of the fact that the on/off switch broke a few months ago. (I simply wired it permanently on and put an on/off switch in line with the AC power cord....) 

So, in my opinion, which is worth a plug nickel to many....a Tripp-Lite or a Pyramid should do you well.

73, Bill

All is done.  All is well.  Could not have gone any smoother.  My neighbor was right all along.

Those rods didn't even budge a fraction of an inch out of the ground!  But is was still nice to have the logger chain as a precaution.

(BTW - Lowering the mast pipe would have meant dangerous and unnecessary tower climbing.)

This one young man who was helping (he's a freshman or sophomore in college), it's really the first time I've stood next to him. (He's either coming or going in and out of the house with my son, so I've never really had a good look at him.)  Anyway, this is a giant of a young man!  I asked him if he played football in high school.  He said, yep. (Obviously.)  I said; "You must have been the entire offensive line!"  He replied; "And defensive line."  I immediately gave him the nickname "Mongo". (For you "Blazing Saddles" fans....)

This young man could have done the job himself.  I forgot how much my son said he could bench press.  But I think it was two of me....and I'm a pretty big dude.  But he's my new go-to tower man.

The biggest problem was the coax and a defective connector.  I had hardline on there and was simply going to swap out the antenna.  Until I found the hardline was loaded with water and totally corroded!  Made me so mad, that hardline wasn't that old.  But that fiberglass antenna just crumbled and allowed water inside and down through the coax.  No wonder it wasn't working right.  So I had a good supply of RG-8M on hand and used that.  The first connector decided to break....defective.  Second PL-259 went on without a hitch.  Wrapped the coax to the mast pipe and raised her back up in a matter of minutes....anchored her down and started climbing it to put the dipole back in place!

I say an Arrow 1/4 wave two meter ground plane and RG8M coax is a trade UP from a dual band Comet with wet and corroded hardline.  I sure am hearing a lot more.  Folks on the mid-range repeaters say I am sounding MUCH better.

A good day.  I will be sore tomorrow.  But that's why God made Advil....

73, Bill

All is good.  I have installed a HUGE eye bolt through the wall at the bottom of the garage....with a logger chain wrapped around the bottom of the tower several times and chained to the eye bolt.  If the bottom does decided to come up....it won't move but an inch or two from some slack in the chain.

I guess many are missing the point.  This system is NOT heavy in total weight at all....just TOP heavy.  It's a fiberglass vertical, not a beam.  But we still don't want to lose control of the tower with the bottom swinging out from under us.  The logger chain will now guarantee this.

I did the preliminaries this morning.  I took down the horizontal support pipe for the 60 meter dipole and moved that 60 meter antenna out of the way.  Climbed up and securely wrapped the rope around the upper part of the tower and brought both ends down to the ground....tying a knot towards the ends and then about a yard or so up....giving us guys on the rope some added grip.

We will file a report tomorrow evening on how everything is operating....

Bill