Good morning,
If the noise is the constant, never changing, S-8 hiss on 20 meters, which message thread is the _basis_ for deciding whether or not to purchase a DSP noise inhibiting speaker or audio circuit?

Is it his message thread?
or is it this review:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6982
or this?
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/7500
or this?
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/3712
or the recorded demonstration on this website?
http://www.w4rt.com/

Sorry about posting this twice; got error the first try, but it took anyway.  Trying to delete the redundant posting, but not finding a link to do the delete.

Ham Radio monitoring of the Black Knight satellite surfaced on the abovetopsecret web site.


http://www.excludedmiddle.com/valisknight.htm

Historical records of the ham radio operator monitoring of the Black Knight satellite might be interesting.

Disclaimer: I neither believe or disbelieve the article; that the article surfaced again on a very large website causes the subject matter to be somewhat interesting.

Ham Radio monitoring of the Black Knight satellite surfaced on the abovetopsecret web site.


http://www.excludedmiddle.com/valisknight.htm

Historical records of the ham radio operator monitoring of the Black Knight satellite might be interesting.

Disclaimer: I neither believe or disbelieve the article; that the article surfaced again on a very large website causes the subject matter to be somewhat interesting.

Hello,



Details, times, and links are at:
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread417671/pg1

73

Hi K0BG, thanks for replying and thanks for other replies as well.  The extent of my involvement was amazement in the amount of spectrum the offending station was encumbering.

For readers who noted that I use a login in lieu of a callsign, I attempted to explain in this message thread:
http://www.eham.net/forums/SiteTalk/1415?page=2

Thanks again, and 73,
Jack

Hi K9OSC,

Re:

Thank you.
Although I've been flamed (for using a login vs. callsign), mostly on QRZ, I never respond in kind; I ignore the flames and let the flamer just flame out.


Point taken.
Technically, as far as I can tell, login is required; if I hit the reply button without first loggin in, the forum presents a login page.

I believe you are probably referring to the use of a login in lieu of a traceable callsign, yes, I do that.  And, yes, I've been severely reprimanded for that on QRZ.com.  For anyone who wishes to admonish me, have at it.  What I post is respectable and courteous, and mostly consist of questions because of my inexperience in ham radio.  

For those who just must have an explanation as to why I use a login in  lieu of a callsign, here it is.   Whether this explanation is acceptable to those who would otherwise flame me, doesn't matter.  Nonetheless, in order to be a decent and law abiding member of this forum and to participart constructively after I learn more, here's the reason I use a login.

Several years ago, I insulted an individual engaged in organized crime and cost him business by protecting others from what he was about to do.  A chronology of what happened was published (with my consent) in a large west coast newspaper.  Since then, I've gone to extraordinary measures to maintain online anonimity, as these people will track me down and cause me to become less healthy.

Thank you, K9OSC, for allowing me to jump into this message thread and post this; this seemed to be the most appropriate thread to post this in rather than starting anew.   I will maintain a copy of your message, and refer to it often.

For the record, I prefer to use my real callsign, but I don't dare do so. Paranoid?  You bet!

73

This posting assumes the possibility of disregard for the 1.5kw legal limit.

Last weekend I would have liked to have checked into one of the 14.300 nets*, but, as I soon discovered, those nets were overwhelmed or otherwise shut down by adjacent splatter from contest operators. So, I put on my shortwave listener hat and discovered that the most powerful splatter affecting 14.300 was coming from a contest operator on 14.314, who was dominating about 1/4 of the 20M band.  Very careful tuning of the FT-897D left no doubt that the offending station was most intelligible at 14.314, and that his sidebands stretched down below 14.300 and way above 14.314.  Two extra class local hams told me that I did the right thing by refraining from contacting the offending station.

Local hams enlightened me about typical causes of splatter.

For a station to be “jamming” such a wide chunk of spectrum, is it likely he was using a broadcast power amplifier (far in excess of legal limit)?  Or, is it likely he was using one of the CB Radio “competition-class” amps (ie. Fat Boy, Texas Star, etc.)?  Are there hams out there that use extreme power (above 5kw). in defiance of the legal limit?

One more question, if I may.  Would it offend a ham if I politely informed him of the amount of spectrum he was transmitting on, eg, "Sir your signal is S-9 from 14.301 thru 14.320."

If I ever engage in splattering, I would hope that someone tells me early on; I'll back off and fix the problem.

73,
Jack

*Not a big deal for me, since I didn't have emergency traffic.

Hi VR2AX,
Thanks, I have the parts on hand, and I can access that 6.3 volt right below the meter.

Hi Alan,
    I'm new to the SB-200; I did the Harbach mods, including the soft-start mod already.  Two Extra class hams strongly recommended install a standby switch (RCA jack going into the Harbach soft-key mod) to reduce stress on the tubes, etc, even though the Svetlana tubes are instant (or near instant) on.  

    I anticipate not using the linear all the time; by switching on if needed, or starting on and switching off.

    I'd like to take this opportunity to raise another question, if I may.  Using a peak reading watt meter, I am running about 550 to 750 output.  The book sez that I should show 2400 volts on the hi voltage, but I show only 1900 to 2000 volts.  Am I too low?

     I would speculate that it's the age of the amp that accounts or less than 2400v, and that the Harbach power supply upgrade and/or a full rebuild would bring it up to 2400.  Well, the bottom line is that the amp works great and brings in good compliments from distant stations.

Thanks much,
Jack

Hi,
A push-pull pot is on the way to allow the Rel Pwr Sens switch to function as a standby (blue wire, Harbach relay mod).  The push pull pot has extra contacts that I can use for a LED (or whatever) indicator (ie, 2 color LED to show standby or active status).  

Where, in the SB-200, can I tap a 5 to 12vdc power source to power up indicator LED?

Alternatively, if I should draw power from the meter lamp, what size/type diode(s) and resistor should I use?

I did a cursory search here, prior to posting this.

Thanks much,
Jack

Thanks, Steve, for letting me know it's the tip.
Cheers,
Jack

Hi again, Steve,

RE: Is the TX/GND then passed to the tip or center of the 3.5mm jack?

It would seem that it's most likely the center band, not the tip, since it functions as TX REQ before the jumper is moved, but I need to ask to be sure.

Thanks much,
Jack

Hi Steve,
Is the TX/GND then passed to the tip or center of the 3.5mm jack?

Thanks,
Jack

Hi K0BG, N5MZL, and W6SZG,

I'll sure appreciate your expertise.

I just got done installing the Harbach Soft Key and the Harbach Soft start into SB200 and the linear didn't blow up in my face. Yea!

Before connecting to the RCA female connector on the back of the SB200, I need to know what I'm doing vis a vis the ALC port on back of the FT897d.  I was told that it can be used to key he SB200.  On the male 3.5mm plug, do I wire to the tip or the center (besides other wire to gnd)?

Thanks very very much!
Jack

Thanks W3HF for the link; thanks to others for replying.  

I need to report the flawed questions to the NCVEC at their website prior to posting here, in order to be respectful to them and to avoid blindsiding them.

Thanks much,
Jack