Wednesday 13 August 2014

Faulty Aerial at G0ROZ-3.

Still not happy with the performance of G0ROZ-3, Paul G1ZKJ and I paid a visit to site today. The problem appeared to be that it was not repeating beacons from stations that were not nearby.
First of all we checked out the software and could not find a problem. We then checked the cables and the radios and they appeared to be okay. Next we checked the aerial. A check of the SWR showed that it had a maximum reading. We checked again with a second meter and had the same reading.
I was not happy as this was a new aerial that was only put up at the beginning of the year.
We did not have a spare aerial with us so Paul suggested that we use one of the old Job ones that are still on the mast.
The first one we checked had a SWR of 1:5. The next one we checked had an SWR that hardly moved the needle.
so we hooked the radio to it and the system burst back into life again.
It is now digi'ing packets from stations as far away as Portsmouth and Bath. I could even talk to my own station directly, which has not been possible for some time.

Here is a Selfie of Paul and I on the roof of the hut looking pleased with ourselves!

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