• SITE:
  • Installed original Vertex VXR-5000 Local Repeater, new Kenwood TK-8150 Link Radio #901000091?and original RLC-1 Controller. No problems.
  • New heavy duty chain and two new combination locks at entrance. BBARC lock totally missing. The lower lock appeared to open with our BBARC lock combination number. Locked up behind us on our way up. On our way down, we discovered the the BBARC lock combination did not work. The phone numbers we had either were not the person who had the combination, or went unanswered. The lady at the motel informed me that she did not have the combination. I left a note with her explaining to the surface manager that we would cut the chain and insert our lock. We lifted the red ATV over the chain and used the ramp on my trailer to get N5HYD's ATV over the chain.
• DC SYSTEM:
  • Replaced cable between the Solar Panels and the Charge Controller.

• SITE:
  • Installed new system with Kenwood TKR-750 Local Repeater, Kenwood TK-8150 Link Radio and RLC-1 Controller. Very stong signal present on the input to the Local Repeater whenever the system was keyed up. This signal was a dead carrier with PL on it. Also reports that the Local Repeater transmitter was very weak even though the transmit power and return loss metered good. Of course we didn't notice any of this until we were back at the truck. We made a second trip up in the afternoon to retrieve the new system.
• LINK RADIO:
  • The Kenwood TK-862G Link Radio has an induced audio ticking noise apparently coming from the Charge Controller. This would happen at first key-up for a few seconds until the Charge Controller would change into charge mode. N5HYD thinks this is due to the very low audio levels used by the TK-862G Link Radio.

• SITE:
  • Returned system to site with new Link Radio.
• LINK RADIO:
  • New Kenwood TK-862G #90300022 installed.

• SITE:
  • Removed system from site for repairs (bad Link Radio).
• LINK RADIO:
  • Very distorted receive audio. Slowly got worse over a matter of a month. W5ATO tested antenna etc but we all decided that the old Motorola Link Radio was failing.

• SITE:
  • Site off air at night. On air at arrival at ~10:30 AM.
    Someone had worked the road and it is easily passable with ATV's.
• LINK RADIO:
  • Added jumper to simulate mic hang up to the front panel microphone connector. I had to leave the Controller jumper J5 (Link COR Active Low) because that what I was seeing from the Link Radio. The software for the Link Radio shows that COR output is supposed to be Active High but reality doesn't agree.
• CONTROLLER:
  • J5 Open (See LINK RADIO).
• DC SYSTEM:
  • The original, 1 year old batteries were out of water. Probably due to the modified Charge Controller. Replaced Charge Controller with MorningStar unit.
  • Installed 4 new deep cycle batteries.

• SITE:
  • Site off air on arrival. Cycled power to Controller and site came on-line but constant squelch noise from one of the radios. Removed old radios and controller.
  • Installed Local Repeater Vertex VXR-5000 repeater #4J080046,
  • Installed Link Radio Motorola Radius #778TRJD150.
  • Installed Controller Link Com #1048.
• LOCAL REPEATER:
  • -111 on, -115 off, 15.5 watts (measured in lab).
• LINK RADIO:
  • -117 on, -118 off, 1.5 watts (measured in lab).
  • No COR signal from Link Radio. Constant MON light on Link Radio. Maybe because my mic jumper is wrong? Opened jumper J5 in Controller to lock Link COR to Active High (always on). Used command *806*2 to set Link Radio to COR AND PL receive.
  • Moved antenna to point to Elephant Mountain.
• CONTROLLER:
  • J5 Open (See LINK RADIO).
• DC SYSTEM:
  • Installed 4 new deep cycle batteries.
  • Added bolts to reconnect one of the back vertical mounts on solar panel mount.

21 Aug 2004
W5ATO, N5HXZ, (some other people too)

• SITE:
  • Attempted to reach site. Road was impassable even after spending a day working on it. Pulled back to regroup.

• LOCAL REPEATER:
  • Replaced receiver RF and OSC sections. Added G.E. Preamp. RX sensitivity decreased from 3.0 uV to 0.3 uV.

• LOCAL REPEATER: 
  • Aligned RF. Receiver would only go down to 3.0 uV.
  • Increased TX from 12 to 20 watts.
• LINK RADIO:
  • Adjusted squelch.
• BATTERIES:
  • 13 volts and 7.2 amps charge current from solar panels at 12:00 noon.

• CONTROLLER:

  • Changed call from KB5SJU (SK) to N5HYD.

• ALL:

  • Built new system.