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BBARC 146.920 Sibley Ranch Maintenance:
NEED:
Distilled water
- Tower
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Lay out and mark locations for guy anchors. Jim Dacus will have fence crews working his and Sibley's fences drill the holes for the anchors in the near future.
20-30 mph winds and tower was visibly swaying and base was visibly rocking. Guys need to be installed ASAP.
- Power
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Batteries were a little low on water and we topped them off with water left on site.
Need to take 2 gallons of distilled water to leave on site on next trip.
- Power
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Primary repairs of Iron Mountain fire damage. Fire started due south west of the site about 9 miles from site, on May 9, 2011. Fire reached the site within 3 to 4 days. About May 13, land owner Hiram Sibley informed Bob Ward that exposed wire had been burned, but other wise there wasn't much damage.
The morning of 23 May, the repeater finally stopped working just before 8:00 am. Through the rest of the day the sight never came back up. A trip to the site was made that evening and the burned section of the power wire from the primary solar panels to the charge controller was cut out and new wire was spliced in using crimp type butt connectors. No voltmeter was available but a test light showed the solar array was producing plenty of power (very bright light.)
After making the splice repair, the charge controller still showed LVD mode. Jumper cables were connected from the repair truck to the repeater batteries and within 3 minutes, the repeater came back on line. The batteries were left charging from the truck for about 15 minutes. The LVD may activate again, but if there is no other damage to the charging circuits or the batteries, one or two days should bring the charge level high enough to stay above the LVD level overnights under normal usage. It may take several more days before the batteries reach 100% charge level, but they should be ok. All water levels were good.
One 4x4 timber at the far end of the battery box from the batteries, had burned and was completely gone. The box was scorched on the outside and the inside was heavily covered with soot from the smoke.
- SYSTEM:
- Ongoing interference problem. Replaced Local Repeater with another Kenwood TKR-750. Controller with another RLC-1, and Link Radio with a Kenwood TK-862. Interference still there... Returned original equipment.
- Did lots of testing. This time it was part of Hector's "...Please wait, Julie...t" announcement that triggered the interference. Much debate.
- We decided that the problem is most likely some remote ham radio that is listening on 146.920, falsely decoding, and responding with a ~1/2 second acknowledgement key-up on the 146.320 input to the repeater. This key-up is on frequency and has the correct 146.2 CTCSS tone on it. We think that means it is a incorrectly programmed radio out there somewhere.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- CWID deviation too high. Reduced from 109 to 30.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Ongoing interference problem. Repeater 'blipping'. Difficult to control the repeater to turn it off. Noticed that when I pressed a 1,2,3 (4?) or 5, that I could get -something- to transmit on the repeater input for just a second or so. It was strong enough to interfere with controlling the site from my base at the house direct, or from anywhere up the link. Also noted that the problem may have gone away after we discussed it over the air as maybe being someone's cross-band repeater. W5ATo went up to investigate. Nothing found.
- BATTERIES:
- LINK RADIO:
- No link receive. Receive audio could be hear if local repeater was transmitting with a local user, during CWID, etc. In other words. Link receive signal was present, but the link would not bring up the local repeater PTT. Problem probably caused by errant DTMF commands intended for 146.620 being mistakenly sent here. Used the stock RLC-1 Controller commands to command the Link Port to 'off', then, 'COR And PL' receive.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Changed CWID from N5DO to AB5BB.
- LINK RADIO:
- Replaced Kenwood TK-8180 #9110003 with Motorola SM-50 M34DGC20A2AA #682FYE8833. This was done to get rid of the muddy Link Radio transmit audio.
- CONTROLLER:
- Controller had been physically reset and was mostly in default mode. Reprogrammed to Nov 2008 programming version
- BATTERIES:
(No maintenance data recorded between 15 November, 2008 and 27 March, 2010.)
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Changed CWID from N5HYD to N5DO.
- Enabled 3 minute time-out timer.
- LINK RADIO:
- Time-out timer changed from 1200 seconds (20 minutes) to 180 seconds (3 minutes).
- Installed 2 ADM modules. One module is backwards and sticking slightly out of the rear of the controller. The connector on it needs to be flipped over to the circuit board side.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Removed G.E. MastrII repeater.
- Installed Kenwood TKR-750K2 repeater, serial #81100467.
- LINK RADIO:
- Removed Vertex FTL-7011.
- Installed Kenwood TK-8180K2, serial #9110003.
- CONTROLLER:
- Removed Link Communications RLC-1, serial #1471.
- Installed Link Communications RLC-1 Rev E, serial #1327, 10 turn pots installed.
- POWER:
- Replaced 3 regular deep cycles batteries.
- Installed new voltmeter.
- Replaced single 12 gauge pair between the Charge Controller and the Repeater Cabinet with two 10 gauge pairs.
- Replaced single 14 gauge pair between the Charge Controller and the Battery Stack with a single 10 gauge pair.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- No power output. Traced problem to an open jumper between the P.A. Final Board and the Output Filter. This is the usual place where we get solder cracks. Replaced jumper with 12 gauge stranded wire.
- LINK RADIO:
- Increased power from 2 to 10 watts. We still have transmitter high frequency roll-off and dual PL transmit on the Link Transmitter but I think it is a design problem.
- SITE:
- POWER:
- Batteries down to 11.8 Vdc. New panel wiring open and some of it is missing.
- Added two panels to new panel rack to replace the two panels that were lightning damaged on 21 August 2005 and 22 June 2003.
- Replaced all wiring between the new panel rack and the Charge Controller.
- Replaced Charge Controller model SCI1-12, serial 990089 with MorningStar model #SS-20L-12V, serial #05382711 but I don't think the original Charge Controller had failed.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Cut C-16 at H-12 to eliminate local Repeat Audio from mixing with the audio from the Controller.
- LINK RADIO:
- Replaced Vertex FTL-7011 #2M130011 with #01010050 but there is probably nothing wrong with the original radio.
- SITE:
- Full alignment. 3.5 + 0.5 in for 4.2 out.
- Added ground wiring inside Radio Box, Charge Controller, and between new panel rack and battery box.
- 1 Year, 9 months since last trip.
- POWER:
- One of the two remaining Siemens M55 panels was shorted and pulled the rest of the panels down. Removed.
- Charge Controller dead and case bulging. Replaced ASC #Q402441767 with Specialty Concepts SCI1-12 #990089.
- Replaced 3 older deep cycle batteries with one new and two not so older batteries. The Ma Bell batteries were fine. No water needed.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- Power Amplifier only putting out ~2.5 watts. Replaced the mobile type power supply with a spare.
- CONTROLLER:
- Internal GMA 0.5 amp fuse blown. Replaced.
- LINK RADIO:
- 25 amp fuse in + lead of power cable open. Replaced with 20 amp fuse.
- SITE:
- Full alignment. 3.5 + 0.5 in for 4.5 out.
- Local Repeater: -116 DBM on, -119 DBM off, 20 watts into PolyPhaser jumper.
- Link Radio: -116 DBM on, -118 DBM off, 7 watts into PolyPhaser jumper.
- LOCAL REPEATER:
- LINK RADIO:
- Changed frequencies
- From: 443R000, 448T000, 0.0 PL
- To: 448R000, 443T000, 146.2 PL
- To coincide with the Hub Link Radio move to McDonald Observatory.
- Moved Link Radio antenna to point toward McDonald Observatory.
- The Control Unit in the Link Radio is an original, not an 1A unit.
- POWER:
- Added water to batteries. Used just over 2 gallons.
- The voltmeter reads too high.
- 12.82 Vdc at 11:00 A.M. cloudy.
- Left funnel and <1 gallon water.
- SITE:
- SITE:
- Lightning damage to one new and one old solar panel.
- Replaced failed charge controller.
- Reinstalled repaired repeater, link radio, and controller.
- SITE: Major lightning strike.
- REPEATER:
- P.A. first transistor blown. Replaced P.A.
- Receiver RUS signal locked low. Replaced receiver.
- Added ST-100 PL encoder to transmitter.
- CONTROLLER: RLC-1 internal 0.5 amp GMA fuse open. replaced.
- LINK RADIO: D1015 (Q9000534) surge arrester shorted. Repl. Fuses blown. Repl.
- REPEATER: Intermittent power loss. Seemed to be temperature dependant.
- Resoldered P.A. power regulator transistor. Problem finally traced to an intermittent coax adapter between the P.A. output and the UHF feed through on the back panel to the left of the P.A. Removed adapters and ran the coax directly to the output of the P.A.
- POWER: Charge controller fried. Locked in charge mode and no spare on-hand.
- REPEATER: Receiving Paging Tones still occurring most mornings:
- Replaced repeater with another Mastr II that has an 146.2 PL decoder board installed.
- 19 watts, -112 dB into antenna connector.
- -116 dB into receiver connector.
- LINK RADIO: Adjusted frequency.
- SITE:
- Full audio alignment.
- Added permanent fix to the clamps holding the top of the repeater cabinet to the tower legs.
- REPEATER: Receiving Paging Tones most mornings:
- Installed High Side Injection Oscillator/Multiplier board and ICM.
- Installed UHS Preamp. Left it disconnected due to desense.
- Some desense noted. It's internal to the repeater and not caused by the duplexer.
- SITE:
- Hose clamps holding the top of the repeater cabinet to the tower legs broken. Did temporary fix.
- POWER:
- Added 2 M55 solar panels and the mount that Kenny made.
- Replaced charge controller.
- Installed 3 deep cycle batteries.
- POWER:
- 12.80 VDC @ 2:00 PM cloudy.
- 1.25 amps charge current.
- RADIO:
- Removed packet digipeater.
- Installed 146.920 repeater and link system.
- Repeater = 15.6 watts @ 110 db receive.
- Link = 3 watts, 0.5 refl.
- POWER:
- 13.50 VDC @ 4:00 PM partly cloudy.
- 12.58 VDC with charger disconnected.
- 11.77 VDC TX with charger disconnected.
- RADIO:
- Replaced receiver preselector and oscillator board. 0.4 uV.
- CONTROLLER:
- Looking good. 4800 baud N81.
- POWER:
- 12.92 vdc @ 1:00 P.M. Looking good. Still no water needed.
- RADIO:
- 20 watts, 1.5 refl, 3.5 Khz dev, 1.2 uv.
- Changed xtals from 145.010 to 144.390.
- Swapped RX oscillator board and ICOM from the original high side injection to low side injection boards.
- RX still weak.
- CONTROLLER:
- Replaced MFJ with KPC to change call and make the parameters remotely changeable. 4800 baud N81.
- POWER:
- 12.48 vdc RX, 12.2 vdc TX at arrival. 6 amps charge current at 12:19 P.M. BBARC panels blown about 15' away but system still charging. Removed BBARC panels (panels bad and rack broken). Sunny at end. Batteries good and no water added. 1.5 gallons available to use.
- RADIO:
- 27.5 watts, 1.5 refl. 3.5 khz dev, 0.9 uv. Adjusted RX but still about 0.9 uV.
- POWER:
- 13.8 vdc and controller cycling at 3 PM. Batteries only at 12.00 in sunlight. Replaced with 6 batteries like 146.620. West large solar panel wires off. Re-soldered.
- POWER:
- 12.79 vdc at 3 PM sunny. Added 3, 46" X 15" panels. 2.10 amps shorted. Panels total 7.5 Amps @ 2 PM sunny. Replaced charge Controller with ASC-12/8 serial #02949442.
- RADIO:
- POWER:
- Batts down to 10.4 vdc. Watered batteries.
- RADIO:
- Spurs on 146.010 because of low batteries. Max power 50 watts. Set to 12.5 watts which should be 25 watts at full battery power.
- CONTROLLER:
- Added W2RRY-2 back on ROUTES.
- RADIO:
- Something chewed through coax. Fashioned temporary jumper.
- CONTROLLER:
- Turned of W2RRY-2 from ROUTES. Low batteries caused by excessive use forwarding mail.
- POWER:
- RADIO:
- TX off freq. Changed TX ICOM. Increased output power from 10 to 98 watts.
- POWER:
- 12.5 vdc at 3 PM. Added 6 solar panels. Panel current 5.8 Amps at 3:00 PM. Batteries on arrival 11.9 Vdc.
- RADIO:
- 18 watts, 0.1 watts reflect.
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