July 13, 2006

Packet & Cabling Updates

Greetings!

On July 6th the WGFN/WJZZ diplexer cavities were changed and all went well with that project (which included some internal mtce to the WJZZ transmitter). The following day, 7/7, I noted that the packet repeater at the site was not responding. On investigation it appeared to be operating with considerable transmitter desense.

On 7/9 I replaced the packet repeater on site, but with a better duplexer (Cellwave PD524) and all is well. In a/b testing to my home packet node I could not tell any appreciable difference in RF between the packet rptr running into the SuperStationmaster or the Diamond X50, so the repeater was left on the X50, where it had been previously.

On 7/9 and again on 7/11 various jumper cables were swapped out with 1/4" superflex heliax cables as replacements. There are just a very few lengths of 'consumer grade' coax jumpers left in the system at this site. At this time the 449.725 and 52.42 sensitivity was checked and appeared normal, the 52.92 transmitter is on frequency. The 444.725 transmitter is close enough to NOT tweak at this time (as it moves seasonally and appears to have been tuned so that on both hot and cold days it's within tolerance). The receiver frequencies had NOT been checked, but since the reception sounded normal when checking for sensitivity, they should be within tolerance.

73 John KF8KK