From daraymond at iowatelecom.net  Thu Jan  5 15:57:29 2017
From: daraymond at iowatelecom.net (daraymond at iowatelecom.net)
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2017 14:57:29 -0600
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] 160m 8 circle array
Message-ID: <6D19FF290E4B42BD857E2FBB493B0235@DavidBrentPC>

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was seeing numerous, low spurious low level signals in my 160 meter Hi-Z 8 circle array.  The array showed some directivity and did not pick up weak signals.  After consulting with Lee (who was very responsive and helpful) I did some troubleshooting and isolated the problem to one of the element amplifiers.  The receiver went ?bonkers? with low level junk as soon as the antenna element was connected to the bad amp.  It appears likely that it was going into oscillation.  I installed a new amp and the array is back working well.  Just wanted to pass this along in case someone else ran into a similar situation.

73. . .Dave, W0FLS, in cold and windy Iowa (current afternoon temp +8F)

From turnbull at net1.ie  Sat Jan  7 05:46:45 2017
From: turnbull at net1.ie (Doug Turnbull)
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 10:46:45 -0000
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions
 Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
In-Reply-To: <mailman.8.1483725606.246712.hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions_hizantennas.com@hizantennas.com>
References: <mailman.8.1483725606.246712.hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions_hizantennas.com@hizantennas.com>
Message-ID: <5384FC8E74DF4E5FBEB0C30F6D2B0AD4@DougTPC>

Dave,
    How did you isolate the faulty amplifier?
                 73 Doug EI2CN

-----Original Message-----
From: Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions
[mailto:hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-bounces at hizantennas.com] On Behalf Of
hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-request at hizantennas.com
Sent: 06 January 2017 18:00
To: hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com
Subject: Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1

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Today's Topics:

   1. 160m 8 circle array (daraymond at iowatelecom.net)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2017 14:57:29 -0600
From: <daraymond at iowatelecom.net>
To: "Hi-Z" <hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com>
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] 160m 8 circle array
Message-ID: <6D19FF290E4B42BD857E2FBB493B0235 at DavidBrentPC>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="utf-8"

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was seeing numerous, low spurious low
level signals in my 160 meter Hi-Z 8 circle array.  The array showed some
directivity and did not pick up weak signals.  After consulting with Lee
(who was very responsive and helpful) I did some troubleshooting and
isolated the problem to one of the element amplifiers.  The receiver went
?bonkers? with low level junk as soon as the antenna element was connected
to the bad amp.  It appears likely that it was going into oscillation.  I
installed a new amp and the array is back working well.  Just wanted to pass
this along in case someone else ran into a similar situation.

73. . .Dave, W0FLS, in cold and windy Iowa (current afternoon temp +8F)

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

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End of Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
************************************************************




From k7tjr at msn.com  Sat Jan  7 15:00:38 2017
From: k7tjr at msn.com (Lee STRAHAN)
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 20:00:38 +0000
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions
 Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
Message-ID: <SN1PR19MB0318AAF008A7B76534F5129FF5620@SN1PR19MB0318.namprd19.prod.outlook.com>

Hello Doug,
     I can answer that question although it may not be the way Dave did it.
  On the 4-squares and the 4-8 Pro you can disconnect one end of each delay cable and leave them open. This allows you to receive on only one antenna per direction selected. As it turns out the antenna selected is the same as the direction control. All the antennas can be tested for reception or noise this way. Very handy for problems like this.
  On the 8A all active antenna you can disconnect one end of both delay lines and then you will receive on only 2 antennas per direction. The two antennas are the ones perpendicular to the direction control setting. In other words when the direction switch is pointed North you will be actually receiving on the East and West antennas.  This also very handy as you then only have to disconnect one at a time to decide between the 2.
 The 2-3 and the 3 element arrays are another matter which I have not spent time figuring out yet.
Lee  K7TJR

Dave,
    How did you isolate the faulty amplifier?
                 73 Doug EI2CN





From daraymond at iowatelecom.net  Sat Jan  7 20:38:22 2017
From: daraymond at iowatelecom.net (daraymond at iowatelecom.net)
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 19:38:22 -0600
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions
 Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
In-Reply-To: <5384FC8E74DF4E5FBEB0C30F6D2B0AD4@DougTPC>
References: <mailman.8.1483725606.246712.hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions_hizantennas.com@hizantennas.com>
	<5384FC8E74DF4E5FBEB0C30F6D2B0AD4@DougTPC>
Message-ID: <6EFADFE3E3DB46B185D4D1228C17FC99@DavidBrentPC>

Several people have inquired as to how I isolated the faulty amplifier. 
Actually, it was pretty simple.  At Lee's suggestion, I started by 
disconnecting the antenna elements from the amplifiers mainly in an effort 
to see if it was something coming in on the element.  As it happened, I 
disconnected the amp from the #1 element (North) and, presto, the artifacts 
and garbage in the receiver disappeared.  Not knowing whether the problem 
was in the amp or some odd thing with either the coax or the 
controller/phasing unit, I moved the amplifier to the #8 position and 
connected there.  The problem immediately reappeared which confirmed it was, 
indeed, the amp.  Just to further test the array, I did disconnect the amps 
all the way around the array and reconnected them one by one just to see if 
any others were contributing to the problem.  They were not.  I replaced the 
amp with borrowed one from N0NI.  The array performed as it should.

As a follow up I opened up the defective amp and found a tablespoon or two 
of water in it.  My amps are all protected and covered with a 3" piece of 
PVC tubing about 12" long to which passes through the 1" tubing which is the 
base section of the 24' element.  So there is some moderate weather 
protection for the amp but certainly not "waterproof."  My amps are very 
early version which Lee subsequently made some significant improvements in 
making the amps more weather resistant.  Lee and I have discussed his 
methods which I will apply to my amps when warm weather arrives.

In the meantime, my array is back playing like gangbusters.     73. . . 
Dave, W0FLS

-----Original Message----- 
From: Doug Turnbull
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2017 4:46 AM
To: hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com
Subject: Re: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions 
Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1

Dave,
    How did you isolate the faulty amplifier?
                 73 Doug EI2CN

-----Original Message-----
From: Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions
[mailto:hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-bounces at hizantennas.com] On Behalf Of
hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-request at hizantennas.com
Sent: 06 January 2017 18:00
To: hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com
Subject: Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1

Send Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions mailing list submissions to
hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit

http://mail.hizantennas.com/mailman/listinfo/hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions_h
izantennas.com

or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-request at hizantennas.com

You can reach the person managing the list at
hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions-owner at hizantennas.com

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. 160m 8 circle array (daraymond at iowatelecom.net)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2017 14:57:29 -0600
From: <daraymond at iowatelecom.net>
To: "Hi-Z" <hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com>
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] 160m 8 circle array
Message-ID: <6D19FF290E4B42BD857E2FBB493B0235 at DavidBrentPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was seeing numerous, low spurious low
level signals in my 160 meter Hi-Z 8 circle array.  The array showed some
directivity and did not pick up weak signals.  After consulting with Lee
(who was very responsive and helpful) I did some troubleshooting and
isolated the problem to one of the element amplifiers.  The receiver went
?bonkers? with low level junk as soon as the antenna element was connected
to the bad amp.  It appears likely that it was going into oscillation.  I
installed a new amp and the array is back working well.  Just wanted to pass
this along in case someone else ran into a similar situation.

73. . .Dave, W0FLS, in cold and windy Iowa (current afternoon temp +8F)

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

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Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com
http://mail.hizantennas.com/mailman/listinfo/hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions_h
izantennas.com


------------------------------

End of Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
************************************************************


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