985 Workbench: 2025-06-16

 Posted on 2025-06-16

My Week in Radio

  • 80M EFHW out in the elements
    • needed cleaning/repair for corrosion and high SWR
    • interesting to reintroduce pieces to see their effect:
      • counterpoise
      • capacitor
  • checked into the APRSThursday net right away in the morning
    • automatically stayed subscribed for 12 hours
    • received 174 messages over 12 hours
    • across the US and rest of the world
  • headed to Los Angeles for 12 days
    • find some parks
    • get back for 1 day of field day

Others

  • W3CRW, CR:
    • Chuck’s presentation on connectors
  • W1RC, Mike:
    • fiddling with allstar
  • N3RBN, Paul:
    • back on the air with pass-through panel in the window
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • busy with coax
    • inherited lots of coax from a SK in West Chester
      • we don’t want the RG-11 (75ohm)G
      • tangle
    • used it to demo the new and old connectors and repairs
    • more cable and connectors after breakfast
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • drawn back to the radio for field day
    • bands rough for low power work
    • learning about bandpass filters, and their design
      • induction and capacitances
      • measuring with nanovna and oscilloscope
  • KC3YSM, Steve:
    • learned about the coax connectors
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • finishing touches on shack
      • shortening cables, etc
    • has a set of tools that makes it really easy to terminate PL-259
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • base for tilt-over mast is in concrete
    • tilt conduit mounted
    • figuring out locks
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • helped restring a 40M dipole at field day site
      • resonant right at 7MHz
      • took 6-inches off each end to get to 7.150MHz
    • everyone encouraged to visit field day
  • K3FHA, John:
    • working on some test equipment
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • repairing a mobile antenna
    • getting some good distance on 6M for the first time
  • W3KZG, Scott:
    • building camper/comms trailer
      • will bring it for field day

Questions

  • N3RBN, Paul:
    • RJ-something microphone connectors and cables, is there a way to straighten the coiled part to attach a new connector?
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • don’t know about straightening, but has wired a new cord to the mic.
      • could buy a cheap mic and steal the cable
    • W3KZG, Scott:
      • seconds buying a cheap/clone mic for the cable
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • What’s the connector number for PL-259s Chuck used?
      • Chuck will email links.
    • Going to a mast that can support more than one antenna. should he pull a whole run for the 2M antenna, or try to route it through the remote switcher that’s good to 6M?
      • WA3VEE, Ron:
        • try to go with as few connectors as possible, especially on VHF/UHF
        • also, respect that 6M limitation on the switcher
      • KC3RFG, Jim:
        • home run is always better
        • the switcher may bleed signal to other lines
      • WA3VEE, Ron:
        • try to operate to the middle of the specs of gear
      • WA3KFT, John:
        • 14 coax runs into the shack
        • 14 switches for choosing radios
        • favorite switch is from Waters.
net  w3gms  workbench  985 

See also