Further update on my autotune issues
Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 09:46
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Member - RFLundgren (WA)
Ok,
well some updates to my damn radio that will sometimes tune and sometime not tune. It seems to be totally random.
Took the vehicle down to Allcom in
Perth yesterday for them to do some diagnostics on the unit. They ran tests on the antenna and it is all good, tunes each and every time using a dummy load so that part of the solution is not the problem.
They spent over an hour with the radio going through all of the VKS, Radtel and RFDS frequencies and wouldn't you know it, the damn antenna tuned successfully each and every time.
Took the vehicle home as I was home sick for the day, and then went out about 5 hours later in the afternoon to go and visit the doctor. Turned the radio on, pressed the button to tune and the damn thin failed instantly. Over the course of the next 30 minutes or so it continued to fail and didn't manage to tune once.
Back down to Allcom again this morning to see if the problem can be replicated. But I reckon I have Murphy in the car with me as with my luck I will get it there and it will tune without a problem.
How the hell can they fix a problem that cant be replicated. Talk about frustrating, and I now totally understand how some of my customers feel when they tell me they have issues with their phone systems, but yet when I get to site I am unable to replicate the issue, hence unable to resolve it.
Anyway, still open to other suggestions. They have emailed Codan overnight to see if there are any know issues, but they don't seem to think so.
To be continued.....................
Reply By: Mitch - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 11:14
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 11:14
Richard
That is what they call an intermittent fault and can apply to anything. Good luck getting it fixed.
Cheers
Mitch
AnswerID:
314516
Reply By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 11:22
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 11:22
Richard,
This is way out of left field.....but why do you need an Autotune antenna??
As you may be aware, I am a Base Operator on the VKS737 network (Sunday scheds/
Adelaide). I frequently hear Autotunes 'dropping out' during transmissions- with that bip bip...bip bip...bip bip tone.
Also, when I do hear a strong signal from an íffy' location -it's always a tapped whip doing the job. !!
Sunday 2 weeks ago- there were three 'members' calling in on the
Simpson Desert. The one with the Codan Autotune was the lowest signal- the Terlin tapped vertical was clear and strong- and a thing called a SuperStick?? was way out on top !!
How many frequencies/channels do you use?? Does the Autotune warrant the hassles??
I've been outback HF operating for quite a long time, and have only ever used a tapped whip- with good results.
Just my input...
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:09
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:09
From my limited observation, most tapped whips are on bullbars and most autotunes are mounted on the rear, where they get limited clearance from the bodywork which limits the transmitted signal.
For the best of both worlds, I use a SuperRod (9 metre high fibreglass rod aerial) hooked up to the autotune. Most base operators tell me I'm booming through.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:18
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:18
Signman
I have had the autotune for almost 4 years now, as it came with the radio. I was back at Allcom this morning and they have taken my autotune and given me a loaner to see how that performs, although haveing said that, it did still fail after it was put on this morning.
They are thinking it may be something to do with RF output from the transceiver, so that is the next thing they are going to be looking at after I have had a chance to experiment with the borrowed autotune.
I would get a tapped whip to take along as
well, although with tracy wanting to purchase an Epirb as
well, just dont know if I am going to have the $ at the moment to do both.
Will see what happens middle of next week after running with the borred autotune in any case.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:19
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:19
Yea Phil- that's it -Super Rod. Have 'heard' a couple of them now- and they put out an excellent signal..
Haven't seen them- what's the story- where did ya get it etc etc??
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Dick (Int) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:22
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:22
Hi Signman
Can you advise what Tapped Antenna you are using, and do you have it going through a Tuner?
I have an NGT with a Codan Autotune and it is sometimes slow to tune, seems to be sticky.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Dick (Int) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:24
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:24
Hi Phil
I second Signman's request for details of your Super Rod. Is it screwed on to the top of your autotune?
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:32
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 13:32
Dick,
The tapped whip is made by a Radio Club in
Melbourne..
Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Amateur Radio Club,,
The antenna is called a FAMPARC..
It has the VKS737 taps, as
well as the Ham Radio taps..
I mainly run it without a tuner, just thru the taps- but do have an old EAT300 manual tuner if required..
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 16:32
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 16:32
SuperRod is sold by Electric Bug in
Adelaide for about $300. It's a collapsable fibreglass or graphite (you have a choice) wog pole (fishing term) that collapses to one metre for storage and extends to almost 9 metres. It has a wire up the middle, which hooks onto the top of the autotune, so any frequency can tune through it. The actual length of the wire is about 8.88metres, which is the length required for 8.022 megahertz, if you were to connect it directly to the radio, without autotune. I carry it as my emergency antenna. It improves the signal strength by a factor of 16, I believe. Takes 30seconds to put up, and about a minute to pack it up.
Of course, if you can't buy one, then you could doctor up something similar. The 9 metre Rods (which are actually called SuperRod, and are made in Japan) can be obtained from a fishing supply
shop - there's one from
Melbourne who turns up at the
Adelaide C&C show who sells them.
I'll do some photos when I get home tonight.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 20:54
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 20:54
Phil,
For a bloke of your age, that's a pretty impressive erection!!!
Treagar, or is it Traegar, used to make a telescoping steel whip, about 7 or 8 metres long, back in the late 60's, early 70's. Because of the height you couldn't use it travelling, but in those days we had more time apparently. Probably a forerunner to the current whips we use today.
I didn't own an HF then, but bought one as they were ideal for AM broadcast from
Darwin etc. Was working on Auvergne station at the time, near the East & West Baines Rivers.
Hooroo,
Bob.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 21:23
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 21:23
Thanks Bob (Phil goes red). I think when talking HF, that size is everything :-)))
So Traegar made a radio that didn't require batteries and transmitted
well because it had a decent aerial. And these days we have HFs that are useless without batteries, won't work if you rolll the vehicle, and have short aerials that reduce your chance of a good transmission.
Well I guess thats progress :-)))
I googled Auvergne station in NT. Sounds like 132 years of history there. Someone's story
link here I found very interesting.
Cheers
Phil
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: a convict - Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 20:50
Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 20:50
'a late post
..thanks for amazing pics Phil G (SA), ..and your link info too.
I followed your links, very interesting stuff.
Just reading the 'tea leaves', if it is not a rude question, are you using the 'D-STAR and 'D-CHAT protocol channels on your rig as
well, and if so, how do you find the functionality?
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 21:24
Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 21:24
I hadn't heard of D-STAR and D-CHAT, but have just googled it. Hmm...I'm having trouble keeping up with it all!
With the HF, I limit myself to VKS737, ABC Radio and telephone calls back home.
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 14:21
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 14:21
Richard,
Can recommend the Terlin, or RFI multi whips. Used them for about 20 years, until we went to UHF & repeaters.
Available in 6' & 4' lengths, and think Terlin makes a 6' aerial that unscrews to make storing it easier. From 2020 khz up to 10 or 13 mhz, depending on frequency required.
As I imagine you would be stationary when making scheds, then it's no great drama to change the wire tap over to a different channels.
Only catch is to completely remove the wire tap when using 2020 khz, otherwise it detunes the radio.
Wouldn't have a clue on the price of one these days???
Hooroo,
Bob.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 16:40
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 16:40
Providing you don't wish to transmit whilst driving consider a simple wire antenna for HF: easy to make, cheap and will beat a vertical for performance any day. This site gives more antenna designs than you can poke a stick at - you will need to modify the arm lengths for best performance on VKS but that's a simple thing to do.
Lots of HF antennas
For receiving whilst driving try the longest length of wire you can wrap around the roof rack, body, caravan whatever - you may be very pleasantly surprised :)
Mike Harding
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 17:37
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 17:37
Hi Richard
EPIRB on the way- mailed this arvo...
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 19:50
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 19:50
Thanks so much David. I did try to give you a call on your mobile, probably around 6:30pm your time, went to VM. Will give you a call tomorrow.
Thanks again
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Follow Up By: Desertrose - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 21:48
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 21:48
HUGE thanks from me too David. :)
Tracy
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Footloose - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 17:42
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 17:42
Richard, it's not a low voltage battery problem is it ?
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 19:53
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 19:53
No footy I dont think so. The guys seem to think it may be in the RF output section of the radio. Running with a borrowed autotune at the moment and this afternoon it was doint the same thing. Seem to want to play after the radio has warmed up for 15 / 20 minutes.
Will have to wait till next week now for further investigation as the vehicle goes in for service and full checkout tomorrow, so probably wont have it back until early next week.
They did
check the power and the earth and determined that all is good in that department.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Stu & "Bob" - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 22:02
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 22:02
Antenna control cable and RF co-ax aren't running beside each other are they?
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Follow Up By: Stu & "Bob" - Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 22:04
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 at 22:04
Or a dry joint that is making intermittant contact in the control cable??
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 09:47
Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 at 09:47
Stu
Yes as far as I am aware the cables do run close to each other from the radio to the rear of the vehicle. I cant see this causing the issue however as it has been this way for almost 4 years before deciding not to work anymore.
The suspected fault is I believe in the RF output section of the radio, which will be looked at in futher detail next week.
FollowupID:
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