Meriden ARC Web Site | Castle Craig Chapter 10-10


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Latest SteppIR Issue
#1

Well I thought that I posted this but maybe forgot to hit post report.

Yesterday with the help from my brother I got the lifting fixture on the tower. So I am ready to lower it and tip it over.

I believe that I've got all the elements at home. I "took a shot" and with the last spare chip in I did a retract elements in the setup mode. I then shut the box down and the chip did not fail. I'm 98% sure all the elements are home because of no signals across the 20 meter band, (like the antenna was disconnected).

I ran some tests on SDA-100 controller. With out the DB25 connected it has good standing and moving voltages on each pin set. The thing that does concern me is I am seeing "Cable 1 Open" and "Cable 2 Open" messages on the display. I am trying to find out from Fluid Motion that this is normal for a box with the ALP board installed to be seeing those with no DB25 connector connected. I would hate to take the antenna apart just to find out that "all" I had to do was to send the box back. It still may be under warranty because when I had it rebuilt in June or July I had the main board replaced with the new(er) ALP board. I know I've got to get moving on this but I'd like to get an answer on this. It seems that even SteppIR does not know where the problem is and where to go. Jim Thomas suggested that I replace the control cable but that cable is brand new, replaced when I did the rebuild this summer, I can't see that it would fail in less than 6 months, I doubt something "ate through it" after all it was in there for 9 or 10 years before all I replaced it just to make everything new again. ARRGGG! As I said before if it was a radio I would just send it back and say "fix it please" but it hard to ship a full antenna back for repair!

Well I'm off to try and get a hold of someone in Washington before I start all this work. Should be out there this morning or early afternoon but not looking forward to it. Nice when stuff works, not so nice when it does not and you can't figure out where the issue is!

Al
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#2
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With much "tree trouble" I got the tower tipped over and the elements off. It looks like all three ECUs will need service again. Also going to send the box back to get checked, a software upgrade and bug fix in the Test Motor Routine. I expect that it's going to be mid-November before I get everything back together and try to get back up thought the tree.

Now I need some ideas. I have a "useless 432 beam on the tower, useless because the coax is not good at 432. Good at 2 meters but not 432. What do put there? Or do I just seal the PL-259 and say oh well? Or another 2 meter antenna faced 180 degrees out from where the other one is? I'm going to try and recoup my loss and sell the almost new 432 antenna either here or at Nutmeg, (along with 2 other VHF antennas I have).

AL
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#3
How about a 6M beam?
K1RCT - Rob
W1NRG Station Activities Manager
Home Email

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#4
(10-05-2016, 05:43 PM)K1RCT Wrote: How about a 6M beam?
Humm. The SteppIR has 6. Not sure how big a beam it would have to be to have better gain. More elements to get suck in the tree?

You would not believe how much it's grown this year even since I had the tower over last time.

Al
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#5

The rain last week, the cold the past few days and a couple of appointments have put me behind in the antenna project. But a couple of nice days ahead this week and even some good WX upcoming next week should get me back on task.

We got the dipole tuned. I've got it mounted on the tower. Had a problem with the balun. The balun had flimsy wires on it and one was disconnected from the inside so I had to obtain a new balun. I got one of better quality. Though it said 1.8 to 30 MHz it did not choke off at 50 MHz we were able to tune the 6 meter stub.

The balun is mount on the tower and so is the dipole. I just have to hook the wires and then concentrate on the SteppIR. On the dipole I've got to position is in the same direction as the beam's elements so it will be "kitty corner to the mast until I start to lift the tower.

Next up test the ECU motors on the bench and I hope to get that done today. The covers are on the motors and the wires are attached. Once they test out then I can mount them on the boom. I expect to start doing this tomorrow to this weekend and then it's put the elements on and then lift the tower. Putting the elements on is where I'm going to have to get help since I did this a little differently this time. I only collapsed one section on the elements facing down so I'm going to have to put them on from a ladder. I'll need to entice a brother to hold the element while I push it into the boot. Hopefully start to happen this weekend then "up we go". Hope to be stood up by maybe Monday. Even at 21 feet, (the tower in he nested position) I can test from inside the house, (and with the tree gone even rotate the tower!). The lifting will be a slow process over a couple of hours a couple of to 10 turns at a time. I want to be fully up and running by WAE RTTY the second weekend in November. I've probably just caught the tale end of "antenna erecting season".

Gees it's going to take me a week to rearrange all my tools and put things away!

Al
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#6

Are there any Club Members who could help me Saturday work on the SteppIR and Tower, WX permitting? I think 2 or 3 people would be all that is needed. Of course visitors, and kibitzers are welcome.

I have 2 of the ECUs mounted and wired. Tomorrow I should be able to get the driven element on and coax connected. Once that happens I can do an inside control test of the ECUs just to verify that all the tapes come out to the test position and come back in.

After that it's put the Elements on, stand the tower up and lock it in position, connect the rotor, remove the lifting fixture and crank the tower up. The last two removing the lifting fixture and cranking the tower up are the hardest part.

I hope to have the 3 top elements on tomorrow. The bottom elements will need to be put on one by one as the tower is lifted as each one is extended about 12 feet so they will have to be done off the ladder, I'll need a "pusher" to push the element in while I guide it into the socket and screw the worm clamp tight on the boot.

Should be a easy job, I think. Possibly two to three hours and should be close to done. If we don't finish that's OK. If I can get the tower stood up straight that would be fine. I can crank the tower up little by little over a couple of hours.

I think 10 AM would be a good start time.

If you can stop by and would like to assist please drop me an email.

Thanks!

Al - N1API
P.S. Don't worry if it's going well or we run into WX or problems we'll quit for the day.
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