By Jack Roland, CBRE, AMD and CBNT

KLove /Air 1 EMF Colorado Engineering.

Well this month I finally obtained something in the ham radio world I have wanted forever, but just never could afford or when I could did other things.  I finally own my own MFJ-259B antenna analyzer.  Now, I really have wanted one of my own for years, measuring antenna’s SWR with a meter of course, the usual way.  Effective but time consuming and of course running in and out of the hamshack to the antenna location (although good exercise J ) isn’t the most effective way.  SO now I finally broke down and got one from HRO, and am having fun measuring everything I have in sight!  I am very excited and happy to have one of these very useful instruments now in my shack and it will be used very much as I continue my ham career!

 

 

Measuring my APRS antenna!  It is RIGHT ON THE MONEY!

 As I travel the roads of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska as an EMF field engineer, the roads “shake, rattle and roll” the Ford F-250, and my Icom IC706 Mk2G has seen its share of bouncing arounds, even though in a case on the back seat of the truck with the faceplate mounted up front near the operator.  Anyway, the power output one day went to low power values, and no amount of resetting or coaxing the power back up would help from the menu’s, so I indeed had to open up the radio and found that the PA board grounding had really suffered from the bouncing in the truck.  So, I re-soldered the screw mount grounding points, and even made a new board grounding point against the chasis.  The PA transistors, which at this point are obsolete and not available now are still fully operational, and the grounding issue is the real problem I think at this point.  Now, there are some other points on the board that need to be checked, but for now it is working and communicating!

 

 

The 706’ under test.  FULL POWER!

 

 

And WELCOME to Nick Anzlovar, KK6GSJ, my new assistant in Colorado for EMF!  Nick just was hired by EMF to help me out and learn all that is learnable.  We are about to embark on many adventures I am sure, and Nick is ready to adhere to my NUMBER ONE RULE!  ALWAYS BRING YOUR RADIO!  J  He has one of the new $30 dollar new Baofung dual band radios.  Check this out at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B009MAKWC0/ref=sr_1_2_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1384205647&sr=8-2&keywords=baofeng+dual+band&condition=new

 AMAZING!  I have seen this radio and want one for myself.  No Kidding!  On Amazon! The programming cable is only about 8 bucks too.  Makes it easy and these radios work great!

 This month I have restored cosmetically at least another Zenith Transoceanic.  This one is an L-600 tube model with the 600 series slide rule dial.  BEAUTIFUL Radio.  Here you see it alongside my H-500 model. 

 

The L-600 and the H-500 series Zenith Transoceanics.

Another reminder:  We have begun another engineering hamnet for all interested Amateurs.  It is the EMF/Klove/Air1 IRLP Echolink Nationwide Ham net, and it will be on Monday Evenings at 7pm Mountain time, 9pm Eastern.  It will take place in just the same manner as the SBE net I run once a month now.  It is open for ANYONE who is interested in participating, engineer or not.  It will be on the SBE IRLP Reflector 9615, Echolink *SBE* or node 96150.  Details on how to join are the same as for the SBE net, details are at www.qsl.net/ke0vh/sbehamnet.  IF you want to join in locally in Denver, we will be on the 449.626 WØKU repeater.

As always don’t forget the SBE IRLP (and Echolink) Hamnet, the first Saturday of the month.  Details on how to join are at  http://www.qsl.net/ke0vh/sbehamnet.  I hope you will be able to join us and share your engineering and ham exploits!

73’, God be with you, & see you next time!  KEØVH