Category Archives: Repeaters

Maintenance Hanskop 2016-03-06

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ZS1DDK and ZS1AN started at around 05:00 from Bellville.

Picked up ZS1VDV at around 06:00 in Stellenbosch.

Got they key from ZS1YT at 06:30.

Arrived on site 08:30. Did a bit of 4×4 in the mist.

  • Checked the SWR of the VHF repeater(1.7)
  • Dismantled the full rack.
  • Built in a UPS.
  • Installed duplexer and bandpass filter (had to tune the band pass filter).
  • Installed VHF, UHF repeaters and link radio.
  • Installed a 50A power supply.
  • Installed UHF duplexer.
  • Installed link controller.

 

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We struggled with local interference on site on the UHF and VHF repeaters. The VHF repeater squelch was closed to 0.37uV. (works now for about 99% of the problem). For the UHF repeater we had to switch on CTCSS.

The UHF link to Jonaskop is not operational, but the problem is suspected to be a misalignment on Jonaskop side (did recheck the alignment of the yagi on Hanskop side).

Hanskop tower 2016-03-06

Had a quick bite to eat in Grabouw.

Back in Stellenbosch at around 17:00.

Back home in Bellville around 17:45.

Maintenance Hawequa 2016-03-05

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ZS1V and ZS1VDV responded to investigate the UHF repeater outage.

Left Somerset Wes at around 21:15,

On site it was found that the main switch again failed. The switch was bypassed for now.

Higher rated and better quality switches must be sourced.

Arrived home around 00:20.

Maintenance Hawequa 2016-03-01

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Jan ZS1VDV and Paul ZS1V went up. Left Stellenbosch around 17:20.

When on site we found that a switch was faulty(intermittend). It was swopped out.

Power usage

All links:
TX 11.8A
RX 1.2A

Repeater
TX 4A (PSU), 2A when on backup.
RX 0.5A

UHF Link
TX 3A
RX 0.6A

4M Link
TX 3A
RX 0.3A

In Stellenbosch around 19:30.

Maintenance Hawequa 2016-02-27

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ZS1FAS + Henk + Marc left Kuils River at around 07:30

Arrived on site 08:30

We did some maintenance work on the hut and cable tray with stays.

Stays had to be sanded off first, some rust were forming. We used grey NS4 and applied 3 coatings.

We mixed Tylon Keyit with cement and applied to the hut, quite a messy business!! Used a generator to operate the drill for the mixing part, did not want to interfere with the radio equipment.

Installed a new perspex lid for the electricity box.

Building Resealed

Building Resealed

Got some sun burn 😀

Left around 14:30

Back home around 15:30

Maintenance Piketberg and Hawequa 2016-02-21

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ZS1DDK and ZS1VDV started just past 05:00 in Bellville.  Loaded all equipment and left Stellenbosch 06:00 for Piketberg.

Arrived 07:45 at Piketberg Site.

On Inspection 3 main problems was found:

  1. There is a local signal creating interference on the VHF Repeater
  2. The controller was set to key the link on COS, with the problem that this was too often.
  3. The duplexer was not tuned well enough.

Remedies:

  1. The SQL of the VHF Repeater was set to 0.25microVolt.
  2. The controller was set to key the link on the presence of CTCSS(PL) and COS(SQL).
  3. The duplexer was retuned.

Other maintenance:

  1. The circulator was installed between the VHF repeater and duplexer.
  2. The controller FW was updated.

Left Piketberg site around 11:30.

Quickly had lunch in Wellington.

Arrived at 13:45 at Hawequa.

Problem:

  1. UHF Repeater was not TXing.

Remedies

  1. The repeat setting on the controller was in an inconsistent state, this was due to deactivation which was done 15 Feb to protect the TX radio.  The setting was deactivated and the reactivated.

Left Hawequa site around 14:15.

Arrived 15:00 in Stellenbosch unpacked.

Finally got home at around 15:45.

Maintenance Hawequa 2016-02-14

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ZS1VDV and ZS1YT installed the link controller and radios back at 650 site today.

Something is however keying (breaking the sql) on the UHF RX link radio.

By disconnecting the VHF en UHF at Piketberg with dtmf tones, I did stop this from happening.  Which leads me to believe the problem is at Piketberg. (But does not exclude local noise at 650 site)

I would however like to confirm this, before doing a trip to Piketberg.

First thing, if you observe this noise on the 650 this week

  1. First try to send 8104 to 625 (piketberg).  If this does not solve it, or you cannot get in goto 2
  2. Send 8004 to 650.  This will disconnect the vhf en uhf links at Hawequa

Both these fixes only lasts 9 hours for now.

When you here the noise on the 650, check if you can here the same noise on 431.200 from Piketberg.

Any other info or ideas, please feel free to send.

Maintenance Jonaskop 2016-02-06

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ZS1TAF and ZS1VDV went to Jonaskop.

We left Stellenbosch at 06:15.
Arrived 08:30.

First did a quick status check on battery system, power supply and SWR on VHF repeater. All was fine, except the SWR on the VHF was a bit high (The first time I saw a VXR9000 cut back on it’s output power).
Installed small rack
Swopped out the repeater with the one aligned with link controller en link radios.
Installed new rack mount PSU.
Installed link radios.
Installed link controller.
Installed new circulator.
Replaced fly lead between duplexer and heliax (to remove a damaged barrel connector, in future we must replace the UHF t piece FMF)
Serviced the heliax to 4 stack connection. Found some water in connection. Was dried out and triple rubber taped and double isolation taped for UV protection.

Was back in Stellenbosch 14:00

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Maintenance Riversdale 2016-01-30

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On Saturday 30 January, David ZS1DDK left home at 5am to take Andre ZS1AN and Paul ZS1V to the Riversdale repeater site. The 2m antenna system had been previously diagnosed as faulty and so the team set about removing the old antenna and feedline and installing a new feedline and upgraded antenna.

ZS1DDK eliminating some redundant adapters.

ZS1DDK eliminating some redundant adapters.

The old antenna had been installed at 6m and was also not clear of some local obstacles. The new antenna, a two stack Webb FDC145 folded dipole system was installed with its centre at about 12m AGL.

ZS1V at the new antenna position.

ZS1V at the new antenna position.

The RX path of the duplexer was checked on the spectrum analyser and found to be good. The TX path showed good SWR.

Duplexer receive path showing insertion loss and TX rejection

Duplexer receive path showing insertion loss and TX rejection

The team rounded off the day with an early dinner in Swellendam and reached home at about 6pm.