Hey Tom:
I vaguely remember something similar happening with my station (TS570 and TM
V7A at the time).
I think it was power supply related as well, but on the 13.8V side.
When i keyed up at 100W on a particular band, the TM V7A would shut off or
turn on depending on its state before i keyed up and make random beeps. It
never locked up like yours did though.
I solved the issue by using separate 13.8V supplies.
Anyway, this leads me to wonder if the TM V7A has some vulnerabilities to
stray RF effecting the micro processor.
As for a good power strip, home depot or any hardware store, even wallmart
should cary high quality power strips.
You can get high end strips for computer systems at computer stores, but you
are looking at a pretty good chunk of change, and its not always as
advertized.
Anything around the $40 to $50 range should suffice.
I suspect that the style of power strip where all the recepticals are
separated enough to plug in a wall wart to each one are somewhat better,
simply because of the amount of separation between plugs, and the fact that
they are designed to handle higher current, or so I've been told, from high
draw adapters.
73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message -----
From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 8:18 AM
Subject: interesting RFI experience
> Hi, all.
>
> Well, while this latest RFI thread is going on, I'm sitting here waiting
for
> the XYL to come home from her last day of elementary school teaching, when
> we'll be taking off on our RV trip first to Georgia for a family wedding,
> and then to Arizona to visit our son.
>
> Anyway, a very interesting, and somewhat scary, RFI thing happened to me
> yesterday while I was testing my HF set-up in the RV for our trip.
>
> As background, I have an Icom 718 for HF, and it is connected to a
Predator
> screw-driver antenna on the back lefthand corner of the RV. The radio and
> antenna are, I believe, thoroughly grounded to a common point on the frame
> of the RV, since I had this work done by a professional RV tech who is
also
> a ham. In the front of the RV, I have a TMV7A for mobile VHF/UHF use.
That
> rig is connected to a Diamond dual-band mobile antenna that is securely
> clamped to the top of the ladder on the other side of the back of the RV.
>
> Anyway, yesterday, I was doing a test on the CW portion of the 20 meter
> band, when something incredibly strange happened. My TMV7A mobile rig was
> totally off, and not being used. ... When I did the HF test, some extra RF
> must have been floating around, because it turned on the TMV7A, and caused
> the TMV7A to make all kinds of beeps and boops. In a major state of panic
> or at least heightened concern, I checked out the TMV7A, and it was
totally
> locked up. ... My memories were still there, but I couldn't do much if
> anything with the radio. I couldn't even do a re-set using the re-set
> sequence with the control head which is mounted below the dash board. ...
> It was funny too, because the speach output would give me the memory
number
> I was on, but wouldn't even read the frequency.
>
> Fortunately, I had some instructions from this list which told me how to
do
> a full re-set of the TMV7A using the recessed re-set button on the front
of
> the actual radio unit. I did that, re-programmed the radio, and was back
in
> business.
>
> Then, I went into troubleshooting mode, and found what I think was the
> source of the problem. I disconnected the power supply for the TMV7A from
a
> power strip that I was using, and plugged it more directly into an outlet
in
> the RV via a short extension cord. I tried getting on 20 meters again,
> where I was before, and had no RFI problem at all.
>
> So, I think my problem was in the cheap power strip I was using.
>
> Which brings up a question: Anyone know of a good high-quality power
strip
> I might by that has better isolation in it, so this problem won't recur?
> I'm willing to pay some good money for it, since I don't want stray RF
> messing with either the TMV7A or any of the other electronics in the RV.
>
> I will have periodic e-mail access while we are on our trip, although my
> responses may be somewhat delayed since we will be on the road quite a
bit.
> Fortunately, though, the camp grounds we will be staying at have internet
> access.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ, soon to be RV mobile
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.11/836 - Release Date: 6/6/2007
1:10 PM
>
>
|
