meters

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: another astron power supply story


>    Lou:
>
> A quick question here, just out of curiosity:
>
> What's the difference between an Astron RM35, and an RS35?
>
> Could be something obvious, but my brain just isn't registering at this 
> late
> hour.  (grin)
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lou Kolb" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 10:04 PM
> Subject: Re: another astron power supply story
>
>
> Absolutely, Tom.  With so much gear running on 12 volts today it's a great
> idea to have an extra supply on hand and now I'm happy I did. 
> Fortunately,
> though, even if I hadn't had the older Astron, there is a TS-830 in the
> shack and they had built-in supplies.  Guess what I should be working on 
> is
> a battery backup which I know some of you already have.  73,  Lou
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 9:29 PM
> Subject: Re: another astron power supply story
>
>
>>    Oh wow, Lou!
>>
>> At least I don't feel alone, although my current problem with my Astron
>> RS35
>> admittedly was of my own making.
>>
>> One thing about this list is that it helps to know that I'm in good
>> company,
>> and have an arena for sharing what often appear to be common problems.
>>
>> Let us know if you can get the ailing supply fixed.
>>
>> Interestingly, I was talking with my wife at dinner tonight, and 
>> suggested
>> that it's always good to have an extra power supply or two around, in 
>> case
>> one suddenly fails.
>>
>> May just have to go looking for at least another used Astron at the
>> upcoming
>> local swap in about 6 or 7 weeks.
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Lou Kolb" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 8:58 PM
>> Subject: another astron power supply story
>>
>>
>> As long as we're discussing power supply issues, i've just had an
>> experience
>> I never expected.  My RM-35 from Astron failed and, oddly, the problem
>> seemed to be in the switch.  You'd think it would be somewhere farther
>> along
>> in the circuit.  I was on cw and started to hear an odd sound every time
>> the
>> transmitter in the k3 keyed.  Like an arcing but different in that it
>> wasn't
>> a snappy sound.  At first, I thought it was the rig but then the
>> transformer
>> in the supply started to jump occasionally, as it does when you first 
>> turn
>> the supply on.  When I started to smell smoke right after that, I hastily
>> signed and reached up to turn off the supply but the switch wouldn't
>> throw.
>> it moved a bit but was actually fused in place.  Later, when I came back
>> down to the shack it had cooled down and was very firmly fused in place.
>> I
>> had another, older Astron on the shelf so I hooked it up and was back on
>> the
>> air the next night.  I haven't taken the cover off of the stricken supply
>> yet but it oughta be interesting.  It's not a complicated device so I
>> expect
>> to be able to fix it.  Anyone else have a similar experience?  Lou 
>> WA3MIX