Hi Colin,
Yes, at one stage I had an amplifier with a single 8877 tube for 2 metres.
Our legal power limit of 400 watts was easially achievable withouh driving
the thing too hard. This was a big advantage when opperating high speed cw
meteor scatter for what could sometimes be 5 minute transmit periods.
Cheers,
Tim.
Bangor, N. Ireland.
Skype: tim-crawford
----- Original Message -----
From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: GI4OPH Station
> didn't you have a bit of power on 2m back in those days too?
>
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim Crawford (GI4OPH)" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 9:53 AM
> Subject: Re: GI4OPH Station
>
>
>> Hi Keith,
>>
>> Yeah, it definately can get warm in here in hot weather, especially when
>> the
>> amp and computer are both running. Although not really a problem this
>> year
>> so far.
>>
>> Yes, finding someone competent to help with aerial work is a big problem.
>> My father who would have been my main source of help is getting on in
>> years,, and in poor health these days, so it's a bit more difficult to
>> change things around.
>>
>> I have to admit being very reluctant to luff the tower over without the
>> assistance of someone experienced in such matters, just in case something
>> goes wrong.
>>
>> Hope you get your Yagi's up, I have the Vine 5 ele here for 4 metres, but
>> will probably wait until next sparodic E season now before installing it.
>>
>> A couple of Yagi's should play well on 2 metres, I had 4 17 ele tonnas up
>> back in the dim and distant past, and had loads of fun with them.
>>
>> Cheers for now,
>>
>> Tim.
>>
>>
>> Bangor, N. Ireland.
>>
>>
>> Skype: tim-crawford
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Keith Barrett" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 1:57 PM
>> Subject: Re: GI4OPH Station
>>
>>
>>> Sounds nice out there although a bit hot in summer?
>>>
>>> I have loads of antenna work needed as well but like you say, not easy
>>> to get help with it these days.
>>>
>>> Also have a 4 metre beam in the garrage and some long yagis for 2 metres
>>> but can't get them up on my own.
>>>
>>> Keith Barrett
>>> gw4nby
>>>
>>>
>>> On 23/06/2011 12:20, Tim Crawford (GI4OPH) wrote:
>>>> The shack here is housed in a 10 by 12 foot timber shed, attached to
>>>> the
>>>> =
>>>> rear of my garage.
>>>>
>>>> It's double skined, with a 2 inch layer of good quality insulation in =
>>>> between. the roof, floor and walls are insulated, and I've installed a
>>>> =
>>>> large double convector radiator making it quite comfortable, even in =
>>>> winter.
>>>>
>>>> The entrance door faces east, with the 12 foot walls running east west.
>>>>
>>>> The door is in the middle of the east wall, with the corners helping to
>>>> =
>>>> form a cupboard on each side.
>>>>
>>>> These cupboards contain various items, such as shoe boxes of qsl cards,
>>>> =
>>>> boxes of connectors, leads and cables and peices of unused equipment.
>>>> I
>>>> =
>>>> have also=20
>>>> several photo albums, at least one for each band, containing a qsl for
>>>> =
>>>> each confirmed dxcc entity.
>>>>
>>>> A fairly substancial 30 inch wide bench runs along the remainder of the
>>>> =
>>>> north side, continuing at a right angle along the west wall to form an
>>>> l
>>>> =
>>>> shape.
>>>>
>>>> Heading right to left along the north facing bench, there is a Rotel cd
>>>> =
>>>> player, and a Nad hi-fi amp on top, these are 20 and 15 years old =
>>>> respectively, but still sound quite good.
>>>> Left of the hifi gear, sits the shack computer, an old pentium 2.8 =
>>>> which is beginning to show it's age,a 17" monitor, with a set of small
>>>> =
>>>> pc speakers either side purely for speech, and an external hd.
>>>>
>>>> Above the bench are a pair of bookshelf KEF speakers mounted on wall =
>>>> brackets. Between which there is a display cabinet containing my =
>>>> collection of 1/50th scale diecast model trucks.
>>>>
>>>> Under the bench I have a chest of drawers, storing around 650 cd
>>>> albums.
>>>> =
>>>> These are prity much unused since I've converted the whole lot to
>>>> flac,
>>>> =
>>>> and are stored on pc now.
>>>>
>>>> The bench forming the other leg of the right angle runs along the west
>>>> =
>>>> facing wall, and accommodates the radio equipment.
>>>> right to left, is a Palstar 1km atu, Acom 1000 linear used mainly for 6
>>>> =
>>>> metres, my Alpha 91b which is the main HF amp, and the FT1000MP.
>>>> Left of the MP is my ft847 which I use on 6 metres, and a 4 metre =
>>>> transverter awaiting an antenna one of these days. There is also a =
>>>> Kenwood tr751e with a dodgy af gain control, needing repair.
>>>>
>>>> Above the main bench runs a shelf on which lives the rotator
>>>> controller,
>>>> =
>>>> P2000 swr/power meter, the ldg tw1 and 2 meters, and the control box
>>>> for
>>>> =
>>>> my Steppir Yagi.
>>>>
>>>> There are a couple of low pass filters for HF and 50 mhz, a 4 way =
>>>> antenna switch, and the senser for the p2000 screwed to the wall =
>>>> underneath the operating bench. A 30 amp psu also sits under here as =
>>>> well.
>>>>
>>>> The shack has it's own ring main, with a master switch. in addition
>>>> I
>>>> =
>>>> have 4 8 way surge protected units, providing plenty of mains sockets.
>>>>
>>>> Above the radio gear, on the wall are a few plaques and pictures =
>>>> pertaining to Liverpool football, or if you prefer, "soccer" club,=20
>>>> of which I've been a fan since childhood.
>>>>
>>>> Along the south facing wall there are a couple of salvaged chests of =
>>>> drawers which store all sorts of stuff, like blank cds, stationery, and
>>>> =
>>>> other assorted junk! My trusty Perkins sits on top of here.
>>>>
>>>> This wall also has a double glazed window.
>>>>
>>>> Finally scattered around the place are various sundry curiousities,
>>>> such
>>>> =
>>>> as a peice of the timber mast of a fishing boat I once owned, and bits
>>>> =
>>>> and peices of stuff made by my kids in school.
>>>>
>>>> The antenna system at present consists of a 3 element Steppir Yagi,
>>>> with
>>>> =
>>>> the 40/30 metre driven element dipole kit, on a 60ft crank-up tower.
>>>>
>>>> I plan to reduce this to a 2 element, to make room for probably a 6 =
>>>> element Yagi for 6 metres, and a 5 Element for the 4 metre or 70 mhz =
>>>> bands. I was hoping to make these changes this year, but due to lack
>>>> of
>>>> =
>>>> available help, it will probably be next spring.
>>>>
>>>> My next chalenge is to get some sort of antenna up for 80 metres, is =
>>>> I've really not done anything on that band to date.
>>>>
>>>> This will probably be an inverted l, however given that a sizable area
>>>> =
>>>> of my garden is paved, an effecient radial system is going to prove =
>>>> difficult.
>>>>
>>>> Apologies for what has turned out to be a rather lengthy post, and hope
>>>> =
>>>> it hasn't sent too many of you to sleep smile!
>>>>
>>>> Best 73,
>>>>
>>>> Tim.
>>>>
>>>> Bangor, N. Ireland.
>>>>
>>>> Skype: tim-crawford
>>>>
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