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Sinker
Intermediate Member
Username: Sinker
Post Number: 177
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 8:42 pm: | 
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Would like to ask a few more questions - sure hope they aren't to stupid.
(1) - All of my radios have 6 digit frequency counters. The frequency charts here only show five numbers - Should the last number be a 0 or a 5 ???
(2) - I also have a Para Dynamics PDC357, 7 digit frequency counter. It has two settings 0.4-50MHz and 50-1000MHz. I take it I do not need something like this for the radios I am using. Anybody else seen or have one of these? If so what do you use it for?
(3) - I noticed today during the CEF NET that my meters on the Texas Ranger shows a 3-S unit difference than the one on my Cobra 2000GTL. I am sure the Cobra's is wrong but how does one check these and then adjust them? I believe the second meter on the Cobra is off as well as I can not even adjust the needle far enough to check the SWR, again can I adjust this and make it right?
(4) - Speaking of meters I get different readings between the radios SWR Reading, the Workman 5000 meter reading, the Aries digital meter & the MFJ-267 meter - Again how does one know which one is right and can they too be adjusted.
(5) - The meters on my Galaxy DX99V's are for sure bad and also so faded that they are hard to read. Can new ones be put in and if so again adjusted so they are correct?
(6) - When I install my Tower should I have a ground rod for each of it's three legs that are all tied together along with the houses AC Ground?
OK think that's it for now, at least till next time.
Thanks,
Tim
CEF-634 |
Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 521
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 10:30 pm: |
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1. Zero
2. Don't have one, Ham Use?
3. Factory allignment instructions will tell you how to calibrate the S-meter.
4. See above #3 , place the most trust in the best one.
5. Yes, contact Galaxy/Ranger on the phone, they can get you parts if you beg enough. If not they will send you to an authorized dealer. I have gotten parts from them no problem. Then re-allign.
6. Depends on state/county electric code. You should tie all grounds, for tower grounding there are lots of different remedys, Tech 833 is the man on this. Tieing grounds ensures that if the house ground is lost, your tower ground does not become house ground via the 3rd pin of the AC outlet thru 14 ga wire at best. This also eliminates ground loops. My coax/tower ground is not tied, BUT THERE IS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN MY RADIO GEAR AND THE HOUSE ELECTRICAL GROUND. I run all 12V gear, solar charged at the present, Pulse charged in the winter months when/if it gets used heavily. The pulse charger is 2 prong, double insulated, and isolated. The new AC panel goes in the house next spring (400A, WOO-HOO!). At that time there will be many more grounding improvements made as I hope to also have a more permanent tower then.
Chad
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Moonraker
Junior Member
Username: Moonraker
Post Number: 43
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 10:34 pm: |
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#1. the 6th digit should be at 0.
As for the rest, I only know enough to confuse everyone(including myself)
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1756
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 10:48 pm: |
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1. ZERO
2. 6 digits is close enough
3. not really important, can you HEAR the station RELATIVELY equal on both radios? a cobra 2000 SHOULD 'hear' a bit better then the 696, if it's not been 'screwdrivered' improperly. as for SWR on cobra, i would say dead key wattage has been turned down too low for calibrate to register. no biggie, use external meter.
4. that just means you have too many meters. actually it reopens the debate on accuracy of meters. do they show different wattages as well? what kind of differences are we talking about, #-wise?
5. YES
6. last tower was 25 years ago, 1 wire-legs already tied together, used it's own 8' ground rod...
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Shady
Junior Member
Username: Shady
Post Number: 45
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 10:53 pm: |
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Sinker,
I can try to help with one or two of those,
On the frequency Counter, on the 6th digit, It should be a 0, , example, channel 13, 27.1150
when you go above 0, its inbetween channels since the next channels is 27.1250
If you have several SWR meters, chances are, each one will give you a different reading, some brands are more reliable than others, like a Dosy Meter is more reliable than a Rat shack meter.. The built in SWR meters in the radio are not very accurate at all, Thats why I always use a external meter... I always have mine inline and keep a close eye on it, I can spot potential problems faster and before the equipment gets damaged...
On your galaxy meters, I am almost positive they can be replaced, You just have to find the replacement meters, though, Im not sure where you would get that exact one....
On the Tower, I am almost sure you only need one ground rod, that is seperate from your house utility ground.. Lon may be able to help you out some there, Lon also posted a whole topic on grounding your equipment somewhere under Ask The tech...
I hope this helps some...
William
CEF#463 Northwest Florida |
Dx431
Senior Member
Username: Dx431
Post Number: 1116
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 1:10 am: |
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I agree with everyone here.as far the tower, 1
ground rod should suffice. I on the other hand, I used 3 ground rods, 1 for each leg then tied all 3 ground rods together. Not necessary, but I had the extra ground rods and wire so I put them to use. Then I have a seperate ground rod and a buss bar for my radio equipment.It works for me.
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Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 853
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 7:55 am: |
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You can certainly use the PDC 357's range of 0.4-50MHz for CB. The important numbers are to the right of the decimal point, and you probably only have 4 of them - which is fine. That's resolution to 100Hz which is beyond the accuracy of the counter anyway because it doesn't have a crystal oven or TCXO.
Frequency counters used for CB are basically just frequency displays and for that they work just fine. Personally I prefer a frequency display that is derived from the frequency synthesizer instead. If the radio is properly calibrated and frequency stable once warm, it's more accurate because there isn't a second oscillator to add to frequency error.
The reason you see different VSWR readings with different meters is the same reason you see different readings on the S-meters of different radios. It has to do with the circuit's design, components, and how well it's calibrated by the factory. There are going to be small differences between each meter.
For VSWR readings the important thing is to carefully calibrate the meter using only a carrier (I use a clip lead to key the radio instead of the microphone) and adjust the antenna to get the reading as low as possible.
Regarding S-meters, you can adjust most to get whatever range you're looking for, but the proper way to do it is to follow the factory alignment procedures. |
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