I recently updated the radio firmware and the DSP firmware to the latest available in a Fusion DR-1 repeater owned by WA4QHN, and installed it in place of the analog Mastr II repeater. WA4QHN 444.100 Salem, AL Repeater Running in Stand-Alone, Dual (auto) analog or digital operating mode As of May 14, 2018, the 444.100(+) […]
Category: Workbench
Hacking an Altec-Lansing ATP3 Subwoofer for Stand-Alone Operation
I realize this isn’t directly ham radio-related. Well, actually it sort of is, because this project involves a subwoofer which is now part of the system I use for producing amateur radio-related instructional and informational videos, for monitoring DMR radio activity, and other fun stuff. Altec Lansing ATP3 subwoofer purchased at a thrift store but […]
Motorola T-1504 Duplexer Repair and Refurbish
A set of Motorola T-1504A duplexer cavities arrived yesterday for repairs, overhaul, tuning, and testing. I managed to get them turned around in less than 24 hours. They will be on their way back to California tomorrow. The owner of this set sent them to me because they would not tune. On opening and […]
GMRS G.E. Mastr II Repeater Build and Alignment for K6JFS
It took me a while to gather the hardware and get everything ready to build this GMRS repeater for K6JFS, but I finally got around to getting it done this morning. It actually went very smoothly, expecially considering the fact I had to completely replace the original PLL type exciter with a non-PLL type and […]
WA4QHN 444.100 Salem, AL Repeater Repaired and Back Online
The 444.100(+) WA4QHN Salem, AL repeater recently started developing serious sensitivity problems, so the owner and I pulled it out of service and brought it here to my QTH so that I could troubleshoot the repeater and duplexers and get it back in shape. As soon as I hooked the repeater up here in the […]
Only So Much Time and Energy
As many of you know, I’ve been engaged in a battle with out of control diabetes recently, along with the other two main physical conditions. I’m pleased to say that the blood sugar is getting under better control. Related to that, my time and energy are limited — much more so than in my younger […]
KK4ICE Soldering and SMD Rework Center
Finished Up The Motorola T-1504 UHF Duplexers
I managed to finish the refurbishing of the last two cavities on that set of Motorola T-1504 UHF BP/BR duplexers yesterday. These are headed to a new home on a repeater down in Florida. They’re working great, doing just over 102 dB of isolation per branch, and only 1.1 dB of insertion loss per branch. […]
Icom IC-706 MKIIG MARS/CAP Modification
Helper Instruments PS 250 Power Supply Repair
I finally got around to testing this Helper Instruments PS 250 Power Supply which was among some items given to me by a client. With the power supply set for 5 Volts DC output, the ripple was outrageous. Helper Instruments sold out to Zetron Corporation many moons ago, and this power supply hasn’t been in […]