[Amps] 87a cured

[Hal W5GHZ]

It is never a good thing to leave electronic equipment in hot, humid conditions.  Even those new fancy and expensive rigs hate those conditions.  The humidity can be absorbed into the pc board and cause sensitive circuits to malfunction.  Most IC's have a temperature and humidity range that they will operate reliably within.  We have left the days of those old tube radios that would drive out humidity with the heat they generated, but we still had to contend with electrolytics drying out as now.
 
I used to write test software for IC's before I retired.  We tested all of the IC's used in our production plant and did it in a temperature and humidity controlled environment.  Most of the pieces of equipment we use today have a highly rated pedigree.  We should treat it accordingly.
 
W5GHZ


________________________________
From: Charles Harpole <k4vud at hotmail.com>
To: amps at contesting.com 
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 2:23 PM
Subject: [Amps] 87a cured


For over 5 years, my Alpha has sat in the shack with high humidity and temps of 30-34C.  During that time, it automatically went to Fault 9... and sometimes Fault 20.... when tried to use.  The "go to fault" was all over the map in terms of when it would occur but it was usually early after turn on.  The air conditioner would be switched on in the shack only during operations.

My very smart friend worked on it several times, including replacing all those expensive PIN diodes, but the problem reappeared soon after that.

On advice of several locals, I began recently to run my shack air conditioner continuously at about 25C. and set to "Dry."  After abt 40 hours, I tried the 87a.  Perfect operation resulted with no other changes.  It now drives, outputs RF, and in all ways works as it should.

I guess it just likes cool and dry.  Or the local spirits do.  73,

Charles Harpole k4vud at hotmail.com                          
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