[Skimmertalk] Fwd: Re: My QS1R died during CQ WW CW

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

Message from DL9GTB posted below (he had an error posting it to this list
for some reason).  N2QT also sent me the same info.

Links to photos of his modifications below.

73,
Bob, N6TV
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Torsten Ernst <torsten-ernst at web.de>
Date: Mon, Dec 8, 2014 at 12:07 AM
Subject: Aw: Re: [Skimmertalk] My QS1R died during CQ WW CW
To: "Bob Wilson,N6TV" <n6tv at arrl.net>, skimmertalk at contesting.com


Hi Bob,

I have no problems, but I have my QS1R modified as a precaution:

http://torsten-ernst.de/modules.php?name=Gallery&file=categories&cat_id=47&page=1
http://torsten-ernst.de/modules.php?name=Gallery&file=categories&cat_id=47&page=2

73, Torsten - DL9GTB
*Gesendet:* Montag, 08. Dezember 2014 um 04:19 Uhr
*Von:* "Bob Wilson, N6TV" <n6tv at arrl.net>
*An:* "SkimmerTalk Reflector" <skimmertalk at contesting.com>
*Betreff:* Re: [Skimmertalk] My QS1R died during CQ WW CW
Update: local SDR expert WA6KBL determined that the 1.2V voltage regulator
chip on my QS1R board, which feeds the FPGA hardware, seems to have failed.
The measured output voltage was only about 0.8V.

Apparently this is not the first time this chip failed when someone was
running Skimmer Server, which really taxes the hardware. This chip gets
really hot.

WA6KBL is going to experiment by replacing it with a different voltage
regulator, perhaps one with a heatsink bolted to the side of the case. If
anyone has already gone through this exercise, or added a cooling system to
the QS1R, please share.

I'm encouraging WA6KBL to write up the modifications once testing is
complete.

73,
Bob, N6TV