[TenTec] Corsair audio prob? 160m

[Bob Stephens]

I operated My Corsair on 160m last night. This was my first time on 160. 
Some of the reports included "something is wrong with your audio".  One 
said there was a high pitched whine, one said "you're breaking up, and one 
contact started out ok but could not be completed because my "audio 
disappeared."  I looked for some calling stations that were not "busy" and 
asked for an audio report and they said I sounded fine. I called a local up 
and he listened to me  and said the audio sounded excellent!  So I guess I 
have one of those intermittent varmints. At one point I lost transmit audio 
entirely (needle did not move) After 30 minutes of scratching my head the 
audio came back on. The only real change is that I moved to the other end 
of the band and re tuned.

Here are all the variables I can think of:

-This is a portable temporary station.

-no decent station ground was available

-The antenna was an inverted 1/4 wave L,  with the vertical section hung by 
the side of a (wood) house. The vertical section was about 40 feet, the 
horizontal ( slight sloper) section was about 60 feet , then it turned and 
sloped at the   end section. The vertical section was  about 3 feet away 
from the side of the (wood) house. There were two 1/4 wave radials plus 2 
short radials which gave a for  of about 370 feet of radials. (that's about 
the best I could do in the space and time)

-antenna wire connected directly to MFJ 200 watt mini tuner sitting in the 
window sill. Radials connected directly to the ground of the tuner.

-The antenna is rather narrow banded and tuner settings changed during the 
night. I accidentally transmitted at 4:1 once and probably often 
transmitted at 2.5 to 1 before re tuning to around 1.5 to 1 .

-I reduced power to about 60 watts and turned off the processor. This 
appeared to solve the  problem but 2 hours  later I got another 
"intermittent bad audio" report.

- The D-104 mic seems to work ok with my other rig (Scout) . (but I'm not 
positive about that)

-The last time I used the Corsair was a short QSO with no problems. 
However, before that I attempted to use the Corsair mobile in the Scout's 
usual position in my car. I got reports of audio whine. After I reduced 
power to 50 watts I got good reports. I assumed it was just a mobile 
problem. Not sure if that is a separate issue from the problem on 160m last 
night.

Unless I fall asleep this afternoon <g> I'll try to check into the 20 meter 
net and let you guys listen.

tnx & 73
Bob
KB1CIW

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