[TenTec] Omni VI mystery

[Jim Allen]

The 706 on a dummy load and the Omni VI "hear" each other just fine as far
as I can tell.  I have tuned to WWV with the Omni VI and it appeared to be
on frequency.  I'll check again, of course.

The QSOs with the radio have not raised to any issues, although for the
most part those are contest style quickies.

It was very noticeable yesterday on 20M, to hear a station with a good
solid signal here, no other callers, give a call and not be heard running
100 watts when I had been calling others with 5 watts no problem, same
antenna, same day, etc.

Thanks!

73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen


On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 9:33 AM, Phil Sussman <psussman at pactor.com> wrote:

> Jim,
>
> I'd check zero beat with WWV. Sound like you're off QRG a bit.
>
> Let us know !
>
> 73 de Phil - N8PS
>
> PS. Can you check against another rig?
>
>
> ----
>
>
> Quoting Jim Allen <jim.allen at longhornband.net>:
>
>  I have an Omni VI with Opt 3 installed, purchased from an SK estate about
>> a
>> year ago.  After our move to Texas, I got an antenna up and got on the
>> air.  The meter and a couple of other functions were inop so off it went
>> to
>> TenTec.  They fixed all this, gave it a good checkout and got it back to
>> me
>> very promptly.
>>
>> I have the output going to a wattmeter, thence on to the AH-4 remote tuner
>> which feeds the 130' dipole with twin lead.  On CW, the transmitter loads
>> to 100 watts output, good SWRs etc.
>>
>> I have noticed an inability to get replies on CW.  I spent an hour the
>> other night calling W1AW/5 in Missouri, another hour or so each this week
>> calling W1AW/1 and /2, and various other stations.  Some of this I
>> attribute to being a 100 watt station with a wire antenna in a pile up.
>> There have been other instances where I have called and called only to
>> have
>> the other station start up a CQ again.
>>
>> Yesterday I decided to fire up my Icom 706 at QRP levels and work the
>> Florida QSO Party on 20M.  To my astonishment, I had no trouble making
>> contacts with every station I heard, running 5 watts, other than being
>> treated as a weak signal (AGN?) which I'm sure was true.  While doing
>> this,
>> I heard HB9CA in the Helvetia contest, gave him a call and after going
>> QRO,
>> made contact.  I also worked W1AW/1 with 5 watts in 1 or 2 calls.  I made
>> 25 or so contacts in Florida with the 706, all QRP.
>>
>> This started to puzzle me, so I shut down the 706 and fired up the Omni
>> VI.  Once again, I had trouble getting responses.  I tried fiddling with
>> the sidetone, thinking maybe I was not tuning to be inside the other
>> station's passband, but did not improve things.  The "split" switch was
>> off!
>>
>> I am stumped to imagine why I can make contacts at 5 watts with the 706
>> but
>> not on the Omni VI at 100 watts, same antenna.  The radio appears to be
>> operating normally in every respect.  Is there something I am overlooking
>> in the set up of the Omni VI?  Any other possibilities?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> 73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen
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>>
>>
>
>