[TenTec] Eagle problem?

[Carter]

On 5/8/2014 6:51 PM, Stuart Rohre wrote:

> These types of problems usually  indicate that there is RF leaking
 > back to any any transceiver he might try, because his antenna is too
 > close to the shack ...

An interesting thought, but can we always blame the "antenna being too 
close to the shack"?

I bought my Omni VI new in 1994 and have never been able to operate SSB 
or PSK31, SSTV or any other mode that required the use of the mic jack. 
(Good thing I am 99% a CW and RTTY guy.  <grin> ) Anything over about 10 
(ten) watts of power seems to cause the problem, utter and complete 
distortion of the radiated signal.

The shack is in the basement, the antenna is a 132' long dipole about 25 
feet high and fed with ladder (window) line to a Johnson KW Matchbox 
tuner. The length of the window line between the Matchbox and the hole 
in the wall where it exits the basement is no more than five feet. Yes, 
when I measure the RF current in each leg of the window line they are 
different -- to be expected as this is not a perfect world and the 
dipole is not in free space. The coax cable to the Centurion / Omni VI 
has a multiple ferrite bead balun.

After years of unsuccessfully chasing around with ferrite beads and 
chokes, I was finally told [by ******] that my dipole was "too close to 
the house". Unfortunately, because of the shape of the lot, the location 
of trees and zoning/deed restrictions, the antenna HAS to be where it is.

So...problem occurs at around 10 watts of output, the antenna can't be 
moved and I don't think I am the only ham in the world using a dipole 
close to the house fed with window line.

This leads me to do the unthinkable and to ask about the elephant in the 
room. Rather than everyone saying the antenna "is too close to the 
house", is it possible that this particular vintage of Omni VI option 3 
is just particularly sensitive to RF getting into the mic jack (or other 
ports)??? Is this unique to my radio? Do Yaecomwoods suffer from the 
same issue?

The reason I ask is that I am getting into PSK31, JT9 and JT65-HF (and 
yes, I realize these are "low power" modes), but I wouldn't mind going 
up to 20 or 25 watts -- or  SSTV at (gasp!)100 watts.

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. New /different radio or 
fixing this radio (how?) is OK, but a 100' tower 300' away is just not 
an option.

73,
Carter   K8VT