[UK-CONTEST] CQ WW SSB 2007 - GM0F (long)

[johndunnington]

Stewart/Chris/Dave et-al
Seems like 2007 was a bad contest weekend for RFI..here also but I broke my
own rules (Never change things at the last minute)
Saga goes..new microKEYER MKII arrived Thursday (self contained audio and
more facilities) I never really had mastered the original micro-KEYER setup
for audio routing and switching on the Orion (FT1KMP fine)so temptation to
install the new baby took over.

My wife has long complained about the "Noisy Blower (60Hz)" on the amplifier
since SSB Contesting is a past art for me the noisy blower never worries me.
OK remove the amp and put the Acom in its place. (Can now hear a pin drop so
quiet)

The new keyer has several outputs all relating to PTT and amp switching. It
requires the Transceiver PTT/Tx Out status to allow sequencing of both the
Amplifier and has another output for receiver protection boxes. The
amplifier has the usual option of relay or solid state amplifier drive.
Recorded all the DVK messages and on full power with the audio monitor all
seemed fine.

All worked well on Friday evening and a quick check with W5xx/VE2 testing
their multi-op stn confirmed not only loud but excellent audio. Go to bed as
I planned a 20m SO session. Checks during the week convinced me that losing
a whole nights sleep for just a few big guns was a poor exchange so plan was
early start Saturday. I killed time between 05-06z by working a few on 80m
loud USA and Caribbean as 20m was not open. When eventually I got going I
found very few replies not the usual "shelling pea's job" I was using the
4-ele very wide spaced yagi wound up to 85ft (wx forecast was good). Like
Stewart I got frustrated and having found 15/10 open went there with better
results but not part of my work plan. Late Sat Am I called Jeff VY2ZM on 20m
who commented he had difficulty in understanding my audio as it was breaking
up. Our earlier QSO on 80m had been fine. Problem was I could not hear or
see anything which said I had a problem. Disgusted I went to 10m then having
cooled down decided to investigate..I can monitor the keyer audio and the
Orion has it's own monitor and DVK so lets try them both I decided. Despite
both sounding clean and well modulated I still had problems however a very
faint wobulating sound when on max audio gain and full RF power could just
be heard in the headset.

Referring back to Para-3 PTT switching I removed one at a time all of the
leads to/from the keyer until this strange sound disappeared. The connection
from the ACOM PTT back to the keyer seemed to remove it so I wired the ACOM
PTT direct from the Orion PTT and all was well. I then added the Keyer Input
(TX Sense) in parallel but with diodes fitted for isolation. By this time no
hope for a 20m single band session so I decided to call it a day and do
other things.

One plus I worked 4O3A on 10m not only for a new slot on 10m but an AT new
SSB Country so I has some compensation as had I done 20m only would have
missed it.
I can now switch between CW/SSB/RTTY using assorted logging/contest
programmes without having to rebuild the station.

Now to change that noisy fan to keep the wife happy,  and then embark on
SO2R training/experimenting if my brain allows it.

73

John G3LZQ