[amsat-bb] Cushcraft 738XB

[jbblack@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Am wondering if anyone else on the reflector has this particular 70cm
antenna.  I hadn't been on the satellites in a while when, on Christmas, I
noticed that the FO birds and AO-27 were hard to receive.  I kept noticing
this phenomenon hoping it would get better.  Granted, I've got lots of
trees, but even in the summer, I could hear well.  Now, all of a sudden, my
operation has gone to 0 due to the fact that I cannot hear.

Yesterday, I climbed my short tower (23') and removed the switchbox on the
antenna.  I had sealed it with silicon to keep water out.  While I was
taking the screws out, however, I noticed that there was a proliferation of
rust on the screws themselves.  Once I got the box apart, I noticed a white
powdery substance all over the circuit board.  I am wondering if this came
from the dessicant packages I placed in there to keep moisture out or if the
dessicant packages failed and water got in there and corroded some circuits.

I haven't fully taken the switchbox apart yet waiting for Tuesday when I can
get it on the bench and de-solder the RF and DC connections on the board and
spray all of it with contact cleaner.

I wonder if it just wouldn't be better to circumvent the box and feed RF
directly to the driven elements.  Any suggestions?

Thanks es 73,
Joel
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OM:  Joel B. Black, K2SAT     XYL:  Kristie H. Black, KF4CHN
Eutaw, AL...............EM62       kahblack@mindspring.com
AMSAT member #32589
AMSAT Local Area Coordinator
www.mindspring.com/~jbblack
jbblack@mindspring.com
k2sat@amsat.org
AO-10, AO-27, FO-20, FO-29
UO-22, KO-25



----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org