[BC] Re: Equipment scattered around

[Mark W. Croom]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Xmitters at aol.com>
To: <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2005 9:46 PM
Subject: [BC] Re: Equipment scattered around


> In a message dated 7/31/05 7:50:11 PM Central Daylight Time,
> broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:
>
> << >the
> >equipment that's my responsibility is scattered all around northern
> >Illinois.
> >It is not at all uncommon that I have to drive 140 miles round trip to 
> >push
> >a
> >button. Now to me, this is not fun and it happens more times than I would
> >prefer.
>
> Ok, so why don't we, the engineering community who maintains everything
> everywhere, INSIST that manufacturers develop a TCP/IP - based standard
> interface for EVERY single piece of gear made, so that we can operate and
> troubleshoot EVERYTHING in ANY plant, ANYWHERE on Earth from our desks? >>
>
> In my particular case, this solution would not help. I have to drive 140
> miles round trip to swap out a PA module in the QEI. Takes ten minutes to 
> do the
> actual work. I would like to have internet access at all of my sites. I'm 
> not
> going to rag at the manufacturers to make their stuff internet accessible, 
> but
> I do have thoughts on using some of the cute little TCP/IP blobs that B&B
> electronics has to offer. I could have all the internet horns and whistles
> available and still have to spend half my day driving. We'll have to wait 
> until
> robotics technology gets a little more advanced, I guess.
>
> Jeff Glass

Yes, I had another one of *those* fun trips today. A station of mine is 
about 80 miles south of HQ, and today I got an alarm (during church, of 
course) that power was .0000% (VRC-2000). Plate voltage was up, but current 
was nearly zero. Exciter problem...this one has an 802B which has had 
significant problems with the 5V power supply. It'll run for months with no 
problems, then will suddenly start dropping out for no apparent reason, and 
coming back on again. Last time this happened I basically replaced every 
component in that supply except the transformer winding. It was a little 
disheartening to think that I might be facing the same issue again after it 
ran into the dummy load in my shop for a few weeks before I put it back into 
the transmitter.

When I got there, it turned out to be the supply for the RF power amp, 
rather than the 5V supply. I carry parts for that one, too, so I replaced 
the fuse and both regulators, and the thing came up again.

It is a little frustrating to have the regulator give out when we're only 
running 20W into the IPA block, but at least it was not hard to repair. I 
was out of there in half an hour, and didn't even need to heat my soldering 
iron.

Does this issue sound familiar to any of you guys who have lived with this 
exciter for a while?

Mark
MN