[aprssig] D700A TNC Problems????

[Ken H>]

Bill, I am using a Comet dual antenna - not sure about the model, but it's
based on a 2 meter half wave so it doesn't require a ground plane.  I have
it mounted on a luggage rack on the trunk of a Goldwing bike.  I'm not sure
how high the W4IAX digi antenna is, but hte W4IAX repeater antenna is almost
1,000 ft above sea level - that is right here on the coast.

I expect the the pattern is decent because I talk thru the repeater on the
way to work and back.  I have full quieting signal on this same radio via
the repeater using only 5 watts of power.  I understand the repeater is
different than the digi, so perhaps that doesn't really mean anything.
Heck, I was running 5 watts of power on voice thru the W4IAX repeater all
the way from home to work on the VX-150 I was using, but now with the D700A
I'm running 10 watts of power on voice, but 50 watts of power on APRS.  I
started using only 10 watts, but didn't get to the Igate very often, so
upped the power to 50 watts and that helped some.

I'm sorta looking forward to a trip - perhaps this weekend? - to see how I
am digi'd with repeaters from out of area.  Since the local IGate is in
Pensacola, perhaps tomorrow I will take a ride over toward Gulfport, MS and
see how I'm digi'd thru those repeaters?  That might tell me something.

Yes, if you check my track you can see up around the I-10 area is where I'm
not very often digi'd - and that is where the W4IAX should be doing the
digi'ing as it is so close.

A bit of a hassle to remove the radio from the bike and use in a car - even
on a temp basis.  Before mounting on the bike, I did use the radio here in
the house and it was the KI4ELU digi that would pick me up then, not the
W4IAX.

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas.....  any other ideas or suggestions?

Ken H>


On 9/14/07, William N. Powell <billpwl1 at verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Ken, A few questions about the setup on your bike.
>
> What type of Antenna and where is it mounted on the bike?
>
> Poor grounding of the antenna or the small size of the ground plane of
> the bike could be causing odd radiation patterns that prevent the close
> in digi's from hearing you.
>
> How high is W4IAX-7?
>
> Does the same thing happen on the return trip?
>
> Try the same radio in a different vehicle.
>
> 73   Bill  N3PZB
>
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