What is that holding up my Power Meter? FlexRadio Systems 4o3a Power Genius XL Amp!

 

Alpha Power Meter Stand?

Good News:  My FlexRadio Systems Power Genius XL Amp has arrived and is working great!

Not So Good News:  I am having so much fun that I won’t have much extra time to blog about the experience until next weekend.

I’m doing a lot of exploring with the new amp, given my time limitations.  As you can see in the picture there is no problem putting out the power.   I’ll post some statistics once I have a good systematic run through the bands.

I’m thinking I will also have a Flex-6600M very shortly to pair with the Power Genius XL Amp!

More when I get time.  Kind of wished I had more free time this week, but alas something has to pay for radio pleasures.

73

Steve
K9ZW

FlexRadio Systems 4o3a Power Genius XL Amplifier – arrived but still in the box….

Power Genius XL in its Shipping Box

Good News:  My FlexRadio Systems Power Genius XL Amp has arrived

Not So Good News:  I am still at work.

I’ve walked up to look at the box 3-4 times so far.

Guess I know what I will be preoccupied with at home tonight! Setting up the Power Genius XL Amp!

73

Steve
K9ZW

FlexRadio Systems Flex-6600M Transceiver – also on the way

FlexRadio Systems extended an opportunity to acquire one of the first production run Flex-6600M Transceivers early as a “Beta Team” participant.

As mentioned, I’d done a similar program when the Flex-6700 launched.  I currently have a FlexRadio System PowerGenius XL (PGXL) amplifier in transit on the same early-adopter program.

Quick disclaimer FRS is still working on parts of the product package for the new Radios, so while I will receive production hardware, the configuration and software parts are not in the final general release form. This again parallels the Flex-6700 program.

In my case this new Flex-6600M it will temporarily displace a Flex-6700 at my main home QTH.   I’m definitely planning to retain that Flex-6700.  More when the Amp shows.

Like both of my Flex-6700’s, this Flex-6600M was ordered with the GPSDO option.  If software eventually allows I hope to use the accurate time stamping on a station-mixing basis.  If that doesn’t happen the extra accuracy never hurts.

Oh, in clarity the FRS expanded test team has been both called “Beta Test Team” and as temporary Alpha Testers.  This special status is expected to disappear in a few weeks, so basically FRS cloned the agreements from the established Alpha team and pressed them into service in the effort to get these radios (and the first PGXL amps) into  wider range of user’s hands.

Timing is interesting, as my piggy bank got spanked with two units of expense.  Glad I saved for these station components!

73

Steve
K9ZW

FlexRadio Systems 4o3a Power Genius XL Amplifier – in transit and due Monday….

Good News:  my Power Genius XL should be here before Christmas.  Fingers crossed.

Per UPS: Delivery by End of Business Day Monday December 18th

Should be fun when the Amp shows.

73

Steve K9ZW

 

Replacing an old T-8 with a new Tennadyne T-8 at the K9ZW home QTH

[December 10th, 2017 – releasing this post that somehow never was added back in September]

 

What does a log-periodic (LPDA) antenna look like when a combination of wind-fatigue, corrosion, and some issues from a nearby lightning strike all come together?

 

The old T-8 after 20+ years of abuse missing elements and with broken boom-element interfaces.

 

The Old T-8 Being Abuse by Winter

My old second hand T-8 had seen better days.  Coronal arcing was from a nearby tree lightning strike.  Corrosion was caused by the previous owner having injected elements with some sort of spray foam sealant.  And the wind was the 20+ years of exposure, including some recorded high speed prolonged winds.  Sort of like driving the antenna at freeway speeds from here to Chicago and Back.

Vern K9EME was instrumental in changing out the antenna, as I had some very restrictive health limitations at the time.

 

The new improved T-8’as it was being assembled on the tower

 

We had a snorkle-lift to use and the replacement went very well.  The reason we assembled the elements after the booms were installed was how easy the lift made the work.

Also replaced was the choke-coil and feed line.

Again with many thanks to Vern K9EME, the K9ZW station returned to the air very quickly.

The corrosion that had set into the old antenna along with the effects of the lightning strike to a nearby tree made the old antenna a candidate for recycling.  No amount of effort could separate parts of the antenna, and other parts were powder.

Despite the abuse it had really earned its keep.  I really didn’t want to change it for anything else.

Since he took over the company,  Roger at Tennadyne builds his new antennas with MUCH thicker boom material, better clamps and hardware – all resulting in a new T-8 being a significant upgrade.

73

Steve
K9ZW

FlexRadio Systems 4o3a Power Genius XL Amplifier – in transit and anticipation….

Good News:  FlexRadio Systems has let me know that my amp is among those shipped by 4o3a.

Not So Good News:  International Shipping Gremlins have slowed down the transit.

Having personally had my international shipments “lost” I have sympathy.  Life isn’t fun when the container with one’s entire household belongings took Eight-Months to make a transit promised at less than 20-Days!  That case a longshoreman’s strike left it on the dock, missing its boat, the replacement boat was refused a St Lawrence Seaway permit (drought) so hovered offshore for an additional month until a berth was secured, and then unexpected cross continent land transport had to arranged.  Of did I mention the stress of having everything held in limbo for a half-year put the shipping broker out of business, and an additional broker had to be found for inbound clearance… and on finding much damage it was found that the now defunct original shipper had not bought the all-perils insurance we contracted for, leaving all the damage uninsured.

Or another car I was importing being held up in bond at the port of entry because the German seller had put in the trunk a 10-liter jug of the special oil recommended for the car.  The oil was not on the manifest and the seller had used about a 1/2 liter topping the car’s crankcase before shipping.  At $65/day for two months of bonded storage at the dock, paying for testing of the oil in the jug and all the extra broker fees to to plead my case, this gesture the seller made cost me roughly $5,700.00 in unexpected and unavoidable fees.  And yes, the option of shipping the oil back would have been nearly as costly on its own, and the car would have still racked up bonded storage fees until everyone was happy…..

Or how about the unexpected two-month delay on another car I’d contacted to be brought from Toronto – while it didn’t cost me extra, it was annoying when I could fry & drive it back in a weekend, but circumstances didn’t let me go.  Nothing more than the gears of “the system” turning slowly, with a bit of “work to rule” officialdom in the mix.

Yes, FRS has my sympathy on international shipment delays.

If the starts aline the Power Genius XL should be here before Christmas.  Fingers crossed.

More when the Amp shows.

73

Steve K9ZW

Steve