Creating Durable Systems – Antenna Tuners/Couplers

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

The Antenna Tuners/Couplers system at both the Home QTH and Island QTH use FlexRadio 4o3a TunerGenius SO2R tuners.  These tuners work integral with the main Flex-6700 radios and PowerGenius amplifiers.  The Work QTH uses the Flex-6600M Internal tuner for matching.

The needs for its final build-out, testing and commissioning were pretty simple.  Basically follow the standard procedures as outlined in the manuals.

In way of documentation to make future troubleshooting and repairs easier the links are: https://www.flexradio.com/products/tuner-genius-xl/?sku=TGXL-SO  and   https://4o3a.com/tuner-genius

In terms of Redundancy/Backup/Failure Options there are Palstar AT-Auto units at both the Home QTH and Work QTH, and all three QTHs have manual tuners.  Additionally all the radios have internal tuners which could be used.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Creating Durable Systems – Monitoring and Cameras with Remote Systems

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

The Monitoring and Cameras with Remote Systems can be broken down further into:

• Security Cameras (Inside) for which I presently use Canary.io Cameras, but am actively testing options to leave the Canary platform.
• Security Cameras (Outside) are a mishmash of various cameras, again I am actively testing options to standardize.
• Operational-Aid Cameras (Inside) are cameras pointed at various gear to observe indicators and meters. I do not have a standard yet.
• Operational-Aid Cameras (Outside) are cameras point at towers to confirm direction & operation.  I do not have a standard yet.

The needs for its final build-out, testing and commissioning include:

• Standardizing on specific camera setups for each use-case.
• Documenting the final system, including troubleshooting documents.
• Procuring enough backups to handle typical problems.

In terms of Redundancy/Backup/Failure Options having spares on hand is likely to be the limitation of “Plan-B” options.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Creating Durable Systems – Flagpole Vertical Antenna/Radials

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

The Flagpole Vertical Antenna/Radials system can be broken down further into feedline, radial system, isolator & balun and the antenna itself. Additionally there is the halyard (rope to most of us) and the flags. We fly a US Flag top, and a true-English flag (St George’s flag) beneath. The English flag is tribute to the XYL and she says to ignore the soccer hooligans who have been using this flag, as the English do not consent to its misappropriation!

And my system is built of:

https://zerofive-antennas.com/ 30ft Commercial with tilt-over base
https://www.colonialflag.com/ 6×4 USA polyester sewn flag. 3-1/4 Chrome Snap Swivels and Small gray Snap Hook Covers
https://www.flyingcolours.org/ 5×3 St George’s Cross, Sewn with d-rings and antifray netting (from England)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KU6GIHW/ Martins Flagpole Company (via Amazon) 5/16in by 80ft Flag Pole Rope

Radials are common THHN 12 wire, 31 ft long, gathered to a 1/2in copper pipe ring.

In terms of Redundancy/Backup/Failure Options straight forward replacement would be required.

NOTE:  The Island QTH has the same setup.  The two vary only in the number of radials (32 at Home QTH and 10 at Island QTH).

73

Steve
K9ZW

Creating Durable Systems – Productivity Software, Software Licensing and Alternatives

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

In addition to the Station’s Essential Software and Convenient Software Productivity Software is not only needed for an active station, but is really needed to run your household.

I find that the majority of my personal productivity needs are met with a good Word processor, Spreadsheet, Email Client, Browser and because of the style of writing I often do, a research aggregator.

I’m pretty good with Windows Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Edge/Chrome) , macOS native programs (Pages, Numbers, Mail, Safari/Chrome/Vivaldi) or the Linux OpenOffice/LibreOffice versions.

Usually I add Notepad ++ or equivalent, an IRC Client (MIRC or Igloo), some messaging apps (Signal, WhatsApp usually), as a basic build-out, then the utilities and tools.

The needs for its final build-out, testing and commissioning include all the usual purchase if that is required, download and installation.

In way of documentation to make future troubleshooting and repairs easier the links are mostly self-documented on that particular machine.  I’ve implemented an internal Wiki-style station notes system where settings, licensing information, and configurations can also be included.

To keep all of versions mostly the same, a copy of downloadables is kept as  local copies at each of the three QTH’s station computers.

In terms of Redundancy/Backup/Failure Options, if I cannot keep the respective hardware going enough to reinstall the software, if it breaks, then I will have to move to backup computers.  Two of the three station computers have formal backup systems, and the third is used only on some weekends, and the data is pulled to a USB drive, but as the risks to integrity would so closely parallel the station computer itself, a formal back up is only done periodically manually.

Again this is an area where my station could streamline down and double down on having redundancy.

73

Steve

K9ZW

Creating Durable Systems – Station Software, Software Licensing and Alternatives

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

The Software, Software Licensing and Alternatives systems can be broken down further into Essential Software and Convenient Software :

Basically the divide is segmented by what do you HAVE to have running to run the station vs what would you ALSO like to run to make it nice and easy.

Essential Software

Essential Software in a FlexRadio based station is more extensive than other station hardware builds.  A huge amount depends on SmartSDR and it’s related programs (DAX, CAT, PGXL-Utility, TGXL-Utility, SmartLink and the drivers behind).

As a software defined radio (SDR) you simply must have software to run the station.

In Essential Software I am including a running compatible OS (Operating System).  Mostly using Windows FlexRadio clients, I do have macOS clients.  For my non-FlexRadio software I am using Windows, macOS, Linux (Mint mostly), and Chrome.

Convenient Software

Convenient Software are the WSJT, flidgi, DDUTIL, FlexStack, N4PY, Ham Radio Deluxe, Grayline, TimeSync, Loggers of all flavors, types of software.  You would run this software unless it added to your station, but if the software wasn’t operating/available you could still do some communications with it.

I would also throw in this category Antenna Modeling, Productivity Software (Word processor, Spreadsheet and such) and many utilities/services.  One example of Convenient Software would be Sonos APP, as when running digital at home I will use Sonos plus a streaming software to listen to podcasts or music.

These two categories are not hard and fast, and depending on operating style some Convenient Software will be Essential Software for a particular operator.

The needs for its final build-out, testing and commissioning include all the usual purchase if that is required, download and installation.

In way of documentation to make future troubleshooting and repairs easier the links are mostly on my software page.  I’ve implemented an internal Wiki-style station notes system where settings, licensing information, and configurations are included.

To keep all of versions mostly the same, a copy of downloadables is kept on a USB Flash Drive in addition to local copies at each of the three QTH’s station computers.

In terms of Redundancy/Backup/Failure Options, if I cannot keep the respective hardware going enough to reinstall the archived software, then I will have to move to backup radios.  Two of the three station computers have formal backup systems, and the third is used only on some weekends, and the data is pulled to a USB drive, but as the risks to integrity would so closely parallel the station computer itself, a formal back up is only done periodically manually.

This is an area where my station could streamline down and double down on having redundancy.

73

Steve

K9ZW

 

Creating Durable Systems – Vintage Station and Integration

Creating Durable Systems within the K9ZW Main QTH Shack is a series started with:  https://wp.me/p2XN8-1Sc

The Vintage Station and Integration system can be broken down further:

• Collins HF-380/Alpha-95 setup (Home QTH)
• Collins S-Line 32s1/75s1/30s1 setup (Home/Work QTH)
• Collins S-Line KW-2A setup (Island QTH)

Both S-Line stations are currently receiving massive-TLC at the hands of Chuck W9KR, and should be ready by early summer.

The HF-380 station is ready to go.

The needs for each stations final build-out, testing and commissioning include:

Collins HF-380/Alpha-95 setup (Home QTH)

Station requires a few additional jumpers, but is otherwise ready to use and had been on the air.