[IRCA] The SPR-4 is busted! Poop!

[Charles A & Leonor L Taylor <calltaylor@xxxxxxx>]

As the Japanese would say in a paraphrased sort of way:

"Where Charlie Taylor is concerned, a set of contraints have been 
raised." That's a good translation of a Japanese sentence structure.

Or, Someone/somewhere has warned me: "Put up or shut up."

So I got the SPR-4 out, plugged it in, and hoped to generate some 
momentum towards getting the DX Den/Radio Room back on the road again.

No such luck.

SHORTLY: The s-meter reads "+20" under all sets of bands, 
tunings/mistunings, everything.

Knowing the SPR-4, that points to a possible AGC problem or a possible 
power-supply problem. Either way it doesn't point to an working DX 
Den/Radio Room. Fortunately, I have the tools and meters and wires and 
such and a manual to troubleshoot it. So a delay is ahead.

Next choice was the RadioShack DX-398 and the SM-2 "Space Maggot." I 
soon found that I don't have the connectors on hand to connect one with 
the other. Another poop.

Turned on the DX-398 barefoot on the dining room table and got a 
terrible cacaphony of RFI, QRM, noise, TVI, and I-don't-know-what-all 
that I set THAT aside as another enterprise turned sour. Another poop.

Put on the running shoes and clothes and went out for an hour on the 
road. Unpoop. Happy again.

But there are many possible variations afoot: Get the proper connectors 
from RadioShack, possibly tomorrow, and try again. Another is to begin 
to "rehabilitate"
the other DX "stuff." In this case, that means three buried RG-59 cables 
between the house and the barn. Connect this end and connect the other 
end. The other end wants an antenna, and there is none. But before 
9/11/2001 there was a 75-foot horizontal at the n.e. end of the property 
line between the Taylor Hovel and a nice, big woods. Rebuilding that 
would be fun, and I aim to pursue that too and connect it to one of the 
coaxes. But that's another week-or-so delay.

What's a technician to do?

Take a nice shower and work on some insurance papers and get ready for bed.

G-night.

Chuck Out [Take that as you will].

73 de Charlie WD9INP/4 NOT /6.

-- 
	-----------
Charles A & Leonor L Taylor
Greenville, North Carolina


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