Category Archives: W6GGF UHF

W6GGF UHF Update

N6DZK and W6BWJ paid a vist to W6GGF UHF at Crystal Peak this past Saturday. After a quick stop at the Summit Store for some tasty sandwiches from the deli, we made it to the site. The weather was really nice for this time of season. The winds were relatively calm. Looking towards Morgan Hill it was quite hazy though, so pictures are not that great.

The objectives of the trip where to: 1) Ascertain the issues with the signal strength – whether it was the radio itself or the power amp. And 2) Install the IRLP/Echolink node.

Right about smack in the middle in the distance you can see El Toro.

On item 1 we quickly realized we did not have a PL-259 to N adapter. So plan B was put in motion which consisted of literally calling for help. Luckily we received a reply from a ham in Holister which was a good test for our purposes. We connected and disconnected the power amp and asked for a signal comparison. The power amp did not seem to be make the signal any better, and in fact made it worse. Connecting the radio directly to the antenna and by-passing the amp seemed to be a marked improvement. So the power amp has been disconnected and will be sent for testing and repair.

On item 2, W6GGF UHF now has an IRLP and Echolink node! We are now IRLP node 7528. Echolink will follow shortly. There are additional steps we have to take because we are using the club call sign. Soon we will be able to connect far and wide as well as allow echolink connections. This should be completed soon. Overall it was a successful trip and we look forward to getting the repaired amp back in place as soon as possible which will return W6GGF UHF back to full output power.