Super Station #3 improvements!

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KA1GJU
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2020 2:16 pm

Super Station #3 improvements!

#1

Unread post by KA1GJU »

Did some antenna improvements on Super Station #3 since it wasn't getting much use for reasons unknown to me. It was a 51' vertical, but now it's a 150' EFW as an inverted L, with about 65' vertical and 85' horizontal. The noise floor is still ~2 S-units higher than other similar setups such as Super Stations #1 and #2 on the lower bands, but those two servers have long lengths of 1/2" Aluminum CATV hardline as feedline extensions to RG-213 runs. Signal strengths are similar, just a higher noise floor. :(
Here's a comparison between #2 on left and #3 on the right with the new antenna as an attachment.

73 de Kriss KA1GJU
Home of the Super Station SDRC Servers in NH (FN42)
Attachments
Comparison80M150ft.png
73 Kriss KA1GJU Home of the KA1GJU Super Station SDRC Servers in NH, USA (FN42mw & FN43na)

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KA1GJU
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2020 2:16 pm

Re: Super Station #3 improvements!

#2

Unread post by KA1GJU »

Further testing this AM yields significant deafness starting about 13.5Mhz and above, compared to either #1 or #2 servers.
That's a head scratcher! :o

73 Kriss KA1GJU
73 Kriss KA1GJU Home of the KA1GJU Super Station SDRC Servers in NH, USA (FN42mw & FN43na)

User avatar
KA1GJU
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2020 2:16 pm

Re: Super Station #3 improvements!

#3

Unread post by KA1GJU »

I think I found the issue!
SS#3 had an Airspy HF Dual Port, not the Discovery version. I added a Discovery to the server and did an AB comparison. On the higher bands, the Airspy Dual Port has a slightly higher noise floor. So I am not going crazy! Will have to update the firmware and see if that helps on the dual port, due to being in service for a LONG time. I have now begun to rename the radios in the server manager to allow users to know which radio and antenna they are on at the top of the screen.

Here's TO6S calling CQ...

73 Kriss KA1GJU
Attachments
Server3comparison.png
73 Kriss KA1GJU Home of the KA1GJU Super Station SDRC Servers in NH, USA (FN42mw & FN43na)

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