Still working on it.
Two working bees over the weekend 6/2 and 7/2. It has now been established that the cavities are on frequency, the antenna is fine with an excellent VSWR and the TX gets out.
The receiver is however very deaf and yet when a signal generator is fed through the cavities the receiver is very sensitive. When the transmitter is connected the receiver sensitivity drops badly. The TX checks out as clean on the spectrum analyser, it is not unstable or noisy.
We know that if separate antennas (the new one at the 70ft mark) is placed on the TX and the temporary antenna at about 40ft is placed on the receiver, both through individual sets of cavities then the system works although with some imbalance in performance. Conclusion, massive desense is causing the problem when the system is connected as it should.
Measurements confirm that the transmitter is putting out 45W. This is the most likely cause of the problem and desensitising the receiver. Normally 25W should be the setting for the TX. The control on the front of the TX is not working. Since leaving the site we have learned that there is an internal power control.
At this point, Norbert and Dylan are attending the site on Thursday or Friday to install the Mt Eckersley yagi. Norbert will adjust the internal control to 25W output and we’ll see if the system then works. This our best option for a solution as everything else checks out.
For the moment please be patient, your repeater team is doing its best.