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[TowerTalk] Antenna Bridge

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Antenna Bridge
From: Bob Bogash <bobby1@rbogash.com>
Reply-to: bobby1@rbogash.com
Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 10:25:00 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I have a Palstar ZM-30.  I bought it to avoid the MFJ unit.  It also got 
a good writeup in QST.  After a short period of use, it became 
dysfunctional.  Palstar repaired it promptly.  Paul at Palstar told me I 
had inadvertently zapped it with static charge picked up off an antenna, 
and to ensure I grounded the antenna shield and core to ground, and to 
the ZM-30 case before use.  He enclosed a warning label that should have 
been included in the original package. He also said he had jacked up the 
values of some of the diodes involved on the circuit board.

Actually, when it failed, I was testing a piece of coax in the shop. 
Anyhow....

After that, I was VERY careful, and NEVER did any work without a very 
careful grounding.  But, it zapped again.  Now, I was not a happy 
camper.  I returned it with a letter of discontent.  It was repaired and 
returned, but I had lost my whole good weather window to work my rooftop 
antennas before winter set it.  Now, I would have to wait until next summer.

There were other comments by other users on this subject buried in the 
eHam reviews  I decided to sell it on ebay.

But, as things happen, the Noon Time Net (7268.5) asked if I would serve 
as fill-in Net Control for Clyde, AA7WC.  Before I could tackle that, I 
needed to be able to put out about a KW on 40m.  I couldn't, because  my 
  antenna tuner (an LDG AT-1000) was in the shop (another interesting 
story) and my 40 m antennas needed a tuner.

So I hauled out a Hustler 4BTV from storage, clamped it to a pipe in the 
lawn outside my shack, and tried to get it tuned up flat for 40m.  I 
used the ZM-30 to help.  While measuring and trimming a couple of radial 
wires, the ZM-30 zapped again. I finished tuning up the antenna my 
old-fashioned way, using the SWR meter on my transceiver and a lot of 
trips in and out.  I DID get it flat, though, and got on the air.

As we speak, the ZM-30 is enroute back to Ohio for the third time.  This 
time, it DOES go on eBay.  It may work great - but, that's only WHEN it 
works!  I've already started looking at 259B's and am on the verge of 
buying one.

Bob
W7DDD
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