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Re: [VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 activity night

To: "David Olean" <k1whs@metrocast.net>, newsvhf@mailman.qth.net, vhfcontesting@contesting.com, "222 >> 222Activity@groups.io" <222Activity@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 activity night
From: "Ron Klimas WZ1V" <wz1v@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-to: wz1v@sbcglobal.net
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:03:44 -0400
List-post: <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Thanks to all who replied. 
If anyone else got a self-igniting amp like mine from Good Buddy Dave, 
Here's the link to the correct schematic so you can repair it: 

https://www.mmra.org/larcan/15kWhidocs.pdf

Replacement non-exploding chip caps are available from Mouser, 
the values on the output network of each FET are - 
30 pF in parallel with 27 pF, 39 pF x2, and 6.8 pF, 
example Kyocera 800B270JT500XT for the 27 pf.

https://www.mouser.com/c/passive-components/capacitors/ceramic-capacitors/mlccs-multilayer-ceramic-capacitors/multilayer-ceramic-capacitors-mlcc-smd-smt/?capacitance=27%20pF&voltage%20rating%20dc=500%20VDC

There is no reason these caps should have shorted and burned up. 
I suspect I was just unlucky and got a Larcan lemon. 
Just a heads up on the FET's - they are all not created equal, 
SRF3943-2 was the original part, beware of Chinese fake knock-offs.

73 Ron WZ1V

----- Original Message -----
From: David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>
To: newsvhf@mailman.qth.net, vhfcontesting@contesting.com,        "222 >> 
222Activity@groups.io" <222Activity@groups.io>
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2024 15:05:51 -0400
Subject: Re: [NEWSVHF] 222 activity night

> Wow, Ron that is quite a list and I see a new call or two there, which 
is great. It is funny how the power level works. When I went from 170 
watts on 2M to 1500 watts I was sure that my grid totals would soar 
during the contest. They did not. All I saw was an increase in the # of 
contacts made. That sure surprised me. 120 watts will still do a lot of 
work!! I worked 15 of the 20 stations that you worked. I missed N2SLO, 
WB2ONA, K and W1GHZ.  Other stations worked here include N1GYT, WA1LWC, 
K3SK and two others for the same total of 20 QSOs.

The excitement of the evening was working WA3EOQ on CW. We set up a sked 
and I saw a big blip just off frequency and about 20 dB out of the 
noise. I tuned it in and it was Howard calling me on CW. I gave him a 
559 and he passed along a 569. I never missed a dit, and that was the 
strongest I have ever heard him on a Tuesday night.  Knowing that things 
might be up a bit down the coast, I tried FT8 with K3SK. He decoded me, 
and I could tell he was there, but did not decode him.  Normally we 
hardly ever makea contact on FT8. We switched to Q65B-30 and worked 
quickly. -22 here and I was -20 there as I recall.  By about 00:50the 
East Coast was quiet so I quit and listened on 28 MHz for a few minutes. 
Between about 01:15 and 01:30 I could work JAs and VKs on FT8. I saw no 
CW activity. Imagine JAs coming in so late in the evening. The SSB HF 
contest will be Bedlam I am sure.

I was really having fun hearing actual QRM early in the evening. There 
were QSOs on top of QSOs. In short it was a huge amount of fun. Why 
can't a VHF contest provide the same excitement?   That is an 
interesting question.

73

Dave K1WHS

On 10/22/2024 9:00 PM, Ron Klimas WZ1V wrote:

> Limped along at 120 Watts on 222 tonight, but logged:
> WB2VVV FN41, WA2LTM FN20, K1PXE FN31, WA3NUF FN20,
> WB2ONA FN20, K1WHS FN43, N2SLO FN30, AA2SD FM29,
> KC1DWH FN31, W1AIM FN34, W1GHZ FN34, N1SV FN42,
> WA3EOQ FM09, WA3SSG FN20, K2RMX FN20, WA1RKS FN32,
> WA1MBA FN51, WB2RVX FM29, and K3TUF FN10.
> Anyone know where I can find a schematic and or parts list
> for a Larcan High Band VHF 500 Watt driver amp ?
> Having tough time repairing by guesswork.
>
> 73 Ron WZ1V
>
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