Hi Brian,
CONGRATULATIONS ! You have taken one BIG step in the wonderful,
exciting, fulfilling and often frustrating world of electronics in
general and ham radio in particular! In fact, you could probably broaden
that statement to include all complex mechanical or electrical devices.
Developing an analytical approach to life's problems can prevent
knee-jerk reactions, the result of which often is humiliation and
embarrassment when you make a "dumb" statement and are shown the error of
your ways. There are many examples here on this reflector from time to
time. Most are given in an honest and friendly, helpful manner but
occasionally the exchanges between the original complainer and the
readers of this reflector become heated. It is often an ego trip on both
sides, neither wanting to listen and respond in a civil manner.
I studied and obtained my private pilot's license as a young man. My
first instructor, a lady in East Tennessee who had thousands of hours
logged and every rating available, always taught to be prepared for any
problem by thinking analytically, imagine every conceivable problem that
could occur and then have a plan to address that problem. She would
always create an "emergency" each flight if she thought you weren't
keeping focussed on your flying. It taught you to think ahead and gave
you confidence in your abilities to function in a crisis.
Electronics can be very rewarding but frustrating at times. Your Elmers
have given you one of the building blocks for a good technician; if the
symptoms change, what was the last thing that you changed, connected ar
added? Go back and see if you left something loose, ungrounded, etc.
Learn to use simple tools like a volt ohm meter to check cable
resistances, connections, short circuits, etc. Your Elmers could show the
right and wrong ways of this, I'm sure.
Sometimes commercial jumper cables can also give trouble, Radio Shack
coax with installed connectors being an excellent example. I had
intermittant problems with my station that took me months to solve
because every time I would move the rig to remove the cover or tighten
grounds inside, the problem would disappear. It turned out to be a R/S
jumper with crimped connectors. The center conductor was making
intermittant contact. I soldered all of the center pins on my R/S
jumpers and then replaced them with quality jumpers from a supply store
in Atlanta and made up my own for other lengths not available locally.
No problems since.
These are just a couple of examples that I could give. One last comment
is don't go looking for some exotic, esoteric problem and solution
because the problem is usually something simple like a loose connection
or poor pin contact, low voltage from a power supply when you put a heavy
load on it, etc.
Good luck and thanks for your open-minded attitude. It is refreshing!
73,
Pat Haynes - K4BEH
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