Still Testing...

Development of the BITE (built in test equipment) is still progressing. There isn't a whole lot to report at this point. There were some updates to the preamp configuration late last week. Rather than having a three state preamp (on/off/attenuate), it has been changed to provide +30, +20, +10, 0 and -10 dB of pre-amplification and attenuation. This will help with sensitivity on the upper bands and the two level attenuator will help with blocking dynamic range on the low bands.

Other than that, I have been listening to a local beacon on 6m since I got my 6m Moxon back in the air this weekend. It had a little accident a few weeeks ago when I was taking it down for it annual pre-eSkip maintenance. Regardless what the farmers say, planting an aluminum in the ground will not make it sprout small antennas; no matter how much you water them. Par Electronics was very prompt in sending me element replacements and for that I am very grateful. I fixed the antenna mast mount by engineering a simple tilt-over mechanism and put some shear pins in the mast sections to prevent the sudden and unexpected rotation that caused the damage. So hopefully there will not be any more accidental antenna "plantings" in my future.