Current Events For 2018
Bart, Bob and Larry installed radios at two Intertie sites last week comprising our Midland/Odessa spur. We adjusted levels at Ft. Stockton, prior to visiting Penwell and Midessa. We also fed the killer bees and reattached a fallen sheet metal building siding panel.
We obtained good-sounding audio at both sites. with two way communication at Penwell. Unfortunately, a PL issue delayed full turn-on at our Midessa Site. We reattached the 440 repeater antenna to the duplexer. This allowed a full return of wide area coverage to Ft. Stockton.
After arriving home we found we could not control Penwell. While we were there, we missed a chance to fix this by failing to ask for DTMF signals form San Antonio. Bart has volunteered to look into these issues on his next business trip to Ector County. We've ordered a programming cable for his laptop. We will load the Motorola software today and make some practice runs on the bench. If his time permits, he'll visit Penwell and while there watch the DTMF decoder display on the I-Square controller as we attempt a tweak.
All in all, this was a greatly productive trip. Friday's highlight was lunch at KD's with new Member David, KF5WDJ and rejoining Member, Bill, KD4LXC. Sadly, we did not get to meet our newest Member, sponsored by David: Lloyd, W5NLD. Mark, N5SOR would have been present, but was out of town on vacation.
Our next trip will be an overnighter at Sanderson to replace the I-Square controller at Longfellow. We have not achieved control here, since CDM installation. Some modifications are needed on the link radio interface to improved DTMF control.
Sincerest thanks to Bob, W5RMC, Bart KG5PGH, and to Mary Etta, KG5PGI and several members who helped us with contacts from San Antonio at each site.
Larry, W5EX