[BC] One of those weeks..

[Tom Taggart]

Almost back to normal..

Looks like the notorious power surge...

This is a college station running a Marti composite STL into
an 802B and an ECO-6. Audio real low--then pops and squeals,
transmitter cycling on and off. Dead carrier shortly
thereafter. Got up to the site--Marti shows full scale
modulation without any signal into it, 802B's LED mod
display all the way up into the red --without any input. 

Found out that the Marti composite receiver's switching
power supply will "glitch up" & not feed anything out.
Unplug it, comes back to normal. Supply is a 3 amp 12 volt
"Meanwell" made in China. (Yes, I know, they mean well...)
Jameco has the exact replacement, will be coming in next
week. 

Then the 802B's problem is it is almost too well built...the
audio/AFC card has a pair of 15 volt regulators and the -15
was bad. Only indication was the "pinned" modulation display
& not allowing audio through it.  Exciter still seemed to be
running...replaced regulator all's well.

They have surge suppression on the incoming power,, but
apparently that's not enough for this site. the equipment is
mounted in an ancient RCA rack that's only 15 inches
deep--the 802B sits on a rack shelf. I have a newer rack I'm
giving them, will mount a surge suppressor right in the
rack. Maybe that will calm things down!

Now I can go replace my hybrid at my station...