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JimNY
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Joined: Saturday June 30th, 2007
Location: Oakdale, New York USA
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 Posted: Friday December 7th, 2007 05:03 pm
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I purchased an assembled 1 watt FM100B from Hobbytron.

Assembled the antenna and tested it, it works.

I put the antenna in the FM100B and it isn't transmitting.  The input is registering on the FM100, but the radio that is 3 feet away doesn't get the station (99.9)

Thank you
Jim



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gremler
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 Posted: Sunday December 9th, 2007 07:45 am
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JimNY wrote: I purchased an assembled 1 watt FM100B from Hobbytron.
I thought those were for export only, but thats your call, just be careful.

I repaired an FM30 for my Brother-in-law that he purchased from Hobbytron, it failed the first year, the soldering was well below par, It looked more like globbing and it was cold solder joint city, resoldered the whole board and it worked fine.


JimNY wrote: Assembled the antenna and tested it, it works.


Which antenna?  Not sure what you mean.

JimNY wrote:
I put the antenna in the FM100B and it isn't transmitting.  The input is registering on the FM100, but the radio that is 3 feet away doesn't get the station (99.9)

I would not use the whip antenna with a 1 watt unit, too much chance of blowing the output.  Use only a good external antenna.

If you did blow the output you can buy replacement parts from Ramsey.

Bill



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16 sequenced Christmas song's, 104 channels of LOR (up from 88 last year), audio transmitted on 105.7 FM, about 20,000 lights and over 3000 feet of extension cords.
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JimNY
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 Posted: Sunday December 9th, 2007 11:54 pm
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How can I tell if I blew the output?



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gremler
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 Posted: Monday December 10th, 2007 05:29 am
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The first sign is very low or no power out (I think your qualifies)

But still I would look at the soldering.

Also please tell me more about the antenna, did you change the antenna with the unit on???

Are you using the whip on a 1 watt transmitter, and did you touch the whip and possibly create a static charge.

Jim  I really need more info.

Bill



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16 sequenced Christmas song's, 104 channels of LOR (up from 88 last year), audio transmitted on 105.7 FM, about 20,000 lights and over 3000 feet of extension cords.
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JimNY
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 Posted: Monday December 10th, 2007 11:44 am
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gremler wrote: The first sign is very low or no power out (I think your qualifies)

But still I would look at the soldering.

Also please tell me more about the antenna, did you change the antenna with the unit on???

Are you using the whip on a 1 watt transmitter, and did you touch the whip and possibly create a static charge.





I'm not sure I qualify to judge their soldering, Before this project, I couldn't even spell solder.

I did change the antenna with the unit on.

I don't know what a whip is.

Here is the antenna I'm using.  http://www.hobbytron.com/Tru-Match-FM-Broadcast-Antenna-Kit.html



 

Thanks Bill

Last edited on Monday December 10th, 2007 11:45 am by JimNY



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Santas Helper
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 Posted: Monday December 10th, 2007 12:07 pm
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Jim,

A whip antenna is the metal telescopic antennea that comes with the transmitter. And yes, the antenna you're showing will work if it was put together right according to the selected channel you're using. Actually, with the FM100B, the whip antenna is not recomended, but the antenna your showing is.

Your not using both antennas are you? That's a no-no. If you are, turn off the power and remove the whip antenna.

As Bill mentioned, hopefully you didn't touch the whip while it was powered up.

Tom



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JimNY
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 Posted: Monday December 10th, 2007 01:42 pm
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I don't have a whip antenna.

In the instructions for the antenna, it states to test it by hooking up to an FM receiver and see if reception improves, and it did.  So I'm assuming the antenna is not the problem.

Thanks
Jim



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JimNY
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 Posted: Tuesday December 11th, 2007 08:17 pm
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JimNY wrote: How can I tell if I blew the output?
Is there a way to find this out?



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gremler
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 Posted: Friday December 14th, 2007 03:31 am
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JimNY wrote: I did change the antenna with the unit on.

Then you most likely smoked the output stage.

It is unlike the power from your wall where if there is no load it goes nowhere. Without an antenna/load the power from a transmitter will be reflected back and all of that power will be absorbed by the transmitter (not good), and the results, well you have experienced it.

I am sorry for the slow response, We just got power back today, had a nasty ice storm and all that.

Bill 



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16 sequenced Christmas song's, 104 channels of LOR (up from 88 last year), audio transmitted on 105.7 FM, about 20,000 lights and over 3000 feet of extension cords.
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JimNY
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 Posted: Friday December 14th, 2007 11:35 am
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Bill,

Thanks for the reply, hope your "scrape out" of the ice goes quickly.

How do I repair this thing?

JIm



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gremler
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 Posted: Friday December 14th, 2007 06:42 pm
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Ist just want to make sure you have the FM100BEX....

The FM100B uses a GAL5 as the output transistor.

The FM100BEX uses a GAL5 as the preamp and a MRF557 as the output transistor.

here are a couple links to dealers the sell the MRF557

 http://www.rfparts.com/mototran.html#MRF502

http://www.communication-concepts.com/transistor.htm

The GAL5 I only found at Ramsey.  Order one and then find somebody to replace it. it's kind of small so find somebody with good soldering skills.

Bill



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gremler
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 Posted: Friday December 14th, 2007 10:06 pm
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Jim

Just in case you can't find anyone to fix it, overnight the transmitter to me (or however fast you want it) and order the 2 parts I listed above and send to my address and I will repair it for free, except send the funds for shipping back to you, and I'll get it sent back out the next day (or even the same day) and even make sure it works like it is suppose to.

If you have questions about my references ask Jeff Mill, or Tom a.k.a. Santa's Helper, I think they will vouch for me.

Just promise me you will not operate it without a load and a grounded coupling.

Bill

Edited for grammer

Last edited on Friday December 14th, 2007 11:09 pm by gremler



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skibozo
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 Posted: Sunday December 16th, 2007 06:12 am
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gremler wrote: Are you using the whip on a 1 watt transmitter, and did you touch the whip and possibly create a static charge.

Bill,

I've read previously about static charges zapping the transistors. I slipped a piece of heat-shrink tubing over my whip for protection. Do you think this is good, or am I potentially creating a worse condition?

Thanks,

Michael



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gremler
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 Posted: Sunday December 16th, 2007 01:12 pm
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Michael

I don't think it will hurt anything, I have never heard of anyone doing that.  My TM100 is in PVC pipe.

Guys remember a static discharge can destroy the transmitter output if it is on or off.

I think the best advice is to follow proper ESD procedures when handling your transmitter (or any sensitive electronics for that matter), or at least at a minimum touch something grounded before fooling with the antenna.

Bill



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JimNY
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 02:14 pm
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Bil,

Thank you so much for your offer.  Here is an update.

I tried it again the other night, changed the coax to a 50ohm cable. I can hear the music on the radio station but it's very weak and has a lot of static.

It doesn't come in at all outside



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Santas Helper
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 02:33 pm
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gremler wrote: If you have questions about my references ask Jeff Mill, or Tom a.k.a. Santa's Helper, I think they will vouch for me.

Bill


I just noticed this post.

I'll vouch for Bill (aka Gremler) any day of the week :waycool:.

He knows his stuff and I've seen his work in person :waycool:.

Chances are, you would have a 100% working transmitter right now if you took his advise a few days ago.

Just my thoughts,

Tom



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basis21b
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 02:52 pm
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Unsolicited endorsement follows:

I too will vouch for Bill (Gremler).  Last spring I purchased the FM25B that he had for sale.  Before shipping it to me, he made sure that he installed an optional component to help reduce the impact of touching the antenna.  He easily could have sent the device without this and I would have not been the wiser.

He even set the device to the broadcast frequency that I intended to use this year.  THAT is attention to detail.  You are in good hands.


On a second topic - I am very pleased to see posts from the gremler account again.




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Santas Helper
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 03:01 pm
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basis21b wrote: On a second topic - I am very pleased to see posts from the gremler account again.




I'll second that second :].

Tom



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JimNY
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 03:54 pm
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Bill,

I sent you a PM.

Thanks
Jim


gremler wrote:
Jim

Just in case you can't find anyone to fix it, overnight the transmitter to me (or however fast you want it) and order the 2 parts I listed above and send to my address and I will repair it for free, except send the funds for shipping back to you, and I'll get it sent back out the next day (or even the same day) and even make sure it works like it is suppose to.

If you have questions about my references ask Jeff Mill, or Tom a.k.a. Santa's Helper, I think they will vouch for me.

Just promise me you will not operate it without a load and a grounded coupling.

Bill

Edited for grammer



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gremler
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 Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 05:57 pm
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JimNY wrote: Bill,

I sent you a PM.


Jim

You have PM back.



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