Cold Snap...

[SLWilson]

While you're listening this weekend, you might list any of the local agencies you normaly monitor if it sounds like the COLD SNAP causes tham issues with their radio equipment.

When I started here, we used to have trouble when things got down to near zero, but, we've added insulation, heat and done a few other things to keep the bitter cold out.

I know that some of our surrounding counties here (near Gallia) have older equipment. Their buildings are simply concrete block sturctures. Cold plays havoc with their radios sometimes....

Just curious!

Steve/KB8FAR :lol:

 

[hoser147]

When its around zero its a good time to stay inside and play with the radio's. If its going to break it will be when its fridged out and not fit for man or beast..............Hoser

 

[monk8500]

Cold snap problems

The Mitrek low band radio at our tower site did not like the cold at around 10 degrees. We used to remove it from the enclosure and lay it on the dash of the brush truck with the heater blowing on it. After about a half hour or so we installed it back into the enclosure and it worked fine. After a few times of this problem occurring(usually around 2 to 3 am) I had a BFI.
I acquired a couple of low wattage, adhesive backed heaters and a thermostat. Stuck the heaters to Mitrek cover plate set the thermostat to 70 degrees. No more trips to the hill for this problem.
Everything just right these days as we are co-located on a Marcs site just a few feet away from the old tower site. Equipment on the old tower site still works and is in the standby as needed mode.
As I see the temperature drop here it would be a night that would require a trip to hill.
Just another one of the stories relative to being a member of the local VFD.

Monk8500

 

[SLWilson]

Heating Transmitters in Cold Weather

The Mitrek low band radio at our tower site did not like the cold at around 10 degrees. We used to remove it from the enclosure and lay it on the dash of the brush truck with the heater blowing on it. After about a half hour or so we installed it back into the enclosure and it worked fine. After a few times of this problem occurring(usually around 2 to 3 am) I had a BFI.
I acquired a couple of low wattage, adhesive backed heaters and a thermostat. Stuck the heaters to Mitrek cover plate set the thermostat to 70 degrees. No more trips to the hill for this problem.
Everything just right these days as we are co-located on a Marcs site just a few feet away from the old tower site. Equipment on the old tower site still works and is in the standby as needed mode.
As I see the temperature drop here it would be a night that would require a trip to hill.
Just another one of the stories relative to being a member of the local VFD.

Monk8500

We had a Micor on low band too. Didn't bother the RX, just the TX....In the '94 cold snap she froze up like that. We took a 45 watt light bulb, stuck it INSIDE of the cabinet. Took care of that. Just had to remembr to check it avery month or so during the winter....

We still have the old unit. (It is a 1972 model Moto!) It's the one in the back of the picture, the tall cabinet up on the shelf. We use it as a backup.....Don't have to add a bulb now though, we added HEAT!!!!!

Steve/Gallia/KB8FAR :wink:

 

[SLWilson]

Cold here !

Got down to 8 degrees here in Gallipolis during the night....No radio failures "so far"....

SteveKB8FAR

 

[monk8500]

Cold snap radios

After the discussions about temperature related radio problems in the middle of the night the old mind woke me up at 2:34 AM last night. Gave the old repeater a kerchunk laughed a little bit. The next thought was to make a symbolic trip to the hill and pay respect to the cold weather radio problem Gods. Older wiser now, equipment is newer, and its in a heated building. I wonder how a MSR2000UHF and a CDM 750 would have held up against the elements?

Monk8500

 

[ctpd845]

Late evening on Saturday night the Ottawa County EDACS system was acting up. Watching UniTrunker I seen that LCN #3 was dropping the audio whenever the system was using that channel. Don't know if the cold did it or not but our radio service took that channel off the system until Monday afternoon.

 

[16b]

I've noticed that the LCDs on my Motorola radios don't particularly care for the near 0 temperatures, but nothing a few minutes inside won't cure