The FT-990 arrived and all was well for about an hour before I remembered just how much I forgot. Seems the SB-200 uses 125V to key the amp and you just can’t key it off the FT-990′s PTT mic line, ooops. It didn’t dawn on me until it was too late.

Anyway, the FT-990 is down in Florida getting repaired and I borrowed a TS-820S from my Father-in-law in the mean time, so at least I’m back on the air.

Propagation during the Contest this last weekend was great. It felt good to hear Europe on 20 and I also worked a few South Pacific stations but it sure died off in the days after. I did manage to say hello to the guys on 14.240 yesterday and just got off the air with Randy in Hawaii (KH6IB) tonight. That good ole’ Ham Radio feeling has been re-lit! It’ll be just a matter of time before I start playing “antenna man” again, and I can say I’m looking forward to that this Autumn.

I was surprised to actually see power out of the SB-200 earlier. I picked up a PAL Watt/SWR meter from a nearby Ham (Eric, KØKE) – plugged’r in, and lo and behold – a rock solid 600W+ on 20 meters to an absolutely flat SWR on the dipole. That’s “progress“! Now I just have to choke some of the RF running around the shack – it’s more than ”annoying” when the computer locks up and the smoke (fire) sensor alarms keep going off…

Couple items of note. Bought and received a used (but mint) SP-6/LL5 speaker phone patch combo (found on eBay) that’ll match the FT-990; the “other” TS-820S made it to AK4AA (Old Ham Dave) who is refurbishing it; and the FT-990 also made it to tech (KI4NR). I made a couple Q’s; found out the SB-200 is rock solid; and oh – I ordered the HVN “Relay Saver” from Sultan Tronics yesterday, so that will take care of the SB-200 amp keying issue, “inexpensively” I should add…

Tomorrow’s another day, but at this rate of “progress” – hell, I should ‘prolly quit while I’m ahead, lol

73,

NØUN