Caribbean Contesting Consortium

PJ2T Quick Operating Guide

Orientation in the Shack

Station #1 is in the corner, immediately to your right as you enter the main door. #2 is under the picture window, #3 is on the table at right angles (its linear is to your right on the trestle), and Station #4 is at the end of the table, nearest the oven. Station #1 is the main contest run station, as well as the Single Op station.

There's a fire extinguisher in the closet to the right of the range.

Getting on the Air Fast

Follow the checklist that you hopefully had before arriving:

1. Make sure fuses 8, 9, 10, 12 in the laundry room are twisted in (on).
2. On the wall right of Station # 1, find the outlet box on the wall marked with red tape and labeled PLUG THE RED PLUG HERE, and plug in the red plug that you will find hanging nearby.
3. At the east end of the white topped console by the entry door, turn on the double gang switch.This energizes the power duct for all the radios and computers. Never plug anything else into this red outlet, and never plug the red plug into anything else.
4. Connect coaxes to the Station #1 linear and transceiver. Green taped coax for transceivers, blue taped coax for linears.
5. Be sure that the Astron DC power supply under the Station # 1 desk is turned on. This energizes the station antenna switching system.
6. Each station has its master antenna selection pushbuttons at the left side of that station's desk. Select "Low Band" or "High Band" using the toggle switch on top, then push the appropriate antenna button below. If you selected the 10, 15, or 20 meter "System", then find the pushbutton console appropriate to your band. (They may be anywhere in the shack.) Select "US/JA," "EUr" or "Triband." If you selected "Triband" push the button below to select one of the three tribanders. If you selected "EU" then switch the toggle switch for "Ridge" or "Yard." If you selected "Ridge" then be sure to turn on the "Ridge Antenna Selector" on the small white shelf right of Station 1 and select position 4 on the rotary switch. The three button "System" boxes for 10, 15, and 20 allow you to push one, two, or all three buttons together. Impedances will be matched automatically.
7. If it is unplugged, plug in the AC power for the Comtrends DSL MODEM on the left lamp table in the East bedroom and be sure the power for the black ASUS router atop the linear for Station #3 is plugged in. After about two minutes you should have Internet connectivity. Leave the Comtrends plugged in when you depart and be sure it is sitting off the table on its pedestal for better cooling.
8. ALWAYS USE the supplementary fans on the amps. They run on 12 volts DC. There is one DC power supply under each of the four stations. That power supply must be turned on to use that station.

Stations

Station # 1

S/O and the main M/S run station.
W3NQN filter panel is switched automatically.
W3NQN bandpass filters are not in service on WARC bands from Station #1 but if nobody is on any of the other stations, there will be no crossband interference problem.
If the Titan III linear is in place at Station # 1, use the tuning presets on the front as starting points and monitor grid current closely. Keep it low and save our tubes!
If the AL-1200 is there, the presets will be obvious.
The BandMaster III band switch under the desk will follow the transceiver's band selection automatically.
Be sure the muffin fans on top of the amps are working. They come on automatically by thermostat control when the DC supply for that station is turned on.
The FT-2000 requires 4800 baud manual communication with the serial port -- NOT "Auto" like with the FT-1000s.
Beverage cabling is in place – just push the RX button on the XCVR and select the correct antenna using the pushbutton keypad, which might be stowed behind the monitor.
The password for PC36 at Station # 1 is PJ2T. Use Windows' Device Manager to find out which COM ports are assigned to the transceiver and the WinKeyer.
The 2 meter radio below the linear at Station # 1 is connected to a Ringo Ranger and easily accesses all local island repeaters. (146.76, 146.70)

Station # 2

This is the other run station for M/2.
The Astron DC power supply on the shelf under the far left end of the table MUST be "on" or the W3NQN automatic bandpass selection system will not work.
Beverage cabling is in place – just push the RX button on the XCVR and select the correct antenna using the pushbutton keypad, which may be stowed behind the monitor.
The correct W3NQN filter is selected automatically for 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10. For WARC bands, you must manually insert the filter in the place of the barrel on top of the Titan 2. WARC filters should be on the table behind the monitor.
Always be sure that the muffin fan on top of the amplifier is in place and that the mode switch on the fan is in "Auto." Be sure the Astron power supply on the shelf below is on.

Station # 3

The LK-800 linear to your right is for Station # 3 – be VERY conservative with this amp – it only has two of the needed three tubes, and is VERY easy to mistune.
Always be sure that the supplemental muffin fan on top is on. It runs on DC from the power supply on the shelf under Station 3.
Manually insert the correct W3NQN filter where the barrel is on top of the Station 3 linear.
Beverage cabling is in place – just push the RX button on the XCVR and select the correct antenna using the pushbutton keypad, which may be stowed behind the monitor.

Station # 4

Beverage cabling is in place – just push the RX button on the XCVR and select the correct antenna using the pushbutton keypad, which may be stowed behind the monitor.
Always be sure that the supplemental muffin fan on top of the linear is on.
Titan I tuneup settings are on the amp. Please limit the output to about 700 watts -- the tubes in this amp are old and frail.
Be sure to turn on the 12 volt DC supply under the Station # 4 table.

Writelog

For guidance on how to set up the Writelog network, download this slide show: http://www.pj2t.org/ccc/Training/tutorial.on.writelog.setup.ppt .

Antennas and Rotors

As of late 2015, none of our antennas rotate, despite what's said below. This is because the thrust bearings are all rust-fused. Projects are planned to fix this, but it will take a very long time. You can work almost all needed directions with the antennas in their fixed positions.
The big tower is for Europe – only the 40 yagi rotates. 20, 15, 10 are monobanders fixed on Europe .
The tower by the house is for US/JA, and only the CL-33 tribander and six meter yagi rotate.
WARC antennas are on the small aluminum tower.
The rotor boxes (except WARC) are equipped with intelligent point and shoot “Rotor-EZ” circuits. Directions are taped on top of the rotor control boxes.
The three element wire beam for 80 is tuned for 3.775 or 3.525, based on the position of the ceramic knife switches hanging from each of the three elements. Open for SSB, closed for CW. Don’t change anything else! It is loud in Europe but also gets into the States very well.
The 80 meter inv vee beam works on 80 CW and up into the 3.6 MHz digital region. Don't change this or you will foul up this carefully tuned antenna.
The 160 Inv L is heard very well in NA and Europe. We have also worked VK/ZL, DU, and JA with this antenna. Just be sure you’re listening on the correct Beverage.
There is a three element tribander at 45 feet fixed on South America .
The role of the Pacific tribander is obvious.
The "Ridge" antenna is a Bencher Skyhawk fixed on Europe on top of the hill behind the house. It is not visible from the shack. Thanks to the triplexer it can run on three bands at once on the single feedline. This is automatic.
You can review the detailed antenna data at www.pj2t.org if you're unfamiliar with the antenna complement.

Computers

All of our PCs run Windows 7. They are Ethernetted together, and the network works 100% solidly, with no RFI susceptibility.
If you know what you’re doing with Writelog networking, all will work fine. If not, there’s too much to explain here.
The password to any PCs that ask for one is "PJ2T."
DSL Internet access is available at all four PCs. Plug in the AC power for the DSL MODEM on the lamp table in the East bedroom and also be sure to plug in the power on the black ASUS router near the linear for Station # 3. Wait about two minutes for a DSL lock to be achieved.
You will have wireless access if you brought a laptop thus equipped. The SSID is "PJ2T_2.4." Select WPA-2 Personal authentication and AES WPA encryption. WEP code password is 3CDCEE57F1.

DC Sources

Each station has a RigRunner strip available under the table. If you want to bring gear that requires DC, bring some Anderson PowerPole connectors so that you can plug into the RigRunners.

Coax Stubs

There's a complete set of W2VJN coax stubs installed for EVERY band at the antenna bulkhead. Please don't mess with these -- their tuning is very precise. Interstation interference is very minimal at PJ2T thanks to these stubs, 27 W3NQN bandpass filters, liberal use of toroids, and Bencher low pass filters on all transmitters.

Generator

If you have a power failure, carefully follow the directions on the sheet attached to the generator. It's not worth setting up the generator unless you know that it will be a very long power outage. You will only be able to run barefoot on the generator.

Don’ts

PLEASE, don’t do any of the following – we have had a lot of heartache and expense with blown equipment, the support for which is 2500 miles away.

Don’t ever transmit on a band when any other radio is listening on the same band.
Don’t ever transmit on multiple rigs without using the proper W3NQN bandpass filter all rigs at all times, even WARC.
Don’t run the amps at any more than 700 watts out, which is the PJ2 legal limit. Tube life is very short here with 50Hz on the filaments and the high ambient temps in the shack.
Don't ever use the FT-1000 internal antenna tuner, ever. (This is because when a W3NQN bandpass filter is in line it will blow the filter.)
Don’t ever run more than 300 watts out on RTTY.
Don’t run the amps unless the muffin fans on top of the amps are turned on.
Don’t recable ANYTHING, EVER that is coax – this is our largest source of blown equipment. The station works FINE as is – don’t change it.
Don’t move any gear without checking with W0CG or K8ND first. Sorry to sound harsh, but we have some real horror stories.

Radio Closet

The tools in the metal box on the floor of the Radio Closet are there for your use. Please put things back where you found them. Normally, there should be little need to get into the tools because everything at the station is well maintained and need not be changed.