CAT Port Broken

Okay, it is now official the FT-1000MP has a bad CAT port. After running a small utility I found the PC could not communicate with the radio. I am now looking at Ham Radio Bug (WA4GEG) to repair the unit and get it back to me before we are into the serious contesting. Although none of my attempts ever fall into that category.

Thankfully I was able to get the loaner FT-1000MP up and running, talking to the old PC for the recent NAQP CW Contest. I ended the effort with 116 QSOs on 20M and 40M for about 6,300 points in 5 hours. It would have been nice to see if I could have worked 80M with the new SteppIR BigIR Mk III, but time would not allow me this opportunity.

I have been working on the grounding of W6ONV. Thanks to Glen (K9STH) and his “grounding primer” I picked up off his web site. I have driving 4 8′ copper ground rods, one of the opposite wall of the shack and three in the backyard as based on his recommendation. I am still waiting for my copper, insulated buss bar to arrive so I can ground all the station equipment.

The next real attempt will be for the NAQP SSB Contest that comes up August 15-16. Now if I could just get the Alpha 76PA to work with something resembling full power instead of the 400-500 watts I usually get out of it for SSB. It could be a tuning issue, as N6WM and N6RO have suggested. I will have to pick up a dummy load and try to tune the amp again before the contest, since I will need the linear for the SSB contest.