The Yaesu FT-847 is a brand new radio and UTARC is its first owner. The manual for the rig is available in the shack, as is a VHS tape describing the operation and features of the rig. The rig can also be used on 145/435 MHz for satellite operations.
Our Yaesu FT-726R has the optional satellite accessory plug-in board installed, which enables the rig to operate cross-band full-duplex. This is a necessary feature for operating 2M/70cm satellites. Most members operating satellites use the Yaesu FT-847 instead. Recently, the PTT signal for hte 144 MHz band module has been flaky, meaning that the external amplifier for 144 MHz (an AM-6155 in the 19'' equipment rack) sometimes doesn't key.
Attached to the 222 MHz transverter, the Radio Shack HTX-100 is a 28 MHz mono-band radio that does USB and CW modes. It has been modified to serve as the Intermediate Frequency (IF) radio for the Down East Microwave transverter. It now has two RF connectors: the original SO-238 is now the receive connector, and a male BNC jack on the end of a short pigtail of RG-179 thin coax is the transmit connector. The radio has also been modified to add a PTT jack, used to key the transverter between transmit and receive. The transverter and IF radio are always cabled together, and one should only need to connect the 222 MHz antenna feedline to the transverter to be ready to go on the air. 28.100 on the HTX-100 dial corresponds to 222.100 MHz over the air, more or less.
The 1296 MHz equipment is similar in principle to the 222 MHz equipment. The Yaesu FT-290R is the IF radio, albeit a 144 MHz IF radio instead of a 28 MHz IF radio. In the case of the 1296 MHz gear, though, all of the rest of the equipment is located in a waterproof box at the top of the tower. It is all turned on simply by turning on the Astron RS-35M power supply. To get on the air, just plug in the feedline labelled ``microwaves'' into the 144MHz IF radio. 144.100 on the Yaesu FT-290R dial corresponds to 1296.100 MHz over the air, more or less.
All four radios are capable of CW operation, and they are all hooked up to a custom-built electronic keyer. This keyer is a CMOS Super Keyer III; it has six memories, can handle auto-incrementing serial numbers, and is capable of 5 to 99 wpm speeds. The custom case includes four toggle switches; each switch turns on or off the keyer output to each of four radios. A small knob on the front panel controls the volume of the internal speaker, and the large knob on the top of the case controls the speed. The manual for the keyer is available in one of the equipment document binders in the bookcase.
The Yaesu FT-2600M's microphone is generally not kept out, as the radio is used almost exclusively for packet operations. For VHF contesting, however, the radio is used for FM voice contacts. For this to work, the microphone must be plugged in, and the packet cable must be unplugged. There is also an 9 ohm ``dummy load'' plugged into the speaker jack in the back of the radio that must be removed for voice operations. Please remember to hook things back up for packet after the contest or operating event is over.