Instruction manual

SM100 • 19
Now you are all set to sit back and enjoy your Signal Magnet! We hope that
you find it both useful and valuable, both as an educational tool, which you
have already benefited from, and a recreational one, which you will enjoy for
years.
The SM100 is not intended to replace long wire antennas, although under
certain conditions, it will outperform them. Please be aware that you may
encounter stations that you will receive better on another antenna. For this
reason, we have included a bypass jack. Also, since your antenna involves
a good amount of construction by you, the hobbyist or experimenter, you
should expect to get out the same quality of performance out of it as you put
into it. We hope that you take your time in deciding the exact frequency
range and setup that you will be using the SM100 in, so that you get the best
overall performance.
TROUBLESHOOTING INSTRUCTIONS
While we had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this, if you are having trouble
with your antenna, here are a few suggestions.
By far the most common source of problems is due to misplaced parts or
poor solder connections. It’s always best to take a break before searching for
bad connections. Around here it’s referred to as the “Irwin Time Test” which
states that “anything left alone long enough seems to repair itself !” A good
way of checking component placement is to double check the assembly
steps going backwards from the last steps to the first. Bright lighting and a
magnifying aid can be helpful in identifying soldering problems. We’ve all
made silly mistakes and never been able to see them ourselves, so have a
friend check your work, as well.
Use a methodical, logical troubleshooting technique. Most problems can be
solved using common sense. A volt-ohm meter and a clear head are usually
all that are needed to correct any problem. Please understand that it is
nearly impossible to “troubleshoot” by phone, any specific questions should
be documented and sent to us by mail.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Problem: “When I turn on the unit, the LED does not light up.”
Solution: Do you have the power hooked up correctly? Disconnect
everything except for the power one item at a time. If the LED comes on, it
was the part that you unplugged (i.e. antenna) that is giving you problems. If
you unplug everything, (except for power!) and the LED is still not lit up,