Recent content by N8YX

If you can find one in decent used shape, an HR-2600 came with a tone encoder. Selectable tones via DIP switches - you programmed it for your favorite repeater. I haven't heard a huge amount of repeater activity on 10. There's one about 60 miles away as the crow flies and it doesn't ID lately.

You might also indicate what sort of budget you have to work with. That'll help point you to something.

IC-718, IC-7200 if you want somewhat modern and simplistic. My preference for an entry level radio that isn't really entry level is a TS-440S. Grab an optioned-out R-5000, construct a Mute cable, add an antenna sharing connection on the back of the 440 (per published procedures) and run them as...

I don't have a Class D rig in the upstairs office (where I'm typing this from) so I make use of an IC-7000 for 12/10M operation and listening elsewhere. For the past several days it's been absolutely quiet on upper HF. Did a sweep from 26.0 to roughly 28.5MHz today and the only activity I...

One of my ham buddies from another forum knows Anthony personally and hits the area car shows with him. Is good people from what is said.

Let's throw a curve ball into the mix too. Telex paging mics. The Browning 776. CPI desk mics. All OEMed by Turner, much as Astatic did with their 878/1104 series. (I have half a dozen different branded mics of that series, including Drake. Coincidentally, the 7073 was a +3 in disguise...)...

Turn your VFO up to 50.400ish, switch to AM and call CQ Rag-Chew. It's a safe bet to say most of the fun will be concentrated in the bottom few hundred KHz.

What's it on the back of? Connections to and from will vary with manufacturer. Yaesu carried screen and driver voltages, ran the Tube Heater circuit in and out and had a set of relay contacts (N/C and N/O) accessible via the plug. Heathkit HW/SB-104 used it for Ext VFO power and T/R relay...

I never owned an FT-101 though I've used and worked on a bunch of them. My 101 setup is the FR/FL series. I'm on my second transmitter and 3rd/4th/5th receiver. Now have one of each; the S, D and late-model D (w/ red LED readout). All have every available option and I've added 12/17M to the...

Fun Fact: When I got into radio the progression went something like AM/FMBCB DX -> SWL -> CB -> Amateur -> wide-range scanning -> esoteric modes. All of which I still participate in. CB was near the peak of the boom. As a young comms/electronics enthusiast I made a LOT of friends in the...

What's the S/N of yours? I think I posted this before here, but: There are at least two versions of the rig, and some of the boards (RF Unit, Key Unit, etc) are NOT interchangeable. Tried throwing this out on the 440 mailing list (Groups.io) for discussion and got no replies so it's possible...

FWIW, this problem isn't isolated to the TS-440S. The R-5000 uses a nearly identical VCO arrangement and the TS-940S is very similar as well...in the fact that the potting compound Kenwood used is hygroscopic. I've had to repair all three models due to the same root cause. They may have...

Thought this was going to be about a different subject. Several amps I have here (in particular, the L7 and L75) can benefit by having their bias circuitry revamped slightly. There was an EU seller of a kit which also incorporated meter protection and a few other nice-to-haves onto the same...

I have one on the bookshelf right next to the the display I'm viewing this post with. It featured a single-tube 3CX800A7 HF amp project and possibly a 6M one as well. Low drive - around 20w in for 700 out.

I'm not sure what benefits you'd gain from this particular design, unless your transceiver incorporates TX En/TX Out control lines (like certain Ten Tecs did). The key line of a QSK amp (e.g., 420 Hercules) was connected in series with the TX Out port and another line ran back from the amp to...