Hi I recently purchased a SS 3900 EFT which is the same as the Ranger 158-EDX according to what I've heard. I was working a local station about fifteen miles from me on ssb and at one point the station I was talking to said that I was off frequency. I tried to get back on frequency and I used both fine and coarse clarifier to return to the frequency but I seemed to be off too much and using the clarifier wasn't helping. What was I doing wrong? I was only using very fine ajustments but to no avail. Is there a position that the clarifier would be typically set too?? I was told that these radios are great talkers so I bought one but didn't think that I would be having problems so soon after the purchase. The radio has been converted but no other tweaks have been done to it.Any help Please???
-
You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
Clarifier Question
- Thread starter barefootindian
- Start date
The fine clarifier in a stock SS radio will only track on the RX; not the TX.
Unless the procedure to unlock the fine clarifier is done - as well.
The coarse clarifier is already unlocked and will track in both TX and RX.
Unless the procedure to unlock the fine clarifier is done - as well.
The coarse clarifier is already unlocked and will track in both TX and RX.
http://www.worldwidedx.com/export-radios/153628-clarifier-question.html#post423696
Hi Robb, Thanks for your quick reply. I'll have to try to find a reliable technician to send it too, to get the fine clarifier sorted out for tx/rx. Thanks again Robb.
Hi Robb, Thanks for your quick reply. I'll have to try to find a reliable technician to send it too, to get the fine clarifier sorted out for tx/rx. Thanks again Robb.
Someone help me understand "unlocking" the clarifier. I do understand what it does in RX, I can hear the results in real time. A very cool effect too, if your making a Sci-Fi amateur movie. But explain the concept of why unlock it? What are the benefits? I have run across enticing snippets in various places, including that the Europeans like to run on the zero, but that doesn't make sense either. At least to a noob. 
A stock radio's clarifier will only track freq. on the RX end. It won't track in the TX. By unlocking the clarifier you will able to transmit and receive on the same freq.
With radio's that have the dual clarifier you don't want to have them tied together or unlocked. The whole purpose is to let you slide with the unlocked control and then fine tune your receive with the other Rx only control.
It's your call I guess, if you have them both unlocked the radio will drift alot and you will end up chasing your tail in a circle.
Naw; it won't drift any more than it did before the mod. Done this mod many times on export radios. These radios will drift after startup until they reach operating temps; nothing can be done about that. Also, ambient temps will influence the clarifier working position as well. But every one of these radios so modded will at least be able to tune to any station with greater ease and accuracy . . .
Someone help me understand "unlocking" the clarifier. I do understand what it does in RX, I can hear the results in real time. A very cool effect too, if your making a Sci-Fi amateur movie. But explain the concept of why unlock it? What are the benefits? I have run across enticing snippets in various places, including that the Europeans like to run on the zero, but that doesn't make sense either. At least to a noob.
This is a debate that will never end, to unlock or leave locked. The idea behind unlocking the clarifier is that when you fine tune a station in you will be right on his frequency when you call him. Some people will slide a KHz or two or three off from "center". With an unlocked clarifier you will be way off frequency when you call him. he then retunes to you and calls you back. You know have to retune to his new frequency and everybody is happy. If the clarifier is unlocked and the radio PROPERLY set up he will hear you fine on frequency the first time you call. Both sides of this debate strongly support their own point of view and the debate will never end. I am sure this thread will now soon see several opinions.
I usually solve that in making sure I'm pretty much on frequency and either I or my contact tunes the other in but not both at the same time unless you know what your doing. My 959 is pretty much stable in a base station setup where the ambiant temp remains constant. Just a little off until it warms up
Often, I just listen for a station calling and tune from there. Usually dialing it in within just a few seconds. When I call back to them, they respond because I am on freq with them. The fine clarifier mod makes this easy to do. Definitely works for me and others that I've modded radios for.
But yes; the merits of unlocked clarifiers can be discussed pro and con - ad nauseum.
Now if I could just do something about those C class amps being used on 38 LSB . . . lol . . .
Just saying the whole purpose of a dual clarifier is so you can enjoy the benefits of both being able to slide with the corse control and adjust the RX only with the fine.
As far as drifting, if you live in a winter weather part of the country and run something like a 3900, 158, connex 4800, galaxy 88/99 and so on they will all drift quite a bit.