Grant XL...FC-30BT Install

[Mudfoot]

Can one of these counters be wired directly into the Grant? If so, will it work on SSB as well?

Thanks

 

[Robb]

A Uniden Grant; or a Grant XL?

According to Bells' CB Shop, this unit comes with instructions. I noticed that it also sports an RCA jack to use this counter as a probe. Think I would change that out to a BNC connector for a buck or two. Not that I would use it as a reference counter for radio alignments; but I don't think that anyone makes/sells a probe that uses an RCA connector.

I'm aligning a local ops Cobra 148GTL that uses an external ParaDynamics PDC-256 counter on it and I'll post where the wires go. It should work the same way as the one you have - if we are talking about the Grant XL (same as a Cobra 148GTL).

 

[Mudfoot]

It's a Uniden Grant XL.

 

[ExitThirteen]

If memory serves me right, the FC30BT won't work on the Cobra 148/Grant chassis, as the counter needs 10.695 (10.6975 in some radios) mhz IF offset to read correctly. The Cobra 148/Uniden Grant chassis uses a 7.8 mhz IF offset. The Galaxy FC347 and the Ranger FC390 are internally switchable for either 7.8 or 10.695 (10.6975) and will read properly.

The Paradynamics PDC256 will work on a 148/Grant chassis, but since that particular counter does not have the built in SSB offsets, that counter won't read correctly on SSB, but it will read right on AM. (example: AM = 27.3850, USB = 27.3865 or 27.3875 depending on the radio, LSB = 27.3835 or 27.3825 depending on radio)

Double check on this, but unless they changed it on the FC30BT to make them switchable IF internally, they'll only work on the Galaxy/Connex/Ranger chassis. Hope this info helps.

~Cheers~

 

[Mudfoot]

Thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

 

[Robb]

ExitThirteen is 100% right on about the Paradynamics PDC256. In the 148, it uses TP9 thru a cap and resistor to feed that counter. SSB is 'phonied up' by an 'offset' - just to let the user know that they are either on USB or LSB.

 

[2RT307]

Can one of these counters be wired directly into the Grant? If so, will it work on SSB as well?

Thanks

I can't remember which Galaxy FC model it was, but I saw one wired up to a Grant XL. It worked just like they do on all the Galaxy DX rigs, in that it showed transmit and receive frequency. This was on all modes, AM or SSB. Nice feature to have, and the readout was green, which I thought was nice to match the channel display on the Grant XL.

73,
RT307