Hi Rick,
When building a filter what chip did you use or would you use now? The
chip used in the 208 was discontinued years ago and I haven't done any
real building since, well about that long ago...
Thanks,
Tim
KE4KE
On 03/23/2016 02:20 AM, rick@dj0ip.de wrote:
Now that is an interesting filter; just expensive.
Altogether is will cost us almost $50 plus postage.
On the other hand, a used Model 208 Audio Filter goes for about $60 on ebay.
This can be expensive or a bargain, depending on how well it works.
I generally have built my own, simply copying the original 4-stage analog
audio filter.
That is less than $10 worth of parts.
I have a couple of filter kits in my junkbox, one is for insertion in
low-level stages, and would work with the Argonaut. The other is for
insertion in the headphones jack and will work with the Scout. I just have
to find time to build them. Had both for over 20 years but didn't have an
urgent need yet.
I'm a bit confused by the SOTA filter. It says it has enough audio to drive
ear plugs, but not a speaker. It says it has a differential output. I
don't know if I could just insert something like that into an Argonaut, or
if I would have to completely replace the audio board with a differential
amp. Need to brush up on my theory. It's been 33 years since I was a
technician.
I am hoping to get an Argonaut 515 soon. Looking forward to that and I will
definitely put some kind of low-level audio filter into it. These make all
the difference in the world.
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bwana Bob
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 3:31 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Scout for Sota
Rick, et, al,
I think my IF gain mod is on the Ten-Tec wiki. It just switches some
positive bias voltage onto the AGC line, to drop the gain, so that QRN on 80
and
40 isn't so obnoxious. Good for very strong local signals, too. It only
requires one resistor and a sub-miniature toggle switch.
I came across this filter on the sotabeams web site:
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/digital-audio-filter-modules/
It looks really interesting!
73,
Bob WB2VUF
On 3/22/2016 3:32 AM, rick@dj0ip.de wrote:
Hi Bob,
I changed the subject to calm the bitching. ;-)
My "REAL" problem is, I'm already carrying a Centurion amplifier up
the mountain in the form of excess weight. So in parallel with all of
this I have begun a low carbohydrate diet and have borrowed a dog that
I take for a walk every day.
I used the Scout a lot when it first came out. It seemed to me it had
too much noise, audio accompanying it. I tried a couple of types of
filters.
Everything helped. I sold it long ago, but bought another last year.
So my first project will be to build a small audio filter and hope I
can fit it inside the box.
The attenuator is an outstanding idea since the Scout has no RF gain.
However I won't be on top of any mountains at night so it's not urgent.
I already have re-located the power pot and sidetone level pot to the
top and cut out a bit of case so I can adjust from above. Moving the
sidetone was probably a waste of time but having an easy adjustment
for the power level is priceless!
The main problem is, there is not much space for mods inside the box!
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bwana
Bob
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 2:52 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment; n4py3@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [TenTec] SOTA RADIO
Rick:
For 5 or 6 times per year, the Scout is fine, assuming you are hiking
up to the summit and not "mountaineering". The performance of the
Scout is underrated. I have always gotten excellent audio reports on
SSB and the receiver hears just fine. The noise blanker is the best of
any radio I own.
I did do the VFO stability mod on mine (replace one N1500 capacitor
with an
NP0) and I put a switch on the back to knock down the IF gain when
signals or noise are really strong, like on 80 and 40 at night. My
only complaint is the mechanical stability of the VFO.
Someday, I plan to put some cross-bracing inside, so that plugging in
headphones doesn't make the frequency shift.
73,
Bob WB2VUF
On 3/16/2016 8:35 AM, rick@dj0ip.de wrote:
Nothing wrong with it. It's just too expensive "for me" for a radio
that would only be used for SOTA.
After my previous post, I decided that maybe I already have the best
SOTA radio for me.
I threw my Scout on the scales. It weighs 5.3 lbs. Probably twice
as much as a good SOTA radio should weigth... but should I spend many
hundreds of dollars to save having to carry 3 extra pounds up a
mountain, 5 or 6 times per year?
I may just buy a YouKits in order to have "something" really
lightweight, and then depending on the mountain, decide between the
Scout
or the You.
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl
Moreschi
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 12:31 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] SOTA RADIO
What's wrong with the Argo VI for SOTA. It will run on as little as
8 volts.
Carl Moreschi N4PY
58 Hogwood Rd
Louisburg, NC 27549
www.n4py.com
On 3/16/2016 2:33 AM, rick@dj0ip.de wrote:
(changed the subject: was Service, overhead and the future A/K...)
Barry,
I did a lot of reading in the past day and I believe you are right.
The KX3 is exactly the radio I described. PERFECT.
Unfortunately it's beyond my budget.
The basic KX3 costs $1500 here in DL.
Add in a tuner and roofing filter and paddle and it's over $2K for a
10w radio that I might use 5 or 6 times per year on a mountain top.
The ROI just isn't worth it.
For home use, say as my 2nd radio, I would need an amplifier.
Bottom Line: It's a champagne dream on a Budweiser budget.
For that money -(at this point in my life)- I would get more bangs
for my buck out of playing with something else, such as a 7300 or an
Annan, etc.
I need a Plan B for SOTA. Maybe it's just "bite the bullet and
carry my Scout up the mountain."
I don't mind spending $500 or so but I would sure like to know how
the radio is going to perform BEFORE I buy it.
My primary bands for portable have always been 40 and 20. 15 will
be dying soon. Do I really need 17m for SOTA?
QUESTION FOR YOU ACTIVE SOTA Ops: What bands do you mainly operate
when you are on a mountain top?
I've only been on one SOTA outing together with a buddy and we
operated
40/20/17/15 making a lot of QSOs on each band. Perhaps not quite as
many on 17.
I think I will take a second look at the LNR offering.
It is indeed an SDR with DDC - so not an NE-605 type of radio.
Unfortunately they don't show much detail; just a block diagram.
There is a box called SDR-RF BPF.
This is a make or break component.
Some SDR radios have ham band BPFs (good), others have an LPF, with
0-12MHz (useless).
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
Barry N1EU
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 5:48 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Service, overhead, and the future. A/K/A/ I've
got my
2 cents!
Rick, I'm not sure if you would be satisfied by the KX1 or the MTR
radios.
Unfortunately I don't know the answer to something better but not
too expensive.
I suggest you try to borrow an MTR-5B. That's the only lesser
expensive radio that will do 40-15M inclusively. And you'd have to
search around to find one for sale currently although LNR should be
bringing it out soon.
Or, just stick with the FT-817. I like the radio, although it
really needs an external speech processor to work well on SSB.
73, Barry N1EU
On Tue, Mar 15, 2016 at 11:50 AM, rick@dj0ip.de<Rick@dj0ip.de> wrote:
Hi Barry,
I'd love to have a KX3 but it is much too heavy.
It's weight would place too big of a dent in my wallet!
For SOTA I really only need 40/20/17/15m.
10 is dying and by the time it comes back, I doubt that I will
still be running up any mountains.
My next scheduled SOTA operation is 1-April. "Fool on a hill" -
that's
me!
I don't know yet if I'll try carrying my Scout up the mountain or not.
I can borrow an FT-817.
How good is the KX1?
We have some heavy challenges on our receivers here in EU.
A weak DR3 destroys 40m, especially at night, and a weak DR2 makes
working 20m difficult - especially at night. You guys in the
states can't appreciate that. You have to see/hear it to believe it.
I once built a 20m QRP rig based on a design by Rick Littlefield.
Had some kind of IC mixer.
It was marginal.
I ran a QRP CW contest using a home-brew magnetic loop antenna.
Sitting in my living room with radio, mag loop, and battery, I
worked
dozens of QSOs.
Thought it was great. Then I put it on a big antenna and all hell
broke loose at night.
So I bought the MFJ 20m QRP CW rig.
It was no better than the one I built.
I sold both.
I want something better than that - but not too expensive.
But I don't know the QRP radios at all, except for the Argonauts.
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
Barry N1EU
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 12:25 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Service, overhead, and the future. A/K/A/
I've got my
2 cents!
On Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 9:40 PM, rick@dj0ip.de<Rick@dj0ip.de> wrote:
My Scout is a bit too heavy and over-powered, but the FT-817 just
isn't enough radio for me.
I'm looking for something in between. I'd like to see a 10w or
20w radio with a good RX.
I want it to have both SSB and CW.
It's called a KX-3
I've got one, but I usually carry a much lighter KX-1 or MTR-5B
when I actually hike up a mountain. (200 SOTA activations here)
73, Barry N1EU
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