TenTec
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TenTec] INRAD Omni VI roofing filter kit - success

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] INRAD Omni VI roofing filter kit - success
From: jsb@digistar.com
Reply-to: jsb@digistar.com, tentec@contesting.com
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 09:00:46 -0500 (EST)
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
On Thu, 13 Jan 2005, Ken Brown wrote:

> I understand why someone with a non plus or version 3 upgraded Omni VI
> would want the Inrad modification, in order to get another narrow 1st IF
> filter option. And I can also understand that even if you already had
> two narrow filter options in a version 3 or Omni VI +, there might still
> be some improvement in BDR by adding the Inrad modification. What I
> don't understand is why don't you have a filter in your Omni VI NAR
> slot? It seems like it would have been much easier just to plug a filter
> in there. That would have also been a big improvement, even if not quite
> as good as the Inrad mod, and cheaper and easier to do.

hi - i'm just now catching up on email as i've been extremely busy at work
and taking care of a very-energetic 4 month old baby - hi


But to answer your question as to why I do not have any filters in the NAR
slot it is primarily because every filter i've put in there has had more
than 2 S-units of signal attenuation - I don't want any attenuation at all
- I do want a narrow filter but not at the expense of a weak station
disappearing.  I was able to achieve this goal by using the INRAD 600Hz CW
roofing filter.  In the past I've never really needed filtering this
strong as the #751 250Hz INRAD filter and stock Ten-Tec 500Hz #285 filters
have the performance I need.  The Ten-Tec #282 filter had awful
attenuation (but strong rejection) so I put it in the little cardboard box
the #751 INRAD came in.

And in retrospect, knowing what I know now, I don't know why anyone would
buy the simple 9MHz filter instead of getting INRAD's new Omni roofing
filter kit, other than the ease of plugging a standard filter in the slot.
I get about a needle's width of signal attenuation with the INRAD filter
enabled and I think that is only because I had to guess where to tie the
DC voltage to it and perhaps the location I chose doesn't have the ability
to carry the current required for the kit.

But either way, I like the INRAD kit, I get the NARrow filtering that I
want and I don't lose 3 S-units to get it.  In a heavy contesting
situation it doesn't matter to most folks what kind of attenuation there
is but I do more than just putz around during contest weekends and when I
need the filtering I can get what I want now without sacrificing my
ability to work a weak station.


My normal operating habits today are to operate with the 1.8KC 6.3MHz
filter enabled (lowest attenuation) and the INRAD filter enabled when I
need it.  This works great for me and the audio is mellow.  Stations that
are outside of the filter width usually are NOT a problem anymore.  INRAD
really hit the nail on the head with this kit - it's a great boost for the
Omni in my opinion.

--
73 Jason N1SU
http://n1su.us/
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>