the new Eagle, and wonder why one doesn't just use the two +12V RCA
connectors that Ten-Tec supplies on the back of the rig and rewire them as
desired.
That depends on how the RCA jacks are attached to the rear panel. If a PC
sub-board is attached directly to the RCA jacks, it's not as simple as
unsoldering a wire pair. Looking at the Eagle's rear panel, it indeed looks
like the RCA, DIN, USB , and key jacks are all PCB-mounted types, meaning
they are likely all "wireless" jacks. In that case, it may be possible to
etch the circuit board trace and add RG-174 cabling to an I.F. buffer
circuit. Doing so could void the warranty at TT's discretion, and based on
my experience with the sale of other equipment, it could devalue the
transceiver unless the prospective purchaser does not mind having a PCB's
circuit traces modified. If the jacks were wired, reversal is generally
easy with no evidence left behind of the modification.
Many folks will want an I.F. port. My thinking is that a well-drilled BNC
jack on the rear panel, connected to a Clifton Labs' Z10000B buffer amp
that's professionally mounted inside the Eagle could mean a transceiver
that's worth more on the used market than the sum of the two devices.
Again, there could be warranty concerns for original Eagle purchasers.
Plenty of folks will want the port, but a large number of users do not have
the skills necessary to make it all happen -- and do it in away that's
electrically and cosmetically non-destructive to the rig. If third-party
support becomes available for rig control through an SDR program (e.g.,
PowerSDR-IQ, WinRad, or SpectraVue), all the more demand for such a modified
Eagle.
Paul, W9AC
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