[CQ-Contest] News on Kachina 505DSP new transceiver

[morel grunberg]

For those who are still waiting for 505DSP HF new
transceiver brochure from Kachina Communications:

On the 8-pages brochure they are few details not given
on their WEB site.

* The automatic frequency calibration can be made also
   from WWW.
* Your computer SoundBlaster card is used also for RX
  audio and as an integrated digital record/playback device 
  with no recording time or slot number limitation.
* The transceiver can be controlled by voice using voice
  recognition software.
* Both RF unit and the control head can be remoted from 
  a 25-75 feet distance.
* The digital "remote control by phone line" feature is using
  DVSD modems and will be available at the beggining of 1998.
* The optional antenna tuner is using "fuzzy reasoning" algorithm
   and  "impedance point interpolation" method with 64 internal
   memories.
* The A/D converters are using " sigma-delta " methods.
* The CW signal transmit adjustable waveform feature has
   256 steps.
* The CW ring-free DSP filters can be adjusted to 100Hz BW.
* The RX has a selectable syllabic or level sensitive squelch.
* Both channel and band scanning features have a variable rate
  option.
* The control head can be internallly mounted into a 5 1/4'' free
   bay on your PC or on an external case if your PC is already full. 
* The RF unit looks strong with a large heatsink. There are about
  9-12 modular professional - looking / RFI- isolated PCBs. On the 
  antenna tuner module, only the relays are visible, the coils and
  the capacitor banks are mounted in a RFI enclosure. On the
  front panel they are only a power LED and the RS-232 connector
  and can be positioned vertically or horizontally.
* The control head front panel has a power on/off switch, two LEDs,
  mike, paddle, key, speaker and phones connectors. 
* 2 years warranty, 48hrs turnaround-time on repairs and free
  return freight (for USA hams) sounds great ! It will be interesting
  if the overseas dealers will offer a similar package. It's still not clear
  for me if Kachina will sell directly too or only via dealers.
* For the european hams: they will be present at Friederichshafen
  at the end of June. Their german dealer is SSB-Electronics. At 
  Dayton they had problems demonstrating the rig due to the very 
  poor indoor antenna used and to terrible Arena noise. 

The BIG first question will be of course, how the receiver will 
perform on our today bands environment . 

Enclosed with the envelope was a prelimminary price list :

* 505DSP transceiver ( including the RF unit, PC internal installed
  control head, hand mike, installation software, Quick reference
  chart and interfacing cables ) : $1995.00
* Optional 505AT internal antenna tuner: $239.00
* Mounting bracket, $40.00
* Shock mounts for mobile operations : $19.00
* Optional 25ft cable for control head: $39.00
* Optional 75ft cable for control head: $69.00
* Optional 25ft RS-232 cable: $29.00
* Optional 75ft RS-232 cable: $39.00

I'm not so sure, but I understand that the included interfacing 
cables are 8ft long. 

The brochure is very nice but many important specifications
are still missing. I  think that they are still keeping some critical 
specs for July/August. I heard also some rumors that the ARRL
product review will appear on November issue of QST.

In the mean time, the sales peoples and applications engineers
at Kachina were very cooperative and responsive to my endless
questions, hi, hi. 

73 de Morel, 4X1AD



--
CQ-Contest on WWW:        http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests:  cq-contest-REQUEST at contesting.com