[TenTec] Re: RFI - Orion and any other SDR Rigs

[N0KHQ at aol.com]

There are multiple past posts on this subject.

For a short reminder:

The keying line running from the rig to the amp should be rapped around a 
toriod cube (from Radio Shack) as many times as possible.

Install a T-4 Line Isolator from Radio Works at the rear coax connector of 
the rig. This device creates a very high resistance to RF and will help to force 
any stray RF on the coax shield to ground.

There should be only ONE point for your ground connection going outdoors to 
the ground rod, assuming you are using an antenna tuner the ground wire will be 
tied to the tuner ground lug. The wire going outdoors should be a length of 
RG-8/PE. At the tuner you will connect only the center conductor, at the ground 
rod short the center conductor to the shield and connect it to the ground 
rod. This will effectively help to drain any RF that may be on your equipment to 
ground, the length of this coax should be kept as short as possible. Solder if 
possible and make sure that this connection is water tight.

If you make the MIC connector  modification to the rig. (mic connector 
grounded to chassis) then you will want to install a .01pf cap from the mic audio + 
pin to this ground. The mic cable shield will ground at the rig mic connector. 

Lastly, buy and install a TT-1251 RF Counterpoise Tuner. This device works! 
It allows you to resonate your ground system on the band/frequency that you are 
using (no harmonics).

SDR's are a different breed of rig (they are also the wave of the future). 
Special grounding techniques and power requirements are required.

Your saying to yourself, "my Kenwood, Icom or Yeasu never did 
this"........well those rigs are not computers.

What ever you do, dont think that the rig is at fault.........its not the 
rig.........its your station system installation thats at fault.

As for moving your antenna as far away from the house as you can get 
it.........thats a bunch of BS. If that were the case, you wouldnt see any antennas on 
radio or television stations. And they are running a heck of a lot more power 
than you are.

Start doing some reading on Broadcast Engineering.

Recommending reading: ON4UN "Low Band DXing" a great (real) book.

If you like, reply to me directly and I will email to you complete 
construction details of the "Tunable Buried Radial System" that I use here.
Other TT users have installed this system and have reported great results. 
Not only does it totally remove any RFI but it also adds 3db to 6db of gain to 
your present antenna gain.

OR

You can give up, send your Orion back to TT and I'll buy it or someone else 
will.



The Orion is a great rig.........and its only going to get 
better.........just takes time.



73
John / N0KHQ / St. Louis

Always on 18.130

Antennas:

You can build 'em better than you can buy 'em
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http://www.ssb-audio.com/forum/