[TenTec] Re: Paragon Question - Lack of sensitivity

[Tommy]

P/N  BA 482

Tom - W4BQF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Baron - KB3MM" <SteveBaron at StarLinX.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re: Paragon Question - Lack of sensitivity


> What diodes do they use?
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tommy" <aldermant at alltel.net>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 14:37
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re: Paragon Question - Lack of sensitivity
>
>
>> I'm not sure about the Paragon, but the Omni 6 series radios do 
>> use
>> cheap JA pin-diodes. (which turned out to be the best one's to 
>> use!)
>>
>> I fell for the idea of replacing all of the Ten Tec installed
>> pin-diodes for the 'better' Hewlett-Packard pin diodes, which 
>> were
>> quite expensive. Course when you change to the HP pin-diodes, you
>> have to adjust the current throuh the diodes so they work 
>> correct.
>> Bottom line was I wasted some nickles and a heck of a lot of 
>> time,
>> as I found no improvement at all in performance of the Omni 6
>> receiver. Actually I would say that the HP pin diodes did not
>> preform as well as what Ten Tec had in the radio origanally.
>>
>> Of course the diodes that switch the band-pass filters 
>> (hopefully)
>> do not see and are not switched by RF at all. It's all DC 
>> switching.
>> To obtain the same or better performance when you replace 
>> pin-diodes
>> you really have to know what current to run through the diodes to
>> obtain the best isolation, etc. You are taking some chances when 
>> you
>> replace Ten Tec component's with something that is 'better'.
>>
>> I think I have found, over the years of using Ten Tec radio's, 
>> the
>> best way to 'improve' them is to keep the covers on them at all
>> times and keep your paw's out of them...unless of course you 
>> adding
>> a roofing filter. Not a heck of a lot needs improvement anyway!
>>
>> Tom - W4BQF
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <c-hawley at uiuc.edu>
>> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 9:16 AM
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re: Paragon Question - Lack of sensitivity
>>
>>
>> > If these are the diodes that switch in and out the input
>> > band pass filters, you are better off with pin diodes which
>> > switch much slower than 4148s. The reason is so that strong
>> > incoming rf does not switch the diodes that are supposed to
>> > be on (or off) for the band you are using. This was a big
>> > issue which became popular about 10 years ago. There are
>> > some kits available to convert the fast switching diodes to
>> > pin diodes. But, don't go and wholesale replace every diode
>> > in sight. I think some of these kits were somewhat ill
>> > advised. Your receiver may use pin diodes already in many
>> > places.
>> > Chuck, KE9UW
>> >
>> > ---- Original message ----
>> >>Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 15:35:58 GMT
>> >>From: "ultrafixedwing at juno.com" <ultrafixedwing at juno.com>
>> >>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re: Paragon Question - Lack of
>> > sensitivity
>> >>To: tentec at contesting.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>Will a 1N914/4148-Type Diode work in the Paragon front end?
>> > It's a silicon switching diode. If so, I'll run out and get
>> > a handfull.
>> >>Thanks,
>> >>Paul
>> >>KS2S
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > TenTec mailing list
>> > TenTec at contesting.com
>> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>
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>
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