[TenTec] Triton 540 digital readout

[Paul Gates, KD3JF]

Get a D-104 mike!

Paul Gates, KD3JF

"Dr. Gerald N. Johnson" <geraldj at storm.weather.net> wrote: On Mon, 2007-08-27 at 13:47 -0400, Louis A. Ciotti Jr. wrote:
> So I got my grandfathers Triton IV(540) back on Friday from Ten-tec.  They fixed everything up and got it tuned up and sent it back.  I must say I am impressed.  The cost was not too much and the service was fast..  
> 
> So this weekend I hooked every thing up to see how it worked (262 power supply, original Ten-Tec tuner, the digital readout, and a shure 522 microphone).
> 
> I threw up about 70 foot of wire and hooked it up to the tuner, and fired the rig up.
> 
> Being a newly upgraded general I listened for a bit, and played with some of the adjustment.  I came across someone calling CQ, so I nervously answered the call.  His signal level was just above the noise, but he was able to hear me.  After the basic exchange I lost him in the noise...  My first HF contact... What a thrill with very little thought for an antenna.  I later jumped into a small group and was able to get some decent reports.
> 
> They all said my audio was clear, but very "bass-y".  I assume this is because of the shure 522 frequency response.  If so is there some thing I can do to correct it?  Maybe filter the audio?
> 
Bassy audio can come from a low impedance load on a high impedance
microphone. If you can switch the microphone to low impedance you may
solve the bassy sound, but the microphone will put out less voltage so
you will need more microphone gain. 

Talking close to most microphones enhances the bass. That's why many
singers try to swallow their microphones because they need the bass
support their voice is lacking and the system gain because their lungs
are lacking.

You can reduce the bass response by inserting a series capacitor in the
circuit. You might try one with capacitive reactance equal to the load
in that coupling situation at 300 Hz.

> Now for some problems that I noticed and some questions:
> 
> 1) On 80 meters, the digital readout is some time all over the place ... sometime dead on.  I did not send thin back to ten-tec with the triton now I think I should have...
> 
Try reseating the chips and check for good board grounds by tightening
the board mounting screws.

> 2) I am not sure I fully understand how to use the calibrator.  The manual says to "zero beat" on the tone, but how do I know when I am there?  Do I listen for a specific pitch or to I use the peak on the s-meter?
> 
Zero beat is with zero pitch. DC. Go for the center point between the
two places you can hear a very low pitch (like 20 Hz).

> 3)  When I move the mode switch to lock I sometimes have to give the radio a little tap before it actually starts to output a signal for me to tune up my antenna.  I am assuming it is just a flaky contact that they missed during the repair.  
> 

Might be.

> 4)  What is the actual output power this radio can put out?  The manual states "200 watts in the optimum band with the alc fully clockwise and 75 watts with the alc fully counter-clockwise".  I did an internet search and it stated 100 watts... So which is it and what is the "optimum band"
> 
Back in the days of yore, FCC rules set ham rigs on power input to the
final stage, not power output. Most rigs had good internal metering so
it was easy to measure. RF power output takes good meters, and some
still are not very accurate. This rig runs 200 watts input. Should get
about 100 out most of the time though a bad load impedance will change
that.

> Anyway I am happy the rig is mostly working... now if I can just iron out the quirks...
> 
Not much here for quirks, just normal stuff.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

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