[TenTec] Omni VI Frequency Calibration and Correct Manual (Barry Simpson)

Sat Apr 20 12:18:26 EDT 2019

 Barry, is it possible that the Oven controlled oscillator has been by passed and a TXCO put on center header in its place?
This would also explain the adjustment not doing anything.This was a common mod if the oven cooked out.

Best regards.K8VF

    On Saturday, April 20, 2019, 12:00:31 PM EDT, tentec-request at contesting.com <tentec-request at contesting.com> wrote:  

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Today's Topics:

  1. Omni VI Frequency Calibration and Correct Manual (Barry Simpson)
  2. Re: Omni VI Frequency Calibration and Correct Manual (Ken Brown)

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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2019 10:30:32 +1000
From: Barry Simpson <vk2bj at optusnet.com.au>
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
Subject: [TenTec] Omni VI Frequency Calibration and Correct Manual
Message-ID:
    <CA+03d8j=o+3KnmUwo4V1G+V961wKGXVbzOx9Sz45kYMir=BKVw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

 I have recently acquired an Omni VI Option 3 which is working but needs
some TLC to bring it up to par both physically and electronically.

One thing I need to do is to correct the frequency calibration as on 10mHz
WWV it is off by around 100Hz on USB and LSB and about 120Hz on CW.

I thought I would have a preliminary go at it and I have been trying to
follow KG7KDX's instructions on the Ten Tec Wiki. I located what I believe
to be C31 on the logic board but adjusting that trimmer makes absolutely no
difference to the frequency so I don't know what it is I have been
adjusting or how I do actually adjust the calibration.

Going on from there, I have downloaded both the Omni VI and Omni VI+
manuals from the TenTec website but I believe that the Omni VI+ manual is
incorrect as all the circuit boards have exactly the same numbers and
circuits as the Omni VI whereas my rig has some boards with numbers that do
not appear in either manual or the addendum.

Can anyone help me please with:
1. A copy of the correct Omni VI+ manual
2. The correct calibration instructions for using 10mHz WWV. What is it
exactly that I adjust ???

Thanks in advance for your help.

Barry Simpson  VK2BJ

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2019 15:28:38 -1000
From: Ken Brown <kenradiobrown at gmail.com>
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Omni VI Frequency Calibration and Correct Manual
Message-ID:
    <CAGnjFfkKrgo6rCikz1NgCooT890gUDfV=nBn5HrnKQYUOn0B8A at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Hi Barry,

Unlike many PLL based radios, not all of the oscillators are locked to one
common frequency reference in a Ten-Tec Omni VI. The band selecting
oscillators and the VFO are locked to the 20 MHz reference (at least when
it is working right), but the BFO is a stand alone crystal oscillator with
a few crystals and several adjustments. The manual for the Omni VI explains
how to adjust the 20 MHz reference and the BFO at all the different
frequencies it needs to operate at for different modes, LSB, CW, USB, RTTY
mark and space. You really should RTFM.

You need some way to measure the BFO frequencies, independent of just
listening to WWV on 10 MHz. If you were to attempt adjusting the 20 MHz
reference oscillator to get WWV zero beat at 10.0000 MHz readout setting,
without first getting the BFO correct, you could misadjust the 20 MHz
reference. And if you were to adjust the BFO without having the 20 MHz
reference correct, you would then get the BFO wrong.

I suggest you get access to a good frequency counter, or a communications
monitor such as an IFR 1000 to measure the BFO frequencies and the 20 MHz
reference. If you cannot get your hands on one of those devices I have a
suggestion that in concept could work, but it won't be easy and it will not
get all of the BFO frequencies right.

You will need another receiver that can monitor 10 MHz WWV. Then you can
find a sample of the 10 MHz signal inside the Omni VI that is a product of
the 20 MHz reference oscillator. If you can get enough of that signal into
the receiver monitoring WWV you could adjust the 20 MHz reference for zero
beat with WWV. If you can get the 20 MHz reference on frequency by this
method with a high degree of confidence, only then could you adjust the
BFOs in the Omni VI while listening to WWV on the Omni VI and adjusting for
zero beat of the WWV 10 MHz carrier. This will only get the BFOs set for
LSB and USB, and they could still be off for CW and RTTY modes.

Ultimately you will get frustrated until you have found the right gear to
do the adjustments by the book.

Good luck,

73 DE N6KB

On Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 2:30 PM Barry Simpson <vk2bj at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

>  I have recently acquired an Omni VI Option 3 which is working but needs
> some TLC to bring it up to par both physically and electronically.
>
> One thing I need to do is to correct the frequency calibration as on 10mHz
> WWV it is off by around 100Hz on USB and LSB and about 120Hz on CW.
>
> I thought I would have a preliminary go at it and I have been trying to
> follow KG7KDX's instructions on the Ten Tec Wiki. I located what I believe
> to be C31 on the logic board but adjusting that trimmer makes absolutely no
> difference to the frequency so I don't know what it is I have been
> adjusting or how I do actually adjust the calibration.
>
> Going on from there, I have downloaded both the Omni VI and Omni VI+
> manuals from the TenTec website but I believe that the Omni VI+ manual is
> incorrect as all the circuit boards have exactly the same numbers and
> circuits as the Omni VI whereas my rig has some boards with numbers that do
> not appear in either manual or the addendum.
>
> Can anyone help me please with:
> 1. A copy of the correct Omni VI+ manual
> 2. The correct calibration instructions for using 10mHz WWV. What is it
> exactly that I adjust ???
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Barry Simpson  VK2BJ
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>

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