W1GUH
05-25-2011, 08:24 PM
Finally got to give 'er a good check-out and all looks very good. The receiver sounds normal, the transmitter tunes up normal - gets about 150 watts out, and sounds good in a receiver. Only thing that's not quite right is it wants a hi-z mic and I've only got lo-z mics; audio is a little low, but it's adequate for now.
Got a shock when I learned how it does AM (Grrrrr). As it turns out, it'll only receive SSB and you switch from rx to tx by switching the function switch from SSB through CW to AM!? How crummy...but, it'll do, I guess.
Considering the state of the DC supply that came with it, I thought it may have been pretty abused; but no -- it seems AOK.
Pretty much what's left is to go through and get the mechanical connections for grounds solid. There does seem to be some flakiness there -- but that could also be the temp. compensating caps in the PTO. On warm up the PTO would drift a little, then jump back to where it was. This went on for a while until it had warmed up, and then it seemed stable except when I banged on it. Then it jumped slightly.
Can't wait to get it out on the road and hear it come alive!
Got a shock when I learned how it does AM (Grrrrr). As it turns out, it'll only receive SSB and you switch from rx to tx by switching the function switch from SSB through CW to AM!? How crummy...but, it'll do, I guess.
Considering the state of the DC supply that came with it, I thought it may have been pretty abused; but no -- it seems AOK.
Pretty much what's left is to go through and get the mechanical connections for grounds solid. There does seem to be some flakiness there -- but that could also be the temp. compensating caps in the PTO. On warm up the PTO would drift a little, then jump back to where it was. This went on for a while until it had warmed up, and then it seemed stable except when I banged on it. Then it jumped slightly.
Can't wait to get it out on the road and hear it come alive!