Those are seriously good professional quality radios, made by JRC.
Those are seriously good professional quality radios, made by JRC.
Last edited by NQ6U; 05-04-2023 at 10:58 PM.
I already have one, plus a bunch of the random-wire tuners. It was used as a bench mule for a S/W development place (as I understand...) so this unit had every accessory installed with the exception of the 1KHz RTTY filter. Just so happens I had one laying around.Originally Posted by K6BSO
Pop the case and look inside along with a JST-135 for comparison purposes. The only differences: Many -135 options (BWC, auto-notch, ECSS to name a few) aren't present in the -152, nor are they supported. The rig's Loop1 Unit came standard with an OCXO (optional for JRC's consumer products line) and the front panel along with the Control/Display Unit is different. Function keys instead of knobs.
JRC offered a transceive package (CFQ-3003) for connecting an NRD-525 to a JST-135. There's an RS-232 Sync cable, Antenna cable and a control cable which allows the transceiver to mute the receiver on transmit. I was going to use the -152's RS-232 board to facilitate full (tracking) transceive with a -135/-525 pair but on second thought I think I'm going to dedicate the -152 to FT8 and digi-modes usage. flrig/fldigi already offer native support and I'm pretty sure wsjt-x does as well. If not I'll fork the source and write a protocol driver for it.
The control cable which came in the -3003 kit doesn't offer much in the way of extra connectivity to the outside world for either the transceiver or receiver so before I packed my lab/shack up for the move last year I built a couple variants. One has an interconnect for a Kantronics KAM. The other is more genericized but permits connection to an external TU and other station peripherals. That one I'm planning to use with the -152 as it'll interface directly with a Signalink. There's an NRD-525 w/ EdVis PLAM board and optional filters specifically tailored for SWBC reception that I'm planning to pair with the Raytheon and connect via this cable. Marine radios typically get a thumbs-down for the audio quality of their onboard speakers but the -152's is actually pretty decent. So much so that I'm going to route the companion -525's audio to it via that custom cable. I can tune around HF with it and let the computer control the -152, and a Mute key on the front silences the transceiver if desired.
Back to the QDX: Are you planning on using an external antenna tuner with it - and if so, what?
"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
Well, yeah, I mean, who doesn’t have a 1KHz RTTY filter laying around the shack, right?
I am planning on an external tuner but I haven’t decided on which one yet. I enjoyed building the QDX so much that I’d like to build another kit but so far I haven seen one that really tickles my fancy. They are simple enough to design and build from scratch but I don’t much enjoy gathering parts from all over the globe via mail and the San Diego HRO closed last month.Back to the QDX: Are you planning on using an external antenna tuner with it - and if so, what?
I have a NOS Icom AH-4 automatic tuner up in my storage locker but there’s no way to interface it to the QDX as far as I can figure, at least not without some fancy intermediary circuitry (see above, re: gathering parts).
Last edited by NQ6U; 05-05-2023 at 09:28 PM.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
I bought out Rob Sherwood's 525/535 inventory. Many, many things came along with that haul. If Islanders need a part or board for one of those rigs I may have it.
You are correct. In addition to the Tune command, the AH- series random wire tuners use a serial data interface between rig and tuner to set the band/memories. As do their JRC equivalents.I have a NOS Icom AH-4 automatic tuner up in my storage locker but there’s no way to interface it to the QDX as far as I can figure, at least not without some fancy intermediary circuitry (see above, re: gathering parts).
One that doesn't is an SGC Smartuner. Just apply RF and it figures out the rest. Might sell/swap your AH-4 for the SGC version.
"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
I'd also have a look at a Z-100+, Z-817 or similar.
"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
Finished construction on my awesome contest station today. Note how the power supply and SWR meter dwarf the actual radio.
Last edited by NQ6U; 05-08-2023 at 07:22 PM.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Your location on the water will probably make that station the equivalent of a 100w landlubber outfit. Be interesting to see what you snag with it.
"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
FT8 is a pretty effective mode. Here's a list of countries I heard on the 7300 yesterday using an indoor antenna made up of about 8' of AWG 22 magnet wire connected to my radio with a 2' banana plug test lead:
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Latitude is everything
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Moving on, my posts are not helpful
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