Re: Daniels Electronics MT-3 Lowband Radios on 6 meters?
Yes, it can be done... Per one of my associates who works on MT-3 units all the time... they can be "moved" out of band but the required work is cumbersome. The six meter band plan (out here on the left coast) appears to have two repeater "ranges". I call one of them the 51/52 MHz range and the other the 52/53 MHz range. So a conversion probably depends more on your motivation, parts and test equipment resources. You're talking about modification to the default synthesizer layout and possibly re-ranging the injection stages. Then you have to deal with the front-end depending on how far into the six meter band you hope/plan to operate the receiver. Making converted commercial equipment play in the low range repeater portion of the band (depending on the specific radio circuit) can be a lot easier than conversion and operation up above 52.5 into the higher range repeater band. If the receiver pre-selector doesn't cover your 53.4 MHz input frequency are you able and willing to make the required physical and electrical mods? It can be done, has been done many times in the past on a lot of converted commercial equipment. But if you can't find the person who has done it before and has the real conversion information to share... it's going to be on your skills to get out the service manual, compare the part value differences (if there are any) over the different ranges the equipment might be offered as operating in/over. Then come up with a game plan for re-ranging the circuit where required. The smart person completely measures a working radio/circuit, notes various stage values in working operation before and after modification and hopefully records those values. Many of the Group Members offering converted Commercial Radio Conversions to Amateur Band Operation have done the above steps more than a few times in the past. If someone has the MT-3 manual in pdf a number of Group Members should be able to chime in with some experience and (hopefully) educated suggestions. I recently serviced the high band 160 MHz range MT-3 equipment and it doesn't look that exotic circuit wise to discard the idea of a possible low band unit conversion up to six meters. Otherwise I can try to dig up the low band model service manual and have a look as time allows. s. Looking forward to IWCE in March... I'll be there on the 10th (only) so guard your free samples. > James Adkins <adkins.ja...@...> wrote: > > I agree. If you look at the BCD codes, there's EXACTLY > enough spaces for 5 kHz channels between the wide and narrow > band assignments for 50-54 MHz. > We use Daniel's exclusively in our low-band statewide radio > system, and I spoke with one of their engineers about this > out at IWCE last March and he said it could be done, and they > had even done it from the factory for an EMA out in California. > It does take some work, he said some component changes, > but that's as far as we discussed it and I've not tried > it yet myself. > > >surf_boy82 <surf_bo...@...> wrote: > > Er, I beg to differ... I've seen it done, but the folks > > who did it aren't talking, or are just too busy to share > > right now. > > > Won't work, tried it already. Have to do lots of component > > > changes to get it down. >>>> Has anyone out there successfully set up any of the >>>> Daniels MT-3 series low-band radios on 6 Meters? >>>> Recently bought a unit and would like to get it working >>>> in the amateur band. Any help would be appreciated. >>>> Chris/KF6AJM
