Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Here's where we get into individual preferences and prejudices. I guess I can see where some hams may feel that way about the Ranger, but my prejudice is for high quality audio over communications quality audio. And my opinion is suitable for framing or wrapping fish. Anyway, the Ranger can do a nice job with your SB200 if you're careful and don't try to run more than ~150 watts carrier. Good luck! g Jack Schmidling wrote: ...Interesting as I also was reading a site that claimed the (stock) Ranger has the best audio of any ham rig on the market... __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Gary Blau wrote: Yes, the screen mod can be made on its own, as can most of the others. Although it will change the Z the modulator works into it will not have a dramatic effect on audio performance which, quite frankly, already isn't too hot with the stock audio stages and mod xfmr. Interesting as I also was reading a site that claimed the (stock) Ranger has the best audio of any ham rig on the market. The compromise in adjusting the screen is a small one. Try it and see, if you don't like it it's simple enough to take it out. FWIW it worked great for me. Thanks for sorting this out. I will give it a try. js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Mike Sawyer wrote: Now let me ask you a question Jack: Do you intend to use the Ranger as a driver for the RF and the audio section as a speech amp for a bigger modulator? Not at this point. I just want to drive the SB200 and get at least as much out of it as I do with the TS420 and be able to watch tubes glow. js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Yes, the screen mod can be made on its own, as can most of the others. Although it will change the Z the modulator works into it will not have a dramatic effect on audio performance which, quite frankly, already isn't too hot with the stock audio stages and mod xfmr. (Hence the more involved audio mods.) I certainly would not lump a screen adjust mod into the same power reducing option basket as a T connection and a dummy load or reducing loading, both of which I would agree are bad (lazy) ideas. The compromise in adjusting the screen is a small one. Try it and see, if you don't like it it's simple enough to take it out. FWIW it worked great for me. If all you want is to reduce the RF to feed a linear then just do the screen mod, or something like it. Many ways to skin this cat. All depends how complex you want to make things. g Jack Schmidling wrote: Guess I missed that "detail". Question though... can that change be made on it's own? Secondly, I found this contrary statement on another site Most often mis-modification: Reducing output power when driving a linear amplifier through the use of a T connection and a dummy load and/or reducing loading or screen Voltage. This situation wastes one of this rig's better resources namely modulator headroom. When altering the R.F. final's impedance through reduced plate current, the modulation transformer no longer sees the designed load. The correct way to reduce output power is to use an external plate supply with a Variac on the primary or switch the low B+ Voltage to the final (removing the high B+) through the accessory jack. Either way the high B+ is left on the modulators. This gives an immediate improvement to the audio as the modulator requirements are now cut way down without forcing the modulator into an unknown load. With the accessory low power mod, the rig will put out abour 12-14 Watts carrier which is a good level for driving quitea few linear amplifiers. Every available effort to clean up audio distortion should be considered when runnung QRO AM! Whom do I believe? js __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
[AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Now let me ask you a question Jack: Do you intend to use the Ranger as a driver for the RF and the audio section as a speech amp for a bigger modulator? Mod-U-Lator, Mike(y) W3SLK __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
I guess, buy the issue from ER. For those who may or may not know, here's the complete ER Index from Issue 1 though Issue 207 (Aug. 2006). See what you've missed: http://home.wi.rr.com/n9oo/ersearch.html Nice search features. Pete, wa2cwa On Sat, 04 Nov 2006 17:50:59 -0600 Jack Schmidling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Peter Markavage wrote: > > Adjustment Ranger Output - See Electric Radio Mag, Dec. 2000, page > 25. > > Simple and works very well. > > Easier said than done how does one see that? > > js __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Gary Blau wrote: Read it again. The 6146 screen adjust lets you put the RF out anywhere you want from a low of ~8 watts to full tilt. Guess I missed that "detail". Question though... can that change be made on it's own? Secondly, I found this contrary statement on another site Most often mis-modification: Reducing output power when driving a linear amplifier through the use of a T connection and a dummy load and/or reducing loading or screen Voltage. This situation wastes one of this rig's better resources namely modulator headroom. When altering the R.F. final's impedance through reduced plate current, the modulation transformer no longer sees the designed load. The correct way to reduce output power is to use an external plate supply with a Variac on the primary or switch the low B+ Voltage to the final (removing the high B+) through the accessory jack. Either way the high B+ is left on the modulators. This gives an immediate improvement to the audio as the modulator requirements are now cut way down without forcing the modulator into an unknown load. With the accessory low power mod, the rig will put out abour 12-14 Watts carrier which is a good level for driving quitea few linear amplifiers. Every available effort to clean up audio distortion should be considered when runnung QRO AM! Whom do I believe? js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Peter Markavage wrote: Adjustment Ranger Output - See Electric Radio Mag, Dec. 2000, page 25. Simple and works very well. Easier said than done how does one see that? js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Brian, Both wires are hot with the ground as a safety connection. Check with your voltmeter. By your description do you have a 3 prong 220vac outlet as used for an older dryer outlet? Or an air conditioner? Any idea as to the wire size? Is the ground wire the same size as the hot wires? Many older 220 outlets were wired with say 10 gage for the hot lines and a smaller ground wire, say 12 or 14 gage. The 220 lines in a house are really 110 each side to neutral/ground which is the center tap on the pole pig outside your house. It is poor form to use the ground wire as the neutral. You would have to redo the wiring in the circuit breaker panel to get the black hot 110, white neutral and green ground. Modern 220 installations have 4 wires. 2 hots L1 Black,and L2 Red, Neutral White and Ground Green. If you have this setup then either Red or Black and White will give you the 110. Ground is only for safety. I try to give good advice...some day I'll follow it too. Larry K2LT A.R.S. - W5AMI wrote: Trying to get a BC610 going and need to hook to one leg of existing 220 outlet, and now I'm just confused to say the least. The 610E does not have any polarity indicators on the 110vac AC chassis plug. I'm using a 3 wire 220 outlet with ground, hot and neutral. In order to get 110, I have to use ground for one side. Which of the other sides do I use in order to also hook up a heavy Earth ground to the 610 without causing a short?! I'm assuming the hot (black) wire... tnx - Brian __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Read it again. The 6146 screen adjust lets you put the RF out anywhere you want from a low of ~8 watts to full tilt. g Jack Schmidling wrote: Gary Blau wrote: Here's just one example: http://www.w3am.com/ranger.html That one is just the opposite of what I want to do. It increases power output. js __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Re: BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Hi Brian, Think of 220 in your house this way (I am assuming you are not in a commercial facility with 3 phase power) At the power pole the secondary of the stepdown transformer is 240V AC end to end with a centertap. The centertap is grounded and becomes the neutral in your main power panel (where ground (green) and neutral (white) are combined. So running around your house are various 120V circuits some on one side of that transformer (often the BLACK wire) and some on the other (The RED wire in multiconductor cables only, everywhere else its always back.). (In your main panel normally every other breaker on each side is on the same leg i.e. 1, 3, 5 etc. The others are on the other side or leg as its commonly called. That arrangement facilitates 240V breakers like your range, water heater, etc. The only way to find the 240 is by the measurements described earlier. Its not good form or code to get one leg here and one leg there, a 3 wire with ground cable should always feed the 220 equipment. Black, Red, White, and bare (green). A short means you connected a hot side to neutral OR both 120V hots from each side or leg together. That will make big fireworks and should be avoided at all costs. Hope that helps. Larry W3LW Your exciter runs on one 120V circuit and the neutral.At 05:02 PM 11/4/2006, you wrote: Well, I knew my brain had not gone completely dead. Turns out this is a phasing issue using two different circuits. One is a regular 110 volt going to my exciter. The other is one side of 220 for the 610. I figure that I used the wrong side of the 220 to be in phase with the 110 used on my exciter. The 610 fired up just fine until I hooked up the coax for the exciter, then a dead short. I hate to sound ignorant about such things, but I need to take a rest from it and start over when my mind is clear. Got a lot going on trying to get my big iron on the air again after 6 years... 73 - Brian On 11/4/06, A.R.S. - W5AMI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Trying to get a BC610 going and need to hook to one leg of existing 220 outlet, and now I'm just confused to say the least. The 610E does not have any polarity indicators on the 110vac AC chassis plug. I'm using a 3 wire 220 outlet with ground, hot and neutral. In order to get 110, I have to use ground for one side. Which of the other sides do I use in order to also hook up a heavy Earth ground to the 610 without causing a short?! I'm assuming the hot (black) wire... tnx - Brian -- "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd Wright -- "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd Wright __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
[AMRadio] Re: BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Well, I knew my brain had not gone completely dead. Turns out this is a phasing issue using two different circuits. One is a regular 110 volt going to my exciter. The other is one side of 220 for the 610. I figure that I used the wrong side of the 220 to be in phase with the 110 used on my exciter. The 610 fired up just fine until I hooked up the coax for the exciter, then a dead short. I hate to sound ignorant about such things, but I need to take a rest from it and start over when my mind is clear. Got a lot going on trying to get my big iron on the air again after 6 years... 73 - Brian On 11/4/06, A.R.S. - W5AMI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Trying to get a BC610 going and need to hook to one leg of existing 220 outlet, and now I'm just confused to say the least. The 610E does not have any polarity indicators on the 110vac AC chassis plug. I'm using a 3 wire 220 outlet with ground, hot and neutral. In order to get 110, I have to use ground for one side. Which of the other sides do I use in order to also hook up a heavy Earth ground to the 610 without causing a short?! I'm assuming the hot (black) wire... tnx - Brian -- "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd Wright -- "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd Wright __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Tubes
Rick: I mite have a couple of these kicking around. Will check and get back to you. Regards, Gary...WZ1M - Original Message - From: "Rick Brashear" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 6:06 PM Subject: [AMRadio] Tubes > Does anyone have a good (I'd like to say cheap, but I know they're not) > source for 1614 tubes? I need a couple. > > Thanks, > Rick/K5IZ > > __ > AMRadio mailing list > List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.13.27/517 - Release Date: 11/3/2006 > > __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Hi Brion; You can use either side of the 240 VAC (black or red) and neutral (white). Neutral is ground but don't use it for that, use the safety ground wire (green). Good luck. 73, Ed Richards K6UUZ Simi Valley, Ca 93065 Home of the Air Force 1 pavilion On Sat, 4 Nov 2006 13:30:55 -0600 "A.R.S. - W5AMI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Trying to get a BC610 going and need to hook to one leg of existing > 220 outlet, and now I'm just confused to say the least. The 610E > does > not have any polarity indicators on the 110vac AC chassis plug. > I'm > using a 3 wire 220 outlet with ground, hot and neutral. In order > to > get 110, I have to use ground for one side. Which of the other > sides > do I use in order to also hook up a heavy Earth ground to the 610 > without causing a short?! I'm assuming the hot (black) wire... > > tnx - Brian > > > -- > "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd > Wright > __ > AMRadio mailing list > List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html > Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > > __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Adjustment Ranger Output - See Electric Radio Mag, Dec. 2000, page 25. Simple and works very well. Pete, wa2cwa On Sat, 04 Nov 2006 11:49:46 -0600 Jack Schmidling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Gary Blau wrote: > > Here's just one example: > > http://www.w3am.com/ranger.html > > That one is just the opposite of what I want to do. It increases > power > output. > > js > __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Hi Brian If the 220 vac outlet is wired correctly You will have 1 neutral lead, 1 hot 110 vac lead, and a second hot 110 .vac lead. Between the neutral and one of the other 2 leads you will have 110 vac Between the 2 - 110 vac leads you will have 220 vac. Dean KA6BGW __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
[AMRadio] BC610 110v using one leg of 220
Trying to get a BC610 going and need to hook to one leg of existing 220 outlet, and now I'm just confused to say the least. The 610E does not have any polarity indicators on the 110vac AC chassis plug. I'm using a 3 wire 220 outlet with ground, hot and neutral. In order to get 110, I have to use ground for one side. Which of the other sides do I use in order to also hook up a heavy Earth ground to the 610 without causing a short?! I'm assuming the hot (black) wire... tnx - Brian -- "There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -- Frank Lloyd Wright __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Gary Blau wrote: Here's just one example: http://www.w3am.com/ranger.html That one is just the opposite of what I want to do. It increases power output. js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
[AMRadio] Wanted: D104
I can't seem to find my old D104 so I am looking for a new one. Don't much care what style or options, just want one that works. js -- PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
If you are considering high level modulation on the 6146's you might want to change the screen resistor to... generally speaking commercial ham units use screen resistors to small in value for proper modulation characteristics... Check it out for yourself... dig out a tube manual and plug the values into the formulas and you get a much better screen resistor value... Just a thought... But Larry is right... use the lower values in the way he mentioned... The screen resistor??? I might have got that from Timtron too many years ago... ??? 73 vince [EMAIL PROTECTED] This is the Timtron-approved way of doing it, and I can vouch for it, as it has worked well for me. 73/GL, -Larry/NE1S __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Here's just one example: http://www.w3am.com/ranger.html g Brian Carling wrote: Larry and Jack, there is an article on how to do just that on the web somewhere. As the others have said, it is the best way to reduce your drive to the RF final. From: Peter Markavage <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Why not just make the screen voltage adjustable by using either a variable pot or some solid-state circuitry with a variable pot __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
Re: [AMRadio] Ranger... good news, bad news
Larry and Jack, there is an article on how to do just that on the web somewhere. As the others have said, it is the best way to reduce your drive to the RF final. From: Peter Markavage <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Why not just make the screen voltage adjustable by using either a > variable pot or some solid-state circuitry with a variable pot __ AMRadio mailing list List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net
