Friday, Oct. 23, 2020
My son and I just got back from our trip to town and the post office, where we mailed three packages — two of them large, one of them extraordinarily heavy.
One package was assorted “stuff” going to our daughter in D.C. for her birthday. The second package was the National NCX-200, which double boxed, was rather large package but not tremendously heavy. But the third box held the heavyweight Hammarlund HQ-170 receiver.
That box was 53 pounds; the radio itself roughly 40-plus pounds. The rest of the weight was from my reinforcement of the box. The 22x22x22 box I had to use (the largest one I can get locally) is only medium weight cardboard. I’ve seen what happens to boxes when heavy items are shipped when the boxes aren’t really designed for such weights; it ain’t pretty.
So I spent several hours reinforcing the original box; using hot glue, I reinforced the corners, the bottom and the sides. The radio was 22 inches wide once it was well-wrapped with large bubble bubblewrap; the rest of the space in the box was packed with styrofoam sheets. I cut the height of the box down about four inches, then reinforced the top of the box. I didn’t think I had added 10 pounds to the weight of the box, but by the time you consider all the hot glue and extra cardboard, I guess it adds up.
DAIWA A-WAH-WAH. I had my first opportunity to try out my new-to-me Daiwa AF-306 active audio filter. The unit has a built-in speaker, and is deceptively simple to use.
There are no controls to fiddle with, just six toggle switches. The three on the right narrow the bandwidth for use on SSB; the switches on the left narrow the bandwidth further for CW. You have to have them on progressively, from right to left, to achieve progressively narrower audio bandwidths.
The filter worked great; while I didn’t have CW contest conditions under which to test the filter, I did try it out on 80 and 40 meters in situations where two signals were close enough that they were both fairly loud in the passband of my SB-102 while trying to operate CW.
And while it lacks all of the adjustments the MFJ unit has, you know exactly what you’re going to get with no fiddling with the MFJ’s adjustments. Simpler is better in this case.
I don’t ever remember hearing about the Daiwa filter in the past, and I’ve been someone who keeps an eye open for audio filters (given the fact I have rigs with less-than-optimal CW filtering). The Daiwa was a bargain, and from what I can tell, its about as effective as the Datong FL-2.
Right now the only issue I have is that my SB-102 is getting RF into my 35-amp power supply, which gives anything connected to my 12v system fits. I think the solution will be to power the Daiwa with a wall wart supply.
SB-102 WORK. I’m watching an auction for the assembly manual for an SB-102 so I can figure out how the VFO dial is supposed to work. I’m probably going to have to remove the front panel, but I’m not too thrilled at those prospects.
The SB-102 is pretty much going to stay in pieces until I get the VFO repaired. I have some gear I still want to check out but can’t clear the bench of that SB-102.
I know where the Yaesu FL-2100B is located, I’m just hesitant to pull it out of the attic until I have a solid place to put it. I wouldn’t mind trying it out, either.
I need also to get back to work cleaning out the main shack so I can get my new Yaesu in place.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z …. SK … SK … (dit dit)