Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020
The Kenwood TS-520SE had to be reassembled and put on the back burner temporarily while I await new tubes. I did take time check the plate idling current, which was set exactly where it should be, 60ma.
I put the Tempo 2020 back in the operating position in Studio C, and after operating the controls I was reminded how I need to apply Deoxit on the controls and switches on the 2020. I really enjoy the 2020 on CW, and its built-in CW filter works great. I’m running the audio through my Hallicrafters R46B. The only real issue I ran into was the static the volume pot creates from being dirty. I’ve got to get in there soon and clean those controls.
I only have two things left listed for sale on eBay; I’m already digging up items to list. I have an MFJ-752C tunable audio filter I bought some time ago. Well, the thing works, but its not very intuitive; and the reviews on eHam were generally favorable, but most said to ignore the manual and experiment on your own to find the right settings. I tired of all the adjustments and not knowing what the hell I was doing — manual or no — and decided to cast my net on eBay for an audio CW filter that is easer to operate (that’s when the Diawa entered the picture).
The MFJ unit works, but has a mod to allow front panel switching on the audio inputs. The unit allows you to switch from one radio to the next, but that switch is in the rear of the unit — not very convenient. A miniature toggle switch was added to the front panel for switching inputs.
I also ordered a new set of knobs for the unit. One of the knobs had been replaced with a larger knob that had a metal skirt with a graduations on it. It apparently came off some other equipment, but it looked odd as hell on the MFJ (which is one reason I was able to buy it so cheaply in the first place). With a set of new knobs, the unit looks much, much better.
I also have an American ALS-500 solid state amplifier that was part of the estate I’ve helped liquidate. The amp comes with the remote kit and cables. I had toyed with the idea of running the amp at home, but I don’t have a supply large enough to handle the amplifier. Besides, in more than 30 years of hamming, I’ve never run an amplifier — despite having a Yaesu FL-2100B in the attic. In fact, the FL-2100B is another goodie I should probably liquidate.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z … SK … SK … (dit dit) …