I have a couple of rig & freq. questions

[AF9J]

Hi Everybody,

As some of you know, I'm having to get back into AM (I briefly tried it way back in 1995, only to have TVI drive me off of the mode) with a bit of a handicap.  I live in an apartment, so I can't run serious carrier power, without risking the wrath of my neighbors.  Also, a present lack of funds, hamstrings me gearwise, so I have to make do with what I have for the present time.

Presently, I have 2 rigs that are AM capable: 

1.) Yaesu FT-897D - will do full double sideband AM, but a pain at best to set up for decent audio.  There are ALC issues with these rigs. Mods (which I'm leery of doing - I find working with surface mount components to be a hassle) will fix some of the shortcomings.  Output - about 25W of carrier, but it's better to run it at abut 20W of carrier.

2.)  Swan 270B Cygnet - I sort of got stuck with this radio, when another ham (whom I won it for, in an auction from my old radio club), backed out of the deal (believe it or not, I'm the last person who used this rig [back in 1993, when I borrowed it from the club]).  It'll do maybe 30-35W of carrier (although I've been told that to keep the sweep tube final happy, it's better to keep it below 30W of carrier).  But like the Drakes of this vintage, the AM is really AME (in other words, SSB with a carrier).

Of these two rigs, which is the better rig for AM use?  If both are poor, what do you think of the Gonset G76?

My next question deals with frequency - I know 25W of carrier is wimpy at best on 160 & 75m.  But on 40 & higher, it seems like I might have a fighting chance.  The problem is, that I never hear anybody on the 40, 20, or 15m AM calling freqs. (at this time of the cycle, 10m isn't of much use). what gives?

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Get on 40 meters with the G76 and call CQ if no one is there.

[KB2WIG]

Try 7290 for the am in the am....  I dont know nuff bout the other rigs to make a comment... The Viking Ranger isnt bad for a starter rig; ya can always run a LinYar with it; or use it as an exciter for a high level transmitter..   klc






Who is Ray Stevens?

[W1GFH]

7290 is the spot for you, and the Gonset G76 is the rig. It may be the world's first AM-only commercial ham transceiver, built during AM's heyday. I have heard G76's producing truly fabulous AM audio on the local airwaves. And the rig itself is very spiffy looking.



I believe Ray Stevens may have once owned one.

[The Slab Bacon]

Ellen,
       I have a G-76, its a way kool little rig! Think of it as a Johnson ranger and a Hammarlund HQ-110 in one compact box. Up to 75w of AM carrier (plate modulated) and a hot little dual conversion reciever in a nice compact box. Whatz not to like. I now have 2 of them. There are some really simple mods that really bring them to life. They will make pretty good audio both ways. If you could get your hands on one, that would be my choice.

                                                      The Slab Bacon

[kx9dk]

I'd be  interested in the audio mods for the G-76. I picked one up with power supply awhile ago and plan to get it back on the air soon.

Thanks,

[kc2ifr]

A quick  point/question...
I was told that the early G-76's had a wimpy coil in the tank ckt. that would overheat. Gonset corrected the problem in later units BUT I dont know how to tell which is which without looking at the coil.
Bill

[The Slab Bacon]

A quick  point/question...
I was told that the early G-76's had a wimpy coil in the tank ckt. that would overheat. Gonset corrected the problem in later units BUT I dont know how to tell which is which without looking at the coil.
Bill

I have one of each, I never really compared the final tank coils. I'll have to look and see. they did do some refinements to the transmit vfo though

[The Slab Bacon]

I'd be  interested in the audio mods for the G-76. I picked one up with power supply awhile ago and plan to get it back on the air soon.

Thanks,

Bill, KD0HG did a nice writeup on modding the G-76, I believe that it was published in ER a few years ago. That is what I did to my first one.
It works pretty good for a small box.

[AF9J]

Seriously Cool!  Thanks for the info people.    So the G-76 is kind of like an HQ-110 and Ranger rolled into 1 box - that's good to hear.  When I was briefly on AM back in 1995, I used a Ranger 1, and an HQ-110 (TVI drove me off the air).  Well, I guess I'd better start looking for a G-76.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Seriously Cool!  Thanks for the info people.    So the G-76 is kind of like an HQ-110 and Ranger rolled into 1 box - that's good to hear.  When I was briefly on AM back in 1995, I used a Ranger 1, and an HQ-110 (TVI drove me off the air).  Well, I guess I'd better start looking for a G-76.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

I was at an auction several weeks ago and two G-76's plus speaker/power supply went for between $150 and $200. I believe the pitchman said one tested fine and the other was questionable.
The picture below shows the working set on a table; the questionable unit was behind them out of view. They also pop up on Ebay from time to time.

[AF9J]

Yup, I put a watch out on e-bay, to alert me, if one shows up. But still, the best/cheapest way to get one, would be away from e-bay (we all know how much prices become inflated on that website).  So, I'll occasionally do a "G-76 for sale" Google search too.  Well,  I'm on vacation today, maybe I'll go do lunch.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

Seriously Cool!  Thanks for the info people.    So the G-76 is kind of like an HQ-110 and Ranger rolled into 1 box - that's good to hear.  When I was briefly on AM back in 1995, I used a Ranger 1, and an HQ-110 (TVI drove me off the air).  Well, I guess I'd better start looking for a G-76.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

I was at an auction several weeks ago and two G-76's plus speaker/power supply went for between $150 and $200. I believe the pitchman said one tested fine and the other was questionable.
The picture below shows the working set on a table; the questionable unit was behind them out of view. They also pop up on Ebay from time to time.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Joe, 'PJP has one of these set up as a mobile rig and it works quite well. When he traveled up here for Hopkinton last fall, I was able to talk with him most of the way, either up or back. It sounded pretty good as well, very 'mobile' with the hand mic. Seems easier than dealing with the Twins under the dash, on the floor, or where ever. Once you have it tuned up, small frequency excursions shouldn't be an issue?

Wouldn't mind finding a decent one myself someday, one I have fewer irons in the fire.

I say, dump both of the rigs you have and get a G-76 and something more later on. Then you have the flexibility to use the G-76 as a mobile rig further down the road. How cool is that?

[WQ9E]

If you get a G-76 without the power supply the Drake AC-3/4 supplies work well as will those designed for the early "real" Galaxy rigs as opposed to the CB junk currently using that name.  The Gonset supply does uses a relay to switch the plate voltage off during receive and you will need to add that if you are not using the official Gonset supply.  I added a standard power relay with an arc suppressor across the contacts to my Drake AC-3 supply and it has been in use several years without failure.  Electric Radio had a good article on the G-76 in the Sept. '93 issue and more info in the March '94 issue.

73, Rodger WQ9E

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I always thought the Gonset Twins were cool for a mobile.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Very cool. Love that chrome.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

They sure are nice, I'm just thinking of that mix of knob-twiddling whilst driving. Not that the G-76 would be much better, but some, at least.

In an age where people can't manage to talk on a cellphone and drive at the same time, 'less is more'.