Transceiver on AM, best rig

[stansub]

I want to buy a used Transceiver for AM. I have listened for awhile on 75 and 160 and have heard people using:

FT-101,  sounds good to me, 4-5 watts into an Amplifer.

TS-570DG, sounds ok, 5-10 watts in an Amplifier.

I know that a majority of the people on this BBS are probably users of Big Iron, and I will get there someday, but for now, perhaps some of you can be of assistance on the issue of using a Transceiver, anything manufactured in the last 30 years, solid state, tubes of Hybrid.

Thanks in advance,

Stan     stansub@vt.edu 

You may reply directly if you want or post for all to read.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

You can't go wrong with a FT-101. You can still get them for $200-300. For them to really sound good, you will need to make some modifications, but they are rather easy.

Many other choices out there, but most will require some form of mods to sound good.

[N3DRB The Derb]

Second on the FT 101. Best value and once modified and with the am filter installed (xf-30b) you will sound as good as anyone and the rx will sound as good as anyone elses.

I've got one and I'm going to get another later this year. Feed it into a decent amp for 200+ watt carrier and you'll be right up there.

[ka3zlr]

Hello there Stan,

 On the forum here there's a section on modern transceivers I'm sure your aware of, and Read The Huzmans article on how to setup a modern day rig makes for gud reading also it's at the very end of the section last time i looked.

 On the 570 it Will work very well with one small Mod to the Audio limiter:

http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/kenwood/ts-570.htm

 Read down to the Audio Mod article and do as he says and it Will produce some very nice audio with the right Microphone that fits your voice characteristics.

 On the FT series of rigs there's a world of information on them, you'll find a complete Mod on the Am Window for it, But they are getting up in age and Finding a gud one that isn't Cooked out is the Chore there.

 Next would be the DSP rigs, Most Favorite is the Flex Series this is today's technology that Really only requires a very gud computer and very little reading to trim that rig out for some very FB Audio.

 Also there's Class D http://k7dyy.com/  availible for your interest, I have no experience here, But from what I've monitored some of the guys are doing fairly well with them.

 Also While reading the AM Window look for the HW-101 Mod on there it works very gud...and those old girls can be found for a song and a dance..

 Lastly don't limit yourself the fellas have put together a world of information between these forums The AM Reflector, Here, and The AM Window, The Class E Site, Read up OM, there's alot to do...

 73 jack ka3zlr.

[AF9J]

Just out of curiousity, how is the FT-301, and FT-221 (2m all mode with AM capability), and FT-620B (6m all mode with AM capability)?  Occasionally you see the FT-301 going for peanuts on ePay, and I have an FT-620B that I'd like to use for 6m AM.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[Pete, WA2CWA]

You didn't mention $$ but a used Kenwood TS-850 or Icom IC-756 PRO II are great rigs to use for AM and SSB. Both use low-level AM type modulation and sound good and can easily drive an amplifier. A number of Yaesu FT-1000 Mark V type transceivers are also appearing on the used market. These also sound good on AM. The thee mentioned require mininal to zero modification of the circuitry to sound good on AM. I believe all three (I know the Icom does) have provision to feed audio directly to the modulator or balanced modulator (back panel jack) and by-pass all the front end audio tailoring which was primarily designed for SSB operating.

[ka3zlr]

Just out of curiousity, how is the FT-301, and FT-221 (2m all mod with AM capability), and FT-620B (6m all mode with AM capability)?  Occasionally you see the FT-301 going for peanuts on ePay, and I have an FT-620B that I'd like to use for 6m AM.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

 Hi Ellen, Happy New year..LOL...

 The 301 was first introduced in 76 it had a later "D" model that meant "Digital"...wooo that was Big doins back then ..LOL...it was all Solid state it used s2535's in the final it had a single IC for the mic amp prior to the ring filter...it had some drawbacks audio wise and required some rework for gud sound..BUT.. that rig was designed to be serviced..one look inside and it looked like a 901...very well worked out...it was the First in the series for solid state transceivers...the idea was portability back then.. "Audio" or addressing "audio" back then was Frowned on ..LOL....The "Black Face Yeasu's"....they worked...heck some of those series receivers sounded better than some of today"s 3 thousand dollar rigs...

[AF9J]

HI Jack,

Yep, I like my FT-620B.  Since the 301 is sort of the solid state equivalent of the FT-101 series, I guess I wonder of it can do decent AM (especially transmit audiowise), like the FT-101 can be made to do.

Ellen - AF9J

[ka3zlr]

HI Jack,

Yep, I like my FT-620B.  Since the 301 is sort of the solid state equivalent of the FT-101 series, I guess I wonder of it can do decent AM (especially transmit audiowise), like the FT-101 can be made to do.

Ellen - AF9J

Why yes it can Ellen and quite easily...here's the manual: http://dw.ham.dmz.ro:8080/downloads/yaesu/ham.dmz.ro.ft301_manual.pdf

The rig does have the availability for three filters ssb cw am, i don't know what exactly you have there but just simply bypass the mic amp with processed audio and feed the balanced mod directly I would suggest the jenson tranny the nu9n has on his web site...and if you want even wider bandwidth clip the filter with caps...these rigs were very easy to do wide band ssb... what alot of the ESSB guys look over and miss...they are so easy to work on...but they are Old...Look over the block diagram and the skizmatic and whaalaa...turn down the ALc  which is very easy in that rig and there you go...you might be delightfully surprised...

[K3ZS]

I would evaluate the receiver.    Many older transceivers transmit OK when adjusted properly on AM but are not very unusable as receivers.    They don't have AM filters and just use the SSB filter on receive.    Most new transceivers work well on AM.   With the new ones, the transmitter audio quality is what is considered.

[ka3zlr]

I think at this point a gud reading on todays equipment is in order and i follow Johns NU9N ideals and abide by them having followed his chain arrangements and mods on many pieces of equipment.

http://www.icycolors.com/nu9n/tx.html#Xmiter_Setup

http://www.icycolors.com/nu9n/am.html

http://www.icycolors.com/nu9n/essb.html


I have never been let down by following his thoughts.

[W2INR]

The FT 102 is one of the better rigs for all modes.

They are easy to modify and there are many mods to improve performance and make the radio a great sounding AM rig. It is a hybrid with three 6146's in the final. The 102 has one of the better receivers found in the rice boxes out there for it's age.

K1JJ, WB3HUZ , Bill W3DUQ, KE7NL are just a few that run them. Mods can be found on Fox Tango and The AM Window.

G

[Ed - N3LHB]

I want to buy a used Transceiver for AM. I have listened for awhile on 75 and 160 and have heard people using:

FT-101,  sounds good to me, 4-5 watts into an Amplifer.

TS-570DG, sounds ok, 5-10 watts in an Amplifier.

I know that a majority of the people on this BBS are probably users of Big Iron, and I will get there someday, but for now, perhaps some of you can be of assistance on the issue of using a Transceiver, anything manufactured in the last 30 years, solid state, tubes of Hybrid.

Thanks in advance,

Stan     stansub@vt.edu 

You may reply directly if you want or post for all to read.

Would a T-368 and a pair of R-390's in a shelter be considered a transceiver since they're all in one box? If so, that'd be my vote. 

[stansub]

y rig makes for gud reading also it's at the very end of the section last time i looked.

 On the 570 it Will work very well with one small Mod to the Audio limiter:

http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/kenwood/ts-570.htm

 Read down to the Audio Mod article and do as he says and it Will produce some very nice audio with the right Microphone that fits your voice characteristics.

 On the FT series of rigs there's a world of information on them, you'll find a complete Mod on the Am Window for it, But they are getting up in age and Finding a gud one that isn't Cooked out is the Chore there.

 Next would be the DSP rigs, Most Favorite is the Flex Series this is today's technology that Really only requires a very gud computer and very little reading to trim that rig out for some very FB Audio.

 Also there's Class D http://k7dyy.com/  availible for your interest, I have no experience here, But from what I've monitored some of the guys are doing fairly well with them.

 Also While reading the AM Window look for the HW-101 Mod on there it works very gud...and those old girls can be found for a song and a dance..

 Lastly don't limit yourself the fellas have put together a world of information between these forums The AM Reflector, Here, and The AM Window, The Class E Site, Read up OM, there's alot to do...

 73 jack ka3zlr.
[/quote]

[stansub]

[Jack, Thanks, I bought the 570 and will do the mod you suggested.

author=ka3zlr link=topic=13167.msg98617#msg98617 date=1199299060]
Hello there Stan,

 On the forum here there's a section on modern transceivers I'm sure your aware of, and Read The Huzmans article on how to setup a modern day rig makes for gud reading also it's at the very end of the section last time i looked.

 On the 570 it Will work very well with one small Mod to the Audio limiter:

http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/kenwood/ts-570.htm

 Read down to the Audio Mod article and do as he says and it Will produce some very nice audio with the right Microphone that fits your voice characteristics.

 On the FT series of rigs there's a world of information on them, you'll find a complete Mod on the Am Window for it, But they are getting up in age and Finding a gud one that isn't Cooked out is the Chore there.

 Next would be the DSP rigs, Most Favorite is the Flex Series this is today's technology that Really only requires a very gud computer and very little reading to trim that rig out for some very FB Audio.

 Also there's Class D http://k7dyy.com/  availible for your interest, I have no experience here, But from what I've monitored some of the guys are doing fairly well with them.

 Also While reading the AM Window look for the HW-101 Mod on there it works very gud...and those old girls can be found for a song and a dance..

 Lastly don't limit yourself the fellas have put together a world of information between these forums The AM Reflector, Here, and The AM Window, The Class E Site, Read up OM, there's alot to do...

 73 jack ka3zlr.
[/quote]

[WA3VJB]

This morning worked Jim, VE2ND, on a TS570, he is running stock audio.
His first time on AM in about 40 years.
20 watts, he is located about 100 miles north of Toronto.
Recorded near Annapolis on the diode output of the SP600, medium selectivity.

[ab3al]

one word

flex