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XXL Radio
Приєднався 24 сер 2015
I'm a radio and electronics enthusiast that has had a passion for RF and Hi-Fi for pretty much all of my life. I'm not a professional at this stuff and have absolutely no desire to be as such. This channel is all about documenting my repair adventures, sharing knowledge and maybe helping out someone else working on similar equipment. Please like share and leave a comment if any of my videos resonate with you. 73 from Andrew VK3USA / VK2XXL
Kenwood SM-220 Station Monitor - Two birds killed with one stone (or resistor) - Part 2 of 2
Here is part 2 of the Kenwood SM-220 Station Monitor revival. Here I successfully restore functionality of the focus and intensity controls. Essential for getting full resolution on the display. A big thank-you to all who commented with thoughtful suggestions on part 1. Hopefully these videos help anyone else who's having problems with their SM-220. I think the oil filled capacitors, R-175 and the nylon shaft couplers will be common fail points on all units manufactured.
Переглядів: 343
Відео
Kenwood SM-220 Station Monitor DOA, Let's Make It Right - Part 1 of 2
Переглядів 1,5 тис.21 годину тому
Watch as I go through this SM-220 Station Monitor to get it back to operational condition. Sadly this unit didn't have a chance in hell of firing up without taking out critical components in the HV supply. Not shown here was the poor state of the cabinet which also required a clean up and thorough polishing. When the Melbourne weather warms up, it will receive a new coat of paint. Watch part 2 ...
Kenwood TS-820S - Will it work?
Переглядів 4,5 тис.Місяць тому
I recently took delivery of this Kenwood TS-820S. The previous owner described it as refurbished and in perfect working condition. Watch as I do the first power up to see if indeed that is the case! If not, I'll do what I always do and get it going.
Kenwood TS 830S with intermittent receive and transmit - Simple yet deceiving fix.
Переглядів 1,5 тис.Місяць тому
This Kenwood TS-830S had intermittent receive and transmit. The radio otherwise had full power and all bands and received perfectly. The transmit and receive switching relay is a common fault with the 830/530 series. (RL-1 is a 4PDT relay that switches final bias, RIT, XIT, exciter gain, and affects both transmit and receive when the contacts begin acting up.) But it turns out that wasn't what ...
The mighty ICOM IC-7800, is it amongst the last of a dying breed?
Переглядів 9 тис.2 місяці тому
In a world of SDR Radio's, let's see how the Icom IC-7800 holds up tuning around 40m and a crowded 20m band. The IC-7851 (the next model after the 7800) sadly will probably be the last of this line up. If the speculation is true, that brings to an end a 37 year legacy that started with the release of the IC-781 back in 1987. Has the mega-dollar 'big boy' radio become a thing of the past in favo...
Drake SPR-4 Receiver on 40m
Переглядів 7092 місяці тому
Playing around with a Drake SPR-4 Receiver I picked up recently. This was Drake's first attempt at a serious solid state communications receiver. They first appeared around 1969 and were a receiver that every aspiring Ham wanted in the 1970s and you had to work hard to earn the money to afford one. The circuitry and design of this radio is very complicated and an engineering achievement of it's...
G3TXQ Hex Beam vs End Fed Half Wave Antenna on 20m
Переглядів 2,9 тис.8 місяців тому
The methodology here is to show how the Hex Beam will perform against a generic End Fed Half Wave Antenna cut to 40m, considering the 80m version is probably too long for many hams. The EFHW antenna actually works better for local communication around Sydney and many other areas of Australia. But here, I wanted to show comparison for long haul DX. In this case, long path Europe to Paul, EA5JZ w...
Yaesu FT 101E - the old battleship sails again
Переглядів 15 тис.8 місяців тому
The Yaesu FT-101E when maintained correctly (like any form of new or old electronics) still holds it's own against many newer rigs and if you put an FL-2100B on the end, they'll come straight back to you! I might do a recap of this rig in the near future, but as you can see, this old battleship has still got it. Take note of the tune up procedure I employ. You can do what the manual says but th...
Yaesu FTDX-400 Transceiver on 40m
Переглядів 1,3 тис.11 місяців тому
This Yaesu FTDX-400 was purchased brand new in Australia in August of 1970. It's in completely original condition. All capacitors have passed the ESR test and random resistors I tested were all within tolerance. This unit is in immaculate condition for it's age and has quickly become an important part of my collection. It only needed a couple of new tubes in the audio stages, new Toshiba 6KD6 f...
Kenwood R 820 Receiver: Quick demo.
Переглядів 1,4 тис.Рік тому
Demonstrating my very clean Kenwood R-820 Receiver. I'll be very sad to see this one go, but unfortunately I just can't build every classic ham station that ever existed. As you can hear, they sound amazing :) Also just to correct myself: VBT stands for: Variable {selectivity} Bandwidth Tuning.
Drake TR-4CW - Brief Evaluation and making contacts during CQ-WW 2022
Переглядів 2 тис.Рік тому
Just playing around with my Drake TR-4CW i acquired in the last year. It had an improperly installed fan mod but otherwise isn't too bad. As you see here stations came right back to me with barefoot power. I was using a pair of phased verticals on 40m. I've since repaired the RIT function as well.
Yaesu FT 101E Demonstration
Переглядів 9 тис.2 роки тому
SOLD Demonstration of my Yaesu FT-101E. It's in amazing condition and will be very sad to see this one go!
Kenwood TS 820S Demonstration
Переглядів 1,9 тис.2 роки тому
Demonstrating my Kenwood TS-820S to show full function of the DG-1 Digital Display unit and general operation SOLD
Yaesu FT 901DM fixing up common faults and making contacts
Переглядів 11 тис.3 роки тому
Here I run through some common issues with the Yaesu FT-901DM and many other Hybrid Transceivers of this era. Like many well looked after rigs, It didn't need much doing to it. The main issues were a lose VFO on tuning and the receive would intermittently go weak when switching from RX to TX. I gave it a real nice clean up and also did the usual contact cleaner around switches and pots etc. It ...
Icom IC 761 Receive and Transmit - Brief demo
Переглядів 6 тис.5 років тому
I have for sale this Icom IC-761. Here is a brief demo.
Icom IC 756PRO3 Transmit and Receive
Переглядів 21 тис.5 років тому
Icom IC 756PRO3 Transmit and Receive
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna: Part 3 - 80M DX
Переглядів 7 тис.6 років тому
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna: Part 3 - 80M DX
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna Part 2 - 80M Local contacts
Переглядів 8 тис.6 років тому
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna Part 2 - 80M Local contacts
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna: Part 1- Introduction
Переглядів 19 тис.6 років тому
G7FEK Limited Space Antenna: Part 1- Introduction
Realistic STA 90 demo for e bay auction
Переглядів 9186 років тому
Realistic STA 90 demo for e bay auction
Akai AT 580 Tuner with intermittent FM
Переглядів 1,5 тис.6 років тому
Akai AT 580 Tuner with intermittent FM
JVC JA S71 that won't come out of protection My bad
Переглядів 1,4 тис.6 років тому
JVC JA S71 that won't come out of protection My bad
Nice rig, I use to own it :-)
Your tx signal sine wave needs to be a lot sharper. I run a 220 also, and granted I have outboard processing going on from my rack. But I utilize the band scope to give and tune your audio to studio quality. The mc50 with processing is lively and punchy with a bandwidth of about 3.4k. 4k is better to the listener and even 6k which I can get out of my Orion 2. 4k however is the favourable choice so as not to take up unnecessary bandwidth on 40mtrs. I use an MXL770 condenser mics and yes different mics will present an audio pattern of variable kinds. But my point is even when you think that looks good, slim out your scope to a thin line of focus. Turn off your processor, key your mic at power and observe a clean audio signal as opposed to fat and lumpy. You'll sound like the BBC, and the band listeners will thank you for such a clean signal. Use of Kenwood in the past here to with now yaesu, Icom and ten tec gracing the bench. But each tx gets the same audio clean up routine no matter what. This is great practice in the amateur arena where we are continuing to learn constantly from each mans station. Thx for your video!
Thankyou as well! And yeah have a look at part 2 on my channel when you get a chance (just uploaded) and see what you think of the pattern on there. In this video the focus control was not working due to R-175 going open circuit. I think I was able to achieve what you're talking about and indeed I've had many compliments on air. The scope now has a much sharper reading and I did readjust the mic gain and compression settings as a result. The other day, one of my regular contacts on 20m thought I sounded like Barry White when I came up on this set up lol.
I have one of these also but no bad HV caps yet, but I had thought those nylon couplers purpose was to isolate the shafts from the front panel?
Narr mate, in all of the hybrid gear the shafts themselves are grounded and have no connection to the circuits. Their only purpose was cost cutting on a large manufacturing scale. K4EAA wrote a good post on the subject.
What a beautiful setup when I bought my ts-530 I just missed out on the monitor in retrospect I wish I had gotten it but I have all the rest on the lineup, the external vfo is a handy add on ! De n9xvt
I have one of these as well and I had to change all the high voltage caps as well. But working nicely now.
Hi there. Very nice radio. I run a TS830S here and. TS510. Beautiful radios.
I have a TS830S and a TS510. Both work very well.
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Great video but your not done. Clean or change the 2 bnc connectors. Would make it look even better. Love the older kenwood stuff.
Yes absolutely correct 👍 I gave them a clean up after this video. Have a look at part two and let me know what you think 🙂
Congrats. Glad it’s working,a great piece of equipment. Nothing beats the satisfaction of getting this stuff to work again. 73s
Thanks mate, my 220 has the same problem. I must have been unlucky as the two HV diodes are open circut as well. 73
Wow! One more and you've got a Hat trick!
All knobs to the right should fit in just fine with the radio that had the 11 meter modification-thats standard operating procedure for that band here in the US it seems
Haha! I've got nothing against 11m or the guys that love to do it, abuse and distorted signals just kind of wreck it for me.
@@VK2XXL Same here-if you are going to get on the air-sound the best you can no matter what band of frequencies you hang out on-in the US the fellows that have to modify their 11 meter set for obnoxious audio thinking it sounds great-its termed "putting it on the bench to clip and peak it"
Tnx. Pertinent to me. I have a SM220, and a Yaesu YOxxx monitor scope. Both suffer the same issue. After about 30 minutes the traces cease. Power down for a few hours and all is ok for another 30 minutes. I need to investigate both.
Yeah and I've just verified R175 the 1 Meg Ohm resistor is completely open circuit in mine and obviously the cause of the trace issue. Waiting on replacement parts. I poked around all other resistors and all are in tolerance. It looks like the wattage might be a bit underrated. We'll see what the thermal camera shows when I power back up :)
I used a larger wattage rating on mine. I felt the same way, and if the intensity is turned down which it is in a dim environment it might Be drawing more current
@@steveberg3014 That makes sense. New parts turned up today. Didn't get a chance this evening but I'll get around to doing the repair within the next couple of days. Really keen to see how warm that resistor gets. Part 2 out hopefully by the weekend :)
I had same focus problem. R175 1 Meg resistor had went bad and replacing it solved problem. It changed value but don’t remember which way. You probably cleaned focus pot but saying it anyway.
Hi Steve, no silly suggestions at all on my channel :) Yes I tried cleaning the pot and figured something must have gone out in the circuit. I'll check that resistor and see what else may be out of tolerance. I'm guessing both yours and mine increased in value. So might as well grab the schematics/parts list and check em all. Something is definitely acting up with the intensity control as well. Maybe the same thing.
Nice unit, although it really looks like the trace is out of focus. You lose some resolution because of that. 73, Bert, VE2ZAZ/VA2IW.
Thanks Bert, yeah noticed that and will be doing some further investigation. Unfortunately adjusting the focus control on the front panel doesn't really help it that much so more work to do!😏
I had a Kenwood TS-430S and matching power supply PS-430 that I gave away when I got my Yaesu 991a. I had done corrosion control on the cabinets and repainted them and added an external power supply fuse mounted in the rear. Nice job on that restoration. Cheers & 73 from K9POW in eastern TN
My Father still has his in the box never used it LOL was the first in Australia to buy his radio. No one had this radio only my dad.
My dad and I had one of these when I was young. It was a great radio, but eventually the frequency started to randomly go all over the place. We'd take it apart, clean various contacts, and put it back together again. It would work for awhile but then the problem would start up again after a few weeks or a couple months. We could never figure out the issue. Maybe today, with the Internet, we would have googled it. Too bad I don't have the rig any more.
Yeah it can be anything but usually always a simple fix. Keep an eye out for another one :)
Nice rig. Save S$$ and get a 101D. better RX.
I tried the 101D a few times. It was either that or get the 7800. I much prefer the ICOM.
As the current technology required for some radios become obsolete people will own a doorstop. But of course, I think that is the marketing plan.
Sadly as parts become obsolete it's a real concern.
Hex beam, $1,226.92 at Dx Engineering. EFHW, 49:1 unun $50. 12ga stranded wire, $69.99. Total $119.99. Hmmmmm
You're absolutely right! You get what you pay for.
the soldering and position of electronic components looks so disorganized
It's not that bad. I've seen far worse. The screen grid caps, cathode resistors etc are mechanically anchored and not moving anywhere. I would have done a much tidier job if it were me. The majority of the radio is untouched/as it was when Kenwood made it which is what I care more about. 110 plus watts on all bands including 10m.
@@VK2XXL I am a big fan of Tube amps. they tend to be clearer in modulation and longevity than the solid state that tend to die
Switch is on 80 mtrs
Can you elaborate what you mean by switch is on 80m? Do you mean the band switch? In my video obviously it was on 40m.
Great video
I have owned an FTDX-10 for about a year - really love it. But I have just purchased a new TS-590SG just to have a superhet radio on the bench. If someone released a new boat anchor like the FTDX-5000 / IC-7800 I think many who appreciate lots of controls and no SDR would buy it.
Great job thanks 73s wb7qxu
Nicely presented AKA VK3BZA
Excellent sensitivity and low noise.
I need an advice. A red wire has become loose on the front left switchboard. can anyone tell me to which pin of the switch (must be the PO or the NB Switch) it belongs? I have absolutely no reading on the S-Meter when set to PO (Output is about 50Watts up to 80Watts according to the display of my tuner). IC is okay and shows useable values.
Try having a look at the schematic. The service manual should also have a wiring diagram from memory. If you still get stuck, look me up on QRZ (VK3USA) and send me an email. I'll open mine back up and get some pictures to you. But try the schematic first as I'm very flat chat out here. 73, Andrew VK3USA.
Hello Andrew. Thanks for another excellent video. Sharing you experience when troubleshooting and repairing these classic radios is most helpful. Every detail counts. I scored an 830S that receives but yet to test on TX. Thanks again Andrew for sharing your experience. The radio sounds fantastic. Hearing you 51 this morning (12:15 UTC June 7 2024) on the Sothern Cross Net. Take care. Mike VE3XLF
Thanks once again for watching Mike and for the report on the Southern Cross net :) Another video will be coming out shortly where I get into a TS-820S :)
@@VK2XXL Hello Andrew Once again I appreciate you sharing your problem solving approach. I learned much from your video. We learn much from watching competent technical people like yourself walking us through a solution. Take care and all the best. Mike VE3XLF ps . Looking forward to the AR 88 video
Great rig
Great video! de W2CSI, I have a G3TXQ hex also! Love it!!!
Why would the defective driver tube not allow the radio to receive?
I know this might seem strange to you if you're not used to electron tubes. When under load and heating up, the 12BY7A would intermittently short out one of the grids (can't remember which one) to ground which would pull down the supply rail. In turn this affected the rectifier unit affecting the rest of the radio. A new driver solved the issue. Placing the old driver back in the issue returns.
@@VK2XXL That's an interesting twist, would never of thought of that.
@@g1cpu Neither did I for a while! The only thing that gave it away in the end was that it only went intermittent when transmitting and not right away. Only when something was warming up.
If it has one, watch for that pesky "fix" switch for the fixed crystal. (that no one ever uses). The frequency will warble all over the place when corrosion enters this switch. The "fix" is to push the "fix" button, again and again and again. Once the crud is gone the radio will operate normally again. Also, I LOVE vfd frequency displays. I wish they kept them longer. Beats the heck out of crummy LCD displays any day. On side note, DON'T let contact cleaner come into contact with the plastic case in any of these kinds of radios or you'll be sorry like I was. Take care and 73.
Hard to believe this thing was manufactured to provide over 500 watts !! Wow !
That's the input power to the final section (different measurement in the old days) But that still equals more than 200 watts pep output. But I never run it any harder than 150 max. And even less when I have the FL-2000B amplifier hooked up that I was lucky to get not long after I made this video :)
@@VK2XXL Oh ok 👍 . That sounds like a great setup !
I know I am asking a lot of a manufacturer to keep all of those parts on hand in case I want to replace or repair. Just think of the huge inventory necessary or at least what I wish they had. I think eBay has grown up and is almost mature now to order from... Those parts that are taking up space on your shelf. Someone will need soon but the manufacturer can't keep them all.... And what bad things are happening to the chip makers who are making a chip that had 1 application uses up and the next chip is not replaceable.
By being very old ham, I can now see the radios I bought brand new 30 years ago I now see built to last about 20 years, actually I think most things like cars and refrigerators have a limited lifespan built in also. Everyone who knows something about stuff that is 100 years old knows how well built it was built back then. the entry of China into ham radio market has ruined the Japanese radios forever. Now ham rigs are like computers let go out of date every three years. When I can buy K3 technology in a Chinese radio that is not as pretty but is inside good performance... WOW The era of super nice big Japanese rigs is over. I guess I own the last of the big radios== I have an FT DX 9000, ICOM 7800, and sold the last alpha I had. By the way, the ICOM 7851 looking closely. Is almost a lab instrument. It is definitely the last big ham radio, so get a 7851 as soon as you can because the market is not supporting it either---- get the dealers last one or even a dealer demonstrator. I know that at my age the page has turned and I had better move on to the Elysian Fields and hope my successors can hold the band spaces.
It's a shame to see ham radio going the way it is. Sadly I think we're seeing the last of traditional Superhet designs. I laugh at people spending $10,000 or more on SDR radios that don't even have an inbuilt screen or controls. 'Pure Signal' the latest fad where the SDR manufacturers have supposedly found a way to cut off the bleed through on either side of their transmission. Clearly the people opening their wallets have never heard of how Collins solved this issue way back in the 1950s with their Mechanical Filters! To add insult to injury, these 'Check Book Ham's' buy LDMOS Amplifiers and drive the absolute living s$%t out of them with horrible distortion, effectively nulling the advantage of their so called 'pure signal'. Try to tell them and they just abuse you or won't talk to you. The Icom IC-7800 and 7851 are the only rigs I would gladly pay the big bucks for (as I did with my 7800). Yeah I plan on getting the 7851 within the next year or so.
I wave at you Andrew from down South (ZS1WC). Thank you for the nice video. What a sound mate. I have an IC7610 in the shack. How would you personally compare the 2 rigs? I think the 7610 is noisier and prone to static and noise we get lately due to solar panels and inverters. 73's
G'day mate, yes by their very design full SDR radios will always fair worse under tough conditions in noisy RF environments. The IC-7800, my Drake TR7A and Collins KWM-2A always beat any SDR radio hands down in noisy environments. Although the KWM-2A is at a disadvantage without a noise blanker. You can still run external band pass filters to help, but the FPGA in SDR's will never compare to good old crystal and especially mechanical filters. That's where the 3khz roofing filter in the 7800 is so powerful especially.
Thanks for sharing what a beautiful radio! I would love to spend some operating time with either a 7800 or 7851! I have the 7300 and 7610 as well. I had the 7300 since 2017 and even though I have the 7610 it’s often easier to fire up the 7300 for listening or for a quick contact plus it uses allot less power than the 7610 ( especially when just listening) but I do love them both! 73 K4BBC
Maybe we have different definitions, but I tend to think that radio IS an SDR - just one with a superhet front end and up conversion in the TX. It's taking the IF, feeding into an ADC and then doing all the IF and audio processing in a DSP before sending the results out to a DAC. On transmit, it does the same thing in the opposite direction - takes audio in and feeds it into an ADC then generates a modulated carrier mathematically inside the DSP and finally outputs it using a DAC.
You make a spot on point! I have no arguments against you and find myself nodding in agreement.
Owned my 7800 since 2004 and is still the best,quietest rx in the shack,not to mention the best built and easiest rig to use ..a true classic !
Near as I can tell, there are no dying breeds in ham radio. I have a Hammarlund HQ-160 communications receiver I still use, an Icom FT-101 I still use, a Heathkit 104 I still use, an Icom 706 I still use, and a couple of (tr)uSDX transceivers I use. That's quite a long history of gear plugged in and sitting on my station desk. I know other hams running stations covering even more ham history. I like to use all of it. I figure there's no such thing as an obsolete ham radio.
Lovely radio Would be wasted on me Besides the Minister for Finance. Entertainment and Shoes has decreed: “No More _projects_ until I either fix or flick all the current _projects_” I have a workshop full of broken dreams
Sorry to hear mate! Can always try to fix up the broken dreams or at least get as much cash as you can to justify something else.
@@VK2XXL it’s not a bad thing. I’ve got some sweet tube guitar amps that have had the magic touch and are working again. There is another 6 in the queue There is my old FT101B where B is for Boat Anchor that is itching to get on the air There is also the house to fix up, the old 20th century Corolla with the _Anti Theft_ 5 speed box Then there is the house. Currently fixing up the loungeroom. Taken the acne away from the old lime plaster walls, now I’m fixing the horse hair plaster patterned ceiling. I was patching that up on International Morse Code Day instead of joining in. I’ll have a lounge room by the end of this week, so I’ll have some time to fix the 3 tube guitar amps that I keep looking at….after I sort out the switching between the QRM Eliminator and the old Yaesu FT747GX which is in bits on the bench…. It gives my life purpose. Never can I say “there’s nothing to do”
@@VK2XXL well since my comment, the broken dreams repair collection has seen the restoration of an old The Fisher XP9C tuner amp and the XP9C Speakers with the AlNiCo 15” driver, a pair of 4” midranges and one of the 2 soft dome tweeters replaced in each cabinet with something a little livelier. New needle on the Akai turn table that came with it. Now I can tell you that lossless digital sounds better than vinyl, but _vinyl_ is so easy to listen to I’ve also fixed up some little conveniences on the poke-out-the-window-tenna so the switch for the electric motor tuner is part of the unit, rather than the one I used for the big outdoor mag loop. I also made an interface cable to that the FT747GX PTT line will switch the X Phase QRM eliminator with the CW Key down. The unit would only drop to 1.2V not 0V on the PTT line if I used the QSK cut in. The MOX button and mic PTT worked fine. Next on the list will probably be a Peavey Guitar amp. Tube thing with a 15”. It’s a regular on my bench.
It is the last of the overpriced poor performance radios, or i should say status simboles! Ridiculous
Too poor to be used by top DX and Contesting stations and to find their way into Government and Military use as well I guess!
Wonderful , i have one '73 PU2XZB
The display looks very much like a newer Yaesu radio display.
Yes it does. I have the FTDX101D and it can look very much the same. I love a "big" base station where you do not have to dig down in menus for the daily settings, and dual receivers is really great for chasing DX or monitoring two bands.
on the wish list cheers from u k
Still a beaut of a radio and still command a high price for an older radio here in the uk for a mk 2
Awesome. I love different Base Stations , and the older ones are great.
Definitely a dying breed, a modern sdr can do all that and much, much more for a fraction of the cost.
Well now there's a shoot from the hip comment with no logic. SDR's fall apart under tough bands conditions and there's no substitute for real roofing filters. Let's see an SDR deal with an adjacent 30 DB over 9 signal. Add an LDMOS amplifier and bravo, you've got the typical modern ham station polluting the bands with distorted signals today. Full of RF feedback as the smaller SDR manufacturers can't be bothered with RF Shielding and hours of R&D. At least ICOM did that with the 7300 and 7610 (only SDR's I would ever touch from a real radio manufacturer) Last time I tried to tell a guy on air politely that his signal was distorted and he should go back to his Yaesu FTDX-5000, he took it personally and emotionally. Sadly that's how it is with a lot of Ham's these days. Lot's of money to spend on SDR's, no ability for technical debate or troubleshooting. Still I believe in freedom of choice so have it your way. You get what you pay for mate!
No one can win a Multi contest with an sdr, they don't have the blocking capabitily