Saturday, June 8, 2013

R-390A and Homebrew TX put in Transceive Mode (VIDEO)



N8ZRY has a very nice video on his recent adventures with the legendary R-390A receiver (want one!) and his homebrew 20 meter SSB transmitter.  He manages to essentially put the receiver and transmitter into "transceiver" mode.  Very nice.  I wonder if he had previously used the old standard "spot" or "net" "zero beat by ear" method?  This video has me thinking about ways to bring my many separate receivers and transmitters closer together. The problem is that they all use different IF frequencies (the crystal filters are at different frequencies).  But using my Arduino-based DDS VFO, I guess it wouldn't be too difficult to program the thing to generate one VFO freq for transmit, and a different VFO freq on receive, in effect putting the transmitter and receiver on the same frequency. 

Both the R-390A and the homebrew transmitter look great.   Thanks Greg!


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2 comments:

  1. GraysonJune 9, 2013 at 11:56 AM

    I saw an article on doing this, I think it was in Electric Radio a year or so ago. I don't remember if Greg was the author of that article or not. Were you Greg?
    Grayson, TA2ZGE

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  2. Michael BlackJune 14, 2013 at 1:27 AM

    When I saw this mentioned somewhere else, it reminded me of an ad in QST (likely) back in the fifties or early sixties. SOme kind of adapter that allowed transceive with unmatched equipment. But right now, all I picture is the Cosmophone, which must be an early SSB transceiver.

    But since generally people did buy a receiver from one company and a transmitter for another, I think there was an adapter from a third party to make them transceiver. But maybe i'm imagining it.

    Michael VE2BVW

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