WD9N Radio

Photo Credit: Kenwood USA    I was getting a bid annoyed with my 480 drifting around with temperature fluctuations in the truck, so in goes the SO-3 TCXO.  It wasn't as simple as the 590SG, but not really any more difficult.  Right there is the board that must be removed.  Lift the white connectors on each side, they are tight, a flat tool of some kind working on each side a little at a time and they come up.  Remove the three screws and the board will lift right out.  Above is the bottom of the board with the TCXO partially soldered.  I wanted to show how I held the unit in place by slightly bending the tabs in.  You may find another method works for you.  Solder each of the four pins AND both tabs of the case.  I use an isolated pen with a smallish tip at about 760F.  Solder flowed well if you use good technique, ie. heat the joint then apply solder.  I let the tip set on the tab to heat the large thermal mass of the cas...

Ok, so me beloved Kenwood V71 radios are going deaf, it's a known issue you can research for yourself.  So until I purchase parts and see if I can do the detialed solder job to repair them, I purchased an Icom 2730 with the black screen. The black is a bit extra, but I really liked the look of the display and I am not disappointed with it at all.  Now, the problem is Icom in a stroke of both genius and ignorance at the same time DOES NOT include a single piece of mounting hardware...not even screws.  They leave it up to you to decide how you are going to mount the radio and then purchase the mounting hardware that fits your install.  I get it, vehicles today are so difficult to find ways to install radios.  No use purchasing a radio with hardware just to find you can't use any of it and still have to purchase what you need.  Maybe a better way would have been to make packages with each type of mounting, but even with in that I see ways to mix and match, so ...

 Here is a video review of the AT-5555N II 10m radio.

I had acquired a used but like new 590SG, with the intention of using it portable from the wall tent.  I found the radio liked to drift from around 30Hz low to 10Hz high depending on ambient temperature.  This was not going to cut it in the tent with temps being all over the place when camping, so I ordered the SO-3 TCXO. I would recommend anyone who is thinking about installing one of these to do it.  It is about as easy as it gets without being plug in.  Yes, you need some soldering skill, but a little research of technique and some practice and anyone should be able to successfully complete this.     This is the TCXO and box it came in.         The TCXO and provided adjustment tool.       Put the radio on its top and remove the bottom cover.    The yellow square below indicates the area of interest for the installation.   Unplug the connector noted by the red square. Remove the indicated screw.  NOT...

 I thought I would share a little project that I was just involved with.  I have several photos of the progression of moving a broadcast station from the basement of an aging house into a new building on the same site. The old house that used to house the studios and transmitters was getting in bad shape and the station owners decided it was time to make a move into a new building. We had to dismantle the station from its 15+yr home and extricate it from the basement. This is the BE FM 2C backup transmitter.  I didn't get a photo of the FM 4C coming out.    Below is the old "ice bridge ", if it can be called that, that carried the cables to the tower.  You can see the new building and icebridge in the background.         The antenna switch. Have you ever bolted the flanges of your feed lines together? That is rigid 50 ohm line from the transmitter to the switch.   The 90 degree fitting going on the switch. The gray box behind the sw...