FT-847 troubles.

-

I've been recommissioning my FT-847 and only on SSB I'm getting bad audio results. Usually I'm told it's hard to understand. I'm running QRP level powers, and I've tried with and without the PS. Ferrite beads at every single cable to prevent RF leak back into the rig, 2.5W transmit power so I'm sure PA stage isn't being hard-worked. I've also tried different mics, just in case - nope.

I've tried to check the transmission at home - the radio frontend is easily overloaded with two of the radios so close so I tried from a short distance instead using the FT-818 but the results were inconclusive due to my wife being a brand new amateur so she wasn't really up to the reports / handling of the radio to ensure a steady voice was coming.

As far as I can tell it's happening on all bands, I've tried multiple 20m contacts, and yesterday did the same on 6m - same kind of results. Trying it out with the 2M all-mode mobile radio (Standard C5800) showed a different kind of horrible audio, but then that radio too has been sitting unused for 5y and it's from the 80s so that might be even in a worse state!

FM and CW works just fine - clear audio, no funnies, no chirping. I haven't tried AM yet.

I've checked every single option on the radio and the calibration menus with no success.

Popular posts from this blog

Bicycle Wheel Mag Loop

-
Image
A while back I stumbled upon  VK3YE 's excellent video about building a mag loop antenna out of a bicycle wheel. Building some type of loop like this has been in my mind for a long time so I shopped for variable capacitors that could handle this on eBay and got some junk. They weren't cheap. Overall I spent way too much money on this antenna compared to something off the shelf like a number of Am-Pro sticks could have been bought but that's not the fun (or frustration) part of it. I have had some MTB wheels in the garage for years, collected from bikes that have gone to the Rust section of the Silicon Heaven.  So finally this Saturday I got off the couch and wandered down to the garage. After checking out the two front and two back spares, I picked the one that's in worst shape, a front wheel with scored rims which came out of an old Raleigh bike i had picked up from Freecycle which was beyond any meaningful repair. The rim was in a relatively good rust-free shape and t
Read more

Today wasn't that bad

-
Image
  I didn't have my usual assistant so the little sheep helped instead. Not a bad evening. After moping most of the day finally (yesterday depressed me to no ends) I got out just before 4PM and drove to the usual location and put up the antennas on top of the car. Then I got the FT-847 out - this time microphone included - and hollered a couple of CQs. Once more the US was very strong, heard lots of people from MN and Ohio, even all they way to Nebraska. I was putting out about 25-50W and once more, no one heard me or responded. I start to wonder if FT-818 was a bad idea with its QRP levels! I still love it to be honest, and FT-847 is also a fantastic radio. Later I gave up on 20, tried 40 and 80 but I couldn't get the multi-band tuned up. Then I went onto 145.500 and with the dipole on top of the bonnet (visible behind the sheep) tried a couple of CQs and a G4 from Cirencester responded so we had a nice QSO.  Then I packed up the radios, drove a short distance and tried some ni
Read more

Antenna analyzer - ordered

-
 I've got too many antennas lying around, I can no longer remember what they were for. 50MHz? 144MHz, 430MHz? Dual band? Single band? Not a clue. I've ordered a £30 NanoVNA (vector network analyzer) off Amazon, arriving tomorrow with Prime. It looks like one of the many cheap VNAs on Ebay/Amazon but reviews are very good. This will do up to 900MHz but even that's way too high for my current hobby (which is more concentrated on the HF side), and that is spectacular price / performance point. I cannot believe these things exist, about 15-20y ago a Vector Network Analyzer cost big bucks and was a lab bench equipment only companies and insane amateurs could afford - this thing is slightly larger than a credit card and only 30 quids! Simply my mind is blown. I've watched a couple of videos and I'm quite sure this will be enough for my own purposes. I don't have any GHz equipment and don't care about that right now. It will be perfect for managing & testing an
Read more