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Post by ab5ni on Oct 10, 2014 10:35:20 GMT -5
Hey Folks,
What I'd like to know is this: what's the best PLL-VCO combo out there that works best when doing a CB-to-10 conversion? What I'm interested in is a radio that has good sensitivity and single or double conversion. I guess that I'd also want a fair amount of selectivity, but the 10-Mtr band is so broad I'm willing to give this up a bit for greater sensitivity. For the record, a 4-pole xtal ladder would probably be "good enough." Any suggestions?
73,
Randy AB5NI
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Post by Night Ranger on Oct 10, 2014 14:01:41 GMT -5
Hey Folks, What I'd like to know is this: what's the best PLL-VCO combo out there that works best when doing a CB-to-10 conversion? What I'm interested in is a radio that has good sensitivity and single or double conversion. I guess that I'd also want a fair amount of selectivity, but the 10-Mtr band is so broad I'm willing to give this up a bit for greater sensitivity. For the record, a 4-pole xtal ladder would probably be "good enough." Any suggestions? 73, Randy AB5NI Probably the Cybernet US/Canada PLL02a sideband chassis. You can bring it to 10 meters either by direct binary programming of the PLL02a chip, or by injecting a new loop mixing crystal. It has the PTBMO48AOX chassis, and it was sold under a number of brand names (GE, Midland, etc). Sandbagger can probably give you tips on the VCO range as I never pushed that radio that far. Night Ranger |
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Post by ab5ni on Oct 10, 2014 17:21:24 GMT -5
Hey Folks, What I'd like to know is this: what's the best PLL-VCO combo out there that works best when doing a CB-to-10 conversion? What I'm interested in is a radio that has good sensitivity and single or double conversion. I guess that I'd also want a fair amount of selectivity, but the 10-Mtr band is so broad I'm willing to give this up a bit for greater sensitivity. For the record, a 4-pole xtal ladder would probably be "good enough." Any suggestions? 73, Randy AB5NI Probably the Cybernet US/Canada PLL02a sideband chassis. You can bring it to 10 meters either by direct binary programming of the PLL02a chip, or by injecting a new loop mixing crystal. It has the PTBMO48AOX chassis, and it was sold under a number of brand names (GE, Midland, etc). Sandbagger can probably give you tips on the VCO range as I never pushed that radio that far. Night Ranger That sounds good, NR. Now I'm wondering which SSB radios actually use those boards. I do have an HTX-10 I can use to get on 10, but I really want a radio I can mess around with as a project. I will also be converting a 148-GTL with a guy named "Carl Boley" on YouTube (same name for his channel) to 40-Mtrs and probably another one to 20-Mtrs as well. Then I'll start on the 811A amp, and I think my final winter project is going to be an 80-10 Mtr rig based on the AD9850 DDS VFO (1-40 MHz) and the Arduino Uno microcontroller. Pete Juiliano (same name for channel on YouTube), N6QW, has built quite a number of great rigs with this setup, and I think I"m going to give that a shot. Never built something this complicated before, but what the hell -- I'm going to give it a shot!  . As far as the HTX-10 goes, I'm wondering if anyone has ever cracked that radio and put it on other bands? I'd love to have one on 15 or 20. 73, Randy AB5NI |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss 
Posts: 6,247 
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Post by Sandbagger on Oct 10, 2014 19:06:50 GMT -5
Hey Folks, What I'd like to know is this: what's the best PLL-VCO combo out there that works best when doing a CB-to-10 conversion? What I'm interested in is a radio that has good sensitivity and single or double conversion. I guess that I'd also want a fair amount of selectivity, but the 10-Mtr band is so broad I'm willing to give this up a bit for greater sensitivity. For the record, a 4-pole xtal ladder would probably be "good enough." Any suggestions? 73, Randy AB5NI By far the best PLL/VCO combo out there for 10 meter conversions is the Uniden Chassis with the uPD 858 PLL chip. It will go clear up to 29.700. Of course the radio would have to be retuned, but I once had a Realistic TRC-458 with that chassis, and once the transmit wideband mods were done, it would cover the novice/tech portion of 10 meters and still be usable on 11 meters. I lent that radio to my father-in-law, when he passed his novice so that he could talk on 10. The really nice thing about this chassis is that you really don't have to do much except for PLL mods and the widebanding mod. No need to change crystals or any other parts. Common radios which used this chassis are the Realistic TRC-457/458 (Base) and TRC-449 (mobile), the Cobra 139 XLR (Base) and 138 XLR (mobile), The early President Washington and Madison (with no channel 9 and a 4 pin mic plug), the Robyn SB-520, and I'm sure a few more that escape me at the moment. |
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Post by ab5ni on Oct 10, 2014 20:16:54 GMT -5
Sandbagger wrote: This sounds like the PLL chip I'm looking for, SB (Sandbagger). Going up to 29.7 would be awesome, as I could probably add FM xmit pretty easily and use the rig on the 10-Mtr FM repeaters. Can always use AM slope detection for receive. Adding CW to that rig would also be pretty simple. Just unbalance the balanced modulator and key the carrier oscillator via an installed key-jack on the back of the radio. Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if I could put that rig on other bands besides 10 without too many modifications. Just located a 458 base on EBay. Going to bid on it and see what happens. That sounds awesome. Going to do a web search on doing mods on that board and see what gives. If I can't find anything decent on the web, maybe you guys could point me in the right direction. Sounds great, SB. I'll make sure and search EBay and see if I can get my paws on one of those radios. Ah, the good ole' bidding wars on EBay...can't wait . Alright. Back to restoring the GEMTRONICS GTX-5000. 73, Randy AB5NI |
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Post by tecnicoloco2000 on Oct 16, 2014 0:31:33 GMT -5
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Post by ab5ni on Oct 16, 2014 0:53:57 GMT -5
Nice page, and a lot of good info. I'll be on the lookout for the UPD858 boards for sure. If I happen to run across a few of them, I'll repair them, add the mods and put them on 10 Mtrs, and put the extras I fix up on EBay to make some extra money to buy more parts and such . I'll let you guys know if/when I put them up on EBay for sure. I'm wondering if there is a site where I can order sheets of mica to be used as insulators? Anyone know? Thanks again, and 73, Randy AB5NI |
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Post by ab5ni on Oct 16, 2014 9:14:46 GMT -5
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