Re: Antenna - need some advice please
Hello Rick
A few questions there.? Mini Kits does offer the option of having some of their products pre-assembled.? I am not sure if that is the case for the loop antenna module, but it may be so.? Best to check with Mini Kits direct on that point.?
I assembled mine myself and it was straightforward enough as the circuit board contains only through hole components from memory.? I have built numerous kits though so have had some experience.? Keep in mind you will also need a bias tee which powers the module.? Again this is a kit you can purchase from Mini Kits - check with them if they will pre-assemble the bias tee for you if you are not confident.? These are both pretty easy boards to build and you will have fun doing it and learning some new skills.? There are plenty of you tube videos to guide you on your way.
Now for the antenna wire itself.? The instructions on the Mini Kits page will guide you there, but all you need is approximately 3 metres of wire or coax shaped roughly into a circle / triangle / square to make up the antenna.? I have attached a photo of my loop which I built using coax.? You will need something to support the antenna in shape.? I used some PVC plumbing pipe I had lying around.? It looks crude, but it all works very well.? You can also see from the photo that the loop need not be very high above the ground in order to work okay.? This is good if you have antenna restrictions in your neighbourhood
So to coax for a feedline.? I am not sure where you live, but I am guessing North America because you have an attic :) You may be able to buy this locally from an electronics retailer or Home Depot.? To feed mine I use RG6 75 ohm coax which I think is used for TV antennas.? It was cheap.? RG58 50ohm coax is commonly used in radio applications and is available from ham radio outlets and electronics retailers.? You will need some connectors on your coax of course.? The Mini Kits module accepts a BNC connector.? At the bias tee end I have an SMA connector (because the board is very small) and an SMA/BNC adaptor to connect the BNC at the end of the coax.? So you will need a length of coax with a BNC connector at each end plus two adaptors.? Some ham radio outlets will make these cables up for you.? Just specify the length you need and the connectors (don't forget to buy two adapators).? You will need a length of coax to go from the bias tee to your radio.? This could a BNC connector at the bias tee end (plus an SMA/BNC adaptor) and a PL259 to plug into your radio.? I would not buy coax from Mini Kits as the postage cost would be prohibitive.? Buy locally if you can.
Confused?? You can buy plug and play magnetic loop receiving antennas from ham radio outlets such as DX Engineering and Ham Radio Outlet in North America.? I've not dealt with either company so cannot comment on their service.? I think MFJ in the USA also sell a loop antenna.? I also have an English Wellbrook loop which works tremendously well and is very quiet.? These options will cost you a lot more than the Mini Kits antenna though.
Like most things it can come down to your wallet and pain threshold.
Hopefully the above helps a little.? Do a search on you tube and you will find some videos on various loops.? They are a great option if you have limited room, antenna restrictions and/or a high noise environment.
73
Phil
|
Re: Antenna - need some advice please
Hello Rubbersoul , if I buy the already assembled unit in an enclosed box I think I have to buy
?a loop antenna and coax cable for the unit ,I think , or could I just hook the unit to my long wire antenna and
?then get the length of coax cable I need plus the connectors I need , if I need a loop to go with the
?unit where could I get the right one , I have no idea where to get this loop or what type to use , thanks
?for your time and help , take care stay safe all the very best Rick
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Looks great. Thanks for posting.
73
Phil
Sent from ProtonMail mobile
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
-------- Original Message -------- On 7 Feb 2022, 2:01 am, Rick < rdelaplante@...> wrote:
Hello Fellows , here is the website for the DD-103 unit , all I had to do was put on the two alligator clips , the fellow?
?sent it to me set up for the FRG-7 , just put the black clip on the ground chassis and the red clip on the TP-104
?it looks like a pin sticking up with a round white insulator on it and at the top it is curled over , easy to put the alligator?
?clip on the top ,looks like the set was made for this hook up , I hooked it to a RCA plug , I just drilled a hole in the back?
?of the unit for the female part of the RCA plug , that way when I took the unit out of the cabinet I was not moving the
?wires that were attached the the TP-104 terminal , easy hook up ,I think the fellows name is Ron ,just tell him the set
?you are using the unit for and he can send it ready to go , I will attach his web site , if you scroll down his page you?
?can open up the manual for the DD-103 ,you can see the read out if I can attach a photo to this post , also I sent the?
?web page , it reads the whole number and the numbers stand out easy to see , the schematic shows where the?
?TP-104 is on the board , but if you have any trouble I can take my unit out of the cabinet and sen a photo of
?it if that helps , but I am sure you will have no problem at all ,let me know how you make out , my email address
?is rdelaplante@...?, all the very best Rick
?PS- just in case I can't load the photo on the post email me and I will send it to your email
? Te web site =?http://www.electronicspecialtyproducts.com/dd103.html
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Hello Fellows , here is the website for the DD-103 unit , all I had to do was put on the two alligator clips , the fellow? ?sent it to me set up for the FRG-7 , just put the black clip on the ground chassis and the red clip on the TP-104 ?it looks like a pin sticking up with a round white insulator on it and at the top it is curled over , easy to put the alligator? ?clip on the top ,looks like the set was made for this hook up , I hooked it to a RCA plug , I just drilled a hole in the back? ?of the unit for the female part of the RCA plug , that way when I took the unit out of the cabinet I was not moving the ?wires that were attached the the TP-104 terminal , easy hook up ,I think the fellows name is Ron ,just tell him the set ?you are using the unit for and he can send it ready to go , I will attach his web site , if you scroll down his page you? ?can open up the manual for the DD-103 ,you can see the read out if I can attach a photo to this post , also I sent the? ?web page , it reads the whole number and the numbers stand out easy to see , the schematic shows where the? ?TP-104 is on the board , but if you have any trouble I can take my unit out of the cabinet and sen a photo of ?it if that helps , but I am sure you will have no problem at all ,let me know how you make out , my email address ?is rdelaplante@...?, all the very best Rick ?PS- just in case I can't load the photo on the post email me and I will send it to your email ? Te web site =?http://www.electronicspecialtyproducts.com/dd103.html
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Rick, does the unit display the MHz, as well as the KHz? Any photos of installation???
Thanks?
On Sat, Feb 5, 2022 at 12:52 PM, Rick <rdelaplante@...> wrote: Hello fellows ,just thought I would tell you , my Daughter got me a DD-103 universal Digital dial ,it is easy to hook up comes with the clips and wire and is
?set up for the FRG-7, just hook one clip to the ground chassis and the other toTP-104 on the interface circuit of the IF-AF unit .The unit is small and is?
?outside the receiver it looks good and works great , a bit costly at $140 US . I must say that my FRG-7 was spot on with the digital display , I hooked?
?mine up and put in a RCA plug at the back of the unit incase I wanted to move it around ,take care and stay safe all the very best Rick
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Thanks for your information, Rick.
This is the best kind of review to get.
73, Curt W4CP
On Saturday, February 5, 2022, 12:52:57 PM EST, Rick <rdelaplante@...> wrote:
Hello fellows ,just thought I would tell you , my Daughter got me a DD-103 universal Digital dial ,it is easy to hook up comes with the clips and wire and is
?set up for the FRG-7, just hook one clip to the ground chassis and the other toTP-104 on the interface circuit of the IF-AF unit .The unit is small and is?
?outside the receiver it looks good and works great , a bit costly at $140 US . I must say that my FRG-7 was spot on with the digital display , I hooked?
?mine up and put in a RCA plug at the back of the unit incase I wanted to move it around ,take care and stay safe all the very best Rick
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Sounds great. Do you have a photo of it in action?
Sent from ProtonMail mobile
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
-------- Original Message -------- On 6 Feb 2022, 3:22 am, Rick < rdelaplante@...> wrote:
Hello fellows ,just thought I would tell you , my Daughter got me a DD-103 universal Digital dial ,it is easy to hook up comes with the clips and wire and is
?set up for the FRG-7, just hook one clip to the ground chassis and the other toTP-104 on the interface circuit of the IF-AF unit .The unit is small and is?
?outside the receiver it looks good and works great , a bit costly at $140 US . I must say that my FRG-7 was spot on with the digital display , I hooked?
?mine up and put in a RCA plug at the back of the unit incase I wanted to move it around ,take care and stay safe all the very best Rick
|
Re: Antenna - need some advice please
Consider a loop antenna from Mini Kits in Australia.
They are low noise, reasonable in cost and work well. Some soldering required.
Good luck
Sent from ProtonMail mobile
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
-------- Original Message -------- On 6 Feb 2022, 2:45 am, Rick < rdelaplante@...> wrote:
-
-
Hello I am looking for some help or advice, I have two Yaesu Musen FRG-7 recievers that seem to work equally good . I have an attic antenna ,it goes 22 feet along the beams and then 6 feet across the back of the house and then back along the beams on the other side of the peek for another 22 feet , it is bare copper antenna wire and then goes to my receiver in the basement with a single plastic coated lead wire , this lead in wire runs down from the attic and thru the closet floor into the crawl space and this run is about 35 feet , I also have 24 feet of slinky stretched out on the inside attic peak and can join this with the single antenna wire below the attic in the closet or use them separately, I did buy and try a MFJ 1020 C indoor active antenna , I sent it back it did nothing for me . My shortwave pick up is there but not that good and at times there is not much at all , I think these FRG-7 sets are good for shortwave receiving but I am thinking the antenna is the problem , I can’t run an antenna outside the house I have to have it inside and I think the attic is best , is there any advice you can give that will help me out , perhaps a different antenna I could buy or make myself , I would be very thankful for any help or advice , thanks for your time all the very best Rick ? ? ?email? rdelaplante@...? OR ? rdelplante@...
|
Re: Digital frequency readout for a FRG-7
Hello fellows ,just thought I would tell you , my Daughter got me a DD-103 universal Digital dial ,it is easy to hook up comes with the clips and wire and is
?set up for the FRG-7, just hook one clip to the ground chassis and the other toTP-104 on the interface circuit of the IF-AF unit .The unit is small and is?
?outside the receiver it looks good and works great , a bit costly at $140 US . I must say that my FRG-7 was spot on with the digital display , I hooked?
?mine up and put in a RCA plug at the back of the unit incase I wanted to move it around ,take care and stay safe all the very best Rick
|
Antenna - need some advice please
-
-
Hello I am looking for some help or advice, I have two Yaesu Musen FRG-7 recievers that seem to work equally good . I have an attic antenna ,it goes 22 feet along the beams and then 6 feet across the back of the house and then back along the beams on the other side of the peek for another 22 feet , it is bare copper antenna wire and then goes to my receiver in the basement with a single plastic coated lead wire , this lead in wire runs down from the attic and thru the closet floor into the crawl space and this run is about 35 feet , I also have 24 feet of slinky stretched out on the inside attic peak and can join this with the single antenna wire below the attic in the closet or use them separately, I did buy and try a MFJ 1020 C indoor active antenna , I sent it back it did nothing for me . My shortwave pick up is there but not that good and at times there is not much at all , I think these FRG-7 sets are good for shortwave receiving but I am thinking the antenna is the problem , I can’t run an antenna outside the house I have to have it inside and I think the attic is best , is there any advice you can give that will help me out , perhaps a different antenna I could buy or make myself , I would be very thankful for any help or advice , thanks for your time all the very best Rick ? ? ?email? rdelaplante@...? OR ? rdelplante@...
|
I cleaned the switch 3 times as I suspected the same.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 12, 2022, at 5:28 PM, KA2ING <ptim15@...> wrote:
?
are you sure its not just a dirty band switch?
When I put a signal on the antenna I’m able to tune in on the D & C bands but on A & B bands I can’t find any signal. I do hear a tone but it’s internal if I kill the signal gen it’s still alive. Any knows issues that may cause this??
Andrew
|
are you sure its not just a dirty band switch?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
When I put a signal on the antenna I’m able to tune in on the D & C bands but on A & B bands I can’t find any signal. I do hear a tone but it’s internal if I kill the signal gen it’s still alive. Any knows issues that may cause this??
Andrew
|
When I put a signal on the antenna I’m able to tune in on the D & C bands but on A & B bands I can’t find any signal. I do hear a tone but it’s internal if I kill the signal gen it’s still alive. Any knows issues that may cause this??
Andrew
|
there radios are great receivers for AM shortwave and AM MW. a bit wide for ham radio SSB but still works if the bans are not to crowded
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Thanks ... I think my marks are bang on, so probably no need to do that.
|
Thanks ... I think my marks are bang on, so probably no need to do that.
|
I did mine a few years?ago and dont remember it completely. you only need to make the adjustment if the Mhz is off. my radio was off by 1 Mhz, i had to set the Mhz dial either 1 Mhz higher or lower than what i wanted, (I don't? remember is mine was high or
low) if your is off you can adjust by losing the screw that holds the drum to the shaft and make the adj then re tighten the screw
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Thanks! So what is the procedure to do that? I didn't find anything in the manual ...
|
Thanks! So what is the procedure to do that? I didn't find anything in the manual ...
|
you can use those marks to set & align the MhZ dial mechanical Stops on the drum
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
What is the purpose of the triangle marks at the extremes of the MHz and tuning dials?
Thanks!
|
What is the purpose of the triangle marks at the extremes of the MHz and tuning dials?
Thanks!
|
Re: Missing Q408 & T406: replacement candidate suggestions?
Well, this turned out to be quite a bigger job than anticipated.
Apart from the usual electrolytic capacitor replacements, I also found all the mylar / polyester capacitors had delaminated - possibly due to the extreme thermal cycling typical of a desert miner's shack where this FRG came from.? So all of those were replaced too.?
The first mixer pair Q102 & Q103 were found to be way down on conversion gain, so replaced those with MPF102s, and Q105 was a touch suspect so it too was similarly replaced.?
T102 primary was open circuit, and after removing and opening the can, the reason became clear - tiny enamelled wires had splattered like a fuse near the PCB pins.? Probably caused by a nearby lightning strike?? Didn't look like the result of? corrosion.? Anyway, very carefully managed to resolder some hair thin wire to the open circuit wires coming out of the transformer bobbin and on to the PCB legs, and band B is in business once again.
The incandescent bulbs were replaced with white LEDs, and the luminous output of each balanced to give an even backlighting effect.
Finally, a quick & dirty alignment was done... didn't do the 1st LO chain or the 2nd IF line up (I miss having access to a tracking generator...)
After all that, happy to report this FRG-7 is working beautifully again, excellent sensitivity, great dial tracking, sounds lovely.? And the BFO stability with a ceramic element source?? It is excellent!? I've had WWVH on zero beat for an hour, and drift was less than 30 Hz.? Of course, some of that could also be partly due to 3rd LO drift as well, so the real figure for the BFO alone could be less than that.
Just waiting for the local mechanic shop to sand blast the case back to bare metal for repainting, and I have to mix up some paint to touch up a few minor bits of wear on the front panel, and the job will be 100% done.
Thanks,
Jason (happy 1st time FRG-7 - now working! - owner)
|
Julian Bunn
Jason VK7ZJA