I saw a demonstration of GNU radio about 18 months ago at a Linux conference. It's OK but the software is really designed for the world above 50 MHz. There were demonstrations of TV reception and a local talk radio station but not much else. I'm not even sure if it can resolve SSB.

You need to talk to a guy called Bdale Garbee (no, I haven't typed his first name incorrectly). He can tell you all about the project (and he's a ham).

HA5RXZ

A bit of digging around shows that the problem may be with their ISP or hosting provider. A lot of I.T. work is done at weekends so I would just try again on Monday.

HA5RXZ

Glad to see that I'm not the only Mouser fan out there. A lot of US companies are now clamping down on export sales in the name of 'national security' but Mouser just keep on supplying the goods along with excellent service.

HA5RXZ

It depends on where you live.

There may (and I do mean MAY) be problems importing components which are not ROHS compliant into the EU. I believe that the customs offices of various countries are looking into this but I am not sure if a policy has emerged yet.

Some equipment is no longer manufactured because ROHS compliance would mean too much retooling. The FT-847 and the TS-50 are two examples, this is information direct from the manufacturers obtained earlier this year at Friedrichshafen.

There is however some good news. I recently received thousands of components from a friend who works at an electronic assembly plant. All of these components work quite well but they are not ROHS compliant as they contain lead. In the next few years we may see millions of components appear on the surplus market as they cannot be used in equipment which is to be sold on.

Obtaining components which are ROHS compliant is not a problem. Today I sent an order to Mouser and every component had the ROHS symbol next to it. Component manufacturers are now up to speed with this.

HA5RXZ

How about an antenna changeover relay with dirty contacts?

HA5RXZ

Use the cloth that comes with your spectacles. I can't remember the commercial name for them but they are just the right texture and don't scratch. Try it dry first and if that doesn't work then use a tiny amount of water.

WARNING
If you use a small amount of water to wipe down the screen make sure that none of it gets between the glass and the metal outer edge. If this happens you will probably ruin the screen. Been there, done that.

HA5RXZ

Sounds OK but I think you might be going the long way round.

HT supplies for tubes used to use big series chokes because the HV condensers were only available in low values. Typically you would see a 5H series choke with some paper capacitors either side to chassis. The whole thing formed a low-pass filter which would not let mains hum through.

We now have some great high voltage capacitors available and that big choke is no longer needed. A quick glance at my Mouser catalog shows values up to 450 volt 3,300uF. Hook one of these across your full wave rectifier and it would probably do the job.

HA5RXZ

1) Go to http://radio.tentec.com/kits/Transceiver and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will find the CW QRP transceiver kits. Cost, $99 each.

2) Head down to Radio Shack and pick up a cheap 12v power supply. Make sure it's not a switched mode unit or you might have QRM problems. Cost, not a lot.

3) Spend the change on some wire for an antenna and a length of coax.

Welcome to ham radio <g>.

HA5RXZ

I can't remember the exact details but i've heard there is a problem with the PW1 with connectors inside the case. I'd be tempted to open the case and reseat every connector and PCB.

HA5RXZ

I have one of the BHI boards but I'm using it in a homebrew rig rather than an 817. It's great. Budapest is a very noisy electrical environment and the DSP board makes the difference between struggling to copy a signal and near perfect reception.

Please note that the BHI unit is designed to work on speech signals only. When used on CW the results can be variable.

HA5RXZ

Assuming an IF frequency of 10.70 MHz is the following correct?

USB 10.6985 MHz (1.5 KHz low)
LSB 10.70015 MHz (1.5 KHz high)

I'm assuming a filter width of somewhere between 2.7 KHz and 3.0 KHz

HA5RXZ

Send me your email address and I'll email you a block diagram of the 251E along with the schematics. The quality of these isn't so hot but it should be enough for you to do some faultfinding

Email address is ha5rxz{AT}gmail{DOT}com

HA5RXZ

Just a thought, you do have the mode switch in FM-S don't you?

If the mode switch is in FM-C then the meter will act as a center-zero tuning meter.

HA5RXZ

I had one of these a few years ago. Memory fades but I seem to remember that there are a set of pots under the hatch at the top and the meter adjustment is one of them.

You didn't mention if the fault was on transmit or receive metering and what mode.

HA5RXZ

Yes, old microwave transformers can be used as plate transformers but there is one problem you need to work round. Most microwaves have one side of the plate transformer secondary grounded. Previous attempts to get round this issue I have seen involved using two identical transformers with the primaries connected in antiphase, two HV rectifiers could then be used on the secondary for full wave rectification.

HA5RXZ