Can an IM 2410 FC be incorporated as a digital display with an HW-8

[VE3JUR]

Hi, I have a chance to pick up an IM 2410 frequency counter for a good price. When I responded to his add I needed it but he was waiting on funds. They never arrived and well I don’t really have a use for it now unless I can add it as a digital display to my HW-8?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

73’s
Ron VE3JUR

[KB4QAA]

Ok, a late model Heathkit freq counter.

Well it ought to be able to give you spot checks of the radio when you key it.

You would need to look at the radio circuitry to see if there is a point that you could get a direct frequency readout while in Standby mode.   It might be that there is only a lower frequency that is doubled or tripled which would mean doing some arithmetic for the final frequency.

bill

[WB6BYU]

Because the HW-8 is a direct conversion receiver the same oscillator chain is used
for both transmit and receive.  The VFO is mixed with a crystal oscillator to generate
the desired frequency, and there are two outputs from the mixer (TX and RX.)  A
counter could be connected to that common point, likely with an FET preamp to
avoid loading and also to help reduce any digital noise coming from the counter
itself.  (If this turns out to be a problem, you might need a cascode preamp.)

That will give you the transmit frequency and the oscillator frequency on receive,
but not the actual frequency of the received signal.  But you should be able to
get 1kHz accuracy on the readout, which is better than the original dial.

[VE3JUR]

Hi, I have a chance to pick up an IM 2410 frequency counter for a good price. When I responded to his add I needed it but he was waiting on funds. They never arrived and well I don’t really have a use for it now unless I can add it as a digital display to my HW-8?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

73’s
Ron VE3JUR

Hi Bill & Dale, Thank you for you’re input. I was hoping it would have been a simple mod & sounds like it wouldn’t be too difficult but I decided not to buy it when the postage was over $30.00. I didn’t realize it was that heavy! But there are some cheap counter kits that weigh a lot less and in the end will work just as good. A project for another day I suppose. Thanks again! 

73’s

Ron VE3JUR