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| Reviews Summary for Idiom Press SCAF-1 |
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Reviews: 64
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Average rating: 4.8/5
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MSRP: $89.95
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Description: The new SCAF-1 filter from Idiom Press makes your radio listener friendly, whether you are an SSB or CW operator. Using a modern but little known technology called SCAF filtering, the SCAF-1 is an active audio low pass filter offering user control of the filter cut-off frequency, yielding a stunning 96dB per octave roll-off of signals above the cut off frequency, and no white noise. It is the perfect partner for your crystal or mechanical filters. And, unlike most audio filters, there is absolutely NO ringing.
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More info: http://www.idiompress.com/scaf-1.html
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You can
write your own review of the Idiom Press SCAF-1.
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AA4XX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 1, 2007 07:49
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A Valuable Tool
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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My new SCAF-1 proved its utility during the recent ARRL 160M CW Contest. I was immediately and completely impressed with the SCAF's ability to substantially reduce band noise and to provide discrimination against adjacent QRM. During the contest, stations were packed quite closely. By utilizing the IF BW and Passband tuning on my Argonaut II and then adjusting the SCAF's front panel control, the bone crushing signals on Top Band were readily tamed. Switching the SCAF in and out of circuit via the front panel on/off switch made me smile, as it was obvious that the filter was doing just what I had hoped it would do. The SCAF-1 reduces operator fatigue. As a matter of fact, I ended up operating till 4AM, jazzed by the fact that I could now dig out any signal of interest. Once I determined the preferred setting of the front panel control, I left it there for the duration of the contest.
The SCAF-1 has earned its place in my shack.
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AF2Q
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 13, 2007 11:22
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FANTASTIC!!!!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well, I guess it's my turn for input on the Idiom press SCAF-1 filter.
After a day of frustrations and QRM on the band,I decided to turn on my FT-857-D only to see that the roaring sound was still in the phones.
I tuned up my indoor MAG LOOP and I really expected something like an S-8 or even higher due to the loudness of the QRM.
I'm not even sure if it's band conditions, my apartment building or both.
Well, there was not much activity on the band so I tuned around and I heard a very, very week station calling CQ.
I figured this was a super opportunity to test the SCAF-1 filter.
Before I go on, the person I spoke with did say I may be better staying with the NE/scaf filter unless I wanted a better looking box.
But I want to eliminate any and all noise if I can so I went for the factory built unit.
Getting back to that unreadable station I tried the SCAF-1 filter and I tuned that knob and I perked up that station to where it was just above the noise and now able to copy a very weak but readable CW message.
I kicked in my CW filter, a Collins 300 Hz mechanical type and lost the station.
A slight turn of the knob clock wise on the SCAF-1 and the station was back and sounded more crisp and just a tad louder
The QRM that sounded more like a rore was now much deeper in tone and seemed much smoother and the CW was well above the noise and I had 100% copy.
Also this was done with all noise reduction features OFF except for the CW filter.
I have 2 857-D rigs and keep one at my G/F's house.
She has a constant buzz there and it's not from her place.'It's a dimmer switch from her neighbor next door.
I first tried all the noise reduction features on the rig and I got rid of most of it,.
I turned off all the noise reduction features,turned on the SCAF-1 and eliminated the buzz 100% GONE.
Just tonight I tried my rig at home and I used the built in DSP and the CW filter and they removed the noise by about 50 %
I turned off the DSP features and used just the CW filter and the SCAF-1 and I heard several stations from Europe on 7.017.5.
I turned off the filter and I heard NOTHING.
To me this makes my cheap 857-D sound more like a $2,000.00 rig.
If you like to copy strong CW that blows through all QRM then you don't need this.
If your a QRP & a DX hound like me and are persistent at bagging that station then you need this SCAF-1 because last night when everyone said 40 meters was shot down I hunted around on the extra band and I got one more DX station logged.
I worked OM3SCM and he was running 40 watts from a home brew transmitter.
It's the best investment I ever made for my ham gear.
I was so impressed with the performance of the SCAF-1 I even called Idiom press and let them hear how well it worked at my QTH with with all noise reduction features OFF on the 857-D.
It also beats playing with all those knobs on that MFJ noise eliminator that also needs another antenna to work and that doesn't help the hams who are antenna restricted
Bob
AF2Q
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OE3SGU
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 11, 2007 07:19
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simple and effective
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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great filter, so simple to operate yet so effective. it even improves theIC-7000, not so speak of the simpler radios I am using like the FT-817. highly recommended
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NK8A
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 10, 2007 13:36
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Great dsp accessory
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have had my scaf-1 for a short time and thought I should write a review. Well ,In my opinion the scaf- 1 performs totally as claimed in the advertisments.I operate mainly cw and the unit has amplified and has "cleaned" cw signals from white noise to the point of nice audio to listen to. The radio I have it connected to is a Kenwood ts 570dg.
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F5NZY
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 10, 2007 14:11
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Depending of your rig...
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Hello,
The benefit of the SCAF-1 is depending of the rig you are using with.
For my IC756Pro, no benefit.
For my IC756, slight benefit.
For my FT-817nd, a lot of benefit.
As all the products from Idiom Press I purchased, the ratio price/quality is excellent.
The publicity says "your transceiver will sound like a $2500+"
It does! and it is well done!
You absolutely need one in the shack!
73's de Steph, F5NZY
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KD0BAI
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 20, 2007 21:35
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does the job well
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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My ts-570 is a good radio but the band has had so much noise lately that i looked at lots of noise filters for ssb. I ordered the SCAF-1 and dealt with Rob, very customer oriented. The filter (assembled) is very small and easy to place in station. filter needs regulated power supply so used my back up power supply. The filter was used on ssb only so far and it slammed the door on all the hissing, buzzing and made coping distant signals easy. with the filter on, voice sounds pretty much the same clarity for weak signal as for strong signal. when used with radios DPS was able to easily get a clear voice signal. only two problems are that it does no good to be able to hear distant voice and call them since they are losing you in the hiss that you no longer hear. other problem is that if you turn the filter off without lowering the vol. control on radio it will knock you out of the chair when you suddenly get blasted with band noise. voice clairity is amazing. good investment especially with lots of qrm, qrp or just to be able to copy voice clearly.
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OE5CSP
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 12, 2007 02:26
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Works very well
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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My Icom 761 is a fine ssb-rig, but for cw the receiver is a bit too noisy, especially on the low bands.(compared to the K2)
So I was looking for a good cw filter. After reading all the reviews here on eham, I decided to order the kit. Building was not difficult, although the assembly instruction needed a little update.
This filter really helps pulling out signals from somewhere in the noise floor. More than once I wasn´t able to copy anything, but after engaging the Scaf-1 I could read every dit and dah.And besides,the audio coming through the headphones is far more pleasant.
I used the JPS NIR-10 filter and I´m still using the NIR-12(for ssb and am), but for cw I prefer the Scaf-1.
Unfortunatelly the headphone jacket is not on the front side and the sidetone is not bypassed.
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WC3O
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Rating: 5/5
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May 31, 2007 13:00
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Simple and good
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Great filter. Picked it up at Dayton 2007. Very nice PCB. Went together nicely. Worked the first time out. Sounds just like the WAV files on the web site. I have DSP and IF filters on my radio and a QF-1A. The QF takes too long to set it to where you need to be. For CW the SCAF if perfect, flip the switch and turn the knob. Boom! Your done, and it really helps pull the signals out of the mud. I am even thinking about taking and mounting it inside my external speaker if I can figure a way to make it look good. Works well for SSB too. Nice folks to deal with. Buy it, you won’t be sorry.
Suggestions:
-Use PowerPoles for power instead of the barrel connector.
-Add some pictures in the manual; even crude drawings would be great. The wording is very good but I’m a picture kinda guy!
-Sell a kit version without the enclosure to be mounted internal to a speaker or radio.
-Add a fuse.
If you like the SCAF, try the Rotor EZ! No CDE rotor is complete without it. Gotta go, DX is calling. www.skyviewradio.net
73 WC3O Bob
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VE3OU
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Rating: 5/5
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May 12, 2007 15:26
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Very worth while addition
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Had a chance to buy this unit (new) from another VE3 at a good price, I figured, "whats to lose".
Discovered it performed very well with either of my two rigs, and even with the DSP in my TS-570 it will reduce the qrn present on the signal edge.
On the IC-735 it is a marvel at allowing me to reduce the annoying 800 hz monitor side tone by limiting the higher frequencies.
The little SCAF-1 does perform as advertised!
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KA4AIY
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 16, 2007 19:04
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Works for me and my I-703
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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My Icom 703 has a narrow cw filter installed in it but found that the adding a SCAF-1 to the audio provides an distinct advantage in tuning out ringing while shrinking the audio pass. I was skeptical at forst.. you know, one ad after another promising "miracle cures" for QRM and QRN (my biggest intrusion here is localized QRN) and the SCAF-1 is very good at taking it out and then applying the ICOM's narrow CW filter in provides a clear CW signal with greatly reduced ringing and other distortions. My only complaint with SACF-1 is the quality of the switch used... I had to get another one but Idiom, sent one right away. The one I received originally with the kit is a little fragile... it can't take much heat (even with 15 watt iron) when soldering wire to the lugs you can burn the lug out of it's internal attachment in the switch with no effort. Idiom said they had switched vendors and the one I got was not as beefy as the original one.. I hope they went back to the earlier version. But still, I give it and Idiom a thumbs up.. it does what is advertised.. refreshing these days.. actually getting something as good as advertised.. who would have thunk it.
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