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You can
write your own review of the Astatic Para Dynamics PDC1089.
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N1XBP
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 31, 2006 10:33
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Seems good except for the case
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The ParaDynamics PDC1089 is a 30Mhz low pass filter marketed as a "1000 Watt" TVI filter. It is apparently aimed towards CB'ers. Since they can often be found quite cheaply, I decided to try one to reduce front end overload in my receiver (Ten Tec Rx-320D) from nearby 30Mhz and up sources.
While I lack test equipment to give a technical analysis of its performance, it seems to do it's job. As a test, it did manage to filter out all but the very strongest local FM broadcast stations when I tried it on my stereo, and on the Ten Tec background noise drops to S2 when tuning above 30Mhz. All in all, the filter didn't really improve my overloading problem as much as I thought it would, especially when my ICE broadcast band filter made a world of difference with several local AM BCBs desensing the receiver.
On the inside, construction seems okay. Nice clean solder joints and nicely wound coils. They appear to be aluminum or something other than copper, or plated copper. The caps look like blue disc types.
The case leaves MUCH to be desired. It feels as if its made from flashing, and you can flex it easily in your fingers. I was really amazed at this, since the ICE filter is built like a tank in a cast aluminum box.. I suppose that's the difference 30 dollars makes. It doesn't appear to affect performance but I was rather disappointed that it seems so light and flimsy. The internal dividers are pop-riveted in place.
I suppose it's okay for the price, but due to the quality of the case its hard for me to take it seriously. Although it seems to do its job, as I said, I'll probably be replacing it with a higher quality piece from a company like ICE (simply because I have seen their quality first hand.. I'm sure there are other quality manufacturers)
I'm not sure how this makes me feel about Astatic, since my vintage D-104s are some of my favorite bits of kit and will probably outlast me! Obviously something went wrong with this company at some point.
On thing I *Can't* comment on is the power rating. Its claimed to be 1000 watts and I don't have a way to test that, but judging from the quality of the "flashing" case, I don't *feel* it would be able to actually sustain that sort of power level, if it could handle it at all.
Was it worth the 27 bucks I paid? Ehh, well..
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