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Reviews For: Timewave ANC-4/4+

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Review Summary For : Timewave ANC-4/4+
Reviews: 79MSRP: 199
Description:
Antenna Noise Canceller
Product is in production
More Info: http://old.timewave.com/support/ANC-4/anc4.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15794.3
KA7GKN Rating: 2002-09-12
there is a learning curve for this unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I positively echo all positive comments from the other reviews. I have this unit almost 2 years. Even with it's limits the ANC-4 does help reduce or even eliminate most noises.

The noise antenna you select/use is indeed critical. This alone will actually make or break this unit. In other words, if your noise antenna is poor the results you get from this unit will also be poor! Unfortunately to determine the correct noise/sense antenna requires a lot of trial and error and oh yes frustration.

I think now that Timewave has the ANC-4 in their product line they really need to visit the design. It's time for some improvements such as some sort of meter or LED indicator to assist in tuning, perhaps introduce some eprom circuits to allow algorithrym upgrades. Maybe design some sort of selector to address some of the more common nuisance noises we typically encounter.

If you use an ACOM 2000A linear the ANC-4 is too slow to switch to transmit. I installed the ANC-4 in the receive line in my Icom IC-775dsp rig to resolve the slow switching. the IC-775dsp does have RCA jacks to permit this.

I am happy to have the ANC-4, when it does cancel a noise source it does it quite well, Since there are so many variables I can't say it eliminates the noise 100%. But without this box many QSOs would have never taken place.

I look forward to the Timewave next generation ANC-4
Marty ka7gkn@arrl.net
K0KOC Rating: 2002-08-27
DID THE JOB Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the timewave to rid my hearing
of some dang powerline buzz that is on
80 meters cw band. I had to fool with different
noise antennas before I found the one that
worked. I put up a 8 ft long wire parallel
to the power lines and the timewave cancels
the noise right out. It is pretty easy
to use once you figure out what external ant will
work the best.
KF6IIU Rating: 2002-05-26
Effective against loud local noise Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Unit is effective against solitary, loud local noises, like a dimmer or computer in your own house, or noise coupled in on power lines. Noise is sampled by separate antenna, unit combines this noise with main antenna signal and cancels the noise by combining it 180 deg out of phase. Not effective against more complex or distant noise sources. 6db insertion loss. TR switching works only at higher transmit power levels; QRP power levels may damage unit at power levels less than 1 or 2 watts. I am usually plagued by line noise from nearby power poles, depending on to what extent this noise comes into the house and is reradiated via the mains, the unit is only somewhat effective. I don't use it that much but I'm glad it's there when I need it. I have the older JPS version, I don't know if Timewave has changed the design any.
KC5BNC Rating: 2001-10-19
It does work Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm a pretty good test of this unit, pretty much a worst case scenario. My delta loop comes within 5 feet of the power lines in the easment and I suffer from 20 over 9 electrical noise. It manages to tune out some of the electrical noise but I suspect that I'm getting noise at a few different phase angles. I can tune out the 20 over 9 interference and get a noise floor of about 6 "S" units. I still hear different electrical noise at 6 s units but it took care of the major noise source. To paraphrase a previous review, if you've got multiple noise sources... you're screwed. I can hear many more stations than I could before the ANC-4 and it has made operating at this location much more enjoyable. One of these days I'll move into the country and the ANC-4 might be up for sale on Ebay, but not until then.
K7NA Rating: 2001-06-27
It Does Indeed Work! Time Owned: N.A.
There was a time, before the local power company RFI technician finally tracked down my noise, that I depended on the ANC-4 (original model made by JPS). It made a very significant difference in being able to copy signals. Although it reduces all signals about one "S" unit, the reduction in power line noise is well worth it in order to copy signals without the constant buzz of power line or other local noise. I fiddled with my noise source antenna (ended up with a 20' center fed dipole fed with coax and mounted about 10' off the ground). It sure did the trick. The unit uses RF phasing and is effective on ONE noise source at a time, not multiple sources. If you have power line or other QRN from several sources at once...I feel sorry for you.
Since the San Diego Gas and Electric folks solved my noise problem, I have not needed the unit but I keep it in reserve just in case.

Vince K7NA
K2MME Rating: 2000-10-24
Sometimes I can't op w/o it. Time Owned: N.A.
The ANC-4 has made the difference between operating and just listening to noise many times. When the noise blankers and dsp noise reduction features on my IC 756PRO and Omni 6 fail to cut it, the ANC-4 saves the day. I'm using a vertical(Gap Titan) and have a very electrically noisy downtown city location so it's not an ideal radio environment. The ANC-4 is my last resort before going qrt and it works atleast 90% of the time. You have to fool with the sense antenna and must do a lot of knob fiddling. Don't overdo the noise gain or you will raise the noise floor and allow the local bc stations to wiggle into the spectrum.
What little signal attennuation there is pales in comparison to the gain in signal readability. 75 meters is nearly useless here at night without the noise canceller. Also , by getting at the noise in the front end, it takes it out of the agc loop.MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QSOS AND QRTS.
W6EZ Rating: 2000-10-22
I love it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use mine on 80 meters where I have a lot of really bad power line noise.
I also use an outside antenna on the ANC-4, a dipole about 12 inches long fed with 75 ohm tv coax.
I found that if I switch to AM while tuning the ANC I can get a much better null on the noise without hurting the incomming radio signals too much when I switch back to SSB to operate.
There have been times when I wouldn't have been able to hear another station without this little gem.
Get one.
WB9YCJ Rating: 2000-10-22
Got rid of it! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Insertion loss annoying (at least 6 db). Otherwise a GOOD unit! Works as advertised. Nice to have around for 80 and 160 critical (essential) communications. Especially helpfull in Southern California's manmade noise kingdom! Got tired of the constant reduction in signal strength's (insertion loss) when activated. Sold it. Wouldnt mind picking one up again at half price (used). -Ken
WB9PNU Rating: 2000-10-21
Goodbye Noise Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been troubled with severe power line noise
in the North by North/East Direction. Could
never here the good DX. The ANC-4 has totally
elliminated the problem. The unit came with a
telescoping whip antenna, it did not do the job.
However, after installing an outdoor noise antenna, as recommened in the manual, wow, good bye noise forever. Took s-9 noise down to almost
zero. Signals jumped out of noise like magic.
If you have simmilar noise problem, the Timewave ANC-4 is well worth the money.