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Reviews For: TC70-20 ATV traceiver by PC Electronics

Category: ATV equipment

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Review Summary For : TC70-20 ATV traceiver by PC Electronics
Reviews: 3MSRP: $529
Description:
A 70cm ATV traceiver with built-in down-coverter that covers the entire band; crystal transmit for two frequencies
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hamtv.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0035
KC2DBJ Rating: 2003-03-24
"KUDOS" Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The PC Electronics TC70-20 is a supurb television transceiver for the 70cm band. The front panel controls are simply put out in plain sight so you can connect a vidcon camcorder,plug in the power cord,connect your antenna and be ready to transmit.The front has a tuning knob that covers the entire 70cm band. You get a choice of 2 freq. crystals from 426.25 to 439.25 Mhz. The back of the unit has jacks for a power cord, an Antenna jack, and a jack to connect 75 ohm T.V. cable from the unit to a cable ready T.V. To use with a linear amp. you must unscrew the top of the unit and follow the directions to lower the video pot with an eyeglass repair type screwdriver as 10 w or less shuld be loaded into the amp. The unit is low noise and puts out no more than 20w P.E.P. and draws only several amps. The price of $560.00 may sound a little stiff for a 440 Mhz band T.V. trnsceiver but it is well worth every penny in the long run.
KO0Z Rating: 2001-12-29
This is a great transceiver! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I'm proud to be an ATVer! I first started off in this aspect of the hobby fifteen years ago with a modified RCA CMU-15, a home built 15 element quagi antenna and an old, and I mean old, videcon b&w camera! About one year ago I purchase Tom O'Hara's TC70-20 ATV transceiver and it is the way to go!
It's all there. Just as advertised, simply connect and antenna and a camera and you're on ATV! The video sampler inside the transceiver makes it nice to hook up a monitor thereby enabling the operator to see what he/she's going to put out over the air.
In addition the 20 watt brick makes the TC70-20 nice to take on trips. Last year at the Dayton Hamvention I worked a lot of the locals "barefoot" and with a single K2RIW yagi. I received P-4 reports from ops 40 miles away. Too bad the ATV repeater was in beacon mode during the hamvention. Maybe this year, differences will be worked out and visiting hams can use the repeater!
The folks at PC elecronics offer great support and you'll never be wanting for parts not that you'll need them for repairs - you'll most likely wish to enhance your station.

C U on ATV!

73 es gl,

Ron, KO0Z -St. Louis
WA9PIE Rating: 2001-01-23
Better than expected Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Well, as the sunspot cycle starts down the backside of the hill again, we're all going to need to find a piece of the hobby to sustain the low part of the cycle. Right? (afterall, computers in the shack have made catching up on QSLing rather painless)

I purchased a TC70-20 from the PC Electronics booth in Dayton last year. From there, I put up an antenna and received the weather radar feed from the local ATV club and that was the end of it - until this past weekend.

Finally, I found more information about the ATV club in my area and joined in on the regular club sked Sunday night in the Indianapolis area.

I'm very impressed with this TC70-20. It was very easy to get cabled up and get going. Literally, all you need is the TC70-20, an antenna, a television, and a camera. The cost used to be the issue, until we all purchased cam-corders.

My antenna is only about 25' off the ground and my report through the repeater was P3 (color with some snow). I was able to receive the repeater very well with the built-in downconverter with GaAsfet preamp. I'm about 30 miles from the repeater.

(The ARRL repeater directory has a listing of the ATV repeaters in your area.)

This unit has seperate audio and video level controls, connector for seperate mic, and a PTL jack (push-to-listen).

The power is rated at 20 watts - but this is "sync tip". Others similar units seem to be measured in RMS - which is roughly 60% of the sync tip value. Just be aware when you look at the specs on comparable units.

Seeing yourself during transmit is easy with the monitor output on the back of the unit.

I may add a RF amplifier for transmit and get the antenna higher, but this is a lot of fun and I recommend the TC70-20.

"See" you on ATV

73 de Mike, WA9PIE