A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

Hi All,

I have a Kenwood TS-530S, but I'm sure this question applies to
most other tube rigs: Why is there even a TUNE setting on the MODE
switch? I know that with this switch engaged the "input power to the
final section is reduced to prevent tube damage during tune-up", but
why not just adjust CAR (CAR LEVEL CONTROL) downward for this step,
since CAR also controls "carrier level during CW operation". Is it
simply a matter of convenience, or do these controls actually do
somewhat different things?

And while I'm on that subject of carrier level, I need to lower my
100 watts to about 10 watts. Is the best way to do this by simply
lowering the CAR control? Does this technique give all the
advantages, such as more protection to the finals (with a high VSWR)
and generally longer tube life?

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Thanks for any help!

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

"billcalley" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi All,

I have a Kenwood TS-530S, but I'm sure this question applies to
most other tube rigs: Why is there even a TUNE setting on the MODE
switch? I know that with this switch engaged the "input power to the
final section is reduced to prevent tube damage during tune-up", but
why not just adjust CAR (CAR LEVEL CONTROL) downward for this step,
since CAR also controls "carrier level during CW operation". Is it
simply a matter of convenience, or do these controls actually do
somewhat different things?

And while I'm on that subject of carrier level, I need to lower my
100 watts to about 10 watts. Is the best way to do this by simply
lowering the CAR control? Does this technique give all the
advantages, such as more protection to the finals (with a high VSWR)
and generally longer tube life?

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Thanks for any help!

-Bill

Bill,
Do you have the correct CW filter installed?
Kenwood offered the C filter and the C-1 filter.
The difference is the center frequency.

I remember on my 930, there was a pitch control.
Do you have one? If so, how is it set?
73,
Ed, N5EI

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

On Apr 15, 7:47 am, "Edward Feustel" wrote:
"billcalley" wrote in message

ups.com...



Hi All,

I have a Kenwood TS-530S, but I'm sure this question applies to
most other tube rigs: Why is there even a TUNE setting on the MODE
switch? I know that with this switch engaged the "input power to the
final section is reduced to prevent tube damage during tune-up", but
why not just adjust CAR (CAR LEVEL CONTROL) downward for this step,
since CAR also controls "carrier level during CW operation". Is it
simply a matter of convenience, or do these controls actually do
somewhat different things?

And while I'm on that subject of carrier level, I need to lower my
100 watts to about 10 watts. Is the best way to do this by simply
lowering the CAR control? Does this technique give all the
advantages, such as more protection to the finals (with a high VSWR)
and generally longer tube life?

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Thanks for any help!

-Bill

Bill,
Do you have the correct CW filter installed?
Kenwood offered the C filter and the C-1 filter.
The difference is the center frequency.

I remember on my 930, there was a pitch control.
Do you have one? If so, how is it set?
73,
Ed, N5EI- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hi Ed,

Thanks for the response! Yes, I have the proper YK-88C filter
installed. And it is not the actual CW pitch/tone that's off, but the
filtered passband output into the rig's speakers. The audio output,
unless the IF-SHIFT control is moved counter-clockwise to center it,
has the CW signal at 800Hz, as it should be, but the 500Hz passband
itself is not centered on it and extends too high from about 800 Hz to
1300 Hz...

Best Regards,

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

In article . com,
"billcalley" wrote:

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Bill-

I haven't worked on the TS-530. In other similar models there are
typically three crystals associated with the product detector, one for
CW, one for USB and one for LSB. If the crystal is off frequency, it
will cause a signal to be offset from its correct place in the IF filter
passband.

For the TS-520, these crystals appear to be on the carrier unit along
the left side of the radio on the bottom. Each crystal has a parallel
trimmer capacitor. As you adjust the frequency of the detector's CW
crystal, the background noise will sound different as you tune across
the filter's passband.

You need a counter and a diagram to set the crystal frequencies
correctly. The TS-520 service manual I downloaded does not seem to have
directions to do it. I would connect the counter to the output of the
carrier unit, and adjust each crystal to its correct frequency, selected
with the front panel CW/USB/LSB switch. The IF-Shift control should be
centered when making these adjustments.

If you can't read the frequency marked on the crystal, it should appear
in the parts list.

Fred
K4DII

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

hi bill,

join other ts-5xx/8xx hybrid fans here

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TS-520_820_530_830/

When in tune the power level is reduced to under 2 watts.

if you want to lower your power out the car control will do
this only for CW mode. If you want to use reduced power for SSB,
in the files section in the above yahoo group there is a small
external circuit that will use ALC to lower the power out.

73 jim

billcalley wrote:

Hi All,

I have a Kenwood TS-530S, but I'm sure this question applies to
most other tube rigs: Why is there even a TUNE setting on the MODE
switch? I know that with this switch engaged the "input power to the
final section is reduced to prevent tube damage during tune-up", but
why not just adjust CAR (CAR LEVEL CONTROL) downward for this step,
since CAR also controls "carrier level during CW operation". Is it
simply a matter of convenience, or do these controls actually do
somewhat different things?

And while I'm on that subject of carrier level, I need to lower my
100 watts to about 10 watts. Is the best way to do this by simply
lowering the CAR control? Does this technique give all the
advantages, such as more protection to the finals (with a high VSWR)
and generally longer tube life?

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Thanks for any help!

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

On Apr 15, 12:18 pm, Fred McKenzie wrote:
In article . com,

"billcalley" wrote:
Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Bill-

I haven't worked on the TS-530. In other similar models there are
typically three crystals associated with the product detector, one for
CW, one for USB and one for LSB. If the crystal is off frequency, it
will cause a signal to be offset from its correct place in the IF filter
passband.

For the TS-520, these crystals appear to be on the carrier unit along
the left side of the radio on the bottom. Each crystal has a parallel
trimmer capacitor. As you adjust the frequency of the detector's CW
crystal, the background noise will sound different as you tune across
the filter's passband.

You need a counter and a diagram to set the crystal frequencies
correctly. The TS-520 service manual I downloaded does not seem to have
directions to do it. I would connect the counter to the output of the
carrier unit, and adjust each crystal to its correct frequency, selected
with the front panel CW/USB/LSB switch. The IF-Shift control should be
centered when making these adjustments.

If you can't read the frequency marked on the crystal, it should appear
in the parts list.

Fred
K4DII

Hi Fred,

Thanks for the tip! So that I don't FUBAR this up, please tell me if
I have this right (changed from your original description to take
advantage of my very limited equipment):

1. Set the MODE to CW and the IF-SHIFT to center detent position of
the TS-530S.
2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).
3. View the TS-530S's audio speaker output noise on my audio spectrum
analyzer.
4. Adjust the TS-530S's trimmer capacitor until the audio (mainly
noise) output is -centered- on 800 Hz, according to the audio spectrum
analyzer's screen.

Would the above technique work?

Thanks!

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

On Apr 15, 12:56 pm, jim wrote:
hi bill,

join other ts-5xx/8xx hybrid fans here

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TS-520_820_530_830/

When in tune the power level is reduced to under 2 watts.

if you want to lower your power out the car control will do
this only for CW mode. If you want to use reduced power for SSB,
in the files section in the above yahoo group there is a small
external circuit that will use ALC to lower the power out.

73 jim



billcalley wrote:

Hi All,

I have a Kenwood TS-530S, but I'm sure this question applies to
most other tube rigs: Why is there even a TUNE setting on the MODE
switch? I know that with this switch engaged the "input power to the
final section is reduced to prevent tube damage during tune-up", but
why not just adjust CAR (CAR LEVEL CONTROL) downward for this step,
since CAR also controls "carrier level during CW operation". Is it
simply a matter of convenience, or do these controls actually do
somewhat different things?

And while I'm on that subject of carrier level, I need to lower my
100 watts to about 10 watts. Is the best way to do this by simply
lowering the CAR control? Does this technique give all the
advantages, such as more protection to the finals (with a high VSWR)
and generally longer tube life?

Another quick question for anyone who is familiar with the Kenwood
TS-530S with the 500Hz CW filter installed, but I noticed that unless
I move IF-SHIFT counter-clockwise, the audio output is not centered on
800 Hz, but more like 1200 Hz or so. Is this normal for Kenwoods?

Thanks for any help!

-Bill- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Thanks Jim -- sounds like a great site. I'll take a look!

Best Regards,

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

billcalley wrote:

Thanks for the tip! So that I don't FUBAR this up, please tell me if
I have this right (changed from your original description to take
advantage of my very limited equipment):

1. Set the MODE to CW and the IF-SHIFT to center detent position of
the TS-530S.
2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).

You can't shift the CW filter, so you must shift the xtal oscillator
that provides the BFO injection signal for the CW mode.

3. View the TS-530S's audio speaker output noise on my audio spectrum
analyzer.
4. Adjust the TS-530S's trimmer capacitor until the audio (mainly
noise) output is -centered- on 800 Hz, according to the audio spectrum
analyzer's screen.

That is correct, you must adjust the xtal BFO trimmer so that the IF noise
shows up centered on the desired CW note frequency.

-Chuck

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

On Apr 15, 3:44 pm, Chuck Harris wrote:
billcalley wrote:
Thanks for the tip! So that I don't FUBAR this up, please tell me if
I have this right (changed from your original description to take
advantage of my very limited equipment):

1. Set the MODE to CW and the IF-SHIFT to center detent position of
the TS-530S.
2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).

You can't shift the CW filter, so you must shift the xtal oscillator
that provides the BFO injection signal for the CW mode.

3. View the TS-530S's audio speaker output noise on my audio spectrum
analyzer.
4. Adjust the TS-530S's trimmer capacitor until the audio (mainly
noise) output is -centered- on 800 Hz, according to the audio spectrum
analyzer's screen.

That is correct, you must adjust the xtal BFO trimmer so that the IF noise
shows up centered on the desired CW note frequency.

-Chuck


Cool -- thanks Chuck!

73,

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

All I can say is if you follow those directions, Good Luck.

--

Clif Holland KA5IPF
www.avvid.com




"billcalley" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 15, 3:44 pm, Chuck Harris wrote:
billcalley wrote:
Thanks for the tip! So that I don't FUBAR this up, please tell me if
I have this right (changed from your original description to take
advantage of my very limited equipment):

1. Set the MODE to CW and the IF-SHIFT to center detent position of
the TS-530S.
2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).

You can't shift the CW filter, so you must shift the xtal oscillator
that provides the BFO injection signal for the CW mode.

3. View the TS-530S's audio speaker output noise on my audio spectrum
analyzer.
4. Adjust the TS-530S's trimmer capacitor until the audio (mainly
noise) output is -centered- on 800 Hz, according to the audio spectrum
analyzer's screen.

That is correct, you must adjust the xtal BFO trimmer so that the IF
noise
shows up centered on the desired CW note frequency.

-Chuck


Cool -- thanks Chuck!

73,

-Bill

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

Clif Holland wrote:
All I can say is if you follow those directions, Good Luck.


Very well, please explain the correct method.

-Chuck

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

In article om,
"billcalley" wrote:

2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).

Bill-

You may be able to accomplish your goal without a counter, but the
trimmer you need to adjust is one of a group of three next to three
crystals on the carrier unit. It is probably not on the filter board
unless the two boards are combined in the TS-530.

I don't know for sure if the TS-520 manual is applicable. Although it
shows the crystals and trimmers in a photo and on the circuit diagram, I
couldn't find a procedure for their adjustment. It would help if you
could find a copy of the TS-530 service manual.

Fred
K4DII

A question on tube rigs in general, Kenwood in particular
 

The 520 and 530 are about as close as an elephant and a donkey.... About the
only thing they have in common is tubes finals and the brand.

--

Clif Holland KA5IPF
www.avvid.com




"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
In article om,
"billcalley" wrote:

2. Find the single trimmer capacitor located near the 500Hz CW filter
(the trimmer capacitor will be able to shift the 500Hz CW filter
center frequency by some small amount).

Bill-

You may be able to accomplish your goal without a counter, but the
trimmer you need to adjust is one of a group of three next to three
crystals on the carrier unit. It is probably not on the filter board
unless the two boards are combined in the TS-530.

I don't know for sure if the TS-520 manual is applicable. Although it
shows the crystals and trimmers in a photo and on the circuit diagram, I
couldn't find a procedure for their adjustment. It would help if you
could find a copy of the TS-530 service manual.

Fred
K4DII