Changez-Les (or yet another way to skin said cat)
I'm assuming a few things here:
1. Radio has RCI-8719 PLL and n code of that PLL can be modified. 2n - 1 yields one hundred twenty-seven 10 KHz "channels" or 1.27 MHz bandwidth.
2. existing n codes are most likely 91-135, and the maximun the radio can be taken "down" in freq by simply modifying the PLL is somewhere around 160 KHz, or 26.815 MHz.
So... Maximum range without changing mixing crystals is ~ 26.815 to 28.045 or thereabouts. That doesn't get you up in the 10 meter novice/tech ssb phone band from 28.3-28.5.
If we changed the mixing crystal to yield overall frequencies 450 KHz "higher", we would then cover from approximately 27.265 (ch 26) to 28.495 with the standard 2 switch PLL modification.
I'm not so sure that is worth it.
How 'bout you have a tech install a custom kit, with custom mixing crystals? Instead of the standard 40 below -- FCC 40 -- 40 above scenario, You could have FCC 40 -- 40 above - (28.300-28.750).
That radio should easily be broadbanded enough to to that... maybe a tiny bit of tweaking will be in order.
As far as changing crystals to make it, essentially, a general coverage receiver? Maybe not such a good idea...
Have fun, and if you need me to calculate the additional mixing crystal values for you, I'll be more than happy to do so.
Rob
