yes I have one and it is a great radio!!
Optima MK3 10 12 Meter Amateur Radio w Am FM LSB USB 50 Watts | eBay
Optima MK3 10 12 Meter Amateur Radio w Am FM LSB USB 50 Watts | eBay
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CRE-8900 And Beyond:Ongoing Discussions
- Thread starter Lil'Yeshua
- Start date
http://www.cbradio.nl/yeticom/Manual_Yeticom_Optima_MK3_ENG.pdf
None of the crazy stuff that plagued the mk2?
Also,is that 50 watts rms?
Old Mk2 problems are solved. 50W PEP SSB, (I saw 50W on a whistle), 15W AM and FM.
Stay away from that radio, it is garbage. Think the galaxy radios drift? Ya ain't seen nuthin' until you run one of those! One of the guys in our SSB club bought one... drifted close to 2.5kc because of the heat generated by the amp in the bottom of the unit.
The CRE-8900 is an ok radio as a base unit, but not very good in a mobile application. There are a few people that run them locally, but they all run the radio as a base.
I don't know much about the Yeticom Optima MK3, so I don't know how well that would perform mobile.
The Magnum 257HP is a good radio however, has good NB/ANL filtering and 60-70W SSB. Only thing I'd do with the Magnum is remove the speech compressor. It is not needed and will make the audio sound muddy and flat.
~Cheers~
While it looks very similar, it's not the same. I prefer the Optima. The Optima is not an AM screamer but it is far superior on SSB, particularly with an Icom HM-36 mic. As well, the Optima is far more user friendly, frequency-wise.
Anybody know what type of .01UF capacitors to use to put at a A/C condenser fan motor terminals for noise suppression?
P.S. Nevermind. I found out enough and bought some off of Amazon
P.S. Nevermind. I found out enough and bought some off of Amazon
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You'd be happier with the Optima. It'll come ready to use. It won't require the fanciful IF filter mod, nor do you have to pay a gorilla to plug in the echip and do an alignment. Just plug n' play.
You'll save some coin as well.
You'll save some coin as well.
I just got some advice from a very capable radio kind of guy to use filtering at the noise producers in my car. 
op:
op:
Magnum 257HP vs. Optima Mk3:
No doubt, the '257 is quite a capable radio, excellent AM audio, good power and has some features useful for 10M ham radio. Deficiencies: It doesn't cover 12M; it's frequency agility is compromised by it's 10 kc "raster", or slot. I find this particularly inconvenient and useless. Good for CB and nothing else, IMO.
Optima deficiencies: lower output power (compared to '257); not as loud on AM.
As a ham, I can live with the deficiencies of the Optima; it does just what I need for a "dual-use" 10M radio (covers 12, 10 and 11M) and it tunes just like a real HF radio. I love mine, and it has superb SSB audio.
No doubt, the '257 is quite a capable radio, excellent AM audio, good power and has some features useful for 10M ham radio. Deficiencies: It doesn't cover 12M; it's frequency agility is compromised by it's 10 kc "raster", or slot. I find this particularly inconvenient and useless. Good for CB and nothing else, IMO.
Optima deficiencies: lower output power (compared to '257); not as loud on AM.
As a ham, I can live with the deficiencies of the Optima; it does just what I need for a "dual-use" 10M radio (covers 12, 10 and 11M) and it tunes just like a real HF radio. I love mine, and it has superb SSB audio.
Ferrite Chokes
Put two ferrite chokes on the wiper motor leads with almost a complete noise elimination. Put four on the A/C condenser fan motor leads. No noise reduction,zip,nada! I'm still waiting to get my .91UF caps in.
Note: The condenser fan motor's case isn't grounded so,I'm thinking that the case and fan bearings and brushes are using the case as an antenna.
I've never soldered caps on before but I think that I'll solder one to the fan's hot lead to negative lead. One to the Fan's hot lead to a metal ground. One to the negative lead to a metal ground.
I usually run my CRE with the NB on,so I turned it off. More noise. I can hear when the fuel pump ramps up to pressure when the ignition key is turned on. With the engine running I can hear the firing impulses,a high pitched whine(not alternator),possibly the electromechanical devices such as the cam sensor,crank sensor and so on. Of I have my hood up while doing this. Let's try it closed.
The noise is cut by 1-3 to 1/2 with hood closed.
Possible solution:I'll install the caps and if that don't reduce it enough,then I'll consider the possibility of hard mounting my antenna,doing away with the magmount and mount it farther back from the engine compartment.
Will bonding the hood help? :bored:
P.S. ground the fan motor case to the car body
Put two ferrite chokes on the wiper motor leads with almost a complete noise elimination. Put four on the A/C condenser fan motor leads. No noise reduction,zip,nada! I'm still waiting to get my .91UF caps in.
Note: The condenser fan motor's case isn't grounded so,I'm thinking that the case and fan bearings and brushes are using the case as an antenna.
I've never soldered caps on before but I think that I'll solder one to the fan's hot lead to negative lead. One to the Fan's hot lead to a metal ground. One to the negative lead to a metal ground.
I usually run my CRE with the NB on,so I turned it off. More noise. I can hear when the fuel pump ramps up to pressure when the ignition key is turned on. With the engine running I can hear the firing impulses,a high pitched whine(not alternator),possibly the electromechanical devices such as the cam sensor,crank sensor and so on. Of I have my hood up while doing this. Let's try it closed.
The noise is cut by 1-3 to 1/2 with hood closed.
Possible solution:I'll install the caps and if that don't reduce it enough,then I'll consider the possibility of hard mounting my antenna,doing away with the magmount and mount it farther back from the engine compartment.
Will bonding the hood help? :bored:
P.S. ground the fan motor case to the car body
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I've never had a mobile installation that required bonding. IAW, I would be to lazy to even go that route. If your hearing the fuel pump pressurize, then your still going to hear it while the engine is running.
Most of the noise your picking up is likely radiated noise. Attack each source one at a time. If you attempt to use bypass caps on your fuel pump, be careful and seal everything up. I used ferrites on my pump with almost total elimination. My pump is easily accessible by lifting rear seat out and exposing access panel. I can't recall the manufacturer, but Carquest Autoparts carries the brand of aftermarket fuel pump that has RFI filter suppression built in. My Kia's pump takes less than 10 minutes to swap.
It's very satisfying tracking and eliminating RFI from any source and application, but it can also be frustrating. I'd tackle that fan noise first.
Most of the noise your picking up is likely radiated noise. Attack each source one at a time. If you attempt to use bypass caps on your fuel pump, be careful and seal everything up. I used ferrites on my pump with almost total elimination. My pump is easily accessible by lifting rear seat out and exposing access panel. I can't recall the manufacturer, but Carquest Autoparts carries the brand of aftermarket fuel pump that has RFI filter suppression built in. My Kia's pump takes less than 10 minutes to swap.
It's very satisfying tracking and eliminating RFI from any source and application, but it can also be frustrating. I'd tackle that fan noise first.
I can faintly hear the fuel pump when it pressurizes the system when I turn the ignition on. I would say that it's on par with the wiper motor noise now. The Noise Blanker can take care if that. Why? I'd have to drop the fuel tank to get at the pump assembly. The main culprit is that noisy condenser fan motor. I plan on grounding the case to the car body but I think I need to plaster the sucker with caps because the 4 chokes didn't faze it. Noisy brushes,bearings and it ain't that old.
It's funny cause I have a stereo system(3 amps,6 tweeters,four midrange speakers,1 center channel speaker,2 subs and the antenna is mounted on the front fender and she's quiet as a mouse.
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