How can I tell if My Find Works AM/LSB/USB

[JakePaws]

I found a old 40 channel Pace sidetalk 1000B. I modified a power cord for the 110 volt side and fired it up. The clock on the front panel doesn't work. But I have a few questions. I did pick on some distant talk on the LSB setting via one channel. Need to figure out some more testing.

AM - Regular 40 channel CB
LSB - Lower Side Band
USB - Upper Side band.

Some questions on knobs.

SWR - I know this is.
CAL - This is link to another knob that is adjustable . (don't know what it is)
S. RFO Do not know what this is.

All on one needle:

DB followed with number +30 S Unit
The next down is 12 RF0 0-12
SWR
CAL

I know what SWR is for adjusting. But not the other stuff.

Then you have the other knobs.

RF Gain - I know what this is

CLARI - Not sure what this is. I think it is to fine tune the signal.

Volume - Yes I know this.

Squelch - Yes I know this too.

when I'm am and another cb I get a voice. Not as clear I remeber but it has been years since I pulled my handheld cbs out of the box. When I put it on LSB or USB close to it. The voice is destored but seems to have more power.
If I remeber correctly. The Sidebands have more power.

Sorry for all the questions. But I only worked with 40 channel hand helds. Nothing else.

Also there is a slight hum of power when I transmit. On the receiving end it is fine.
No I do not know if this unit was changed in any way. There was one screw missing on the bottom of the unit. Also one more thing. There is a switch next to the power switch Say NB / OFF. Does not seem to do much. Just change the sound on the speaker a little.

Thanks,

Josh

I'll try to get a pic of the unit up to help if needed.

 

[park]

 

[mackmobile43]

Not sure what it's used for but the RFO most likely is a radio frequency oscillator. maybe this radio does not have a modulation transformer.

 

[JakePaws]

Yea that be the critter.

Yes that is the critter but I got the 40 channel version. Don't you love it when there is two version with the same model number.

Thanks,

Josh

Also I'm a newbie at this. So if you can explain everything in detail that would be great.

P.S. I do alot of reading too. So is how I know what the SWR is and such. Hopefully I will find a answer or one of you nice gents will post one for me.

 

[loosecannon]

hi josh,

those are nice little radios, but it is very old, and the hum on transmit probably means that a capacitor is drying out.

USB, and LSB are different modes of modulation.
they are still the same 40 channels.
when you are on channel 38, AM mode, you are on 27.385mhz, and when you key the mic, you create a carrier.
when you speak into the mic, you "modulate" this carrier with your voice.
that is called AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM).

when you are on channel 38 and you are in LSB mode (lower sideband), you are on 27.3835mhz, and when you key the mic, no carrier is created (needle on meter doesn move)but when you speak into the mic, you modulate the radio.
USB is upper sideband, and on channel 38, it would be 27.3865mhz.
this is a cool thing about sideband mode; you can be on 38LSB and not mess with a conversation on 38USB.

so, SSB (single sideband) is a mode, just like AM and FM are modes. OK?


the CLARIFIER knob on your radio allows you to tune the receiver while in SSB mode (USB or LSB) for the best voice quality.
you will find that after talking to someone on LSB or USB, and then trying to talk to someone else on the same channel, that you may have to tweak the CLARIFIER knob a bit because the two people were on slightly different frequencies.
this is just the nature of the beast, and thats why they put a "fine tuning" control on the radio. to allow you to "clarify" someones voice.

you dont need to use the clarifier on AM, and should just leave it in the middle until you need it in SSB mode.



as for the CAL knob, that has to do with your SWR feature.

to get an accurate SWR reading on the radios meter, you first need to CALibrate the meter, so, turn the mic gain down so extraneous noises dont make the needle bounce around.
set the switch to the CAL position.
key the mic and look at the big meter.
on the far right side of the meter, you will see the word CAL next to one of the indicator lines.
there will be a mark on the line near the word CAL, and most of the time its right at the end of the line.
with the mic keyed (SWR readings only work in AM mode),
turn the CAL knob until the needle lines up with the mark on the CAL line on the meter.

unkey the mic.
now switch the switch to SWR position.
key the mic again, and look at the line on the meter that has the SWR numbers on it. (probably the same line as the CAL marker is on)

if your SWR reading is below 2, you are fine.
if it is approaching 3 or more, then you have an antenna problem and should not transmit more than a few seconds, as you could damage the radio.
(the CAL knob is only a calibration control and has no effect on the actual SWR of the antenna system. SWR stands for Standing Wave Ratio)

BTW, S/RF position on that switch means that in this position, on receive, the meter is showing the "S units" of how strong someones signal is.
when you key the mic, the meter shows the RF power out, or RFO.
when you want to know how many watts you are putting out, look at this line on the meter while you are transmitting.

that NB/OFF switch is for your Noise Blanker.
it cuts out some static and pulse noises from your receiver.
i always leave mine on.

ok, good luck.
remember that radio is old and may not last long, so you may want to think about buying a new radio if the bug bites you hard.
later,
LC

 

[JakePaws]

Thanks for the explination

So I checked it out. Um am I suspose to be talking into the mic when I'm testing it? (No my mic is different than the one pictures. NO gain on it) Because if I don't the needle does nothing. But if I talk into it. The needle moves. Nothing above 3 unless I turn it up. I get a bigger response on SWR than cal. Cal is pretty small below 3 Unless I turn it up all the way and talk pretty loud and turn it back down. The SWR is alot more power I guess on the needle. But I set them both below 3 aka 1 - 2 -3 no problem. I read on another board you don't want 3 really. Just like a nice 2.

Thanks for the help. I don't even have a amp. This was a 5.00 thrift find and if I really get more into it. I'll be spending a few more dollars. I don't even have a amp yet. As before I said I mostly stay on the simple 40 channel cb. Have a nice cobra sitting in the box and a few hand helds left over from when I have my first cobra installed in my s-10 blazer years ago. That one died though. Cheap 40.00 ones Fit well though.

later,

Josh

 

[loosecannon]

do NOT talk into the mic while testing.
you need to be in AM mode to check the SWR.

please read my last post again, you need to learn more about how to check your SWR.

later,
LC

 

[JakePaws]

Let me try again

Sorry about that.

When the Radio is set on USB or LSB and U use it on cal or swr and make no noise. The most I can get when I move the knob is blow zero or zero and a 1 depending on what I'm looking at on the meter. If you notice there is three lines on the meter The botom line says SWR in green and CAL in red. with numbers on the green 1 1.5 2 and 3.

I figure either it is fine on 1 or since it isn't moving up any farther or the antenna / radio is bad. The antenna I'm using is a 3ft that came from a cobra car/truck. I don't have a dummy load so I know I needed to plug something into it.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[loosecannon]

josh,

those three foot CB antennas hardly work when they are on a vehicle, and are all but useless when used as a base station antenna.

a mobile CB antenna needs what is called a "groundplane" to work properly.
in the simplest terms, that means a large metal surface perpendicular to the antenna that is right at the base of the antenna.

your vehicle is this groundplane when you stick that antenna on the roof.

a 55 gallon drum could be used, but that is as small an object as i would use to try and replicate this groundplane in a base station application.

my advice to you would be to google "dipole antenna" and "cb dipole antenna", make your own and string it up across the roof or something.

BUT FIRST!

here is the procedure to check your SWR:

put the radio in AM mode (your readings are USELESS!!!! if you are in USB or LSB mode!)
this means go to the knob on the far right, and switch it all the way to the left.

your radio does not have a mic gain control on it so just be quiet when you do the tests.

set the radio to channel 1. AM mode.

turn second knob from the left to CAL position.

key the microphone and hold the button down until you are finished with the test.

adjust the first knob on the left until the meter deflects all the way over to the right, aligning with the mark labeled CAL.

with the mic still keyed, switch the second knob from the left to the SWR position.

observe the reading on the SWR portion of the meter.

unkey the mic.

record the reading on a piece of paper.

try not to hold the mic button down for longer than about 10 seconds at a time, and wait at least 30 seconds before keying the mic again.
this is just to keep the radio cool until you know your antenna is working properly.

now repeat that test exactly as i wrote it on channel 40, record the reading, and post back here what the readings were.

good luck,
LC

 

[JakePaws]

okay I was confused

okay I was confused. I thought it was in usb or lsb not am. that is good to know. I did the same thing with the swr from another website and it looked good. However, those instructions did not inlcude the cal.

As for antenna, I'm would want a 102" dipole antenna. I'm kicking myself since I passed one up the other day at a thrift store. Figured I didn't need it. This was before I had the base station. But it was complete antenna missing the spring/cable connector.

As for mouting them. When I get a sec. I have a radioshack tv tower. Like a 20ft one with a tv antenna on it. I'm going to place it up there for now. Just for testing. Yes, I bet the tv interferance is going to be something else but I don't expect to be watching tv during the use and there is no amp.

Speaking of amps. I'm tracking a 100watt on ebay solid state (can I talk about this here?). Uses 12 volts and a little beat up. Can you give me a idea if that will hit about 18 miles away? that is the next big town. more like 18-23.


Thanks,

Josh

 

[Beetle]

A "102" dipole" won't make too good an antenna. Since you refer to a "spring/cable connector" in the same paragraph, I have to assume you're talking about a typical 102" CB whip antenna.

A dipole is a half-wavelength antenna, usually made of wire. It's split exactly in the middle, leaving 1/4 wavelength on either side of center, and directly fed with 50 ohm coax. Easiest and cheapest antenna to make, and if you get them up in the air at least half a wavelength, they work very well. Zero dBd gain, but efficient nonetheless.

 

[JakePaws]

ah okay

thanks, I was thinking a 102 whip antenna but I do know of the other ones you are guys are talking about. I found those too and then you have the legs off of that if you want. Like 4 posts pointing down with the di-pole in the middle.

later,

Josh

PS. What about a 100watt amp?

 

[Beetle]

BUILD A GROUND PLANE ANTENNA FOR 2 METERS AND MORE - SIMPLE AND EASY!

This is a side view of a typical ground plane antenna. Is this what you're talking about when you mention "...4 posts pointing down with the di-pole in the middle"?

This doesn't have anything to do with a "di-pole". The vertical portion in the middle is the radiator, while the other four elements are the ground plane.

Again, a "dipole" is generally a wire antenna, generally mounted horizontally. There ARE "vertical dipoles", but for frequencies lower than VHF they can get problematic.

I wouldn't worry about an amplifier of any size until you have the basics down a bit better.

 

[loosecannon]

josh,

feeding an amp into that little antenna you have is just going to burn it up, and then you will get out 0 miles.

if you were to go back to ebay, and purchase an antron 99 base station antenna, and put it up at the top of that 20 foot TV tower, you would be able to get out that 18-23 miles without an amp!

its all about the antenna.

after you get the antron, or other good base station antenna, (the antron is cheap, reliable, and really easy to put together and erect) then you can worry about adding an amp.

i would not buy a used on off ebay.
there are plenty of sites that will sell you a new amp for less than 100 dollars.
it will be about 60 watts, but thats all you need right now anyway.

remember, this is the correct order to buy your equipment in:

1. whatever radio you have now
2. good antenna and good coax!!!!
3. good quality radio
4. amplifier (if needed)

good luck,
LC

 

[JakePaws]

Base Station Antenna

So I have been checking out base station antennas. most of them seem to come in three sections and have metal pols down the side aka like 3 of them. Some do not.

So my question is. What if I just get the antenna without the sides. What is the difference.

Also it uses a Pl259 plug I think. I know other radio equipment has that plug. Can I use it on my fm scanner and what not. I know CB is ofcourse am freqency but would be great if I could use it for fm or sw.

Thanks,

Josh