Magnum OmegaForce S-45 HP Review

[IMD262]

Yes Zulu Lima, they are now "cutting off" the jumpers at the factory and shipping them this way. This is word direct from both Sam and Eric Lewis. It's supposed to deter people from "easily converting" the radio to run in extended frequency mode, which is any frequency below 28.000.

HOWEVER all you have to do is carefully unsolder the freq. board between the backsides of the 2 jumper pins that are soldered together, and then solder the ones you want, then hold the CPU reset button in for 10 seconds and you're done.

And yes if you are not a ham radio operator, you're best bet will be to just solder only the CON4 terminals...that way you will stay in the CB frequencies, and you will not have to worry about "accidentaly transmitting" somewhere where you shouldn't.

Also to clarify, getting your ham ticket is not hard to do, and yes this radio will be good to use on 10 meters if/when you do get your ham ticket...in fact you will legally be able to use it from 28.300 to 28.500 on USB when you get your tech ticket (entry level license) and then when you go up for general (next step up from tech) license, you can use 28.500 on up to 29.700 on USB

But...if the radio is converted to run anywhere but 10 meters, then it's already in FCC violation, and if FCC decides to drop by and check your stuff and find it is set to run outside 10 meters, you risk losing your ham ticket and a hefty fine. You see ham operators are held to higher standards than CB operators. Not trying to scare you, but just telling it how it is, just so you know.

If you're going to preach, be held in the higher standards and tell it how it is about the greatness of amateur radio over lowly CB, you should study the 10M bandplan.Many would frown upon USB in the AM and FM windows.

 

[Zulu_Lima]

Put an old comp motherboard to use. Got some pins and spacers. Takes just minutes if you have a solder sucker. Just hope Rat Shack carries zeniers. Should be the way is "supposed" to be tomarrow.

 

[AudioShockwav]

But...if the radio is converted to run anywhere but 10 meters, then it's already in FCC violation, and if FCC decides to drop by and check your stuff and find it is set to run outside 10 meters, you risk losing your ham ticket and a hefty fine.

Not meaning to be an arse, but this is not correct, Many many Hams have radios that will work outside the Ham bands and are quite legal....YOU as the operator must be sure not to TRANSMIT out of band, you can home brew a rig that will TX from DC to daylight and it is legal as ice cream as long as you have enough self control to only use it where you have the Lic to do so.

73
Jeff

 

[binrat]

oh oh, you said self control. Many people can do that.

 

[dxing440]

I run a texas star dx500v would this radio be to much for the amp even on a
1-2W dk? My vehicle puts out 14.8V, so DK at is lowest may be about 2-3w. And i will use ssb on 10 meter since ssb uses no dk, would the radios power still be ok for the amp? MAN, I WANT ONE! IT HAS EVERYTHING I WAS LOOKING FOR IN A RADIO.

 

[Zulu_Lima]

When redoing the frequency conversion board on the new models. A swithing diode 1N914-1N4148 is a good replacement for the cut 1N4001. They offer good biasing 150mA forward.

 

[BJB]

Well the skip was in yesterday and I was talking to a gent in South Australia, I'm in Victoria so that is about 450 miles to the west. I only have a 1/4 wave antenna and he has a 5/8 ground plane with radials . He was booming in and he received me 5 and 9. The audio on the S45HP is just so clear.

 

[Turbo T]

If you're going to preach, be held in the higher standards and tell it how it is about the greatness of amateur radio over lowly CB, you should study the 10M bandplan.Many would frown upon USB in the AM and FM windows.

Ok so I stand corrected I am pretty damn sure I read somewhere that most of the rest of 10 M is sideband phone use (with some repeater FM stuff higher up) but there's no need for you to be an abrasive prick about it.

Not meaning to be an arse, but this is not correct, Many many Hams have radios that will work outside the Ham bands and are quite legal....YOU as the operator must be sure not to TRANSMIT out of band, you can home brew a rig that will TX from DC to daylight and it is legal as ice cream as long as you have enough self control to only use it where you have the Lic to do so.

So what you're saying is if I bought a new Magnum S45HP, and converted it to be used on 11 meters, it's not illegal? Because that's what I was getting at.

 

[Robb]

So what you're saying is if I bought a new Magnum S45HP, and converted it to be used on 11 meters, it's not illegal? Because that's what I was getting at.

Sure, some guys use it on 11m. Some guys also run a lot of power on 11m too. Both are illegal; doesn't mean people don't do it. I'm sure you've heard guys on ch 6/'the superbowl' before.

Look at it this way. You might convert it to 11m use, and then later on you might consider getting your Tech license and use it legally on 10m. I see it as having options while others might piddle about the regs. Just don't talk on with it on 10m w/o a license and you will be OK . . .

 

[dxing440]

I run a texas star dx500v would this radio be to much for the amp even on a
1-2W dk? My vehicle puts out 14.8V, so DK at is lowest may be about 2-3w. And i will use ssb on 10 meter since ssb uses no dk, would the radios power still be ok for the amp? MAN, I WANT ONE! IT HAS EVERYTHING I WAS LOOKING FOR IN A RADIO.

Well, i got 1,And what a REGRET. With the tg mod off it puts 50w out , ok for the dx500 but dont like the 10khz channels (sucks for ssb) echo has to readjust every time u go fron am ssb then back to am . More of a hassle for mobile use. WISH i`de gotten another 2950.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

anyone can listen to ham bands , you only need a license to talk on them .
is there a FCC power limitation on 10 meters for folks with tickets ?

 

[Silverbullet444]

Ok, now this is an old thread and years have past. Any retrospective on the S45Hp? Feel free to chime in. I happened to get one at no cost. This one works mostly “as advertised” except:
1. While it can do the 80W PEP on SSB, on AM+TGM, a 4 watt carrier appears only to swing to 20-something. Adjustment of the AMC makes no difference.
2. The receive seems to have too much white noise. With a clear channel, the noise floor is pretty good. But along with any incoming signal at 5 S units or lower comes white noise that covers much of the receive audio. I’ve been searching to no avail for any receive mods. Are there any diode and/or transistor upgrades for the receiver?

 

[9C1Driver]

Ok, now this is an old thread and years have past. Any retrospective on the S45Hp? Feel free to chime in. I happened to get one at no cost. This one works mostly “as advertised” except:
1. While it can do the 80W PEP on SSB, on AM+TGM, a 4 watt carrier appears only to swing to 20-something. Adjustment of the AMC makes no difference.
2. The receive seems to have too much white noise. With a clear channel, the noise floor is pretty good. But along with any incoming signal at 5 S units or lower comes white noise that covers much of the receive audio. I’ve been searching to no avail for any receive mods. Are there any diode and/or transistor upgrades for the receiver?

At this point they are kinda hard to find. That radio needs nothing special. I would give it a correct factory alignment and a conservative power tune. It will run much cooler keeping the peak wattage at 50-60.

 

[Silverbullet444]

At this point they are kinda hard to find. That radio needs nothing special. I would give it a correct factory alignment and a conservative power tune. It will run much cooler keeping the peak wattage at 50-60.

Hey, I’m good with a conservative tune. I just don’t know why I can see the wattage peaking pretty near 80W on SSB and only in the 20’s on AM even with the AMC at full bore. I don’t need any more SSB power or even AM swing, but don’t know why it is so far apart. My biggest issue is with the white noise. It’s hard to hear a person’s audio when an S-5 signal makes the white noise twice as loud as it is at S-0. I don’t have a schematic handy and there’s nothing on the internet, but I’d love to quiet the receive. Not sure if the front end could use better diodes and or transistor, but I’d do the mod if there is one. With a few fairly minor tweaks the radio could be a whole lot better.

 

[Robb]

I agree with 9C1driver, a proper tune up is all it may need by this time - some 8-10 years after production stopped.

Depends who owned it before you and if they got in there and screwed with it.

Still have my first S-45 and it works well, despite the fact that I fried the finals by accident. Which I replaced. Mine has the mosfets finals; but the early units had bipolar transistors. Since I use mostly SSB, it has been a fine radio with very little drift to speak of. Also had to replace the meter light; but that was no biggee . . .