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President Lincoln II AM dead key and swing
- Thread starter bassman21
- Start date
Fair enough, I did want to see the OP answer my question first.
Short answer, I listen! Hear it is long winded...(most of you know this stuff but this is for people who might not fully know)
Both my HF radios I calibrate with the WWV signal generating from in Ft. Collins Colorado. I live about 500 miles to the south in New Mexico and usually pick up strong signals from them at night and in the day, but 20 MHz I usually can't get unless I'm traveling thru Colorado or when the band is open for short propagation.. The experimental 25 MHz frequency is back on now.
If you can tune a guitar, than you can calibrate your radio from WWV. I'm also a musician and I believe I have relative good pitch and can tune guitars with a tuning fork and been doing so for over 30 years.
My Icom radio calibrates easily without opening up the radio in the settings menu using CW mode with no break-in so I can simultaneously hear both the receiver and use the CW keyer with out transmitting. Like tuning a guitar, I purposely deviate down on the Icom then bring the tone up with the VFO in calibration mode until it is one continuous tone with no wavering, (zero beat) then exit the menu, Done! As I recall, my Icom was very close OOTB.
My Kenwood was purchased NIB and with the SO-3 or TCXO so of course you have to calibrate it after install. I used the same method using WWV and adjust the SO-3 with the supplied tool.
While the Icom doesn't spec' it has a TCXO, the spec's do indicate a frequency stability of +/- 5 ppm. That's the same as the Kenwood with the SO-3 installed, without it, the Kenwood spec's +/-10 ppm.
Now to the Lincoln 2.
I based my statement on what I have heard on the air with my Icom. Both Lincolns I have heard were about 120 Hz or so off which is enough to make a noticeable difference. I then checked mine and it was about the same. These radios are far from being high quality HF rigs IMO and I wouldn't be surprised if China outsourced them and 10 year old Cambodian children are assembling them.
The good thing is that these radios are also easy to set without opening the radio up by putting the radio in service mode and going to the SSB frequency calibration menu. Since there is no way to turn the break-in off in CW mode, WWV at 25 MHz won't work. I use a 1KHz test tone generator that I use to calibrate my audio equipment and transmit that from my Lincoln to my Kenwood on low power using separate antennas for each radio, Then adjust accordingly by changing the value numbers in the Lincoln's SSB's calibration menu and recheck until a zero beat is achieved. I do a final 1KHz tone and voice check on both SSB's back and forth between each radio until I have it.
I realize that this isn't the most absolute precise calibration, but a couple of thousandths of a KHz isn't going to be noticed.
I only bought one of these Lincoln 2's to put away my aging President HR2600's which are much better than these. Also I like the VOX feature and that's something I don't see on these types of radios. I use a wireless ear set microphone on VOX for my Icom when running mobile and I like the fact I can now use the wireless mic on this radio too.
You're right on amateur bands. We can transmit down to the Hert anywhere our license allows. I think it's inappropriate to suggest someone is off frequency if you are answering their CQ. since that might be where they are tuned to.
This is where I agree with N8GB about the station calling CQ that you should tune to them before answering their call if it appears they are not tuned in KHz.
Channelized radios are another story since most of these are CB's or glorified CB's used on 11 meters and a lot of what I hear is off frequency either direction. You can tell the stations that use nicer HF rigs like Kenwoods or Yaesu's because they are usually right on and sound good as long as they haven't messed with them. Some exceptions I usually hear that are good are the RCI2950's and 2990 series base stations.
.1 of a kilocycle is nothing to lose sleep over. A lot of ham's and certainly most CB operators are off frequency to some extent. This can be effected by factors including input voltage and the temperature of the radio on both the receive and transmit. At this point it become like trying to agree on an EQ setting on a stereo.
A little off topic. I used to talk to a few ham operators that also talked on their ham rigs on AM on CB. I could always tell when they were on them because of the radios distinctive sound. It almost sounded like they were in DX land because the radio would slightly drift off frequency. The Yaesu were the most noticeable, especially when they would talk loud in the mic. I would notice it more on my Cobra 142 due to it's excellent channel rejection. That radio's voice lock works as a delta tune on AM and it makes a difference. The main excuse for the shift was that those radios were not intended for AM and were designed for the lower frequencies.
A little off topic. I used to talk to a few ham operators that also talked on their ham rigs on AM on CB. I could always tell when they were on them because of the radios distinctive sound. It almost sounded like they were in DX land because the radio would slightly drift off frequency. The Yaesu were the most noticeable, especially when they would talk loud in the mic. I would notice it more on my Cobra 142 due to it's excellent channel rejection. That radio's voice lock works as a delta tune on AM and it makes a difference. The main excuse for the shift was that those radios were not intended for AM and were designed for the lower frequencies.
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Yaesu drift? Just a guess here but It sounds more like a 10 meter Galaxy. I bet your ham friends were on Galaxy's and just saying they were using yaesu to keep a low profile. That would explain the loudness of being too close to the mic and the drift. Sounds like a Galaxy to me not a Yaesu. Notice the frequency and mode in the picture.
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The old 101 models Yaseu radios, old boat anchors drift a bit until they warm up then usually stay on freq or pretty close. Gotta remember some of these radios are getting to be near or past 50yrs old. But they are loud as can be with a proper mic. But like I said they are old radios and will drift some due to age as well as the technology used back then vs. today's radios.
No they were using Yaesu's like the FT-2000. Sorry don't remember the model. The drift was on AM and not single side band.These were people that I had been to their house and knew well. Both were Extra class hams. I actually have a tape recording of it.
most drift on am mode is un noticed. imho i think ALL radios drift when first turned on . some are just more noticeable
Like I said in my case it was the combination of the radio they were using and I was using. In my mobile running a Cobra 25 or my RCI 2950, I didn't notice it.
I have found some videos where people have the Lincoln 2 swinging from 2 to 30 watts. If anyone knows how they did this please let me know. It is likely more than just an adjustment. Maybe a swing mod using a capacitor on the finals? I don't need that much swing, but would like more than I have.
BTW I just order a Texas Star DX 500 and found a website that has them for a good price. I'm going to sell the one I have now. I'm going to run it around 400 watts on AM and probably more on SSB. This way it will run cooler, sound cleaner and last longer. I think I'm pushing my 350 a little too hard right now, espcially on SSB.
One final note I have been Dxing like crazy with this radio, my amp and my Wilson 1000. I have been having 20+ minute conversation all over on SSB. The reports have been good. I have had some good conversations on CB, the freeband and ham frequencies too on both AM and SSB (SSB on ham). Conditions have been really good lately.
BTW I just order a Texas Star DX 500 and found a website that has them for a good price. I'm going to sell the one I have now. I'm going to run it around 400 watts on AM and probably more on SSB. This way it will run cooler, sound cleaner and last longer. I think I'm pushing my 350 a little too hard right now, espcially on SSB.
One final note I have been Dxing like crazy with this radio, my amp and my Wilson 1000. I have been having 20+ minute conversation all over on SSB. The reports have been good. I have had some good conversations on CB, the freeband and ham frequencies too on both AM and SSB (SSB on ham). Conditions have been really good lately.
on ssb try turning down the rf power knob to reduce ssb power. also if ya using an externl watt meter if its not p.e.p or peak reading ya readings on swing WILL read low. also in a mobile situation if ya vehicle isnt running ya not gonna get full juice from the battery in furn which will red slightly lower. far as mods if your talking this good then i wouldnt touch it
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...runna pile-up on 6m SSB