I've had my Optima for just over a week now in my pick up. All reports say clean clear audio on AM and SSB. I like it, its going to be a keeper in my truck.
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My experience also, I had a local yesterday swear I was at home on my base, he was about 25 miles away, I was about 2 blocks from my house. Yes I have it in my Chevy Tahoe with a large roof and a wilson 5000 exactly in the middle so I get a good ground plane and yes I did tune it so it is at it's lowest on the upper side of the 11 meter band but it is only a radio doing 50 watts not a power house amp working off a base antenna. I love mine, so much I bought another for a back up or for the base. I do have an antenna on the garage too but for some reason that place is a lightning catcher, had 2 hits in 2 years so no expensive radio in there, they all get fried
ebay special
received my Ebay special Yesterday.Seller lied !It's a early mark 1 with the 6 pin mic{Cry_river} .Still a good radio though, think Ill keep it.frequency is rock solid. Pa stays cool as a cucumber at 50 watts. Rx is very good, gives my ft-100d a run for it's money. SSb Tx Audio could do with a little more drive, but gets good audio reports.Fm sounds good. Anybody know how to tweak the ALC.When I sell the Last 3 radios , that I bought over from the states, I might order a mk2.
received my Ebay special Yesterday.Seller lied !It's a early mark 1 with the 6 pin mic{Cry_river} .Still a good radio though, think Ill keep it.frequency is rock solid. Pa stays cool as a cucumber at 50 watts. Rx is very good, gives my ft-100d a run for it's money. SSb Tx Audio could do with a little more drive, but gets good audio reports.Fm sounds good. Anybody know how to tweak the ALC.When I sell the Last 3 radios , that I bought over from the states, I might order a mk2.
Optima Mk1
You may find the mic has a pot inside of it. Play with that first. All pots inside the radio are marked on the board. Take a photo first so you can return things to status quo if you twist the wrong thing!
quite often... if something is too good to be true .....
You may find the mic has a pot inside of it. Play with that first. All pots inside the radio are marked on the board. Take a photo first so you can return things to status quo if you twist the wrong thing!
quite often... if something is too good to be true .....
I haven't seen what output power is on lowest setting for AM and SSB. Wondering if TS-350HD will handle lowest output of this radio.
All pots marked except two, one would be bias the other I guess is alc.Think I will leave them alone until I can borrow a scope.Improved the audio by removing the fibre washer in front of the mic insert drilled a larger hole in it and then replaced it.Now I need a good AB biased high drive amp.
pots...
nnnnnooo
Inside the mic. if you have an early 6 pin plug optima it may have a pot in the mic case. Just like magnum delta force, S-45 and 257 etc.
If it is 8 pin socket then it will not have the adjustable pot in the mic.
rgds,
Dave
nnnnnooo
Inside the mic. if you have an early 6 pin plug optima it may have a pot in the mic case. Just like magnum delta force, S-45 and 257 etc.
If it is 8 pin socket then it will not have the adjustable pot in the mic.
rgds,
Dave
Drool....
I just read all of the some 27+ pages of replies of this thread and really really want a MK2 now :drool:. I run an HR2510 both in the mobile and the base and was wondering how the MK2 and the 2510 compare. The MK2 would be installed in my SUV most likely. I love the small size of the MK2 and its features. Just need to save the $$ and pull the trigger.
So HR 2510 VS Optima MKII?? Any thoughts? Or how about an RCI 2950DX VS the MKII?
^^ ab v c^^
Thanks!
Greg
I just read all of the some 27+ pages of replies of this thread and really really want a MK2 now :drool:. I run an HR2510 both in the mobile and the base and was wondering how the MK2 and the 2510 compare. The MK2 would be installed in my SUV most likely. I love the small size of the MK2 and its features. Just need to save the $$ and pull the trigger.
So HR 2510 VS Optima MKII?? Any thoughts? Or how about an RCI 2950DX VS the MKII?
^^ ab v c^^
Thanks!
Greg
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interesting radio. in a mobile install i wonder how much free space you,ll need
for the fan on the back?hmmmm
for the fan on the back?hmmmm
The 2510 and the 2950 both have "channel banks", the Optima does not. The Optima tunes just like a real HF rig - continuously. Otherwise, the features are similar. Also the 2510 doesn't have repeater splits but the 2600 does, (unless you've Chipswitched it, and then you need an encyclopedia to use it
).
BlackPaw I have one in the box only taken out to check output and audio on SSB. 375 shipped USA only and I'll throw in a HM-36 mic as I have like 4 of them right now.
Replaced my 2950 with the Optima today. My DD is an 2000 Cherokee Sport. I have it mounted between the visors and still use the Wilson 1000 roof mount.
I noticed my fuel pump whine is moderately reduced, but I miss the speaker on the 2950. I need to make some local contacts to see how the Icom HM-36 mic compares to the little stock mic.
At least, so far, I got a little power boost.
I noticed my fuel pump whine is moderately reduced, but I miss the speaker on the 2950. I need to make some local contacts to see how the Icom HM-36 mic compares to the little stock mic.
At least, so far, I got a little power boost.
My current setup, hm-36, optima mk2, dx500, tentec 1225 meter, wilson 5000 hardmounted. I've talked a lot on 10 meters as well as 38lsb. I'm not running it hard, about 375-400 and get great reports everytime I talk to someone. I'm finding that for audio wise, most think I'm running some big fancy HF rig and an expensive mic.