[ARC5] Second Receiver Drift Test from KE6F SWAN 600R

[millerke6f at aol.com]

Hi


	Here is today's Receiver Drift Test on the SWAN 600R Custom


Tests were made in my shop at 56 degrees F


Signal source is an Agilent E4400B Signal generator with ovenized clock and a Rubidium calibration.  input signal level was kept at 500 microvolts to ensure a quiet signal environment. Tests taken on 10-29-15


80 Meters


4:00 pm	3.750000 MHz start run  Cold Start
4:20 pm	3.749998 MHz (-15 Hz change)
4:35 pm	3.749928 MHz (57 H change)
4:48 pm	3.749917 MHz (11 Hz change)
5:00 pm	3.749935 MHz (18 Hz change)




40 Meters


5:02 pm	7.150000 MHz start (one hour warm up during 80 meter run)
5:16 pm	7.149996 (-4 Hz change from start)
5:30	pm	7.150005 (+4 Hz change from start)
5:48 pm	7.150018 (13 Hz change)
6:00 pm	7.150037 (19 Hz change)


20 Meters


6:02	pm	14.200000 (Start two hours warm up accrued)
6:16 pm	14.200058 (58 Hz)
6:30 pm	14.200098 (40 Hz change)
6:48 pm	14.200134 (36 Hz change)
7:00 pm	14.200151 (23 Hz change)


15 Meters


7:05 pm	21.250000 MHz (Start three hours warm up accrued)
7:30 pm	21.250005 (5 Hz change)
7:48 pm	21.250020 (15 Hz change)
8:00 pm	21,250024 (4 Hz change)


10 Meters


8:03 pm	28.800000 MHz (Start four hours warm up accrued)
8:20 pm	28.800084 MHz (84 Hz change)
8:35 pm	28.800133 MHz (49 Hz change)
9:00 pm	28.800228 MHz (95 Hz change)


Once again I am somewhat surprised at the outcome.  I did my best to control the test methods.  The environment was somewhat colder than one might expect in a ham shack by perhaps 5-8 degrees, but all things considered, the SWAN 600R did quite well and represents a receiver that would do well in a modern SSB environment and perhaps even some RTTY stuff.  perhaps the SWAN 600R's reputation as a drifty unit was based on the SWAN line of SSB transceivers where heat cycling was a major factor.


Comments invited.  I  Hope to get the Collins 75S3B done tomorrow and during the same time frame to keep the ambient temperature in the same range.  The first test on 80 Meters was started after a 5 minute tube warm up as was done in the NC303 test.  Once again I am not trying to gore anyone's favorite beast, just trying to sort out the myth from some reality.  Drop tests were not made as it's too damn hard to control that type of test.  The SWAN did exhibit some microphonics, but not enough to discourage its use.


73  Bob, KE6F


NC303 Update: Minimum discernible signals taken but not listed earlier. Taken in narrow BW position.


80 Meters MDS 40 nV


40 Meters MDS 40 nV


20 Meters MDS 48 nV 


15 Meters MDS 62 nV


10 Meters MDS 100 nV