[Elecraft] Mod for AM?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Normally, it would be a simple thing to "unbalance" the modulator to =
produce
AM. However, the K2 uses a very narrow SSB filter. That produces =
superior
"punch" and communications quality audio in SSB, but by the time you =
shifted
the BFO enough to put the carrier in the passband, you'll be attenuating =
all
AF above about 1800 Hz.=20

You might try purposely setting up your K2 to make low-level AM that =
way,
manually setting your BFO freq for OPT1 to let the carrier squeeze =
through
the low edge of the band pass and unbalancing the modulator enough to
produce a few watts of carrier and see if like the sound. If not, you're
looking at a whole new I.F. filter to make AM.=20

As an aside, methinks you are a little hard on the old rigs. They can be
VERY clean, IF they are operated properly. They do take something beyond =
the
'flip the switch and talk' skills of modern rigs. I believe that's why =
you
hear so much junk out of them these days. I certainly never put up with =
it
from my rig or any other rigs when I ran a Viking Ranger. Aside from the
sheer bulk and weight of one of those behemoths, you can have one as =
stable
as your K2 by simply using the K2 as the VFO.=20

Ron AC7AC


-----Original Message-----

I have considered Johnson Callengers, Rangers etc.

#1 They are expensive, #2 They are god-awful obsolete monstrosities that =

overmodulate buckshot up and down the band and drift.  I just don't want =

one in my house at any price.

A modern SSB rig such as the Kenwood TS850 can generate AM that is =
stable=20
and clean without overmodulation.  If it is amplified sufficiently this =
is=20
GREATLY preferable!  Remember AM operates at approximately a 9 dB=20
disadvantage compared to SSB, so to get 100 Watts PEP you must multiply =
the=20
power to (8X) 800 Watts PEP.  Johnson Rangers do not "cut-it" powerwise. =
=20
When you get into Globe King 500's or Johnson 500's you make the drift + =

buckshot even more unacceptable!

Any side band rig is an AM generator if the carrier is not properly =
nulled,=20
the problem is that to open up the rig and do this is very inconvient =
and=20
until carefully returned to proper settings makes the rig unuseable for=20
SSB.  Yes, generating a carrier + one sideband is THE WAY TO GO!  =
Besides=20
giving drift free and buckshot free operation, it reduces spectrum use.

So I say, once again, does anyone have a mod to easily detune the =
carrier=20
null and restore it on a K2?  Perhaps an external pair of wires with a=20
toggle switch?

Anyone?

Thanks,

TR WB6TMY

lecraft Web Page: http://www.elecraft.com