[Hammarlund] sp600 for ham work?

[Eugene Hertz]

Ed, thanks for the advice. One question. I recently purchased a product from Almost all digital electronics as a frequency readout for the SP600. My version of this has the blue vacuum florescent disaply. I believe it is accurate to 100Hz.  If I were to employ this device, do you think it would be better suited? Or still too limited for good use. Optionally, I have a yaesu FR-101D with the built in digital display I could use for this purpose

thanks again
Eugene




-----Original Message-----
From: DJED1 at aol.com [mailto:DJED1 at aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 3, 2005 02:31 PM
To: ehertz at tcaf.org, hammarlund at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hammarlund] sp600 for ham work?

I'd suggest you use something other than the SP-600 for ham work. Although you can receive CW and SSB comfortably by turning off the AVC, increasing the audio gain to 7, and using the RF as a gain control, the tuning rate makes it very difficult to tune signals on 14 MHz and higher. Most importantly, IMHO, you have an inadequate frequency readout for determining whether you are operating within your assigned band segments. I added a 100 KHz calibrator to my SP-600 so I have some idea where it is tuned, but even that could be inadequate at 14 MHz unless the receiver is accurately calibrated to start. There's lots of old receivers which will do the job nicely: My favorite is my R-4C, which can keep up with all but the most expensive new receivers; I started operating CW using my R-390A, which has all the capabilities needed, and, as others have mentioned, the HQ-170 is very good. 
Best wishes on your ham operation
Ed WB2LHI