[Heathkit] HW-101 for PSK31? -- Hot-rodding relays

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 3 Sep 2007 at 14:16, Sandy wrote:

> I have found in the past, most of the older boat anchor rigs are not
> really suitable for PSK!  They may "sound stable" but they drift ever
> so slightly in one direction then another and cause grief losing phase
> lock with whatever program you use for PSK.  The only rig I was
> successful with on PSK was my old Icom IC-735 that is very stable once
> it's on for a few minutes. PSK operation "IS" possible with older tube
> type rigs, but it becomes a chore keeping up with unhearable amounts
> of drift that drives the PSK program "bonkers".

It has been my experience, so far (keeping fingers crossed) 
that most of the older tube-type rigs can be adequately 
stable or stablized, especially since we have learned a lot 
more about stability in the last 40 years.

I will most certainly agree that stability which was 
"adequate" back in the 1960s, is NOT adequate today for 
some modes.

I find that a drift of even 10 Hz on SSB is annoying and 
objectionable to me, and I am sure that it would be 
objectionable to some computer modes.

In the case of my HW-101, I never turn it off. It has been 
turned on now for the past 6 months, at least, and drift is 
quite minimal, although there are obviously things I can do 
to improve it.

>From dead cold to fully warmed up, I measured about 100 
Hz. one time in the past.

Ken W7EKB