[Heathkit] Modern VFO?

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi Lee,

I rely on my receiver to determine my operating frequency and to 
determine if I am in or out of a band. My old boat anchor transmitters 
have *approximate* dial calibration and would be satisfactory with only 
a logging scale on the VFO knob/dial. In operation I am going to find 
somebody calling CQ or find and an empty place and then net the 
transmitter. The transmitter is NOT telling me my operating frequency 
but instead that information is from the receiver. My gear is setup to 
monitor my transmitter in place of an audio sidetone generator.

I'm working on a homebrew version of a Hallicrafters HA-5. The 
oscillators run all the time but are nowhere near the operating 
frequency until the mixer is keyed on with the transmitter or the spot 
switch. In the receivers I have either the cpu showing what it "thinks" 
(aka guesses) the radio is set to or uses a digital frequency counter 
with up/down counting/combining of all the oscillators involved. The 
accuracy of both is checked against WWV often (aka daily). I am also 
looking at the DDS solutions for new projects.

73,

Bill  KU8H


On 05/27/2013 01:07 PM, L L bahr wrote:
> I've been thinking about acquiring a modern SS Digital VFO to drive my old Heathkit transmitters such as a DX-60, DX-100, etc. I know there are a few on the market.  What has been stopping me is the display most likely will show the output frequency of the VFO rather then the rigs operating frequency.  This kind of turns me off to the idea.
>
> I'm curious to know what others have done who have gone ahead of me on all this.  Right now I use crystals and old Heathkit VFOs and they are OK.  I have even built up a separate power supply for the VFO which helps out with the chirp.  I'm just thinking it would be great to have an almost zero drift VFO which shows the actual transmitters output frequency rather then just the VFO frequency. Any of you chaps doing this right now?  I'd be interested in knowing what you did.
>
> Lee, w0vt
>