[NLRS] 222 radios

[Ken Boston]

Hi all;

 

More 2 cents worth.

 

I have owned a Yaesu FT736R for well over 15 years, and have gotten a
lot of mileage out of it.  It has 222 and 1296 modules installed.  Over
the years it has developed a number of problems, such that I do not use
it anymore on 144 or 432.  (Low power out on 432 and some kind of final
problem on 144, where with a long transmission, it starts to 'smoke'
from the PCB)

I am now on my second 222 module, as the original has developed problems
with the PLL coming unlocked after some runtime.  Subsequent to
replacing the module, I had someone inform me that taking the module
apart, and doing a thorough resoldering of the PCB would usually fix
this.

I am running external preamps on both 222 and 1296, plus a DCI filter to
keep the intermod occurrence when the preamp was added from destroying
the 222 receive.  I am presently on a slow project to replace the 222
and 1296 with transverters to go to 28 meg, for which I will eventually
be running a SDR1000.

 

If you have a decent 28 meg IF radio now, I would advise spending the
additional time and effort to interface a transverter.

 

Ken  W9GA