Category: Rigs

All posts that are about rigs, radio’s and Handy Talkies.

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A while ago I’ve bought a DSP-speaker from bhi, the NES10-2MKII. The results with this speaker are unbelievable. The background noise is totally pushed away and you’ll be able to hear signals that are normally buried in noise. So the DSP-algorithm is very good. However…… I’m not satisfied with the LF-amplifier in the speaker itself. It hums and makes noises when it has no input. When you crank up the volume too high the speaker starts making distorted sounds. First I thought it was the speaker itself, but when I put the thing inline between my rig and the Kenwood SP-23 speaker the distorted sound appears from the Kenwood speaker. Really unsatisfying when you take in consideration that the DSP-unit itself is doing a great job.

BHI nedsp1061I would really like to add the ‘bhi-experience’ to my TS-850 and TS-450. But I prefer a way without the crappy LF-amplifier from the NES10. I’ve a external speaker for as well the TS-850 as the TS-450. So it would be an option to put something in there. But I don’t want to drill extra holes in those speakers. It would also be an option to put a DSP-unit in the transceiver itself. I read from the bhi-site they have an unit for building in transceiver too: the NEDSP1061-KBD. Although tis unit is mainly made for adding to a Yaesu FT-817 or a Kenwood TS-50, it is possible to build it in other transceivers according to this manual to build it in a TS-440.

Now would it be possible to also build the NEDSP1061-KBD into a TS-850 and TS450? Does it have the same performance as the NES10-speaker as regards to the DSP-functionality and I’m I rid of the bad LF-amplifier behavior this way?

Just some questions and it would be great if someone have already experience with the NEDSP1061-KBD. Let me know!

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Kenwood TS-850-lineWe did need a new transceiver for the club. After looking around we’ve found a good one: a Kenwood TS-870S in mind condition. In comparison to the new rigs it’s a real muscle radio for not too much money. It came with speaker SP-31. Very nice sound IMHO. I put it on top of my TS-850S. It’s receiving capabilities are alike but the 870 has a little more bass. Of course the digital filters are awesome and 2 antenna connections are very convenient.
Now I’ve to do the wide transmit modification to let it work on the new upper piece of the 40 meter band. I think I’ll ship it tomorrow evening to it’s new destination, the shack in the club building!

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SignaLinkUSBEver since my friend Fred, PA3YH has got his Signalink, I’m thinking about getting one too. I never participate in any digital modus simply because I have never been able to get the setup right. This Signalink is pretty much a plug and play device and it looks nice too. But hey, it’s a whopping 150 euro’s (with cable and delivery costs). So I’d not feel the urge that much to be in digital modus 😉

But the other day as I was over at Fred’s place and was toying around with Ham Radio Deluxe and his Icom-Signalink integration, it pushed me over the edge. I need to get this! But still there was the money thing. So I put out a Google Alert on Signalink USB. This morning it went off. On Marktplaats (the local eBay) someone offered a Signalink USB. A reasonable price, only it had the wrong cable (Yeasu FT-817). Since my Yeasu still is broken, I need a Kenwood cable for my TS-850. But nevermind, I bought the Signalink. Fred called me to congratulate me with my new toy. He offered me to buy me a Kenwood cable and trade it for my Yeasu cable. That is a nice deal! You see, that’s what friends are for 🙂

First run with the new Signalink where pretty disappointing. I’ve got a lot of RFI in the shack, mainly because the shack is practically near the end fed wire antenna. The Signalink only makes it worse. I really need to make a good earth to be able to feed away all the nasty stuff. I think that is gonna be the next bg thing. Or will it be the Cobwebb? 🙂

Anyway, the Signalink performed very well as voicekeyer interface between the transceiver and N1MM-logger. I’ve used it constant to give CQ’s. Only need to get rid of the RFI in the shack so I can use it at home too.