This page covers several modifications that I ran on my equipment, and just want
to share with you. As I'm not a real inventor myself, more a rebuilder using adequate
instruction, so most of the info given is not my own brain dump.
First -and most recent- item is the manufacturing of a connecting cable from set to PC.:
The programming cable; Yeasu FT-60 and FT-8900
To please myself around Xmas 2005, I acquired an FT-8900
I traded in my FT90 (great rig, but this one's even greater....)
To please myself around Xmas 2006, I acquired an FT-60
I traded in mt Kenwood R-1000 (nice thing, but never used it)
Both set have the capability to read/write the memories from a PC.
As I'm a typica Dutch guy, I didn't want to spend money for a cable
if I could make one myself much cheaper. So I searched the internet.
I found a couple of designs, and decided to make one with the least parts.
There are 6-transistor designs, and there are 2-transistor designs........
Guess what I chose to construct: indeed (Dutch.....) the 2-transistor design.
I found a picture for such cable for the FT-8900 (using the minidin plug):
This name on it suggests that it was designed for the ADMS 2 software programming.
I myself use the software of Bob, G4HFQ. He is a great programmer and gives
excellent support when you have questions about the program: http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/
My friend Jelle, PE1KDA, made the schematic for this interface, and that looks as follows:
Don't get confused by that text in the right hand lower corner: I don't know why Jell put it there...
For the FT-60 the connector needs to be wired as follows:
If you have such a set, and want to built a simple, yet effective interface......
.....why not choosing this fine working design. It works on PC and laptop.
The Condor 300 or SE550 set
For the time being I share with you a file (in origen a word.doc, but zipped for the
telephone modem users amongst us), that describes the menu stucture of a piece
of equipment, called the SE550 or Condor 3000 (several names are known).
This is a 70 cm transceiver, upgraded with a modkit by PE4DEN.
He supplied the original instructions. When I worked with these, I found it
difficult to use, and prepared my own.
If you have an SE550 and can read Dutch, you may want to try
this file SE550accSNY.zip
The Teletron 813
With a transceiver named Teletron T813, originally in use with a countrywide
'greyhound'-like coach service, I found great pleasure in converting it to a
PIC-controlled 2 meter transceiver. I used it in the car for some time, untill
I purchased the FT-90R. The T813 was converted by using a kit, provided
by a goup of enthousiasts in the Eindhoven (homebase of Philips) region.
Best I can do is providing you with a handy link to their site:
Conversion T813 on 'Museum Jan Corver"
Only problem: you require knowledge of the Dutch language....
But in case Dutch is no problem: here is a condensed yet clear user's
procedure for the T813: T813 home made instruction file
The KF161-dig X
A very interesting transceiver to convert of modify is the KF161-DigX.
This Bosch KF161 was widely used, and has a simple user interface.
Prominenty in the RH corner of the frontpanel is the 10 chanel rotary
switch. I have two KF-161's in my shack: one is programmed by using
stacked IC-bases and diodes in a matrix. The other one has an EPROM
that came with a conversion kit. Of this last one I'll give you the link
to the 'provider' of this KF161 and the kit, for the first one I'll get you
a brief description in a link to a file:
Eprom conversion on "Museum Jan Corver"
Diode matrix conversion
A handy file for HEX values for programming frequencies: HEX
My TS820 and R820
Last but not least: I managed to repair my TS820 and R820 (respectively
a transceiver and a receiver) by Kenwood. There was a problem when
I released the PTT switch after a transmission, or when the transceiver
should go to 'receive' using VOX. The equipment refursed to go to the
RX-mode directly. Finally it appeared that the main relays caused the
problem, as a result of aging of the relay cover plastic material.
Please review my comments on www.mods.dk (great site, pity that
they limit the download capability too much, give us better access!)
or here.
last reworked on Jan 14, 2007
More may follow in future......
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