Drake TR-3 Transceiver from W4QO SK estate

19 August 2023 - UPDATE - I got a good deal on a TR-3 in decent shape and have been checking and replacing the tubes there and have it receiving but need some more work to tune it up - my hope is to be able to do the same with Jim's TR-3 some day.

28 January 2023 - Vacuumed out the top and took the bottom cover off and did the same there - the bottom is much cleaner - I guess the top took on more dust.  I'm going to use a mixture of Lime Away and water to clean off the copper.

26 January 2023 - Opened up the Drake TR-3 I got from the W4QO SK estate - it's going to need a deep cleaning.

25 January 2023 - The finished AC-3 power supply installed in the back on the MS-4 speaker and a period correct Sure Model 450 microphone purchased off of eBay that arrived Monday.

25 January 2023 - In the AC-3 I replaced the two diodes in the low-voltage section with two 1N4007 diodes and made a better ground on C4a/b and the low-voltage output is within range now.  Work on the AC-3 is complete and I can now start working on the TR-3 transceiver.

24 January 2023 - Finished replacing all the capacitors and resistors - first checks showed bias low and I adjusted this within range.  The high voltage is within range but the low voltage is 142v and should be 250v - I will check the diodes in that section and replace if necessary.

20 January 2023 - More power supply work - replaced C2 (left) and working on C4a/C4b (right).

17 January 2023 - More power supply work - Replaced C1 (left) but had to order a capacitor insulator for C2 (right) because the current insulator is cracked.  Hopefully those will arrive this week.

14 January 2023 - I opened up the power supply to start replacing the capacitors and it looks very clean.

13 January 2023 Met John N4TOL at W4QO's house yesterday and picked up the TR-3.  I cleaned up the unit - it still has some minor scratches on it - maybe some car scratch remover will fix that.  

I had previously acquired a speaker (MS-4) and power supply (PS-3) through eBay and I ordered and received the capacitor rebuild kits from Hayseed Hamfest for both the TR-3 and the PS-3 so I am ready to start working on the restoration and bringing this back to life.

1 December 2022 - More pictures sent to me - should be meeting John in Blue Ridge to pick this up from him before the end of the year.

28 November 2022 - I am purchasing another item from the W4QO SK estate sale - a Drake TR-3 transceiver.  This is a future restoration project.

ADF4351

 Progress so far.

Project from: https://wiki.batc.org.uk/ADF435x_PIC

3 August 2023 - Programmed an 8 frequency PIC chip for Ott (W4WSR) on 3256MHz.

8 June 2023 - Programmed in some other ham frequencies - this is set to "4".

4 June 2023 - Testing the PIC12LF1552 - this one is capable of 8 frequencies selectable from 0-7 via the DIP switches.  Below is set to "2" - also see program below.

May 22, 2023 - Testing with the PIC12F629 - single frequency only.

May 4, 2023 - Received the boards.

2304 Transverter

8 July 2023 - Have the 2304 transverter and amp in a plastic ammo box now like my 1296 transverter and amp.

The recording below is from the Cherohala Skyway during the June VHF and up contest - first time hearing the beacon.

4 March 2023 - Went to Brasstown Bald (parking lot) today to listen for the 2304 beacon on Joanna Bald but could not hear it there.  Checked my 2304 transverter, and  I found the problem - I was using 144MHz as the IF, and should have been using 434MHz.

23 January 2023 - picked up the 2304 antenna - it's a 8' Directive Systems looper.

17 January 2023 - Received the directional coupler a few days ago and measured the power at 7W out of the DEMI PA.

6 January 2023 - Tested the 2304 transverter on the bench - adjusted power out to 1W to drive the DEMI 1315 15W PA - I still need to measure the PA output - I need to locate a suitable directional coupler to do that.

3 January 2023 - 2304 transverter arrived last week and I have tested it on the bench - I am purchasing a large Directive Systems looper antenna from a ham in S.C. for use with it.  I also changed the DEMI 1315PA to a PTT-Low to key.

21 December 2022 - 2304 transverter is in customs.

15 December 2022 -2304 transverter shipped yesterday.

14 December 2022 - Per SG Labs my 2304 transverter should be shipping today - on my SG Labs 902 transverter it took about a month to receive it of which included customs processing of two weeks.

5 December 2022 - Today marks three weeks since I ordered the 2304 transverter from SG Labs - hopefully it will ship soon.

 27 November 2022 - 2304/5760 panel antenna.

14 November 2022 - Recently I picked up a deal on a DEMI 2304 15-watt PA and so I ordered a SG Labs 2304 transverter.

DEMI 1315 PA

432MHz

 

30 March 2023 - Got the new 70cm preamp and sequencer hooked up - used the diagram below - seeing a huge difference so far.

28 March 2023 - The 432 preamp and sequencer arrived - should be able to get it hooked up tomorrow.

22 March 2023 - Ordered a 432 preamp and sequencer from the DX Shop and it will be shipped tomorrow.

KD4APP HAM Station

14 January 2023 - Updated picture of my station.  Recently added a IC-7300 and a Flex 1500.

14 December 2022 - Current antenna setup.  Tower project underway - waiting on tower climber's availability.

12 September 2022 

Updated picture of my station.  Added Q5 222MHz transverter and IC-9700.  Active on 2m, 222, 432 as well as HF.

21March  2021 - My Station...

National 190 Tube Radio - bought in 1962 by the original owner and it works.

Tower

 

Status: Fully Operational

13 February 2023 - The jumpers for 902 and 6M arrived and I installed them.  Next task is to get an entry panel.

6 February 2023 - A local tower guy came yesterday and fixed the rotator and ran the 1 5/8" cable (1.2GHz) and some LMR600 (6M) cable and swapped a few jumpers around.  The rotator fix was easy - just added some washers for spacing between the rotator and the rotator plate.  QRV now on 222, 432 and 1296 - just need to get a few additional LMR400UF jumpers on the ground side to get 6M and 902 operational.

14 January 2023 - Still having issues with the rotor - I have ordered a Yaesu G-1000DXA as a replacement.  The antennas are 432 top, next 222, then 902 and 1296 on cross-boom and on the bottom is 6M.

1 January 2023 - The tower is up - antennas installed are 432, 222, 902, 1.2G, and 6M.  Currently the 432 and 1.2G are connected via 7/8" hardline.  The rotor will be reconnected soon.

28 December 2022 - The tower guy Ryan will be here on Sunday 1 January 2023 to put the tower up.   I have 4 x 7/8" hardline connectors so I should be able to get 3 sections of 7/8" cable.  Last weekend Donald picked up some 1/2" hardline from the Land Road house and I had purchased 2 N-Female connectors for it so I will use it on the 6M antenna. 

14 November 2022 - Last week I picked up the 220' of 7/8 hardline from my home in Ball Ground and tested it - it's still good - remarkable for something purchased probably 20 years ago.  Ryan (tower guy) helped identify the hardline connectors as RFS Cellwave and I have ordered two more N female connectors on eBay to be able to get two sections out of it.

31 October 2022 - Had to cancel the order for 7/8 hardline and switch to LMR-600 as delivery of the hardline was pushed to the end of November.  I ordered three 70' pieces of LMR-600.

18 October 2022 - Got the trees trimmed yesterday - I need to order the jumpers and hardline and then the tower will be ready to put up - hope to have it finished by the end of the month or early next month.

01 Oct 2022 - The first section of tower is in the ground - there will be three more 10' sections added along with a 10' mast so it will be well over the roofline.

15 September 2022 - I have several sections of Rohn 25 that I have had for years - a top, two full sections and 3/4 of a full section which will be partially buried - that should top out at about 30' and with the rotor and a 10' mast put me at  around 40'.  This will give me better coverage North, East and West.

Here are pictures of it when it was at Lake Arrowhead's Main Gate - they gave it to me for free to take it down.