| THE VE3AB ARGONAUT PAGES 3 pages of analysis and fun |
| TEN TEC MODEL 405 LINEAR AMPLIFIER 2.5 WATTS in and 50 Watts out. Was built to match with the Argonaut 509. |
| My Ten Tec 405 Amplifier I have this nice little commercial amplifier; the Ten Tec 405 amp. Unfortunately..I had a problem and the final transistors failed. Ten Tec was very helpful and gave me the information to order suitable replacement transistors (MRF 450As). They are available from RF PARTS in California. These transistors are a matched pair. |
ON "YOU TUBE"; there is a neat movie clip of how a fellow took a 509 and
added a nifty digital display to it.
The "art of homebrewing" and innovation is not dead in amateur radio.
I FEEL..with the internet..it is actually going to get stronger as fellow
amateurs feed off each others ideas and ideals and enthusiasm.
I think the internet is an inspiration for this kind of thing.
added a nifty digital display to it.
The "art of homebrewing" and innovation is not dead in amateur radio.
I FEEL..with the internet..it is actually going to get stronger as fellow
amateurs feed off each others ideas and ideals and enthusiasm.
I think the internet is an inspiration for this kind of thing.
I have been carefully going over
one of my 509s. It had a few
faults. The RF gain control
needed replacing and some of
the previous owner mods were
removed.
I have been making notes and
sketches as I go along.
I now have a spectrum analyser,
sweep generator and 100 mhz
oscilloscope.
I'm going to try an alignment of
the receiver front end filtering
and perhaps tweak the double
tuned circuits in the rf driver pre
stage sections.
Basically Iam using one of my
509s as an experiment.
I wrote Ten Tec an email asking
for availability of spare parts
and I even had the gaul to ask
them about how to perform the
alignment of the double tuned
circuits and the receiver front
end.
The receiver RF gain stage has
a dual gate mosfet with a tuned
input and output.
If the slugs get misaligned they
need to be adjusted with aid of a
SWEEP GENERATOR and the
505, 509 515 manuals
specifically warn "not to fiddle
with these adjustments"
Well with the "experimental
509" I am now working on..I will
be trying my best to document
the proper alignment and
adjustment of the units.
I have a WAVETEK SWEEP
GENERATOR, an HP
SPECTRUM analyser and a
Leader 100 mhz oscilloscope.
I will be taking lots of notes and
sketching as I go along.
UP here in Northern Ontario;
March 2nd; we have lots of
snow and this kind of activity
keeps me going through the
winter!
one of my 509s. It had a few
faults. The RF gain control
needed replacing and some of
the previous owner mods were
removed.
I have been making notes and
sketches as I go along.
I now have a spectrum analyser,
sweep generator and 100 mhz
oscilloscope.
I'm going to try an alignment of
the receiver front end filtering
and perhaps tweak the double
tuned circuits in the rf driver pre
stage sections.
Basically Iam using one of my
509s as an experiment.
I wrote Ten Tec an email asking
for availability of spare parts
and I even had the gaul to ask
them about how to perform the
alignment of the double tuned
circuits and the receiver front
end.
The receiver RF gain stage has
a dual gate mosfet with a tuned
input and output.
If the slugs get misaligned they
need to be adjusted with aid of a
SWEEP GENERATOR and the
505, 509 515 manuals
specifically warn "not to fiddle
with these adjustments"
Well with the "experimental
509" I am now working on..I will
be trying my best to document
the proper alignment and
adjustment of the units.
I have a WAVETEK SWEEP
GENERATOR, an HP
SPECTRUM analyser and a
Leader 100 mhz oscilloscope.
I will be taking lots of notes and
sketching as I go along.
UP here in Northern Ontario;
March 2nd; we have lots of
snow and this kind of activity
keeps me going through the
winter!
lots of notes being taken.
It will help me a great deal if I go to
work on other Argonauts.
I can share the notes with other
argonaut enthusiasts.
Just drop me an email at my call
ve3ab at rac.ca
It will help me a great deal if I go to
work on other Argonauts.
I can share the notes with other
argonaut enthusiasts.
Just drop me an email at my call
ve3ab at rac.ca
Want to fix your argonaut or need tips on basic repairs..
here is a site that Ten Tec sponsors http://www.tentecwiki.org/doku.php
here is a site that Ten Tec sponsors http://www.tentecwiki.org/doku.php
I'm going to make a proper
connection to the speaker on the
top cabinet.
My idea is to have a little phono
plug on a bracket right at the
speaker so it can be unplugged or
plugged into an external speaker.
connection to the speaker on the
top cabinet.
My idea is to have a little phono
plug on a bracket right at the
speaker so it can be unplugged or
plugged into an external speaker.
Another thing I am doing is to
use a rubber mat custom cut
under the circuit boards so that
the wiring and lugs under the
circuit boards does not short
out the traces on the boards.
I used some rubber that can be
bought at home depot for a
garden pool lining. It can be
bought by the foot but it is a
little heavy..but it works.
use a rubber mat custom cut
under the circuit boards so that
the wiring and lugs under the
circuit boards does not short
out the traces on the boards.
I used some rubber that can be
bought at home depot for a
garden pool lining. It can be
bought by the foot but it is a
little heavy..but it works.
NOTICE THE LITTLE CIRCUIT BOARD AT THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE RIG. I took this out. This argonaut was completely deaf on
receive. The receive line (R) on the schematics is about 9 volts when the argonaut is in receive mode. This 9 volts powers various parts of
the receive circuitry. This argonaut now receives quite fine. Another problem with this argonaut was the RF gain control was not operational.
I replaced the potentiometer with one from another parts rig.
I am currently trying to buy some parts to make this argonaut look and perform better. I have written TEN TEC. I find Ten Tec service and
support (even for these old products) has been great.
I used to get hand written letters from the general manager of Ten TEc at one time! That was before desktop computers and the internet!
I am trying to order a PTO rebuild kit and some PTO grease as well. One of my Argonauts has a seizing PTO problem.
http://www.tentecwiki.org/doku.php web site has info on dial restringing and PTO rebuilding among other topics.
HEY..when the lakes open up ... (about mid April)..I'll be out fishing..so I may set this project on the shelf till late fall. It is a hobby for me..
but I do sell the odd part and do the odd repair for other people when I get a chance.
receive. The receive line (R) on the schematics is about 9 volts when the argonaut is in receive mode. This 9 volts powers various parts of
the receive circuitry. This argonaut now receives quite fine. Another problem with this argonaut was the RF gain control was not operational.
I replaced the potentiometer with one from another parts rig.
I am currently trying to buy some parts to make this argonaut look and perform better. I have written TEN TEC. I find Ten Tec service and
support (even for these old products) has been great.
I used to get hand written letters from the general manager of Ten TEc at one time! That was before desktop computers and the internet!
I am trying to order a PTO rebuild kit and some PTO grease as well. One of my Argonauts has a seizing PTO problem.
http://www.tentecwiki.org/doku.php web site has info on dial restringing and PTO rebuilding among other topics.
HEY..when the lakes open up ... (about mid April)..I'll be out fishing..so I may set this project on the shelf till late fall. It is a hobby for me..
but I do sell the odd part and do the odd repair for other people when I get a chance.
Here is another Argonaut in
my collection.
Note the reed relay to the
right of the rig (red color).
When I bought my first
Argonaut 505 in 1974, the reed
relay was sticking and the TR
function was anything but the
nice full break in CW that Ten
TEC was (and still is) famous
for.
The Ten TEC rep..VE3UR
(uncle Ray) sent me a new
board and I was back in
business again.
I have interchanged the solid
state diode switching board
and the reed relay board and
they are both pin for pin
compatible.
I have been thinking of
building some ten tec
argonaut boards from scratch
using modern components
just for fun.
my collection.
Note the reed relay to the
right of the rig (red color).
When I bought my first
Argonaut 505 in 1974, the reed
relay was sticking and the TR
function was anything but the
nice full break in CW that Ten
TEC was (and still is) famous
for.
The Ten TEC rep..VE3UR
(uncle Ray) sent me a new
board and I was back in
business again.
I have interchanged the solid
state diode switching board
and the reed relay board and
they are both pin for pin
compatible.
I have been thinking of
building some ten tec
argonaut boards from scratch
using modern components
just for fun.
I put a 100 pf silver mica in parallel
with the trimmer. Since the trimmer
can be adjusted..should be fine.
The modification article called for a
91 pf capacitor.
You can almost see the short
circuit jumper in the photo which
is also part of the mod. I put a J
right above it.
If you look closely (above the
green C) you will see the 91 pf
capacitor I soldered in place
across the already existing 10 pf
capacitor.
with the trimmer. Since the trimmer
can be adjusted..should be fine.
The modification article called for a
91 pf capacitor.
You can almost see the short
circuit jumper in the photo which
is also part of the mod. I put a J
right above it.
If you look closely (above the
green C) you will see the 91 pf
capacitor I soldered in place
across the already existing 10 pf
capacitor.
| J |
| C |
link to my next page of ARGONAUT INFORMATION
CLICK HERE TO GO....>>>>
CLICK HERE TO GO....>>>>
Dial Cord replacement
and restringing. see
this page that has
photos
click to visit that page
and restringing. see
this page that has
photos
click to visit that page
MODIFICATION to replace the 10
meter band (pretty dead right now
with the low sunspot cycle) and
replace it with 30 meters ( a good
cw and qrp band). Shown in pic
left..the mod was not that hard to
do.
I am still in the process of
evaluating the mod. PS. ACTUALLY
now..with my DDS vfo-- I may be
able to evaluate this mod much
better. I now have to put up a 10
mhz antenna (July 2010 notes)
meter band (pretty dead right now
with the low sunspot cycle) and
replace it with 30 meters ( a good
cw and qrp band). Shown in pic
left..the mod was not that hard to
do.
I am still in the process of
evaluating the mod. PS. ACTUALLY
now..with my DDS vfo-- I may be
able to evaluate this mod much
better. I now have to put up a 10
mhz antenna (July 2010 notes)
UPDATE: NEW work being done on my Argonauts....February 2010....I am working on the Larry East Modifications to the Argonaut
(in particular)..I am working on the FINAL OUTPUT TRANSISTOR BOARDS. click here to see the work on the FINALS BEING DONE.
(in particular)..I am working on the FINAL OUTPUT TRANSISTOR BOARDS. click here to see the work on the FINALS BEING DONE.
PTO rebuild page..tnx to permission granted by
email to publish a few pics of this mans fine
work.
email to publish a few pics of this mans fine
work.
Thumbnail pictures. Click on image to expand. Above..my Argonaut today July 2010 with dds
vfo.
I am having an interesting time of it (fun) tuning around listening to signals and programming
in frequencies and learning the vfo, and developing a strategy for best way to integrate it
into this rig.
vfo.
I am having an interesting time of it (fun) tuning around listening to signals and programming
in frequencies and learning the vfo, and developing a strategy for best way to integrate it
into this rig.