PCM Hawk HF radio

[bal]

I need a couple of freq. changed ,
can anybody recommend somebody to do this in Victoria
thanks

 

[John Crighton]

I need a couple of freq. changed ,
can anybody recommend somebody to do this in Victoria
thanks

Do it your self and save money.
I am familiar with that set and can help you
from a distance if you wish. I am in Hornsby.
Do you have basic test equipment such as multimeter, CRO,
HF Sig Gen, Frequency counter and 50 ohm dummy load?
If so, I can guide you, by e-mail or here in the open forum.

First of all, is the radio working normally?
What channels are fitted and what do you want changed?

If it is just a small frequency change, then maybe changing
a crystal and trimming the channel oscillator is all you have to.

If you do not want to do it yourself there are a few Victorian
guys on this group who could help you out. It is a nice easy
set to work on.

Regards
John Crighton
Hornsby

 

[bal]

thanks john for replying I have some test equipment but not all that is
required.
the frequencys I need changed are from 5.410 to 5.455 and 4010 to 3995 the
vks-737 network , I have 2 pcm hawks that need to be changed can you please
advise anyboby in VIC that can help me
thanks
Brett

 

[John Crighton]

thanks john for replying I have some test equipment but not all that is
required.
the frequencys I need changed are from 5.410 to 5.455 and 4010 to 3995 the
vks-737 network , I have 2 pcm hawks that need to be changed can you please
advise anyboby in VIC that can help me
thanks
Brett

Hello Brett,
you are lucky. Heh heh heh
You only have to replace the crystals.
The channel coils do not have to be touched because
the change in frequency is so small.

The crystals used, are usually made by Hy-Q in Victoria.
http://www.hy-q.com.au/contact.htm
You will see a specification number on the side of the crystal.
Make a note of that.

The channel frequency is stamped on top of the crystal.
So the xtal for your old channel 5410 will be marked 7060.
That is 5410 plus 1650 equals 7060
I want you to double check that is true. Mistakes cost you $$

So new radio channel 5455 will have new xtal 7105

When you talk to Hy-Q and order crystals always talk
crystal frequency. 7105.000 Khz
Why so many zeros? A Hy-Q worker told me that is
the preferred way that they like you to do it. If you
do not show accuracy to the last Hz. you could get
a less accurate job done.

When you get your new crystals from Hi-Q, put them
in and without touching any trimmer try your set out.
If your mates tell you that you sound OK when you
talk to them then you are home and hosed. If they tell
you that you sound like Donald Duck then you will
have to adjust the trimmer next to the xtal. Try adjusting
the trimmer small amounts at a time relying on your
mates to tell you that your voice is becoming more
natural or more like Donald's.

Brett, I thought some of the Melbourne regulars on this
group would have piped up and offered to help you out.

You are going to order the crystals anyway, so why not
pop them in yourself just as I described.

If none of the Melbourne gang show any interest
and you stuff it up completely, you can send the radio
set up to me in Hornsby. I will do it for nothing, you
pay the postage. But give the Melbourne lads a
chance to read your message. The crystals are
going to take a couple of weeks to make and deliver.

Brett, do not hesitate to ask any questions.
This is what news groups, amateur radio and general
electronic hobbying is all about.

Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby

 

[John Crighton]

<snip>

I always thought that you could just advise Hi-Q of the radio make & model,
and the 'channel' frequency you required, and they would calculate the exact
offset and xtal type you required.

Yes, with this particular radio you are probably correct as it was
made in Victoria. But_do_not_depend_on_that. Twenty odd years
ago I worked for AWA Marine. They sold hundreds of these Procom
transcievers. One of the AWA salesmen rang up Hi-Q and ordered
hundreds of crystals for new radio channels. He expected the girl
taking orders over the phone at Hi-Q to understand about the off-set.
She did not. The new crystals were all marked with the new radio
channel frequency and they_were_ useless.
They should have been 1650 KHz higher.
The shit hit the fan big time. AWA argued that the Hi-Q workers
should have picked up the mistake, as they knew the crystals
were for a Procom radio.

Murphy won! If it can happen it will happen.

A very helpfull Hi-Q worker, told me it is safer to always talk
crystal frequency. That is why I am passing that info to Brett.

I'm sure that would certainly be a lot better option as Hi-Q should have all
the relevant details on the radio and what type xtal is needed.

You cannot expect High Q to know the details of every odd piece
of radio gear made at anytime anywhere in the world. The sceniario
I gave above proved that mistakes are easily made by people who
"should" know what they are about, and that was with a common
as muck locally made radio.

Call Hi-Q
and ask them - in the past they have been most helpful and calculated
exactly what xtal I needed based on the radio & frequency info supplied, or
a sample xtal & frequency info.

Yes, Hi-Q are very helpful. Years ago, I had to change some xtals
on a Polish ship with a Russian built transmitter. Hi-Q can not be
expected to have details of every foreign built radio equipment.
Common stuff yes. Anyway, I sent some old crystals down to
Hi-Q and told them how far I could pull the xtal above and below
the desired frequency. Hi-Q sent a couple of samples back for
me to try in the Russian transmitter. They were close but not
quite right. After some alterations back at the Hi-Q factory and
another test by me on board the ship with the second lot of
samples, they were good enough and could be netted.
So now a whole bunch of different frequency crystals were
made, with confidence, to that Hi-Q spec. and they worked.

No doubt about it Martin, Hi-Q are good to deal with.
Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby

 

[Jeff]

Hi John,

This might seem off topic.... but I posted something about the death of AWA
the other day... so... I was wondering if you can tell us what happened to
the AWA marine business?..... and assuming its dead..... whos working the
industry now?

Any opportunities left in the marine communications business?

Regards, Jeff

 

[Gregory Toomey]

Hi John,

This might seem off topic.... but I posted something about the death of AWA
the other day... so... I was wondering if you can tell us what happened to
the AWA marine business?..... and assuming its dead..... whos working the
industry now?

Don't know. AWA now just badge engineers cheap Chinese-made consumer
electronics to be sold at Big W.

gtoomey

 

[John Crighton]

Hello Jeff,

This might seem off topic.... but I posted something about the death of AWA
the other day... so... I was wondering if you can tell us what happened to
the AWA marine business?..... and assuming its dead..... whos working the
industry now?

In the early 90s the AWA Marine division was bought by a Melbourne
business man (I can't remember his name, Murphy maybe).
Part of the deal was that he got to keep the name "AWA Marine"
for an agreed time. If you look in the phone book you will see
that AWA Marine is no longer part of AWA.
Some of the smaller offices/depots in various ports were
closed down.

A number of the Sydney ex AWA Marine people are now
working for Electrotech at Brookvale doing more or less
the same thing as they always did in a tighter market.
Electrotech took some of the one man depots in small ports,
meaning, if the man quits and joins Electrotech then the
customers usually follow the man.

Any opportunities left in the marine communications business?

Not much.
When the Radio Officers were no longer required on
Australian ships there was an excess of sea going
technical men looking for shore jobs.

Part of the original AWA Marine's income was supplying
Australian ships with radio officers. When they disappeared
so did the maintenance contracts.

Regards, Jeff

Now there is the fight over low paid Ukrainian seaman
replacing Australian crews on Australian ships.
Sad business! Continually falling standards everywhere.

Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby