This is very unusual. I also am taking a slow approach to actually building the AMT5000 kit. This is unique.
What we have here is a kit that is so appreciated in advance of the building stage, that we are content just to have it in the box.
Wow. What if we never build it? What if we just love having it?
"What if we never build it? What if we just love having it?"
How about buying a 2nd unit and then there won't be any worry about building it or just keeping it in the box.
The issue then would be...which one to build and which one to keep in the box! 😛
RFB
Ya but the question over "which one to build" could go on forever.
Well if that happens, then maybe a 3rd purchase is warranted!
Having a spare around is always good anyway. Only this time the spare/s will be put to use every day with deciding which spare goes on what shelf or other, and decide if one stays in the un-opened box, or put into a display cabinet with everything arranged nicely like a fine dinner set....put a back light in the display cabinet...maybe a few varying color flashing LED's.....maybe even some sound effects!
RFB
A perfect AMT5000 package will be placed in a trophy cabinet and backlit according to the words of RFBuddha.
A second AMT5000 package will be ripped open and built.
A third AMT5000 package will be held on a closet shelf as a spare backup.
Uh, uh, say. What happened to the AMT4000?
The mind. A terrible thing. To waste.
has anyone gotten around to doing performance comparisons between amt-5000, amt-3000, and the rangemaster? i am really curious what the difference is 'in the field.'
also, does the amt-5000 need a baseloaded antenna like the 3000 or does that large toroid in the output tuning network negate the need for a solenoid inductor?
The toroid negates the need, but I plan to build a low-loss base loading coil anyway because losses will be less. You can easily jumper the toroid for this. I can't compare because I don't own any of the others, but I'm sure this will do the job.
I decided to break ranks and begin construction, even though I'm getting ready to leave for 2 weeks and there's no way I'll complete it before I leave. I've installed all the resistors, diodes, and IC sockets. Hopefully someone else will have one completed by the time I return from my trip.
Keith
mine is almost built i have contacted phil RE: missing capacitor. the "R" in the fixed resister section should be "R2" didn't notice any other manual errors also wound up with 4 extra resisters which i also let phil know about and the jumper blocks you have to break apart i wound up breaking the jumper blocks trying to separate them for the single jumper positions on the board.
other then that it went off w/o a hitch.
it's sitting here on my console bridge in a static bag nearly finished.
just awaiting to hear from phil.
kc8gpd, much appreciation for your venturing with the first trial assembly, and have made note of R2 in the manual.
This coming weekend I expect to clear the needed work space and get started with a marathon build, and I will resist reporting every move here on the blog...
"Have just soldered C3, moving to C4, back in two minutes...."
"Have just soldered C3, moving to C4, back in two minutes"
That was posted at 21:47 MT, it is 02:04 MT. A tad bit longer than 2 minutes eh?!! 😉
Well you know what they say about ending up with a bunch of spare parts......did not need them anyway!
Prediction: I predict that when all is said and done, and one of you have this thing all connected and operating, that you might see a slight improvement in range due to the increased efficiency of signal transfer from the TX final to the coupling stage at the output connector. Perhaps see a little less power supply current draw and cooler operating temps.
Cant wait to hear some field results!
RFB
"This coming weekend I expect to clear the needed work space and get started with a marathon build, and I will resist reporting every move here on the blog."
Perhaps you should make a special episode of LPH titled "The Great Weekend Assembly" and just narrate as you go along, maybe supplement with a few snapshots.
Or take it even further and set up the webcam or camcorder and shoot a video LPH episode.
Might be good program content for the LW Network too!
RFB
RFB,
The idea of broadcasting the "making of the AMT5000" is such a good idea it must have been mine. I must have had that idea and probably made a note about it. The question is, how did you get it? Have you been reading my notes?
I'm just acting silly. Thanks, RFB, great idea FROM YOU and I maybe, perhaps, possibly might do it.
But, video? I'm a radio personality (bit of a stretch), and you can't see radio personalities. On the radio I sound like I LOOK LIKE Johnny Depp. But if I went on camera, things would be quite different, with me looking like..... can't think of an ugly actor.
It could just show hands and electronic parts.... you've got me thinking about it.
i took hi res pic's of each stage of the building process. i will get around to posting them to facebook soon.
I'm missing one capacitor and 2 transistors, but I do have 9 extra resistors. I guess it's going to take a little while to work out the bugs - the disadvantage of being an early adopter I guess. I decided to install up until the point I have a missing part and then bag it up until I return from vacation. Now you have me paranoid about the jumper blocks - I should've attempted cutting them apart before contacting Phil about the other parts. I'll be extra careful with those since I know to watch out for that.
I thought about taking a lot of pictures and posting them online but decided it was more important to get my hands on it than continue admiring it in the box. I'm glad to see someone else has taken on that task and I can't wait to see the pictures.
Keith
"I must have had that idea and probably made a note about it. The question is, how did you get it? Have you been reading my notes?"
Remote viewing has its advantages. 😉
I figured if not a contribution of a post during assembly, why not contribute an idea or two!
RFB