How long should it take someone halfway competent to install an SSTran AMT3000 unit? I'm not too up on soldering, but perhaps I'll have to get a radio engineer to do it (is that legal if he's already on retainer with us?)
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SSTran installation
- Thread starter ajhenderson
- Start date
> How long should it take someone halfway competent to install
> an SSTran AMT3000 unit? I'm not too up on soldering, but
> perhaps I'll have to get a radio engineer to do it (is that
> legal if he's already on retainer with us?)
>
Hi,
I am not sure what you are asking about "installing the unit". I can tell you about building it. I am experienced in building electronic equipment and I can tell you that it took me about 5 hours to construct the kit. The instructions are very well written and easy to follow. It worked first time.
Some hints...if you are able, check the +15 and +5 supplies before you insert the integrated circuits in their sockets. If you cannot do this, then triple check everything...especially make sure that the 78L05 regulator is where it is supposed to be. It looks just like a transistor and you have to be sure that you installed the right part. Follow the instructions.
Follow the instructions for tuning the antenna and setting the gain, modulation, and compression pots.
I am very pleased with my unit and I hope you are also.
Neil
> an SSTran AMT3000 unit? I'm not too up on soldering, but
> perhaps I'll have to get a radio engineer to do it (is that
> legal if he's already on retainer with us?)
>
Hi,
I am not sure what you are asking about "installing the unit". I can tell you about building it. I am experienced in building electronic equipment and I can tell you that it took me about 5 hours to construct the kit. The instructions are very well written and easy to follow. It worked first time.
Some hints...if you are able, check the +15 and +5 supplies before you insert the integrated circuits in their sockets. If you cannot do this, then triple check everything...especially make sure that the 78L05 regulator is where it is supposed to be. It looks just like a transistor and you have to be sure that you installed the right part. Follow the instructions.
Follow the instructions for tuning the antenna and setting the gain, modulation, and compression pots.
I am very pleased with my unit and I hope you are also.
Neil
I did mean "building", yes. 
What kind of range are you getting? I've anticipated a mile or two... reasonable?
What kind of range are you getting? I've anticipated a mile or two... reasonable?
> I did mean "building", yes.
>
> What kind of range are you getting? I've anticipated a mile
> or two... reasonable?
>
Right now, I am using a long wire antenna in my basement in a stucco house. Stucco is built on wire mesh which provides a very good Faraday shield, so this is not an ideal situation. My objective is to cover my property and my system does this quite well.
My antenna is a 10 foot wire with a parallel capacitance tuned coupling loop. I get a range of about 500 feet as monitored with my car radio.
What is it that you are trying to do? I just want to hear my signal for my own use and I don't care or fantasize about a large audience.
The SST unit delivers great audio...the best I have heard on AM. If it is range that you want, there are lots of great posts on this site about loading coils and ground radials.
My advice, if you are new to this is, get your transmitter working, read the posts here about antennas, experiment, and have fun!
You mentioned a radio engineer. Great if you have one. If you carefully follow the SST instructions, you will not be disappointed. You can do it yourself. Just be very careful with your soldering. If you are new to this, practice first. Solder wires together, pull them apart. It should be difficult and break the wires. Ask for help if you need to. A lot of neighbors probably know how to solder electronic stuff.
Best of luck and you will enjoy this. Even if there are problems, you will prevail
Neil
>
> What kind of range are you getting? I've anticipated a mile
> or two... reasonable?
>
Right now, I am using a long wire antenna in my basement in a stucco house. Stucco is built on wire mesh which provides a very good Faraday shield, so this is not an ideal situation. My objective is to cover my property and my system does this quite well.
My antenna is a 10 foot wire with a parallel capacitance tuned coupling loop. I get a range of about 500 feet as monitored with my car radio.
What is it that you are trying to do? I just want to hear my signal for my own use and I don't care or fantasize about a large audience.
The SST unit delivers great audio...the best I have heard on AM. If it is range that you want, there are lots of great posts on this site about loading coils and ground radials.
My advice, if you are new to this is, get your transmitter working, read the posts here about antennas, experiment, and have fun!
You mentioned a radio engineer. Great if you have one. If you carefully follow the SST instructions, you will not be disappointed. You can do it yourself. Just be very careful with your soldering. If you are new to this, practice first. Solder wires together, pull them apart. It should be difficult and break the wires. Ask for help if you need to. A lot of neighbors probably know how to solder electronic stuff.
Best of luck and you will enjoy this. Even if there are problems, you will prevail
Neil
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