SB-610 & SB-620 information/comparison please?

[Stu Lyon]

The SB-610 and SB-620 look similar but are for two different purposes.

The SB-610 will monitor the received signal at the down-stream side of the
IF strip but its primary function is to monitor the output of the
transmitter. And it does this very well. The two-tone generator is a bonus
and, when setup properly, is a good check on the adjustment of the balanced
modulator. A IF transformer of the same frequency of the receiver is
required but this is a simple tuned circuit and easy to replicate.

The SB-620 is a spectrum analyzer or panoramic adapter and connects to the
front end of the IF strip. Its sole purpose is to display signals +/- 50 KHz
of the tuned frequency of the receiver. It must be set to the IF frequency
of the receiver at build time. Most were set for the SB-X0X IF of 3395KHz.
The parts for other IF frequencies are extremely rare -- and complicated.

I have both the -610 and -620 and find the -610 very useful and the -620
interesting but of limited usefulness -- at the center frequency, where you
might most want to look, the crystal filter acts like a trap and "sucks out"
the signal to the -620. It's nice for a quick check of the band activity or
to see if "5 down" is free but not for any serious analyzing purposes.

But if I could afford only one, it would be the SB-610. Make sure it works
and displays a trace. The power transformers are fragile and made from
unobtainium.

Hope this helps,
73, Stu W6CUX
Winnetka, CA
slyon at pacificnet.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob, WB2UJD" <BobbyTrip at AOL.COM>
To: <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 1:02 PM
Subject: SB-610 & SB-620 information/comparison please?


> Help educate someone who couldn't afford such luxuries (at the time), but
who
> still has their rig and wants to augment it with some cool stuff for a
> vintage station with some new bells and whistles!
>
> What can you do with each of these visual station aids?  What can one do
that
> the other can't?  How similar are they?
>
> I know the 610 can generate two tone, (good for checking intermod
performance
> I assume).  I have a linear which I have Swan linear I have restored, this
> might be just the ticket to avoid a messy signal on SSB when it goes on an
> antenna instead of a dummy load!
>
> They both appear to be able to display spectrum of the band being operated
on.
>
> I guess the long and short of it is:  Which one should I be looking to
> acquire? (something I hope to formulate based on knowing what exactly each
> can do)
>
> Thanks in advance for any help and to people who have responded to recent
> queries I have posted.  This is a great group.
>
> Bob, WB2UJD
>

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