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<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Here is a collection of modifications to the HW-16 that users may find
of value. I have collected these over the past several years from
various sources on the web and from my extensive collection of e-mails, and I have no idea who originated most of them. I am not
claiming any of them as my own, but cannot now give proper
attribution to whomever originated them either. I have used several of
these mods, and have found those I have used to be very useful.
YMMV.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>To Increase Receiver Sensitivity</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Replace the following resistors:</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">R42 was 5.6K, change to a 50K or 51K 2 watt resistor.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">R21 was 22K, change to a 10K 2W resistor.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">The mod will greatly increase the sensitivity of the receiver </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">From a user: "With a 100 K pot in place of R42 I found I liked it best
at about 58 K - so I settled on a 56 K fixed resistor." </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>15 Meter Sensitivity and Power</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">The 15 meter final tank L to C ratio is incorrect so that when you
have the transmitter tuning as peaked as you can get it, it will not
really be resonant.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Thus you will find the tuning capacitor clear over against the left stop
for max power output, which in my case was only 15 watts, whereas
power output was 50 watts on 40 and 80. Receiver sensitivity is also
not peaked here. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Therefore, unless you reduce the 15 meter tank inductance by
spreading the turns as much as possible, neither the transmitter nor
the receiver input will be truly peaked. However, make sure you don't
short the bottom turn against the coil mounting bracket. I did this
mod by simply pushing downward on the bottom few turns of the
plate tank coil. Power output on 15 is now 50 watts.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">This is NOT my idea: I got it out of an old "Hints and Kinks" in an old
QST magazine.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Since the TX tank tuning circuit is also the receiver RF amp grid
tuning circuit, making this change also helped the RX.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Keep in mind that 15m will always sound "quieter" than 40 and 80,
which can fool you into thinking there's a receiver problem when the
band is not open. I noticed that after these resistor changes 15m
signals seem to really "jump" out at me, but the background noise is
not that much higher.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">When I tested my HW-16 after making the mods listed above,
sensitivity on ALL bands was 0.1 microvolt for a completely
"copyable" signal. I have no idea what that translates into S+N/N
ratio.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Receiver Drift</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Change R-24 at V-2A, heterodyne mixer, from 10K to 47K.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Change R-28 at V-2B, heterodyne oscillator, from 1 meg to 270 K.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">This reduced the very noticeable drift in my HW-16's receiver to
almost nothing.</span></font><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Sidetone Volume Reduction</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">There is a 470K ohm resistor one inch away and to the right of the
neon bulb when looking from the front of the rig. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Change this to 4 megohm. This will bring it down to a nice subtle
level. Changing to 2 or 3 megs may be enough for you. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Another possible fix for sidetone volume is to increase resistance R63
- try a 1K to start.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">A third possible fix: Side tone level comes from Bias Switch Q1 which
does not quite switch OFF the receiver - R49 10K - try a 10k trim pot
and adjust level to your liking.<br />
</span></font><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b><br />
</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Sidetone Partial Operation </b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">September 26, 1968</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">From HW-16 Heath Service Bulletin:</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Novice Transmitter HW-16-1</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Side Tone </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">When using the HW-16 with a VFO sometime a partial operation of
the sidetone oscillator takes place due to an increased loading on the
bias voltage.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">This can be corrected by changing R-69 from a 120K ohm resistor to
a 220K ohm resistor [PN 1-29].</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Schematic Correction</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Also, the original schematic shows R-16 as a 4700 ohm resistor
which is incorrect. R-16 should be shown as a 5600 ohm resistor.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Sidetone Oscillator Frequency </b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">For many of us, the sidetone oscillator frequency is much too high.
To reduce it, change R64 1.5M to 5M. You might want to install a pot
to adjust frequency then replace with a fixed resistor.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Spot Button</b></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:1.76mm; margin-bottom:1.76mm;"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Mount a DPDT push button switch somewhere convenient. One NO
pole would be used to key up the transmitter by using the switch to
the parallel the key jack. Another NC pole would be connected
between C7 and pin 9 on V8, the driver. Now when you push the
SPOT switch - it keys up the transmitter and also disconnects the
input into the DRIVER/PA so it doesn't go out over the air. Be aware
of possible problems of one kind or another if the leads between C7
and Pin 9 of V8 are too long, or not dressed properly.</span></font></p>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>RF Power Control</b></span></font><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b> </b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">The original way to adjust the RF power is by varying the B+ to the
screen of V9 the PA. This does not give you very much range, and
does not work well. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">If you wish to fix this problem, disconnect and solder the wires from
points 2 and 3 of the R13 power level pot together and insulate the
ends with shrink-tubing, then tuck out of the way somewhere safe.
This connects full screen voltage to V9, the PA, and it will now
operate at full power at all times.<br />
<br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Disconnect the wire from the B+ buss which connects to R6, a 22K
2W resistor which is the screen voltage feed to V6 the 6CL6 driver
tube. Connect this B+ buss wire you removed from R6 to point 3 of
the Power Level Pot. Connect a wire from point 2 of the power level
pot back to R6. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">This duplicates the power control, but it is now attached to the
driver. Power output can now be adjusted from full power down to
about 2 or 3 watts. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">If you increase the value of R-14 you can adjust power down into the
milliwatt range and still go up to full power with a twist of a knob.
You will have to experiment with the value of R-14 until you get what
you want.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Chirp with Crystals</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b><br />
</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">There are several different suggested methods of minimizing the chirp
which appears when using crystals with some HW-16s. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Several have suggested voltage-regulating the oscillator voltage.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I did this first, and it did absolutely nothing to correct the chirp in my
HW-16.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Others have suggested reducing the oscillator voltage by changing the
point from which the oscillator voltage is taken to 125 VDC. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I have suggested adding an additional feedback capacitor directly
from the screen of the oscillator, pin 3 (or 8) to ground. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I got this information after reviewing several articles from the
literature on crystal oscillators. It was shown that some oscillators
needed additional feedback between the screen (which is the
oscillator's plate in an ECO) and ground. In this type of modified-Pierce crystal oscillator, ground is the mid-point between the plate
(screen) and grid, since the cathode is grounded directly. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I ended up using 220 pfd, but others have found lower values will
work as well or better. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">In at least one case, adding a small-value (2 or 3 pfd) mica capacitor
between the GRID (pins 2 or 9) and ground helped eliminate the
remaining chirp after the screen capacitor had been added. From a
careful examination of the circuit, it is clear that this provides a bit of
additional feedback.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Prior to “messing with” the feedback, I also voltage-regulated all the
voltages to the oscillator tube in my own HW-16: the result was no
change whatever in the amount of chirp!! </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Adding the 220 pfd capacitor between screen and ground eliminated
all but a very small amount of chirp for me, only noticeable on 15
meters.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Another user reported that adding the screen capacitor made his
crystals “sluggish”. However, when he reduced the value of the added
screen capacitor to a much lower value, activity returned, and chirp
was reduced. </span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Another user reported that when he connected an HG-10 VFO to the
HW-16, and left it plugged into the VFO input jack, but powered off
when he used crystals, all chirp, even on 15 meters was gone. The
capacitance of the coax between the HG-10 and the grid of the HW-16
oscillator tube was the added factor that eliminated the remaining
chirp.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">It is all about proper levels and relationships of feedback.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>QSK</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b><br />
</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">The QSK method used in the HW-16 generally works quite well.
However, in some cases, there is a very annoyingly loud CLICK on
break that is very tiring to listen to. My HW-16 does this, and I have
not yet found the source of this click. Apparently others have noticed
it and have tried to do something about it. None of those methods
have worked for me. If anyone can give me a real solution to this
problem I would be very grateful.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b>Full-Transceiver Modification</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style" color="#ff0000"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><b><br />
</b></span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I have an article from one of the ham magazines which contains a
somewhat complex method of using the HW-16s own internal HFO as
the VFO for the transmitter, making the HW-16 into a true
transceiver. However, although this works quite well, there is no
method of RIT included, and in my opinion, the rig should have some
form of decent AGC added in order to make the full-transceiver mod
most effective.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">If anyone really wants this article, I will be most happy to mail a
copy. Just e-mail me privately.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Although I have not yet worked on it, I am certain that a really good
AGC can be added to the HW-16 using a minimum of parts.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I also intend to replace the QSK system in my HW-16 with a relay-based version somewhat similar to one which appeared recently in
QST magazine.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I have also replaced the meter in the my HW-16 with one taken from
an SB-101.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">I have used my HW-16 as my backup rig for my NTS duties on 80
and 40 and it is quite effective. I have also used it to chase DX on the
low end of 80 and 40 meters. It is an excellent rig.</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align="left"><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span style=" font-size:12pt">Ken Gordon W7EKB</span></font></div>
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