AIRCRAFT BAND RECEIVER KIT
Contents
1. 10K ohm brown black orange R8 12 17 23 22K ohm red red orange R26 33K ohm orange orange orange R13 R22 47K ohm yellow violet orange R4 9 15 16 20 21 24 100K ohm brown black yellow R19 1 megohm brown black green R10 R14 CONDUCTORS 2802498 or 28C2570A NPN UHF transistor Q1 2N3904 NPN transistor Q2 SA602 8pin IC U1 MC1350 8pin IC U2 LM324 14pin IC U3 LM386 8pin IC U4 BB505 varactor diode marked BB505 Orange body with black band D1 1N270 germanium diode clear body with black stripe or band D2 1N4148 silicon diode tiny clear body with black band D3 DUCTORS AND FILTERS 3 pre wound 2 turn wire coils L1 L3 L5 2 99 uH inductors either wire wound with orange orange silver dots or resembling resistors with orange orange silver bands L2 L4 1 4 turn slug tuned coil plastic body L6 1 Shielded 10 7 Mhz transformer metal can body marked 421F122 L7 1 10 7 Mhz ceramic filter brown molded 3 leads FL1 ud C0 YM Qaaaaaaaz aaaaaaaa EM nn o0 orn QOO aaz CONTROLS HARDWARE amp MISCELLANEOUS 3 10K potentiometers R1 R2 R3 1 PC mount DPDT switch S1 1 PC mount RCA jack J1 1 subminiature phone jack J2 niad AR1 9 O 1 9 volt battery snap connector O 1 9 volt battery hold down clamp O 1 AR1C printed circuit board In ALL PC board assembly steps our word INSTALL means to do this e2. a sensitive test amplifier connected to the cathode of D2 could let you hear aviation signals right now However we think you ll agree that completing your receiver is a more intriguing project THE LM324 CIRCUITS O 52 Install C21 4 7 to 10 pF electrolytic Observe correct polarity O 53 Install R13 33K orange orange orange Install R14 1 megohm brown black green AR1 e 14 0 a 54 55 Install JMP 2 Install U3 LM324 Be sure to orient the notched end toward the front control end of the PC board Quguauauaaugaaaaaaaaaaaaaa2u ou u 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Install JMP3 Install C23 1 uF capacitor Install R16 47K yellow violet orange Install R17 10K brown black orange Install R15 47K yellow violet orange Install C22 47 uF observe polarity Install JMP5 Install JMP4 Install R24 47K yellow violet orange Install C25 4 7 to 10 pF electrolytic Make sure polarity is correct Install R20 47K yellow violet orange Install JMP6 This is the LAST jumper wire Install C18 100 to 220 uF electrolytic Observe polarity Install R19 100K brown black yellow Install R18 1K brown black red Install D3 type 1N4148 Observe orientation of banded end Install C24 0 1 UF Install R22 33K orange orange orange Install R23 10K brown black orange Install R21 47K yellow violet orange
3. FINISHING UP THE LM386 AUDIO AMPLIFIER 76 O 77 Install C26 4 7 to 10 uF electrolytic observe polarity Install the battery snap wires taking care that the red wire goes to the side as shown on the PC board drawings Do not yet connect the battery At this point you now DO have a fully functional AM aviation receiver A test amplifier connected to the side of C26 would demonstrate this to be so if you are interested Otherwise your receiver will be completed with installing just five more components AR1e 15 78 Install C27 100 to 220 uF observe polarity O 79 Install C28 01 uF marked 01 or 103 or 10nf 80 Install U4 the LM386 audio amplifier IC Observe proper orientation of the notched end 0 81 Install C29 100 to 220 pF electrolytic Observe polarity O 82 Install R27 1K ohms brown black red 83 The battery hold down clamp can be secured by looping a component lead wire through the bracket holes and into the PC board Solder the wires on the board and on the clamp Do not use too much solder on the clamp or the battery will not seat fully CONGRATULATIONS If you ve made 235 good soldering connections and have all parts identified and oriented correctly you now own a working AR1C Aviation Band Receiver ready to test adjust and enjoy ANTENNA CONSIDERATIONS An antenna for your AR1C can be as simple as a 21 piece of wire or a fancy roof mounted aviation antenna Most f
4. several styles so pick one which truly looks practical as a project enclosure The most economical metal enclosure nicely suited for Ramsey PC board kits is the Radio Shack 270 2534 This metal utility cabinet can accommodate one or two different receiver boards for example the AR1C plus the SR2 shortwave receiver plus speaker with room for various refinements you might want to add such as a bigger battery pack fine tuning control and so forth AR1 19 MODIFICATIONS No alterations of the basic circuit board by the average user are recommended for the AR1C receiver While many of our ham radio kits invite modifications for different frequency bands or special monitoring needs the AM mode and VHF considerations of the AR1C design are such that it is best to let it serve its intended purpose If you have electronics expertise as well as specialized aviation related applications you may wish to use the AR1C as the foundation for an economical crystal controlled receiver for practical tasks such as e nexpensive monitor for local Unicom or Airport Advisory e Portable ELT frequency monitor e Slave receiver to activate private runway lights or other ground control conveniences Please read the Ramsey Kit Warranty carefully before considering any modifications For some help on crystal oscillator circuits and the Signetics SA602 see Radio Electronics Magazine April 1990 pages 49 52 for an excellent article by Michael A Coving
5. AIRCRAFT BAND RECEIVER KIT Ramsey Electronics Model No AR1C Eavesarop in on the pilots as they trace their way across the sky Fascinating listening for all ages and abilities hears em all from jumbos to pipers This sensitive receiver picks up planes up to 100 miles away Ideal for arm chair pilots student pilots and the real McCoy pilots e Tunes the entire 118 136 MHz Air band Operates on internal 9 volt battery e Listen to control towers centers and planes en route e Very sensitive picks up planes 100 miles away Great project for all pilots and flight students e Clear concise step by step instructions carefully guide you to a finished kit that not only works but you ll learn too e Reviewed in January 1991 Kitplanes magazine e Add our case and knob set for a finished Pro look PARTIAL LIST OF AVAILABLE KITS RAMSEY TRANSMITTER KITS e FM10A FM Stereo Transmitter e FM25 Synthesized FM Stereo Transmitter e AM25 Synthesized AM Transmitter AM1 AM Transmitter RAMSEY RECEIVER KITS e FR1 FM Broadcast Receiver e AA7 Active Antenna e SC1 Shortwave Converter RAMSEY HOBBY KITS e SG7 Personal Speed Radar e SS70 Speech Scrambler e TT1 Telephone Recorder SP1 Speakerphone e MD3 Microwave Motion Detector e PH10 Peak hold Meter e LC1 Inductance Capacitance Meter RAMSEY AMATEUR RADIO KITS e HR Series HF All Mode Receivers e QRP Series HF CW Transmitters e CW7 CW Keyer QRP Power Amplifi
6. ISSIONS If you know of a tall white cone structure at your airport or in the middle of a big farming field it is useful for you to know that these are VHF navigational aids operating in the 118 135 MHz frequency range just below the air ground AR1 e 17 communications range sending a steady signal which may be helpful in initial alignment If you tune in such a signal on your receiver remember that you will have to increase the local oscillator frequency later in order to listen to air traffic communications TUNING THE AR1C With the varactor Tuning Control capable of going across 10 15 MHz and with pilots and controllers talking so briefly you will need to get used to tuning your receiver You ll find that ANY knob gives smoother tuning than the bare control shaft and that a vernier dial will make the procedure even easier but at the expense of being able to check up and down the band quickly which you might like to do if you re tracking the same airplane The AR1C is designed to let you explore the entire communications section of the aviation band If you become really interested only in being able to check a certain frequency such as a nearby FAA control tower or Unicom it will be helpful to mark that spot on a dial template such as is reproduced for your convenience below If you want a fine tuning control see what you think of the results you get from wiring a 25 ohm rheostat as used for speaker attenuation such as R
7. Insert the part oriented or pointed correctly into its holes in the PC board e f helpful gently BEND the part s wire leads or tabs to hold it into place with the body of the part snugly against the top side component side of the circuit board e Solder ALL wires or pins of the part e Trim or nip all excess wire lengths extending beyond each solder connection taking care that wire trimmings do not become lodged in solder connections AR1 e 10 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM AR1 11 ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS o 1 Press S1 firmly into its six holes and solder all six pins The switch fits in the board only one way Be sure the white plastic push button extends out over the edge of the printed circuit board 2 Install J1 the RCA style antenna jack Solder all 4 points The jack presses into the board quite firmly 3 Install J2 the subminiature phone jack Solder all 3 points Be patient and gentle in inserting so as not to damage the soldering tabs 4 Installation of Controls Your kit contains potentiometers for tuning volume and squelch controls These controls are directly mounted to the PC board Insert all three controls R1 R2 and R3 fully in their positions and solder the controls firmly Be sure the mounting tabs are completely soldered for a good mechanical connection ANTENNA INPUT AND PREAMPLIFIER SECTION Qadauaaaaaaaa 5 Install C1 001 pF disc capacitor marked 001 or 102 6 Insta
8. ablish the LO local oscillator frequency at 10 7 Mhz higher than the incoming 118 135 Mhz signals The LO frequency may be tuned across about 15 Mhz by the varactor tuning network formed by D1 and R1 The 10 7 Mhz difference between the LO and the received signal is fed through the 10 7 Mhz ceramic filter FL1 amplified by Q2 and applied to U2 the MC1350 IF amplifier IC with AGC input The 10 7 Mhz IF is peaked by L7 and the AM audio is demodulated by D2 and fed through the four op amps of U3 the LM324 where volume control AGC output audio filtering and squelch functions are managed The LM386 U4 audio output is quite low in background noise and is capable of driving simple communications speakers to excellent volume levels PARTS LAYOUT DIAGRAM M Gal Lu SR Yr S AIRCRAFT RECEIVER MODEL AR 1 o RS G i Li o b PARTS LIST CAPACITORS 3 9 pF ceramic capacitor C3 C5 10 pF ceramic capacitor C11 27 pF ceramic capacitor C12 C14 82 pF ceramic capacitor C2 C4 C6 001 uF disc capacitor marked 001 or 102 C1 7 8 13 16 01 uF disc capacitor marked 01 or 103 or 10nf C9 17 19 20 28 30 1 pF disc capacitor marked 1 or 104 C23 C24 47 uF electrolytic capacitor C22 4 7 to 10 pF electrolytic capacitor C10 15 21 25 26 31 100 to 220 uF electrolytic capacitor C18 27 29 XED RESISTORS 270 ohm red violet brown R6 R28 1K ohm brown black red R5 7 11 18 25 27
9. adio Shack 271 265 in series with the R1 tuning control There are other ways of changing the tuning characteristics of the AR10C which will be familiar to radio hams and electronics experimenters but they are beyond the primary purpose of the receiver design and this instruction manual The sample tuning dial templates below may be copied or adapted to provide a simple logging scale for your receiver AR1e 18 THE RAMSEY ELECTRONICS CASE KNOB amp HARDWARE OPTION Your finished receiver can be installed in a variety of enclosures of your own design and choosing Use of the inexpensive and attractive Ramsey case and knob kit will give your unit that finished look and increase its resale value These sturdy black instrument cases are supplied with neatly lettered front and rear panels knobs rubber feet and mounting screws OTHER ENCLOSURE RECOMMENDATIONS While we believe that the Ramsey enclosure and knob option is a fine value for finishing off the AR1C receiver we re happy to give you a couple of additional suggestions If your first goal is economy and rugged portability you will find that the circuit board can be nicely mounted in a standard VHS videotape storage box which also gives room for a speaker or earphone storage and even a roll of antenna wire The controls are easily mounted at one end of such a box It may be necessary to cut away the molded posts which secure the tape cassette itself These storage boxes come in
10. and The AR1C has been built by folks of all ages and skill levels and in less time than it takes to fly solo 118 135 MHz WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR A basic fact about the VHF Aviation Band which even licensed pilots can overlook or forget is that communications are in the AM mode not FM as in the case of the FM broadcast band immediately below it and the VHF public service and ham bands immediately above it No matter where you live you will be able to receive at least the airborne side of many air traffic communications If you know where to tune you ll hear any aircraft you can see PLUS planes a hundred miles away and more since VHF signals travel line of sight An airliner at 35 000 feet altitude in the next state is still line of sight to your antenna Similarly whatever ground stations you may hear are also determined by this line of sight character of VHF communication If there are no major obstacles between your antenna and an airport tall buildings hills etc you ll be able to hear both sides of many kinds of aviation communication Be prepared for them to be fast and to the point and for the same airplane to move to several different frequencies in the span of a few minutes Here s a brief listing of the most common types of ground services with which pilots communicate Control Tower Ground Control Clearance Delivery ATIS At most metropolitan airports a pilot communicates with the FAA on a AR1e 4 frequ
11. and may be installed either way O 37 Install C16 001 uF marked 001 or 102 O 38 Install R28 270 ohm red violet brown 39 Install R10 1 megohm brown black green 40 Install Q2 2N3904 Observe position of flat side 41 Install R11 1K brown black reg 42 Install C19 and C20 both 01 uF marked 01 or 103 or 10nf O 48 Install U2 MC1350 Be sure that the end with the dot or notch is positioned correctly O 44 Install R25 1K brown black red O 45 Install R26 22K red red orange O 46 Install C17 01 uF marked 01 or 103 or 10nf O 47 Install L7 the shielded 10 7 MHz IF transformer Its pins fit into the PC board only one way Solder all connections O 48 Install C31 4 7 to 10 pF electrolytic observe polarity O 49 Install diode D2 1N270 It is larger in size than the remaining small diode and marked with a black band The banded cathode end must be pointed toward the battery side of the board O 50 Install C30 01 uF marked 01 or 103 or 10nf O 51 Install R12 10K brown black orange At this point you have installed more than half of the PC board components for one of the more complex of all Ramsey kits By wiring the receiver in the order suggested so far you have already constructed a basic working single conversion AM receiver able to tune the aircraft band With an antenna connected R1 installed and DC voltage correctly applied to what has been wired so far
12. e The word heavy means that the plane is a jumbo jet such as 747 DC 10 etc Seneca 432 Lima cleared to outer marker Contact Tower 118 7 The local Approach Control is saying that the Piper Seneca with the N number tail number ending in 432L is cleared to continue flying an instrument approach to the outer marker a precision radio beacon located near the airport and should immediately call the airport radio control tower at 118 7 Mhz This message also implies that the controller does not expect to talk again with that aircraft Cessna 723 squawk 6750 climb and maintain five thousand A controller is telling the Cessna pilot to set the airplane s radar transponder to code 6750 climb to and fly level at an altitude of 5000 feet United 330 traffic at 9 o clock 4 miles altitude unknown The controller alerts United Airlines flight 330 of radar contact with some other aircraft off to the pilot s left at a 9 o clock position Since the unknown plane s altitude is also unknown both controller and pilot realize that it is a smaller private plane not equipped with altitude reporting equipment ELECTRONICS amp FLYING DOING IT BY THE NUMBERS As you settle down to build your AR1C step by step you ll need to do it by the numbers or the receiver won t work As you look at the schematic and step by step directions you see that it s important to recognize parts values and locations by the numbers Be sure to take the t
13. e antenna input L1 L3 and L5 Stretching these out will give you greater sensitivity Once you know you are receiving aircraft or airport transmissions adjust the IF transformer L7 for best reception Typically L7 is adjusted 2 3 turns from the top of the shield can If you don t have any signal reference equipment at home and are not yet hearing airplanes your best bet is to pack up your AR1C and needed tools and head for the nearest airport If there is no control tower don t hesitate to visit a general aviation service center on the airport grounds If you ve never done this before you will probably find it to be a fun and interesting experience Ask which are the most active frequencies and adjust L6 and your front panel Tuning control until you hear the action A ground service operator or private pilot may be willing to give you a brief test transmission on the 122 8 Unicom frequency Remember also that if your airport has ATIS transmissions you can get a steady test signal as soon as you are line of sight with its antenna The AR1C does not produce a loud hiss when no signal is being received unlike an FM receiver or expensive AM receiver this is due to the somewhat limited amount of IF gain Increasing the IF gain would produce a hiss and marginally better sensitivity about a microvolt but also require much more alignment AGC circuitry and builder ability far beyond the intention of this kit VOR OR OMNI TRANSM
14. ency called Clearance Delivery to obtain approval or clearance of the intended flight plan This communication is done before contacting ground control for taxi instructions From the control tower ground movements on ramps and taxiways are handled on the Ground Control frequency while runway and in flight maneuvers near the airport takeoffs local traffic patterns final approaches and landings are on the Control Tower frequency ATIS or Automatic Terminal Information System is a repeated broadcast about basic weather information runways in use and any special information such as closed taxiways or runways Such a broadcast offers an excellent steady signal source for initial adjustment of your receiver if you are close enough to the airport to receive ATIS e Approach Control e Departure Control These air traffic radar controllers coordinate all flight operations in the vicinity of busy metropolitan airport areas e ATC Center When you hear a pilot talking with Jacksonville Center or Indianapolis Center you know the aircraft is really enroute on a flight rather than just leaving or just approaching a destination A pilot will be in touch with several different Regional Centers during a cross country flight e Unicom Airports without control towers rely on the local Unicom frequency dedicated only to advisory communications between pilots and ground personnel such as fuel service operators The people on the g
15. ers RAMSEY MINI KITS Many other kits are available for hobby school scouts and just plain FUN New kits are always under development Write or call for our free Ramsey catalog AR1C AIRCRAFT BAND RECEIVER KIT INSTRUCTION MANUAL Ramsey Electronics publication No MAR1 Revision C1 First printing October 1994 COPYRIGHT 1994 by Ramsey Electronics Inc 590 Fishers Station Drive Victor New York 14564 All rights reserved No portion of this publication may be copied or duplicated without the written permission of Ramsey Electronics Inc Printed in the United States of America Ramsey Publication No MAR1 Manual Price Only 5 00 KIT ASSEMBLY AND INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR AR1C AIRCRAFT BAND RECEIVER KIT TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to the 4 What You Can Expect To Hear 4 Those Fast Talking Pilots and Controllers 5 Electronics and 6 Circuit Description 8 Parts Layout 8 Parts sect 9 Schematic Diagram eene 11 Assembly Instructions eese 12 Antenna Considerations esses 16 Alignment and Adjustment 17 VOR or OMNI Transmissions 17 Tunin
16. g the AR1C eene 18 Enclosure Recommendations 19 8 20 Troubleshooting eene 20 RAMSEY ELECTRONICS INC 590 Fishers Station Drive Victor New York 14564 Phone 585 924 4560 IT1S2 Fax 585 924 4555 www ramseykits com AR1 e 3 NW P d cl INTRODUCTION TO THE AR1C AVIATION RECEIVER KIT The Ramsey AR1C Aviation Receiver is characterized by exceptional sensitivity image rejection signal to noise ratio and stability all at economical Ramsey Kit pricing It is designed for casual listening in both ground and air communication for both commercial airlines and general aviation If you build and adjust the AR1C correctly it will give you years of easy sky monitoring enjoyment Even without using the squelch you will find it to have much less background noise than many units costing much more money This kit project is especially good for people with an interest in learning more about both Aviation and Electronics We consider it easy to build but it is definitely not a simple short evening project like many of our other kits If your first interest is airplanes and you re just getting into electronics please study this manual completely before starting out The once over will temper the jump in enthusiasm and help you understand the task at h
17. ime to do the job right A peek at the sample FAA instrument approach chart for medium large airports shows that pilots deal with many vitally important numbers and must do so quickly Among the numbers on that chart can you find the air ground communications frequencies which can be heard on the AR1C receiver Can you find frequencies for uses other than communications AR1 6 VOR DME RWY 2L NASHVILLE APP CON 1306 3880 NASHVILLE TOWER 191 2578 GND CON 121 9 257 8 CLNC DEL 126 05 ASR PA ATIS 120 0 1 6 GHM Chan 53 Remain within 10 NM 29 2700 CAUTION Brightly lighted buildi v lieu Cat viibi VOR DME RWY 2L NASHVILLE METROPOLITAN BNA AL 282 FAA NASHVILLE TENNESSEE y ua e TANDS PE des BNA 25 DME LIVINGSTON en E G 8267 D 108 4 ivt Chon 21 A A 2049 1216 2700 QUE 201 4 5 9 IAF 5 A BNA 4 5 DMB 9501 act BNA 4 5 DME AF JOVAL BNA 15 DME SHELBYVILLE 109 0 SYI p Chan 27 BNA 4 MISSED APPROACH Climb to 3000 via BNA VORTAC R 011 to Tonds int and hold BNA 3 DME 1160 2 561 600 2 rt of ALS 2L becomes 6000 RVR 36 08 N 86 41 W AR1 e 7 CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION The antenna is coupled through C1 to a three section tuned LC filter input network 118 135 Mhz signals are amplified by VHF transistor Q1 and fed to the input of U1 the SA602 mixer oscillator L6 and its associated capacitor network est
18. l Diagonal Cutters RTSO4 ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED ITEMS Hate Hands Holder for PC Board Parts HH3 e Technician s Tool Kit TK405 e Desoldering Braid RTSO8 Manual Price Only 5 00 Ramsey Publication No MAR1 Assembly and Instruction manual for TOTAL SOLDER POINTS 235 ESTIMATED ASSEMBLY TIME Beginner 6 0 hrs Intermediate 4 0 hrs Advanced 3 0 hrs RAMSEY MODEL NO AR1C AIRCRAFT BAND RECEIVER KIT Yon ramsey RAMSEY ELECTRONICS INC 590 Fishers Station Drive Victor New York 14564 Phone 585 924 4560 Fax 585 924 4555 www ramseykits com
19. ll C2 82pF 7 Install L1 the small pre wound 2 turn coil Gently stretch the coil just enough so that the two ends fit firmly into the PC board holes Solder both ends securely 8 Install L2 33 uH inductor orange orange silver dots or bands 9 Install C3 3 9 pF 10 Install C4 82 pF 11 Install L3 2 turn pre wound coil 12 Install L4 the other 33 uH inductor 13 Install C5 3 9 pF 14 Install C6 82 pF 15 Install L5 2 turn pre wound coil 16 Install C7 001 uF marked 001 or 102 17 Clearly identify Q1 the 2SC2498 or 2570A transistor Do not confuse it with the other transistor supplied 2N3904 Position Q1 as shown on the Parts Layout Diagram Press Q1 snugly into its holes so that only a minimum amount of wire lead is exposed above the board In soldering do not be afraid to use enough heat to make good connections AR1 12 nann 18 Install R4 47K yellow violet orange 19 Install C8 001 uF marked 001 or 102 20 Install R5 1K ohms brown black red 21 Install R6 270 ohms red violet brown SA602 LOCAL OSCILLATOR MIXER SECTION Qaadaaaaaaus u 22 Install C9 01 uF marked 01 or 103 23 In installing the SA602 IC you may think to use an 8 pin DIP socket rather than soldering directly to the PC board However please be aware that we have seen more service problems due to improper socket installation than from soldering heat damage to ICs We recommend that a
20. olks near an airport will get plenty of in the air action from the wire but if you re more than a few miles away a decent roof mount job is the way to go Radio Shack sells an ideal antenna designed for scanners which covers the aircraft band nicely cost is around 30 A low cost TV antenna works well even better if rotated 90 degrees remember aircraft antennas are vertically polarized If you really want to learn and experiment check out Radio Shack s book on antennas No 62 1083 If you ve enjoyed building this kit there s lots more ready for you in the Ramsey catalog call or write for your copy today AR1e 16 ALIGNMENT AND ADJUSTMENT Alignment of the AR1C receiver consists of simply adjusting L6 for the desired tuning range and peaking the IF transformer L7 If you are using a signal generator frequency counter or other VHF receiver for calibration remember that you want to set the local oscillator frequency 10 7 MHz higher than the desired signal or range to be received Adjustment of the L6 oscillator coil MUST be made with a non metallic alignment tool The use of a metal tool of any kind will detune the coil drastically making alignment almost impossible Also if you re receiving FM broadcast stations you have the slug tuned too far down in the coil form Turn it until it is higher in the form and try again One other thing that you can do to improve the operation of your kit is to spread out the three 2 turn coils at th
21. reliability levels and its sad to say that our human construction skills have not But on rare occasion a sour component can slip through All our kit parts carry the Ramsey Electronics Warranty that they are free from defects for a full ninety 90 days from the date of purchase Defective parts will be replaced promptly at our expense If you suspect any part to be defective please mail it to our factory for testing and replacement Please send only the defective part s not the entire kit The part s MUST be returned to us in suitable condition for testing Please be aware that testing can usually determine if the part was truly defective or damaged by assembly or usage Don t be afraid of telling us that you blew it we re all human and in most cases replacement parts are very reasonably priced 2 MISSING PARTS Before assuming a part value is incorrect check the parts listing carefully to see if itis a critical value such as a specific coil or IC or whether a RANGE of values is suitable such as 100 to 500 uF Often times common sense will solve a mysterious missing part problem If you re missing five 10K ohm resistors and received five extra 1K resistors you can pretty much be assured that the 1K ohm resistors are actually the missing 10 K parts Hum m m guess the red band really does look orange Ramsey Electronics project kits are packed with pride in the USA If you believe we packed an incorrect part or omitted a part clea
22. rly indicated in your assembly manual as supplied with the basic kit by Ramsey please write or call us with information on the part you need and proof of kit purchase 3 FACTORY REPAIR OF ASSEMBLED KITS To qualify for Ramsey Electronics factory repair kits MUST 1 NOT be assembled with acid core solder or flux 2 NOT be modified in any manner 3 BE returned in fully assembled form not partially assembled 4 BE accompanied by the proper repair fee No repair will be undertaken until we have received the MINIMUM repair fee 1 2 hour labor of 25 00 or authorization to charge it to your credit card account 5 INCLUDE a description of the problem and legible return address DO NOT send a separate letter include all correspondence with the unit Please do not include your own hardware such as non Ramsey cabinets knobs cables external battery packs and the like Ramsey Electronics Inc reserves the right to refuse repair on ANY item in which we find excessive problems or damage due to construction methods To assist customers in such situations Ramsey Electronics Inc reserves the right to solve their needs on a case by case basis The repair is 50 00 per hour regardless of the cost of the kit Please understand that our technicians are not volunteers and that set up testing diagnosis repair and repacking and paperwork can take nearly an hour of paid employee time on even a simple kit Of course if we find that a part was defec
23. round can advise the pilot on the status of incoming or outgoing aircraft but the pilot remains responsible for landing and takeoff decisions Typical Unicom frequencies are 122 8 and 123 0 Mhz e FAA Flight Service Stations FSS The FAA s network of Flight Service Stations keeps track of flight plans provides weather briefings and other services to pilots Some advisory radio communication takes place between pilots and a regional FSS If there is an FSS in your local area but no airport control towers the FSS radio frequency will stay interesting 9 5 THOSE FAST TALKING PILOTS AND CONTROLLERS We don t want you to blame the Ramsey AR1C if all you hear are short bursts of words that don t make a lot of sense to you Aviation communication is brief but it is clear and full of meaning Usually pilots repeat back exactly what they hear from a controller so that both know that the message or instructions were correctly interpreted If you are listening in it is hard to track everything said from a cockpit particularly in big city areas Just to taxi take off and fly a few miles a pilot may talk with 6 or 8 different air traffic control operations all on different frequencies all within a few minutes Here are the meanings of a few typical communications Miami Center Delta 545 Heavy out of three zero for two five Delta Flight 545 acknowledges Miami Center s clearance to descend from 30 000 feet to 25 000 feet altitud
24. socket not be used Be SURE to orient the IC correctly with the band or notch pointed as shown on the Parts Layout Diagram Install U1 SA602 24 Install C10 8 4 7 to 10 pF electrolytic capacitor the first of 9 such polarized capacitors used in the AR1C Electrolytic capacitors are usually marked with a stripe along one edge indicating the negative lead while PC boards generally point out the positive hole Consult the Parts Layout Diagram and orient the capacitor correctly 25 Install C11 10 pF marked 10 or 10K 26 Install C12 27 pF marked 27 or 27K 27 Install R8 10K brown black orange 28 Install C13 001 uF marked 001 or 102 29 Install R7 1K brown black red 30 Install C15 4 7 to 10 uF electrolytic observing correct polarity 31 Install R9 47K yellow violet orange 32 Install jumper wire JMP1 Jumper wires act as electronic bridges allowing signals to pass over circuit board traces Use a piece of scrap component wire from a previously installed part bend it into a small U shape and insert it as you would a component 33 Install L6 This coil must be seated firmly against the PC board Mechanical rigidity is important for the stability of the oscillator 34 Install D1 BB505 varactor diode marked BB505 Install it with the banded end cathode pointed towards C14 35 Install C14 27 pF AR1 9 13 36 Install FL1 the 10 7 MHz ceramic filter It has three wire leads
25. t you will enjoy the use of this Ramsey product As always we have tried to compose our manual in the easiest most user friendly format that is possible As our customers we value your opinions comments and additions that you would like to see in future publications Please submit comments or ideas to Ramsey Electronics Inc Attn Hobby Kit Department 590 Fishers Station Drive Victor NY 14564 And once again thanks from the folks at Ramsey AR1 21 AR1 22 The Ramsey Kit Warranty Please read carefully BEFORE calling or writing in about your kit Most problems can be solved without contacting the factory Notice that this is not a fine print warranty We want you to understand your rights and ours too All Ramsey kits will work if assembled properly The very fact that your kit includes this new manual is your assurance that a team of knowledgeable people have field tested several copies of this kit straight from the Ramsey Inventory If you need help please read through your manual carefully all information required to properly build and test your kit is contained within the pages 1 DEFECTIVE PARTS It s always easy to blame a part for a problem in your kit however customer satisfaction is our goal so in the event that you do have a problem take note of the following Before you conclude that a part may be bad thoroughly check your work Today s semiconductors and passive components have reached incredibly high
26. tive in manufacture there will be no charge to repair your kit But please realize that our technicians know the difference between a defective part and parts burned out or damaged through improper use or assembly 4 REFUNDS You are given ten 10 days to examine our products If you are not satisfied you may return your unassembled kit with all the parts and instructions and proof of purchase to the factory for a full refund The return package should be packed securely Insurance is recommended Please do not cause needless delays read all information carefully AR1 23 Aircraft Band ReceiverQuick Reference Page Guide Introduction to the AR1C 4 What You Can Expect To Hear 4 Circuit Description 8 Parts Layout 8 Parts Est ne e i ae 9 Schematic 8 11 Assembly Instructions 12 Antenna Considerations 16 Alignment and Adjustment 17 VOR or OMNI Transmissions 17 Tuning the 18 66 20 REQUIRED TOOLS e Soldering Iron WLC100 e Thin Rosin Core Solder RTS12 9 Needle Nose Pliers MPP4 or RTS05 e Smal
27. ton TROUBLESHOOTING SUGGESTIONS 1 If the receiver does not work at all check the obvious things first and carefully battery wire polarity soldering of battery wires and switch connections to speaker jack Also be sure that you correctly installed ALL the jumper wires 2 If the operation is erratic a solder connection is usually the culprit or there s a break in your antenna or speaker wire 3 To solve other problems it is necessary to recheck your work with special attention to the following O Correct direction for notched or dotted end of all ICs O Correct direction for flat side of both transistors O Correct direction for banded end of diodes O Correct direction for side of all electrolytic capacitors C Correct values for C11 C12 in SA602 oscillator circuit If rechecking the above critical details has not solved your problem then carefully check every part value in the step by step assembly An incorrectly installed resistor or capacitor is easy to overlook sometimes checking your work backwards will make the error more obvious 20 4 Operation of the local oscillator can be verified with a simple VHF receiver or frequency counter Remember that it is supposed to be set to a frequency 10 7 MHz above the desired listening range If the oscillator works only a defective or incorrectly installed part can prevent the rest of the receiver circuit from functioning CONCLUSION We sincerely hope tha
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search