Modifying an Intek MT-5050
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diamond lil
- Posts: 10326
- Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:42 pm
- Location: Scotland.
Re: Modifying an Intek MT-5050
The only radio I have any experience with is AM CB and SSB and that was a long time back. Will having hills all around me affect this one?
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Invisible
Re: Modifying an Intek MT-5050
Usable range is hard to predict, because there are far too many unknown factors and variables in play. There's a good intro to it here:
https://www.intercomsonline.com/Articles.asp?ID=308
These mods won't help much if you're stuck in a valley. SSB is the way to go there, on the HF bands.
Most manufacturer's will advertise a range based on being in clear sight of each other, 'line of sight' range. That's fine if you are both stood on big hilltops, not in a city or a valley.
Some facts:
1. Increasing the transmitted power by 2x (also called a 3dB increase), increases the range (line of sight) by 1.4x. Every doubling of power gives a 40% increase in range.
2. Increasing the gain of the aerial by 2x also increases the range by 1.4x, but it also increases the reception of signals by 1.4x. Also, that doesn't use any extra battery capacity, unlike upping the transmit power.
So, for the mods I've just done: I've upped the power from 500mW to 4W. That's 8x, or three lots of 2x (2x2x2=8). So, I've increased potential range by 1.4^3 = 2.8.
Also, the bigger aerial will increase the range. Intek don't bother to tell us the gain of their aerials, but lets guess at 3dB for the smaller one and 6dB for the longer one (it's twice the length). That's a 1.4x increase in both transmit and receive range for the shorter one, and nearly a 2x increase for the larger one.
With the longer aerial then, plus the increased power, between two similarly modified Intek's the range has increased 5.6 times from what it was.
https://www.intercomsonline.com/Articles.asp?ID=308
These mods won't help much if you're stuck in a valley. SSB is the way to go there, on the HF bands.
Most manufacturer's will advertise a range based on being in clear sight of each other, 'line of sight' range. That's fine if you are both stood on big hilltops, not in a city or a valley.
Some facts:
1. Increasing the transmitted power by 2x (also called a 3dB increase), increases the range (line of sight) by 1.4x. Every doubling of power gives a 40% increase in range.
2. Increasing the gain of the aerial by 2x also increases the range by 1.4x, but it also increases the reception of signals by 1.4x. Also, that doesn't use any extra battery capacity, unlike upping the transmit power.
So, for the mods I've just done: I've upped the power from 500mW to 4W. That's 8x, or three lots of 2x (2x2x2=8). So, I've increased potential range by 1.4^3 = 2.8.
Also, the bigger aerial will increase the range. Intek don't bother to tell us the gain of their aerials, but lets guess at 3dB for the smaller one and 6dB for the longer one (it's twice the length). That's a 1.4x increase in both transmit and receive range for the shorter one, and nearly a 2x increase for the larger one.
With the longer aerial then, plus the increased power, between two similarly modified Intek's the range has increased 5.6 times from what it was.
Last edited by Invisible on Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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diamond lil
- Posts: 10326
- Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:42 pm
- Location: Scotland.
Re: Modifying an Intek MT-5050
Ah ok ty. I'm on a hillside but there is higher ground on 3 sides of me. Plus empty space for a long way all round.
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Count
Re: Modifying an Intek MT-5050
I ask somewhat ex post, but still - after modification of the MT-5050 (increasing output on 4W) - can not cause overheating and burning the terminal transistor NE5510279A? Will withstand the load?
Thanks for the information!
Thanks for the information!