N4YG Integrated DDS System Kit $89.99

One would never know from this image that this Corsair II has been modified, but one turn of the main tuning knob and you know something very good has happened. The feel of the knob as it rotates is so silky smooth and effortless. Not only is the feel smooth, but the tone of the audio is equally smooth and the stability is just outstanding. Touch the SPOT button and something very different from normal operation occurs, a new frequency immediately appears. Touch it again and the original frequency is back. These are the two VFOs, A and B. Rotate the OFFSET knob. If feels the same because it is the same potentiometer, but the range is greater and it tunes precisely and smoothly because it tunes digitally. These might be the first things you would notice if you were to encounter this Corsair II for the first time.

Click here for a short video demonstration of the Corsair II DDS in operation .
.
Click here for a short video demonstration of the OMNI D DDS in operation .

. A look inside would reveal one big change. The old PTO, which in this particular unit had been rebuilt several times, is missing and in its place is a 3 by 3 inch PC board which is the primary component of the N4YG DDS system. The hole through which the PTO shaft once passed through the front panel is now occupied by what looks like a potentiometer. This is an optical incremental encoder which is the means by which the DDS system is tuned. Cabling from the PC board connects to various points within the Corsair II, including to the same 8 volts source which powered the PTO. That is just a glimpse of how easily the installation of the DDS system in the Corsair II is to accomplish. The features provided by replacing the PTO in the Corsair II or any Ten Tec transceiver with N4YG DDS system are:

- Dual VFOs

- Outstanding Stability

- Split Operation

- No Moving Parts (Other than the incremental encoder)

- No Change in External Appearance

- Installation in a Few Hours

- Receiver Incremental Tuning +/- 1.5 KHz

- Variable Tuning Rate for Fine Tuning and Easy QSY

- Operation from the same 8 Volt Supply Which Powered the PTO

- Use of Existing LEDs to Indicate VFO A or B and SPLIT Operation

- Use of Existing Digital Frequency Display

The simple steps are:

Remove the PTO and Install the Incremental Encoder

Mount DDS Board in Area Vacated by the PTO and Connect Cables

Here are some shots of an OMNI C installation by Jack Emery, KA1GM. Jack did this installation using the Corsair II installation instructions.

Scott Sheppard, VA3IED, was the first to install the N4YG DDS board in the Argosy. Scott did this installation using the Corsair II installation instructions. He used a counter/display which was obtained from QRP kits. Another example of excellent work which you can benefit from.