Was 70 here yesterday and 50 here today but temps are dropping.
I want to expand on this thread a bit more and add more modifications to the Icom radio.
The IC-745 is called a ALL MODE radio by ICOM. But they did not include AM transmit.
This week end I have started looking at the AM transmit mod listed by Paul N2FAN in 2003.
This was done on a word processor of the day and can be a bit confusing to the untrained eye.
I am working on a modern version of the mod. Will take me a while to get this done, installed, and tested.
It really is not a lot of work to do the mod. I am attaching the documentation here. along with the original link in case it vanishes from the internet.
http://n2fan.org/ic-745.htmlHere is the original text:
14 Jan 2003 @ 20:07:31 UTC
Subject: ICOM IC-745 extend xmit
Submitted to QRZ.COM on 06-1999 7 years, better late then never!
73 Paul N2FAN (n2fan@glensummit.com)
REVISIONS:
---------------
** Updates and Fixes Submitted 05/2000 **
Info: Some miss labeling and updates.
** Schematic Scan and Labeling 05/2000 **
PJH 5/2000
=========================================================================
----- MODIFY FORUM appended at 23:17:57 on 92/04/27 GMT (by PAULH at POKADD6) -
Subject: /********* AM TRANSMITTER ENABLE FOR THE ICOM IC-745 **********/
Intro:
After returning home from purchasing a used (but in good condition)ICOM IC-745, initial check out revealed the transmitter did not function in AM transmit mode. A look and the owners manual revealed: "AM Receive Only" What!!!??? This is supposed to be an ALL MODE RADIO!
In reality the words used were..."ALL BAND HF RADIO"
After analyzing this perplex situation I came to the conclusion ICOM must have been doing their part in trying to save precious spectral bandwidth by not incorporating AM transmit in this particular model.
No one really utilizes AM mode these days (including myself) but this radio has every mode ever conceived and to leave AM transmit out really aggravated me!
Below is the Mod of Mods for IC-745 owners:
(All Modifications administered to the "MAIN UNIT" board located under the top cover of the radio.)(Except for R21 Removal on the logic board for the Power Mod.)
Parts list: ------------
8 pin diodes. Factory Diodes are P/N 1SS53. 1N914's are fine.
3 10k resistors 1/4 watt.
1 NPN TO-92 pkg. switching TX, 2N3904 or equivalent is fine.
Source Voltage Terminology and Locations:
-----------------------------------------
R8 = 8 Volt Receive Mode Source
AM8 = 8 Volt AM Mode Source
FM8 = 8 Volt FM Mode Source
CW8 = 8 Volt CW Mode Source
RY8 = 8 Volt RTTY Mode Source
USB8 = 8 Volt USB Mode Source
LSB8 = 8 Volt LSB Mode Source
______________________
| |
"J7" Pin #1 | O O O O O O O O O O | Pin #10
Main Board |_____________________|
| | | | | | | | | |
--- --- | | --- ---
A R U L C F
M Y S S W M
8 8 B B 8 8
8 8
-----------
"J21" Pin #1 | O O O O | Pin #4
Main Board -----------
| | | |
-------
R8
/***************************** THE MOD *********************************/
1) Pull up the anode end of Diode D44. (located by TX Q39)
Build the additional circuit below. This will enable the B+ to the
product detector and 9 Mhz BFO oscillator.
The 9Mhz osc will now be working for AM transmit as well as BFO Rec.
C
o to AM8 (Where the Anode of D44 was)
\
\| B 10K 1N914
|------\/\/\/\/-----|<-----o to R8
/|
to R239 o----|<----/ 2N3904 or Equivalent
D44 E
2) Remove R66. (Located by TX Q13)
Relocate and solder one end of R66 to the bottom of the board.
(The end that goes to R23 and R30)
(The schematic shows a "BREAK" in the land. By removing the
resistor from the PC board this simulates the break.)
Solder two 1N914's to the other end of R66. (Cathode ends of course)
Note: All pin assemblies will be connected on the underside of the Main
Unit PC board.
This is part of the Mode selection process, and turns off the
mike shunt in AM mode. (So audio can pass to the Balanced Modulator.)
to R23 & R30 o-----\/\/\/--:----|<----o Anode to CW8
|
R66 :~---|<----o Anode to RY8
10K pair 1N914's (add)
3) Solder one 1N914 diode (Cathode end) to the cathode connection of D15
(by TX Q19) under the board. Connect the anode to AM8.
This will enable the B+ to the Mic Amp stages and VOX ckts.
to R31 (10K)
^
|
|
___
break
___
| D15
|------------|<----------------o Goes to 8 Volt LSB Source
|------------|<----------------o Connect to AM8 Source
|
| 1N914 (add)
to R100 (100 Ohms)
4) Remove R31 (Located by TX Q8)Relocate and solder one end of R31 to the bottom of the board. (The end that goes to R30 and the base of Q8)
(The schematic shows a "BREAK" in the land. By removing the resistor from the PC board this simulates the break.)
Solder Three 1N914's to the other end of R31. (Cathode ends)
Tie the Anode ends to LSB8, USB8, FM8.
Function: This portion of the mod will turn Q8 off in the AM mode to unbalance the balanced Modulator (IC1) for AM full carrier operation.
C
o 3 1N914's (add)
\
(Q8) \| B R31 |--|<-----o to LSB8
Bal/^Bal |---------\/\/\/\/--|--|<-----o to USB8
switch /| | | |--|<-----o to FM8
for / | |
IC1 o \ \
E / /
R29 \ \ R30
/ /
| | R's=10K's
___ |
_ o
5) Remove R24 (Located by TX Q7, "Mike Shunt Ckt")
Solder a 1N914 Diode (Cathode end) into one of the pc holes that R24 came out of. (The one end that connects to R65 by Xtal X1.)
Tie the anode to AM8.
This will enable the 9 Mhz CW xtal to generate the correct center
frequency for AM.
--
o-||||--->|-o
-- |
X1 \
/
R64 \ 1N914 (add)
10K / R65
|-----\/\/\/\--------------|<------o AM8
___ 220 |
C44 ___ ---|<---o to CW8
47pf |
--- D13
-
6) AM Power Level Adjust (optional)Due to the duty cycle requirements of AM, output power of 40/50 Watts RMS should be the limit. Use the Front panel RF adj to reduce the output from 100 Watts or do the following:
A) Connect a small 22 gauge (or so) wire from AM8 to the anode of
Diode D26 by TX Q20. Add a series 10K resistor.
AM8 o------\/\/\/\-------------------- o-->|-----o to Q20
10K | D26
|__________________________| o
Add this o S1
|
B) Set the 50/100 Watt power switch (S1) in the 100 Watt
Position if you desire 100 watt operation of SSB,CW,RTTY.
C) Adjust R116 (in AM xmit mode) for a power output of 40 Watts RMS.
D) What were doing here is using the 50 Watt low power ckt as the AM
power adjustment control.
Paralleling another connection to FM8 will allow FM to be reduced in
similar fashion (as well as AM) instead of the factory 100% duty
cycle.
FM8 o---->|-------/\/\/\/----o
1N914 | 10K |
AM8 o---->|------- o-->|-----o to Q20
1N914 | D26
o
o S1
|
Note: When 10 Meters is selected port 28M (pin 47,IC3 on the logic
unit) goes high, this turns on pin diode D27 on the main unit.
This ultimately turns on the 50 watt (low Power) ckt allowing only
low power operation from 28-30 Mhz?
I don't know why Icom did this? My guess is for 10 Meter FM
overlooking the fact SSB/CW will be running reduced also.
You may want to remove R21 (10K) on the logic board to remedy this
situation. After R21 is removed you can limit the duty cycle on
AM & FM as follows:
FM8 o----\/\/\/\----->|----
10K | D27 |
| |
AM8 o----\/\/\/\----->|-------o to Q20
10K | D26
|
o
o S1
|
Low power Adjustment R116 will now adjust output power for FM as well
as AM.
OPERATION/CONCLUSION
---------------------
The above AM/FM power mod is recommended. Higher power levels
(Greater then 70/80 Watts RMS) result in severe distortion of
the AM output signal.
Surprisingly the audio quality is quite good on AM xmit. (40/50 Watts)
Several on the air discerning ears concluded the fidelity was quite
acceptable. (Even from the Johnson Viking Guys on 3.880 (+-))
For you skeptics wondering how an AM signal can sound acceptable
through a 3Khz wide 455Khz SSB filter....................
![Huh? ???](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/huh.gif)
A quick turn to the schematic on the IF board depicts filter F-I1.
(Ceramic filter CFW-455IT) This filter is a 6Khz wide ceramic filter
used for AM receive mode. After the completion of the Mod this filter
will be used for AM xmit also, by default! >>> It's in there!! <<<
(Wasn't that a commercial once?)
Filter F-I2 (ceramic Filter CFT-455K14) or the optional FL-44A
(SSB filter) is in operation for all other modes except FM.
The optional FM board employs it's own filter arrangement.
That's it. Your all mode radio is now all mode!
73 Paul N2FAN
*05/2000
I have scanned the Main Board and Logic Board to depict the electrical
changes made to the circuits. I tried to nicely re-label all the changes
using VISIO technical, but I ran into some offset problems.
The hand written changes will have to do for now until I can get Visio to
work right.
If you have any questions about this Mod feel free to ask via e-mail
only (I'm hard to get a hold of) e-mail = n2fan@glensummit.com
This is not an easy cut the wire mod, you will need to have some good
electronic technician skills. PhD's forget it! ......
This Mod works, I still have my IC-745 after 8 years!
73 and Good Luck!