Receiver Controls And Connections - Ten-Tec 1253 Assembly And Instruction Manual

Receiver Controls
and Connections
Most of the control functions are obvious. However, it is
especially important to understand the correct use of the RF Gain
and Regeneration controls and the one internal trimmer
adjustment of the receiver set in Phase 7.0.
Bandswitch Button
This switch advances to the next band up each time it is
pressed, as indicated by the corresponding LED. When the
receiver is first turned on, it is typical for the LED for Band 1 to
light. If power is turned off or lost for a few seconds, the band
which was in use generally comes back on (depending on how
quickly C32 discharges).
RF Gain Control (R1)
Maximum gain is NOT always best. You will find in practice that
adjusting this control as needed will greatly affect reception
clarity. Maximum gain is clockwise. A good normal setting is
3/4 of its full rotation. If you are using a marginal antenna (5 to
10 feet of wire indoors), keep R1 at its maximum setting. If you
are using a very good antenna (a long, high outdoor wire or ham
antenna), adjust RF gain for best reception. Less is often better,
because the regenerative detector is extremely sensitive and can
be overloaded by strong signals to the extent that the RF gain
control behaves more like a regeneration or tuning control. A
good practice is to turn R1 back to the point where it stops
changing the receiving frequency.
Regeneration Control (R5)
Because understanding and controlling regeneration is at the
heart of your receiver's performance, we've provided a separate
section on its use. In brief, it controls receiver sensitivity and
adjusts between AM broadcasts and CW-SSB.
Main Tuning (R20) and Logging Scale
The Main Tuning control, a 10K potentiometer (R20), varies the
voltage applied to the MV209 varactor. The "logging scale"
imprinted on the front panel helps you keep notes on where on
the dial you find stations of interest (see sample logging sheet in
this manual). As you become used to this classic method of
receiver tuning, it becomes second nature, and you'll find your
favorite stations or bands easily.
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