SC-1
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INTRODUCTION
The Ramsey SC1 Shortwave Converter is perhaps one of the most
enjoyable, versatile and interesting radio kits you could ever build. And, since
it is exceptionally easy to build and use, it is a great kit for beginners.
Ramsey Electronics designed the SC1 especially for use with car radios. Its
flexible and practical features make it ideal for this kind of use and the
manual will explain why this is so. The other "ideal" receiver with which to
use the SC1 is a good quality AM-FM home stereo system. In fact, an SC1
converter has put fresh life into the stereo system in my own office. Even
though I've enjoyed a variety of shortwave and Ham receivers over the years,
there's nothing quite like smoothly tuning the BBC, Radio Moscow, VOA or
Paris on a quality stereo tuner and hearing it all as a big sound through high-
power speakers! And you’ll have so much control over sound quality with
bass, treble, equalizing, etc.
QUESTION: What exactly is a "shortwave converter"?
ANSWER: Any receiver converter is a device which "force feeds" signals
from another frequency band into the antenna input line of a normally
complete, functioning receiver. Virtually any receiver can be converted to
receive other bands in this manner. The receiver functions as a tuneable "IF"
and its good circuit qualities carry over to the newly received frequency band
of interest. If a radio is considered to be a double conversion superhet, the
addition of a converter makes it a triple conversion superhet. Both car radios
and quality home stereos are ideal for shortwave conversion because of
their:
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excellent sensitivity
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sophisticated superhet, hi-fi receiver circuitry
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smooth, accurate dial tuning
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design for use with an external antenna
A car radio is designed to endure many bumps and engine noise. A home
stereo receiver or tuner is designed for maximum sound quality in AM-band
reception. Both are designed to be the best AM receiver circuits possible.
And since both rely on an external antenna, both are ready to use the SC1
Shortwave Converter!
A receiver designed for an external antenna is preferred for converter
operation over the typical portable or table radio with built-in antenna, since
you don't have to do anything within the radio itself for best shortwave band
performance. The SC1 may be used with a portable or table AM-band radio,
but you can expect a need for some internal connections to make sure that
the SC1 output "gets ahead" of the radio's built-in antenna. In these days
