I'd like to recommend a simple device that I built 8 or 9 years ago that has been my most useful piece of peripheral equipment. Its three switches and four audio output ports (RCA or 1/8" phone jacks) mounted in a small box. What this simple circuit does is take two monaural audio inputs and puts either signal in both sides of a pair of stereo headphones, or it puts one of them in each phone simultaneously. The device will also, simultaneously but separately, put either signal out to an outboard speaker, if the input will drive a speaker. That is it! Sounds simple, but it is a wonderfully useful device. Basically, you can listen to one radio at a time, in both ears and switch to the other radio instantly.... or you can listen to both radios, one in each ear.... and even swap them left-for-right.
I did not design this circuit, but discovered it in a Scandinavian DX publication from the 80s. I modified the circuit some, built several samples and have been happy as a clam ever since. I cannot live without this device doing Trans-oceanic DXing.... checking for parallels, watching two stations at a time, DXing on one receiver while recording on the other, etc. The other use that I have found for the device is comparing the performance of two different radios. When we go on one of the GRayland DXpeditions and there is a new radio present, its fairly common to take an audio feed from the new rocket and compare it closely to my own current favorite. I've never found a more accurate way to compare the realworld DXing performance of two radios. I wrote an article on the design of this audio circuit in 2000, with pictures that was published widelyand I'm sure it is in the IRCA reprints. Its also right down at the bottom of the dxing.info equipment page http://www.dxing.info/equipment/ I'd strongly suggest that you buy the stoutest switches you can get, because you'll be flipping them a lot, once you get used to this beauty. My cost, even so, was under $20 and that included a 1"x2"x4" cast aluminium Bud box. Construction time was one afternoon or less. Personally, I'm gonna be UltraDXing with my Eton e1 in one ear and the Ultra in the other! Give this thing a shot.... you'll not be sorry! John B. Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Rcvrs: WiNRADiO 313e, Eton e1, NRD-535(kiwa-mods) Antennas: 700' NE/SW mini-Bev, Wellbrook Phased Array (pre-production version) _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
