Re: [IRCA] Quantum phaser vs MFJ 1026

["Craig Healy" <bubba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I don't have the MFJ unit for comparison but I have been using the Quantum 
>Phaser for a while now and do not see the signal degradation you seem 
>to.
(snip)
>I would suggest contacting Gerry Thomas at Radio Plus+ Electronics about 
>these issues.  He is a MW DXer with a lot of experience, the designer of 
>the Quantum Phaser and very helpful.

First off, I don't want to be seen as saying the Quantum is inherently flawed.  There are a lot of DXers who are perfectly happy with it.  That isn't my intent.

What I am saying is that in my work, it has not performed at all.  When I null something, the whole nearby band goes with it.  Even nulling on 1360 which has two roughly equal distant signals doesn't allow me to pick one over the other.  This has persisted through a number of antenna configurations such as widely spaced loops, inside loop vs. wire and more.

I have disassembled the unit and intend to replace the parts I think may be bad.  This isn't a complicated unit, there's only a handful of parts.  I already have wound two transformers and have bought good quality conductive plastic pots.  Switches are next, and I am replacing the zero ohm jumpers with wire.  I also intend to change the layout to provide as much antenna-to-antenna isolation as I possibly can get. Putting everything on one board without shielding may not be the best thing.

It isn't going back to Gerry.  It would be in a bag if it did.  What I'm doing is trying to see just what I can do to make this circuit architecture work at optimum performance, and I'll share my results with Gerry and anyone else who wants.  I'm simply hot-rodding a piece of equipment which is a time-honored DXer trait.

I've used Dallas Lankford's work as a guide.  His unit is quite similar, though he uses a transformer for post-phaser impedence matching.  Gerry uses a FET stage.  I can't say which is better at this point.

I still recommend the unit.  Too many people have had too great success for me to do otherwise.

Craig Healy
Providence, RI





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