Ramsey Electronics AA7 - Manual (Page 12)

AA7 • 12
ˆ 24. BEFORE connecting battery or conducting any tests, PLEASE
recheck each of the preceding steps, looking especially for:
•
quality of solder connections
•
correct orientation of Q1 and Q2
•
correct orientation of the electrolytic C4
•
correct battery wire polarity
•
correct values for resistors and capacitors
INITIAL TESTS
No adjustments or alignment is required. See the following section about
preparing a reliable and convenient cable for the AA7 and your receiver as
well as an optional add-on antenna.
Testing the AA7 consists of turning it on, using it and checking that all its
described features are operational. You will need to become accustomed to
the signal strength in the highest range of the gain control. If you experience
any problem, consult the Trouble-Shooting Hints section of this book.
USING YOUR AA7
For some of our kits, this "USING...." section becomes the longest part of
the book, depending on the possible applications of the kit product. What is
very nice about the AA7 is that using it is simple, enjoyable and immediate.
We have two suggestions that will increase your enjoyment of the AA7 right
from the beginning:
ˆ
1. Prepare a reliable coaxial cable with the right connectors to run from
the antenna input of your receiver or scanner to the RF output of the
AA7 (RCA male plug required). If you do not have them at hand, a visit
to Radio Shack should easily get you what you need.
ˆ
2. Make a simple "supplementary portable antenna" of any design which
is practical for YOU. Use a small-diameter coaxial cable neatly
terminated in a male RCA male plug to mate J1. This antenna can be a
dipole, or random wire with earth ground or counterpoise, a bigger
vertical whip of some kind, a Slinky, or even a pair of alligator clips at the
end of your coax line, ready to be clipped to any large metal surface that
may be handy, from screen doors to bed springs! This accessory for
your AA7 will help you explore the truth of "Ramsey's Antenna Rule" in a
variety of travel situations: "If you want more signal, put up more metal!”
A Caution to Ham, Maritime and CB Operators:
If you are using the AA7 to boost reception on a transceiver of any kind,