
SECTION
I
DESCRIPTION
1-1
Description
STANDARD
SR-C146
solid
State
personal
VHF/FM
Amateur
Transceiver
is
designed
for
a
compact,
high
Performance, 5 Channel, 1 watt
RF
Output
and
for
the
Operation
in
the
ränge
of
between
144
to
148
MHz.
The
audio
section
of
the
transmitter
contains
an
IC
to
minimize
the
size.
Both
the
trans-
mitter
and
receiver
are
taken
into
the
consideration
to
employ
IC
and
transistorization
for
a
^
better
reliability
and
lower
battery
drain.
I
The
power
for
the
radio
is
supplied
by
AA
size
eight
pieces
carbone
zinc
batteries,
eight
pieces
mercury
cells
or
ten
rechargeable
Ni-cad
batteries.
All
the
operating
controls
are
concentrated
to
the
top
of
the
radio.
The
collapsible
antenna
can
be
push-
ked
it
down
into
the
radio
for
easy
carrying
and
for
Short
ränge
commimication.
On
the
Operation
of
the
radio
with a flexible
antenna
SR-CAT12
or
herical
an
tenna
SR-CAT08,
the
collapsible
antenna
may
be
re-
placed
by
either
of
them.
Auxiliary
jacks
are
provided
for
an
external
micro-
phone,
an
external
micspeaker,
an
earphone, a lapel
Speaker,
an
external
antenna, a battery
charger
and
other
accessories.

SECTION
II
THEORY
OF
OPERATION
2-1
PÜNCnONAL
OPERATION
Functional
Operation
of
the
SR-C146
of
VHF/FM
personal
transceiver
is
illustrated
in
the
Block
Diagram,
Figure
2-1.
The
transceiver
consists
of a crystal
controlled
receiver
and
transmitter,
employing
solid
State
circuitry
throughout,
and
is
designed
to
operate
from
12
volt
batteries
or
negative
ground
source.
2-2
Receiver
The
receiver
is a double-conversion
superheterodyne
type. A crystal
controlled
first
local
oscillator
provides
for
selection
of
up
to 5 Channels.
The
input
signal
is
amplified
by
an
RF
stage
and
applied
to a mixer
where
it
is
heterodyned
with
the
Output
of
the
first
local
oscillator
and
converted
to
the
first
IF,
11.7
MHz.
The
11.7
MHz
Signal
is
then
amplified
and
applied
to
the
second
mixer
where
it
is
heterodyned
with
the
Output
of a second
crystal
controlled
local
osillator,
and
converted
to
the
second
IF,
455
KHz.
The
455
KHz
signal
is
applied
through a selective
filter
to
shape
the
IF
passband,
amplified
in
four
cascade
stage,
and
applied
to a limiter
and
FM
detector.
The
limiter
removes
any
vestige
of
amplitude
modulation
from
the
signal,
while
the
FM
detector
functions
to
recover
the
modulation,
producing
an
audio
Output
in
response
to a corresponding
frequency
(or
phase)
shift
in
the
455
KHz
IF
signal.
The
FM
detector
Output
is
then
amplified
by
an
IC
and
two
transistors
and
applied
to
the
Speaker.
A " noise-actuated " squelch
circuit
is
included
to
silence
the
receiver
Output
when
no
carrier
is
present.
This
is
accomplished
by
amplifying
and
detecting
the
"noise"
component
in
the
455
KHz
Output
to
produce a DG
level.
This
DG
level
is
removed,
opening
the
audio
Channel,
when a carrier
is
received
and
the
"noise"
component
decreases
due
to
the
quieting
action
of
the
limiter.
2-3
Transmitter
The
transmitter
is
designed
for
FM
(phase
modulated)
transmission. A crystal
controlled
oscillator
provides
for
selection
of
up
to 5 Channels
within
2.0
MHz
ränge
at
the
Output
frequency.
Generatioii
of
Phase
Modulated
Signal.
The
occillator
is
crystal
controlled
and
generates
the
initial
RF
signal
in
the
frequency
ränge
of
12
MHz,
depending
on
the
Output
frequency.
The
RF
signal
is
then
applied
to
the
phase
modulator,
together
with
the
audio
modulating
Signal.
The
audio
modulating
signal
varies
the
internal
and
input
capacities
of
the
phase
— 5 —

modulator
transistor,
in
turn
causing
the
applied
RF
signal
to
be
shifted
in
phase
at
an
audio
rate.
The
angular
phase
shift
produced
by
the
modulator
without
distortion
is
relatively
small.
Therefore,
the
oscillator
frequency
is
multiplied
12
times
to
obtain
the
desired
deviation
at
the
Output
frequency. A tripler
stage
and
doublers
provide
the
necessary
12
times
frequency
multiplication,
followed
by
driver
and final
RF
power
amplifier.
The final
RF
Power
amplifier
develops
the
Output
signal
applied
to a four-section
pi-network.
The
pi-network
in
turn
matches
the
Output
impedance
of
the
power
amplifier
to
the
50-ohm
antenna,
as
well
as
providing
the
selectivity
to
attenuate
spurious
and
harmonic
signals
which
might
appear
in
the
Output.
Instantaneous
Deviation
Control.
The
transmitter
contains
an
instantaneous
deviation
control
(IDC)
circuit.
This
circuit
limits
the
Output
frequency
deviation
to
the
desired
deviation
preventing
overdeviation
when a higher
than
normal
microphone
Output
occurs.
The
audio
signal
from
the
microphone
is
applied
through
two
stages
of
speech
amplifier
a
peak
limiter,
low-pass filter,
and
an
integrater
circuit,
to
the
phase
modulator.
The
phase
modulator
has
an
inherent 6 dB/octave
pre-emphasis
characteristic,
and
under
normal
Output
levels
from
the
microphone
the
transmitter
FM
carrier
Output
is
pre-emphasized 6 dB/octave.
The
component
values
employed
in
the
speech
amplifier
are
such
that a 6
dB/octave
pre-
emphasis
is
applied
to
the
input
audio.
The
peak
limiter
will
have
no
effect
on
the
audio
signal
imtil
the
microphone
Output
increases
to a point
where
overdeviation
would
occur.
Therefore
the
non-limited
pre-emphasesed
signal
is
applied
through
the filter
to
the
Integrator
which
has 6 dB/octave
de-emphasis
characteristics.
This
offsets
the
pre-emphasis
applied
in
the
speech
stages,
resulting
in a " fiat"
Output
being
applied
to
the
phase
modulater.
The
6
dB/octave
pre-emphsis
characteristic
of
the
modulator
then
becomes
the
only
factor
affecting
the
RF
Output.
If
the
microphone
Output
level
increases
to a point
where
overdeviation
would
occur,
the
limiter
"clips"
both
positive
and
negative
peaks
of
the
audio
waveform.
This
results
in
an
essentially
Square
wave
signal
of
constant
amplitude,
removing
the 6 dB/octave
pre-enphasis
from
the
speech
amplifier.
The
limited
audio
waveform
is
then
reshaped
in
the
low-pass filter,
and
applied
to
the
integrator.
As
the
signal
at
the
Integrator
input
is
of
constant
amplitude,
the
Output
will
be
de-emphasized 6 dB/octave
as
applied
to
the
phase
modulator.
This
then
offsets
the
inherent 6 dB/octave
pre-emphasis
characteristic
of
the
phase
modulator
where
frequency
deviation
vs.
frequency
is
essentially fiat.
— 6 —

The
two
Signals
are
heterodyned
by
Q4,
and
the
resulting
455
KHz
difference
signal
(12.155-
11.700
MHz
at
the
collector
becomes
the
second
IF,
across
the
primary
winding
of
L8).
Transistor
Q14
functions
as a fundamental f er
ward
biased
modified
Colpitts
oscillator,
with
a
12.155
MHz
crystal
connected
between
base
and
ground.
The
second
local
oscillator
injection
Signal
is
taken
at
the
emitter
of
Q14,
and
coupled
through
C23
at
the
base
of
Q4.
455
KHz
IF
Filter.
The
455
KHz
signal
from
Q4
is
applied
through a bandpass filter
to
obtain
the
IF
passband
characteristics.
The filter
circuit
produces a steep
skirted
shape
factor
•
to
attenuate
signals
falling
outside
of
the
required
IF
passband,
thus
establishing
the
overall
receiver
selectivity.
455
KHz
IF
Amplifier
Circuit.
Transistors
Q5,
and
Q6
thru
Q8
function
in a DO
connected
four
stage
cascade
circuit,
with
the
Output
applied
to
the
base
of
the
limiter,
Q9.
O
Limiter
Circuit.
The
four
cascade
IF
stages
provide
some
limiting
action.
However,
the
primary
limiting
is
accomplished
in
Q9,
due
to
the
overall
gain,
together
with
application
of
forward
bias
on
the
base.
This
causes
Q9
to
saturate
at a very
low
signal
level.
The
collector
Output
of
Q9
is
applied
across
the
series
connected
primary
windings
of
L9
and
LIO
to
provide
an
input
to
the
FM
detector.
Dl
and
D2. A sample
of
the
collector
Output
from
Q9,
across
R34
is
also
applied
to
the " noise-actuated " squelch
circuit.
FM
Detector
Circuit.
The
secondary
widing
of
L9
is
connected
in
series
with
the
center-tap
on
the
secondary
of
LIO,
while
diodes
Dl
and
D2
are
connected
to
detect a positive
or
negative
voltage
in
the
secondary
winding
of
LIO.
As
the
secondary
winding
of
LIO
and
the
two
diodes
represent a balanced
cricuit,
an
unmodulated
455
kHz
signal
from
Q9
will
produce
"zero"
voltage
at
the
center-tap.
However, a frequency
deviation
in
either
direction
in
the
455
kHz
signal
(from
an
FM
modulated
component)
causes a phase
shift
in
the
winding
developing a corresponding
positive
or
negative
voltage
at
the
center-tap
to
reproduce
the
audio
signal
originally
impressed
on
the
carrier.
The
audio
signal
is
then
applied
through a de-emphasis filter
network,
and
across
the
VOL
control,
R40,
to
the first
audio
IC.
Noise-Actuated
Squelch
Cricuit.
Gaussian
noise
appears
as
an
AM
signal
in
the
455
kHz
IF
Output.
This
is
sampled
across
R34
in
the
collector
return
for
the
limiter,
Q9.
This
signal
is filtered,
peaked
by a low-frequency
tuned
circuit,
and
applied
across
the
SQL
control,
R62
to
the
base
of
the
noise
amplifier,
Q16.
The
noise
is
amplified
by
Q16,
Q17,
detected
by
D6
and
D7,
and
applied
to
the
base
of
the
squelch
amplifier,
Q18.
Transistor
Q18
is a NPN
type,
the
collector
Output
is
applied
to
the
IC.
When
no
carrier
is
present, " noise " in
the
455
kHz
IF
is
amplified
and
detected
to
forward
— 8 —

2-5
Transmitter
Section
Speech
Amplifier.
The
transmitter
employs a magnetic
type
microphone,
which
is
located
by
the
Speaker
on
the
front
pannel
of
the
radio,
to
convert
the
impressed
Speech
to a variable
voltage
or
an
audio
signal.
The
audio
signal
is
then
applied
through
an
RF filter
network
C450,
C453,
R437,
to
IC.
This
IC
is
equivalent
to
two
stages
direct
couppled
audio
amplifier.
The
Output
of
this
IC
applied
to
the
IDC
limitter,
diodes
D404
and
D405.
The
values
of
components
used
in
the
RC
network
of
microphone
and
IC
applie a 6
dB/octave
pre-emphasis
to
the
audio
signal
over
the
speech
frequency
ränge.
IDC
Limiter
and
Low-Pass
Filter.
Diodes
D404
and
D405
are
biased
through
R425
to
"clip"
both
positive
and
negative
peaks
if
the
input
waveform
exceeds
the
pre-determined
level.
Thus,
up
to
the
limiting
level
the
audio
waveform
will
exhibit a 6
dB/octave
pre-
emphasis
characteristic,
and
exhibit a constant
amplitude
Output
when
the
level
is
exceeded.
The
limiter
Output
is
then
applied
to
the
low-pass filter.
The
low-pass filter
performs a post
limiter
audio
roll-off
function,
attenuating
frequencies
above
3000
Hz
as
required
by
the
law.
This
attenuation
of
audio
frequencies
above
the
nominal
speech
ränge
limits
the
transmitter
modulated
spectrum
to
the
required
bandwidth,
and
reshapes
the
audio
waveform.
The filter
Output
is
then
applied
to
the
base
of
the
integrator,
Q409.
Integrator.
The
integrator,
Q409,
provides a 6
dB/octave
de-emphasis
to
the
audio
signal.
Where
the
input
speech
level
was
of
normal
amplitude
this
de-emphasis
will
offset
the 6 dB/
octave
pre-emphasis
from
the
speech
amplifier,
resulting
in
an
essentially fiat
frequency
response
for
the
audio
modulating
signal
applied
to
the
phase
modulator,
Q402.
However,
in
a
case
where
the
input
audio
waveform
has
been
limited,
the
Output
to
the
phase
modulator
will
be
de-emphasized 6 dB/octave.
The
integrator
Output
at
the
collector
of
Q409
provides
an
impedance
match
between
the
deviation
limiting
circuit
and
the
phase
modulator
stage.
The
IDC
Potentiometer,
R432,
in
tum
adjusts
the
audio
level
applied
to
the
emitter
of
the
phase
modulator,
Q402,
thus
setting
(and
limiting)
the
transmitter
deviation
to
±5
kHz
(narrow
band)
or
±15
kHz
(wide
band).
Oscillator
Circuit.
The
crystal
oscillator,
Q401,
functions
in a fundamental
frequency
ränge
of
12
MHz.
This
oscillator
is a modified
Colpitts
circuit,
with
Q401
functioning
in
a
forward
biased
common
collector
configuration.
The
emitter
Output
from
Q401
is
then
applied
to
the
base
of
the
phase
modulator,
Q402.
The
temperature
characteristics
of
capacitors
C401
thru
C403,
C409
and
C410,
compensate
for
the
frequency
drift
characteristics
of
the
crystal.
—
10
—