Anyone reversed an anti Chuff mod?

[PXR-5]

I have been wanting to do the anti Chuff mod on a DX440.
However I read some folks reversed it due to new issues.
Some report louder PLL whine, and popping noises.

I know it's very easy to reverse, but just curious about your results.

Maybe there's a reason the engineers put it in there?

 

[mmckenna]

I did it years ago and never regretted it. In fact, I'm listening to my Sangean version right now.
I also did the fine tune upgrade which is periodically handy.

 

[PXR-5]

Thanks for your opinion.

Most of the reviews of the mod are indeed positive.
I guess because I come from an engineering background I guess there must be a reason for it's design.

But as an engineer I also realize that most features are "sales" driven.
Engineers are usually told what to do LOL

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, I understand what you mean.

Maybe the original designs had the wires from the tuning encoder knob routed differently and it wasn't an issue. Maybe at some point the design was changed and the issue appeared and either ignored or not noticed.

I found it annoying, but I had learned to live with it. I much prefer the radio with the mod, and it was easy to do. I can't remember how I did mine, I think I used some foil tape wrapped around the wires. Would be easy to undo.

I like the fine tune modification, also. That's been handy a few times to try and separate two AM Broadcast stations a bit to help ID them.

I had the DX-440 from the late 80's up until around 2005 or so. For some reason I sold it, probably due to lack of use and being a renter and not being able to put up a good antenna. I regretted it. A few years back a co-worker gave me his old Sangean version of the radio. Had some paint on it from being used in the kitchen and shop. I'd run across a minty HRO-60 receiver and given that to him since he had the space and antennas to let it shine. I was happy with the Sangean he gave me and I promised to never sell it.

There are newer radios out there, but I sure like this one. I have it on a shelf in my garage and often use it to listen to DX AM stations at night, and sometimes some not so DX AM low power stations during the daytime. I have it hooked up to a home brew end fed antenna and an FM antenna. Works well as a fun shop radio.

 

[PXR-5]

My guess is because of the "search" feature.
That was popular in the 80s especially on car radios. Hit a button and the radio is muted till it finds a station.

My parents even had a Cadillac in the mid 70s with a motorized analog radio that had this feature.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I thought that mod simply prevented the RX audio from being muted while the radio dial was spun.

 

[PXR-5]

I thought that mod simply prevented the RX audio from being muted while the radio dial was spun.

From what I gather (I could be wrong) the main purpose of the mute is for the search. That the mute when spinning the knob is just a side effect.

So let me ask this; with the anti-chuff mod in place, is the search still muted?

 

[mmckenna]

It does not mute audio during search if you do the mod.

 

[PXR-5]

It does not mute audio during search if you do the mod.

Thanks, that's what I thought.
Which is fine with me
But I think that's why the manufacturer added the mute.
Makes sense for marketing purposes.

I am going to do the mod

 

[Boombox]

I have never seen the point of anti-chuff mods, as they don't improve reception or performance, and the chuffing never bothered me, on any radio. I read that the 440's chuff/muting was to keep the user from hearing whistle and other PLL noises while tuning, and the same line of thinking may have applied to other radios as well. My updated Sangean ATS505 has no muting, and no strange tuning effects -- the tuning is seamless, almost like analog, so PLL must have come a long way. I have also read of some guys who did anti-chuff mods to some radios in the past and it messed up the radio -- don't forget which model of radio, though. Good luck either way.

 

[mmckenna]

https://www.w8an.net/sangean/sangean_ats803a.pdf

It's kind of hard to screw up the anti-chuff mod, but I imagine it can be done easily if someone is not comfortable doing this kind of stuff.

The whistle/whine is a somewhat easy fix, too. I see I confused the chuff and whine mods in my earlier post. But it's not to hard to do. I shielded the wires from the tuning encoder and it doesn't do it any more.

 

[PXR-5]

https://www.w8an.net/sangean/sangean_ats803a.pdf

It's kind of hard to screw up the anti-chuff mod, but I imagine it can be done easily if someone is not comfortable doing this kind of stuff.

The whistle/whine is a somewhat easy fix, too. I see I confused the chuff and whine mods in my earlier post. But it's not to hard to do. I shielded the wires from the tuning encoder and it doesn't do it any more.

What's interesting for me is my new to me model does not whine, but the one I had as a kid really did.

Personally, I may contribute this to 50 years of loud music LOL

My wife is getting tired of hearing me say "huh"?

 

[mmckenna]

What's interesting for me is my new to me model does not whine, but the one I had as a kid really did.

Personally, I may contribute this to 50 years of loud music LOL

My wife is getting tired of hearing me say "huh"?

Seems like it varied by radio. I had a DX-440 years ago and other than the chuffing, it was fine. The Sangean had the chuff and the whine issue.

 

[PXR-5]

Seems like it varied by radio. I had a DX-440 years ago and other than the chuffing, it was fine. The Sangean had the chuff and the whine issue.

Mine was so bad I returned it, if I recall correctly.
I picked up an analog DX360.
My best friend's whined, but it didn't bother him.

I should do an experiment, have someone with good ears listen to mine