Modest propagation on 10m and very few stations from Asia working.

My setup was:

RGO ONE – main operating transceiver

Elecraft K3 – switched off most of the time

ACOM-2000 amplifier

Antenna 5 element YAGI monoband at 12m portable mast

Location: Partizanska pesen hut – 1200m A.S.L . – excellent contest location

Shack pics:

Antenna pics:

Here is video on how loud Cyprus station P3X is heard:

Here is video on how RGO ONE drives the amplifier:

We started shipping of RGO ONE HF transceiver as from 27th of april 2020. Options ATU and 160/60m will become available and ship as from 4th of may.

Switching ON and OFF of the VBF always interacts with RGO ONE receiver Automatic gain control system (AGC). Since VBF reduces noises in RX path – from the ether and from previous IF amplifier, AGC system will act slightly different. Let’s discuss these cases:

1. VBF is not in use (or not installed) AGC treshold is aligned with R26 on IF/AF board in order to obtain S1 or no indication on S-meter. (This procedure has been already done by manufacturer)

2. VBF is installed and is selected (B01 – B10) via pressing FLT button. IF signal + noise is decreased and then AGC response and action will be decreased. Reading on S-meter will fall down. AGC treshold must be realigned with R26 potentiometer in order to have proper AGC response and S-meter reading. But if you decide to switch VBF off and use standard filter again – S-meter reading will not be valid and R26 must be realigned again.

How to deal this issue.
Suggestions:

1. If you like to achieve best AGC response and you are mostly CW operator and you are using mainly narrow filters – then engage VBF and align R26 to null S-meter reading with no antenna connected to RGO ONE 50 ohm input. First rotate R26 counterclockwise and when S-meter starts to raise – slightly  and carefully return back till S1 on S-meter flickers or no segments appear lit on LCD. In order to achieve true S-meter readings – always use VBF – for CW and sideband modes – just increase or reduce bandwith with encoder 1 on the front panel.

2. If you are not using narrow filter much – align AGC treshold with R26 when VBF is off or do not align it if S-meter reading is null (with no antenna connected). Though S-meter reading might not be accurate on some filter bandwiths when VBF is on. Received signal strength won’t degrade or been lost with this adjustment. Just S-meter reading will show some S units.

RGO ONE has a neat option – 4 pole crystal filter which bandwith is controlled via varactor diodes. Firmware generates proper voltage bias and this manner realize 10 fixed filters – 3kHz down to 220Hz.

Variable bandwith function is activated with short press of FLT button on the front panel. Then rotating encoder 1 (PWR) controls receiver bandwith.

VBF is positioned in IF path right after first 9MHz (3kHz bandwith) roofing filter and first IF amplifier – board IF/AF, U1 GALI74. Since this is receive path it will act only on receive. If not engaged the signal passes thru 6db attenuator pad in order to equalize receiver gain in both cases (VBF-ON/VBF-OFF).

First roofing filter must always cover up and envelop the second crystal filter (VBF) in order to minimize the loss in VBF. Nevertheless a significant signal loss is observed when narrowing the filter bandwith. This is normal as the receiver AGC response depends on incoming signal which in crowded HF bands consist of heavy atmospheric and other (QRM and manmade) noises.

When choosing the bandwith from B01 to B10, RGO ONE firmware instantly reschedule LO/BFO frequencies in order to keep up current mode side band and CW settings and main frequency which is visualized on the display. Also selected pitch on CW remains unchanged. MENU functions 25 – 30 are intended to keep VBF characteristic and this way LO/BFO frequencies to be assigned when different filters are chosen by the operator.

I just received a very sad message that Dayton HAM vention 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Tough and difficult decision but probably this will save many lives.

I really don’t like spreading bad news so I like to tell you that soon will have number #13 alive

On the pic: RGO ONE board’s testing on a experimental chassis.

As we won’t visit Dayton this year – we will ship the radios via courier/post service. Our preliminary plans for shipping methods and dates remain still unchanged. US orders will ship locally from US. Other orders from Bulgaria.

Here is first technical manual of RGO ONE in portable data format (PDF) ready to download:

RGO ONE tech supplement

Technical supplement consist of RGO ONE schematics, boards layout, parts list and short description of each board.

There are 14 boards as follows:

1. MB
2. CPU
3. LCD
4. PA
5. LPF
6. LPF subboards – 160m (option), 80m, 40/60m, 30/20m, 17/15m, 12/10m
7. SSB GEN
8. LO
9. RF MIXER
10. IF/AF
11. BPF
12. RX MIXER – (optional) H-mode
13. VBF 4 pole JOHNSON type – (optional)
14. XTAL filter – 8 pole ladder type 2.7kHz 9MHz first roofing filter

Due to the high volume of inquiries recently received we decided to post this google form which reserves the right to the user who filled in this form to get advantage ordering RGO ONE transceiver on “first come – first serve” basis. Please FILL IN and SUBMIT the form as soon as possible.

Here is my 3 hours participation in 2019 edition of CQ WW DX contest. RIG was of course  RGO ONE (serial number 190012). Barefoot – 50W output into my trusty SteppIR 3el. antenna.

CQWWCW Summary Sheet
Start Date : 2019-11-23

CallSign Used : LZ2JR
Operator(s) : Boris LZ2JR
Operator Category : SINGLE-OP
Assisted Category : NON-ASSISTED
Band : ALL
Power : LOW
Mode : CW
Default Exchange : 20
Software : N1MM Logger+ 1.0.7147.0

Band QSOs Pts ZN Cty Pt/Q
3,5      118     126 6   30    1,1
7          63       81  9   27    1,3
14        66     125  7   20   1,9
21         6        16  6    6     2,7
Total 253    348 28 83   1,4

Score : 38 628
Rig : RGO ONE

Working Mauritius on 15m video:

At last we have working RGO ONE on 160m (1.8MHz – 2.0MHz) and 60m (5.25MHz – 5.45MHz). All needed are two boards – LPF for  160m and BPF 160/60m

solder side of 160m low pass filter board

Component side of 160m low pass filter board

Band pass filter BPF 160/60m (close view)