NRD-545 DSP Receiver
Discontinued
Receiver
Comments have been at the extremes from excellent to "really
poor" with the JRC NRD-545. Of course it has more to do on
how sensitive YOU are to the DSP noises (overloading)
that this set can emit under certain conditions. Actually it's
"Audio Recovery" , that is pulling a person's spoken
word out of the mud, is quite good. This is a DSP receiver , that
is DSP is used in the IF / DETECTION / AGC etc. I have owned 2
samples, both being the latest firmware.
A few off the newsgroups have indicated that I do not have my NRD-545
receiver set up correctly, so I'm hearing those noises that I
have indicated below. NOT TRUE !!! I have quite enough hours
using this set over the last years to tell you that these sounds
(DSP overloading) are no joke no matter how you adjust it. It
very well depends on where you are, what antenna you are using,
what time of day you use the set, signal activity/strength around
the tuned frequency...etc. Many factors play in this and will not
be the same for all. Again, just be aware if you plan on making a
"used" purchase of one. Be sure and listen to the two
MP3 audio files as linked below in the text.
The last "new" NRD-545's were made in early 2008. So it's
the used market now for any purchases of this model. Be sure and
read the "mute" issue text at the bottom of this web
page in the "green" block, it can be a real issue with
some samples.
Two
samples were tested for this report
Why a
JRC NRD-545 ??
What really made me go for this receiver was the number of
bandwidths that are availiable. Seeing a range from 10 hz to 9.99
Khz in 10 Hz steps was like..”you have to be kidding “
(ALL filters being independent of mode of course) ?? Also many of
the other functions being done within the DSP, including the
“Notch” and “Detection” circuits hit me as
being performance pluses.
First Impressions
The quality of construction is in the usual JRC tradition, "excellent"
inside and out. The "internal" power transformer is of
good quality too, I think the same one that was used in the NRD-525/535.
It is very quiet and normal amount of heat. No excessive buzzing
sounds (unlike the power transformer in the NRD-301A, which
buzzes like a hive of mad bee's, also runs very HOT).
Also JRC did a excellent job with the rest of the power supply as
well. They are feeding the input voltage to the 545's regulator's
at a perfect level (as was the case in the NRD-525-535 sets), so
they run at a very good "warmish" temperature. I have
heard of Drake not doing so well in this area with the R-8 series.....you
will not have to resort of having to use a external DC power
supply to run this receiver (as some Drake R-8x owners have
done) because of excessive heat and or excessive "buzzy"noises.
UPDATE : JRC has changed the transformer in more current
production, see green block below.
The encoder that has been chosen for the "BWC" control
has a very good feel to it. The tuning knob also has a very good
feel to it, no weird play or grizzly feeling. It indeed uses a
very good optical type encoder, and at this price point it should.
Push buttons all have a OK feel and are of the "tact"
variety. Thank goodness no "Rubber/Soft Plastic" key's
! A bit of "loosness" and key wobble which is normal
using this system.Yes, the 545 has the painted pushbuttons just
as it was on the NRD-535. I wish manafactures would get away from
the use of painting the surface of the actual button that we will
be placing our paws on. You know these will show wear and worst
case this paint will get totally removed with use. I know this is
to make it look "pretty"..but hey JRC..on the next set
down the road (if there is to be one) lets forget the paint on
the buttons.
General ergonomics are of the usual JRC stature, superb. The
“Tuning Knob” speed is much improved over the NRD-525
and 535. I can set it to the speed what I like. It was just too S-L-O-W
on these other JRC”s sets. My old NRD-93 also suffered from
a even slower “turtle” speed knob. Much better JRC...thank’s.
JRC is still using a nice standard 3-wire AC plug socket for the
power input, another great item to see.
The NRD-545's display is a Negative Type LCD and uses a
Fluorescent Tube behind it. But I’m a bit concerned on the
life of this tube before it burns out ? It does not look like it
would be easy to replace and would more than likely cost a pretty
penny to have it done if one was not handy with electronics .
When you first turn on the NRD-545 from a cold start, the display
brightness will be dim for the first couple of min's or so. This
is normal for this type of backlighting system and is not a fault.
I wish JRC would have included at least a basic set of schematic's
with the set . It's another "shame on you
JRC thing". All we get in the owners manual is a lousy block
diagram. Certinally a step back here as they used to on all other
previous sets (except the NRD-345). The excuse "well just
purchase the service manual" does not wash with me !
Did JRC make a switch with the AC Power Transformer used in the NRD-545 ? |
I made a note above
that the internal power transformer in the NRD-545 was of
high quality and made no detectable buzz/hum noises even
with it off (a very light load when off). Well this all
may have changed at bit with later production ? John W.
has told me that his early 2006 sample's transformer
buzzes even with it off. It's a minor issue with him. But
it appears that JRC are using a different AC power
transformer with later samples, either with the
manufacturer or at least the style.
Pictures of the
2 internal AC power transformers that have been used in
the JRC NRD-545. Being I have not tested one of these
new samples to "hear" how bad this buzz may be,
I have to stand neutral on this one. I guess look for a
used sample for sale that has the older "green"
transformer if this is super important to you ? Issues with noisy power supply transformers in a receiver are a real sticking point with me and is totally unacceptable. Don't get me wrong, I love having a GOOD internal power supply in a receiver, but not if it's going to create a nasty buzz within the room. Caveat emptor.....Dave N9EWO |
CHE-199
Converter Blues !!!
On my first NRD-545 sample, I purchased the CHE-199 VHF/UHF
Converter Unit. It installed very easy with no real tools. Just a
slide in board and one little coax connector that pops on fast.
Well after doing the required reset, It did indeed come to life,
on the display that is. As far as RF performance, it was as deaf
as a french fry. This was connected to high performance
antenna’s as well. It barely received my local 20 kw FM
broadcasting station . For any local amateur radio signals...Nothing
!!...Nada. I have heard of others with this same problem. But
good news is for most folks the replacement did indeed work just
fine (I did not get another one to find out for myself).
It seems that JRC just had an above average “dud” rate
with the CHE-199 converter ? So if you experence “Nada”
instead of your Local PD....you could have one of those bad ones
?? I hear the performance is nothing to scream about when it does
work right, and I would rather not tie up a HF receiver to listen
to VHF/UHF signals anyway. Better with a separate radio or
scanner. Forget the CHE-199 in my view !!!
I will NOT be held responsible
for any info that is listed here |
CGD-197
TCXO, Beep Level and Adjustment.
First job I wanted to tackle (after dealing with the converter
DOA business) was to install the CGD-197 TCXO option. Be sure to
remove the little foam strip that all JRC owners all know about
which hold the boards in place during shippment. But what
hit’s you the fastest is the fact that ”where are
innards” ?? It certainly has fewer boards than previous JRC
receivers. More of the sets power is being done within the DSP so
the parts count is much less.
I found that the "Beep" level was too loud for my ears.
There is a "Beep Level Volume" adjustment (RV3)
located on the top of the CGK-160 REF/DDS. Of course you must
have the set powered on and connected to an external speaker to
make this "tweak". This is covered in the
owners manual as well. I wish to have a beep feedback, but not so
loud.
NOTE
: If
you do make this adjustment, be very careful NOT to adjust with
the 2 'line output' trim controls by mistake that are right next
to this "Beep" adjustment. Will be very hard to get
these back to factory specs without test equipment. Use a
flashlight and be sure that your are on the right control in the
first place !!
“Frequency
Display a bit off.....out of the box”
This is a gremlin with receivers that drives me nuts, and was the
first item I corrected before I put the set to real use.
On the 2 samples that I have owned ,both were off out of the box
by around 20 to 30 Hz. This is not a nasty problem, but if you
are off by 20 hz at 5 Mhz, it will be worse at 15 Mhz. So if you
are dead on at 15 Mhz...will should also be so at 5 Mhz (well it
should work that way). So if you are off a bit and wish to be at
least closer to dead on you need to adjust CV-1 on CGK-160 board
(as indicated on page 31 of the manual). Note: The higher you do
go up in frequency the more touchy the adjustment (CV-1) gets.
But try and adjust using WWV at 15 Mhz.
WARNING:
You want to pass on this adjustment if you do not have lots of
patience. It can be very time consuming and end up with it even
being worse !! As usual...Doing ANY of these
adjustments are done at YOUR OWN RISK !!!
I use a bit different method to achieve this adjustment than
listed in the manual. You must use a "Strong" signal on
WWV on 15.000.000 Mhz as they
are transmitting those nifty tones (don't try if it's weak or
during a quiet periods in the hour), being selected at the "Local"
SSB shift (default anyway), and using USB/LSB (NOT CW as in the
manual), I turn the BWC to a W-I-D-E bandwidth of at least 6 Khz
or above (might as well open it up and use 9.99 Khz). Then you
are able to hear the "off beat" tones real well. Makes
adjusting CV-1 alot easier. Allow the set warm up at least 1 hour
before you do this. Of course use a hi-fi pair of headphones or
external speaker to hear the output. You should hear NO
difference what-so-ever between USB and LSB when it's adjusted
correctly. If you cannot hear WWV (or WWVH) well at your location..sorry
to say I don't have any other idea's for you.
I will NOT be held responsible
for any info that is listed here |
"Adding
the CGD-197 TCXO"
Now you might say well, just add the CGD-197 TCXO option and that
should clear up that problem...well not quite. I have installed a
couple of these and both were off, a bit closer to the stock ref.xtal....but
not by much. Still about 20 Hz off (high). I can understand how
this can happen..too many factors that can throw off a part like
this and it's going to vary from set to set that it is installed
into, bounced around in transit as well as normal aging of the
crystal itself . Remember the TCXO was standard in the old NRD-525
.
As you can see in the picture below, there is indeed a trimmer
cap on the CGD-197. But how do you get to it ?? CV-1 trimmer only
works on the internal xtal. Well it can be done (I do not have
any test equipment or the extention board) , but it's the old ..PULL
THE POWER PLUG FROM THE WALL SOCKET EVERY TIME !!! (THIS IS MOST
IMPORTANT)...pop the CGK-160 board out..do your
adjustment..and stick it back in and see how you did. Of course
allow a few mins here for the xtal to reach correct temp. You of
course have to keep doing this until you get it right....huffda..!!!
Time consuming is right.
Another WARNING here...this is a VERY VERY
touchy variable capacitor. Again this can be a very time
consuming and mind straining procedure. Avoid this if you have
problems with ventures like this, leave it with it being a bit
OFF.
Now
after installing a 2 CGD-197's and these adjustments....on the
second time around I had it "Dead On" in a record 15
mins.Now if I select 10,000.000 MHZ..I actually get it. This is a
big plus tuning manual ECSS (using USB/LSB), provided the station
is on frequency. And of course I can check a station's frequency
quickly and really see if they are off which can help to ID a
station.
But
alas, even after an additional time peroid (4 years since I
installed it), it has again moved up in frequency (10 hz), so it
appears a touchup every once may still be needed).
1000 Memories, 32 User
Defined Functions, User Defined entries a bit tricky to the
novice, Speed up the BWC step.
We have 1000 memory channels available on the NRD-545. A CR2032
lithium battery backs these up. I wonder why JRC is still using a
outdated battery backed system here and not EEPROM, but perhaps
for reasons that I do not totally understand?
Each memory channel stores: Frequency, mode, IF Filter Bandwidth
(what you have stored in the WIDE, INTER or NARROW buttons), AGC,
ATT and Tuning Steps. It does NOT store the ECSS function.
For the “IF Filter Bandwidth” in each memory entry, it
will store the WIDE, INTER or NARROW button. So what you have
entered in these 3 is what will end up in the memory channels.
You can easily change these from default for the 3 bandwidths. My
favorites are listed in the charts at the bottom of this report (no
suprise that they are on the wider side). See page 9 of the
owners manual for the details, but every mode has different
default settings. You can make the Bandwidth knob "steps"
move at a faster rate (100 hz steps vs 10 hz default) by pressing
the FUNC buton and then BWC. Whew, now that's much better.
These Bandwidths defaults are changed by hitting the FUNC key
then push the BANDWIDTH button that you wish to change (WIDE,
INTER or NARROW), next rotate the BWC knob to your desired
bandwidth and finally push ENT/kHz to seal the deal. Again, every
mode has it’s own settings.
32 User defined functions are found on the NRD-545. The chart at
the bottom of this page covers what these are. But these can be a
bit confusing for PROPER entry in the NRD-545 for the
“novice”. The manual is a bit confusing (at least it
was to me for the first time), and if one does not do this in the
correct procedure, the entries will not take. It’s a piece
of cake once you get use to it.
First press the FUNC button, followed by ENT/kHz. You will see
001 FLASHING on the left and what ever number is stored in this
User Defined entry in the middle-right. Next rotate the AGC/BWC
knob to the desired entry number (number at left, it should be
flashing as you rotate it). Press the ENT/kHz button again, now
the flashing number with move to the Middle (ok lets call it to
the right). Rotate the AGC/BWC knob to the desired number. Press
ENT/kHz again. The Left number will be flashing again (this is
what will be changed when your rotate the knob).
Repeat for other entries, but when you are finished be sure to
end up with the left entry numbers flashing. NOW the important
part, hit the CLR button when totally finished. Maybe this is not
totally correct, but is what works for me.
IMPORTANT: With any entry like this (either
“user defined” other entries) on the NRD-545, one needs
to keep in mind is if you go 15 seconds without a keypad
“press” or knob rotation, it will revert back to a
normal display and you will need to start over. If you allow this
to happen, none of the entries that you have made may not take?
“# 32”
User Set-Up Function
One item that you might wish to change in the “User Set-Up
Functions” right away ?
On # 32 Filter setting I made the selection as 1: DSP
LOOSE filter. It is set out of the box (Default) as...0:
DSP SHARP filter....I found the audio more harsh, more so with
fading distortion (even with ECSS) in default "0".
However "SHARP" does give slightly better audio
recovery to my ears. So depends on what type of signals you are
listening to? With broadcasting stations (MW or SW) "LOOSE"
was better for me in the AM or ECSS modes. Using the wider
bandwidths this is less of an issue.
What's that "Serial Number" business again ??
NRD-545's with a serial number of RG 04665 and
above have the latest ROM firmware (both DSP and operation EPROMS).
The eariler samples had dreadful audio quality. What you read in
this report/review were with 2 sets that have serial numbers
above RG 04665, and of course the latest firmware.
"Audio in the Ruff”...DSP Limitations
?
But the first time I really listened to the audio of this set...I
was very sad indeed. But now that I’m more used to it’s
different traits, it’s not as much of a factor..but it still
can be a major quirk.
The 2 types of weird sounds that the NRD-545 emits are a bit hard
to explain. One being more of a burp sound, the other is of a
“Tick Tick” sound.
A comment made by Chris Lobdell explains a bit more on this:
"Another flaw--and I have no idea what the cause is--is a
"clicking" sound that occurs while listening in the AM
mode. It does not occur on all signals, but tends to show up on
signals that are moderate in strength. The clicks tend to be
about two per second, and are loud enough to detract from the
enjoyment of listening. I'm assuming this to be a software defect
of some sort."
Now to be fair, these gremlins only appear on ..oh I would say 1
in 20 signals, not on all . But when it does, the DSP garbage
really shows it's ugly head. 2 types of "weird" sounds
!!! There was NO local interference at all when I heard thee
noises and again NO NB or Notch filters were on !! ECSS was off
as well. Most important...if you switch over to ECSS (manual or
Auto)..most of the time (but not always) the gremlins can go away.
So sometimes a way around it...but really should we have to hear
this at all coming out of near $ 2000. radio ??
| N9EWO "NRD-545 DSP Issues" MP3 Audio Files |
| "The Burp's" (0:05 sec
mp3 file) Vatican geting ready to sign on 7305 kHz with a dead carrier. As the signal rises and falls..this sound appeares. "DSP Tick Sound" (0:15 sec mp3 file) This mp3 audio file shows the tick sound. |
“More Audio
Gremlins”
Adding to the audio blues in the virgin AM mode...fading
distortion sounds very harsh than with others receivers I have
ever used. Another "hard to explain" problem which I
can only notice on stronger signals (and still only once in
awhile) with a certain fading patterns, is what sounds like an
overloaded audio signal for a second or two. Manual or Auto ECSS
can (but not always) clear up these problems.
| N9EWO "NRD-545 DSP Audio Distortion" MP3 Audio File |
| Here is a "mp3"
audio file that shows this audio distortion with and
without the (AM Mode) Sync- ECSS in use. The station I
used is the now defunct "Radio Villa" on 4960
kHz. Using 9.90 Khz bandwidth. First 15 seconds is with
the ECSS OFF and you can sure hear this weird breakup-distortion.
The last 15 secs is with the ECSS on (was the next tune)
and clears up the nasty sound. This distortion does NOT
show up on all signals with it off. "NRD-545 Break-up Distortion" (0:29 secs mp3 file) |
So for any AM
Broadcast signals , you need to use ECSS (manual or automatic)...otherwise
it can be very irritating indeed. There is hiss coming from the
audio amp in the set too. And can be a bit annoying depending on
the speaker (or headphones) being used, but does not creep out of
the line outputs.
The (Sync) ECSS circuit in general works well, only looses lock
for a split second on the worst of fades..not very often. But the
best Sync-ECSS in a JRC set. As you might remember the ECSS
circuit in the NRD-535 "D" was a awful performer. The
"Sync" (non-ECSS) in the NRD-345 is another poor
circuit. Tip: The closer you are to the "CENTER" of the
carrier, the better it will hold lock. Do not try and use the
Sync-ECSS if you are not tuned correctly tuned to the center of
the signal.
After a bit more experience using the Sync-ECSS on the 545, it
can indeed loose lock for a split second on strong signals very
deep "sharp" fades.It seems that the stronger the
signal, it will have more of a chance to loose lock for that
split second ?? Weird is right. This is not a serious flaw...but
can be annoying on certain strong signals. More times than not,
it works just fine. Sync-ECSS is still better than any previous
JRC receiver.
The AD's that JRC has floating around on the NRD-545 indicates
that the AGC decay rate is adjustable in the Sync-ECSS mode. Well
if they are talking about the auto "ECSS" button/mode..they
are DEAD WRONG , as it most certainly is not. It is fixed as it
is in the AM mode.
Slight Sync-ECSS "OFF" Gremlin
One note I need to pass
along in regards to the Sync-ECSS mode. IN SOME CASES,
when you turn off the Sync-ECSS and start to tune with the
knob, you may notice that it may not be totally OFF (you may
hear hets). So once in awhile it can take about 5 seconds
for other circuits in the ECSS circuit chain to totally turn off.
So 2 or 3 "mississippi's" you will hear the "het's"
go away. This is not a fault and is totally normal.
What is the
"AMS" button for ?? (for you first time folks to the
NRD-545), SW stereo ??
On the "AM" mode button, you see AMS printed along
side of it. The owners manual gives very little information on
what this function really does. Well first it appears to give a
even wider IF bandwidth over what the normal BWC control gives at
max (10 kHz). I would say about 12 kHz here, but that's a guess
as no real spec's exist.
If you are tuned to stronger "in the clear" signal with
no fading (say a MW station) it can make for a real aural treat.
If not , well that break up distortion can create a painful
experence. Also the Sync-ECSS does not work when AMS is on, so no
way to tackle the problem other than to turn it off.
But the real reason for the AMS button is the fact that it
toggles the AM STEREO function (Motorola C-Quam system) Again,
you have no Sync-ECSS function when the AMS button is on, so is
not always good news here.
But overall it's fun. However, to hear this Stereo output (also
goes for FM stereo when the converter is installed), you MUST
connect the L and R line outputs to a EXTERNAL amplifer (or
amplified computer speakers will work too).
Of course this was intended for MW stations, but IF
a SW broadcast station were to ever throw out a C-QUAM signal
over the airwaves, the NRD-545 should be able to decode it.
Tone Control affects “Line” Output
The "Tone" control affects the "Line" audio
outputs. Yep..you could have knocked me over with a slight breeze
when I first discovered this. Not a bad thing here...if you have
a signal in the mud and are trying make a recording of it..this
can be a big plus. Now that I see after doing a bit of reading in
the brochure, the tone control is indeed adjusted via the DSP
chip. Good idea here and works well.
General “Volume” quirk
One little minor quirk is that on certain "Broadcast"
stations that are low in the audio dept (say Libya etc), the 545
seems to have a hard time keeping up . That even with the volume
control at 3 o'clock, you still may not have enough audio to hear
it right. So the comment "It can run out of volume control"..seems
to be a very true statement. The very expensive (and also
discontinued) JRC NRD-301A "Super Set" that I
tested also has this trait. This is the first 2 receivers that I
have ever encountered that is weird in this way ?? Again, only a
minor problem that should not make you shy away from this
receiver...but for the record, you now know about his.
Is that 4 or 8 ohms with the speaker output ??
Well could be a part of the above "volume" problem ??
Just about all JRC receivers are rated 1 Watt at 4 OHMS . Yes
4 Ohms !!! Using a 8 ohm speaker is not going to hurt a thing
(other way around could be). Matter of fact the matching NVA-319
speaker is using a 8 ohm speaker inside . But the output might be
cut back at least a bit using a 8 ohm speaker, where a 4 ohm
might give a extra kick ?? I have yet to test this out, but could
be something to look into ??
The only JRC set that I have noticed that is NOT listed at 4 ohms
is the NRD-345. It is listed as 8 ohms. Weird to sat the least,
and I'm not sure how much I want to beleive this ??
But could be one of the reasons why some JRC owners (me included)
have had sour luck in making some external speakers work right ??
I use a SMALLER OLDER 2-way
die-cast hi-fi speaker (the Realistic Minimus-77 cat # 40-2054
from the early 90's), the tweeter helps very much here. NOTE: I
have tried all of Radio Shack's (RCA) more current metal
die-case 2-way speakers and they all requied too
much audio power to drive them (so that was a total bust). These
older 40-2054's do not have this problem for some reason.
"Quick Toggle" of Front End Filters
Something that I discovered that was not indicated in my
545's owners manual. This was on my NRD-545 with a serial number
a bit over RG 06400 and may or may not exist on older or latest
versions (not sure) ??
On # 24 of the "User Setup Functions", we have a
selection for front end filtering . This allows you to bypass the
front end filters for perhaps a bit more sensitivity in cases
where you need every bit to pull a signal out of the mud.
Normally front end filters (preselector filtering) can give a few
db's of signal loss. But of course you should NOT leave this in
the bypassed mode for normal listening. The NRD-525's and 535's
also have the same "pass" switch.
But during "scan" (scanning of the memories) function,
leaving these filters on and as it chuffs over the memory
channels...well it makes the filter relays chatter like a old car
on it's last legs.
So to switch off the front end filters you have to dread to the
"user setup function" mode. Select it down to # 24, and
then switch it to 0. Of course after you are done with your
scanning, you have to do this chore all over again.
Well here is the "quick toggle" that I discovered.
Press the "FUNC" (function) key then the "ATT"
key. You will hear one beep (not the usual error beeps). You will
see NO indication on the display anywhere, even if you drop into
the user setup mode and peek at #24 after you do this, it will
not show it correctly. To toggle it back, just repeat "FUNC"
and "ATT" again.
If you turn off the set and turn it back on again, it will
default to whatever you have set in # 24. This quick toggle
operation will not change this setting in any way.
I miss the "pass" indication on the display with the
NRD-545. The NRD-525 and 535 had this of course.
(N9EWO
with another neat finding on a JRC receiver. Remember the 99.999.99
entry with the NRD-535 ,as listed in October 1991 Monitoring
Times ..."Display Test Mode"...entire display lights up...me
again !!! By the way the NRD-545 display mode is selected by
while pressing and holding the FUNC + DIMMER buttons , then power
the receiver up. To switch back to normal mode, just rotate the
tuning knob.)
I love bandwidths adjustable up to 10 Khz (or
more). I hate receivers that stop at 6~8 khz which seems to be
the trend these days !
So what's the word ?? Discontinued Receiver.
The JRC NRD-545 just might be a fine receiver depending on what
you enjoy to listen to ? But for many it will still only be a set
for "UTE" or SSB monitoring. The AGC set up in the 545
is very good, but only for SSB signals. For SSB work , this set
is a good one...actually sounds much cleaner and less hisser than
with the AR7030 (SSB only).
After reading these comments you are wondering if I'm totally
aganist this set ? No. I actually enjoy
the NRD-545 very much. Maybe I'm just getting used to it's
strange traits ?? If I hear the DSP gremlins getting into a
signal I'm really trying to hear right or even more important
"record" , and depending how serious it's destroying a
signal....I might have to switch over another set. And
really why should I have to do this right ??? But overall , I
find the JRC NRD-545 to be a keeper even with it's warts.
In my view, reliability, the quality of
construction, general overall design and parts used are all well
above any other consumer tabletop set at time this report was
being typed. With all of the problems the AOR AR7030 has had over
the years (and was until the end of it's production), it's just a
more refreshing experience even with the audio (DSP ?)
issues.
UPDATE : Be sure and read the important note in
regards with a change made with the AC power transformer in later
production in the above text if you have not already. Also
covered below is the "mute" issue that as been a
problem with some samples. These may very well be important for
any used NRD-545 purchase ?
Dave N9EWO
Ver 11.2
© N9EWO
Discontinued
Receiver
I will NOT be held responsible
for any info that is listed here |
The JRC NRD-545's infamous "Muting" issue |
A nagging issue that
has plagued the Japan Radio Co. NRD-545 over the years
has been with the receiver going into a muted state.
Either across it's entire range or just certain segments
in the HF coverage of the receiver. In some cases when
the CHE-199 option board is fitted it fails to operate
too (mutes) making it appear that the converter board may
be defective (which it still could be in addition to what
is covered below ??). Serial numbers that are having this
issue seem to be all over the place , right to the end of
production in early 2008. It appears that it can happen
to any sample that has ever been made ??.
|
Rear
view of the NRD-545.
(Photo
Edit : N9EWO)
Tom AB9B (via Dave N2YII)
offers the "Owner's Manual" for the JRC NRD-545.
(NOTE : Link posted here as FYI only .
Subject to change without notice. In 5 zipped sections)
JRC NRD-545 Owner's Manual (link)
Dave's JRC NRD-545 Bandwidth Settings
(I changed
from "out of the box" settings, "What does Dave
use for his preset bandwidth settings ?")
kHz |
AM | SSB | CW/RTTY
|
| WIDE | 9.90 | 4.00 | 2.40 |
| INTER | 8.00 | 3.00 | 1.00 |
| NARROW | 5.00 | 2.40 | 0.50 |
| # | JRC NRD-545 User Defined Functions | Values (n9ewo chart) |
| 1. | 1 Hz tuning(SSB/CW/RTTY/AM frequency of less than 30 MHz) | 0: 1Hz not added to tuning step OFF 1: 1Hz added to tuning step |
| 2. | 10kHz tuning(SSB/CW/RTTY/AM frequency of less than 30 MHz) | 0: 10kHz not added to tuning step 1: 10kHz added to tuning step |
| 3. | 1 kHz tuning(SSB/CW/RTTY/AM/FM frequency of less than 30 MHz) | 0: 1KHz 1: 5kHz 2: 6.25kHz 3: 9kHz tuning step |
| 4. | 100Hz tuning(FM mode/AM Frequency of more then 30MHz) | 0: 100Hz not added to tuning step 1: 100Hz added to tuning step |
| 5. | 5kHz tuning(Frequency of more then 30MHz) | 0: 5kHz 1: 6.25kHz 2: 9kHz tuning step |
| 6. | 10kHz tuning | 0: 10kHz 1: 12.5kHz 2: 20kHz 3: 25kHz 4: 30kHz 5: 50kHz tuning step |
| 7. | Tuning step automatic selection | 0:Automatic tuning step OFF 1:Automatic tuning step ON |
| 8. | Number of tuning knob pulses | 0: 1000 pulses/turn 1: 500 pulses/turn 2: 250 pulses/turn |
| 9. | Meter indication | 0: Single Display 1: Bar display 2: Peak Hold Display |
| 10. | Beep tone | 0:Beep OFF 1:Beep ON |
| 11. | Scan auto stop | 0: AUTO STOP OFF 1: AUTO STOP ON |
| 12. | Unwritten channel skip | 0: Skip OFF 1: Skip ON |
| 13. | Timer relay operation | 0: Timer relay OFF 1: Timer relay always ON 2: Controled with Squelch |
| 14. | CW mode BFO offset frequency | -2550 to +2550(Hz) (10 hz steps) |
| 15. | RTTY baud rate (baud) | 37-75(baud) |
| 16. | RTTY shift width | 0: 170Hz 1: 425Hz 2: 850Hz |
| 17. | RTTY polarity | 0: Reverse 1: Normal |
| 18. | SSB display frequency | 0: Display shift 1: Local shift |
| 19. | Display time colon blinking | 0: Colon blinking OFF 1: Colon blinking ON |
| 20. | Scan rate | 0.3-5.0(sec.)0.5 sec./CH |
| 21. | Sweep rate | 0.05-0.5(sec.) 0.05sec./step |
| 22. | Scan auto stop time setting | 0 to 10 seconds (0.5sec.steps) |
| 23. | RTTY decoding output | 0: Do not output 1: Output |
| 24. | Input tuning circuit | 0: Pass 1: Use |
| 25. | RTTY unshift ON space | 0: OFF 1: ON |
| 26. | RTTY error display | 0: Display space 1: * Display |
| 27. | Filter Hold of Noise Reduction (change in text from eariler manual--was called "Line Enhancer") | 0: ON 1: OFF |
| 28. | Panel lock | 0: Lock tuning knob 1: All dials and buttons |
| 29. | Noise reduction next number change | 0.0000 (effect) to 0.0255 (No effect) in 0.0001steps |
| 30. | Beat canceller next number change | 0.0000 (effect) to 0.0255 (No effect) in 0.0001steps |
| 31. | Squelch LED lighting change | 0: Lights when squelch is closed 1: Lights when squelch is open |
| 32. | Digital IF Filter setting slope | 0: DSP SHARP filter 1: DSP LOOSE filter |
FUNCTION
+ |
JRC NRD-545 "Function"
Button Operations (n9ewo chart) |
BWC |
Changes BWC Step (either 10 or 100 Hz) |
ATT |
Quick toggle of # 24 above "Input tuning circuit", Useful when scanning memories..no relay chattering. (May not work on all samples, unknown ??) |
ENT/kHz |
Enter User Defined Functions (Above) |
CH |
Memory Channel Save |
FM/WFM |
Turn Stereo Mode ON/OFF (FM Wide Mode with CHE-199 Option Installed) |
CLOCK |
Set Sleep Time |
VFO |
Transfer Memory Information to VFO |
| PUSH AND HOLD AT
POWER UP (Power OFF and Repeat To Reverse Setting) |
JRC NRD-545 "Power
Up" User Defined Functions (n9ewo chart) |
"." |
Unknown. The the display will show a number like "12 46 13" (varies). Will not receive while in this mode. Just rotating the main tuning knob will restore the set to normal. |
ENT/kHz |
Toggles "Low End" Receive Range Down To 10 kHz. |
USB/LSB |
Allows USB/LSB and CW/RTTY Modes To Be Selected When CHE-199 Converter Is Installed. |
CLR |
Memory Channel RESET (WARNING: Clears All Memories) and User Defined Functions To Default Settings. |
CLR |
Resets User Defined Functions To Defaults.(Keeps Memory Channels As They Were) |
CLOCK |
Toggles Seconds Display in Clock mode |
FUNC
|
Display Test Mode, entire display lights up. Rotate tuning knob to restore to normal. |
| Best "Free" Computer Software for the JRC NRD-545 (link below is subject to change without notice) |
| There
are a number of "windows" based computer
programs around for the JRC NRD-545. This the BEST one I
have used (in my view) and it's now freeware . It requires a "Null Modem"
cable or adapter between the receiver and host computer (as
all programs connected to the NRD-545 do). It does not
store the "tuning step" in the memory channels,
so you will have to do a touch up if you wish that (yes ,
the memories on NRD-545 you can store the tuning step on
each memory channel...this is neat indeed). The "NRD-545 Controller" program from Interfair Laboratory was written by H. Yamamoto in Japan. In was in Japanese only and also required registration with payment. Without it you could only start the program 30 times before it went bye-bye. The authors hard drive crashed and he has lost all source code for the program. Any additional improvements to the software are gone, so he decided to make it "freeware". J. Schimmele in Germany (with the OK from Mr. Yamamoto), has converted this program to English and is still "freeware". Again I feel it's the best out of lot tested and it allows for memory channels to be either uploaded or downloaded. Follow the instructions, you will have to type in the values shown in the registration as you bring it up for the first time. There is no installation garbage, it just runs in a directory that you place it in. Yes ran OK for me in windows XP home just fine, unknown if it will run in Vista (or above) at all. IMPORTANT NOTE: THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PROGRAM CANNOT BE CHANGED, USE IS "AS IS", AND AT YOUR OWN RISK !! NO WARRANTY OR SUPPORT, YOU ARE TOTALLY ON YOUR OWN ! PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME ! Download English Version "N545Pro" here, zipped size approx 400K via Dr. Boesch's web page Dave N9EWO |
Sherwood Roofing Filter Modification
Via the newsgroups from Jim Valle in
regards to the Sherwood Engineering roofing
filter modification (NRD-545). I'm actually against
this modification totally
(degrades AM audio in wider bandwidths in my testing of a 3rd borrowed
sample that had this filter installed)...N9EWO
"The 8kHz filter mod has really improved things for me on MW
and SW frequencies. Utility monitoring has been GREATLY improved.
I have found much less monkey chatter and significantly less
spillover from stations close by on all SW bands. The real test
is when I listen to utility and can get so much more out of the
passband tuning. A perfect example would be listening to AFN in
USB. Before the filter replacement there was quite a bit of spill-over
from data signals on LSB. This filter along with some narrowing
of the filter setting (about 2.2 to 2.4) and using the passband
tuning cleans audio up significantly. On MW I have found no
noticeable difference in fidelity. I live in an RF rich
environment and utilize the Dressler ARA-60 (superb antenna, by
the way) so I'm even more impressed by this filter mod. By the
way, you only need to send in the board, not the entire rig.
Saves on shipping. Bob turns things around very quickly. He is
also a very knowledgeable, professional and courteous individual
which to deal. All the best, Jim Valle "
Comment below was from when the NRD-545 first hit the market.
"Well..... I've
had one for about 4 months and I am rather disappointed with it.
In 40 years of SW I've never met a radio which runs out of AF
gain before,but this one does. The 'TONE' control has a very
peculiar action, at one end sound sounds like a telephone, at the
other treble boost. Receiving NAVTEX on 518 causes the AGC and BW
LEDS to flicker in sympathy to signal. VLF gain falls off rapidly
below about 70 kHz. At no settings can I get decent AM reception
with good signal. Awesome it aint."
Mike G3IJE
M.J.Powell.
(I will agree with Mike on the 545 "running out of volume
control". But only with under-modulated AM signals. The NRD-301
also suffers from this trait..N9EWO)
