LOWBANDER SPECILIZES IN:
1) Modifying the famous DX-394's
2)Building and selling SWL & Ham Antennas that really work!
PLEASE NOTE:I SPECIALIZE IN MODIFYING DX-394'S AND NO LONGER DO GENERAL REPAIR WORK ON REALISTIC RADIOS.
WILL CONSIDER MINOR REPAIR SUCH A DEAD BANDS(BANDSWITCH PROBLEMS) ON DX-160'S=Depends on problem and time on bench
Literally, hundreds of DX-394's have been modified by Lowbander. No one in the world has done more mods on DX-394's than Lowbander!
Here are the mods on that I most commonly do on a DX-394!:
1)WIDE/NARROW BANDWIDTH SWITCH: SWITCHABLE IF Filters: Most people are not aware that the stock SSB ceramic IF Filter in the DX-394 is very close in bandwidth to the famous Kiwa Filter. A switch has been installed on the rear panel of the radio that allows listeners to choose between the stock Wide AM filter(10-12 KHZ wide) or the Narrower SSB Filter Bandwidths(4.5-5KHZ wide)! The two I.F. Filters have been set up on a toggle switch so that you can listen to the casual, easy listening wide filter or flip over to a narrower bandwidth in the circuit for listening to weak signals on a crowded band! Say good Bye to Interference and cross talk splatter.
2) The "Chuff Chuff" noise when fine tuning was stopped with a simple mod.
3) Keyboard Beeps mod was done to stop the annoying Beeping.
4) Cross talk Mod was done by adding components in the ceramic filter circuit to reduce interference. This mod greatly reduces the problems from strong adjacent channel interference or bleed thru from the filters. This narrows the bandwidth by adding more capacitors to the circuit around Q13 is the second part of this mod.
5) Noise Blanker Mods improve the radio Noise Blanker on AM and also make it functional in the SSB and CW reception position. Adding some resistors and a Schottkey diode in the circuit and adjusting the VR1 control "Greatly Improves the radio!" Completion of this mod is a significant improvement of the radio!! If you live in an area of high impulse noise it makes the 394 perform like a much more expensive receivers costing hundreds of dollars more.
6) Weight added to Main tuning dial makes the radio feel like a "Real Radio" with a heavy flywheel dial. Approximately 4 oz. of lead was added to the dial and helps the "Feel " of the dial.
7) RF Gain control mod provides better linearity when adjust gain of radio. This makes it much more flexible when tuning and listening to loud or strong SW signals. This mod had a big effect on the radio as well!
8) AGC mod done to reduce speed of AGC circuit. This makes it easier to listen to on AM or Sideband. The original manufacturer had a very fast attack AGC speed. Up and down signals will not pump the audio sound unnatural now. In ham lingo, the AGC has been modified to compensate for fast QSB.
9) Audio hiss removed from audio circuit by adding more capacitors to filter out some of the higher audio frequencies. Thus, this gives the audio more punch and makes it easier to listen to. It also helps make up for the cheap built in speaker. An external, Good quality speaker is also recommended!
10)Hum Reduction- An additional electrolytic capacitor of at least 2200UF has been added the rectifier section, smoothing out the DC and most importantly to reduce any hum when listening to headphones. Unmodified DX-394's sing and hum without this key addition.
11)Cabinet Shielding- The top and bottom case of the DX-394 have been covered on the inside with conductive, aluminum tape to shield the radio from RF interference. Common interference from nearby radio stations(Broadcast Shortwave or even Ham and CB), computers, TV computers monitors is greatly reduced or eliminated in most cases! The common birdies, heterodynes and spurious radiations will no longer ruin your reception of desired shortwave signals!.
Complete documentation of these mods will be included with the radio.
Cost for all the mods is $100 plus return shipping.
This is rated as the best set up for the DX-394! All the experts agree that a switchable bandwidth of the IF is the best way to go!
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