Radio Builders
Radio Discussion => Technical Corner => Topic started by: Schmellenschmellen on December 04, 2025, 04:36:01 pm
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found this on ebay. its from PCS
https://ebay.us/m/l9Qoz5
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for 60 euros its seem very reasonable. i dont suppose the gerbers are around for this?
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Yes pcs looks good... I am not sure where pcs get their prices from for audio connectors.. ??? everything costs as an extra with pcs even rca connectors. I suppose it keeps profit margins a bit higher which they probably have to do.
Also this is nice looking from dutch rf shop at least seems to be clean and more serviceable but it would be nice if they could knock up a little encoder for €35 or so
https://dutchrfshop.nl/en/diy-kits-pcb-s/524-parts-kit-drfs06-v2-fm-transmitter-6-watt.html
They don't seem to sell stereo encoders for it.
(https://dutchrfshop.nl/673-large_default/parts-kit-drfs06-v2-fm-transmitter-6-watt.jpg)
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Albert does not seem to like Aareff for some reason, I don't know enough about PLL rigs to be able
to confirm or deny if they are any good. Albert seemed to know the man who made NRG and spoke highly of him.
With very good reason. The Aareff rubbish is an abysmal attempt to copy the original Steven Moss designs. Steve was a good friend of mine, and an excellent engineer. He developed the original Veronica designs - including a PLL version - way back in the 80s. He made the mistake of employing the clown who now runs Aareff, and that clown tried to sue Steve out of business when Steve fired him. Steve changed the name of his company from Veronica Kits to NRG, because the clown wanted the Veronica name for his inept copy products, and Steve, Christine and I decided that the "Veronica" name was effectively ruined by the clown's behaviour and inept copies, so the name change to NRG was done. The name was suggested by another friend of Steve's.
The Aareff stuff tries to copy the 80s Veronica designs, but because the clown didn't understand the principles that ensured the quality of the output from the NRG gear, he just made appalling sprog-boxes that he still persists in trying to sell, despite their abysmal performance and reputation. The clown ran away after he ripped off too many people - first to Spain, then to the West Indies, where he languishes to this day AFAIK.
The NRG PLL Pro III was a properly broadband design, capable of >4 Watts without tweaks to the amplifier stages. It could also be switched down to 1 Watt if necessary, and still retained its broadband ability. The Kallitron oscillator operated at half the output frequency, and "self-doubled" to the output frequency. It's crucial that the sides of the oscillator are accurately balanced to prevent half-frequency breakthrough - something that the clown didn't understand. The clown tried to make his ridiculous exciter "no-tune" by saturating the output stage to give the same RF power output right across the band - which it does, but fills the entire band with noise and it gives as much power on the harmonics as it does on the wanted frequency.
That- basically - is why you should stay clear of the Aareff rubbish. It's an over-priced way to buy a bunch of components to salvage!
The PCS gear is pretty expensive, but Marco's a great engineer, and his designs work very well.
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ah that explains it, I was kinda thinking there might be some other shop that sells pcs gear were the vat was paid through the website.
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Dutch RF Shop
https://dutchrfshop.nl/en/
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Hi whats drfs? I saw it mentioned on the old radionecks, it goes to a sofa company when I search for it, is it some way to pay through the website the vat or maybe i’ve got the wrong end of the stick ?
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https://www.radiobuilders.co.uk/technical-corner/nrg-founder-veronika-stephen-j-moss/
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Veronica originally (in the 80s) had a 1W VFO kit. It was the same oscillator and PA as the later PLL but without the PLL part. I've never seen one in person but have seen photos. The PLL came along later in the 90s I think.
I looked into ordering some 300W PA and filter PCBs from PCS a few years ago but the import duty was insane. Ended up ordering from DRFS instead. Maybe not an issue if you're in an EU country (PCS are in Slovenia I think).
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Only PCS gear that I’ve experimented with is their DAB kit which is not very cheap. However, after testing it out it seems to work very well.
There’s a lot to learn with a DAB kit. Everything is run over TCP to communicate with the transmitter and a whole lot of software to familiarise yourself with and understand.
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I always thought the main veronica 1W board was a PLL, competing with the NRG.
So they made a free running VCO only one ? Interesting.
Their current PLL 1W is the tiny components one
https://www.aareff.com/en/1w-pll-fm-transmitter-kit/
Given the price I would definitely got for a PCS over that. 100pct, personally. Aaref is £261.00 inc vat + shipping for 1W stereo ??? pricey.
Albert does not seem to like Aareff for some reason, I don't know enough about PLL rigs to be able
to confirm or deny if they are any good. Albert seemed to know the man who made NRG and spoke highly of him.
I wish the PLL makers would very clearly state if these devices are stereo out of the box as the PCB stands before adding extras. It is always a bit encoded pardon the pun
with MPX and what not. But they do not say if they already have stereo TX capability. It should be clearer. That would help them compete
against the Chinese 0.5/1/5/15W chip sprog rigs.
Ok you need to buy an encoder for Aareff that explains it is mono out of the box. All too expensive and there will be import charges
and courier charges on top. It seems they are in Spain ? You would be looking at £300.00 + by the time it gets to you for 1w.
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veronika is the only oscillator that doesn't have a problem with deviation... everyone else does. absolutely the best ever made. I don't think albert is giving away all the secrets
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I stand corrected then. :)
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Maybe a christmas present for someone who likes broadcasting, wrapped in a bow.
Shemellen I get the impression they would have rig builders who would build them, did always wonder were pirates would get them in the 90’s, got the impression go in the back of watch/clock shop, someone would build them.
The veronica vco was really good, it wasn’t pll, remember having the 1w was really good, had the mono and the stereo built as a kit, they wouldn’t drift much.
veronica had mail order back in the 90’s, get the impression it was used for people playing about in their bedroom, too expensive for pirates to use, 1w, they would need an amplifier, there was the 5w, guessing the builders might of copied the designs, added their own amp, I think they did sell big 10w transmitters boxes for rsls too at veronica, the old website for it is still as it was back in 1999.
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We are speaking PLL here not VCO. The veronica is PLL but I thought Albert mentioned there were not a patch on the original NRG's.
If you account availability and price, features the PCS have the most going for them.
The only thing is the microcomponents mean you cannot service much. Although for the pices they charge I still consider them good value.
As long as you are not an idiot and run a low SWR and keep them nice and cool with a fan probably the best option. Not to mention decent power and stereo.
Of course there are more -DIY pirate- boards like the ones you have to populate yourself zozo, pira and a few others but some may see that as
a bit more hassle overall and then you are at 1W. It depends on what you want to do. if you like making them, I mean you won't learn much from populating a pcb
without the inclination to understand what the component are actually doing I guess.
I was susprised PCS were not spoken about more on the old forum given the ease of availability.
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only veronoica VCO is better !
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I do not need much in the way of radio kit myself as I don't really TX. Mainly listening here.
But they seem to have amazing PLL's with optional extras. The PLL boards are good value and stable/quality. The only thing is the extras are a bit pricey, especially audio connectors which should be peanuts really... but if you can solder a few wires for audio inputs and what not the quality seems very good. not very serviceable being tiny tiny components but good quality it seems...
https://www.pcs-electronics.com/product-category/fm-transmitters/fm-transmitter-kits/
https://www.pcs-electronics.com/shop/rf-accesories-for-transmitters/radio-kits/stmax3000-micro-15w-and-25w-stereo-rds-exciters/
At least you know you won't be sprogging all over the band and raided in a day or 2 like the Chinese stuff.
Lots of options there, budget through to some deluxe PLL's.
(https://www.pcs-electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/stmax3015micro.jpg)
(https://www.pcs-electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MAXPRO8015_V5_2.png)
(https://www.pcs-electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/STMAX9000-1.png)