Hidden feature: Calibrating the Tecsun PL-880 for zero-beat operation

Tecsun-SSB-QRG-1Many thanks to Dan who learned, via the Tecsun PL-880 group, of another way to calibrate the PL-880 in upper and lower sideband. This method seems to be a little easier than a previously posted procedure.

Anna, with Anon-Co, translates this procedure given to her by Tecsun technicians:

  1. Place the Tecsun PL-880 in LSB or USB mode
  2. Tune to an AM broadcast station and zero-beat the signal (fine tune it until the signal has no SSB distortion and voices/music sound natural)
  3. If the last two digits of the frequency are not “00”, this means there is some display deviation
  4. Simply press and hold the [SNOOZE] button for about one second or so to calibrate the last two frequency digits, which will show “00” when successful.

I will try this procedure later today by re-calibrating my PL-880.

Dan has also noted what many others have–that the PL-880 “is sensitive to both power levels, and time in the powered on state, and will vary by some hz up and down the bands
no matter what one does to zero at any particular point.”

Has anyone else experienced this?

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5 thoughts on “Hidden feature: Calibrating the Tecsun PL-880 for zero-beat operation

  1. Dan Robinson

    I now see that this method, using the snooze button for calibration,
    was already listed back in December….

    Reply
    1. Thomas Post author

      Dan, no worries. There have been so many PL-880 Easter eggs that I get them confused. I’m plotting to make one page with all of the hidden features. Should publish this week.
      -Thomas

      Reply
  2. Dan Robinson

    I have posted some additional items on this on the PL-880 group. This does appear to resolved the issue, especially for those of us who demand (perhaps foolishly) big things from radios not built to provide them. Using the SNOOZE button actually seems to be the solution that Tecsun should have told everyone about in the first place. This is a great little radio — though I do note quite a significant difference when using the provided Tecsun reel antenna, and using the whip. But now with the ability to easily adjust the readout to zero, the PL-880 becomes even more attractive, though we all await future firmware changes that would deal with the AGC and selectivity instability issues.

    Reply

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