Suggestions on who to tune my Galaxy 98VHP

[BooDaddy]

I just bought a Galaxy 98vhp completely stock. I did the conversion myself (which was really easy) and I have been talking on her for a few weeks now. It sounds great from the factory. I am dead keying about 120 and peaking about 175 on the radios meter. I have had good reports on the way it sounds.

Now I am wanting to get a good tune done on her. I am just looking to get about 200 or so watts out of her, and then some good sounding audio. I plan on using it to push a Texas Star DX1600 in about a month or so. i figure the 98 will drive the DX1600 without having to have another amp in between them.

Who do you guys suggest i should send my 98VHP to so it will get a good tune. I dont want no crazy "super swing kits" or none of that junk... just a good solid tune to get a few more watts, and then tweak the audio on her. Give me some suggestions, and if prices (if you happen to know the prices).

Thanks everyone...

 

[undertaker]

ss8541 Electronics ........................

 

[BooDaddy]

thank you Brother! I am also a Master Mason at Ocoee Lodge #212 in Benton TN. Nice to see another Brother on the air!

 

[undertaker]

Kerrville # 697 your welcome brother...

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

http://www.dtbradio.com/

 

[hotrod]

from the numbers ya listed above id say and the great reports back ya get
id say leave well enough alone.if it anit broke dont fix it.any added watts
will never be noticed.and will give the dx1600 al it can handle

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

if that radio has never had an alignment by a competent tech with all the correct gear an alignment could help with its rx and tx clarity . even brand new radios can benefit . setting up a radio isnt all about the watts .

 

[BooDaddy]

Yeah Booty, thats kinda what I am looking for. Just to get it all aligned and the audio sounding good. The extra wattage isnt as important to me as having really good sounding audio on both TX and RX. Ill let the DX1600 be the watt maker I just want to push a good clean sound to the DX1600

 

[freecell]

you'll only need a fraction of the total power output to properly drive the DX1600.

http://www.firecommunications.com/dx1600.txt

 

[BooDaddy]

you'll only need a fraction of the total power output to properly drive the DX1600.

http://www.firecommunications.com/dx1600.txt

Hmm.. so it looks as if I will only need to output about 100 watts to drive the dx1600. 30 watts of AM outputs 850 watts on the dx1600. When I run SSB, s100 watts will give 1600 PEP.

So what would you suggest I set my deadkey at for AM? and what should i set it at for SSB?

 

[freecell]

there is no carrier in ssb operation and the ssb output power is somewhat exaggerated. 1200 is the clean limit for ssb operation. for am the drive from the radio should be set so that carrier out from the 1600 is 200 to 225W and PEP not to exceed 800 - 900W. if you decide to get stupid and push it further you're on your own.

personally i do not exceed 800W in either AM or SSB modes so that in the case of an antenna or feedline fault the transistors stand a good chance of surviving any extreme mismatches that could occur. secondly, the IMD levels remain at or > -24db. to keep the neighbors happy, especially since there is no low pass output filtering in the collector output of the DX1600.

i'm currently rebuilding a 1600 where the antenna/feedline failed and resulted in the failure of all 8 devices including a toroid transformer and a relay. it will end up costing over half the price of a new one.

FYI.

 

[BooDaddy]

Ok. So for AM, once I get the dx1600 I need to turn the power down all the way on my 98VHP. Then start reading a watt meter, and slowly turn the radios power knob until the DX1600 is outputting a 200 watt carrier, with only PEP of around 900?

Now, for SSB, what do you guys recommend I do to set it up.

Keep in mind, Im not wanting to run everything to the max... I just want to have good clean sound and not overdrive any of my equipment.

Is there a way a radio shop can install a switch on my 98 so that when I want to run the Texas Star, I can flip the switch and my radios power will go to a "preset" level so as not to blow up the DX1600?

That way I could just flip the switch, my radios power level would be set, and then it could be wired up to turn on the DX1600 using the remote switch input. A DPDT switch would prolly be what was needed.

 

[freecell]

what's the carrier level from the radio with the rf power fully counter-clockwise as it sits right now? what's the carrier level with the rf power output fully clockwise? if i remember your opening post you indicated that the carrier level was in excess of 100W and that's not good.

"....I am dead keying about 120 and peaking about 175........"
under these conditions your current modulation index is .3 or roughly 30%.

carrier level (am) should be at or slightly above 25% of the maximum pep output for at or under 100% modulation.

 

[BooDaddy]

Well, the radio is completly stock and hasnt had any tuning or anything. I simply opened it from the factory box, and did the frequency conversion that is shown on cbtricks.com.

On AM, If I turn the power knob all the way up, the power meter on the radio will show 125 watts when theres silence on the key. When I start talking, the meter will peak at max of 175 or so. No mind you, I am only using the meter thats built in the radio, I dont have any other meters yet.
If I turn the knob all the way down, the dead key is around 25 or so.

Whenever I go to SSB the radio will of course deadkey 0, but it will swing to over 200 watts when i speak loudly (heavy modulation).

I get alot of good compliments on both AM and SSB about how the radio sounds. No distortion, and lots of audio. This is a completly stock 98VHP.

 

[freecell]

the transmit audio is severely lacking in am mode @ 125 - 175. make that less than 30% modulation.

"On AM, If I turn the power knob all the way up, the power meter on the radio will show 125 watts........"

and 25W all the way down........sorry, didn't see that.
the carrier level is excessively high throughout the rf power control range. in the fully clockwise position the carrier level should not exceed 50W.