Skipper 300

[Tweetybird]

I picked up a skipper three hundred at a yard sale it has the 6lf6 tubes in it it puts out watts fine but the modulation pegs out red even with the Mike gain all the way down my monitor jack on my meter does not work I think it squealing like feedback it has original caps in it big silver things any ideas to check thanks I still learning

 

[nomadradio]

You're not using a power mike on this radio are you?

It's fairly common for an amplifier to 'bleed' the circuits in a power mike, creating a feedback squeal on the air.

Even more basic, the quality of the connection inside the connectors on your coax and coax jumpers is a big deal. Unless the shield braid is soldered, this can cause a problem. Sometimes a barefoot radio will work okay with coax plugs that are grounded poorly inside. But putting an amplifier in line with them causes trouble.

Do you have a SWR meter in line with the antenna? Any time you have an amplifier in line, you need a RF wattmeter in line with the antenna.

High SWR on the antenna can cause headaches, too.

73

 

[Tweetybird]

I have an aires 5000 hp meter swr is good I have a two pill transistor amp that works the skipper went to almost 900 watts shut it down immediately it was about 300 when I first keyed it I was adjusting the knob on the back and that's when it climbed up to 900 I turned Mike gain all the way down and modulation meter pegged out just from keying up before I did this check how can four 6lf6 tubes make that many watts?

 

[BlowinSmoke]

your amp sounds like it is oscillating. You may have a bad parasitic suppressor or two or more.

 

[mrgumby]

You said your driving the skipper with a 2 pill amp ? Is that correct? That amp shouldn’t need that. Have you tried taking that 2pill out of line. That’s way too much drive for that amp

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I have an aires 5000 hp meter swr is good I have a two pill transistor amp that works the skipper went to almost 900 watts shut it down immediately it was about 300 when I first keyed it I was adjusting the knob on the back and that's when it climbed up to 900 I turned Mike gain all the way down and modulation meter pegged out just from keying up before I did this check how can four 6lf6 tubes make that many watts?

You are driving the skipper with w two pill?

 

[RT431]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

 

[Tweetybird]

I drive the skipper with four watts I was just saying my two pill amp works fine I would never drive the skipper or any other amp with an amp just the radio coax is rg8 brand new sirio starduster antenna 1.1 swr barefoot climbs to 1.3 when running my two pill I know not to overdrive a skipper 300 what would make 4 watts in climb to 900 when max should be 300 or so keyed for 15 seconds and it goes from 200 to 900

 

[Tweetybird]

You said your driving the skipper with a 2 pill amp ? Is that correct? That amp shouldn’t need that. Have you tried taking that 2pill out of line. That’s way too much drive for that amp

No barefoot radio

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

Not driving with two pill tried a stock Mike with a realistictr492 base

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

You are driving the skipper with w two pill?

No barefoot

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

Never drove with two pill and used a stock Mike barefoot 4 watts

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

Barefoot radio 4 watts stock Mike

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

Barefoot 4 watts stock mike

 

[Tweetybird]

First I would ditch the 2 pill and try an unamplified mic.

My 0.02¢

4watts stock mike