EPT3600-10A Antique RCi/Galaxy Saturn(non Turbo)

[ebayguy]

Hello all. Quick question. (I know, you are saying, "This is EBAYGUY, he types books, not quick questions"! Anyway, I will try.

I found a TX-RX, meter color change mod. The meters are one color on RC, and another color on TX. The only problem, it was on an RCI-2980. Even though they are the same board, it cannot be done in the same place. I emailed Ranger(RCI), and they were very helpful. They gave me the two points on the board to do the mod. Problem being, they will be attached to the 2SB525 transistors.

Question is:

If this will not take power from the transmit, which leg do I solder to? I can see where the ground is, but not sure about the other 2. I can't find that Transistors datasheet online. It is too old!

I can, and will post a How-To guide with pics when I have time to get this complete.

Thanks,
Lenny

 

[Rb30]

Sorry what is the question?

You state that the data sheet is to old for the transistor in question??? Mate data sheets don't change!!! If you can't read and understand the information given then I suggest that you should give it to a decent tech to do what ever mod you are trying to achieve

 

[Rb30]

Sorry Lenny I mis read your post, I missed the fact that you could not find the data sheet, (minor brain fart on my behalf).
What was the info that rci gave you?. I am not sure what mod you are trying to achieve. (is it a display color mod?)

 

[Rb30]

did a quick searh for you but sorry i dont have time to do an indepth look however 2sb525 data sheet as you stated is not easy to find however the replacements are:- 2sb598,2sb734,2sb562,2sa683,2sb1035 & 2sb1237. so if you look up the data sheets for the equivalents then you should have your answer

 

[ebayguy]

I couldn't find the data sheet for them. I searched, and found some documents, and "some" of the data from the data sheet, but those transistors are obsolete.

 

[ebayguy]

Besides, how am I going to learn, if someone is always doing it for me?

My question is;
Will connecting approx 120mA draw from the 2SB525, effect the output power of the radio?

If not, which of the two legs would I draw the power from, while it is "in service", or working?

RCI gave me the two contact points on the schematics, and once I found them, and researched what they did, I wanted to make sure it was an accurate, or adequate power source? The RX is supposed to be 8.01V while 0 in TX, and the TX is 8.01V and 0 in RX. I just want to make sure I "do it right the first time". I have a philosophy that I try to live by. It is "If you cannot find time to do it right the first time, how are you going to find the time to do it again"?

My daughter is actually finally grasping this philosophy, and she is 11. I would rather wait a few days and know that I am doing it right, rather than do it wrong 3-4 times. I have Bi-Polar disorder, manic depression, Crohn's disease, and I am A.D.D. If I do it too many times, and can't get it, I usually just say "F@?K IT, and trash it. The other night I almost posted an ad on Craigslist for ALL of the equipment in my shack, for FREE. U HAUL IT! Just because I ordered blue frequency counter segments, and they won't fit in my Saturn. Apparently there are two different kinds of LED segments? One for base, and one for mobile? That's stupid. Why do some crazy stuff like that? The segments in my Saturn are two sequencial rows of five. The ones the I received have two rows of 7, but looking at the back, one of the pins on the right side are missing. The seller didn't know what to do. The blind leading the blind I guess. Anyway, I might just say to Hell with it all, and let someone have it all. I mean, it only took 11 years for me to get back into the hobby and spend ALL of the money I had saved. What's $2000? Only money. You can't take physical things with you, only your life experiences. I am getting tired of the BS anyway. Life is a gift? Can I regift it? I am useless anyway. Everyone is out to get their hand in your pocket, and its not that mine are empty. I can't afford pockets, I spent it all in the shack.

 

[ebayguy]

BTW, don't mistake ignorance for stupidity. Just because someone asks a "Stupid question" does not mean that they aren't smart enough to figure it out. I was just hoping that someone had known. I mean the radio is about 25 years old! Usually inside of the first year, someone has ripped it apart to find out what it will and won't do. If I wasn't plaqued with diseases that won't allow for a "normal" life, I would have been able to learn, and DO A LOT MORE! I missed my daughters birthday party this year, because of a Crohn's attack. IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

 

[jazzsinger]

Hello all. Quick question. (I know, you are saying, "This is EBAYGUY, he types books, not quick questions"! Anyway, I will try.

I found a TX-RX, meter color change mod. The meters are one color on RC, and another color on TX. The only problem, it was on an RCI-2980. Even though they are the same board, it cannot be done in the same place. I emailed Ranger(RCI), and they were very helpful. They gave me the two points on the board to do the mod. Problem being, they will be attached to the 2SB525 transistors.

Question is:

If this will not take power from the transmit, which leg do I solder to? I can see where the ground is, but not sure about the other 2. I can't find that Transistors datasheet online. It is too old!

I can, and will post a How-To guide with pics when I have time to get this complete.

Thanks,
Lenny

i'm not familiar with that radio, but i imagine you want to use either a single 3 pin bi colour common cathode led (like the tx/rx leds in ss3900's etc) or dual led's with their cathodes tied to ground to light your s meter.

anyway the principle is the same, the two transistors you mention will be the tx and rx voltage switching transistors (tr36 and tr38 in later ept 3600 variants, might well be the same on the ept360010a board), you will find one pin on each (the collector, i think, if i recall the centre pin) will cycle between approx 8v and 0v whether you are tx'ing or rx'ing. this is the place you want to attach the anodes of your led's via a 680 or 1k resistor depending on the brightness you want.most led's draw around 20ma so i doubt it will put much extra strain on the 2sb525's.

obviously the tx led anode connects to the tx switching transistors collector and the rx led's anode to the rx voltage switching transistors collector. the common cathode or twin cathodes depending whether you use a bi colour or two independent leds are tied to ground.

if you already have a tx/rx led on the radio you could piggy back onto that too as it will also source a voltage that alternates between rx and tx.

if choosing the bi colour led route the 3mm toshiba tlrg 101 was the commonly used led in exports for the rx/tx led, but there is newer/brighter 3mm and 5mm ones and also red/blue ones if thats what turns you on, e bay is a good source for bi colour 3 pin led's.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50x-Red-B...al_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item2c628b94e5

hope that helps, george

 

[ebayguy]

Thanks George. I appreciate it. I was trying not to plug in the radio with it all apart, and the frequency board hanging off as it was, but the other night I did it. I found the two pins on the TR36, and the TR38 that give me the positive and negative for the 8V. I soldered the wires, and connected them to the TWO meter 3 pin common cathode bi-color LEDs. When I was finished, and after double checking to make sure that my joints were shorted, I plugged the radio back in, and connected to a dummy load. Neither meter lit up. I thought that maybe since I jumped the ground(at the meters), that they were possibly shorting out the 2sb525 transistors. I cut the ground jumper between the meters and the one LED lights up in both colors on RX, and the other, still is not lighting up on either TX or RX. I was really tired that night, so I cleaned everything up, and left it. I hadn't slept except a few hours a night, except last night, so I wanted to wait until I was thinking correctly. I will update when I start searching for problems.

Thanks again,
Lenny