• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Galaxy Saturn Power supply swap

ExitThirteen

Grumpy and Cranky
Apr 18, 2008
1,968
1,678
173
Cornpatch of Iowa
Here's a little pictorial of a power supply swap I did on a Galaxy Saturn Turbo I recently purchased... Power supply failed shortly after I got it, so I decided to convert an ATX computer supply over to run the radio. If you have any questions about the swap, feel free to ask away, I'll gladly help! The radio does about 150-160W on full power on SSB, AM/FM runs 80W on high power, 15W on low power. Enjoy!

Picture719.jpg


Picture723.jpg


Picture720.jpg


Picture725.jpg


Picture724.jpg
 

all I can say is Grrrrrreeeeeaaatttt!!!!!
I've been looking all over the net for this and you seem to have solved this problem considering how many Galaxy/RCI base radios come with lousy power supplies.
Would it be possible to write up some kind of a tutorial to go along with these pics of your very clean installation?

thanks and once again Great Job !!!
 
I've had a few people ask me if I would do a write-up about my swap, and I'll gladly do that. All I ask is a little patience, as I work a weekend shift, and I won't be able to get around to doing this until next week when I have free time again. I'll go through step by step on what I did. Should I make a new thread for this? Or should I use the existing thread? Let me know on this! ~Cheers~
 
EXIT make a new thread in the repair section ofcourse. I had my Galaxy 2527 go down lastweek :( I was moving things on my desk around when I ironically heard a weird static type hiss that faded out and the radio that was sitting idle said beep and off she went. I was confused but not angry because Ive ran this radio since 1998 or earlier with not a bit of trouble so it owes me nothing.

I was guessing maybe a powwer supply issue but I think Im going to open it up tonight since Ive checked the obvious fuses cord ETC your swap mod may just get this toy back up and running and get a smile back on my face. I havent been feeling good again but need this fixed as it was a great radio for playing with and checking into a LSB 11 meter net on tuesday nights.

It was strange how it just quit without any warning and radio was never beat usually ran at 8 watts on low power on SSB and 20 on Hi so this will be interesting to see what happen here.
 
Long time, no see, TonyV!

Let me know your findings, as I'll be doing up a relatively simple write-up that I'll post here on the forums, and a more thorough, in-depth write-up for a person that requested it from the forums here. If it's confirmed that it's the power supply, just shoot me a PM and I can assist you with it , via emails or landline. Keep in touch, and hope things will pick up for you soon!
 
I actually straightened mine out lastnight but, I am still interested in this supply swap you did ;) I am curious as to if you had receive hash or anyother receive noise from the supply?

What I do love is the fact the a computer power supply has a nice cooling fan and they can also be changed for a faster better cooling fan if needed and being internal the fan would hardly cause noise worth complaing about.
 
TonyV,
I have no receive noise from this power supply at all. Zilch. Don't know if it's this particular brand of power supply, or, if the technology has progressed to the point that these power supplies won't "produce" the noise like they used to... not sure. This one's quiet. Only reason I bought this one, was because the local computer shop had it on sale! :LOL:

I think I paid 60 bucks for this one, it's a 550W supply that does 35 amp on the 12V rail. In retrospect, I should've maybe gone with a 650W supply so I would have even LESS voltage drop (this one drops about 1.2V or so on full output on SSB) but I figured with the large surge caps that I saved and used from the original power supply, that this 550W one would be sufficient. So far the radio performs like a dream, I've had nothing but compliments on the audio quality from the radio. So far, so good!

Detailed tutorial to come very soon!
 
did you use a large resistor to load up the 5v rail?

also you might be able to adjust the 12v rail to bring it up some... I was able to get my PC power supply to around 14v
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Unfortunately, no... I haven't been able to do a write-up, as I've been pretty busy with other doings as of late. Eventually, I'll get around to it, but right now it's on the (way) back burner.

I used a couple 14 ohm, 10 watt wirewound resistors to load up the +5V rail. That put the operating voltage at 12.2V or so. There's no internal adjustment for the +12V rail, so I left it alone. I'm sure there's some fixed resistor in there I could yank out and drop in a variable, but for the hassle it didn't seem like it was worth my time. The radio to this day functions perfect in all modes, and does 160-165W max output on SSB. Even the local hams say it sounds very clear and on frequency.


~Cheers~
 
Let me start by saying "What an awesome job"! You certainly take pride in your repairs. I applaud your neatness, and ingenuity. I wish I knew more about radios, so that I might do the same.


Please let me know when you do write this up. I am really wanting to attempt this mod. Although I don't have the "TURBO", I still would like the power so that I can also find someone to help with a RFX-75 mod for my Saturn. She talks really well locally, and get compliments on it, but would like to get out a bit further at times. I am getting out 61-62 miles TX on a daily basis. It has stock final in it, doing 20W on AM. Haven't talked on SSB yet, so not sure about clarity on SSB.

Thanks,
Lenny
 
Hey 13, my friend Galaxy Saturn PSU went out but his running it off of a external PSU. where did you get your PSU from?
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • dxBot:
    Tucker442 has left the room.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    LIVE 10:00 AM EST :cool:
  • @ Charles Edwards:
    I'm looking for factory settings 1 through 59 for a AT 5555 n2 or AT500 M2 I only wrote down half the values feel like a idiot I need help will be appreciated