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RCI 2970n2 Problems

I have a 2970n2 the problem with mine is when I turn the radio on the display reads pa when it is not switched to pa but I can still talk on am
 
I have to say Chip at Radio Shop Supply is Aces with me even if it costs you 90 bucks at least you know the radio will be correct. They have done quite a few radios for me and I am 100% satisfied with their work. Remember Great Radio Techs aren't expensive they are Priceless.
 
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My n2 was one of the first series and it was doing 300 watts on ssb. I sent it to DTB radio and Dave brought it down to 225 watts on ssb and it now draws just 21 amps. Although on Am it's much higher - 275 watts @ about 27 amps.

These reading are all at full power.
 
DXman said:
My n2 was one of the first series and it was doing 300 watts on ssb. I sent it to DTB radio and Dave brought it down to 225 watts on ssb and it now draws just 21 amps. Although on Am it's much higher - 275 watts @ about 27 amps.

These reading are all at full power.
Click to expand...

That's still a little hot for AM.
 
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I stopped by my distributor on Friday and they don't have single N2 available. I'll try to work some deals in the future for some more radios. I have no stock left at all.
 
According to RCI recent spec's, The radio draws up to 35 amps. You didn't mention how many amps your power supply handles. Power supplies usually are spec'd and marketed at peak values but your real world usage numbers to look at is the continuous current. The current amperage draw will usually be lower than the advertised peak current.

My Astron 70 amp power supply continuous current is 57 amps. This is the real number to use when selecting a power supply, not the peak. You should be able to research online the spec's on your power supply if you don't know them.

When I'm using a 100watt HF rig at 50 watts drive or more to drive my 500 watt amplifier , I trip my power supply even though I'm drawing just under 70 amps. ( my HF rig draws about 20 amps and the Amplifier draws under 45 amps at this setting). Obviously I have to turn the HF radio power output down to avoid power amp tripping.

Your problem could be your power supply isn't capable of the power draw your radio is needing. In AM mode lowering the deadkey will help since a lot of the current is used for the deadkey carrier.
 
Also I should mention why would you use a power supply in your truck for mobile operation? To use your power supply in this manner would require an inverter. While this will work, it will put a lot of noise in your radio receivers audio. I can even pick up inverter noise in my mobile station spewing out from semi- trucks going down the interstate passing me with inverters on.

Best bet is to go direct to the batteries. Of course this will require a strong alternator and batteries.

This may even solve all your problems in the first place.
 
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fourstringburn said:
Also I should mention why would you use a power supply in your truck for mobile operation? To use your power supply in this manner would require an inverter. While this will work, it will put a lot of noise in your radio receivers audio. I can even pick up inverter noise in my mobile station spewing out from semi- trucks going down the interstate passing me with inverters on.

Best bet is to go direct to the batteries. Of course this will require a strong alternator and batteries.

This may even solve all your problems in the first place.
Click to expand...
 
fourstringburn said:
According to RCI recent spec's, The radio draws up to 35 amps. You didn't mention how many amps your power supply handles. Power supplies usually are spec'd and marketed at peak values but your real world usage numbers to look at is the continuous current. The current amperage draw will usually be lower than the advertised peak current.

My Astron 70 amp power supply continuous current is 57 amps. This is the real number to use when selecting a power supply, not the peak. You should be able to research online the spec's on your power supply if you don't know them.

When I'm using a 100watt HF rig at 50 watts drive or more to drive my 500 watt amplifier , I trip my power supply even though I'm drawing just under 70 amps. ( my HF rig draws about 20 amps and the Amplifier draws under 45 amps at this setting). Obviously I have to turn the HF radio power output down to avoid power amp tripping.

Your problem could be your power supply isn't capable of the power draw your radio is needing. In AM mode lowering the deadkey will help since a lot of the current is used for the deadkey carrier.
Click to expand...

This is not making sense to me, in relation to the current draw. Since reading the manual for a 2970N4 it states a little higher than the N2, approx 40A current draw for fhe N4.
 
Limeybastard said:
This is not making sense to me, in relation to the current draw. Since reading the manual for a 2970N4 it states a little higher than the N2, approx 40A current draw for fhe N4.
Click to expand...
I'm only going off the spec's I read at the time and using those numbers as an example. What they are now is irrelevant to the point I was making.

The main point was about shopping for power supplies. As I said, power supplies are almost always marketed at peak power, therefore you should check their spec's for continuous or RMS average power which will be lower than the peak and make sure your needs will be covered by this rating plus a little headroom.

So if the N2 now does 40 amps peak, I would go with a 70 amp P/S because the continuous would be around 57 amps. This will give plenty of headroom for the radio and another accessories now and in the future.

A 50 amp P/S usually has a continuous rating around 37 amps so while it would be over the continuous and will work, it's not leaving much headroom for any spikes or much accessories. Most likely the radio won't do the full 40 amp draw because usually those tests for spec's are done with the radio under harsh conditions and sine waves to get that number. I would still go with the 70 amp anyway.

Does this make sense now?
 
fourstringburn said:
I'm only going off the spec's I read at the time and using those numbers as an example. What they are now is irrelevant to the point I was making.

The main point was about shopping for power supplies. As I said, power supplies are almost always marketed at peak power, therefore you should check their spec's for continuous or RMS average power which will be lower than the peak and make sure your needs will be covered by this rating plus a little headroom.

So if the N2 now does 40 amps peak, I would go with a 70 amp P/S because the continuous would be around 57 amps. This will give plenty of headroom for the radio and another accessories now and in the future.

A 50 amp P/S usually has a continuous rating around 37 amps so while it would be over the continuous and will work, it's not leaving much headroom for any spikes or much accessories. Most likely the radio won't do the full 40 amp draw because usually those tests for spec's are done with the radio under harsh conditions and sine waves to get that number. I would still go with the 70 amp anyway.

Does this make sense now?
Click to expand...

With not making sense comment was about the figures that RCI publish for their radios.
Maybe im not electronically savvy, but the N4 current draw is not that much more on paper as compared to the N2.

We all agree the watts isnt double of the N2, but was thinking in my small mind that perhaps either the user manual got it wrong on the n4 in respect to the amperage.
 

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