Hello Gentlemen (and Ladies?),
I've got, as the title suggests, a radio that's been tinkered with. I bought it off a guy at a truck stop, who only had it for a short period of time, but whoever he got it from, got inside it and did strange things.
As I'm new here, let me fill you in on my background real quick. Currently, I'm a truck driver, but I've also been in hotel maintenence, the burglar alarm industry, and I've installed/serviced DirecTv. I remodeled my sisters house a couple years ago, and am currently doing my own house. I'm a tinkerer; I've built a working lawnmower from dead ones, using a pocket knife and vicegrips. I took HVAC classes in high school, back in the 90's, and that came with an electrical class. I have a rough understanding of schematics. I'm DIY kind of guy.
On to the equipment; the radio is a Stryker SR -655HP, the antenna is the massive Wilson with a big coil. I know that I do not need a 5000watt antenna, since I don't come close to pushing that, but I got it for the height, since it's mounted behind the cab. I needed it to stick up above the roof line. I seem to get a better SWR reading now, than I did with mirror mounted antennas.
The coax is Wilson, as well. Also, I have an Astatic PDC2 SWR/Watt meter; this model has separate gauges for the two functions.
I was first aware that something was off on this radio, when I realized that turning the power up, via faceplate knobs, was causing my transmissions to come from speakers inside my truck, that were totally unrelated to the CB, for example, some computer speakers that I keep hooked to the TV. Speakers off and unplugged, still play my CB transmission. Also, I noted that I was only putting out about 20 watts; a bit underpowered for this radio, I believe. Lastly, I am not talking to people. I hear them, they don't hear me.
I took the unit into the CB shop, at the TTT in AZ, for a bench check. He declared it to be in proper working order in less than 2 minutes. I wasn't too impressed with this guy.
So, I've been scouring the internet for solutions. I found the mod page on CB Tricks for this radio, which was a little useful.
I was able to adjust the two power, and the two modulation pots enough to stop transmitting through random speakers; this makes my wife happy, anyway.
While I was in there, this is what I found:
When looking at the pic on the CB Tricks Mod pdf, it points to a resistor labeled "0", and says to remove it. In my radio, it has been removed, as has the resistor above it. In their place, a new resistor was added (banded Yellow, Violet, Orange, Gold) one leg seems attached to where "0" was, the other leg, where the other resistor was.
Coil "L20" has been altered; the loop on either end had been pushed down to the board. I raised both loops, some.
Now, while my random speakers are now quiet, I note other oddities. Keying the mic will cause my interior light to dim, and the voltage meter on the radio drops to 11.5; though not the truck meter. Normal voltage is 13.8-13.9.
I note, too, on channel one, DK registers 40+ watts on the unit meter, but only 20+ on the Astatic.
Flip to 20, DK upper 50's on unit, 15ish on Astatic.
On 40, DK 60watt on unit, 10 on Astatic.
So, I guess the questions are, what's going on, and how do I fix it? I have no interest in running a splatter box; I want a clean signal.
Also, the CB Tricks pdf gave me 4 pots to adjust; I know that 2 are modulation, the other 2 power. But, is it possible to get a more specific explanation of each ones function? The one labeled "Mod ANL" is particularly confusing to me. I note, too, that turning clockwise seems to reduce. Is that correct?
Sorry if this seems long winded; I've tried to give as much relavant info as possible. Thank you, in advance, for any assistance that y'all may be able to provide. And, if I have forgotten anything important, I do apologize.
I've got, as the title suggests, a radio that's been tinkered with. I bought it off a guy at a truck stop, who only had it for a short period of time, but whoever he got it from, got inside it and did strange things.
As I'm new here, let me fill you in on my background real quick. Currently, I'm a truck driver, but I've also been in hotel maintenence, the burglar alarm industry, and I've installed/serviced DirecTv. I remodeled my sisters house a couple years ago, and am currently doing my own house. I'm a tinkerer; I've built a working lawnmower from dead ones, using a pocket knife and vicegrips. I took HVAC classes in high school, back in the 90's, and that came with an electrical class. I have a rough understanding of schematics. I'm DIY kind of guy.
On to the equipment; the radio is a Stryker SR -655HP, the antenna is the massive Wilson with a big coil. I know that I do not need a 5000watt antenna, since I don't come close to pushing that, but I got it for the height, since it's mounted behind the cab. I needed it to stick up above the roof line. I seem to get a better SWR reading now, than I did with mirror mounted antennas.
The coax is Wilson, as well. Also, I have an Astatic PDC2 SWR/Watt meter; this model has separate gauges for the two functions.
I was first aware that something was off on this radio, when I realized that turning the power up, via faceplate knobs, was causing my transmissions to come from speakers inside my truck, that were totally unrelated to the CB, for example, some computer speakers that I keep hooked to the TV. Speakers off and unplugged, still play my CB transmission. Also, I noted that I was only putting out about 20 watts; a bit underpowered for this radio, I believe. Lastly, I am not talking to people. I hear them, they don't hear me.
I took the unit into the CB shop, at the TTT in AZ, for a bench check. He declared it to be in proper working order in less than 2 minutes. I wasn't too impressed with this guy.
So, I've been scouring the internet for solutions. I found the mod page on CB Tricks for this radio, which was a little useful.
I was able to adjust the two power, and the two modulation pots enough to stop transmitting through random speakers; this makes my wife happy, anyway.
While I was in there, this is what I found:
When looking at the pic on the CB Tricks Mod pdf, it points to a resistor labeled "0", and says to remove it. In my radio, it has been removed, as has the resistor above it. In their place, a new resistor was added (banded Yellow, Violet, Orange, Gold) one leg seems attached to where "0" was, the other leg, where the other resistor was.
Coil "L20" has been altered; the loop on either end had been pushed down to the board. I raised both loops, some.
Now, while my random speakers are now quiet, I note other oddities. Keying the mic will cause my interior light to dim, and the voltage meter on the radio drops to 11.5; though not the truck meter. Normal voltage is 13.8-13.9.
I note, too, on channel one, DK registers 40+ watts on the unit meter, but only 20+ on the Astatic.
Flip to 20, DK upper 50's on unit, 15ish on Astatic.
On 40, DK 60watt on unit, 10 on Astatic.
So, I guess the questions are, what's going on, and how do I fix it? I have no interest in running a splatter box; I want a clean signal.
Also, the CB Tricks pdf gave me 4 pots to adjust; I know that 2 are modulation, the other 2 power. But, is it possible to get a more specific explanation of each ones function? The one labeled "Mod ANL" is particularly confusing to me. I note, too, that turning clockwise seems to reduce. Is that correct?
Sorry if this seems long winded; I've tried to give as much relavant info as possible. Thank you, in advance, for any assistance that y'all may be able to provide. And, if I have forgotten anything important, I do apologize.