hi guys.
i have a 929, and have done the mods to it that im about to suggest, so i know they work.
refer to this diagram for the parts locations:
http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/galaxy/dx929/graphics/dx929_main_ept092913z_layout.gif
click on the diagram to enlarge it.
first, cut or remove R276. its just to the left of VR16. this is the AM modulation limiter.
next, find C233 and remove it. dont cut it. unsolder and remove it as you will be re-using it. C233 is located in the rear right corner of the board, just to the left of Q55.
get a 100 ohm resistor (1/4 watt is fine), and a 1N4001 diode. (yes, your 1N4004 diode will work fine, but the leads may be to large to fit through the hole in the PC board)
solder one end of the 100ohm resistor to the BANDED end of the diode.
refer to the diagram at the bottom of this post to see how it should be done.
put the diode/resistor combo in the holes where C233 used to be, and solder it in.
the resistor should be towards the back of the radio and the diode towards the front.
now, on the solder (green) side of the PC board, solder the capacitor you removed to the two spots where you just soldered the diode/resistor.
(basically you are putting it back where it was, just on the other side of the PC board. its not polarized so it doesnt matter what direction you solder it)
now, as for the deadkey not going any lower than 3 watts, you have to understand that there are two VR's that control your deadkey level, and they work together.
here's how it works:
because you have a variable RF power control on the front of the radio, there are two internal controls that allow you to set the thresholds or limits of your high and low power. (max clockwise and max counterclockwise on the RF power knob)
these two VR's are VR18 (low power limit) and VR14 (high power limit)
they do interact with one-another and turning one will affect the level of the other so it does take just a bit of going back and forth to get them set where you want.
here's now to do it:
turn the mic gain all the way down so it doesnt affect your readings.
now, turn the RF power knob on the front of the radio all the way down. (counterclockwise)
adjust VR18 until you get a deadkey of 1 watt.
if it wont go down that far, turn VR14 to lower the high power limit enough to allow you to set the low limit at 1 watt.
once you get that done, turn the RF power knob on the front of the radio all the way up. (clockwise)
now adjust VR14 for a deadkey of 4 watts.
now turn the RF power knob all the way down again, and check your deadkey.
if its not still at 1 watt, adjust VR18 for 1 watt.
turn the RF power knob all the way up and check your deadkey. if its not still at 4 watts, adjust VR14 until it is at 4 watts.
that should do it, but you may have to bounce back and forth a few times to get it right.
the important part is to have the RF power knob turned all the way down when adjusting VR18 and all the way up when adjusting VR14.
now you should be able to vary your deadkey from 1 to 4 watts, and the radio will swing up to its maximum PEP potential no matter where you set the deadkey.
good luck,
LC
