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Amp issue?

530

530

Guest
Feb 14, 2013
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The World
So this morning I turned on my TS500DX non variable and the meter was lit, very dim, but lit and no reading. Swr went from keyed 1.3 normal amp on to 2.0. Also noticed when i unkey there is a static noise that wasnt there before that lasts about a second and when keyed amp used to show 6 on its rf meter and now a 4 and the swing it had normally is gone. Needle just moves a hair now. Meter light is very dim.
 
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Crusher said:
Check you coax and check all your wiring. From battery to amp
Click to expand...
nomadradio said:
The ground screws that hold down the circuit boards can also work loose. Causes wacky behavior.

Simple and cheap to check. If you have the right allen wrench.

73
Click to expand...
I am off tomorrow and will be taking it out and checking. I am no tech but may be able to see something obvious.
The coax is fine, checked that already.
Power, meter checked and fine. I run a 600W stereo amp on that line as well no issues.
 
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Old wisdom is that moving parts fail first.

Maybe not always, but eventually.

Tapping on the relay's housing will reveal noisy contact points inside, if you can hear the receiver's signal level being disturbed by it.

Usually.

73
 
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Shadetree Mechanic said:
Maybe the keying relay is not switching?
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nomadradio said:
Old wisdom is that moving parts fail first.

Maybe not always, but eventually.

Tapping on the relay's housing will reveal noisy contact points inside, if you can hear the receiver's signal level being disturbed by it.

Usually.

73
Click to expand...
The only thing I did notice that was going on for about two mornings or days is that when I had turned the amp on and turned my power all the way down on my radio the SWR at the radio used to go to 2.0 to 2.8 and when I turn the power to where I usually put it which I believe is about 6 Watts it goes back to normal(1.0). It does not do this when the amplifier is off . The third day is when I noticed the light dimly-lit when I turned the amplifier on as well. I really don't want to try opening it up and taking it apart in my vehicle and I don't have a power supply so I am only going to have to go by a visual and maybe some meter checks that I know how to do and am researching. Here is my start lol, suggestions welcome. All I have is a cheap ohms continuity meter. Right now I'm going out to just make sure it's not my Predator antenna and then I will be taking the amplifier out. Once I get the amplifier out I'll take a couple of pictures maybe somebody will see something. Don't want to have to send it out so I don't have to. Here is a video of my amplifier when it was my friends before we traded...
 
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Off topic a bit, but regarding the vid above I had also talked to Mike about him trying to get TS to put a simple insulator under the boards.
Gatekeeper is correct about not pushing the 500 above 14.5 volts.....
Sandbars getting hot
Yeah
And I would not trust the choke that keeps RF from getting into the bias to handle that 100 watts of drive for very long.
Hot Rod Lincoln syndrome.
Are you saying that the AMP is keyed as soon as you turn it on?

73
Jeff
 
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Try the simple stuff first. Check feed line, fuse, and grounds. Then check the antenna, coax, and jumpers. Try a different jumper. Next would be to run the amp on a base or friends vehicle to see if it works there. Not sure what radio you are running but you could even try a different radio maybe. After that it's time to have the amp looked at.
 
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AudioShockwav said:
Off topic a bit, but regarding the vid above I had also talked to Mike about him trying to get TS to put a simple insulator under the boards.
Gatekeeper is correct about not pushing the 500 above 14.5 volts.....
Sandbars getting hot
Yeah
And I would not trust the choke that keeps RF from getting into the bias to handle that 100 watts of drive for very long.
Hot Rod Lincoln syndrome.
Are you saying that the AMP is keyed as soon as you turn it on?

73
Jeff
Click to expand...
I noticed a louder clicking noise when turning on amp now and noticed meter light dimly lit(normally off) and no carrier. When I key up wth the amp on the amps rf meter is now showing a 4 and it used to be 6 before.
 
9C1Driver said:
Try the simple stuff first. Check feed line, fuse, and grounds. Then check the antenna, coax, and jumpers. Try a different jumper. Next would be to run the amp on a base or friends vehicle to see if it works there. Not sure what radio you are running but you could even try a different radio maybe. After that it's time to have the amp looked at.
Click to expand...
Yes, will be doing that tomorrow thank you.
 

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