Dead Galaxy DX2517

[liquidh8]

Robb, I agree with all the transistors and diodes being suspect. While waiting for parts to come, namely those diodes listed, I will be checking the other diodes and transistors as I can. I think I will be chasing a SSB issues after the power situation is sorted out.

 

[ExitThirteen]

I have a Galaxy Saturn that took an indirect hit... and it wiped out a bunch of regulators/diodes and it took out half the variable pots on the front of the radio as well, that's why I'm beginning to wonder if it had some electrical damage of some type, based on the weird things the radio is doing.


~Cheers~

 

[liquidh8]

Update. I replaced both zeners, the 5.1 d70, and the 7.5, d73. The ma diodes, and the regulator produced 8volts, and the radio came alive.

I changed q30, 31 and 33 just for haha's, it tx's in all modes, good power and modulation. rx is a different story. on am, I get a great signal and great audio volume. On ssb, I get great signal, but hardly any audio volume. I hav to put my ear to the speaker to hear people. But it is pulling in the signal as I compared the same two friends on my washington fight before switching the coax over.

So, I have to figure out what is with the SSB audio volume?

The RF meter is messed up, i is sticky. but everything else is working.

Any ideas guys? You have been a great help up to this point!:w00t:

 

[towerdog]

are you receiving static or actual strong signals. it might just be that SSB picks up less noise therfore is quieter.

 

[Robb]

AS a guess, all parts to the right and including the xtal filter/FL3 in the block diagram (below) are possible places to start (Q20 thru 23 and IC1):

http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/galaxy/dx2517/graphics/dx2517_block_dia.pdf

 

[liquidh8]

are you receiving static or actual strong signals. it might just be that SSB picks up less noise therefore is quieter.

I am receiving the signal and static just fine. It is just that the volume of the audio is not there in SSB. I have a friend who is 20 mines away as the crow flies, and I get the same signal strength on the 2517 as I do on my Washington. AM and FM are just fine.

As a guess, all parts to the right and including the xtal filter/FL3 in the block diagram (below) are possible places to start (Q20 thru 23 and IC1):
http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/galax..._block_dia.pdf

Robb, I will be looking through that area of the circuit tonight I think. Not sure how to check FL3 though, but i can check all the diodes and the transistors in that area, right up to Q24 after L12. Will also inspect L11 and L12. Though I am getting a great signal and good audio, they may be ok.

By the time I got done last night it was 11pm local time. I did talk on it for like 15 minutes though, My two friends on the air heard me just fine and claimed it sounded good.

 

[liquidh8]

Its alive! Found D36 bad right by TP1, replaced that and the SSB adio came back. Seems to receive good. I have to get my usual local contacts to talk to them and compare to the Washington. (Washington has the scottky diodes and 2sc2999).

Still an issue or two. VR13 (SSB ALC) and VR16 (AM AMC) do nothing. I replaced both of them with new units since these looked all funky. I have what seems to be full modulation. I have to dig out the scope and check it out. Q39 is in place and wasn't clipped. I would like to get this fixed.

I went through an set the driver and finals bias', they were all cranked up. Swapped out Q54 for a 2sc817 unit. I have a heavy duty 8 volt regulator coming in the mail. I went through the TX chain and tuned it for max power, about 32-34 watts. (2312 finals). I put the freq counter on it and aligned it, was pretty close from go, the course clarifier was off a hair, but it could be the temps here.

L11 and L12 for the SSB IF sensitivity, L11 is cranked way down, and L12 is sticking out of the can to get the max sensitivity (receive) on SSB. Don't know what the deal with that is either.

The RF meter never goes to zero, looks like it is sticky. No biggie.

And finally, the echo does not work at all! I don't use it much, but it doesn't at all work. I have a TRB2 I can throw in, just gotta get a schematic or something to get it to work.

 

[liquidh8]

I have a TRB-x2 echo board to throw in it and fix the echo. Got the freq aligned, the tx voltage aligned. Went through the voltage checks for the ALC and AMC. The transistors are good, and the pots are new, but there doesn't seem to be any modulation adjustments. Maybe my meter crapped out on the mod function?

I have to throw the scope on it and align the s-meter yet. But all seems good at this point. Thanks for all the inputs on this issue.

I have been getting audio reports of it being "bassey". Wonder if there are some bad caps in the audio circuit?

Thoughts?

 

[liquidh8]

Got the echo board in, dug out the scope, tuned and aligned it. The radio is now 99%, the RF meter never sits on zero, it sits on the 2watt line. No biggie. I'll talk on it a bit. Thanks again guys!

 

[Rooster 903]

I have a customer with a similar symptoms and its a bad mode switch, there are several contact points in the wafer switch and if they are not aligned or making partial contact you get intermittent or partial functions. Since this post is from 2013 I am sure you have it figured out by now.. LOLOL

I read on and you got it all sorted, nothing like Johnny come lately to the party hahahahaha. Congrats hope the radio is still working for you.

 

[TonyV225]

This radio had all the symptoms of a side flash of a static burst (Near by lightning) It seemed his VCO's were out of whack aswell. I cant tell people enough to ground coax from antenna rather its a lightning arrestor pl-259 - so-239 with ground lug or a low pass filter with ground lug. Im not going to get into detail but have battled this myself with my 11 meter and Amateur gear where on windy days the antennas especially fiberglass antennas like A99 AND IMAX2000 will build up statistic and cause crazy havoc including zapping you when removing coax or just reaching over equipment and rubbing or touching your arm against equipment. Give that static a ground to devour it!!

I had it so bad here onetime it caused crazy things in my HF Amplifiers and the zapps I took on a normal basis were something to be desired!! These new Mosfet transistors will not take that static abuse which was one of the MANY Cobra 200GTL issues the static was popping transistors left and right!! I to wonder if this radio was fixed or what happen with it. Im sure a lot of us were curious what the final outcome was and it helps others in the future should this exact or similar things happen.

 

[DTB Radio]

I agree that the 8v problem is the priority. WHat I would do it remove all load from the output of the 8-v regulatr, and then reload it with a 1k-ohm resistor only. Then check for 8v. If still low, then replace the zener and small C945 transistor nearby. I've seen both fail on occasion.