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Galaxy 99V Bad sounding SSB

I will have TIP36C's next week so I will let you all know if that cured the problem. I have a few 2SB817's but the TIP36C sounds a bit beefier so I will try those. I also have a old 2nd generation 2970 that is clipping and hoping that the same part is bad. I have seen this part go out on a few radios but the symptoms were always high dead key and no modulation.
 
Okay LC. I could not resist I threw in the 2SB817 and no luck. I am told it almost sounds drifty. Which it is a Galaxy. Could X1, X2 or X4 be going bad? I am not sure what would happen or how a radio would sound if this was happening. It also seems like I am constantly trying to tune everyone. But than again it is a Galaxy LOL.
 
I had a 99V years ago and I could not get SSB to sound good. even sent it off to a friend in Florida and he changed all the filters and resisters and it still did not sound good on ssB. I sold it to a truck driver that did not want SSB and a couple years ago he was still using it in a truck.. this was about 2002 or 2003 when I sold it to him. Ray from Galaxy could not come up with any ideas on what could be wrong. just a hand full of the 99 radios just will not do good on SSB.
 
Low_Boy said:
Seems like every one of these radios I see has TR32 removed. And like you said Rob they can over modulate all on there own. LOL
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Okay, let's take this in a different direction with respect RF.

10.695 carrier OSC stability issues
This can be an issue but maybe not in the sense that you normally think. I have found on Galaxy radios especially the higher power radios that sometimes RF gets into places and wreaks havoc. Think about the 10.695 OSC and ask what would happen if even a little RF got into that circuit and was being fed into the base or surrounding circuitry that supplies voltage to this oscillator. Beleive me it happens on these chassis and you never know what radio is going to do it until you have this type of issue something to always keep in mind while banging your head on the wall. Now if you have the proper equipment you can check for these anomalies but it's not always easy to do. One thing you can do that will not hurt anything is grab you a bunch of 103 ceramic caps and place them on supply lines to critical oscillator circuits and regulator circuits keep the leads as short as possible with one lead to pos line and the other to a ground and like i said as short a leads as possible. Also make sure D15, D16 has not been changed and replace with originals if you can.
There is much more about this issue I could cover as I have cured many issues in Galaxy-class radios buy tracking down lose rf just think of RF as water it will find a way into places you don't want it.
 
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Well OldTech Looks like you may have to tell me a bit more and I will try to figure this out while learning. I talked on this particular radio and switched to another galaxy 99V and was told there was definitely a difference in sound, meaning the other radio sounded a lot better in SSB. It drives me crazy when something like this happens. I know D15 and D16 are a special diode 1SS53 and they are known for bad SSB but no fluctuations or low power on this radio. I do not have any 1SS53 diodes but I will remove these and test them. One thing I do not remember If I have or have not checked. They are quite expensive.
Thanks
 
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Low_Boy said:
Well OldTech Looks like you may have to tell me a bit more and I will try to figure this out while learning. I talked on this particular radio and switched to another galaxy 99V and was told there was definitely a difference in sound, meaning the other radio sounded a lot better in SSB. It drives me crazy when something like this happens. I know D15 and D16 are a special diode 1SS53 and they are known for bad SSB but no fluctuations or low power on this radio. I do not have any 1SS53 diodes but I will remove these and test them. One thing I do not remember If I have or have not checked. They are quite expensive.
Thanks
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I think from what I read that there would only be low power on the peaks if it was related to the diodes. http://www.cbtricks.com/cgi-bin/database/galaxy_db.cgi?details=1&key=21. Crazy if you can wait 10 1SS53 NEC's from China 4$. Want them now 6$ each. Yes I have a 99V with the exact same problem. Was talking 38LSB one day and twitch said he thought it was in the PLL which is right in line with what OldTech03 is saying. Merry Christmas and I hope you get it square.
 
Low Boy,

Was it only one of the SSB modes that had the bad sound or both?

I was under the impression that only one of them sounded bad and the other was ok.

Also, how did you tune the 10.695 IF coils?

the reason i ask is that this can be a pretty low level signal, and some freq counters might not pick it up well enough, giving you erroneous readings.

if you think this might be the case, try using a known accurate 1khz tone into the mic, remove the bias board, mic gain up, VCO coils tuned correctly, channel 20, and tune LSB for 27.204000, and USB for 27.206000.

if your VCO coils are correct, and your 1khz tone is accurate, then you have just set the IFs for the correct freqs.

if you don't have any freqs. bouncing around erratically, and SSB sounds funny, this is where i would look first.

i know you said that you had a carrier on one mode, if you can't get rid of it, try replacing the balanced modulator IC. yes, im guessing, but it will only take you 10 minutes to know if it worked or not.
LC
 
LC. Both USB and LSB do not sound right. Balanced modulator has been swapped out and that is not the problem. Somewhere in this post someone said the the leakage about 11MHz and not showing any power on the power meter should not be a problem. I will try tuning the 10.695 IF coils your way and get back to you. I am not really thinking it is a tuning issue. But this will tell
Thanks.
 
Low_Boy said:
LC. Both USB and LSB do not sound right. Balanced modulator has been swapped out and that is not the problem. Somewhere in this post someone said the the leakage about 11MHz and not showing any power on the power meter should not be a problem. I will try tuning the 10.695 IF coils your way and get back to you. I am not really thinking it is a tuning issue. But this will tell
Thanks.
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I assume you are using a bench radio to monitor "testing" the 99V and can hear this issue on the bench radio.
If so have you tried monitoring or "testing" the 99V while the TP7,8,9 shunt is removed for the final section? If not try this and see if the problem still exists.

OldTech
 
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OldTech I never can do too good by monitoring on a bench radio. I will see if I can hear a difference.

LC..Actually what you are saying I think is basically the same as zero beating L21 and L20?? Is this correct?
 
Low_Boy said:
OldTech I never can do too good by monitoring on a bench radio. I will see if I can hear a difference.

LC..Actually what you are saying I think is basically the same as zero beating L21 and L20?? Is this correct?
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yeah, similar, but i have never been a fan of zero beating when it comes to setting frequency. I prefer to do it this way, as the math will always work out if your freq counter is accurate, and your 1khz tone is exactly 1000hz.

I don't actually think this is your smoking gun, but at least doing this will eliminate any confusion as to whether or not the IF is tuned right.

I don't remember if it was stated in the thread already, but have you tried replacing VR7 itself?

Galaxy has used some pretty low quality trimmers in the past.

honestly low boy, im just guessing here and trying to un-muddy the waters so the real gurus can give you the best advice.
LC
 
Thanks LooseCannon. I appreciate your help and you have helped in the past. VR7 was replaced long in to this project. I even tried talking on the radio and tweaking L20 and L21 while talking to a actual person and really never could get it to do much better. It is understandable and can be used but just not right. To me on a test radio it sounds a bit under water. Others say it seems like it is on the edge of off freq.
 
Low_Boy said:
Thanks LooseCannon. I appreciate your help and you have helped in the past. VR7 was replaced long in to this project. I even tried talking on the radio and tweaking L20 and L21 while talking to a actual person and really never could get it to do much better. It is understandable and can be used but just not right. To me on a test radio it sounds a bit under water. Others say it seems like it is on the edge of off freq.
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most galaxy's sound bad on ssb. but am they kick ass.
 

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