Galaxy Saturn (EPT360014B) freq counter issue...

[Hawkeye351]

Got another Saturn on the desk for just an evaluation, recap and alignment. Radio works great other than receive a little low on all modes but I already know where that problem is located at.

The other issue is the frequency counter doesn't display at all when powering the radio on. When I flip the Squelch/PA knob to PA then the channel goes off as normal, but when I flip it into CB mode, the channel display comes on and then the frequency counter displays all zeros for a split second then the frequency counter goes back off but the channel display stays on and the radio stays in CB mode as it should.

Could the frequency counter be bad?
Could something else in between the Squelch/PA knob be bad?

Radio works great, just the frequency counter flashes all zeros and then goes back off immediately when flipping from PA to CB. Note: frequency counter doesn't do anything when turning on the radio, nothing.

Maybe it'll go to working after the recap. Just figured I would ask for opinions if there are any known issues with these Saturn freq counters not working that I should look at first.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[nomadradio]

Kinda depends on which counter you have. The Saturn was built for decades, and there are two different counters from the 90s and the one from after Y2K is different on the inside, but not on the outside.

Pretty sure.

If it lit up and then went dark, it's probably not so simple as its power connection.

73

 

[999]

If its a 14B board, most likely it has the large frequency counter board. If that's the case, it's OLD and some (or all) of the electrolytics may have gone bad. They had their issues, but can be repaired. There is also a crystal on it that MIGHT have gone bad, but you'll have to do some poking around to see what the actual issue is.
There are a couple variants of the board, but for the most part they are the same.

 

[Hawkeye351]

This one has the frequency counter module mounted vertically behind the display. I do have a Saturn that has the type you mentioned though.

Turned out the 7805 regulator on the frequency counter module was shot, possibly due to these old caps. Instead of fixing that one at the moment I decided to install another one from a parts radio. I recapped this one quite some time ago though. Hooked it up, turned on the radio and Whaola, frequency counter display is back to working.

 

[Hawkeye351]

Thank y'all for popping in.

 

[Hawkeye351]

Final results:

Receive is great in all modes.
All functions work properly with no scratchiness.
Transmit is great in all modes.

Output before:
RF power all the way down - 3w carrier
RF power all the way up - 5w carrier
RF power either way - 43w PEP swing, 18w average.
SSB - 43w swing
Note: Passthrough regulator ran hot in AM.

Output now:
RF power all the way down - 1w carrier
RF power all the way up - 10w carrier
RF power all the way down swing - 23w PEP, 14w average
RF power all the way up swing - 55w PEP, 27w average
SSB - 55w
Note: Passthrough regulator no longer runs hot in AM, just warm. Finals and driver run cool to warm, even when hammering on it.

Owner has already heard it over the air, he's very pleased with how strong it is on signal and how loud it is.

 

[Hawkeye351]

Modifications I removed:

Resistor/diode combo mod removed from bottom of AF regulator over to the modulation transistor.

Replaced 10k resistor (wasn't factory) in R238 location back to a 5.6k resistor.

Replaced 1k resistor (not factory) in R174 location to a 5.1k resistor.

Replaced 3.3k resistor (not factory) in R187 location to a 5.1k resistor.

Replaced limiter.

Replaced R249.

Reset bias.

Proof in itself from before results to after results that running these radios balls to the wall for watts doesn't compare to just a simple recap and complete alignment. I got more watts, cleaner watts, less heat buildup with just bringing it back to stock, recapping and complete alignment.

Again I ask,
Why run these radios balls to the wall?

 

[nomadradio]

If the failed counter module is the small one make sure the 7805T has input voltage on it. There is a surface-mount resistor in line with the regulator's input that fails regularly. Somewhere I have a pic showing how to jump around it with a 1/4-Watt 47 ohm resistor.

73

 

[TM86]

If the failed counter module is the small one make sure the 7805T has input voltage on it. There is a surface-mount resistor in line with the regulator's input that fails regularly. Somewhere I have a pic showing how to jump around it with a 1/4-Watt 47 ohm resistor.

73

If it's the same one that's in the RCI radios he's not kidding about that. The only RCI I have (2980) came with a dead frequency counter. Opened it up to find that the surface mount resistor was gone. Not burned out, missing entirely. Bodged a 1/4 watt resistor in it's place and no problems since.

 

[nomadradio]

Not the best quality pic, but we had tiny teflon sleeve on hand, and this is the least-labor fix for us.

73