President Washington

[The Jerk]

I acquired a President Washington from the forum...I have looked it over, and it appears in excellent condition. On trying it out, I found it had high and low channels installed, and it appears to have never been modified beyond the extra channels (the wax is still covering all the pots, no obvious snipped wires, no spread coils).

However, I found that it acts funny when transmitting...gets good reports, but on a power meter, you can watch the power fade as you're talking. For example, it dead keys around 5 watts, and swings just a bit over 12 watts (based on my Dosy TR-1000) with an "hello, audio" spoken. If I talk for a few seconds, it will slowly drop the swing down until its just barely above the deadkey. If I unkey and try again, it pops right back up in swing and slowly drops again.

Any thoughts? In my limited thinking, its acting like a capacitor bleeding off too quickly??

Other than that issue, the receive is excellent (better than my handheld) and my dipole seems to be really getting with it.

 

[Robb]

I think you are on the right track. I believe there is a tantalum cap in there that needs to be replaced with an electrolytic cap. Could be wrong. Not sure of the location.
Is this the earlier model that has a relay?

Someone else will chime in; I will look around the net and see if there isn't some info on it...

EDIT: Known bugs/fixes
The AM regulator 2SC1419 is WEAK. UNSOLDER it and toss it in the trash.
Replace it with a GE-66, ECG-152 or a NTE-152.
Relay buzzes on SSB, no am transmit, lights go dim, or the fuse pops sometimes?
Replace C179 ( a 2.2uF 25v tantalum cap located near finals) with a standard 2.2uF electrolytic capacitor.
PAY ATTENTION to the "+" and "-"!!!

 

[The Jerk]

As far as I can determine, this is the "transitional" radio, and the "President" version that was later called the "Uniden" Washington. I don't believe this is the early version with the relay...although I could be wrong.

I plan on taking taking this to the local shop (DTB) and having him look into it, and put his seal of approval on it.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

this link will tell the differences between the grants , madisons and the washingtons . basically if youve got a 5 pin mic and 3 push buttons its the same as the 8719 uniden washington . if you have a 4 pin mic and 2 push buttons its the earlier D858 version .

Uniden & President Washington Madison Grant and the Transition from one to the other

im really enjoying my uniden washington . and yes the recieve is very very very quiet compared to the export it replaced . i can hear a few folks that i could hear at all befor , i could only hear someone closer/stronger talking to them .

 

[The Jerk]

That link and talking with DTB was how I figured out it was the transitional radio...not quite the Uniden, but not the old President.

I think I will need to either replace or clean several of the knob variables and switches as several are scratchy when toggled/switched/moved. Overall, I like the look, and the design...will serve my purposes well.

Oh, and it is a five pin and three push button version...

 

[loosecannon]

if its got a 5 pin mic connector, then you have the MB8719 version.

you should definitely go see david, especially if he's local to you!

a few things you might ask him to do to it are:

1. do the 2SC2999 receive mod to it. these radios really like it.

2. replace TR41 with a 2N6487 or an NTE152 if it says 1419 on it.

3. if you use the power supply inside the radio to power it, ask him to replace the 1419 on that board too, and to replace the main filter capacitor with a larger value.


he knows about all these tricks and will know exactly what you are talking about.

dont forget to have him do a full alignment after he fixes it.

you have a classic radio there and it is very worth the investment of fixing it up.

if it were my radio, and the caps started acting up, i would replace them all because they are all the same age, but thats just me, and i work for free on my radios. LOL

good luck with it,
LC