Problems with NEW RCI 2970n2..

[GnG8d]

The biggest issue with the 2970n2 is the final PA section WAS being made with no feedback. This was causing severe self oscilations and drawing excessive current. Ranger is now making them with a feedback circuit and sending out the small pcb tht "bridges between the input output transformers to help cure this problem. We modified ours and were seeing about 37 amps draw and 300 or so peak output on an unmodified radio(no clip or NPC mod garbage) So thats about 500watts of consumption. Not bad when you consider the loss in efficiency and general power required for radio circuitry.

Is there any info available on effected units such as serial numbers?

 

[dxhound]

Is there any info available on effected units such as serial numbers?

Not to my knowledge. Galaxy uses the same PA and they had the same issue but they caught it sooner and added the feedback network.

It is Very easy to spot if you take the cover off the PA. Just look to see if there is a PCB bridged across the input/out transformers. Here is a picture with the feedback network


Credit for Pics go to CB tricks! I just added the arrows and circles

 

[GnG8d]

Thanks, that's great info!

 

[hotrod]

Thanks, that's great info!

whats the gate voltage labeled as ?? L- ???

 

[wavrider]

look at the pic with the feedback bridge.
beside VR2 is an adjustment pot, do not know what it is labeled.

a thread on the forum somewhere said to adjust this pot for 3.5 vdc both banks for the PA final have two adjustments one for each bank

the driver should be adjusted for 3.6 vdc and the finals for 3.4 vdc

 

[hotrod]

look at the pic with the feedback bridge.
beside VR2 is an adjustment pot, do not know what it is labeled.

a thread on the forum somewhere said to adjust this pot for 3.5 vdc both banks for the PA final have two adjustments one for each bank

the driver should be adjusted for 3.6 vdc and the finals for 3.4 vdc

thank you. that falls right inline with what i saw on cbtricks. i seen 2 different adjustments for gate voltage

 

[gameover]

I just got my brand new 2970n2. Upon opening the box I saw a small screw wedged in between the foam and the cardboard. I opened it up, installed the e-chip, turned the radio on and attempted to key down into a dummy load. The radio at first would not key up. I thought the mic was bad so I grabbed my 14yr old 2950dx's mic. No keydown neither!

I ended up looking at the mic plug terminal inside the radio and noticed a cable was disconnected. Opened up my 2950dx radio to see which was it was supposed to be conected. I cinnected it and now it keys down....whewwwwwwww!

SO, before ordering the radio I read at Bells CB that "ranger radios come with blemishes....dings, etc...) Its true, my brand new, made in malaysia, radio does not look as good as my 14yr old 2950dx made in taiwan!

After so many things going wrong, I want to align this thing myself.....

Could someone please tell me the adjustment point for the driver and finals? is it vr11?

Thanks!

 

[gameover]

Alright, I was able to adjust all the gate voltages Vg on the 6095BR board. All the adjusting points are basically next to the finals and driver My voltages were way off. Driver set at 5.1V and finals at 4.6V and 4.2V. Finals were tricky to balance with VR11 and VR12.

On the PA side, one bank was at 4.6V and the other side at 5.7V

Driver - VR13
Finals- VR12, VR11

The tiny screw I found in the box turned out to be from the mic connector.....I've no idea how it got there.

 

[Robb]

What is the part # of the driver and finals?
If they are IRF-520's; then 3.8v to 4.0v is the usual preferred set points . . .

 

[KD8HMO]

Alright, I was able to adjust all the gate voltages Vg on the 6095BR board. All the adjusting points are basically next to the finals and driver My voltages were way off. Driver set at 5.1V and finals at 4.6V and 4.2V. Finals were tricky to balance with VR11 and VR12.

On the PA side, one bank was at 4.6V and the other side at 5.7V

Driver - VR13
Finals- VR12, VR11

The tiny screw I found in the box turned out to be from the mic connector.....I've no idea how it got there.

Maybe that radio made a stop at MFJ before it went to the dealer?

 

[gameover]

Well, I complained to Ranger and they sent me a replacement 2970n2

.....it still had some touchup paint on the bottom heatsink...not as much as the one I initially bought tho.

 

[BBB]

My 2970N2 came with a small ding in the plastic bezel right out of the box. Apparently some ongoing QC issues from RCI, Ranger and Galaxy, as pointed out from some suppliers like Bells:

"Ranger radios sometimes have a small scratch or ding that the factory covers with black touch up. We cannot effect this and do not guarantee your radio to be cosmetically perfect. Bells CB will make no marks or scratches on your radio ourselves. Ranger might though and I cannot control it."

Oh and then there is the Factory Final Transistor Fast One. Hey, at least they mention it !

"NOTICE: ALL Ranger units now
come with Chinese 2SC-2879 transistors.
The Toshiba 2SC-2879 transistors are all gone."

IMO, they're not all gone, RCI, Ranger, Galaxy just can't get them for the previous cost when the transistors were in production to hold current pricing levels.

 

[radioreddz]

all these radios are junk any more not much profit margin I actually don't know why anyone would want to even make them I guess some folks are just gluttons for punishment but thank goodness for them.

 

[skip searcher]

all these radios are junk any more not much profit margin I actually don't know why anyone would want to even make them I guess some folks are just gluttons for punishment but thank goodness for them.

I guess that's the way radio manufacturers are going now using cheap low cost parts .

 

[9C1Driver]

My 2970N2 came with a small ding in the plastic bezel right out of the box. Apparently some ongoing QC issues from RCI, Ranger and Galaxy, as pointed out from some suppliers like Bells:

"Ranger radios sometimes have a small scratch or ding that the factory covers with black touch up. We cannot effect this and do not guarantee your radio to be cosmetically perfect. Bells CB will make no marks or scratches on your radio ourselves. Ranger might though and I cannot control it."

Oh and then there is the Factory Final Transistor Fast One. Hey, at least they mention it !

"NOTICE: ALL Ranger units now
come with Chinese 2SC-2879 transistors.
The Toshiba 2SC-2879 transistors are all gone."

IMO, they're not all gone, RCI, Ranger, Galaxy just can't get them for the previous cost when the transistors were in production to hold current pricing levels.

Since production of the Toshiba finals ended several years ago this means that the normal parts distributors that RCI uses no longer have them. What is left out there costs an insane price and I am sure it will continue to rise. So for all practical purposes for the production of new radio's they are all gone.

Just checked E-Bay, a matched pair of real Toshiba 2879 finals was 129 bucks. That would probably drive the price of an N2 up 100 bucks.