Hello there,
My name is Bill Wolverton, I currently live here in Denver, Colorado and been licensed as a ham since September of 1967 when I was still a high school age youngster living up in Oregon where I first became licensed as a Novice (WN7IOK) I passed my Extra class exam back in 1980 and received the call sign KI7F. My home website is at
KI7F.COM Home and also a ham radio/SWL related blogging page at
KI7F's SW Radio/Ham Radio Activities
I purchased a Ranger AR-3500 back in 1988 when I was still living in Southern California and was very pleased with the rig. Nice sounding receive audio as well as transmit audio. I mostly used it as a mobile unit and you can view the logs I kept from my ten mobile ventures in Southern California bakc in late 80's and early 90's on my blogging page at
KI7F's SW Radio/Ham Radio Activities In 1991, the rig's final amp stage failed. I tried replacing the final transistor back in 1995, but with in 30 seconds of key up, the transistor smoked again and I never did find out why. I still have the Ranger AR-3500 packed away in a box and I am temporarily using a Realistic HTX-100 ten meter rig that belongs to another ham radio friend, but would like to get the Ranger AR-3500 repaired and back on the air. I like the Ranger since it offers FM mode as well as SSB, CW and AM modes. If I some how can get it repaired my self, that would be nice if I can find out what I am doing wrong or what I am over looking in my previous repair attempts. I work as an avionics bench technician for a local aviation company here in the Denver area and test and repair aircraft related radios all the time, so, it should not be a big deal for me to fix it. There is something shorted or something that is causing the final transistor to immediately burn up. The receiver section works just fine. If you have any ideas, let me know. If I did decide to send that rig in for repairs, do you what reliable shop is available that still repairs those units?
Anyway, I just installed a ten meter dipole on my apartment balcony and just waiting for ten to start opening up as solar cycle 24 progresses and I would like to have the Ranger AR-3500 back in operation.
Best Regards!
73, Bill, KI7F
Denver, Colorado
ki7f@yahoo.com