Rci-2950dx-3

[123kid]

radio

Its got a 10amp inline thats what they are shipping the mosfets with now.I did put a 7amp in there at one point it never blew dont know why they dropped 10s in.I dont think its a radio issue i think its being pushed a little to much.I think the dead key is more than what it should be.In ssb its all swing its going from low to high peaks.In am its got that carrier and i think thats whats causing the issue.I think he set mine to high.I connected my paradynamic meter again and adjusted the output on am power to a 8 watt deadkey "or what i believe to be 8" damn meter is hard to read.The radio runs cool when at that setting.The power all the way up the power seemed to go past 10.This radio shouldnt dead key anymore than 8 to keep it cool.I think maybe he set the deadkey to high by mistake.Im not gonna complain it works.One thing i have learned it when you start sending stuff to get operated on it comes back worse alot of times.Im no tech guy so im not adjusting anything just gonna keep the rf power at 25% am and max on ssb no biggie.

 

[123kid]

strange

When i connect that pdc meter the damn radio allows the power to output full ssb on the lower channels.The bars go all the way only when i connect that outboard meter.Only prob is the radio gets so hot it feels like you could cook a egg on the back of it at full power.Its almost like the radio is trying to limit the output power and by connecting the meter it bypasses it.

 

[n0zna]

I been in it since 1968,

seen them come and seen them go...you get a new radio,convert it to 11mtrs if you want,dont turn anything...get a good mic...and a good amp...i never screw whit the alinement...you cut the liminters it will splatter,and sound bad on ssb...if it works dont fix it...73 de JW

 

[123kid]

Thats gonna be my plan on my next purchase.Im gonna grab a ss158edx use it in the base and sell off this 2950 or stickit in the closet its annoying me.I have ocd so having to deal with guessing what the issue is eats at me.I see no point in sending it out only to wait months for repair and get footed a bill for a radio which even after being fixed probably wont be fixed.i got real bad luck with this radio stuff lately.I just want a radio that does it all and works while doing it.I want to buy it new and not spend a fortune.

 

[9C1Driver]

The guy i bought it from has been in business since 1968 he has videos all over youtube of what he does to the radios.Every radio he ships he puts a vid up of the work.He sets the dead key to as low as he can get it and then gets em to usually go 40 watts or a little more.The meter i have paradynamics pdc small one i dont think measures any swing when i do a power test with that it shows just a max power output 40 on the lower channels "1 thru 19" about 48 on the upper channels "18 thru 40" am.On a standard 2950dx if i was to key up no talk how many bars would light on that meter full power?8 out of 10 light up just keying up and it swings up the last two with audio.

I am going to have to hit the BS button on this. There is no way a good shop that sells 500-800 radio's a year will do a tune-up video on EACH ONE. Sorry man, no way.

Now, what he might do is make up a video on a single 2950 radio to show what he will do to the next 80 he sells. Trust me, he ain't doing 80 freaking video's.


After looking around what is the change on this new "3" model of the 2950 DX? Is it just the addition of 12m? If so that's of no use to most of us unless you have a ham ticket.

 

[9C1Driver]

seen them come and seen them go...you get a new radio,convert it to 11mtrs if you want,dont turn anything...get a good mic...and a good amp...i never screw whit the alinement...you cut the liminters it will splatter,and sound bad on ssb...if it works dont fix it...73 de JW

There is nothing wrong with having a skilled tech do a proper/correct alignment on a new radio. This should be done on most Export radio's if you plan on talking on 11m with them.

 

[n0zna]

my rci 2950dx

was doa when i got it,i called them on a Monday and next day it,he call on a Wednsday andasked what i wanted it alined for ...i told him,he next day it to me and got it back on a Friday and works great...cold soder joint...its still just 10 and 12 mtrs and will stay that way...17ssb,7am/fm 12 cw what i wanted on my w-4 Drake watt meter... 73 de JW

 

[n0zna]

There is nothing wrong with having a skilled tech do a proper/correct alignment on a new radio. This should be done on most Export radio's if you plan on talking on 11m with them.

There is a diffrence in a ainement and peaking to max and clipping limiters and ruining a good radio...i seen some good ones since 1967,hehe seen paper clips as jumpers,and alot of crap...i have a mint mk3b and no one will work on it but me,its mint and i dont know anyone i would trust to even change a fuse,hehe

 

[123kid]

must be heat

i gotta admit its about 80 in my house so that might have alot to do with it i moves my radio in front of the fan and it stays pretty cool.Im guessing the heat being 80 in here and couple that with it heating up its probably just the temperature.It works damn good i get nothing but great reports talking ot st lucia today out by the bahamas the locals love me.I dont know but i love tyhe radio just gotta let the ocd chill.It does get hottest on the opposite side of the heatsink where the power cord connects.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

There is a diffrence in a ainement and peaking to max and clipping limiters and ruining a good radio...i seen some good ones since 1967,hehe seen paper clips as jumpers,and alot of crap...i have a mint mk3b and no one will work on it but me,its mint and i dont know anyone i would trust to even change a fuse,hehe

Agreed. An alignment to get max power out on 11m (max rated power not absolute power) and max sensitivity on 11m is fine but tweaking every last milliwatt you can get and setting some ridiculous carrier/swing ratio like 2 watts/40 watts may make you feel all warm and fuzzy but some of that fuzziness is going to be on your signal in the form of distortion or spurious emissions. Nobody can tell the difference between 25 watts and 40 watts except the operator when he touches the heatsink.

 

[9C1Driver]

There is a diffrence in a ainement and peaking to max and clipping limiters and ruining a good radio...i seen some good ones since 1967,hehe seen paper clips as jumpers,and alot of crap...i have a mint mk3b and no one will work on it but me,its mint and i dont know anyone i would trust to even change a fuse,hehe

To me a proper or correct tune and alignment would be something like I would expect from say DTB. A proper factory alignment.

 

[VA3ES]

Sigh...



What makes anyone think that they know better than the engineers that designed the radio, or the factory technicians that tuned it for final quality control?

I have at least 10 different so-called export radios (Magnum S9-175, Ranger 69FFC2, SS 158EDX, Connex 4800 GTL, General Grant, etc., etc., and a pile of 2510's). None has been tweaked, tuned, super-wack-packed, aligned, peak-'n-tuned, or any other kind of incompetent adjustments. They are all stock, and they all perform excellent. Leave the damn radio alone, and it will last forever. When I purchase a used radio, I always re-align the radio to factory (service manual) spec, and leave it at that. For some strange reason, it seems to work 100%. Strange that.

 

[VA3ES]

To me a proper or correct tune and alignment would be something like I would expect from say DTB. A proper factory alignment.

I couldn't agree more!!!

 

[123kid]

?

u like that 158edx? i wanna get one but i want it set for 11 meters how do i get the tech to set it without them peaking it i want it stock power.Where would be a good place to buy one.

 

[VA3ES]

u like that 158edx? i wanna get one but i want it set for 11 meters how do i get the tech to set it without them peaking it i want it stock power.Where would be a good place to buy one.

I will PM the 11M Mods to you.