RCI 2970N2?

[Dr_DX]

sure i will ber upgrading my rci 2950 dx the next ime i'm out in the states i will have to look around to see were i can get a good deal 300 watts on ssb would be sufficent for me on ssb all we need know is for the cycle to peak which will be anumber of years away

A massaged TS-480HX will get you 300 on SSB. They use 4 Toshiba 2SC2872's (220w Collector output - easily do well over 100w PO @ HF freqs). Guaranteed to do a continuous 200w deadkey for 30 minutes without damage (CW/FM).

Jump a couple of pins on the DIN plug, push a couple of buttons in when you turn it on, and bam - you are in the service menu. From there you can adjust your PO. It won't even break a sweat at 300 SSB as long as you have good SWR.

You can find a good used one for $600~$800 with MARS.

 

[Wire Weasel]

A massaged TS-480HX will get you 300 on SSB. They use 4 Toshiba 2SC2872's (220w Collector output - easily do well over 100w PO @ HF freqs). Guaranteed to do a continuous 200w deadkey for 30 minutes without damage (CW/FM).

Jump a couple of pins on the DIN plug, push a couple of buttons in when you turn it on, and bam - you are in the service menu. From there you can adjust your PO. It won't even break a sweat at 300 SSB as long as you have good SWR.

You can find a good used one for $600~$800 with MARS.

Wow that sounds awesome Dr. D Did you notice what the increase in power on AM was?

TNX !!

 

[TonyV225]

I like those little Kenwood 480 are nice I to will eventually try one of them. I know one of the amateur clubs here in Wisconsin not far from me has opne in there mobile setup in there club portable van setup.

 

[Dr_DX]

Wow that sounds awesome Dr. D Did you notice what the increase in power on AM was?

TNX !!

Sorry Wire Weasel, I didn't change the AM. I was needing some more "drive" on SSB and didn't mess with AM. I know that SSB and AM can be "adjusted" independently in the service menu. One doesn't effect the other. I would suspect that 300 PEP would be capable. The four 2SC2762's are monsters @ 220w Collector dissipation each.

 

[DXman]

I've been running only the 2950dx's & 2970dx's for the last 8 yrs now, had 12 of them total.

I now have a 2970n2, got it 3 wks ago. So, how do I like the radio?

So how does it preform? Only two things that I see that are different than from the 2970dx - Power output & quieter receive on SSB.

I copied & Pasted this from another site that I posted it on.

....Nice radio.
It's been on line for a 4 days now and so far the reports on audio have been good, that's using stock mic.

This is what I am seeing using a Palstar Meter - radio has been tuned:
DK 10 (low)
DK 70 (high)

At "low" DK it swings to 150 on ssb (modulation)
At 'high" DK it swings to 275 ssb* (modulation)
At "high" DK it swing to 275 am (modulation)
*radio shutdown when the 50 amp P.S. hit overload

Pyramid 50 amp supply used @ 14.1v.

It looks like I will have to get a bigger PS in order to run it full power if need be. I didn't want to hit the radio really hard - so 48 amps was the draw when it shut down.
I will also be getting a much better quality meter from a friend here this coming weekend, to recheck everything. He has a nice $400 dual needle that is much more accurate........

On a side note; I also had in line a ICE model 42 low pass filter when doing the test. It was connected at the back of the radio. Also of note, there was no loss of power with the filter.

UPDATE
Well I said I was going to get a better meter this weekend to double check the output and I have done just that.

My friends meter was reading pretty much to within 25 watts of what my Palstar was giving. So here are the final results:

From low DK it swings to 175.
From high DK it swings to 295
(this is modulation on ssb)

Full output on AM - 300
Full output on FM - 100
*I am sure the radio can hit 300 on ssb but did not push it any more because of the supply only being a 50 amp.*

This is the meter that we used - http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/4907

 

[Robb]

If it is tripping the PS; isn't it drawing just a few too many amps for a 300 watt output radio? I mean, a Texas Star DX 350 will put out ~300 watts and draw up to 35 amps. And they are considered a 'high draw' amp - as other amps putting out that much wattage use about 30 amps. Surely, that radio and amp shouldn't draw more than a 50 amp supply can provide.

Just an observation - but it looks as if it is drawing too much current - even for peak modulation...

 

[DXman]

Well it comes with a inline 50 amp fuse which is connected to 8ga wire.
Everyone that I have talked to or seen on the forums that have one of these, are using 70 amp supply's to run them.

 

[190]

DXman, i bought a 2970N2 and was really surprized at what a amp hog that thing is. on AM it sucks about 20-22 amps at 300 watts pep. on SSB, that thing is sucking right at 50 or so amps at 290-300 watts. i was surprised since its 300 watts. my texas star dx500v amp is the same way, it will draw 50 to 65 amps at 500 watts on SSB. im useing a pyramid 85 amp power supply for my 2970N2 and the texas star dx500v. try turning the mic gain down a little on the 2970n2. about 12 oe 1 oclock.

 

[DXman]

190,
It looks like yours is running pretty close to what mine is doing.

I had seen on another forum, where a tech had taken two of them directly out of box; one was doing in the mid 300 watt range and the other one was doing 400....SPOOKY!!

I run mine at the lowest power setting (185 -200) and the radio runs really good right there. The fan inside works good, and it does keep it fairly cool.

 

[190]

mine come from sparkys. it swings to 300 watts pep on am. if i put my meter on the avg. setting it does about 125 watts on am so they might use some top gun or diod swing kit or something to bring that am pep power reading up. dont know. on ssb, i does about 280 to 290 watts pep depending on the power setting. it sure sucks the amps on ssb so i know its putting out some power. sure raises hell with my television. im just running a imax 2000. the antenna pole is grounded but nothing else i would be curious to see the 350 to 400 watt 2970n2 radios on a average meter setting or bird 43 meters to see just what they really do on am. i mean mine will do about the same 300 watts am or ssb but on am draws 22 amps and 50 to 60 amps on ssb. hummm.

 

[190]

OH BY THE WAY, I DO LIKE THE 2970N2.

 

[DXman]

sure raises hell with my television. im just running a imax 2000. the antenna pole is grounded but nothing else

My outdoor TV antenna is setting just 12' under my I 10k that's on the tower, no interference from the N2.

The 5 element Yagi beam is hanging right over the edge of the house and it's 30' above the TV set it's self - no TVI from it either.

Guess you might need to do some grounding or get different antenna - maybe like a I 10K?

 

[190]

your probably right dxman. im using rg213jumpers and rg8u coax. im gonna upgrade here one of these days and try the lmr-400 coax. my satilite dish sits off to the side of the imax 2000. i need to get it up higher. it sits just above the peak of a 2 story house.

 

[4600turbo]

I'm thinking of getting the 2970n2. What's in the amp? MosFets?

 

[Robb]

I thought about getting a 2970N2. But I was put off by the surface mount technology that it has. I had talked to a radio tech in Sioux City IA that said it is horrid thing to work on, also requiring special tools and ordering special parts for. But I am impressed by the performance and sound of it - especially on SSB.

In the end, I got an outstanding offer (never used - in the box for $250!) on a Galaxy 95t2 and bought it instead. Not as much power output as the RCI, but the Galaxy is an audio monster on both AM and SSB. Only thing is, letting it warm up for a few minutes and then the freq doesn't drift. I also like the meter and the glowing panel light - easy to read in a vehicle at night. 200 watts is still plenty of power.