Reputable CB Shops/Techs

[Xracerx13]

@575nightrider
OK. Lets try this one more time please.
You said there's 20 watts of power when you key up and I am assuming that is a deadkey on AM with the RF power knob turned all the way up. 20-25 watts deadkey is what the alignment procedure says it should be set at.
Your making power but its just not getting out.
You said no one can hear you or you got no response when asking for a radio check.
You never said what happens to the power meter when you talk into the mic. Does it swing up at all? I bet it does swing up. If not let us know.

From looking at a schematic and assuming that the amp board is making power and probably was the whole time before you sent it to the idiot who swapped out your original Toshiba 2290 for a cheap Chinese one, this is what I think may be the issue:

The RF power comes out of the amp and solders onto the board and then goes through a red 560pf mica capacitor labeled C199, then it goes through the 3 copper coils which never really go bad, and then it goes to the antenna connector. Now with this in mind, C199(the red 560pf capacitor) which is clearly visible in your photos, is the only thing that can go bad between the amp output and the antenna. I have seen this happen before, even on RFX75 add on amps.

I am will to bet that the 560pf capacitor I am referring to is bad, and if its bad it won't let any RF through, and this 560pf capacitor is the only thing that needed to be replaced.
Again these are assumptions because your info to us has not been as clear as it could be. Obviously if you had an external power meter that would prove my assumptions.

 

[575nightrider]

@575nightrider
OK. Lets try this one more time please.
You said there's 20 watts of power when you key up and I am assuming that is a deadkey on AM with the RF power knob turned all the way up. 20-25 watts deadkey is what the alignment procedure says it should be set at.
Your making power but its just not getting out.
You said no one can hear you or you got no response when asking for a radio check.
You never said what happens to the power meter when you talk into the mic. Does it swing up at all? I bet it does swing up. If not let us know.

From looking at a schematic and assuming that the amp board is making power and probably was the whole time before you sent it to the idiot who swapped out your original Toshiba 2290 for a cheap Chinese one, this is what I think may be the issue:

The RF power comes out of the amp and solders onto the board and then goes through a red 560pf mica capacitor labeled C199, then it goes through the 3 copper coils which never really go bad, and then it goes to the antenna connector. Now with this in mind, C199(the red 560pf capacitor) which is clearly visible in your photos, is the only thing that can go bad between the amp output and the antenna. I have seen this happen before, even on RFX75 add on amps.

I am will to bet that the 560pf capacitor I am referring to is bad, and if its bad it won't let any RF through, and this 560pf capacitor is the only thing that needed to be replaced.
Again these are assumptions because your info to us has not been as clear as it could be. Obviously if you had an external power meter that would prove my assumptions.

It's going to be later before I can check it out, I'm no tech but I can follow instructions. Thank you for your time

 

[brandon7861]

@575nightrider
OK. Lets try this one more time please.
You said there's 20 watts of power when you key up and I am assuming that is a deadkey on AM with the RF power knob turned all the way up. 20-25 watts deadkey is what the alignment procedure says it should be set at.
Your making power but its just not getting out.
You said no one can hear you or you got no response when asking for a radio check.
You never said what happens to the power meter when you talk into the mic. Does it swing up at all? I bet it does swing up. If not let us know.

From looking at a schematic and assuming that the amp board is making power and probably was the whole time before you sent it to the idiot who swapped out your original Toshiba 2290 for a cheap Chinese one, this is what I think may be the issue:

The RF power comes out of the amp and solders onto the board and then goes through a red 560pf mica capacitor labeled C199, then it goes through the 3 copper coils which never really go bad, and then it goes to the antenna connector. Now with this in mind, C199(the red 560pf capacitor) which is clearly visible in your photos, is the only thing that can go bad between the amp output and the antenna. I have seen this happen before, even on RFX75 add on amps.

I am will to bet that the 560pf capacitor I am referring to is bad, and if its bad it won't let any RF through, and this 560pf capacitor is the only thing that needed to be replaced.
Again these are assumptions because your info to us has not been as clear as it could be. Obviously if you had an external power meter that would prove my assumptions.

C199 is in parallel with C200 (the green ceramic just to the right of C199 in the picture). C200 is 10nF, so the 560pF cap is not the only RF path.

Maybe see what frequency that 20w of ouput is on. Modulation or not, it wil tell us something. Maybe it is self-oscillation from a higher gain transistor being installed, or maybe it is the VCO signal and the loop is dead which may hint at why the TX light don't come on.

A dead cap in the output side won't stop the TX light from working. It was my understanding (per post 58 and 82) that the TX light does not come on, only the modulation light comes on, and not well.

 

[brandon7861]

With no TX light, what does the LD pin on the PLL say?

 

[Xracerx13]

It was my understanding (per post 58 and 82) that the TX light does not come on, only the modulation light comes on, and not well.

There is to no true TX light on these radios, except that a white light switches to a red light in the meter when you keyup. I guess the meter red lighting could be considered a TX light. My bad.

True, about C200, a .01uf 100v disc cap which is parallel to C199(560pf), and is also in the output path to the antenna, but the grunt of it goes through C199.

He's not a tech to answer your test point question I don't think or he would have fixed it himself.

 

[575nightrider]

You can look for smoking guns but it's really hard to diagnose through photos.

With some tools we could walk you through some trouble shooting steps but it all depends on what tools you have at hand.

There are a some true techs in wwdx that can repair that radio for you.

I'm curious though, he said he replaced the pill in it. Is that a real Toshiba?

I was led to believe that it was in fact a real Toshiba, $125.00. it's not the same one because I made sure I'd know my old one. I'll be back and try to give some better info. As far as tools I have a watt meter but it's just a radio shack so its just a good guess @true watts lol

 

[Xracerx13]

One way to find out if its a real Toshiba is to take a Q-tip with alcohol and try to rub off the letter a in Toshiba. If it comes off its fake.

 

[Xracerx13]

@575nightrider
Have not heard back. What did you come up with?

Would you happen to have pictures of before you sent it out? out of curiosity.
Also
You mentioned a stamp, and that's how you know the 2290 was changed. What stamp are you referring to?
Did you try the alcohol swab trick I mentioned?

I ask because after further looking at your pic with another local tech we came to the conclusion that your 2290 is the original stock one. I found online, someone else's 93t, and by comparing photos of yours and his it appears that the screws on yours and his were never turned to remove the board or the 2290. That brownish goop is on there to keep the screws from turning out. Also the soldering on yours looks similar like the stock soldering in the picture below. Even the crooked insulator behind the 2312 transistor. I don't think the 2290 was changed.

Here's the pic I found online to compare to yours.

 

[Keto]

Just a general question.
Is it correct that the 2290s aren't available unless somebody has a stockpile or they're fakes from China?

 

[Eldorado828]

Just a general question.
Is it correct that the 2290s aren't available unless somebody has a stockpile or they're fakes from China?

Bingo!
Toshiba 2SC2879, 2SC2290 haven't been in production since the big tsunami in Japan killed the production site.

Lots of fakes with real ones being especially rare now, but there is a far second place Hua Gao (HG) that can kind of fill the need.

 

[575nightrider]

@575nightrider
Have not heard back. What did you come up with?

Would you happen to have pictures of before you sent it out? out of curiosity.
Also
You mentioned a stamp, and that's how you know the 2290 was changed. What stamp are you referring to?
Did you try the alcohol swab trick I mentioned?

I ask because after further looking at your pic with another local tech we came to the conclusion that your 2290 is the original stock one. I found online, someone else's 93t, and by comparing photos of yours and his it appears that the screws on yours and his were never turned to remove the board or the 2290. That brownish goop is on there to keep the screws from turning out. Also the soldering on yours looks similar like the stock soldering in the picture below. Even the crooked insulator behind the 2312 transistor. I don't think the 2290 was changed.

Here's the pic I found online to compare to yours.View attachment 67848

So sorry for the delay, I don't like to tell folks but I had to take some time off for my MS to chill out. As far as frequency on counter when you key it on full power (15-18 swing) Frequency stays in center.
I'm going to give you everything as it is now but it's not making sense to me!
The Toshiba 2sc2290 took the alcohol swab and it's still got factory stamp, nothing came off! I don't have a before photo I wish I did but it had PART of a round red ink STAMP part of an operator number. Now, My antenna is an Imax2000 with a swr of 1.2. I'm going to post a pic of the radio on high power hooked to a Watt meter, notice Mod-light is bright red on a whistle and it's showing 15-16 watts of RF and wait for it..Red transmit light is now working?!?!
So I don't know why I did this and I don't know what it means exactly but I grabbed an old Galaxy 959 I have, plugged in a power cord No mic just set it next to the 93t and I could hear bleed over or reverb but it definitely picked it up!! I'm done. I'm getting horse from trying to get a radio check! I've tried different Mic's I just want a radio that works and I only need 4 watts! I'll be back later I need a break

 

[BC Coyote]

It's starting to look like the radio isn't the problem, and probably not the antenna either. This may be as simple as not enough power to cut through all the QRM and make a contact. There may well be nothing wrong with the radio at all !

4 or even 12 watts isn't going to cut it under the current solar cycle, if you want to be heard you will need some fire in the wire as they say.........

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

One thing to try, plug some headphones into your spare radio to listen to your transmit audio. I have a monitor radio in my station like that. Great for setting microphone level. Before I got a scope, I would set my modulation with it.

If it sounds good, it might be fixed?

 

[575nightrider]

It's starting to look like the radio isn't the problem, and probably not the antenna either. This may be as simple as not enough power to cut through all the QRM and make a contact. There may well be nothing wrong with the radio at all !

4 or even 12 watts isn't going to cut it under the current solar cycle, if you want to be heard you will need some fire in the wire as they say.........

It's kind of you not to call me an idiot even if it's true. I ran a TS500HDV till lighting got it and my best equipment. Look bro fact is I'm having more trouble than I thought remembering some things. I've had MS for a couple years and 2 mini? strokes so I hope you can understand. I've met a really great group of guys and I'd like to thank all of you for your time and patience.

 

[575nightrider]

One thing to try, plug some headphones into your spare radio to listen to your transmit audio. I have a monitor radio in my station like that. Great for setting microphone level. Before I got a scope, I would set my modulation with it.

If it sounds good, it might be fixed?

I tried it bro, hear just fine. I want to say this, when I sent it off it was not putting out even low power, it might be the same transistor but it did not work/ That's the reason I sent it off! I do feel pretty stupid lol, I'm going to see what I can do about a little foot warmer, don't need much on SSB.
Thanks for all your time, I'll be around