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Message |
    
Cobra148gtldx
New member
Username: Cobra148gtldx
Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 7:52 am: | 
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Hi Guys,
I imported a SS-158EDX from you not so long ago.
I am in UK. Our main mode is FM and just TXing on FM my modulation sounds very "muffled" as if it is off frequency and people can barely hear me.
I have tried to adjust the FM DEV but it does not cure the problem. Looking at other information on the net, it is a common fault with the 158s - the FM TX audio is bad.
What is the fix to this problem?
Hope to hear back soon. Hope you can help!!
Cheers |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 14281
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 10:05 am: |
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Below is a LINK to the Factory Service Manual for the Superstar 158EDX Radio.
http://www.rangerusa.com/pdf/SS158EDX.pdf
Question: Are you having this problem when using the stock mic?
So far I have personally not experienced this problem when using FM or heard of any problem's when using the stock mic.
For factory direct help you can also e-mail/contact Ranger Technical Support direct at:
Technical Support CONTACT INFORMATION
Mailing Address:
Ranger Communications, Inc.
401 W. 35th Street
National City, CA 91950-7909
Fax: (619) 426-3788
E-mail Address:
Ranger Technical Support:
techsupport@rangerusa.com
Hope this help's,
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Road_warrior134
Member
Username: Road_warrior134
Post Number: 92
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 8:28 pm: |
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Hi , what size of power supply are you using the radio with ?
JIM
Road Warrior134 / MM0TXO
CEF#858
HAM#230
CVC#116
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Cobra148gtldx
New member
Username: Cobra148gtldx
Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 5:11 pm: |
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Hi Lon, thanks for your reply.
Yes, the problem is with the stock mic. I also have 3 other 158EDX's and the problem is the same on all of them.
I also have RCI-2950DX, RCI-900F150 and they are fine on FM aswell as all other modes.
The problem is only on the 158EDX and only on FM TX (it receives perfectly). SSB and AM are fine.
Have you hooked one up and listened to its FM tranmissions on another radio - I am sure if you do you will be shocked.
It is a well known issue with the 158's here in the UK and stops people buying them - I expect it is not known so much in USA as you guys dont use FM much (here, FM is the only mode legally used)
Hope you can help? Would appreciate it if you could hook one up and listen on FM and report back here.
Best Regards from the Cold and WET LONDON, UK!! |
Cobra148gtldx
New member
Username: Cobra148gtldx
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2007
| | Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 3:30 am: |
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Power supply is not the issue - the PSU I am using is a 32amp peak Alinco DM-330MVE the issue is definitely with the 158 - as mentioened FM TX is fine on all other radios (Ranger 2950DX, RCI6900f150) with same aerial and PSU.
If you have a 158EDX listen to your transmitted FM audio - it sounds very "nasally" it sounds like you are covering your mouth up when you talk. |
Road_warrior134
Member
Username: Road_warrior134
Post Number: 93
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 10:19 am: |
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OK then the power supply is sufficient , what is the power output of the rig into a dummy load when on FM it could be possible that if it is too high the voltages to the FM portion of the circuitry are dropping causing a lack of voltage to the varactor diode meaning distorted/low FM audio this has been a common fault I have found when repairing radios that have been "Peaked & Tweeked" by some people with GOLDEN SCREWDRIVERS and also some of the rigs I have had to align have not even been out of the box as there seems to be a lot of new rigs we are getting in the UK that are rubbish from the word GO and with being in radio from 1978 I have seen a lot here in the UK , hope this helps and forgot to say welcome to the forum 
JIM
Road Warrior134 / MM0TXO
CEF#858
HAM#230
CVC#116
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Cobra148gtldx
New member
Username: Cobra148gtldx
Post Number: 5
Registered: 8-2007
| | Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 5:33 pm: |
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Hi Jim, thanks for your welcome - and also for your input.
Yes, I was already thinking along the lines of too much power output could cause the problem, so I reduced the FM output power down to about 1watt. Unfortanetely, it still does not fix the issue.
When I speak on FM on the 158EDX, and listen on any other radio / scanner, it sounds as if I am talking through a comb - if you know what I mean.
Someone on another site had exactly the same problem with this ecact same radio, and they had to change some capacitors... But they couldnt remember what caps they changed to fix the problem.
Ps, these radios were bought brand new by me from Coper - so I cant see any reason why anyone would have been inside them tweeking the heck out of em?
Cheers n beers |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 14285
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 5:55 pm: |
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Cobra148gtldx,
After testing our Superstar 158EDX yesterday and today in Mobile and Base use with the Mic Gain adjusted 1/4 to 1/2 open with 90% to 100% Modulation and the mic roughly 2 to 3 inches from my/our mouth's the audio did not sound muffled or distorted in any mode ie: AM/FM/LSB/USB.
From the Mobile 808xyl and I talked with 5 other CEF Radio Club Member's Mobile to Base.
Then we came back to the base and had them go mobile and talk to us on our base station's and again good clear non muffled transmission's.
We tested the 158EDX with receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the folowing radios 2995DX, 2970DX, Magnum S-3200B and President Lincoln.
I did find that when 808xyl and I as well as the other's tried to eat the mic or turned the mic gain above 1/2 open we did get muffled radio report's which were solved by turning the mic gain down or moving the mic farther away from the mic.
Have you contacted Ranger Technical Support direct yet to see what they have to say?
Technical Support CONTACT INFORMATION
Mailing Address:
Ranger Communications, Inc.
401 W. 35th Street
National City, CA 91950-7909
Fax: (619) 426-3788
E-mail Address:
Ranger Technical Support:
techsupport@rangerusa.com
NOTE!
If you ordered the OPTION: Expand, Align and Tune when you placed your order then the Copper Tech would have set the radio to factory specification's.
Otherwise the radio would have been shipped to you 100% factory stock as received direct from Ranger.
Hope this help's,
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Znut
Advanced Member
Username: Znut
Post Number: 740
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 10:43 pm: |
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Could it be you are either 375 hz or 625 hz away from UK channels? Or more?
Frequency (MHz) Channel Number Frequency (MHz) Channel Number
26.965 EU 1 27.60125 UK 1
26.975 EU 2 27.61125 UK 2
26.985 EU 3 27.62125 UK 3
27.005 EU 4 27.63125 UK 4
27.015 EU 5 27.64125 UK 5
27.025 EU 6 27.65125 UK 6
27.035 EU 7 27.66125 UK 7
27.055 EU 8 27.67125 UK 8
27.065 EU 9 27.68125 UK 9
27.075 EU 10 27.69125 UK 10
27.085 EU 11 27.70125 UK 11
27.105 EU 12 27.71125 UK 12
27.115 EU 13 27.72125 UK 13
27.125 EU 14 27.73125 UK 14
27.135 EU 15 27.74125 UK 15
27.155 EU 16 27.75125 UK 16
27.165 EU 17 27.76125 UK 17
27.175 EU 18 27.77125 UK 18
27.185 EU 19 27.78125 UK 19
27.205 EU 20 27.79125 UK 20
27.215 EU 21 27.80125 UK 21
27.225 EU 22 27.81125 UK 22
27.255 EU 23 27.82125 UK 23
27.235 EU 24 27.83125 UK 24
27.245 EU 25 27.84125 UK 25
27.265 EU 26 27.85125 UK 26
27.275 EU 27 27.86125 UK 27
27.285 EU 28 27.87125 UK 28
27.295 EU 29 27.88125 UK 29
27.305 EU 30 27.89125 UK 30
27.315 EU 31 27.90125 UK 31
27.325 EU 32 27.91125 UK 32
27.335 EU 33 27.92125 UK 33
27.345 EU 34 27.93125 UK 34
27.355 EU 35 27.94125 UK 35
27.365 EU 36 27.95125 UK 36
27.375 EU 37 27.96125 UK 37
27.385 EU 38 27.97125 UK 38
27.395 EU 39 27.98125 UK 39
27.405 EU 40 27.99125 UK 40 |
Cobra148gtldx
New member
Username: Cobra148gtldx
Post Number: 6
Registered: 8-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - 10:50 am: |
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Hi Lon, thanks for your tests.
What was the FM deviation set to on the 158EDX?
Znut: Thanks for the channel listings, it is not the freq diferrence as I was testing it on both radios 29.500 FM |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 14291
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - 6:26 pm: |
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All of the specifications that I used and checked for the REVIEW on the SS-158EDX can be found at the link below.
CLICK HERE > Model SS-158 EDX Service Manual
CLICK HERE >SS-158EDX REVIEW
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Dxswe
New member
Username: Dxswe
Post Number: 7
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 5:13 am: |
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This is a solution to modulation sound better at Fm is bypass the echoboard.It's very simple.Unplug J12 connector at the main pcb board then unplug J2 connector at the echoboard.Take J2 connector and plug to J12 at the mainpcb.The fm modulation sounded much better after the bypassing.When you have bypasses the echoboard then the echo will not work anymore. |
Captian_radio
Intermediate Member
Username: Captian_radio
Post Number: 344
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 01, 2008 - 11:20 am: |
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I had the same problem with my 158 and I did the echo bypass and seemed to clear things up quite a bit.I have no use for the echo and I may disable the talk back as well and possibly use these controls to make it variable power.They are also known to have some issues with the freq drifting, this because crystals X2 and X3 are faulty.All that being said they are a pretty good radio and I have heard that they have been discontinued so grab one while they supply is still there!
Bob CEF451/VE1CZ
Robert L. Spicer The days of radio are just beginning!
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