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Message |
    
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2375
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 11:13 am: | 
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Hey guys I need some help. It's the Texas Star DX 500v. Last time I used it all was good. Last night I discovered a problem. Whenever I push in the red or white button the relay comes on like it is keyed up and kills the radio receive. It seems to be keying up by itself but no output. SWR is fine like always. It never has over heated. I even removed the coaxes from it and still the same thing. Like it broke itself!!! Please give me some ideas guys. Might be a simple fix.
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Moderator136
Moderator
Username: Moderator136
Post Number: 461
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 11:48 am: |
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Hi there Kenny
Sounds like a dirty relay , or a bad relay switch stuck between keying circuit. Its not makeing a good contact.Or a resister burnt before the input to the relay. Not shur without more information?
Hal
Moderator136
KCØSVC
CEF#136/HAM#23
CVC#004#
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Carolinagold
Member
Username: Carolinagold
Post Number: 83
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 4:50 pm: |
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hey kenny my dx400v did the same thing mine was a leaky diode in the recive. dont know if that is it in your case but its a place to start
JAMES
CAROLINAGOLD
865
CEF#416
CCRC#2
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Wildrat
Senior Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 1343
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 5:27 pm: |
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Hotwire you could go and get some tuner cleaner and spray the relay. This would be a temp repair though as it will probably fail again.
You could also have another bad component like the fella stated above.
Or you could have a SWR problem at the worst.
Try putting it on low power and see if it unkeys. Then TSS from there.
It could be possible that one of the switches on the front is not working correctly i.e. the contacts are messed up and some are making and others are not.
Most likely it is a bad relay or SWR issue. The relays they use in these amps are kind of cheesy. Oh well, if my transporter was working I'd beam over and give you a hand.
See Ya!
WILDRAT
Mark
27.285MHZ
CEF674 / CVC029
RAT's! Mans best friend since the Dark Ages!
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1093
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2007 - 5:52 pm: |
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i agree bad relay.but really hard
2 say for sure
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2376
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 11:23 am: |
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Wow! Thanks for the replys fellas! Lots of good input here. I agree with Wildrat about the relays, mega cheesy!
I think I might know what it is, the relay gone bad or my keying transistors, there is 2 transistors. I opened one up and as I press in the power button the little relay comes on, moves in ever so slow, you can barely hear the click.
This is blowing my mind because this is now the 2nd DX500 that has broken the same way and both were installed into my new Chevy van.
The only thing I can imagine I did wrong to damage these amps is installing them vertically with the face pointing up. Even though I had fans to keep the amps cool I believe that heat has played part in the damage. I think the amps are not designed to operate like that so heat built up more where it should'nt. Thats my theory anyway.
Thanks again!
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Vanillagorilla
Senior Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 1048
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 2:59 pm: |
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I know this is a high drive amp Kenny but what are the possibilities you had over driven it at all? High SWR and or Reflected power?
I ask because thats what I think caused my problem with my little 2 pill I use in the shack. That amp sat inline BEHIND the antenna switch for use with any 10m radio inline. Problem is my 150w AR3500 is ALSO inline ahead of that tiny 2 pill. While I've never had the amp ON while transmitting with the AR3500 it has seen 150 SSB watts pass through it in the OFF position. Eventually the keying relay stuck in the TX position reacting word for word your exact condition.
While troubleshooting this issue I was also on Voice Chat with Lon and Hal....Lon (I think jokingly) said "Well all you need now is an old CW keyer and put it inline with the ON/OFF".....
Well I made up a foot switch from a momentary ON toggle I had laying around. Yea I could have disassembled the amp an unsoldered what I BELIEVE to be the inop relay but this was more fun.... ...and while I was in there I had the opportunity to make the preamp switch operate WITHOUT having the amp turned ON  !!
Key up and talk....FIRST time someone says "what was that Hank?...sorry....QSB"..the foot goes to the floor....wham...from 35PEP to 250+PEP Watts...like the old school "transmitters" heehee....get this...Without that annoying SSB relay chatter!!! because there ISN'T one there TO CHATTER!!
Your mission Mr. Hotwire is to wire your toggle to your Vans horn button  ...you never used it anyway...admit it 
Hank~CEF559/CEFHAM242
KC2RIW
Eastern Long Island NY
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1100
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 5:22 pm: |
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hank made an interesting point.question for ya
kenny doesd the amp vibrate in any way.after
working at my friends shop it seems these dont
up well when vibration is present.and being ya said this is your 2nd one has me wondering.
just my 2 cents
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2377
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 11:26 am: |
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Dale, I think I can rule out the vibration idea. The van rides like a Caddy. Only other possible way could be the heat wave and extremely high humidity we had at the time but surely these amps are more solid than that!
The first amp that I installed did not last long at all due to a faulty Wilson gum drop antenna mount. It was intermitent and I discovered it by mistake. The circuit inside of the gum drop was actually open!
Now I use a lug type Predator mount.
As I sit here now I wonder if I have the same issue as before.
Maybe I need to check the 102 SS whip and spring for damage. I do hit a lot of branches and just 2 weeks ago before I found the broken ampI drove under a railroad bridge by mistake hitting every steel trussel.
Bridge was 12 feet, antenna is 14 feet so you can imagine the horrible sound it made. Man! I bet I need to go out and investigate.
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1107
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 6:59 pm: |
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yea id check the predator mount even though
i think its fine.id also check pl-259
connectors.id also check all jumpers and
all coax.this may sound extreame but it never
hurts,as these are very vital parts of your
setup.even if its all new id still check ya
never know
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Vanillagorilla
Senior Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 1055
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 7:27 pm: |
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Its going to be a bad relay Kenny...simple enough. Don't sweat it! We radio people LOVE to drive ourselves nuts looking for a complicated answer to an easy question.
R&R the relay
Send it to me and I'll repair it then test it for one FULL YEAR just to be sure ...FREE OF CHARGE cause I like you 
Hank~CEF559/CEFHAM242
KC2RIW
Eastern Long Island NY
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Dx_freak
Junior Member
Username: Dx_freak
Post Number: 21
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2007 - 3:12 am: |
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Hotwire,
Im actually glad too see someone else running a texas star, and second thing im glad to see no ham bashing abuot the texas star you are running as to it being a trashy amp and all like I always see when texas star mentioned. My deal is this, I had a texas star 500v and it did the same cotton picken thing. It was the relay in my case and i replaced it. I didnt repair nor try to fix it, I yanked it out pitched it in the trash and replaced it. I run a 400v for 2 yrs now bought it brand new and its still doing fine. Any way, im sure you will find a broken leg on the rely. Just my 2 cents. Goodluck
Richey
DX freak/Mad Dog/Puppet Master
CEF#885
I can only do the best I can with what I got.
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2378
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2007 - 12:31 pm: |
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Hank, Was going to reply to your first post but someone called for my assitance.
No, I am 99.999% sure that I did not or ever did overdrive the amp. Now knowing that I am somewhat human it is possible at one point by mistake my clumsy fingers pushed in the hi/lo power switch resulting in a devasting high deadkey. I really doubt thats what I did though.
Most likely as you are saying it is the relay. DX Freak as well as many others off line seem to agree. Going to investigate these funky relays and look for a broken leg. May take a stab at a repair myself.
I have one source here in Indy who is a long time ham radio repair shop owner. He did my dads radio/amp work back in the 80's. Next payday I'm going to pay him a visit to see if he is interested in looking at them. If not then it looks like I will have to call the Galaxy/Texas Star facility in California. That should be lovely mailing 20 pounds of amps cross country!
Although I love Texas Star amps and still recommend them it is hard to say if I will ever buy another 4 pill model after this. Really had plans to get the big 10 pill around tax time. Will probably go custom from now on.
As soon as I get er done I will post the results of the repair!
Again thanks guys!
Oh yeah and Hank! I'll pass on the repair offer for now. Although free of charge sounds great you just seem to be to eager to get your paws on my amp! Something about the 1 year test run has me wondering who gets the better deal here.
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
|
Road_warrior134
Member
Username: Road_warrior134
Post Number: 98
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2007 - 5:34 pm: |
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Kenny
Had same problem with a KLV550 and found it to be a transistor in the RF sense part of the circuit , get yourself some of that freeze spray stuff and while the amp is locked on TX spray each transistor in turn and see if it unkeys , it worked for me and saved loads of hair being pulled out , NOT AS IF I GOT A LOT OF HAIR ANYWAY !!! 
JIM
Road Warrior134 / MM0TXO
CEF#858
HAM#230
CVC#116
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2379
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 12:05 pm: |
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Thanks Jim, Actually I was planning to do that very thing. Not sure where to buy some freeze spray. Thought I could use some dust remover and spray the can with it upside down.
Your not alone on the missing hair!
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Vanillagorilla
Senior Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 1062
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 9:17 pm: |
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Although you did not say that "it only happens after its been on a while"... therefore I don't see a reason this time..... but if you DID want to try "cold spray" for giggles OR for future troubleshooting...try electronic contact cleaner. That stuff frosts up real good. Try to keep it from thin or older plastic and or bakelite. It'll crack and crumble before your eyes!
Hank~CEF559/CEFHAM242
KC2RIW
Eastern Long Island NY
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Road_warrior134
Intermediate Member
Username: Road_warrior134
Post Number: 106
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 31, 2007 - 12:14 pm: |
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What ever you do Kenny ... DO NOT !!!!! use the stuff you get to refill cigarette lighters .... you know LPG in a can ... ok it freezes things even your fingers but when used to test LIVE electronic parts things don't freeze they get HOT !!!! or so one of the local CBers over here found out ..... HIS HAIR HAS NEVER RECOVERED !!!! and I still don't let him live it down even now
JIM
Road Warrior134 / MM0TXO
CEF#858
HAM#230
CVC#116
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2388
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 12:36 pm: |
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OK no lighter fluid, gotcha! And it does not matter if the amp has been on, it is doa!
Currently I have a new setup in the Hotwire mobile. Cobra 148 with cheapy Galaxy 2 pill. Hey I don't care what they say about them little gold color 100 dollar amps! They are solid if you take care of them!
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2389
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 1:38 pm: |
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The Cobra 148 GTL is one of the new China made rigs. Far from a stock radio its one of my 148s that has had many conponets changed to better ones. Much better ACR and receive. The modded radio does have better audio than it did stock but the major improvement is in the receiver which in my book the most important. SSB is OK but all around the radio is no match to my beloved Connex 4800. The 4800 is just to much radio for the little Galaxy 2 X sd1446.
Right now its a perfect little matchup with about 120 watts pep, tad bit more on SSB. So the Hotwire mobile is on probation for now. Not to far in the future LOOK OUT! The Hotwire mobile is making a comeback with an output of volcano like vengence! A fire breathing 350 ci Chevy engine cranking big rpm's on a Leece Neville! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
KEEP IT REAL!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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