| Author |
Message |
    
Ranch55
New member
Username: Ranch55
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2016
| | Posted on Sunday, January 17, 2016 - 2:18 pm: | 
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I have the radio equipment installed in a 2015 GMC 3500HD truck with dual 150 amp alternators. This is with a Wilson 4' Silverload antenna. The antenna is mounted to the side and very well grounded to my truck bed tool box. I have grounded the tool box to the truck frame in two places to ensure a good ground. The power leads are directly connected to the batteries.
I have 12' RG8X (Mini 8 from Copper) from radio to amplifier under rear seat, and 9' RG8X from amplifier to antenna. This worked very well with the TS DX350V I purchased from Copper last month.
I installed the Texas Star DX500V in my truck yesterday afternoon. I removed a Texas Star DX350V that I had also recently purchased from Copper Electronics, and it performed perfectly.
Installing the TS
DX500V was straight forward, as all I needed to do was install a Copper 8 gauge power harness plug so I could just plug into the Copper 6 gauge power leads I had previously installed for the TS DX350V. The power leads are directly connected to the batteries, with an additional 10 gauge wire from the Texas Star chassis directly to the truck frame ground.
I have this behind a Galaxy DX959B radio that I also recently purchased from Copper.
SWR with meter after radio is 1.1 on channel 1; 1.2 on channel 20; 1.3 on channel 40.
SWR with meter after amplifier to antenna is 1.2 ~ 1.4 across all channels.
NOW, my issue is that last night when I used the system with the TS DX500V newly installed, the amplifier WILL NOT unkey. This is on AM and on SSB. I have tried with the delay button engaged and disengaged.
I am keying my radio with a 2 watt deadkey, and I also tried with with a 4 watt deadkey.
The only way I can get the DX500V to unkey is to turn off the power button.
I can not see what I may be doing incorrectly or not have set up right.
Is it possible that there may be an internal problem with the brand new Texas Star DX500V amplifier? |
Ranch55
New member
Username: Ranch55
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2016
| | Posted on Monday, January 18, 2016 - 11:43 am: |
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I would like to add additional information.
SWR with meter after amplifier (but not keyed up) is 1.2 ~ 1.4
SWR with meter after amplifier and keyed up is up to 5:1 .....YIKES
Also, the brand new amplifier has a burnt type smell. Is this just a smell from being new? Or a smell indicating a problem? |
Ranch55
New member
Username: Ranch55
Post Number: 3
Registered: 1-2016
| | Posted on Monday, January 18, 2016 - 4:37 pm: |
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I have a new update as of Monday, 1/18/2016 at 3:31 pm.
I took a look at the internals and have found, what I believe, to be the source of the burnt smell.
L4/R29 are black and blistered. L4 being a Toroid Combiner, and R29 being a 100ohm 2w metal oxide resistor.
What does a Toroid Combiner do? Is this possible the cause of the very high SWR after the meter? |
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 907
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Monday, January 18, 2016 - 5:29 pm: |
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You could have a real problem with the burnt smell.
If you have a 5:1 for SWR, you might have a blown cap in the new amp. Put the old reliable 350 back in and see if the problem persists.
73 Pressman
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2346
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - 12:00 am: |
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The failure to unkey is most likely RF from the antenna getting back into the amp, causing the keying relay to stay engaged.
Now, after reading about the burned component(s) in the unit, there is clearly a serious RF feedback issue.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
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Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 908
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - 9:52 am: |
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Along with 833s comment of stray RF.
Two of my buds have new truck that the amps were shutting down the trucks control modules so we used a trick from avionics and installed arrestors, Copper # 83-23 at one end of the patch cords and at the antenna coax end. Copper has these in stock.Just screw the PL 259s to them. We grounded both to the chassis with some 12 ga wire, it was on hand, then went to the local Builders Supply and picked up some copper screen and made Faraday cages (idea from net)for the trucks computers and NO more problems.
73 Pressman
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Ranch55
New member
Username: Ranch55
Post Number: 4
Registered: 1-2016
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - 3:34 pm: |
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Yesterday afternoon, (Tuesday), I put the TS 350 back in the truck. In addition, I rechecked connector at the antenna, cleaned thoroughly, cleaned the mount that it is grounded to thoroughly. Rechecked all connectors with a digital volt/ohm meter to verify no shorts in coax or connectors.
With the TS 305 installed, SWR meter after the amp, and amp turned off, SWR is consistent at 1.1 ~ 1.3 across channel 1, 20, & 40.
With the 350 turned on and with a radio dead key of 3~4 watts, SWR is consistent at 1.5 ~ 2.0 across the same three channels with the 350 having a dead key of 150 watts.
I feel somewhat confident my antenna has a good SWR tune.
This is a new amplifier I purchased from Copper Electronics just last week. Now I am wondering where I go from here. I haven't heard back from Copper as of yet.
Anyone know of a very good Texas Star DX500V repairman or repair woman that I could contact? |
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 909
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 - 6:03 pm: |
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Look in the display box for a phone number for TS or perhaps Copper can get you a repair # to send the amp in for repairs at TS. Might take a day or so.
73 Pressman
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Ranch55
New member
Username: Ranch55
Post Number: 5
Registered: 1-2016
| | Posted on Friday, January 22, 2016 - 8:45 pm: |
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I can not seem to locate the Copper # 83-23 arrestors that you are referring to. Can you help me locate them on Copper's website. |
Admin
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 62
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 12:46 pm: |
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83-23-Lighting-Arrestor
Consumer Electronics
Galaxy Radios & Texas Star Units
1-760-480-8800 |
