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Author Topic: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios  (Read 1630 times)

N8FVJ

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Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« on: March 17, 2022, 10:17:51 AM »

Tube gear seems fairly reliable, but vintage solid-state gear has not worked out for me. 70s thru 80s transceivers are the worst. Final straw was a TS-830S that arc'ed in 6146 after 2 hours use. Sent out to a repair shop and told too much damage to repair. $300 down the drain. I am done!
I bought a new Yaesu FTDX10.
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WB6BYU

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2022, 10:24:42 AM »

You're blaming the arc in the final tube on the fact that
the receiver circuit is solid state?

AC2EU

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2022, 10:28:56 AM »

Tube gear seems fairly reliable, but vintage solid-state gear has not worked out for me. 70s thru 80s transceivers are the worst. Final straw was a TS-830S that arc'ed in 6146 after 2 hours use. Sent out to a repair shop and told too much damage to repair. $300 down the drain. I am done!
I bought a new Yaesu FTDX10.

Really? where did you send it? I can't see where that would be hopeless unless you smoked the power transformer too!

KF4HR

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2022, 11:08:48 AM »

The vintage Hybrid and SS rig's were great in their day but it's a safe bet that vintage tube rigs will continue to be repairable and will remain operational long after vintage hybrid & solid state rigs become door stops. 
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K5LXP

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2022, 11:24:55 AM »

For some reason hams expect transceivers made from the same components TV's were made with to last decades longer than TV's.  You can't give me any radio more than about 20 years old, past that point they're on borrowed time.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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K4PIH

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2022, 11:58:58 AM »

So just whip out the old credit card and buy baby buy! New radios, antennas, modems, all premade in another country.
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K7LZR

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2022, 01:26:53 PM »

My 39-year-old Icom IC-745 still works like new. Vintage SS & Hybrid aren't all bad.....
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K8PJM

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2022, 01:27:49 PM »

I've had 2 of them, 1st one I sold off to get newer gear. Fast forward a few years I missed my TS-830 so I picked up another one at a hamfest. Had to recap the whole thing and found that the band switch was worn out. Found another band switch assembly on Ebay and got that going.

My 6146's arced also had to do a total repair job on the HV section. Moral of the story yes they are repairable, but very few of us can afford to pay someone else to do the work. I just happen to love fixing things!

Currently working on the WWII USS Cod submarine in Cleveland doing some repairs. I volunteer at the sub, nice retirement job. Listen for us during the Museum Ships on the Air in June. Club call sign is W8COD.

73 Phil
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K3XR

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2022, 03:08:46 PM »

If you want to get involved in the older gear you need to be prepared to do some basic maintenance like replacing electrolytic capacitors etc.. . I assume most older rigs I purchase do not function as they should and will likely need work depending on their age.  I usually start by replacing the electrolytic capacitors, don't even bother testing them if they're still good now they will likely go bad before too long.  Lots of times they are minor problems like dirty contacts that can be corrected and bring a rig back to life.  I also enjoy restoring the physical appearance of old gear and will sometimes take the cabinets down to bare metal and refinish them. Old gear can be fun to restore and at times very frustrating. 
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KC6RWI

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2022, 03:26:17 PM »

I've spent alot of time with an esr meter checking caps in solid state tv's. I find the the bad ones, usually
stressed with heat, but I have never just changed "every" electrolytic, there are some smaller caps that
seem as though they never change value, maybe there is lower voltage and less dynamic stress on them.
Is it really a need to change all of them?
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K3XR

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2022, 04:15:08 PM »

I've spent alot of time with an esr meter checking caps in solid state tv's. I find the the bad ones, usually
stressed with heat, but I have never just changed "every" electrolytic, there are some smaller caps that
seem as though they never change value, maybe there is lower voltage and less dynamic stress on them.
Is it really a need to change all of them?

You should do what works best for you...I do.
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W0CKI

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2022, 04:43:56 PM »

Kenwood hybrid rigs will last forever with proper care and maintenance. Those radios are not for new or inexperienced hams. Ya gotta properly tune them which is a foreign concept today. There’s probably lots of reasons that guys rig arched over. I’ll bet most were operator error.
Gary W0CKI , since 1954

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WA2CWA

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2022, 05:31:54 PM »

I've spent alot of time with an esr meter checking caps in solid state tv's. I find the the bad ones, usually
stressed with heat, but I have never just changed "every" electrolytic, there are some smaller caps that
seem as though they never change value, maybe there is lower voltage and less dynamic stress on them.
Is it really a need to change all of them?

NO, I don't. I replace caps, or whatever, if I've determined that the part is bad. I have two military receivers here that were made back in the 40's. I've never changed a part in either of them and both still work great.
Replacing every electrolytic capacitor or all the capacitors in a piece of equipment just because they are "old" is highly overrated. Both of my active Heath SB-200 amps were built in 1969 and both still have all their original parts.

Pete, wa2cwa
www.manualman.com
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WA2CWA

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2022, 05:39:57 PM »

You're blaming the arc in the final tube on the fact that
the receiver circuit is solid state?
Actually the entire rig, except for the driver and final areas, which are tubes, is solid state.

Even if the final is beyond repair (which I find hard to believe) due to arcing, the rest of the boards in the TS-830S are worth big money to someone doings repair on a board that maybe can't be easily repaired so he can probably recoup most of his investment.

Pete, wa2cwa
www.manualman.com

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AC2EU

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2022, 06:18:53 PM »

You're blaming the arc in the final tube on the fact that
the receiver circuit is solid state?
Actually the entire rig, except for the driver and final areas, which are tubes, is solid state.

Even if the final is beyond repair (which I find hard to believe) due to arcing, the rest of the boards in the TS-830S are worth big money to someone doings repair on a board that maybe can't be easily repaired so he can probably recoup most of his investment.

Pete, wa2cwa
www.manualman.com

I don't know who condemned it, but he should get a second opinion!
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