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Author Topic: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios  (Read 1632 times)

WA2CWA

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    • ManualMan
Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2022, 08:54:39 PM »

Definitely a second opinion.

Pete, wa2cwa
www.manualman.com
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2022, 04:40:44 AM »

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

Errrr, I am blaming failure of the transceiver. IT FAILED, period.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #17 on: March 18, 2022, 04:42:48 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!
Jahnke Electronics, WI.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2022, 04:44:39 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

I agree, about 20 years life for SS. Tube gear lasts far longer, perhaps 90 years with electrolytic capacitor upgrade.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2022, 04:45:28 AM »

So just whip out the old credit card and buy baby buy! New radios, antennas, modems, all premade in another country.
I had no choice if I want to be on the air.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2022, 04:47:10 AM »

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
No, old Kenwoods do not last forever such as my failed TS-830S.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #21 on: March 18, 2022, 04:48:42 AM »

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
IMO the TS-830S was not worth the return postage cost.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2022, 04:51:12 AM by N8FVJ »
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2022, 04:50:04 AM »

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!
Jahnke Electronics stated unrepairable. In fact they stated they could not identify all the damage and gave up. This is a vintage Kenwood repair center.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2022, 04:52:32 AM by N8FVJ »
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AC2EU

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #23 on: March 18, 2022, 06:36:06 AM »

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!
Jahnke Electronics stated unrepairable. In fact they stated they could not identify all the damage and gave up. This is a vintage Kenwood repair center.

They are known as Kenwood specialists, but that report doesn't ring true to me.

Not for nothing, but back in the TV repair days, there was a shop that was famous for condemning TV sets , then giving the the customer a few bucks for a "parts set"( if it wasn't abandoned). They would then repair the TV and put it out for sale, making a whole lot more then they would on a customer repair!

VE7DQ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #24 on: March 18, 2022, 04:26:21 PM »

Devil's advocate here:

I don't know what the shop rate at Jahnke is, but mine would be north of $100/Hr if I were still in the racket.  Where do you draw the line when the repair could take a couple of hours of bench time plus parts plus time scrounging up parts, if not in stock?

In an '830, if the tube shorts and takes out the cathode or screen resistors, which in turn can burn up the PC board under the tubes (been there, fixed that but I had factory-direct access to parts), what's a guy to do?  How long would it take to fab a new board?  Would it be economical for a shop to do so?

Often, the only source of parts is ebay; many of the breakers are/were in Eastern Europe.  Who is going to do that legwork?

It's sad that it is going this way; a ham must be able and willing to do his own repairs on boat anchors if he chooses to own them, as the knowledgeable b/a techs are timing out, retiring or elevating their shop rate enough to keep the wolf from the door.   :(

And we all know how miserly hams can be.
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VK6HP

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #25 on: March 19, 2022, 04:13:25 AM »

This thread is mostly a re-hash of last year's whinge by the OP:

https://www.eham.net/community/smf/index.php/topic,134771.0.html

It's rarely an either-or-situation: many of us have classic or vintage radios operational alongside the latest models.  But unless you have lots of money it's just plain silly to buy a 35+ year-old radio and expect someone else to maintain it at commercial workshop rates.  On the other hand, TS-830 spares are pretty readily available via various channels and there's nothing in the radio that can't be fixed by a competent ham with common equipment.  A bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way, too: start with the hardest-working PSU capacitors and associated components.

I take great pleasure in both my TS-830S's (one of which needed extensive work, despite being cosmetically perfect).  It'll be interesting to see whether my TS-890S is as maintainable in 35 years from now. (Unlikely I'll be around to know!).

73, Peter.

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W1VT

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #26 on: March 19, 2022, 06:19:57 AM »

Classic radios should be looked at as hands on educational projects for learning about radio technology.
Most of the repairmen have retired, so the few remaining businesses have no shortage of work. 
They don't have the time to do extensive restorations.  There is plenty of business to be had with quick and easy jobs.

Zak W1VT
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AC2EU

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #27 on: March 19, 2022, 03:06:24 PM »

The rig being "beyond economical repair" is one thing ( supported by findings), is one thing.

For the shop to say they "couldn't figure it out and gave up" is quite another in my book. What's up with that?

I don't know how the radio gets the blame for this...?

W1RKW

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #28 on: March 22, 2022, 05:26:41 AM »

Tube gear seems fairly reliable, but vintage solid-state gear has not worked out for me.

the tube side of the rig failed.
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N8FVJ

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Re: Bad Luck with SS Vintage Radios
« Reply #29 on: March 22, 2022, 09:43:01 AM »

Kenwood over-volts the 6146 by 33%, other tube vintage gear does not exceed tube maximum voltage.
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