959 high dead key issue

[Jbvo92]

So the other day i installed a new antenna (wilson 2000) so i started making sure everything was working properly. However i switched the galaxy meter over to the watt scale it its showing 12w dead key on am and swinging up to 16 or so so i switched it to ssb and the dead key is 3-4 and swings to 12 like it should. Whats wrong with the am side?

 

[Tallman]

What is the SWR? If the antenna is not tuned it will show higher wattage.

 

[Jbvo92]

Ch1 is 1.1 ish and ch40 is 1.4ish. I know ive still got to tune the antenna and am going to do that today but the 12w dead key on am only kinda had me thinking something was up with the radio. I was thinking if it still did it on side band id have another issue.

 

[Tallman]

Check your 8 volt regulated power in the radio. Cobra radios do that when the 8 volt regulator is bad.

 

[Jbvo92]

Just went out to tune it and its showing barely any movement off 1 on the swr meter on channel 1 and 40. Idk if thats good or if the meter on my radio is off. But its still dead keying about 8w and swing up to 12 or more on AM

 

[Jbvo92]

Check your 8 volt regulated power in the radio. Cobra radios do that when the 8 volt regulator is bad.[/QUOTEQUOTEok thank you. Ill have to look up where it is im still new to radios lol.

 

[nomadradio]

i switched it to ssb and the dead key is 3-4 and swings to 12 like it should.

Something really, really not right with that.

Only way to show a "dead key" on sideband is to turn up the power mike in a noisy room.

Should show ZERO on the wattmeter until you modulate the radio.

73

 

[Tallman]

http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/galaxy/dx959/index.htm
Your radio could have been modified or "Golden Screw drivered" as some call it. They go inside and mess up some filter circuits and make it very bad to run an amplifier. Harmonics get amped too.

Nomad is spot on! SSB should have no dead key at all. Turn your microphone gain to zero and check again.

 

[Jbvo92]

I bouhht the radio brand new in 2011. Ive never opened it up and messed with it so idk. I just checked the side band again now that the antenna is tuned and it does in fact show zero watts keyed up. Idk whats going on all i know is on am the watt meter is super hi for a dead key

 

[Jbvo92]

As you can probably tell im not very radio savy lol any help is very appreciated

 

[Tallman]

As you can probably tell im not very radio savy lol any help is very appreciated

Can you read schematics? The link I posted takes you to a site that has that type of information for you.

 

[Jbvo92]

In the automotive world i can lol. Ill give them a peek and see what i can do. Worst case scenario is i take it to a shop. Thanks for the info

 

[Jbvo92]

I checked out the schematic and im going to start by checking for 8v where it says it should have 8v and then depending on what i find should i go ahead and do the alignment procedure? Or should i leave it to a shop for that? I do have a multimeter and an o scope

 

[Robb]

http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/galaxy/dx959/index.htm

 

[9C1Driver]

Have you tried a different watt meter just for grins?