need help with President Washington w/upD858

[skybolt58]

I got this president washington with the 858 chip, Now the rec. is low and I installed one of those 621 pre amps. it helped a little, but not like it was when new. Now I was told the am regulator needs to be replaced because they are a known bug? Where is it? also it is starting to have a modulation glitch, when I key up for the first second or so. they say I sound fuzzy? but after a bit it clears right up? now could that be the audio IC? where is it? there is no cb shops anywhere near me. I am handy with soldering so that isn't a problem? but tuning is?

ALSO? is there a way to hard wire in a freq counter in the 858?

 

[Bionic Chicken]

Rather than throwing parts at the radio it sounds like it needs a good alignment on transmit and receive. Once that is completed you will be able to tell if there is a component problem. Changing parts out with a bad alignment can actually cause you more problems than you have.

BC

 

[skybolt58]

tired ol washington

I did bring it to a place just up past watertown ny. he said it is old that he did the best he could. the tuning problem is once I do replace parts. it is tuned the best it can be. it is LOUD but fuzzy in the first second or 2 then cleans right up. and this is on many mics. I don't know, I just may trash it! it is over 35 years old

 

[mechanic]

The older 858 chassis is a great one but had a few bugs. From your description sounds to me like it might be the T/R relay... Not easy to find a new one... But! It can be cleaned... :laugh:
The plastic cover is held in place buy two cleats, one on each side... You can make a tool to remove this cove by taking a cheap screwdrive and bending the tip into a J shape then as you pull the side carefully away, lift and do the other side whilst holding up. A bit tricky but just be careful! :blush:
Do not use anything harsh on it like a spray or a file. You need to burnish the contacts, there is a tool made for this but I found that using a match book striker works pretty good, just tear it off so it is small enough to work with and gingerly, carefully clean the contacts. You just want to make them clean not ware them down to the base metal.....
FWIW... If the AM regulator was bad there would be no AM carrier....

Good luck! Mechanic

 

[skybolt58]

web info I found

Thanks for the scary info, I was told to stay awat from that relay because they were like gold! but about the regulator, below I found on many web sites?



KNOWN BUGS


The AM regulator 2SC1419 is WEAK. UNSOLDER it and toss it in the trash.
Replace it with a GE-66, ECG-152 or a NTE-152.
Relay buzzes on SSB, no am transmit, lights go dim, or the fuse pops sometimes?
Replace C179 ( a 2.2uF 25v tantalum cap located near finals) with a standard 2.2uF electrolytic capacitor.
PAY ATTENTION to the "+" and "-"!!!

 

[mechanic]

Cleaning the relay isn't too hard, just be careful! Just one or two strokes of the burnishing tool should be all it needs!

mechanic

 

[mechanic]

BTW it will not hurt to replace the regulator either, it is located screwed to the heatsink toward the back of the radio. Replace the tantalum capacitor, it is blue and located between the finals about an inch into the board. You can use an ordinary polarized one of the same value.

mechanic

 

[skybolt58]

OK?

Hmm,, which one is the am regulator and here is a pic..

 

[mechanic]

Neither of those two transistors are the ones. The 2SC1419 is the same style of package but the legs will be soldered to the main board. The part is in the corner of the wall heat sink, towards the back of the rig and just around the corner from the finals side.

___________
| ↑
|
|

Arrow points to where the transistor would be looking down at the parts side of the chassis, the line that has the spaces would be the final side of the heat sink.
Sorry about the crude drawing! :blink: I do not have any diagrams with me as I am not at home but if I can find one I'll post it here.

mechanic

 

[skybolt58]

Hmm.. those 2 do have that part number on them c1419. so I figured maybe one of them was it. gotta do some more dicecting I guess..

OK, I just looked. there is only 5 total looking like them, but those 2 are the only 2 that have C1419 on them? they are on the back heat wall, 3 are along the opposit side ofthe power supply soldered into the board, 2 have the thermal caps which I assume are the finals? the other is more to the back of the same wall

 

[mechanic]

Same part numbers but for a different function. In fact the one you are looking for is located on the same flat side of the heat sink, more to the left of those parts in the first view and inverted from them. the legs go through the board and are soldered on the trace side. If you cannot find it just take a pic and post it here and I will point it out for you.

mechanic

 

[skybolt58]

ok I se something there, it has 2 plastic screws holding it the the heat sink instead of 1 and it is under that little board that is also mounted on the heat sink.. but it is a little larger that the 1419's on top that has the wires to them?
hope these pics work?

 

[mechanic]

This is an older base than I thought! I downloaded one of your pics and edited it to show where the part is located (under the V) and also I see that the relay has a bail on it so it is easy to clean the contacts! the bail just slips of to one side!

Since you did not see the number on the transistor, 2SC1419, it may have already been changed out. I cannot really see but it looks to me like the tantalum cap may also have been changed....

I see a device added like a modulator or something of the sorts, wrapped in heatshrink. Could be a source of a problem but I cannot be sure.... :thumbdown:

"All radios are worth saving! Even if just for parts!"

mechanic

 

[skybolt58]

OK.. yes it is the 858, I got it when they first came out... also I cleaned the contacts in the relay gave each one 2 strokes with the match book stryker, it is still fuzzy sounding on first key up?

I installed them after it started sounding fuzzy, one is a beep and the other is a 621 pre amp.

 

[mechanic]

FB on the added parts.... You may have to look for the tantalum cap that should be replaced, it will be very blue, teardrop shaped with one or more plus marks on it.... Make sure you keep the polarity correct and let me know the number of the transistor next to the transformer....

Next time....

mechanic