Problem with ssb

[Demo]

Hi, this is my 1st post and its going to be kind of long so bare with me. First off, well go back about 10 years. I was sold a rci-2950 (the old orange face one, and not the dx model), and bought a pyramid 25 amp power supply. I later purchased a galaxy 250 linear and a d-104 mic. I was using an antron 99 antenna and 25 feet of coax. Everything was workin fine and dandy for quite a few years. I had to move and sold my antenna and put everything else away. Well about 6 months ago I decided to buy a imax-2000 and get my rig back up and running again. I also purchased a galaxy 959dx. I hooked everything up and all is working well( except for a little dimming when I key up on my 959 on am). The radio has great audio, and is just a good all around radio. Well about a week after I had everything set up, I heard some talking on ch.39 on lsb, so I decided to switch to lsb and give a shout out and see if I could make contact. When I keyed up and started talking, my radio dimmed way low and when I tried it again it done the same thing and then the fuse blew. Inline fuse that is. Its a 250v 2amp fuse btw. I went and bought a 5 pack of fuses and it happend again. Happens on both lsb and usb. So I went and got my rci-2950 and hooked it up. Same thing happened. Both radios run fine on am but ssb pops my fuses. Im pretty sure everything is grounded but not 100%. My antenna is on a 15 foot steel pole thats drove about 4 feet in the ground and poured cement to keep it in place. My power supply is 3 prong and is plugged in a 3 prong outlet. But like I said im not 100% sure the outlet is grounded, or if thats even the problem. Please let me know what you might think I could be. Would be very much appreciated.


Thanks,
Demo

 

[4ZERO99]

Sounds like a power supply issue maybe, how many amps is the power supply rated for on continuous power and how many volts is it producing under a load?

Do either radios have dual finals?

73rds

 

[Demo]

Its rated at 22 cont, and 25 peak. But like I said when I had it at my old house it worked fine. I made contacts all over the world on ssb, even with the amp on hi. The ps can handel the radio and amp, its just the ssb issue. The voltage is variable and I have it set to 13.8v.

 

[Demo]

Not sure about the dual finals.

I have:
RCI-2950(older model)
Galaxy 959DX

 

[Robb]

In SSB mode, a radio and amp will put out more power and require more current from the power supply than it will in AM mode.

I would suspect that you power cables that feed the radio and amp may have some connection flaws and aren't allowing 100% of the current available from the supply. Either that, or your supply is just getting weak; but I doubt it.

If the radio still pops fuses when the amp is turned off; then it must be your connections.
Running the supply at 13.8v is preferred so that maximum amperage can be available - too.

A 250 amp will draw about ~25 amps all by itself especially if it is being over-driven by too much output from the radio. SSB will only make it worse.

 

[Demo]

Yeah it does it with the amp off, and even when I got the coax from my antenna running strait to my radio. I just dont understand why it used to run fine and now this. I read somewhere else that a 2 amp fuse might not be enough. They told the guy to try and put a 7 amp fuse in but I think that would fry my radio. When I used to run my amp on ssb (when it was working) I almost always ran it on low.

 

[9C1Driver]

A Galaxy 959 after a basic peak and tune will draw more then 2 amps, up-grade the fuse. Same for the 2950 if you are using the same size fuse. Running a 7 amp fuse with your 2950 will not "fry the radio". So the simple answer to your problem is run a bigger fuse, in SSB mode your radio's are drawing more then 2 amps.

 

[4ZERO99]

I agree, I can't run my 959 and a Pal 250w amp on my Pal 35 amp power supply, the lights blink on the radio. I use different power supplies for both. I would try just the radio and see if it pops fuses, it they still blow then there's other issues. Need more feedback.

 

[4ZERO99]

And I checked my power cords all 3 of them have a 5 amp fuse in them, this may be your problem if only a 2 amp.

 

[9C1Driver]

In many cb radio's when in SSB the light will twinkle alittle with the modulation. A Palomar 250 run on say Med power should draw 12-14 amps. A Galaxy 959 might draw 3-5. A decent 25 amp power supply should be able to handle that easy.


The guys problem is his radio's draw 3-6 amps on SSB and he is trying to feed that through a 2 amp fuse.

 

[Demo]

Thanks for the info. I don't get paid until next tuesday so I willl get the fuses then and let you know the outcome.

Thanks again,
Demo

 

[Mudfoot]

You get paid the same day as Wimpy.

 

[Demo]

Sorry it took so long to reply. I ended up throwing in a 4amp fuse I found laying around a few days later. Every since then it has not popped but is still dimming a bit. I think im going to try a 5, 6, and 7 amp fuse respectivly, and see what happens. I think that was the problem though. I just dont understand the dimming part. It never used to do that. Also I am thinkin of selling my imax 2000 because, back before, when I had my antron 99 hooked up, it seemed like I got out alot better, and better gain. I thin it was because the antron was 1/4 wave and the imax is 5/8 wave. Not too sure what the difference is but what are some good antennas out their that are 1/4 wave and good quality?

Thanks for the info fellaz.

 

[hank_612]

Sirio gainmaster is THE fiberglass vertical to have. Jmho

 

[Road Squawker]

...I ended up throwing in a 4amp fuse I found laying around a few days later. Every since then it has not popped but is still dimming a bit. I think im going to try a 5, 6, and 7 amp fuse respectivly, and see what happens....

a "bigger" fuse will not "create" anymore power.

the dimming is due to lack of voltage, upgrade your wiring to a larger size , put a VOM on your power supply and monitor the output voltage.**Jump_im**

also test voltage drop across the fuse itself, some fuses are resistive and can cause a voltage drop.