May cause damage?

[Freightlinerbob]

I operated my freshly tuned and checked vintage 148 with "pegging the needle SWR" for a relatively short amount of time. Keyed up maybe 20 times and didn't talk very long at any point before I realized there was a problem.

Everything I've read states that damage "may" occur if this happens. What is at risk and how do I know if I've damaged something?

 

[jazzsinger]

in your country freshly "tuned and checked" takes on a whole new dimension.

most likely outcome would be blown final and/or driver transistor/s, symptom would be no or very low output.

many radios will tolerate massive swr readings for months with no ill effects where others will blow much sooner, if the radio has the power tweaked or swing kit added its more likely to blow sooner rather than later under those conditions, depends on the individual transistor's vswr tolerance and what power level its being run at.

often a sign of a weak output will be intermittent transmit, usually quickly cured with a blast of freeze spray, only cure is replacement.

 

[Freightlinerbob]

Thanks.

in your country freshly "tuned and checked" takes on a whole new dimension

Huh?

 

[Beetle]

Operate into a known-good dummy load for ten or fifteen minutes and check for problems.

I think Jazzsinger was referring to the stereotypical "tech" treatment of clipping a few component leads and turning all knobs to the right, and calling that a proper tuneup.

 

[Freightlinerbob]

Oh OK.

For the record, the work was done by Q5 in Deforest WI. and it was de- clipped among other things.

I figured out the problem and replaced the, less than six months old, Silver Load Wilson and have had good reports but only from a few miles away.