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Another skipper 300

Tweetybird

Well-Known Member
Jun 23, 2019
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I bought this amp online owner said works as it should but after tuning the dead key watts drop 50 watts until keyed up for 20 or 30 seconds will go back up it's like it (cools) down between keys and modulation Max's out at 50% I have power d 104 I turned it up all the way? It was driven by a siltronix 1011 radio which he failed to mention any ideas? 35w dead key messages me AFTER purchase do you want to buy my radio? 300.00 for the skipper I bought!@!@!!×+#
 

There are two versions of this amp. One uses 6LQ6's and the other uses 8950's....One driving three. Anyways, I think I remember that your not supposed to excite that amp with no more than 3 watts maximum input is what it said on the sheet. I would check the sweep tubes and change the capacitors in it first.
 
If he drove it with a Siltronix 1011, that's not too wise. That radio's final amplifier tube is the same size as the Skipper's driver tube.

Should have ruined that driver tube permanently, driving it that hard. The driver tube's plate choke is a typical casualty when a Skipper gets driven that hard.

Any electrolytic capacitors that are original must get changed. They are old enough you can expect them to fail soon. And any of them that fail as a short circuit tend to cause additional damage to other components from the surge current a short circuit causes.

Not fun.

73
 
If he drove it with a Siltronix 1011, that's not too wise. That radio's final amplifier tube is the same size as the Skipper's driver tube.

Should have ruined that driver tube permanently, driving it that hard. The driver tube's plate choke is a typical casualty when a Skipper gets driven that hard.

Any electrolytic capacitors that are original must get changed. They are old enough you can expect them to fail soon. And any of them that fail as a short circuit tend to cause additional damage to other components from the surge current a short circuit causes.

Not fun.
 
Buying old cb tube amps on eBay is always a crap shoot. I'd rather wait until a good amp shows up here in the swap section, and is sold by a reputable member. I find most members to be honest. The shysters, and scammers stand out like a sore thumb. Especially here on wwdx. It's like a small family, and most members are imo trustworthy. Good luck. I hope you get it all straightened out. 73
 
I took the opposite sort of attitude whenever I end up selling an amplifier. Now and again I get stung when the owner of a repair job fails to pick it up and pay me. My recourse is to sell the thing and satisfy my "mechanic's lien" against the deadbeat's property.

The seller's risk is that the new owner will find a way to abuse it, blame the seller when it blows up and demand some sort of compensation, or return privilege.

If I sell the thing, I want it sold. I want it out of my sight at least for a reasonable service interval before it breaks again. I'm not running a used car lot ("Well if you don't like it try this one for a week").

My policy is for the buyer to bring his radio and his wattmeter to the shop before he can take it out of my building. This way I can find out for myself if the buyer's radio is too big. And whatever his wattmeter shows, he gets to see that for himself. Never mind what my wattmeter reads. His meter is bound to be at least a little different.

But those are the two major hazards to the seller. Excess drive wattage, and a guy who whistles, blows, and tweaks the knobs until he melts a tube, trying to get "just a little more" power out of the thing.

Let the seller beware.

73
 
I took the opposite sort of attitude whenever I end up selling an amplifier. Now and again I get stung when the owner of a repair job fails to pick it up and pay me. My recourse is to sell the thing and satisfy my "mechanic's lien" against the deadbeat's property.

The seller's risk is that the new owner will find a way to abuse it, blame the seller when it blows up and demand some sort of compensation, or return privilege.

If I sell the thing, I want it sold. I want it out of my sight at least for a reasonable service interval before it breaks again. I'm not running a used car lot ("Well if you don't like it try this one for a week").

My policy is for the buyer to bring his radio and his wattmeter to the shop before he can take it out of my building. This way I can find out for myself if the buyer's radio is too big. And whatever his wattmeter shows, he gets to see that for himself. Never mind what my wattmeter reads. His meter is bound to be at least a little different.

But those are the two major hazards to the seller. Excess drive wattage, and a guy who whistles, blows, and tweaks the knobs until he melts a tube, trying to get "just a little more" power out of the thing.

Let the seller beware.

73
If something related to our hobby is sold by you, and described as refurbished I'd buy it in a New York minute (if it's an
item I'm looking for.) Can you list your ebay selling information (name?) if for whatever reason you're not comfortable listing it publicly here, would you please PM me the selling infection/name you use on eBay? I'd appreciate it big time nomad. Thanks. 73
 
Well, that's just it. I won't list working equipment on Ebay. If the buyer can't put his hands on the thing and see it work in front of BOTH of us, the risk side is too high for me.

And if it turns out the buyer doesn't like what he sees and just walks away, we're both ahead. Also saved the expense of shipping it both ways, and the wasted time of unmaking a sale.

I tried listing as "local pickup only" and finally got tired of the PMs I got asking for shipping prices. People just don't read what they don't want to see.

This policy sure holds down any potential sales volume. I'm convinced it's why I see a really-low return rate. If I were running a sales operation, the "try this one, bring it back and upgrade" cycle would be a part of the bigger picture. Lost interest in that routine decades ago.

I do have a stash of Browning base radios I acquired late last year. Pulling them out one by one and getting them each brought up to my standards was supposed to be this year's summer project, when the customer traffic slacks off in hot weather.

Still waiting for the traffic to slack this year.

Not that I would dare to complain.

I should probably list that stuff here when we get them whipped into shape. Bought them from a guy who is really fussy about cosmetics. Turns out I'm just a little fussier about the list of overhaul details.

At least they're all clean.

73
 
Selling used amps is a huge risk and liability to me especially if the buyer is "radio ignorant" and has little in any exp with driving amps. I sell my stuff as is for parts or non working and no refunds no returns. Never know the mentality of someone that you dont have hands on exp with.
 
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I sold a 101E to a guy once on Ebay and he got it then sent me a question "how does it work?" I told him "why did you buy it if you know nothing about it?" A week later he sent me a message saying he blew it up and demanded i refund his money. I said hell no stick it up your ass and i contested it with paypal and they sided with me and i got my money back!!!!
 
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If he drove it with a Siltronix 1011, that's not too wise. That radio's final amplifier tube is the same size as the Skipper's driver tube.

Should have ruined that driver tube permanently, driving it that hard. The driver tube's plate choke is a typical casualty when a Skipper gets driven that hard.

Any electrolytic capacitors that are original must get changed. They are old enough you can expect them to fail soon. And any of them that fail as a short circuit tend to cause additional damage to other components from the surge current a short circuit causes.

Not fun.

73
I dont know that he drove it with it,but cb offered it for sale after the amp.amp puts out watts but does not seem right ,a lot of variation in power output between key ups. Might be normal ,but getting recapped and putting teflon coax inside too adding two watt four turn parasitic resistors to tube caps (4) .
 
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My first thoughts on wild swings in output would be one or more weak tubes.
These changes are the tubes, changing the loading of the circuit during transmit.
An additional indicator is an output variation of 15-20% when keyed with or without modulation.
 
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It does sound like a weak tube. It could also be a plate blocking cap that's breaking down and heating up.

A really crude method of testing sweep tubes is to key it down and watch them. The plates of the stronger tubes will start to glow first. Then you can swap them around and see if the tubes behave the same in another location.

My friend almost had a stroke the first time I told him about it. Apparently sweep tubes have paper thin plates and aren't supposed to be ran like a 3-500z :ROFLMAO:
 
I dont know that he drove it with it,but cb offered it for sale after the amp.amp puts out watts but does not seem right ,a lot of variation in power output between key ups. Might be normal ,but getting recapped and putting teflon coax inside too adding two watt four turn parasitic resistors to tube caps (4) .
Can you please PM me your eBay selling name. I'd like to follow you come and see what you're offering every now and then. Thanks 73
 
It does sound like a weak tube. It could also be a plate blocking cap that's breaking down and heating up.

A really crude method of testing sweep tubes is to key it down and watch them. The plates of the stronger tubes will start to glow first. Then you can swap them around and see if the tubes behave the same in another location.

My friend almost had a stroke the first time I told him about it. Apparently sweep tubes have paper thin plates and aren't supposed to be ran like a 3-500z :ROFLMAO:

So you are saying that the plates should not be the same color as the filaments? :ROFLMAO::LOL:
 

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