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2995DXCF backwards swing in avg.

Hawkeye351

Well-Known Member
Jun 27, 2021
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Still have this 2995DXCF on the desk. After getting the volume issue resolved, I checked everything out on my equipment. I noticed it swings backwards regardless of power level setting.

At a 45w deadkey, it swings backwards down to around 18w in average mode on the meter.

At 5w deadkey it doesn't move, unless you talk louder, then it backs up to 4.5w in average.

Talked to a guy in Ireland yesterday and he said it has a strong carrier but low in modulation.

In peak, it shows 135w peak, regardless of power level setting.

I did notice, where the limiters are normally cut or removed, this surface mount limiter (q48) is caddy cornered in it's place, I think they call this "defeating the limiter".

The gate voltage on the driver and final are between 3.8v at 10ma on the driver and 4v at 100ma on the final.

The voltages on the passthrough show correct in AM mode, 14v on emitter, 13.9v on base and 4.5v on collector.

Touching red probe of voltmeter to mirror board in AM shows 4.5v.

Checked power supply output, right at 13.9v and does not drop at all when keyed up with modulation.

VCO buffers maxed out as per service manual.

Using a stock cobra (coffin style) handmic. Works great on every radio I work on, has great sound quality also.

Why so much backward swing in average?

I looked on the small mode switch button for any surface mount diodes as another user on here had found was their issue, but there are no diodes at all on that board, just wires, connectors and a jumper.

No mods of any kind that I can tell other than frequency conversion for 11m and limiter defeated. Although I did find a could smashed apart back in the lpf section, I straightened it back out like it should be, still backwards swing.

Sideband and AM both swing right at 135w peak.

Any suggestions guys?

Thinking about doing the C258 jump with a 100 ohm resistor and 1n4001 diode to see if I can get the average to swing forward at all. I know I may have to remove R301 for this to work. I'm guessing the 10uf 25v cap in that same R301 array is the AMC timing cap. Would like to change that out for a 4.7uf 25v for better overall average power but it's surface mount and must be soldered on top and bottom, I'm not that equipped yet, lol...
 
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Well, I tried the C258 jump with a 100 ohm resistor and 1n4001 diode, banded end nearest the passthrough. Unbanded end soldered to 100 ohm resistor and the other end of that resistor soldered on the side of c258 nearest the power adjustment.

Made it worse, it even hurt the peak swing.

Before adding the resistor/diode combo across C258:

45w deadkey, swing to 135w peak, swing backwards to 18w in average.

After adding combo to C258:
45w deadkey, swing to only 100w peak, swing backwards to 12w in average.

I've adjusted the buffer L17 off of TP3. Tried to adjust the one for TP17 but couldn't get a good signal on neither one of my scopes for that adjustment, so I left it be.

Any suggestions guys?
 
Well, I tried the C258 jump with a 100 ohm resistor and 1n4001 diode, banded end nearest the passthrough. Unbanded end soldered to 100 ohm resistor and the other end of that resistor soldered on the side of c258 nearest the power adjustment.

Made it worse, it even hurt the peak swing.

Before adding the resistor/diode combo across C258:

45w deadkey, swing to 135w peak, swing backwards to 18w in average.

After adding combo to C258:
45w deadkey, swing to only 100w peak, swing backwards to 12w in average.

I've adjusted the buffer L17 off of TP3. Tried to adjust the one for TP17 but couldn't get a good signal on neither one of my scopes for that adjustment, so I left it be.

Any suggestions guys?
Doesn't that radio have an external amplifier board? How's the bias on that? If it has one. I just worked on a 2970 that the bias was all jacked up on both the radio pa and amplifier, made a mess of everything.

Just a thought
 
This one doesn't have any bias adjustment on the amp board.

I finally got it to swing forward in average a substantial amount.

When I tried the C258 jump earlier, I placed it the same orientation as we do with the R238 resistor/diode combo on the ept3800 boards and 6900 boards. I had the resistor end of the combo facing the AM power VR, and the banded end of the diode facing the passthrough regulator (2sb754). This way made the backwards swing in average worse.

The way that worked:
1 - 100 ohm resistor
1 - 1N4001 diode

1. Solder one end of the resistor to the unbanded end of the diode.

2. Solder the unused resistor leg to the right side of C258 (facing the passthrough regulator 2SB754).

3. Solder the banded end of the diode to the left side of that same C258 (facing the power adjustment VR).

4. Remove R301.

5. Realign output stage (entire stage).

6. Reset highest deadkey to 45w.

7. Reset lowest deadkey to 2+ watts, whatever you like.

Before:
45w deadkey, swing up to 135w in peak, swing down to 18w in average.
2.5w deadkey, swing up to 135w in peak, swing up to 3w and snaps back to just over 2.5w in average. Timing cap is way too aggressive in my opinion.

After:
45w deadkey, swing up to 150w in peak, swing up to 80w and snaps back to 60w in average.
3w deadkey, swing up to 150w in peak, swing up to 18w and snaps back to 12w in average.

I'm not gonna worry myself with the snapback on average, that's more than likely that timing cap being too aggressive.

SSB - 150w peak, 60w average.
 
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Well, just spent the last 2 hours talking constantly on it, even getting long winded at times.

Great reports. Reports from our local amp tech about 15 miles away:
Sweet audio for a handmic.
45w key, sounds clean and comfortably loud. He said he's getting a solid 9 s-units with just a hair forward swing.

2.5w deadkey, sounds 10x louder than a power mic (mind you, I'm using a stock cobra coffin style handmic, non amplified), slightly distorted. He said he's getting 3 s-units swinging about 9.5 s-units.

37.5w deadkey, sounds perfect, he said you couldn't ask for better quality sound with the crispness it has. He said he's getting a solid 9 s-units swinging up to almost 10 s-units. He said he likes the sound of it at 37.5w deadkey.

A 37.5w deadkey × 4 would equal 150w peak swing, perfect 4:1 ratio, no wonder it sounds better at that key level.

Radio ran great, fan would kick on after hammering on it long winded a few times. Passthrough got only luke warm, as did the final and driver, barely got warm.

Another guy about 25 to 30 miles away that has a 2995dxcf also, heard me talking on it and tried to get back to me, but I couldn't hear him, others relayed for him. He told them to tell me he had 3 s-units swinging up to 7 s-units on me. Odd that he could hear this 2995dxcf but I couldn't hear his 2995dxcf. And yes, I aligned the receive with the RF signal generator, I've got good ears, but couldn't hear his radio of the same kind. Guess he needs to come see me so I can go through his too, lol...
 
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My God, I just heard the owner talking on this radio, omg that thang is loud and one heck of a signal. I am thoroughly impressed.

My next radio is gonna be a 2995dxcf with my work done to it.
Good evening,
I read your very interesting post, unfortunately I have the same problem with the same radio, could you be so kind as to specifically list what operations you did on the rci 2995 model to be able to have a positive swing. Thank you, you would solve a big problem for me. Greetings, Federico
 
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What I did is in the post above.

4th post from the top of this thread.
Under Eldorado'828s post.
 

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