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Lafayette Telsat SSB 140

unit511

Member
Jan 21, 2012
51
10
18
My radio when i was a kid . Seems I can't give it up. Bought one on ebay and it's a talker.... My 1978 radio is dying quickly..... Brought to a local repair shop , they had it for 2 weeks and couldn't fix her. I had replaced the finals to the updated units but it did not help. The repair shop replaced the finals also but same thing. The radio will not transmit on am and now will not on ssb. The on air indicator lamp lights up but no output. I did a recap of almost every electrolytic in the radio but nothing. I replaced some other chips as well but nothing.... The antenna warning light does not light when I key up without an antenna. I did notice that the 4 - gp25g rectifier diodes are cracked. ALL 4. I replaced a few switching transistors too. I have ordered new diodes to see if that will help. This is an experiment of sorts, I am learning about electronics. I also replaced the pll02 chip. I did adjust for 13.8 volts on one of the vr's. I can receive ok but no transmit. This radio used to be fantastic. Every once in a while I go to the workshop and play. All the trace is ok . Nothing burned. The day it went dead -I keyed to talk to someone, I released the mike bar and heard a howl out of the speaker and it died. The meters work and light up, the channel selector works and lights with all segments lit. The repair shop was totally stumped. There is also a board mounted rectifier diode that is cracked. Would a bad cap cause them to crack? I can post pics......Its a fun project right now..could turn ugly later!!!!Any ideas???? No work has been done to this radio..It is virgin....
 
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If you really want to keep it and fix it, send it to DTB radio for repairs. Doubt that it will stump them. One of the best radio shops by popular demand in the US. At least, they won't shrug their shoulders say 'gee...I dunno' . . .
 
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Robb you took the works right out of my mouth Dave at DTB has reserected a few old dogs for me along with Lafayette radios. One of the best radio guys I have ever met and I'm 57 years old been playing with radios since 1966 67 so I have seen a lot of repair guys over the years.;)
 
Hey Unit 511 I have a parts radio if you need something, worked when it got here but was so damaged in shipping I disassabled it for parts, the frame was bent so bad the front was bent and case twisted, but did transmit at the time, that was like 4 years ago
 
well if you need it let me know depending on where you live cost of shipping could be a little crazy, costs me like 35 bucks to get a radio from NJ to Calif Priority Mail and I would never ship anything Parcel Post, those things get lost along the way, have a radio friend in California, bought a Cobra 148 F guy sent it January 3rd it's still not there, didn't insure it or track it so my buddy got his money back and the seller got beat big time being a cheapskate sending it that way
 
At one time was thinking to replace the main board but now am also thinking to change all the boards on the main frame. I am on Long Island NY, I believe u r in Jersey. I personally like Priority mail by USPS. I never have a problem. I have some parts on order, they are coming from China - diodes. I will continue trying to make this unit work. It is a learning experience for me. At times frustrating, but educational none the less. If nothing else, it teaches - patience. Again thanks for the offer, any shipping I would gladly pay for if I am totally stumped, or I send it to a tech.....
 
well you love close enough we could meet on a Saturday or Sunday someplace between us, I do the deal for 25 dollars no shipping, I live in Central New Jersey
 
well if you need it let me know depending on where you live cost of shipping could be a little crazy, costs me like 35 bucks to get a radio from NJ to Calif Priority Mail and I would never ship anything Parcel Post, those things get lost along the way, have a radio friend in California, bought a Cobra 148 F guy sent it January 3rd it's still not there, didn't insure it or track it so my buddy got his money back and the seller got beat big time being a cheapskate sending it that way

Never had an issue sending anything, anything mode through USPS.

ups/fedxtra eats ass.
 
Well MacMobile I don't think this guy that bought the 148GTL F would agree with you and I had an issue with a radio from Oregon to me about a year ago, guy sent it Parcel Post got here 16 working days after being accepted at the Post Office, I don't know about you but 2 weeks is a little long seeing for 15 bucks, Large Flat Rate Box it would have been here in 3 days and the less it gets handled the better chance you have of it not getting damaged, no matter how good you pack them they still seem, at times, to get damaged
 
Well MacMobile I don't think this guy that bought the 148GTL F would agree with you and I had an issue with a radio from Oregon to me about a year ago, guy sent it Parcel Post got here 16 working days after being accepted at the Post Office, I don't know about you but 2 weeks is a little long seeing for 15 bucks, Large Flat Rate Box it would have been here in 3 days and the less it gets handled the better chance you have of it not getting damaged, no matter how good you pack them they still seem, at times, to get damaged

"I reject your reality and replace it with my own"
 
Just throwing my .02 in but did you try replacing the audio chip i thnk it is to the right wen looking from front of radio i had 1 go bad and my radio did the same thing i cant rember the IC # it is ( i think a 12 pin in line fitted to a heat sink and i got the replacement a rat shack at a cost of 7.95 but that was 17 yeats ago also you can git info from cbtrix web site to i have had 3 of them and they are very nice BUT dont like to be hot rodded much and you might want to beef up the power supply some to like i said just my .02 might be wrong
 
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SSB 140 Audio Chip

I read if the PA works then your audio chip is ok. I did hook up an external speaker and was able to hear myself clearly. Thanks for the .02...I did change out all the cracked rectifier diodes but the radio still does not function. I autopsied a couple of the cracked diodes and found that the central glass bead was ok. Could be that the techs that worked on it sprayed some crap on the boards to see if anything was getting hot and that quickly cooled the diode down causing the outer shell to crack. Just a thought.....
 

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