My Palomar 200 lives again !

[BC Coyote]

The magic smoke came out of it the other day while I was talking. Power dropped about 20% and my audio went from crisp to crunchy.

The fix..... It was the diode in the bias circuit for the driver transistor (it's a 1 pill feeding 4 pills design). Diode showed no continuity in either direction. Replaced it with a 1N4004 and we're back in action ! Better yet, SWR out of the amp is much lower than it was and it's no longer tripping the SWR protection on my Anytone when I use it; so that diode must have been slowly failing for a while before it finally failed for good........

 

[9C1Driver]

Interesting, it’s a 1x4 transistor amp but the model name is Palomar 200. What finals are in that? Glad you got it back up and running.

 

[BC Coyote]

I just buttoned it all back up, but I think the four finals are MRF-455A. It's a bit of an odd one for sure.... It has eight big fat trimmer caps in it. Not sure what the driver is as it's underneath one of those trimmers ! Never seen another one like it.
It says Palomar 200 on it and it claims to be made in Escondido California.
Front panel is normal looking with three switches and three LED's.

A little later I will take the cover off again and snap a couple pictures that I will post here later. Then you can see the beast for yourself !

 

[BC Coyote]

OK I've attached a couple photos. Final transistors are CTC's TX100 (four of them). This is the same as MRF-455 (i think). Driver is marked AN995, which I've never heard of........
I've owned this amp since 1989. I bought it for $5 at a Goodwill store in Victoria BC. I was once told it was made around 1973.....
I have talked literally thousands and thousands of hours on it, using more radios than I could ever remember. Definately a survivor !

 

[Eldorado828]

The magic smoke came out of it the other day while I was talking. Power dropped about 20% and my audio went from crisp to crunchy.

The fix..... It was the diode in the bias circuit for the driver transistor (it's a 1 pill feeding 4 pills design). Diode showed no continuity in either direction. Replaced it with a 1N4004 and we're back in action ! Better yet, SWR out of the amp is much lower than it was and it's no longer tripping the SWR protection on my Anytone when I use it; so that diode must have been slowly failing for a while before it finally failed for good........

Heck yeah that's great.

When do you start taking mail in repairs?

 

[BC Coyote]

When do you start taking mail in repairs?

Hopefully never ! I made a lot of money in the 1990's from fixing CB radios and cleaning VCR's & tapedecks, and I've breathed enough solder to last a lifetime or two........
Nowadays I only work on my own stuff and maybe once in a while I get talked into repairing stuff for friends......maybe.....

 

[Keto]

Glad you fixed that and it sounds like with parts, knowledge you have.
I guess this one I have is the same probably in name and numbers, I did notice.

 

[Eldorado828]

OK I've attached a couple photos. Final transistors are CTC's TX100 (four of them). This is the same as MRF-455 (i think). Driver is marked AN995, which I've never heard of........
I've owned this amp since 1989. I bought it for $5 at a Goodwill store in Victoria BC. I was once told it was made around 1973.....
I have talked literally thousands and thousands of hours on it, using more radios than I could ever remember. Definately a survivor !

I believe what you have there is a real Palomar from the Sam Lewis era. That name was used by many builders throughout the years after. It's definitely a good one as long as it's chugged along. Oldie but goody

 

[Keto]

I believe what you have there is a real Palomar from the Sam Lewis era. That name was used by many builders throughout the years after. It's definitely a good one as long as it's chugged along. Oldie but goody

Aah, so mine is probably the same by name only but even from a different builder?
Thought it might be a good time to ask, didn't mean to crash the thread BC Coyote.

 

[BC Coyote]

No worries ! There were a LOT of knockoff "Palomar" amps after the mid 1970's that were made by MANY fly by night builders hoping to cash in on the name.
I'm no expert, but as Eldorado said mine appears to be an actual original Palomar.
If it says "Palomar 200" on it but has a different panel/case layout (such as yours Keto) it is not an original one, but rather one built by somebody else who 'borrowed' the name.

 

[Keto]

Oh Roger that. Everybody's chasing that cash not just China LOL

 

[BC Coyote]

I once read, somewhere on the internet, the whole convoluted history of the original Palomar Electronics Company and how it dissolved amid infighting etc. and then spawned dozens of copycats.

Wish I could remember where I saw it, as it was a fascinating glimpse of a time when everybody wanted a CB radio and there was big money to be made selling radios, amps, antennas, and all the rest (early to mid 1970's).

Maybe someone here on WWDX knows more of the history ? We need good 'ole Paul Harvey with "The Rest of the Story".........

 

[Keto]

I remember the good old 70s wait until night to flip your linear on. At least that's how it went around my neck of the Ozarks.
Yeah it sounds like Palomar had a pretty good history story.

 

[AudioShockwav]

I once read, somewhere on the internet, the whole convoluted history of the original Palomar Electronics Company and how it dissolved amid infighting etc. and then spawned dozens of copycats.

Wish I could remember where I saw it, as it was a fascinating glimpse of a time when everybody wanted a CB radio and there was big money to be made selling radios, amps, antennas, and all the rest (early to mid 1970's).

Maybe someone here on WWDX knows more of the history ? We need good 'ole Paul Harvey with "The Rest of the Story".........

Southern California was a hotbed for amps back in the 70's.
This is some of the history more on the radio side.

Clear Channel Corporation People: History

Clear Channel Corporation developed the Ranger AR 3300 and Ranger AR 3500 radios that competed in performance with big-buck HF rigs.

www.rivud.com

73
Jeff

 

[Eldorado828]

Aah, so mine is probably the same by name only but even from a different builder?
Thought it might be a good time to ask, didn't mean to crash the thread BC Coyote.

Just as @BC Coyote said, many used the name even up until mid 2000. Not necessarily a bad thing, just that after Lewis there were varieties.

Some of the most recent was the guy in Houston that built the 250LD or HD elite (2x1446) the 400LD or HD elite (4x2290) and later a mosfet version. He ended up selling to a guy that renamed the gig rocketbox but use all mosfets now. The amps look virtually the same with different face and innards.
That's just one builder using the Palomar name
A few examples