Palomar Deluxe 35A, shenanigans

[Cable Guy]

Just tell him you posted pics of the carnage on line. It doesn't need to be repaired. It needs to be built. Assuming, of course, that the pc board hasn't been damaged too badly. Might be able to keep the ferrite transformers.

Like I said, disassemble everything, clean and replace then reassemble. A rebuild is exactly what is needed. It won't be quick or easy. I think he thinks all I have to do is solder it back together and bolt it up and have it ready within the week.

More than once I have quoted a repair estimate that was double the cost to replace. When asked, I'd just point out the guy who builds them is more efficient. I'm not set up to build amplifiers efficiently, just fix them.

73

I built an 11 meter, single pill amp about 14 years ago, from a diy plan online. It worked, but not well, and was so harmonically rich it would sing out. I haven't tried that since, figured I'd wait until I learned everything I could from the ARRL and get the highest ticket before I tried amp building again. Enter the kids, starting my own business, the wife's funny farm (goats do make a farm funny), and the economy, I never got around to enriching my ticket. Maybe when it quiets down some, if I still have enough sense left, I will do it.

 

[unit_399]

I try to avoid customers who bring you a piece of junk like this amp, and expect you to fix it on the cheap.

- J.J. 399

 

[DCinDC]

can'tcha just clip a diode and tweak it?

I keed
rust on capacitors! yikes!

 

[Repo87]

Looks like a fire hazard in the making. I would tell the customer to cut their loss and buy new.