PREMATURE SSB KEYING SOLVED?

[Stellasstillarat]

I will refresh your memory of my op. In ssb mobe every amp I use was ocastionaly keying the amp in ssb before I modulated.

With the Madison's mic gain turned off the amp would not key. This was happening with both my main mic's (silver eagles).

I gave both the connecting bars that allow the side keyer to depress and activate the mic's really to key the rig. While this premature keying of the amp only happened aproximrtly one out of ten times. I thought it might be spurious imisstions causing this problem.

I never use the lazy key ever to key the mic. after giving both the side key bar a shot of deoxit the problem happened even less then it ever has. I only ever used the side bar to key the mic. I decided to try keying the mic with the lazy bar (mic gain on rig and mic at my usual settings). Well the lazy bar keyed the amp every time I pushed down on it.
I switched to the other silver eagle and the same thing happened.
The lazy bar on both mic's key the amp in ssb mode with no modulation every time I push down on it.

The lazy bars must be causing an audible klicking sould (as I myself csn hear a slight metal on metal klick) causing the amp to key .even after I gave the second mic's lazy and Side bar a deoxit shot, the lazy bar still constantly prematurleyed key the anp without modulation every time.

Theses lazy bars are activated even while using the side bar. This has to be the problem. I'm not familiar with the way keying bars work in concert but I'm sure if I remove the lazy (base keying bar) leaving only the "chicken chocker" keyer as the only way to key the mic
the premature ssb of the amps keying circuit without modulating will cease. Im unfamiliar with the way theses bars work together. Can the base (lazy bar) be removed without affecting the side bars operation?
I'm convivinced this is the problem and not stray rf. Thanks

 

[midnight special]

if i remember right the side bar and base bar both operate the same relay,,, key one and see if the other moves,,,, i am not where my eagle mike is right now but tomorrow i will check,,,,

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

The two bars are connected by a physical mechanical connection and have no separate electrical connections. When you squeeze the side bar the base bar should move a little bit IIRC. It's been a while since I have seen my Silver eagle as it went out on loan a couple years ago.

 

[DainBramage]

The two bars are connected by a physical mechanical connection....

I seem to remember that too, a push rod that connects the two, I think it can be removed, but, before you remove it, try to ADJUST it.

(c/p from another web page) "...
I too, experienced the grip bar problem, I decided to investigate. After disassembling the entire mic, I found that I could adjust how far the "pushrod" travels when gripping the bar, in effect, by building-up the surface of the plate the bar pushes down on to make the switch contacts actually make contact. The stock bar evidentally doesn't push down far enough to 'make' all the switch contacts - the xcvr goes to xmit mode w/ no modulation.

I affixed 3 short strips of black electrical tape to the plate and re-assembled the mic and voila - it works!"

YMMV

 

[unit_399]

Stellasstillarat -
Are you saying that the radio and amp keyup without you operating the mike ??

Or are you saying that when you keyup the mic, the amp keys up (in ssb) before you start speaking??

If it's the first case, then there's a problem with the mic.

If it's the 2nd case, then the problem is that the mike is picking up enough background noise to trip the amp keyup circuit. I think this is the situation, since you said the amp does NOT keyup when the mic gain is turned down. I have the same situation with my amp and TRC-457. There was enough continuous background noise in my shack to trip the amp and hold it on in ssb, even when I wasn't speaking. Turned out to be from the cooling fan in my laptop. To me, it was barely audible.


- 399