WTB: Galaxy Saturn Turbo

[radioman24]

Looking to pick up a nice and clean Galaxy Saturn Turbo base station! What is out there?

Thanks,Dan

 

[nomadradio]

What is out there?

Mostly radios that are 15 to 25 years old with a suicidal power supply. The one that radio came with had no current limiting, no overvoltage protection and needed a fan to keep it from overheating. When the power supply's regulator fails and shoots 24 Volts to the radio the computer is frequently the first casualty. Not a replaceable item, this side of a junkyard.

And those are just the highlights.

The switchmode "brick" power supply that's been used in the 'big' black radios for the last 12 or so years is an important upgrade for any of those radios built with the older supply. The 350-Watt rated versions have been priced under fifty bucks for some time now.

One thing you would never do with a 5-Amp mobile radio is hook it up to a 25-Amp power supply without a fuse, right?

But that's what's inside that cabinet. A one-final SSB mobile-radio circuit board with no fuse to protect it.

We insist on adding this fuse holder in line with the wire that powers the radio board in the 'big' black base radios with the linear in back.

Before you decide that I'm just "too negative", I should mention that my day-to-day experience is with radios that develop trouble.

We never see the ones that go in line and operate trouble-free for years.

When the Saturn first hit the market around 1993 or so they would routinely break down in the first few weeks or month. Gradually the quality improved.

Some.

My everyday workbench radio is a 1993 Saturn, but with extensive upgrades, especially to the power supply. Once the built-in hazards are addressed it could be a decent dependable daily driver. But that's not what it's famous for. Not the way it comes, anyway.

73

 

[nomadradio]

Dern! It won't let me edit that post. Should say that my radio is a Saturn Turbo, not just "Saturn".

73

 

[radioman24]

Bump