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Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 power out problem fixed

To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 power out problem fixed
From: Greg S via TenTec <tentec@contesting.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2018 17:21:50 -0400
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Thanks, Martin.....glad you “stumbled” on the problem, whilst 
looking.....sometimes better to be lucky than good ;-). 
Greg, KC8HXO 

Sent from my Linux device

> On Apr 23, 2018, at 00:08, Martin Sole <hs0zed@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Orion 565
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I noticed yesterday that I had very low power on 160, 3-5 watts, low power on 
> 80, lower power on 60 and lowish power on 40, 30, 20 and 17 were all pretty 
> normal though slightly down on what I recalled, 95 vs 105 watts on 20m. Power 
> on 15 12 and 10 was also down, 60-70 watts.
> 
> So a somewhat frequency sensitive power problem.
> 
> I started by pulling the drive cable J5, low level TX out, from A3-81906 RF 
> converter. Measuring the drive at this point I used the direct input mode of 
> my LP-100A power meter and registered around +25dBm on 17 but less on other 
> bands, down to around 5dBm on 160. Working back to the input of A3 at J3 I 
> measured approximately -5dBm on all bands. From this I started to focus on A3 
> and examine in more detail the signal path. As I'm trying to identify parts 
> against the schematic my probe touched on R119, the TX mixer balance pot, 
> which I couldn't immediately see on the diagram. As I touched it the 160m 
> drive power jumped to +24dBm. A check of the other bands showed them all to 
> be roughly similar. Reconnecting the PA I now have full power on all bands. I 
> have given R119 a bit of a workout and reset it for minimum LO feedthrough.
> 
> R119 is another of those blue pots, as found throughout the radio and as 
> others have noted can be the cause of problems.
> 
> As the radios age and as the pots start to suffer more and more, or so it 
> would seem, a reliable replacement would be good to add to the first aid kit. 
> Some of this could be attributable to my environment, Thailand is super 
> humid, YMMV.
> 
> Thought I would post this in case anyone else runs into a similar issue.
> 
> Regards
> Martin, HS0ZED
> 
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