Hi Alec,
Sorry I have taken so long to reply, but I have thousands
of messages in my inbox here. Interesting problem with
your PA - I have a Paragon here which I have operated on and off
but relatively trouble free for about 7 years. The only problem
I had with the PA was a blown electrolytic capacitor - it went
off like a shotgun one evening while I was tuning up. Scared
the hell out of me. At first, I thought my downstairs neighbor was
retaliating for the loud music from my stereo - grin grin.
When I opened up the PA module, I found pieces of electrolytic
strewn all over the inside of the PA module. I promptly removed the
debris and replaced the blown cap with one from my junkbox. The PA
has worked trouble free since that time, including a little contest
duty and RTTY at 100 watts.
Sounds like fundamentally you have a bias problem. Have you checked
the bias circuit in the PA against the schematic? Assuming your circuit
and mine are similar, I suspect a bad component(s) as opposed to a
flawed design. Have you made the bias current adjustment (this is a
very simple procedure)? Worst case, have you considered buying a
new PA module.
Don't rule out operator error either. About two years ago, I was cursing
my Paragon to high heaven and was ready to leave it for the garbage man.
The microprocessor kept locking up or getting into weird states where the
QSK wouldn't work properly when running split frequency. I almost took
a sledge hammer to it during the 96 SS CW. After several calls to Ten-Tec
and countless hours inside the microprocessor section adding bypass caps
and chokes, I came to my senses and measured the input voltage under trasmit
conditions. Turns out that I was losing 2 volts across a resistive fuse
holder. When I replaced the fuse holder, everything started working
perfectly. Lesson learned - don't always look for the complicated solution
first!
As a final note, I would suggest for your own sake to keep the inflammatory
rhetoric to a minimum. People don't respond well to that sort of thing, and
its usually counterproductive when it comes to solving technical problems. As I
learned from my faulty fuse holder experience, all the cussing and swearing
in the world didn't make my radio work properly - only careful and deliberate
troubleshooting.
Good Luck,
Mike, W4EF......
----------
From: promedia[SMTP:promedia@itnet.com.pl]
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 1998 12:20 PM
To: Michael Tope
Subject: Re: [TenTec] on ten-tec's primitivy...
Hi Michael,
thanks.
I'm just abt starting believing it's more my problem
than paragon's. Everybody's so happy...
Since the beginning paragon delivered no more than 50W
output. I wouldn't care much abt it if it only stayed that way.
But, there must be something really fishy. I've got already
a full bag of burnt PA transistors which are extremely difficult
to buy here.
The module was sent to ten-tec for the repairs. They kept it
for ages there, and sent back in the same condition.
As not to reach bancrupcy, I had to detach the PA.
There were other failures in the meantime too, but I could cope
with them myself somehow. I think, PA is areally badly designed module
there and using radiator with horizontally placed ribs shows
a kind of ignorance in basic phisics. Especially, they don't install any
fans with it.
When it worked, I used to operate with one hand on PA radiator
and even that way I couldn't prevent the transistors from damage.
I gave up, Michael.
I thought I was buying something America's Best.
I really did.
Yours,
Alec/SP2EWQ
Michael Tope wrote:
> Alex,
>
> I have only casually following this thread. I am having
> a hard time understanding exactly what is wrong with
> your Paragon. I am correct that you have a problem with
> the RF module? Is this low output power, intermittent
> operation?
>
> Just curious, I am also a Paragon owner.
>
> 73 de Mike, W4EF.......
>
> ----------
> From: promedia[SMTP:promedia@itnet.com.pl]
> Sent: Monday, December 07, 1998 10:07 AM
> To: pcuellar@bright.net
> Cc: 'seweber@netnitco.net'; tentec@contesting.com
> Subject: [TenTec] on ten-tec's primitivy...
>
> <<File: ATT00001.html>>
> Hi to all, and you Phil,
>
> Well, it seemed to me what I bought it WAS a proffessional Radio.
> I paid, at least, for such.
> I didn't want and don't want anything for free. Some of you are
> heavenly
> praising the fact
> you were given anything. Maybe there must be some Alexes first for
> some
> Bills, Phils
> and similar to exist later.
>
> What I certainly found I am talking colours to some who are completely
>
> blind.
> You should well accept the fact, that what you get for a proffesional
> money is a kind
> of an amateurish device. Designed in that manner and manufactured in
> that mannner.
> It's primitivity is shown right from the front panel, through that
> what's inside, to the last screw
> supposed to keep the speaker in place, instead protruding from upper
> cover and getting
> in direct conflict with the rear panel.
> If you cannot see well enough use a magnifying glass. And accept the
> fact.
>
> The problem simplicity or primitivity doesn't mean a good operational
> quality in this case.
> It's simple for you there, to send the rig for repairs, and get it
> free.
> And I understand why.
> For such a factory as ten-tec is simpler not to charge a customer for
> the repair
> because he or she might ask some "trivial" questions afterwards. One
> who's not blind might find out
> it was factory to blame for that what'd happened. Some might even get
> a
> bit angry....
>
> Since I had enough of that ten-tec's proffesional beating around
> bushes,
> when I asked them
> for help, I've decided to maintain paragon's usefulness myself
> spending
> a lot on modifications.
> Accept the fact, too.
>
> Ten-tec must first knuckle well over their designing desks to produce
> something up to present
> standards. It's going to take some time, however.
> I wonder if they can at all having such a "good" support on the
> rubbish they are
> filling their boxes with now.
> Besides, Primitivity must take its origin from somewhere, too. In this
>
> case it's not so difficult
> to point the source.
>
> Anybody who's considering buying ten-tec's must expect and be prepared
>
> for
> a lot contacts with ten-tec afterward his "pride and joy" will have
> arrived.
> Best you could move closer to a post office.
> Some will fruit with something free (shipping excluded).
> Remember Alec then, your sponsor...
>
> Yours, as always,
>
> Alec/SP2EWQ
>
> Phil Cuellar wrote:
>
> > >
> > > > {snip} Besides.
> > >
> > > >I'm not happy with the results.
> > >
> > > >With some rig really being working properly, I would have
> > >
> > > >doubled the final score, AT LEAST.
> > >
> > > >See you all..
> > >
> > > >Stay happy, but still, remember, think twice,
> > >
> > > >before you start reading ten-tec commercials.
> > >
> > > >Learn from the mistakes committed by others.
> > >
> > > >It's a part of a universal wisdom, guys...
> > >
> > > >>Alec/SP2EWQ
> > >
> > Considering his score and his feelings that he should have been able
>
> > to at
> > least double it, maybe Alec needs a PROFESSIONAL radio, he is
> > obviously too
> > "good" an operator to use a radio designed well enough for us lowly
> > bumbling AMATEURS! I wish him luck in his search for a better radio.
>
> >
> > 73 de KB8TRK - Phil
> >
> > --
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> > Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
> > Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
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