Dealing with the RF Output - Revision history

Gordonp at 17:44, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T17:44:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:44, 4 June 2020
Line 23:		Line 23:

	The final touch was the addition of a right-angle PL-259-to-SO-239 adapter out the back; this allows my RF cable to tuck neatly down the back of the amplifier.		The final touch was the addition of a right-angle PL-259-to-SO-239 adapter out the back; this allows my RF cable to tuck neatly down the back of the amplifier.

			[[Repair\|Back to Repair]]

			[[BIAS Transformer T203, and Associated Circuitry]]

Gordonp at 17:42, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T17:42:25Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:42, 4 June 2020
Line 12:		Line 12:

	I connected my TS-850 transceiver to the RF Input, and my antenna to the RF Output. I received signals; pressing the top of the Antenna Changeover Relay K101 removed the signal.		I connected my TS-850 transceiver to the RF Input, and my antenna to the RF Output. I received signals; pressing the top of the Antenna Changeover Relay K101 removed the signal.


			<gallery caption="New RF Output: Flanged SO-239" widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2">
			File:30s1_flanged_so239_rfout_exterior.jpg
			File:30s1_flanged_so239_rfout_rightangle.jpg
			</gallery>


			The flanged SO-239 features Teflon dielectric, silver-plating, and a gold-plated center-conductor. Mounting hardware is all 18-8 stainless: #6-32 x 3/8" Phillips pan-head machine-screws, internal-tooth lockwashers and hex-nuts. On the rear of the amplifier, I aligned the Phillips-head crosses :-)

			The final touch was the addition of a right-angle PL-259-to-SO-239 adapter out the back; this allows my RF cable to tuck neatly down the back of the amplifier.

Gordonp at 17:39, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T17:39:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:39, 4 June 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
	<gallery caption="Replacing Loose SO-239 Barrel Connector With Flanged SO-239" widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2">		<gallery caption="Replacing Loose SO-239 Barrel Connector With Flanged SO-239" widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2">
	File:30s1_sloppy_s0239_barrel_rfout.jpg\|As-~~Acqired~~ ~~sloppy~~ and ~~soldered~~ SO-239 ~~barrel~~-~~connector~~		File:30s1_sloppy_s0239_barrel_rfout.jpg\|As-Acquired Sloppy and Soldered SO-239 Barrel-Connector
	File:30s1_flanged_so239_rfout.jpg\|New Teflon and Gold Flanged SO-239		File:30s1_flanged_so239_rfout.jpg\|New Teflon and Gold Flanged SO-239
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Gordonp: Created page with " File:30s1_sloppy_s0239_barrel_rfout.jpg|As-Acqired sl..."

2020-06-04T17:38:51Z

Created page with "<gallery caption="Replacing Loose SO-239 Barrel Connector With Flanged SO-239" widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2"> File:30s1_sloppy_s0239_barrel_rfout.jpg|As-Acqired sl..."

New page

<gallery caption="Replacing Loose SO-239 Barrel Connector With Flanged SO-239" widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2">
File:30s1_sloppy_s0239_barrel_rfout.jpg|As-Acqired sloppy and soldered SO-239 barrel-connector
File:30s1_flanged_so239_rfout.jpg|New Teflon and Gold Flanged SO-239
</gallery>

I unsoldered, and unscrewed the double-female SO-239 barrel-connector which arrived with my 30S-1 amplifier. The only good part was the use of wide copper-strapping for the rf-ouput. But the loose double-female connector flopped around and rotated whenever an antenna-connection was made, which in turn twisted and fatigued this wide copper strapping. Furthermore, the strapping was routed very close to the relay-frame and the low-voltage wiring.

I wasn't comfortable at all with the chassis-ground-connection provided by the wobbly and sloppy barrel connection - even if it "mostly worked", this could lead to one of those intermittent and puzzling annoyances, like fluctuating received-signals or flakey jumping of transmit plate-current.

I harvested some RG-8x-mini coax for it's braid to use as the RF output connection. Nominal operating conditions for this braid connection are expected to be in the neighbourhood of 300V and 5A - I have ample margin on both parameters.
I twisted and pushed the braid all the way into the bottom of the SO-239 and soldered it prior to installing the connector to the chassis; I slightly opened the other end of the braid to allow a slip-fit all the way over the relay-terminal. The braided-conductor was then dressed neatly (angle of photo doesn't clearly show the 1/2-inch clearance to the chassis side-wall).

I connected my TS-850 transceiver to the RF Input, and my antenna to the RF Output. I received signals; pressing the top of the Antenna Changeover Relay K101 removed the signal.