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Thread: Hooot!

  1. #1
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    Hooot!

    So, years ago I bought a Ranger AR3500(30watt). It had been hooked up wrong. Took it to a shop and the guy got it working. When keying/modulating the RF power amp section gets really hot. This also happened to my Galaxy and it finally burned up. What did this guy do to these Radios? Any clue? Want to save the Ranger so I can use it without the same happening to it. Thanx for any help.

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    What does it DEAD key on AM mode? If it's the 30w version, should be about 6 watts max. I am not really too familiar with that radio, but it shouldn't be doing over 30-40 watts on SSB and about 30 watts on AM PEP. If you keep it at the stock level or below it shouldn't get hot. And also when you say hot, how hot? Too hot to touch? If so I wouldn't use it. They are a very good radio and are not easy to find these days in good condition. Get a good tech to look at it. There are a couple I would recommend. Doug's custom CB shop, Key CB, Bells CB shop, and a couple more. Not that many real techs left doing work these days! Gotta be careful who you let in your radio!! JMHO.

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    Sounds like somebody cranked the bias inside up to much that will make them get real hot pretty quicki agree dougs key bells stickman fine tune does nice work but he sets them up a little closer to stock but with good clean audio

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    222DBFL (09-15-2016), phantom_tb (09-16-2016)

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    Didn't think about that doughboy, but you are absolutely right man!!! Cranking the bias voltage up would do it no doubt!! Like both of us stated, a good tech would get it right real quick!! Those are nice radios and darn sure don't need to be hot rodded or peak and tweaked!! Leave em stock as far as the power goes.
    If it were me, I'd have it recapped and have a good tune and alignment done on it and that is it!! They are a good radio made by Clear Channel. They damn sure don't need a golden screwdriver out to them!! If it's the 30 watt version as has been stated, the dead key should be at about 6 watts or so and let it swing to about 25-30 watts on peaks. Since it's an old radio that if even if a newer one is over 20 years old, having it recapped isn't a bad idea. But that is JMO. Keep that radio and run a 4 pill amp behind it if you want some extra power. A good amp builder to me is BM Technology. Get a class thermally tracking class AB biased amp and don't over drive it. That or at the very least a class B biased amp like the TNT 600hd or similar. Hard to find ones with the Toshiba 2879's in them these days. Glad I still have a couple of amps that have them. My magnaforce 350hd and my TNT 600hd both sport toshiba 2879's. The 350hd has pre red dots and the TNT 600hd has red dots. I've heard the older ones are a bit more forgiving, but have learned to keep the power to max 10w per transistor. Keeps them cool and will last a lot longer. I am selling a lot of my stuff, but keeping those 2 amps and my optima mk3. The rest is going up for sale. Anyways. To the poster of the thread. Read what doughboy has posted, and look at the techs he recommended, basically the same ones I did and a couple more. He knows more than I do about this stuff. But like I said, a recapping of the radio and a tune and alignment would be your best bet if you are planning on keeping it. Which is what I would do. You won't find many radios like that one these days and that is the truth. They are a good AM/SSB radio that will cover 26-30mhz with a simple mod.
    At any rate, you have a nice radio if it's in good condition that many would like to have. Best to have it corrected and not blow it up. Don't use it until you can have it fixed. And if it were me, I would not let the last tech put his hands in it!! JMHO's. Good day.

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    It's set to key 10 and swings to 30/32. SSB swings to 15 on initial modulation but then drops back to 4 or 5 watts. Some self appointed radio genius probably had a hand in it at some point. How hot? Lets just say I'm scared to use it, so I don't. Almost burn you hot. My Galaxy came back from there doing the same thing and it burned up. Time to get it to a better shop. Wish there was a good one around here. I'll have to ship it somewhere. Anywho, thanks for the responses guys. 73's

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    10 watts dead key is way too much!! Should be more like 4-6 watts and swing to 25-30 on peaks. Same on SSB. Should be about 25-30 watts on a real peak reading meter. And I don't mean a dosy meter either!! Either a bird meter with the proper pep kit installed or a watt meter that plugs into the wall to give true peak readings. The techs mentioned above are pretty darn good and should be able to get that radio right for you!!!! And for sure don't use it the way it is!! Hate to see a good radio go to waste due to a golden screwdriver having tech having been in it!! I truly hope you get it resolved and working the way it was meant to!! Good luck.

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    10w dk? Damn...I don't even like running a 4w dk.


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  11. #8
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    No wonder it's hot JJD!! Thank goodness the smoke hasn't been let out yet! He stopped using it! It's the 30w ar3500. Man that's crazy!! I thought 4-6 watts max was close, but 10 watts LOL!! Damn golden screwdriver!!

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    LOL you guy's. Good thing my 3500 100 watt is in good shape. 'Bout to get it in the Truck soon. Got to figure where to mount it first. (2008 Sport trac) Kind of small.

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  14. #10
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    It just sucks to see what some people will do to get money out of you. Here look it's puttin out the watts now. Watch that meter swing. And 15 watts of dead key will break through the pileup by God. About what you get?? And oh yes. This was on a dosy meter. Fart and the meter moves!!! Sorry. Just hate the type that claim they know what they are doing and really don't know much at all. Other than what they watch on you tube. Then they set a shack up right next to the truck stop and wait! Like mosquitos! Prices are always high and they always know how to tune a radio better than anyone else!!!
    Anyhow. Send it to anyone of the techs that were listed above and they will get it right. You can even put a note in there letting them know, AM dead key is 15 watts. This might help them keep from frying anything by accident. And also tell them about the other issues if any, and have it gone over correctly. A tune and alignment. Also be a good time to let them know whether you will be using as just a radio, no amp, or what amp you'll be using if are planning to use one, so they can set the dead key according. JMHO's. Have a great day to all!!!

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