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Thread: High dead key and no/backward swing.

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    High dead key and no/backward swing.

    The radio is a Cobra 29 LTD Chrome. It's had a jumper soldered in it to boost the talkback, the modulation turned up and the "I don't know what it's called" or what the guy said he did. Its a can with coils around it back by the final. watts upped a hair to almost 4 watts. But when I dead key it pegs the internal meter and when I talk it doesn't swing at all. In fact, sometimes it goes down. On the internal meter and an external watt meter when I talk. BUT>>> The guys I talk to say it sounds great. Nice and clear. And this is between 2-4 miles. What in the world is going on? I've heard tales of these radios getting 15 watts and up with factory parts. but mines peaked out at almost 4? And I'm still looking for a trustworthy shop to send some work to also. Any help will do guys. Thanks. TINY

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    what does it show on an external watt meter?

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    Almost 4 watts on a 10 scale and about the same on the 100 scale.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

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    what does the meter show for the swing. not sure if your meter shows PEP watts. could be the meter on the radio just needs to be adjusted. some times the tech will forget to adjust the internal meter. need to verify the swing of the radio with a good meter. if the guy that did the mods to your radio did not adjust the internal meter it will swing all the way to the max and not show any swing.
    the picture of the meter you have pics of looks like a meter that does not show any swing. depends on the mod he did the cobra 29 should swing upwards of 18 to 20 watts. you will need an external meter that shows the PEP watts. the cheap meters will normally just show the dead key and very little swing.may not be any thing wrong with the radio.
    not sure what he did but sounds like he may have done the cap resister mod in the JP36 location. at least that is the area most do the swing mods in that location. if that external meter you have just does the basic dead key and not designed to show swing the needle will just set in that location. I have a couple of those meters like you have a picture of and it will not show what the radio is swinging too.

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    No mods were done. He turned VR4 up and L14 I think. It's a got a round black plastic plug like with a slot on top that screws in and out of a copper tube with a coil of wire around it. It's back by the final. That's it no mods no clipping no add-ons no nothing. The only other thing that has beed done is a jumper between R21 and R77 to boost the talkback. I mean when I key up it goes to almost 4 watts and then when I talk it'll go down a little. It'll also go down on the internal meter also. And the meter I have does show swing. Because it swings with my SSB. I'm at a loss...lol I mean it talks great. I just want it to be the best it can be. I'm not looking for huge power but normal peaked power will work and if what was done should have helped it. It didn't.

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    I'm probably over thinking this all...lol I've seen videos of other radios doing the same stuff as mine and they're just fine. I just talk on this radio all day 5-6 days a week. See I'm disabled and can't work. So I spend my time during the day on this radio. I use it for my base station AM local radio. I talk to the Coal truck drivers as they go back and forth hauling coal. And I hate only being able to talk to a guy within a 1.5-mile bubble. BUT... I would still like to get a little more out of it...Ha Ha

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    the video you posted does not open.
    with a 4 watt dead key and you say you are only talking 1 1/2 mile you are having a antenna problem. what are using for the antenna? is it the 1/2 wave dipole and where is it mounted at. what is the swr reading of the antenna.

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    I was thinking about you using a dipole antenna , if it is horizontal you will not talk as far as if it was vertical also. a good antenna is about 80% of the radio setup.

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    dipoles are good antennas , hams and CB'ers have talk all over the world on them ...... a star duster , merlin , sirio m400 etc. are basically vertical dipoles wit the ground side split and spread out . there are better vertical antennas , but in a proper setup they will get you down the road . i doubt the dipole is the issue unless it is poorly installed/tuned or below nearby buildings and trees . how was the radio performing befor it was tuned , what were you getting from it DK and swing as compared to now ?

    BTW , try the radio running directly to the coax and antenna without the splitter going to the second radio and see if it gives the same readings .
    Last edited by BOOTY MONSTER; 05-22-2018 at 06:02 PM.

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    After the tune, "if you can call it that" it's sounding louder. The only thing with the power is it's up maybe a watt. He adjusted L14 . My readings are the same with or without the switch. It just blows my mind with what he did I've heard of others getting more then what it gave me. Like, triple what I have. Oh, I watched him do the work BTW so I know he didn't screw me over. Plus it was free...lol I'm thinking it's going to come down to me finding a trustworthy shop and sending it off to have it looked at and have work done on it. Nothing wild but enough to talk well.

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