Kathy, Great that you found the transmit problem - and if you can use larger wire for the power supply, the voltage drop will be less and will likely reduce your current draw on transmit a bit more.
Yes, your preamp dropout problem does sound like a bad solder connection is the most likely cause. Places to check are those components associated with Q21 - look on the schematic (sheet 2) for the RF Board to identify those associated components, and don't overlook pins 4 and 7 of relay K17 and toriod T6. Actually anything in the receive chain from the antenna through the IF Amp will effect the AGC action (and subsequently the S-meter), but if the S-meter appears normal with the Preamp off, then the problem is likely confined to the preamp stage. Solve the preamp problem first and then tackle the AGC - since your S-meter seems close to normal with the preamp off, fixing the preamp may take care of the S-meter anomoly too. True the AGC (and S-meter) should not behave as you describe, but you can optimize the AGC threshold after you know everything else is working properly, then finally adjust the S-meter as the last step. 73, Don W3FPR > -----Original Message----- > > Hi Don and everyone else who responded, > > The current readings @ 5W and 10W are now at the upper end of > normal levels. > T4 was reversed and needed to be turned around. The power wire is also on > the thin side, 16g or 18g. I'll find a replacement tomorrow. > > Two new interesting problems have cropped up as well: > a) 20m band, tuned Zepp: The S-meter is pegged on +40dB when the > preamp is > on. With the preamp off, the meter settles down to around S5 (S5-S9 when > copying a signal). On 40m, antenna tuned, the LED reads +40dB with preamp > and +20dB without. Tried following the S-meter setup instructions in the > manual, including those on the XG1 mini-kit, but nothing seems to prevent > the LED from locking into the upper limit when the preamp is on. Is this > normal? The AGC can be switched on and off as well as set fast or > slow. With > AGC off, the S-meter drops to zero. > > b) The gain drops intermittently from an S-meter reading of +40dB > to S2 with > preamp on. The audio also diminishes in intensity at the same > time. The last > time it did this, I tapped the left side of the radio a couple of > times and > it stopped dropping out. This sounds like a loose component, bad > connection > or bad solder joint. Where should I begin my search? The IF > stage? Could it > be a toroid with a bad solder joint? > > Thanks, > Kathy > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
