Phase lock loop problem Ranger RCI 2950

[Jerry]

I have a power supply, it is a Aztec - came from a television translator - usually sells for around $750 and up on ebay that my uncle reconditioned and gave to me.
His business is repair work to microwave transmitters and all the peripheral devices associated with television and radio communications.

Just that he is 300 miles away and busy.

My power supply is four 750 CCA batteries connected in parellel and fed by a 2 / 10 / 50 amp battery charger - when needed.
The radio drifts - both with the charger on or off.
So my power supply is real stable.
Don't have to worry about lighting coming in through the electric service and hitting my radio either.

I want to stay away from any mobile type radio or anything that is unsupported - hence boat anchors and obsolete radios are out of the question.
I have been looking for a 460 / 580 or a Icom 746 Pro II or a Kenwood 2000 - such as the D model.

The problem is - I have scoured flea bay and craigslist and all the places normally associated with deals and there is none to be had.
IN a bad economy - and we can't call this a good economy right now, people are looking for get rich schemes and it seems that you can advertise junk and someone will bid on it and offer top dollar.

There is a lot of geniuses out there that thinks that they know how to fix radios and are willing to buy a junk radio - even if the price is not right, just because they want to show people how smart they are - I guess, because I would never pay $200 less for a broken radio with no warranty that is 12 years old, when I can buy the same model, brand new in the box with a warranty for $200 more.

Like I said before - there just isn't any deals out there right now and the people who has the stuff is hoarding it where I live.
Ham's die every day, just that their friends and relatives gets ahold of this stuff and either keeps the good stuff and trys to pawn off the junk, or they want top dollar for it, and as we know, all it takes is one time, hooking something up wrong, keying the mic without the antenna connected etc - to kill a perfectly good radio.

They can say as many times as they want on the internet that it worked the last time it was used, but when it doesn't come with a microphone - that pretty much tells me that these people are trying to squeeze every last dollar out of the deal and are trying to cover something up. Figuring that by the time you get a mic, the check will have cleared the bank and they will be no where to be seen.

I went through this a dozen times with my race car when I had a race team about 6 years ago. There was always some joker in Iowa or Nebraska selling something they didn't even have, or they changed the ad after I bid on it and took me for a lot of money with stuff that was misrepresented and ebay never did get my money back.
Don't listen to anything that ebay advertises because they are lying.
They don't get you your money back when someone rips you off, they laugh because they get a commission.
I'm just gonna have to keep looking.

The Heathkit 101 is a gift, all I have to pay for is the new components and shipping or go down and pick it up. The one I bought off Ebay, I cancelled the order and the owner relisted it a week later.

[KB3LAZ]

You mean 756 pro II though the latest would be Pro III and is itself discontinued. The 2000 models that come with the "D" after them are FT insinuating that they are yaesu not kenwood. The kenwood would be the TS-2000. Though all of the mentioned radios are fair models.

I see that a 718 was suggested by another poster. This radio while not glamorous is fair functionality wise and you can pick one up fairly cheap even off the shelf. Should be able to get one, a PS, and a tuner for under 1k. =) Gl with whatever you decide mate.

[Jerry]

Thanks KB3LAZ

[KB3LAZ]

Thanks KB3LAZ

You are welcome. Btw, I do currently own the ProIII which over my other modern rigs I do favor. That being said I have used both the Yaesu 2000 models and the kenwood and still find them fair and in some aspects above par. The kenwood is compromised in some ways but is also a jack knife so to speak and more of a full size jack knife in comparison to that of the 7000 (which I also own).

Tbh in its price range the Kenwood TS-2000 is in my opinion still one of the best deals offered for instant on the air access and all around flexibility.

If by any chance you can go to an AES, HRO, or what not to test drive the rigs available today I would highly suggest it. Sometimes the littlest things such as ergonomics can decide a purchase as well. If it is uncomfortable to operate sometimes it just becomes frustrating.

[koØm]

When we had it on the service monitor - we checked the Clarifier and the TX did not move when the clarifier was changed.

Where can I find a deal on a new or used radio?
I tried QRZ and Flea Bay and Craigslist and in 4 months the closest I came was a old Heathkit HW 101 for $350.00 - that was until I found out that it needed a power supply and even a broke power supply was $100.00 and another $100+ to repair it.

I have a Heathkit 101 promised to me, my uncle said he would give it to me - after he replaced all the caps in it, just that he owns his own business and doesn't have the time to replace the caps.
I even asked him if he would as his employee to do it for me and I would gladly pay him for his time and troubles and my uncle got upset and said that he wanted to do it himself and got offended and that was the end of the offer.

It's kind of sad to be a Amateur Extra class license holder and no radio.

Small world!

I also have a Mirage (old RCI) 2950 Radio, it's usless because I don't have the tools to align it, you need a scope to do it right and, mine crapped out. Maybe I'll make some Ham friends locally with a scope.

I also have a HW-101 that is need of repair, all I need for that is a manual and a roadmap but, I don't see Heathkit listed on the BAMA mirror site anymore; anyone know of access to the Heathkit HW-101 documentation without have to shell out buck for what used to be public domaine information?

ETA: There has got to be some knock-off / copy of that radio under a different name, any ideas?

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[KG4CGC]

Maybe it's just the Golden Screwdriver effect or maybe it's just poorly manufactured but every RCI, Ranger, Galaxy etc I've heard on the air sounded way distorted and often off frequency. The signal is usually so wide that the operator can't tell he's off the center freq.
Just put those things on Craigslist and get rid of them. You're a ham. Dump the Chicken Band garbage and go clean.

[koØm]

Maybe it's just the Golden Screwdriver effect or maybe it's just poorly manufactured but every RCI, Ranger, Galaxy etc I've heard on the air sounded way distorted and often off frequency. The signal is usually so wide that the operator can't tell he's off the center freq.
Just put those things on Craigslist and get rid of them. You're a ham. Dump the Chicken Band garbage and go clean.

My Icom is worth more than the vehicle that I would put it in, the very thought of it makes me shake! The "X"-Metre radio is good for monitoring until I get back to the fixed station and can attempt to communicate on a real 10 meter - 160 meter Amateur radio.

ETA: What about the Collectable Heathkit HW-101?

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[KG4CGC]

Or the Olde Skool FT-101 EE/DD/** ?

[KC2UGV]

My Icom is worth more than the vehicle that I would put it in, the very thought of it makes me shake! The "X"-Metre radio is good for monitoring until I get back to the fixed station and can attempt to communicate on a real 10 meter - 160 meter Amateur radio.

ETA: What about the Collectable Heathkit HW-101?

.

Look for a HTX-10 or 100. Good, reliable rigs.

[NQ6U]

Look for a HTX-10 or 100. Good, reliable rigs.

Apparently, the Magnum 257 is the same radio as the HTX-10, with upgrades, and has the advantage of still being in production.