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Sodapop
Intermediate Member
Username: Sodapop
Post Number: 337
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 12:54 pm: | 
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I just won this radio on a auction site. It has all the mods, including extra channels. I have a freq counter. It runs off 12volts. Is there anywhere in the Washington where I can get 12 volts to run the freq counter? It would save me from running a power supply. I would still have to run coax to the counter, but at least I would not have to have a power supply for it. Thanks. |
Hollowpoint445
Senior Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 1120
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 3:00 pm: |
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Yeah, the power supply for the radio is 13.8V, and should easily power the the counter as long as the radio isn't peaked out.
The back of the radio should have a jack for external power connection to 13.8V. What you could do is rewire that connector to the internal power supply output (where it connects to the board). Then buy a matching power cord and wire it up for the frequency counter.
Don't try to run anything that uses too much power though - the power supplies in base radios are usually just big enough to run the radio on SSB with stock power. Anymore than that and you'll see voltage drops. |
Sodapop
Intermediate Member
Username: Sodapop
Post Number: 338
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 5:53 pm: |
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Well I thought it would be fairly easy. I think I would put a hole right behind the counter. That way there wouldn't be any long wires hanging out. Sounds like a project, I can't wait till it arrives! |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1260
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 9:43 pm: |
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there is a large electrolytic cap near the back right hand side of the PC board right near the audio chip. this cap will be 1000uf stock.
put a voltmeter on the pins of the cap to make sure it reads 13.8 volts so you know you've got the right one.
replace this cap with a 2200-3300uf 50 volt cap.
then solder the pos. lead from the freq. counter to the pos. pin of this cap.
also replace the big filter cap on the power supply board with a 6800uf 50 volt electrolytic cap.
this should be fine for the freq. counter, and help the radio handle bing peaked out better.
remember to keep the dead key at 5 watts or less.
and the SSB power to 15 watts or so.
hope you got a good one!
matt |
Tech291
Moderator
Username: Tech291
Post Number: 375
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 7:28 pm: |
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keep in mind,when powering accessorys straight from the power supply in the washington that they will always be powered on as long as the power cord is plugged into the wall.Better to power them from the on/off switch.
TECH291
CEF#291/CVC#6
KC8ZPJ |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1268
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 10:33 pm: |
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dennis,
the cap im talking about is C134, it is on the main PC board.
i could be wrong but i think that if he powers it from there, that it will turn on when the CB is turned on.
he could also use D60.
sodapop, check to see if TR34 is a 2SC1419. if it is; replace it with an NTE152.
the 1419 is a junky part.
matt |
Sodapop
Intermediate Member
Username: Sodapop
Post Number: 340
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 6:42 am: |
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Still waiting for the radio. Should be here today! |
Tech291
Moderator
Username: Tech291
Post Number: 378
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 7:24 pm: |
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Matt,
You are correct been a long day and looked over that part of your post.
TECH291
CEF#291/CVC#6
KC8ZPJ |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1273
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 10:51 pm: |
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thanks dennis, every once on a while i need a tech to come on here and tell me im right!
on the few occasions where i actually give good advice, the people tend to "take the money and run",
and dont tell me whether it worked or not.
so sodapop, if my suggestions work, please post and tell me so. that way i'll know if i can tell others the same thing.
also, if you're interested; i've got more upgrades for this chassis.
(well, i consider them upgrades)
matt |
Silverfox
Junior Member
Username: Silverfox
Post Number: 18
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, April 02, 2006 - 12:31 pm: |
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Interesting thread here. I have a President Washington also but it's an original. Also with extras and seems to be tweaked here and there. I also have a Para Dynamics freq counter that I would like to have this old tech I know wire up a plug in in the back of the radio so I could just plug into that and have a dedicated freq counter with my radio. I read somewhere though, that the freq counter won't be accurate and, if I remember correctly, you have to add 2 to the LSB and subtract one from the USB...or something like that. Even so...it sure would be nice to have on my PW. Hey Kid..I have no idea what you are talking about and don't even know if it exists in the original old PW, but when I take my radio in to have this old guy check it out...should I have him look for the 2SC1419 and change it out to the NTE152(whatever THOSE are)? I need to take the radio in anyway and have him check it out. Seems someone turned the mike gain all the way up and the knob had no effect on it when turning it until we turned my D-104 way down. Seems like the clarifier may have been clipped a little too...not sure. Anyway, I'm going to have the old guy check everything out before I start using it. My friend says I should have the old guy put a swing kit in it but I don't know much about that or if I should do that. I don't think I hijacked your thread here sodapop...this info is pretty much the same as yours...I hope so, anyway. I sure don't like to infringe on someone else's thread. If I did...my apologies.
silverfox |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1370
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 10:45 pm: |
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no apologies needed silverfox,
we're still sort of on topic here.
sometimes you will get more responses from starting a new post though.
the old washington and the new one are totally different radios on the inside.
if you take the top cover off, you will most likely see a big black computer chip looking thing on the right hand side towards the front. (knobs facing you).
it will say UPD858 on it, and it is the PLL chip. it controls the frequency your radio operates on.
if this chip is there, look behind it near the right edge of the PC board. there you should see a three legged transistor bolted to a thin piece of metal, and a big teflon covered resistor behind it.
take off the teflon, is the resistor burned?
smell it, does it smell burned?
this was a common problem in this chassis because of inadequate heatsinking.
if you look at the face of that transistor, you just might see "2SC1419" on it.
what needs to be done, is that transistor needs to be moved to a place where it can be bolted to a thicker bigger piece of aluminum.
see the one on the back side of the board?
thats a good spot. just solder three wires in the holes of the old spot, and solder them to the corresponding pins of the new transistor.
the NTE152 is the same type of transistor as the 2SC1419, but its rated to handle more power.
in your radio, there are three or four of them if i remember correctly.
one is on the power supply board. replace them all with the NTE152. its a $3.00 part.
also look near the back right corner of the PC board. do you see two little glass looking parts right next to eachother?
are they lifted from the board on one end?
this is a mod that a lot of people do to this radio to increase the modulation, but it will cause TVI, and you dont want that.
you also dont want the swing kit.
no matter how much the locals swear by them, unless you get caught up in the "check out how much your needle moves when i talk" mindset.
if the clarifier has been modded, and you can tune in peoples voices on SSB without cranking it all the way around, then it should be fine.
lots of things you can do to this radio.
truely a classic.
good luck,
matt |
Silverfox
Junior Member
Username: Silverfox
Post Number: 28
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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wow....thanks a lot, Kid. Yeah, I know I have a good 'ol radio and I sure do appreciate your suggestions. Would the lifting of those two glass things cause the mike gain to appear to be turned all the way up? That's one thing I would like to fix on this radio. I had to turn my D-104 way down so the mike gain knob would work when turned. I guess I could leave it like that but I'm curious as to why the mike gain is so high and why the knob has no effect unless my D-104 is turned down. For all I know it's supposed to be that way. What's your take on this??
silverfox |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1372
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:40 pm: |
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most likely, someone has turned up the modulation pot inside the radio.
its purpose is to set the parameters of the mic gain on the outside of the radio, but since turned all the way up, it can "make you louder", most people that find out how to turn it up, do turn it up.
the pot (short for potentiometer, or variable resistor) that you are looking for is VR7.
it will probably be turned all the way one way.
you can assume that its all the way up instead of down since you do have modulation.
try turning it back to halfway, and see if you can turn up the mic gain on the D104 to your liking.
one thing to remember though, the D104 is a VERY sensitive mic with ALOT of gain.
running the gain on the mic to high will lead to TVI which is something i know you want to avoid.
the best way to run your system, IMO, is to turn the pot inside about halfway, turn the mic gain on the outside of the radio all the way up, put a new battery in the mic (D104's eat them for lunch!), turn the gain on the mic all the way down, and slowly turn it up while saying, "ahhhhh" into the mic.
if i remember correctly, you have a modulation meter in that radio, turn the mic's gain up until it goes just over 100%, and then back the radio's external mic gain down for a 100% reading.
that way, if you need a little exra oomph, you can turn the radio's external mic gain up a bit.
turning the mic itself up too high will only increase the background noise pickup.
BTW, did you know that you should be talking into your mic from a distance of no more than 3 inches?
thats right! all the pro's do it this way, and when you hear someone coming through your speaker like the voice of jahovah, you can bet that they are close talking their mic.
dont even bother trying to convince the local non believers of this, they love to be arms length from the mic, "becaused they can".
lots of us used to subscribe to this way of thinking until we heard the great radio checks coming back.
try this: tell a friend that you trust, that you bought a new mic and want to test it out by comparing it to your D104.
first key up the D104 at arms length, or wherever you normally do, and ask for a radio check.
then tell the person that you are switching mics.
now key up the D104 from 3" away and ask them what they think of the new mic.
when the checks comeback, "what kind of mic is that!" and, "its really loud and totally clear!"
then you will be sure, and you can laugh when they dont believe you.
have fun!
matt |
Silverfox
Junior Member
Username: Silverfox
Post Number: 29
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 12:23 pm: |
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Thanks a million AGAIN Kid!! You and a few others here have tracked and answered my pleas for help with true and correct info. I appreciate that a lot. It's also nice to know someone that knows about the old original President Washingtons. You're a good guy to know and a good guy to offer so much of your time to help me. It looks like I'm going to get ripped off on my Imax order from somewhere else. I've sent seven emails since I ordered it 11 days ago requesting a tracking number. I have received NO answers from him at all. Nothing...zip, zero, nada. I ordered it from there before I found this site....wish I would have known that the *************** guy isn't a trustworthy dealer...then I could have ordered the Imax from Copper when I found their site here. Oh Well...it will give me time to have my radio all checked over by the old tech I know while fighting to resolve my Imax order. Sure does hurt to get ripped off when you live on a meager Social Security Disability check. Had to save for 4 months before I could order that antenna. Thanks again, Kid...you're a real compliment to the Copper forums.
silverfox |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1377
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 11:25 pm: |
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aw shucks!
nice to know we've made a believer out of you.
im sure lon (tech808) will help you with anything you need regarding your future orders.
(im just a fan, not a stockholder)LOL
matt |
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