    
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 13877
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 11:59 am: | 
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Galaxy Robot Board
Review & Installation
Click Here > G10-00028
A Review Written
By
Penrider ~ Sean
CEF#867~CEF Ham#252~CVC#081
GALAXY ROBOT BOARD
FEATURES:
* Board designed to fit in the DX73 and DX99
Comes with Installation Instructions.
* Has 2 Control Knobs
* One controls the Echo and Delay(time)
* One lets you choose between Echo, Robot, Voice Changer
* Can be installed into any radio
If installed by a qualified technician
REVIEW
I installed the echo board first into a Uniden Pro-510 simply to test it...
The permanent install is into my President Washington Base (although I am unable to install talkback into the washington for some reason).
Upon receiving the Galaxy Robot Board from Copper, I unpacked it from the box, lots of newspaper, and several layers of bubble wrap around the board itself...Very well packaged!!!
The board itself is 3" L x 2" W. As the product description states, it is the direct factory replacement echo/robot board for the Galaxy DX73/99 series of radios.
It comes complete with 2 angle mounting tabs and all wiring is already connected to the board. The Echo/Robot/Voice Changer and Time/Delay switches are already connected as well.
The radio input/output and power connections are clearly marked on the board itself and easy to read.
The item description states that the robot board can be installed into Any Radio IF done by a qualified tech.
This is true. Although I am far from being a true radio tech, you must have enough knowledge to find the proper input/output locations and be able to locate the proper 8volt power source.
If the board is being put into the Galaxy radio for which it is designed, then it is truely a simple "Plug and Play" swap for the non-working board that is already in the radio...
First, I located each input/output location on the radio, which was simple on the washington. After unsoldering the wires from the back of the Microphone jack on the radio itself, the MIC I/P wire from the echo board (Yellow) goes to the Audio Pin on the mic jack.
The PTT I/P wire (Red) goes to the TX Pin.
The Ground wire (Green) goes to the shield pin or board ground, I chose the shield pin as the washington is well filtered at that point.
The MIC O/P wire (Yellow) goes to the Audio Wire that was connected to mic jack. The PTT O/P
wire (Red) goes to the TX Wire.
The Ground Wire (Green) again goes to the Shield Pin on the mic jack. (All wiring connections were properly soldered and any wire to wire connections were soldered and heat shrinked).
Now, for the Fun Part!! Finding an 8 VOLT Source!!!
Do Not Use the 13.8V power to the radio!!
The board is designed for 8volts, and also stray rf just loves to radiate along the 13.8v supply to the radio.
Using my multimeter, I found the 9V transformer at the power supply inside the radio. From there, I ran the traces and kept checking until I found a filtered 9v point (I Think it's for the Display LED's).
I connected the Hot side of the power wires (Red) there, and the Ground wire
(Black) to Chassis Ground!
Note! I did not use Board Ground, thus eliminating a possible ground loop. (Again, all wiring connections were soldered properly and any wire to wire connections were soldered and heat shrinked).
Since the control switches are already wired and bundled up nicely, it was simply a matter of mounting the board securely inside the washington.
In my case, it was to the back of the chassis next to the external speaker/pa jacks. (There are other places to choose as there is lots of room inside a washington).
I just marked the holes where the mounting tabs are, drilled the holes neatly, and mounted the board with screws from my large box of radio screws (just one more reason all my parts radios
come in handy!) with silicone heatsink compound between the chassis and mounting tabs
(just from habit).
I also, wrapped the bubble wrap around the board. I don't know if this has any effect, but it seemed to me to isolate the board as much as possible.
Right above and to the side I carefully drilled 1/4" holes in the top cover of the radio for the control switches.
Ok, for the audio test... since I don't have talkback, I removed the antenna from one of my cb ht's and placed it across the room...I was able to use the volume control on the ht as a variable talkback.
I tested each control and function once again and all was well. I don't use the Robot or Voice Changer, but they both work perfectly.
After setting the Echo just the way I like it, I put the washington on my test center (dosy libra 631). I noticed with the echo off there was Zero change in my radio's sound or modulation output, and no unusual interference noise or humming.
This tells me that I must have mounted and grounded the board well!!
With the board turned on, still no noise and the echo has a very nice sound (I always liked the sound of galaxy's echo, which is why I tried this instead of a connex or other boards).
I also have a noticeable gain in audio. I had to turn my D-104 Tug-8 desk mic down a bit (from 3 to 2). I got lucky and raised one local long enough for them to say that it sounds great and they assumed I was actually talking on a galaxy!!
In closing, I must say that the install was easy...about a difficulty of 4 out of 10.
Now, in a Mobile or small case base radio the only harder point would be physically mounting
the board. This is a must, because you do not want the board rattling around inside the radio where it could touch/move/bend/break who knows what!!
The sound quality is excellent at least in my radio. The controls are precise and not sloppy
at all.
I would recommend using this board for any internal installation in any radio, provided you
have decent knowledge and be neat and clean with all connections.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sean
Penrider
CEF#867~CEF Ham#252~CVC#081
NOTE!
This Review was posted for: Sean / Penrider
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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