TS430 power fault - ANSWERS

Follows my original posting and answers.

>As you read in the subject I have some sporadic but very annoying troubles
>with my 1988 Kenwood TS430s. This is what happens to my gear (and the same
>occours to the rig of a friend of mine):
>
>Approx. every 3-4 hours of CW operation (while working without any problem)
>the power output drops down to a few watt (tipically duringa pileup and when 
>the dx sent 'ik3huk 599…'). During this power-loss the ALC level is low 
>(regularly).
>To have back the full power I have to do the following:
>-Turn CARRIER knob fully clockwise (full power position - ALC doesn't move)
>-Key down for several seconds (very looooong time when in pileup) 
>
>I sent the radio to a laboratory for repair (and friend of mine did the same)
>but they're not able to reproduce the power-fault when the radio is on their
>table. They cleaned up all the relais, but the RTX is still loosing power.

This sounds suspiciously like a problem I had with my 430 on voice. It would behave quite similarly, losing power and becoming distorted on an occasional basis. There was a well reported problem with early 430's where the finals were riveted, but not soldered, and the rivets could eventually develop a high electical resistance, with ensuing power problems. This was diagnosed and corrected by Kenwood early, so I doubt it would be a problem in a unit manufactured as late as yours. (I bought mine in late 1984, and it already had a modified PA – believe me, I checked!)

My problem turned out to be a marginal connection in the internal switch on the XVTR jack on the back of the rig. This is the connector with 8 pins. The switch is integral to the connector and works when the plug is inserted. The fix was to insert and remove the plug in the jack several times. Since I have done this, my 430 has never shown this symptom again.

I wish I could claim to have deduced this myself, but it was pointed out to me by a friend who read it in a snippet from someone in QST. To whoever took the time to send in that suggestion, I am eternally grateful. Hope this solves your problem, too.

– 
Rob Stampfli  rob@colnet.cmhnet.org      The neat thing about standards:
614-864-9377  HAM RADIO: kd8wk@n8jyv.oh  There are so many to choose from.
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To all Kenwood users:

The 430 has a corresponding problem to the older rigs:
specifically the 520(S), 820(S), 530S, and 830S rigs….

Power drops while running… if this occurs, tighten the screws on the driver board and IF board.

Had this happen to me and friends a few times…also watch out for the coax connector on the back…they get loose too…no lock washer on the back.

73,
Tom
wb9rxj@uiuc.edu
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Diego,
I had a similar problem with a 430. Mine was intermittent. Finally one cold day [0c] it became permanent. I traced my problem to an open via connection on one of the final transistor bases. This resulted in that device not getting a dc return to ground. I re-soldered the via to my success!
I found it by checking dc bias on each final transistor and found one being different in voltage reading.

Good luck,
regards
George Hawkins

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Here is a solution I heard of for a problem like yours. Perhaps it will be of use to you. Luckily, I have not had any problems with my TS430S. I'm very pleased with it.

Hope this is of use to you.

73 es GL…. Mark KG7JL
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KD7EV advises intermittent power output problems on his '430 was cured by installing a more conventional nut on the rear panel UHF style antenna connector. Apparently a faulty ground connection at this point caused a change in the VSWR which affected the sensing circuit and thus reducing the RF output power.
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Guarda che io ho lo stesso problema con un ICOM IC-745. Ogni tanto la c'e' una protezione che va in funzione e la potenza va giu'. Nel caso mio probabilmente c'e' un problema di corrente di fuga da compensare opportunamente, ma per te potresti provare a vedere se con una semplice vantola puoi risolvere il caso. Infine, tanto per confermare che per me i diavoletti che muovono gli elettroni esistono, il problema c'e' solo di estate, quando la temperatura esterna e' sopra i 20 gradi (… qui in Olanda). Faccio notare che dentro casa la temperatura e' circa la stessa.

Saluti

I0WTD-PA3FWP
Stefano

(In this article Stefano I0WTD told that he had a similar problem on his IC745 and suggested to put a blower on the radio to solve it out. 'His' power fault happened only on summer. (mine in winter too !!) ik3huk)


GW1NGL NA7KR Kevin Roberts Ham Radio

Page last updated on 09/10/2012 by Kevin Roberts NA7KR a colection of Ham Radio and Electronic Information