[TenTec] Corsair dying on TX- help, hints, please

[j_r_abercrombie]

An eBay buy, it worked OK for a day or so, and I made
a few QSOs on 20m SSB with it. 
Then it started showing 'funny' behaviour on TX. (All
symptoms below are with radio in the "lock"/tuneup
position, into a Cantenna-type 1kw dummy load. All the
cabling, dummy, power supply etc work fine with a
TenTec Omni here, so I'm quite sure it is the radio-
not a PS, or cabling problem).
First, intermittent, pulsing-type draw on the power
supply 15-20A range when putting out full power in the
'lock' position. Drive control advanced till ALC lit.
This evolved into output power dropping down to a few
watts after 30 sec or so of TX. 

Now, whenever the drive control is advanced to give
more than a few watts of output power (Ic of 3 amps or
so), the radio shuts down completely. Power off-power
on and RX is fine again, but TX still shows the same
symptoms.

I don't know if this is something in the SWR sensing
board, or in the RF PA or what. Should I be looking
for a blown cap? My expertise is generally limited to
simpler repairs.

I'd appreciate any ideas/advice on this. The rig is
probably not worth shipping (from Canada) to TN for
repairs, but it seems too nice to become a 'parts rig'
just yet.
Thanks.
73
John
VE7JAV



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