[TenTec] Paragon problem

Sun Jul 13 23:36:34 EDT 2014

Correct and one reason I keep my old Triplet 603 VOM, it has a + & - switch 
on the front, thus I don't have to flip the test probes on the device.  Of 
course my FLUKE DVM has provision for a diode test as well.  But with it I 
have to flip the leads to measure forward and reverse resistance of the 
diode.

I'd expect some of those diodes on the High Pass Filter board are leaky and 
thus two or more filters may be engaged at once.  I find it somewhat 
interesting that 8 diodes were open and all on the input side of the 
filters.

73
Bob, K4TAX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tony" <va3dwi at gmail.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2014 10:11 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Paragon problem

> A lot, if not most, older VOM meters in resistance mode have the polarity 
> reversed on the probes. Red is negative and black is positive. Ke‎ep that 
> in mind when testing diodes.
> Tony VE3DWI.
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Bell network.
> Original Message
> From: Bob McGraw - K4TAX
> Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2014 14:35
> To: Walt K8CV; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Reply To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Paragon problem
>
> Since there are no reed relays, or relays of any type, one would do better
> to do a DC voltage check of each filter section for each band. This can be
> done with the RX HP Filter removed but connected to the radio via the 
> ribbon
> connector. This way the radio can switch bands and one can measure to
> confirm switching is taking place by measuring the voltage across each of
> the 16 diodes. There's 16 of them as indicated on the schematic.
>
> Out of the radio and no power applied, each diode can be accurately 
> checked
> for forward and reverse resistance with an ohm meter with a suitable diode
> test feature. Or use one of the old fashion VOM type meters.
>
> One other note, be mindful if the issue exists on all bands or just one or
> two bands. The switching voltage can be observed on connectors #16 and 
> #14.
>
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Walt K8CV" <waltk8cv at wowway.com>
> To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2014 7:41 AM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Paragon problem
>
>
>> Have you changed the reed relays or talked to TenTec about them? A stuck 
>> /
>> pitted transmit reed will suck off the receive.
>>
>>
>>
>> Walt K8CV
>> -----Original Message----- 
>> From: Vic Klein
>> Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2014 6:34 AM
>> To: tentec at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Paragon problem
>>
>> Thanks for the suggestions. A few days of sleuthing and talking to Garry
>> at
>> Ten Tec led me to discover that all the input (D1-D8) switching diodes on
>> the Hi-Pass filter board (81330) were "open". Garry said In4148's could 
>> be
>> substituted, which I did, and now all the sections seem to test OK and
>> switch appropriately...but the same symptoms remain: all functions seem
>> normal, but sensitivity is off by around 4 S-units. None of the RF chokes
>> seem to be open, and bypassing the Lo-pass FX board by selecting the
>> external receive antenna makes no difference. I am looking at the 1st
>> Mixer
>> now, although I do get the appropriate 20dB reduction when switching in
>> the
>> attenuator, which shuts off the RF stage, so I am still befuddled.
>>
>> One anomally I see is the the voltages on the band switching diodes seems
>> a
>> bit low. I would have expected a lower voltage at D1 as it has more
>> resistance in the path, but the reverse is true and it reads about 9.4v 
>> as
>> opposed to the other 7 Hi-pass sections at about 7.25v when selected. 
>> That
>> still seems plenty to bias the diodes and pull in the low-pass relays, 
>> but
>> curious.
>>
>> =Vic=
>> WA4THR
>> ____________________________________________________________
>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Paragon problem
>> From: Wade Staggs <tvman1954 at gmail.com>
>> Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 17:39:05 -0500
>> List-post: <tentec at contesting.com">mailto:tentec at contesting.com>
>>
>> *Far from being an Expert myself, The first place I would look would be
>> the
>> RX High Pass Filter Board ( 81330 ) At the Antenna Input to the High Pass
>> Filter Board, there are two LC Coils and a Diode ... Any of which could 
>> be
>> Shorted or open in the case of the LC Coils. You should be able to inject
>> signal or an antenna input on each side of the High pass Filter Board. I
>> would use a Clip Lead and touch my Antenna to the output connection from
>> the board and see what happens. The High Pass Filter board uses Switching
>> Diodes to select the correct Filter for each Band. I am believing that
>> like
>> Ivory Soap, 99 44/100s percent sure that the problem is somewhere on the
>> High Pass Filter Board.*
>> * 73 and May God Bless from
>> Wade/KJ4WS*
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 9, 2014 at 5:20 PM, K8JHR <jrichards at k8jhr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Vic -- I am far from expert on this, but I wonder if you can locate
>>> ANOTHER protective diode in the receiver circuit. I once killed my Omni
>>> VII receiver by hot-switching an "active" receive only antenna - the
>>> power
>>> connector arced to case ground of a bias-tee injector as I plugged it 
>>> in,
>>> and that fritzed the receiver. Gary at TenTec service called me to
>> explain
>>> it before he fixed it, and I believe he said there were multiple diodes
>>> to
>>> protect the rig in such cases.
>>>
>>> So... perhaps you have more than one diode or fuse or other prophylactic
>>> device to check?
>>>
>>> -----------------------------K8JHr ------------------
>>
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