[TenTec] Intermittent loss of sensitivity on Orion 566 upon PTT switching

[g3ory at lineone.net]

Hello Mike,

I had exactly this problem with my O1. I replaced the reed relay which 
I think you have identified but it made no difference.
I finally got my brain working a bit better and tracked the fault down 
to the vacuum relay in the amplifier!!!  I changed that and all is now 
fine.

As to removing the reed relay, I just chopped the wires close to the 
relay body and then soldered the new relay to the stub wires left from 
the old relay. It avoided surgery on the PCB which might not have ended 
well.

73 Bob
G3ORY

----Original Message----
From: cherokeehillfarm at earthlink.net
Date: 20/05/2016 0:05 
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment"<tentec at contesting.com>
Subj: [TenTec] Intermittent loss of sensitivity on Orion 566 upon PTT	
switching

Hello Ten Tec Fans:

My normally reliable O2, sometimes returns from transmit to receive 
with a lower sensitivity.  Switching back to transmit, and again to 
receive, the normal sensitivity returns.

It appears as if I have a dirty contact on a relay, and have to 
exercise it for better contact.

Looking at the schematics, I see there is a reed relay, K6, which 
appears to perhaps be the most likely candidate to be at fault.  This 
relay is on the A1 board, the low pass filter board.

Before I take everything apart, and start looking (there are no 
pictorials for component placement information), has anyone had a 
similar problem with their O2?  Any information as to board location, 
and degree of difficulty in removing this relay, if indeed it was your 
issue, would be appreciated.

I guess since this radio is circa 2006, and I use QSK switching, and 
always use VOX, I can’t be too surprised that this high speed relay 
might need replacement by now.

Thank you for any possible input.

73,

Mike
W2AJI
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