[TenTec] Omni VI Plus problem, help requested?

[Bob McGraw K4TAX]

Check power connections on the rear.  Normal problem with the Molex type connectors is the contacts loosen and heat with increased current.  Needle nose pliers carefully used will tighten them.   But the issue will likely be reoccurring.  Best to plan on replacement. 

Also a cleaning and reseating of all connectors and cables is likely necessary.   Use contact cleaner applied to a Q-Tip and scrub the male pins. Then exercise the connectors on and off a couple of times.  NEVER spray anything into the radio or connectors.  


Bob, K4TAX


Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 13, 2020, at 2:44 PM, John Swartz <jswartzwa9aqn at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I have an Omni VI Plus that has developed a problem on transmit. Can anyone on this list help me, please?
> 
> When I power up the transceiver, in CW mode (I only operate CW), it will generate 80-90 watts output with the PWR control fully clockwise. After several transmissions over a course of barely 10 minutes, power output progressively declines and the ALC light dims and goes out.  If I reduce the power setting to about 3/4 or less, the ALC light will come back, but power output will continue to decline and as it does so, the ALC light will continue to dim and extinguish.  This happens on all bands, but not at the same rate.  On 160, 80, 12 and 10 meters the decline is much more pronounced and rapid, 40, 30, 15 and 17 decline a bit less precipitously, and 20 less so.  Even so, after about 15 to 20 minutes of intermittent CW, there is very low output on any band and the ALC indicator does not light at all.
> 
> If I start operating at reduced power, I can rely on the output to maintain its level for a greater amount of time, but it does decline after a while, but I couldn't count on it for any extended operating period of more than, perhaps, 30 or 40 minutes.
> 
> Can anyone give me any ideas about what is going on, and how it might be fixed?  The receive function is not affected.  I would seriously like to keep this rig working if I can.
> 
> Thanks for your time and attention, 73, John WA9AQN
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> John Swartz
> Amateur Radio WA9AQN
> 15076 New Salem Bluff Road
> Petersburg, IL 62675
> USA
> 217-632-5925
> 
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