[Collins] Odd symptom and S meter reading

[jkoneal@comcast.net]

I have the same problem with my 75S3B s-meter.  It is very stingy indeed!  Thanks for the information.

John
> Microphone connections? Not necessarily the same as a Drake which uses the same 
> plug. What is the audio like using VOX?
> 
> The S-meter reads properly for all settings of the RF gain control. The RF gain 
> control inserts a DC bias into the AGC line to set a threshold for the S-meter.
> 
> The S-line has always been considered to have a stingy S-meter. Extra stinginess 
> can come from weak tubes, poor alignment, leaky AGC bypass and time constant 
> capacitors, leaky screen bypass capacitors (and the S-line used several 
> abominable black beauties that are know to be leaky well before age 44), and agc 
> controlled tubes with grid emission.
> 
> 73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Advisor to the CRA
> ---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
> From: Jim Isbell <millenniumfalcon@cableone.net>
> Date:  Fri, 21 Nov 2003 21:36:13 -0600
> 
> >I have an odd symptom on my 1958 S-Line.
> >
> >When I key my transmitter using the PTT on the microphone base I get 
> >very low level of audio modulation and it is unreliable.  But if I , 
> >instead, use the "Function" switch on the station console to switch 
> >between "Rec Only" and "Trans Only", the modulation is fine.  I can hear 
> >the relay click in both cases, but for some reason the audio is not 
> >there if I use the PTT.  Does anyone know what would cause this?
> >
> >Second question.  I am assuming that the signal strength meter reads 
> >properly when the RF gain is full clockwise.  But I find that even with 
> >a signal that is very strong, I never see an S9, usually only about S7. 
> > When the meter doesn't even come off the pin I can still get loud 
> >readable audio.  Is this stingy meter normal?
> >
> >