[NLRS] FT-290RII

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

I just put the FT-290RII in the test bench. It does transmit FM and SSB. 
My scope showed 60 volts peak to peak at 147.615. 9.2 watts. Lower than 
the rated 25 watts. At 146.250 it showed 70 volts P-P or 12.5 watts. At 
144.175 on high power SSB it showed about the same power on peaks but 
with gaps in the envelope. On low power it showed 1.5 volts P-P or about 
5 mw, but when I backed off from the microphone to prevent peak clipping 
it had a decent normal SSB envelope. Back on high power with the same 
scope sensitivity it showed only the tallest peaks made 10 watts or so 
while the drive leaked through without gain when it didn't get up the 
threshold of the PA. So PA forward bias is probably missing which causes 
low gain on FM and only amplifying peaks on SSB and the driver is 
probably sick to produce only 5 MW were low power should be a 1 or 2.

So the RF output isn't pretty, but may be adequate for transverter 
service. The case isn't pretty either. I may be wishing for too much 
money, we'll see on Saturday. The PA bypass circuit may be bad too. I 
have a printed operator's manual that came with it and I burned a CD 
with Op manual and service manual and other articles on audio filters 
from my FT-290 directory.

I have decided to keep using the FT-857 even though it and the 
transverter are picky about slightly low voltage. I may solve that 
later, or keep on using the truck's trailer battery charging circuit to 
keep the rover radio battery well charged. I haven't tested the 
auxiliary power jacks in the Fiesta yet. I know the rear one in the Golf 
was bad, may have been fused at 20 amps but with a couple amp load the 
voltage wasn't enough to keep the 857 or the transverter happy. I need 
to test both the 857 and the transverter and see if I can modify the 
supply to keep them happy. I'm thinking a lower drop out regulator in 
the transverter 9 volt supply could help considerably.

73, Jerry, K0CQ