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Author Topic: Realistic DX-150 service manual  (Read 7424 times)

Offline flexoman61

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Realistic DX-150 service manual
« on: February 04, 2017, 0110 UTC »
My DX-150 is in need of repair but I can't find the service manual. These seem to be scarce.
I tried the yahoo groups for Realistic receivers with no luck yet. Any help getting one would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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Offline WA4FHY

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2017, 1722 UTC »
Good morning, Flex,
You might try Rich Post KB8TAD <kb8tad@gmail.com>. Rich
is the vintage radio guru @ "The Spectrum Monitor" e-magazine
and often comes up with answers to similar requests. TSM is
a great mag, kinda the successor to the now departed "Monitoring
Times".
Good luck, Paul
SDR-IQ / IC-R70 / IC-735 / FT-817ND / FT-991A, RSPduo,5 band vertical
Near Music City, TN

Offline flexoman61

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2017, 1754 UTC »
Thanks WA4FHY, I will try him.
Please QSL to: flexoman61@gmail.com
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ICOM R75, Kenwood R-2000, Radio Shack PRO-2037
43m band folded dipole/VHF ground plane

Offline Josh

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We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2017, 1807 UTC »
Ditto on the Antique Radio Forum. They're always a great help.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2017, 0224 UTC »
Try SAMS www.samswebsite.com  You've got to pay a fee but if they don't have it, it's probably not out there.

Offline BDM

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2017, 1627 UTC »
I can email it to you. I have only the 150A and 150B SMs, not the straight 150
Radios -- Perseus SDR // SDRPlay RSPdx // Icom IC-7300 // Tecsun PL-660 // Panasonic RF-5000A --Antennas-- Pixel Pro 1B loop - 82' fan-dipole at 40' - tuned MW/BCB 40" loop and 100' receive only dipole
-Brian--North of Detroit--MI-
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Offline flexoman61

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2017, 1502 UTC »
Thanks for the help everyone. All I am able to find is the schematic for the DX-150 and the service manual and schematic for the DX-150A.
One guy I was talking to said the only difference between the 150 and the 150A is the FET front end on the 150A.
My son will be working on this radio and he is in training as an Air Force radio tech. It's a simple radio and once he brings it to the shop on the base they should have no problem fixing it.
Please QSL to: flexoman61@gmail.com
Connecticut
ICOM R75, Kenwood R-2000, Radio Shack PRO-2037
43m band folded dipole/VHF ground plane

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2017, 1137 UTC »
Curious as to what is wrong with the radio? In your first post, you mentioned that it's not working.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline flexoman61

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2017, 1523 UTC »
Curious as to what is wrong with the radio? In your first post, you mentioned that it's not working.
I should have mentioned that. When it broke down I was tuned to a station on 20 meters. Then it started to drift off
freq. I kept following the drift down for a few seconds or so and then the radio went deaf,
no audio at all on any band.
Please QSL to: flexoman61@gmail.com
Connecticut
ICOM R75, Kenwood R-2000, Radio Shack PRO-2037
43m band folded dipole/VHF ground plane

Offline Josh

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2017, 1720 UTC »
Top of head response to the described issue;
voltage regs/power supply issue
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Offline TheRelayStation

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2017, 1749 UTC »
Top of head response to the described issue;
voltage regs/power supply issue
my money is on a cold solder connection.
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Offline Davep

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2017, 0401 UTC »
Flexoman, it's probably a capacitor. I'm not familiar with that radio , but it's a common problem in vintage radios. There are kits for sale.

Edit : read that you have help. They should do all of the larger caps although you might get away with replacing just the one that's bad.Replacing all of them is a shotgun approach usually successful, instead of spending time looking for the bad one . In situ bad caps can read good on a multimeter anyway.
 Likely one of the larger values in the power supply as Josh stated or audio, ( they either fail uf or short-short not good!)
If that's what it is, that's a symptom they will go bad one by one ( like an old car unless you do the whole thing)
Do all of them while the chassis is out if they don't mind , my advice
http://hamamateuradio.com/realistic-dx150a-replacement-electrolytic-capacitor

If you want to try it yourself

Heresy:
You don't really need a schematic or service manual. Remove one and replace with the same value, then do the same on the next one and etc. Note the arrows or lead makings on the body, they need to be positioned the same way as the old . New/ old should be marked with the values so that's not a problem.
Not rocket science but skills with soldering will help. The real challenge is be careful,don't rush and try not to overhandle or butcher :)

I have wanted one of those or later models for awhile, but unfortunately I am under a radio restriction decree from the wife and am monitored for any new acquisitions. If I got one it couldn't be out in the open anyway.

« Last Edit: February 19, 2017, 0448 UTC by Davep »
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Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2017, 2218 UTC »
If the DX-150 has a DC power input plug, you could try running it on DC power to see if the problem is just the AC supply built inside the radio.

DX-150's and 160's are very light on battery usage... if that happened to be the problem, and the radio works on batteries, you could always use it on battery power and delay fixing the radio.

But as you mentioned you already have help with the radio, perhaps it's a non-issue by now....
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline flexoman61

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Re: Realistic DX-150 service manual
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2017, 2226 UTC »
Have power, no audio. I bought a cap kit, gonna start there.
Thanks
Please QSL to: flexoman61@gmail.com
Connecticut
ICOM R75, Kenwood R-2000, Radio Shack PRO-2037
43m band folded dipole/VHF ground plane