Modifications for the Kenwood
TS-520

19-07-1998 TS-520, TS-820 CW filter select
control
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service Bulletin no. 812 (14-2-1980)
In the TS-520SE, the Heater Switch has been replaced with a CW WIDE/NARROW
select switch. For those operators who desire this type feture for their
transceiver, the following information may be considered as a
guideline.
TS-520S series transceivers
- A minature SPDT switch may be installed at the operators preference, on
the rear side, or bottom panel. Use this to switch the CW or SSB filters by
wiring the BROWN lead, which normally is transferred to the CW terminal on the
IF unit, between the SSB filter, for WIDE , and CW for NARROW.
- A Traditional solution has been to use the FIX CH switch, position 3 and 4
for filter switching. This may be donw by completely rewireing the switch, or
by leaving the switch wiring and the filter wiring as for normal operation,
and bridging the following terminals:
A. FIX CH C terminal to IF SSB Terminal
B. FIX CH 4 terminal to IF CW terminal
Placing the FIX CH switch to 4 will operate the SSB filter
in CW mode.
TS-820S Series Transceivers
- Similar to the TS-520 series, a miniature SPDT toggle switch may be
installed at the operators preference a the rear or on the obttom cover.
- The FIX CH switch, or Digital Hold switch may be rewired to control the CW
wide/narrow function
On the MODE switch, S6-1, the SSB filter
control is GREEN, and the CW filter control line is GREY. Break the GREY line
and connect it from the MODE switch to the SPDT common terminal. Connect the
GREY line to the IF unit ot one terminal, and bridge tht GREEN SSB line to the
other Switch terminal.

19-07-1998 DG-5 Standard Service
Procedure
(Supplement to the DG-5 Service
Manual)
Introduction
A majority of DG-1 failures are caused by
nothing more than an intermittent opening of a plated-through hole connecting
top and bottom foil paths of the PC board.
Before any component level
service is attempted, it is advisable to eliminate the possibility of an
intermittent connection causing or complicating counter
failure.
Procedure:
- Disconnect all cables.
- Remove cabinet: 2 screws at the rear, 2 screws with star washers on the
bottom.
- Disassemble display from chassis; 4 countersunk screws on the side rals.
- The display unit has 2 through holes without leads, and the Counter main
board has 82 through holes without leads passing through them. Ideal service
would be to first remove all solder from these holdes using vacuum desoldering
devices, or WIK-IT braid. Then, pass a length of #24 tinned bare wire into
each clean through hole, solder, and clip flush. For 10 holes listed under
IC's solder sparingly so as not to create a solder bridge under the component.
For the remaining 72 holes, inspect each "pinned" connection from both sides
to ensure (1) no bridge and (2) a good solder joint.
- Wash the display to counter Board PC board connectors (male and female)
with FRESH trichlorethelyne. Heat dry and inspect for flux residue. Spray the
connectorrs with silicone.
- Similarly, clean and coat the rear panel RCA jacks as in step 5.
- Reassemble, reversing steps 3,2,1.
How to solder on the DG-5 pc
board.
- Use a low power pencil iron of 35 watts or less.
- Use rosin core solder, small diameter.
- Do Not create solder bridges or splotches.
- Do Not overheat or otherwise lift the foil from the board.
- Wash excess flux away with FRESH trichlor, and a small flux brush.
Neatness counts - it's your radio.
Through Hole
Accounting
Display unit - 2
Counter unit -82
Total
-84
Locations:
A. Under; IC2,4,13,20-25,34, 1 each
Total 10
B. Adjacent or between; IC3,13-14,15-16,22-23 1 1 each
IC1-2,6,18 2 each
IC12 3 each
Total 13
C. Located between rows: IC13-18,20-25 - 5
20-25, 26-31 - 10
IC26-31, 32-37 - 15
IC32-37, 38-39 - 25
Total 55
D. At rear panel: FS7805 regulator - 1
2SD235 transistor- 3
Total 4
E. Display unit - 2
Additional Ponts
- R126 &129 are power resistors located at the left rear corner of the
PCB. Remove the tubing from their outside legs and resolder each lead to the
top foil path. Specific symptom for this failure is no display, and no
decimals.
- For counters which roll, random count, or inject hash noise back into the
TS-520/520S especially when hot, install an additional .1uF @ 12v bypass cap
across the FS7805 regulator on the foil side of the PCB from the center ground
lead to the outside leg, across C89.
- For complaints of hum or digital noise from the DG-5 back into the TS-
520/s both during RX and TX, tighten the mounting screws which supply ground
to the Carrier unit X50-0009-01 in the transceiver.
Please annotate
your service manual.

19-07-1998 Service notes on
TS-520
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service bulletin no. 21 (21-10-1977)
Transmitter
- No switching of final relay: Bad Q8 on X54-0001-00 2SA562Y.
- No drive: C3 100pf in final box is cold soldered.
- Low output: Check the plate load cap for touching plates.
- 3.5 MHz low output: Replace burned 47pf 3KV at load wafer.
- No TX: Final choke burned out in final VOX L8.
- No RX or TX: Bad common amp. Q1 3SK35GR in IF unit X48-1060-00.
- No ACC: No plate current Q2 3SK41 If unit X48-1060-00.
- No TX relay: Q8 2SA562Y on VOX unit. Also R18 1K resistor relay control.
- No TX or RX: Check 9 volt terminal on FIX AVR (X43-1100-00) is loose.
- No CW TX: Bad 9 volt regulator. Check D3 WZ061 on X43-1100-00.
- No TX: Solder touch between TIF and key terminal on X44-1080-00.
- No drive to TX: Check RL1 on GEN unit, small reed relay (X52-0010- 01).
- No ALC meter action on 10 meters: This is normal for TS-520.
- CW chirp: Q4 2SA606L on Fix channel AVR X43-1100-00.
- ALC meter to maximum when TX: RFI terminal at X44-1080-00 is not soldered.
- No TX output: 82pf 3KV in final is burned.
- No TX output: Q3 on RF unit 3SK41 X44-1080-00.
- No bias: 10 ohm cathode resistors burned in final VOX.
- No drive or TX output: R70-71 RF unit, R5 Rectifier unit.
- No VOX: Q8 in VOX unit X54-0001-00.
- No TX: 12BY7 is bad. Shorts and burns out. R71 and 70.
- No carrier output: Q1 on Carrier X50-0009-01.
- No drive - no screen voltage: R5 470 ohm open on rectifier X43-1090- 00.
- No drive - no ALC: Q2 3SK35Y IF unit. Q3 3SK41L RF unit.
- No RF output: C13 0.04uf at pin 1 of S2001A is bad.
- Low mic gain: Q1 2SC1000 on Gen unit.
- No TX: Misconnection of brown wire after installation of CW filter.
Receiver
- Low Sensitivity: Touching RLT and 9V at function switch.
- Receiver sensitivity: No -6v at AVR: Q8 2SC735 on X43-1100-00 is bad.
- Frequency Shift: Bad carreir Xtal 3395 on carrier unit.
- VFO drift: C6 22pf, VFO unit.
- No receive: Bad Q4, 3rd IF amp 3SK35GR on X48-1060-00.
- Receiver sensitivity and bias current jump, -6v unstable: T1 oscillator
transformer for -6v is bad on X43-1100-00.
- Erratic AGC action: C11 100uf 16Von X431100-00. Fix channel AVR is bad.
- Frequency shift when warmed up: Q1 in VFO 3SK22GR.
- No RX or TX: If unit C59 touch to T12 IF transformer.
- Receiver noise: Q5 3SK35Y X44-1080-00.
- Receiver sensitivity down: NBI terminal is pulled loose. Receiver at IF
board.
- No S meter reading and RF gain CCW. No meter deflection: Q3 on IF unit. Q5
on RF unit.
- VFO frequency jumped: There is loose tension inside VFO.
- VFO frequency shift: Cold solder of VFO output lead to VFO output socket.
- Blows fuse when first on: Check Q1 and Q2 DC-DC converter transistor. One
is possibly shorted.
- Noise blanker inoperative: R6 4.7K resistor is broken at Q2 on X54-
1080-10.
- Loud audio squeal: Q4 3SB473 on X49-0008-01 shorted.
- Low receiver sensitivity: Diode D4 1S1587 on RF unit.
- VFO intermittant: Wire to L1 in VFO is not soldered.
- No receive: Q4 3SK35Y, Q5 3SK35GR on RF unit.
- No receive: Q9 3SK35GR on IF unit.
- Hash noise in receiver: Q3 on RF unit 3SK41.
- Blows fuse: C31 power supply is shorted, 100uf 500v. Also check associated
diode D3, D4.
- No RX on all bands: WWV switch is broken or a wire is loose or not
soldered.
- Receiver sensitivity: Q5 on RF amp 3SK35Y.
- Receiver sensitivity: NBO terminal on X48-1060-00 is loose.
- Low audio: Check for purple wire touch to ground at 12 pin connector in
rear panel.

19-07-1998 TS-520S -6v Supply
Failure
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service bulletin no. 43 (9-8-1979)
When troubleshooting a TS-520S, check all power supply voltages, including
the -6v DC supply. Symptoms such as dead, blown 2A DC fuse and now dead, low RX,
no TX, or similar may occur after switching between 80 and 40M.
Cause of failure may be traced to an intermittent shorting between the 14v dc
and -6 dc supplies as the band switch is rotated between 40 and 80 meters. This
will weaken or destroy D8, a 6v zener on the FIX CH AVR unit.
To prevent
repeat failures, break the White lead and install a 22 K ohm 1/2 watt resistor
at the bandswitch S5-6, between the -6v supply line and switch terminal. An of
course replace D8 on the FIX CH AVR unit, X43-1100-00.
New Part: 22 k ohm 1/2 W carbon resistor
Please notate your Service Manual.


19-07-1998 TS-520/520S CW Frequency
Shift
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service bulletin no. 46 (6-8-1979)
Reports of intermittent frequency shift during CW operation, on the order of
a few hundred cycles, may be traced directly to the Carrier Unit.
On the Carrier unit X50-0009-01, install a ground lead of #18 tinned wire or
similar, between the cases of T1 transformer and X3, the LSB XTAL.
Recheck
frequencies after installing this ground lead.
Please notate your service manual.

19-07-1998 TS-520 Increased sensitivity,
Better audio and Amplitude Modulation
1. Increased
sensitivity.
On the RF board, Q5 is the RF RX amp. Notice that G2 is tied
to the AGC line.
Bend G2 up from the socket, solder a 10k resistor to it and
connect the other end of the resistor to the 9v line on the front of the board.
This will allow the FET to run wide open, and you will have a better S/N ratio.
You will gain about two S units in signal and you may want to adjust your S
meter to compensate. I did this mod almost a year ago and have had no problems
even with signals that were 40db over!
2. Better audio.
A few
capacitors should be changed to accept a wider audio bandwidth.
These will
only increase the BASS response and not the treble as it is limited by the IF
filter. Change the following on the generator board;
C3 (1µF) to
10µF
C4 (4.7µF) to 47µF
C5 (1µF) to 4.7µF
C8 (.047µF) to 4.7µF
C9
(1µF) to 10µF
C11 (4.7µF) to 47µF
C10 (10µF) to 22µF
This will make
the Tx audio flat. Make sure that the Local Oscilator is adjusted correctly or
else you will have the bass attenuated by the IF SSB filter.
I also
changed the caps on the AF board.
C14 (.47µF) to 4.7µF
C13 (.047µF) to
.47µF
C1 (1µF) to 4.7µF
You will also want to use a good speaker. I
have an old speaker box that got gutted.
I put in a 6x9 coaxial car speaker
and it sounds great! Since the audio is limited to 4Khz anyway, don't go bonkers
with tweeters. You may want to play with a few caps inside the speaker to roll
off some of the very highs which will only be transistor noise
anyway.
Along with changing the caps for flat audio, I installed two
jacks for audio on the back of the 520. These are RCA female jacks that are used
to connect to an equalizer.
Unwrap the wire on the generator board marked MA
O. This is the output of the Microphone Amplifier. Connect some microphone coax
from this terminal to your RCA socket on the back of the rig marked output.
Remember to ground both ends of the cable so you won't have hum/RF problems. Now
connect the other RCA socket via mic cable to the wire that you unwrapped from
the MA O post.
Make up a jumper cable for those times you don't want to use
the EQ.
I recommend an old Radio Shack 5 band EQ. I have no RF problems at
all and I run 500w PEP with the amplifier sitting next to the Kenwood. Stay
awayf from EQ's that use all IC's. I find regular transistors are better for
handling RF.
3. Amplitude Modulation
This radio can talk AM in a
pinch. You will be limited to SSB reception though. That's OK if you don't mind
playing with the RIT to get rid of the beat tones.
I decided it was degrading
the specs when I put in a regular AM detector so I pulled it out. Here is how
you make it talk.
Get a DPDT relay (12v) and connect it inline with the fixed
channel selector switch, so that when you select crystal 4 the relay
energizes.
Now lets take the relay in two sections. The first is connecting
the ouptut of the mic amp into a matching transformer via this relay. You want
it connected so that the MA O is on the wiper and the relay NC1 is connected to
the Balanced Modulator. Connect the other relay terminal NO1 to the low
impedance side of the transformer. Connect the other lead of this winding to
ground. So when you select fix channel 4, the relay energizes, and disconnects
the mic from the balanced modulator and connectes it through the transformer to
ground.
Ok now the second part of the AM mod.
Take the HIGH impedance
winding of the transformer and connect one leg to ground. Take the other leg and
connect it to a 47uF cap.(neg lead) Connect the positive side of the cap to an
820 ohm resistor.
Connect the resistor to the 9v terminal (on the RF board or
most any other board) Connect the junction of the resistor/capacitor to the NO2
terminal of the relay.
Connect the wiper of the relay to S on Q3 on the RF
board. I found R17 to have its exposed wire connected to S on Q3. Simply scratch
the paint away on R17 and solder to the resistor.
Since this design
modulates after the IF, you will have full fidelity and bandwidth of your audio.
If you use an EQ, don't be excessive with the highs or you will have enemys from
the splash you create. Also, there is no limiter here. If you have access to
one, install it in the EQ loop.
Have fun on 80M!!
73's
For
more info or if you have questions;
Greg Weremey - Electronic Service Pros.
www.angelfire.com/ma/electroservepro
Be sure to check
out the D-104 modification page and listen to the audio
demonstration!

05-04-1999 Kenwood TS-520S for
QRP
The TS-520S can be operated QRP down to a few milliwatts with
simple modification. Apply negative voltage on the ALC pin of the ancillary
socket.
Modification consists of a 220K Ohm pot and a 9V battery.
Positive terminal of battery to ground (Pin 4)
Negative terminal of
battery in series with 220K pot to ALC pin on socket.(Pin 6)

Maximum of 34 microamps drawn so battery should last a long
time.
Bob Wilder, W4RHW

05-06-1999 TS-520S MARS Mod for
4.0-4.6MHz
Author: Jim -
WB4WBL
After trying for several months, I have finally come
across a modification for the Kenwood TS-520S that will allow this rig to be
operated in the 4.0 to 4.6 MHz range in MARS operation. The modification came
originally from Jim, WB4WBL (AF MARS AFA2FN) in Tampa, Florida.

The modification consists of moving the 12.395 MHz
crystal from the Band Switch to a small DPDT toggle switch mounted on the bottom
of the case. An additional 12.895 MHz crystal is added to the switch for the new
range needed.
This new crystal can be obtained from International Crystal
Manufacturing Company. The crystal is 20pf, wire lead type.
A short piece
of RG-174 coax is used to connect the new switch with its attached crystals back
to the Band Switch position from which the 12.395 MHz crystal was moved
from.
Once the crystals are in place, the 3.5 MHz coils are retuned to a
new center frequency of 4.100 MHz. The normal tuning of all the 3.5 MHz band
coils are tuned to 3.750 MHz.
The new switch is mounted between the front
of the radio and the hetrodyne oscillator board.
Jim says that he still
has a TS-520 with the mod in it and it still works great after almost 20 years.
He has modified several 520's over the years they all worked great.
73
Bob Wilder, W4RHW
USAF MARS AFA2HD

12-02-2000 TS-520 Novice Operation (75
watts)
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service bulletin no. 2 (10-01-1975)
HV UNIT (X43-1100-00)

- Cut wire (See figure 1) .... red color.
- Insert 33kohm resistor in series between red wire and pin 210.
- readjust bias current to 60mA.

Figure 1 (Bottom side)


12-02-2000 AM Broadcarst interferenc in
TS-520
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service bulletin no. 4 (June 3 1975)
We have found a few instances of customers who live near an AM broadcast
station hearing that station on the 3.5 MHz band of theire TS-520. Shown below
is a filter that may be installed if this occurs.
 |
Freq. |
L1 |
C1 |
1300 KHz |
22uH |
680pF |
1000 KHz |
200uH |
220pF |
700 KHz |
100uH |
470pF | |
A Suggested located for the filter is on a small terminal strip that is then
mounted on a mounting screw of the RF unit. This screw is located at the front
corner next to the VFO. The cable between S-9 (WWV switch) and terminal NAT of
the RF unit is removed from terminal NAT and connected to one side of the
filter. A short piece of RG-174/U is then connected from the other side of the
filter to the terminal NAT. This hould prevent the AM broadcast interference.

20-02-2000
TS-520/520S BS-5 Sweep interference
Author: Trio-Kenwood Communication,
inc.
Service Bulletin no. 52 (10-8-1979)
BS-5 users may report ignition-like interference on 80 & 40 M from their
SM-220 with BS-5. Noise will be heard between 3850-3870 KHz, and 7245-7260 KHz
any time the scope is on.
The sweep signal mixes with the IF (carrier) frequency. This derived signal,
or its second harmonic will usually be less than an S1 signal, unless the coax
ground to the scope is opened, in which case S9 may be indicated.
On the SM-220 PCB X65-1240-00, change the BS-5 +11V DC supply point:
- Cut the foil path between connector P110 pin 6 and Connector P103 pin 2.
- Install a 1S1555 diode between Connector P110 pin 6 and Connector P103 pin
1.
New Part: 1S1555 V11-0076-05
Please notate your Service Manual: SM220, TS-520 &
TS-520S

18-03-2000 Adding IF output to the TS-520
and TS-520S tranceivers for use with th SM-220
Author: Trio-Kenwood Communication,
inc.
Service Bulletin no. 63 (16-8-1978)
The TS-520 and TS-520S transceivers do not provide an IF output signal. It is
necessary to have this if you want to look at a specific received signal on the
SM-220 station monitor. The best place to pick up this signal is at the tuned
output of Q4 on the IF unit (X48-1060-00).
A 22 pF capacitor should be used
for coupling and a 10 Kohm resistor for impedance matching. This is shown in the
schematic below. The center conductor of a 39 cm (14") length of 50 ohm
(RG-174/U or similar) cable is connected to the pick-up at one end and to pin 7
of the REMOTE socket and the ground path of the IF Unit. A 75 cm (30") 50 ohm
cable should be made up with one end connected to pins 7 and 1 of the 8 pin plug
supplied with the transceiver and BNC connector on the other end. The BNC
connector will be plugged into the vertical input jack on the front of the
SM-220.


02-04-2000 DS-2 Replaces DS-1A DC-DC
Converter
Author: Trio-Kenwood
Communication, inc.
Service Bulletin no. 842 (26-1-1981)
The DS-1A DC-DC converter for the TS-820 series and TS-520/S has been
replaced by a new model, the DS-2. Wiring color code is the same. Physical size
is smaller. Two additional mounting holes must be drilled in the transceiver
rear panel.

