142 GTL Good AM Carrier Weak Modulation????

Deadkey is slang it is CW or Carrier wave which is RF power produced before modulation/audio is mixed in which stimulates PEP wattage slang being SWING WATTS. A Watt Meter is used to measure it which is often a combination device Wattage/SWR/Modulation meter.

Am power VR6
ssb power VR7
Modulation cut r-104

How many watts does it do? If it swings say: 1.5 watts up to 4 watts, someone has installed a swing kit which has a very small carrier. In AM, carrier is not important, its modulation and swing that makes it loud. If its low Audio modulation then it may be that final has went bad too.

hELLO THERE
hERE IS SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR THIS RADIO
Galaxy Mods DX 2527 - VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 7....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 8....RF Meter, VR11...Driver Bias, VR12...SSB ALC, VR13...Hi Power, VR14...AMC, VR15...AM Low Power, VR16...SSB Low Power, VC 1....10.240, VC 2....10.240. DX 2517- VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 5....FM Deviation, VR 6....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 7....TX Offset, VR 8....CW Beep Level, VR 9....RF Meter, VR10...Final Bias, VR11...Final Bias, VR12...Driver Bias, VR13...SSB ALC, VR14...AM/FM High Power, VR15...AM Modulation Meter, VR16...AM Modulation, VR17...SSB Power, VR18...AM/FM Low Power, VR601..13.8 Volt Power Supply. DX 22B- VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 7....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 8....RF Meter, VR11...Driver Bias, VR12...SSB ALC, VR13...High Power, VR14...AMC, VR15...AM Low Power, VR16...SSB Low Power, VR21...TX Offset, VC 1....10.240, VC 2....10.240. DX 11B- VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB/CW S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 5.....FM Deviation, VR 7....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 8....RF Meter, VR10...Final Bias, VR11...Driver Bias, VR12...SSB ALC, VR13...AM/FM High Power, VR14...AM Modulation, VR16...CW Tone Level, VR20...Final Bias, VR21...TX Offset, VR601..13.8 Volt Power Supply, VR803..AM/FM Low Power. DX 77HML, DX 88HL, and DX 99V- VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 5.....FM Deviation, VR 7....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 8....RF Meter, VR10...Final Bias, VR11...Driver Bias, VR12...SSB ALC, VR13...AM/FM High Power, VR14...AM Modulation, VR16...AM/FM Low Power, VR20...Final Bias, VR21...TX Offset.
Unmarked VR in R189..AM/FM Medium Power for DX 77HML only. DX 33HML, DX 44V, DX 55V, DX 66V, and DX 73V- VR 1....AM/FM S-Meter, VR 4....AM/FM Squelch Range, VR 5.....FM Deviation, VR 8....RF Meter, VR12...Low Power AM Modulation, VR13...AM/FM High Power, VR14...High Power AM Modulation, VR16...AM/FM Low Power.
Unmarked VR in R188..AM/FM Medium Power (DX 33HML only)
Unmarked VR in C139..Med Power AM modulation (DX 33HML only) DX 949,DX 959- VR 1....AM S-Meter, VR 2....SSB S-Meter, VR 3....SSB Squelch Range, VR 4....AM Squelch Range, VR 6.....SSB Carrier Balance, VR 7....TX Offset, VR 9....RF Meter, VR10...Final Bias, VR12...Driver Bias, VR13...SSB ALC, VR14...AM High Power, VR15...AM Modulation Meter, VR16...AM Modulation, VR17...SSB Power, VR18...AM Low Power, VC1....10.240. DX 2517 and DX 2527-
Symptom:Buzzing or motorboating sound in either the transmit or receive.
Problem: TR602 is oscillating
Cure: Replace C602 with a .01uF cap {Cap is located in the power supply board}.
RG 66,99,DX2517 Replace Q54 2SB754 60watt 7A with a higher power 2SB817 100 Watt 12A. Derating of this component will cool operation, provide better voltage stability,decrease wobble, allow voltage increase to 14.5 volts comfortably. (replace 10 volt caps in this section of the radio to a minimum of 16 volts before increasing supply voltage to this level)and provide faster swing rise time, Replace Q37 2SA473 to a 2SA1012-0 or ECG153 this will improve the clarity and volume of the modulation and it will also run a lot cooler.

This sounds exactly backwards, you should have a carrier on AM with some forward swing, on SSB (sideband) there should be no carrier & all modulation (forward swing). Could you have the settings mixed up or has somebody put a modulation kit in your radio & messed something up or maybe one of the knobs has been removed & not replaced correctly ? Just a couple of things you might look into.

try adjusting the L36,L38 to the highest reading on the external meter and then adjust VR10 TO 4 watts. If this doesn't cure the problem, you have a weak final transistor. Good Luck

make sure that the rf gain is turned up all the way.Check diodes D-12&D-13.

In the back is where power mods have been added...It sounds like a swing kit 1/2 watt deadkey to 25 watts which is a powerful modulation exceeding 100%. Its a 220uf capacitor in place of a jumper J1 or J(x) J something in some radios. if you replace the jumper and remove the capacitor 220uf or 470uf one.(near finals it will return to around 4 watt dead key) The result of 4 watts is modulation is flat;where if you adjust it to 2 1/4 watt to say 20 watts it will be very loud and modulation is at 100%.

tintlady, here is the info you requested;
the AM limiter is R 276

These are the variable adjustments inside,and what they control.
VR-1 AM S-METER
VR-2 SSB S-METER
VR-3 SSB SQUELCH RANGE
VR-4 AM SQUELCH RANGE
VR-6 SSB CARRIER BALANCE
VR-7 TX OFFSET
VR-9 RF METER
VR-10 FINAL BIAS
VR-12 DRIVER BIAS
VR-13 SSB ALC
VR-14 AM HIGH POWER
VR-15 AM MODULATION METER
VR-16 AM MODULATION
VR-17 SSB POWER
VR-18 AM LOW POWER
VC1-10.240 MHz Frequency adjustment

Hope this helps you out, let me know,,Mechanic

what cb is it ? it sounds like your am section is not getting powered up when you switch from ssb to am. If i know the model i may have a diagram of it here and suggest a place to start