Batboard

Anybody want to take a stab at fixing this monitor? Unpacked it and ran the basic self test, all passed. Ran the advanced tests with the results listed below. Any ideas or info appreciated. Don't know much about this monitor as I don't have manuals for it yet. Bought as a fully working monitor and the seller told me it passed all tests. I'm thinkin he only ran the basic test. If I can test 144 to 1000Mhz I'd be happy.. Monitor only has 630 hrs. Feel free to chime in, I'm sure somebody on this forum has some ideas. Thanks, BJ

SELF TESTS FAILED

16 POWER METER

17 ANALYZER LEVEL

18 AM MODULATION

19 SYNTHESIZER RESPONSE

21 FM DEVIATION

22 ANALYZER DISPERSION

23 RECEIVER SELECTIVITY

Well, shooting from the hip (I'm still having my first cup of coffee in the morning at home and haven't yet gone into work), but it sounds like there is a problem with the receiver section, probably the RX first LO. That would cause all the listed symptoms.

See if it can hear a radio at a known frequency, and see if it can generate a signal at a known frequency. That would help debug the problem.

Worst case, the 1900 is still being service, so you could send it in. I'd say that'd be worth it, as then you'd have a 2GHz capable service monitor with quite a lot of capability.

Get me a bit more info and I'll ask the appropriate folks about it.

Yes, you can set a frequency and the monitor will pick it up and display the PL tone also. Sound I hear coming out the speaker is perfect. I can not get it to generate a frequency or tone, no signal generation at all. If you need more info let me know I'll send what I can.

Thanks for the response, BJ

BigJim wrote:Yes, you can set a frequency and the monitor will pick it up and display the PL tone also. Sound I hear coming out the speaker is perfect. I can not get it to generate a frequency or tone, no signal generation at all. If you need more info let me know I'll send what I can.

Thanks for the response, BJ

OK, so it sounds like it is the TX path, not the RX path.

The best advice I can give is to pop the covers off and check the RF cabling on the modules, and make sure none of it is loose.

Failing that, I'd really suggest calling Service.

I'll give that a try.. Could they have possibly come off during shipment?

I have 2 repair estimates and without seeing the unit, 1st estimate +/- 2500.00 2nd estimate 1300 to 2700

BigJim wrote:I'll give that a try.. Could they have possibly come off during shipment?

I'd hope not - the 1900 should be shock and vibe proof to higher levels than that, but it's a starting point for a check.

Pulled the top cover, cleaned and reseated cables and boards.. Same errors.. Then the good news, pulled the bottom cover and found one small cable unplugged. Cleaned and plugged it in.. Now all tests pass except AM MODULATION. It will now generate a signal on the freq I punch in.. Haven't gone much farther yet..

Do I even need the AM Modulation? This unit will never be testing any AM units. Is that function as it sounds, to test or generate AM signals?

Thank you and looking forward to your response!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

BJ

BigJim wrote:Now all tests pass except AM MODULATION.

Probably just a calibration issue then - the signal paths for AM and FM are the same.

BigJim wrote:Is that function as it sounds, to test or generate AM signals?

Yes, so unless you are working on Children's band it shouldn't be much of an issue.

You can check something, though: Set the unit for Duplex, RX in and TX out both T/R port, same frequency. Set the RX to AM. Set a function generator to AM, at about 50% modulation. Look at the MOD meter, and see if it is showing something around 50%. If it is showing something like 40% (i.e. not quite 50% but close) then it is likely just a calibration issue on either the AM generate path or the receive AM calibration.

BigJim wrote: Thank you and looking forward to your response!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
BJ

Glad I could help.

Thank you so very, very much!!!!!!!

Don't plan on working on any CBs but will run the test none the less.. There is a plastic white adjuster on the AM module or whatever it's called and you can see that someone has adjusted it as it is scared from what looks like useing the wrong size tool to adjust.

I'll run it like it is.. No need for the AM portion..

Thanks again, BJ

Forgot to tell you, I did run the AM mod test. Showed in the 28% range and peaked at 32.2% on the meter.

OK, yes, it sounds like some ham-fisted would-be "fixer" tried to adjust it and failed.

You might also look at what the meter shows on an actual broadcast AM station, and see what the peaks are.

WowBagger,

Is there a way to do a reset without loosing the calibration on the 1900? I have lost the "Sp Test" soft function key. Doesn't show up anymore.

Just happened to notice it was missing yesterday when testing a radio.

Thanks, BJ

I'll have to ask the 1600 experts, but yes, I'm sure there is a way to restore the instrument state to default without touching cals.

BigJim wrote:Is there a way to do a reset without loosing[sic] the calibration on the 1900?

Try going into the RECALL screen - there should be a "factory defaults" there.

I'll look, I'm just scared of changing the calibratioon to the factory defaults.

Did the factory default..Changed a bunch of settings but didn't bring the SpTest option back. Don't know if it changed any cals or not, am going to hook another service monitor to it later and see how they compare.. Did that once before and the two were very close to each other on the readings I took.

Made me wonder if after powering on the unit and not testing any cellular for a certain number of times if that portion shuts off. Don't know why that would be but I sure can't bring it up anymore.

BigJim wrote:Did the factory default..Changed a bunch of settings but didn't bring the SpTest option back. Don't know if it changed any cals or not, am going to hook another service monitor to it later and see how they compare.. Did that once before and the two were very close to each other on the readings I took.

Made me wonder if after powering on the unit and not testing any cellular for a certain number of times if that portion shuts off. Don't know why that would be but I sure can't bring it up anymore.

First of all, recalling a setup won't touch calibration. Full stop.

Second of all, the 1600 does not have any ability to expire options - there is no "use it or lose it"

Indeed, that would be foolish way to design things. It is one thing to have time-limited options, but to take an option away just because "you haven't used it in a while" - well, were I to do that, I can pretty much guarantee that after about the third irate service call there would be a highest priority bug report to remove that mis-feature.

Where, exactly, was this "SpTest" button?

Function 5 button, bottom of screen.

BigJim wrote:Function 5 button, bottom of screen.

That doesn't help. Which screen? Also, in many cases the number of softkeys available exceeds the number of buttons, so there will be a "more" button, so I need to know exactly what you are doing to get to the missing button.

Recall the factory default, then turn the unit on. Then, turn it on, and note what buttons you press, and I'll see what I can reproduce.

Also: Do you have a J-Box (the extra box under the instrument)? If so, is it still connected, both power and SCSI cables?

On the first screen when the 1900 starts up.. F5 button should be Sp TsT. F6 should be AUX. All I have on startup is AUX above F6. All other F buttons are blank on startup, as they should be. I realize the "more" button brings other functions to the other buttons but the Sp Tst isn't one of them anymore.

During many screens the Sp Tst should be there and it isn't.. Have a look in the manual there are many pics and references to it.

There are NO external boxes hooked to this machine.

I can't attach a pic here so I can't show you.

Try this: go to the AUX menu, then select "User Program", and see if there are any programs listed there. If so, try loading them.

Sorry, I lost internet service for a while. Really windy here right now..

There are no user programs.

Another thing I just noticed. On the self test menu the No. 24 test is missing. It's the CSA Selftest. GONE

BigJim wrote:Sorry, I lost internet service for a while. Really windy here right now..

There are no user programs.

Another thing I just noticed. On the self test menu the No. 24 test is missing. It's the CSA Selftest. GONE

It sounds like either a) you have somehow lost an option (which I don't know how unless the clock battery is going bad and you are losing your CMOS memory) or b) there USED to be a J-Box on the unit, and some of the code from the J-Box was loaded, and has been wiped.

It's strange to say the least. I'll let you know of any other changes, good or bad..

Thank you for your help!!

BJ

I have it fixed.. The SCSI port must be enabled to communicate with the CSA in the 1900. Things are once again like they should be..

Thanks for your time and help. BJ

/me slaps forehead.

I should have twigged to the fact that this was a 1900, and that the 1900 has the equivalent of a J-Box internally.

Hope you didn't slap it too hard as there's a fair bit of knowledge in there that needs to stay there to help myself and others out!!!

Bought 2 IFR 1900 off ebay one just needed the RTC batteries replaced the other just had a cable unplugged on the bottom and reseat cards to fix my errors