Batboard

I was just sitting here cloning a batch of XTL's, when all of a sudden I found one out of the box with a rattle! Mystified, I carefully opened the case, and found a head screw inside one of the cavities under the PCB! I removed the foreign object and the radio tested fine. Just a little warning for anyone working on some new gear.

Just curious, has anyone else seen issues like this from the factory?

~WEC

You're lucky!
I have a GM950 with blown logic. It performed OK for some years, until the day I was told to mount it upside-down in another place, more convenient.
I found lots of small solder beads under the PCB. And note that this was made in Ireland; what should I expect from the Chinese factory? a whole solder bar?

Paul sv2us

Maybe it was Made In Taiwan. I have never seen the inside of an XTL, but is it possible that it is a screw used to hold a board to the chassis somewhere for a common ground?

XTL products are made here in the good old US of A
We shouldn't be suprised at all of the poor workmanship.

Once upon a time we were buying American for the extra quality & reliability.
It's hard to hear that this came to an end...


Paul sv2us


ΘΕΛΩ ΚΕΡΑΣΜΑ!

but is it possible that it is a screw used to hold a board to the chassis somewhere for a common ground?

I wish that were the case, but on the inside there are NO screws. it is all compression fit. Of all the screws that could have been found in there, this one measured 1 3/8 inches long, and was found in a compartment near the front. How could hey miss a rattle like that? If I can, I will take a picture of where it was found. then you would see that there is no way it could have gotten in there without someome thinking "hope nobody notices"

Well, I was going to ask if it was used to hold down the internal speaker. But at 1 3/8 inches long, I guess not. Well, look at it this way...you have a spare part. Kind of like when someone is too hard headed to take their car into the shop to get their brakes changed so they do it themselves. Then wind up with some "spare parts". Ahh, it's ok I didn't need those caliper screws or shoe springs...they were extras! If you have looked over the radio and you feel that it did not fall out of place anywhere inside it, then don't worry about it. Of course if it makes you feel more comfortable, you could always throw the screw back in there and send it to "Mexico".

My two bits worth:
A few years ago, 30 actually, I was installing a Mocom 70 into a Police car in Lihue Kauai.
I noticed a rattle in the front of the radio.
I took it apart, the front panel was glued in place, when I got it open I found two large pebbles, with Grey over spray on them.
They were there when it left the factory.

Not Motorola, but have you ever heard the story of a brand new Chevy going back to the dealer a dozen times for a rattle in the front end? Well finally the area service rep has the mechanic remove the front fender. Lo and behold a nice Coke can with the message, YOU FINALLY FOUND IT!

I have heard of that one. My old supervisor loved that story. That reminds me of the R1225 manual that had an interesting entry in the troubleshooting guide for strange sounds coming from your repeater in the closet. Cause 1- volume was turned up. Cause 2- Ghosts/Spirits. The resolution was simple... Exorcism!

~WEC

Wile E. Coyote wrote:I have heard of that one. My old supervisor loved that story. That reminds me of the R1225 manual that had an interesting entry in the troubleshooting guide for strange sounds coming from your repeater in the closet. Cause 1- volume was turned up. Cause 2- Ghosts/Spirits. The resolution was simple... Exorcism!

~WEC

Seriously? I demand a scan of the manual be posted!

I don't normally cave on demands, but I think you won't believe it until you see it. You can cross the manual number at the bottom if you like.

Well I'll be damned. I think I actually have this manual around here somewhere...

Thanks for posting, Wile!

I haven't got one of those radios, but I want that manual anyway!

It's off to the local dealer for me on Monday. (If that version of the manual is still orderable, that is.)