Batboard

I just got a Motorola Spectra and I'm using it as a base unit. Most of the time, the screen will be reading out the home channel. Will it, over time, burn into the screen? - much like the older computer monitors would do if you didnt' have a screen saver.

Thanks for any help.

Spectra's use a VFD tube, and while they don't suffer burn-in like you get on a CRT, they do suffer a similar effect if some segments are used more than others, some letters may be brighter than others if some remain lit constantly and others don't. Not sure if there is any data on this, Futaba is a large maker of VFD's and I could not find anything on their website about burn-in.

alrighty, thanks!

One other thing, I know if I want to keep my scan list settings and other settings (back lighting, vol, etc) the unit itself must have some power always going to it. But how do spectras' go about saving the frequencies so if power is lost to the unit for an extended period of time? Would everything be lost? Is there some type of battery back up inside to keep freqs and text tags stored?

I'm new to the Motorola scene, always had scanners. Commercial gear doesn't even compare! : )

Thanks!

Running the display at the first DIM setting helps the VFD last longer. The dreaded leaking capacitors get into the act too which can cause a dim display, missing segments, and other problems.

As with any vacum tube that has a filiment, even a VFD, can loose conductance and in case of the VFD brightness.

Some later Spectra control heads had a resistor added in the filiment line to help longivity...

Program settings are retained via a device called an EEPROM, which stands
for electronically erasable programmed read only memory. Standby batteries,
like one of my old Icom portables once used, haven't been used in a long
time. Some radios, such as scanners, may still rely on your keeping the
unit connected to power even when it's turned off, so if you're not sure
about the unit it pays to check and see how it works.