Speaker pop in Astro Spectra?

[kk6rq]

Anybody experienced the same speaker pop in Astro Spectras that we've suffered through
with analog Spectras due to leaky caps? Just wondering if I should replace the caps on the
command board on one I have that pops. The only thing that concerns me is the fact the
vocon cage may not leave enough room to install discreet electrolytics like you can on an
analog Spectra command board.

[Josh]

Anybody experienced the same speaker pop in Astro Spectras that we've suffered through
with analog Spectras due to leaky caps? Just wondering if I should replace the caps on the
command board on one I have that pops. The only thing that concerns me is the fact the
vocon cage may not leave enough room to install discreet electrolytics like you can on an
analog Spectra command board.

I have some radios that do this, they have 1996 boards in them. I would bet that it's a cap issue to some extent but I haven't had any further or worse symptoms with my radios to warrant any repair.

It may also be a VOCON issue, as some of my radios have Astro Spectra PLUS vocons in them, and don't give me any popping problems. A newer vocon from 2005 for a reg. astro spectra worked with limited popping sounds as well.

My 1-Meg 1996 VOCONs, even with the newest firmware still exhibited popping.

[kk6rq]

A friend got me offline--yes its the exact same thing, just less room to install
the replacement caps. Also, its not on the vocon, its the command board under the vocon and it's cage.

[Josh]

A friend got me offline--yes its the exact same thing, just less room to install
the replacement caps. Also, its not on the vocon, its the command board under the vocon and it's cage.

I think that different revisions of the vocon (I think they've gone through about 10) affect how the radio will unmute the speaker aka pop. A 1996 radio I have with a 1996 Vocon gives me speaker pops. I put a 2005 vocon in it and it stopped.

Same thing when I put an Astro Spectra PLUS Vocon in my radio.

However, A 2005 Astro Spectra I have doesn't have a speaker pop with any different VOCON in it. It's either a board revision thing or a cap thing. I'm not sure which. If you can get to it to make the component swaps, go for it. One solution I had on a desktop control station was to change the speaker impedance, it's been two years for one of my units and haven't had an audio amp go out yet.