spectra rf board replacement

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williamh
Posts: 418
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2001 4:00 pm

spectra rf board replacement

Post by williamh »

the subject says it all :cry:

it looks like my rf board is bad ... caps leaking and some of the foil traces are bad/damaged

i have a second spectra that is the same band split .. vhf .. the question i have is there anything special that need to be done .???

the donor radio is a vhf motorcycle model , zones enabled , non secure .

the target radio is a 50w , no zones . secure enabled .

i dont have a service manual .. will it need to be re-tuned or anything bad like that ???? :cry: :cry:

thanks ...
Rule #35
"That which does not kill you,
has made a huge tactical error"
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phrawg
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Post by phrawg »

NO Rf board should go right in as long as it is the right range etc. Phrawg
BBbzzzzz... ZAP.. GULP !!! ahhhh GOOD fly !
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Woody_99
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another amazing spectracle to behold...

Post by Woody_99 »

Just swapped an RF board between 2 VHF spectras with same model number, and got a zillion error codes and no tx/rx, etc...?

I have two HHCH spectras, one has spotty rx, the other has software failures galore and now fail 01/90 on top of what was already there.

ANYWAY.... the RF board responds to pressure at a certain point, but I can't find the bad trace/cold joint or whatever.
RX injection at any level is in/out depending on how many slaps on top of the radio. BUT, if I open the radio and put pressure on the RF board, problem disappears completely. I've had the board out and can't find a thing. Then I replaced it with the board from the software failure radio and it wouldn't tx/rx and 10 more error codes, so I had to put it back.

Trying to go through the RF replacement sequence in the service menu didn't help as when I f6 to tx, the screen says tx, but nothing on the monitor! When killing the f6 tx, I do hear an expected faint click in the radio speaker so it's doing something, just not sure what.

I'm not a tech so no advice is too basic.

What a headache... any ideas/help/advice?

thanks!
•·•·•

Woody

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VE3TUH
Posts: 301
Joined: Fri May 24, 2002 3:14 pm
What radios do you own?: more than I should...

RF board

Post by VE3TUH »

To reply to both of you, the RF board should be able to be swapped between radios, without error codes. However, the radio should be retuned afterwards. Also to both posts, my standard procedure with Spectra's is just to replace the electrolytics, on spec. It could eliminate some intermittent problems before they start, and I hate the thought of the leaking caps rotting the pc board underneath. For both of you guys, I would replace those caps and then troubleshoot. If you cant do a good job of it, send the boards out to someone who can.
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Woody_99
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Will... you fix my radio!

Post by Woody_99 »

Well, that is an option.... where the heck is Will???
:D

Another question is.... so if I did the RF swap and got nothing but more trouble, how about if I put the "good" logic board into the fail 01/90 radio?
Same solution but different approach. Will that work?

thanks!
•·•·•

Woody

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VE3TUH
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What radios do you own?: more than I should...

Re: Will... you fix my radio!

Post by VE3TUH »

Woody_99 wrote:Well, that is an option.... where the heck is Will???
:D

Another question is.... so if I did the RF swap and got nothing but more trouble, how about if I put the "good" logic board into the fail 01/90 radio?
Same solution but different approach. Will that work?

thanks!
Depends on what is causing the serial bus failure, I would have already tried it, though. The only time that I have ever seen that error code was when somebody forgot to install the connecting pins between the command board and the rf board, I think. I troubleshot that radio remotely, never did see it.
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Woody_99
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ewwwwps

Post by Woody_99 »

There were 3-4 error codes already and the codeplug got corrupted late at night when some really annoyed fool hooked his foot in the power cable under the table. Fortunately, it was the corrupt radio anyway.... :oops:
It's the first post codes I need deciphered.
thanks!
•·•·•

Woody

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Will
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Post by Will »

Hey Woody, time for the radios to make a trip to the west coast!

I'll be glad to see what I can do.

Check your PM.
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Woody_99
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1pm4u, c...

Post by Woody_99 »

PM SENT! Thanks!!
•·•·•

Woody

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