Where to start? SABER I
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 11:11 am
Hello everyone. I’ve found a few useful posts on here regarding the SABER series of radios. Now that I have a functional battery for mine I’ve begun the slow process of troubleshooting it.
I purchased the radio almost a decade ago at a surplus store for about $20. It came with the radio, a battery, and a shoulder mic that’s seen better days. After buying a charger I discovered the battery was totally dead. Since I put off getting my HAM license it’s sat around until now.
Now that I’ve been using radios for the past year I’ve been interested in trying to get this thing running if it will. I recently ordered a replacement battery and have found that the radio will actually power on. However, the radio emits a constant tone regardless of channel. When the volume is turned all the way up it will stop and sound like it’s transmitting. Turning it down slightly will cause the transmit LED to turn on. I had another HT running when I did this and it caused that HT to stop picking up the repeater I was listening to, so I’m sure it’s transmitting, albeit transmitting garbage.
I ground down a $1 flat head so I could remove the radio from its case. It looks to be in decent condition though it looked to have a little bit of corrosion near the battery contacts. I’ve cleaned the PCBs with alcohol and some contact cleaner and it looks decent enough. I don’t see anything like broken circuits or components.
From what I’ve read, I’m assuming the constant tone is due to the channel programming being incorrect or sone other programming issue. That’s fine since I’m obviously going to reprogram it when I acquire everything needed to do so. Can anyone confirm that that is the issue or point out what else it may be?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I’ll attach the photos I have below.
I purchased the radio almost a decade ago at a surplus store for about $20. It came with the radio, a battery, and a shoulder mic that’s seen better days. After buying a charger I discovered the battery was totally dead. Since I put off getting my HAM license it’s sat around until now.
Now that I’ve been using radios for the past year I’ve been interested in trying to get this thing running if it will. I recently ordered a replacement battery and have found that the radio will actually power on. However, the radio emits a constant tone regardless of channel. When the volume is turned all the way up it will stop and sound like it’s transmitting. Turning it down slightly will cause the transmit LED to turn on. I had another HT running when I did this and it caused that HT to stop picking up the repeater I was listening to, so I’m sure it’s transmitting, albeit transmitting garbage.
I ground down a $1 flat head so I could remove the radio from its case. It looks to be in decent condition though it looked to have a little bit of corrosion near the battery contacts. I’ve cleaned the PCBs with alcohol and some contact cleaner and it looks decent enough. I don’t see anything like broken circuits or components.
From what I’ve read, I’m assuming the constant tone is due to the channel programming being incorrect or sone other programming issue. That’s fine since I’m obviously going to reprogram it when I acquire everything needed to do so. Can anyone confirm that that is the issue or point out what else it may be?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I’ll attach the photos I have below.