Excellent video on how to properly trouble-shoot a faulty radio! There is always a temptation to cut corners and go at it in a rapid, disorganized fashion, but using logic, patience, and a clear schematic is really the best way. Best 73s from VE1FA
Very helpful videos, I am currently in the middle of the brazilian amazon and already repaired 6 radios, 3 Vx-1700 and 3 FT-600, thanks a lot, you helped 6 villages to get access to health services!
Great job, shows how following correct order of troubleshooting and diagnosing can save time over just assuming what the cause of the problem is. As you stated, many would assume a problem in the power amplifier itself.
Nice job explaining the process of troubleshooting step by step. I know many techs that would have skipped over looking into the basics like bad solder joints and connections.
One of the reliable tests of old radio men is to bang the thing on the table while powered up ! Mechanical intermittent faults are a REAL possibility.. which might have revealed itself in that kind of preliminary test. Of course, until it has failed , it nearly impossible to do the rigorous trouble shooting you have seen here to isolate the problem. Always a treat to follow along with this great radio tech. w6wuh
I very much enjoyed watchin the methodical way you went through each stage to find the problem, explaining each step. Very good instructional video.. thank you very much!
You diagnosed the cause of the problem very efficiently. You have my admiration. (By the way, I wish that I could speak German even half as well as you speak English.) Best regards.
Kevin Gray Hi Kevin, yea it looks easy but sometime it is really hard because all the preparatory work to fully understand the schematic in order to troubleshoot it makes the difference. Glad that you like it Thanks.
I really enjoyed this video!! I think the rest of the regular guys here like it too. Thanks for the excellent example of diagnosis, where lucky for the owner it was just another of those pesky cold solder joints we electronic techs find so often. Another big thumbs up, and thanks so much for this terrific educational contribution !!!!!
Satellite_Guy Yeah it was good news for the owning contest station. So much gear to take care on. And always problems with radios after heavy contest operation. I'm glad that you like the video, thanks for your feed back.
thanks for sharing the video, thanks to your explanation I managed to repair my FT920 who complained of the same defect, the pattern will change slightly, but in the end and the essential foundation that counts. Thank you very much 73 de IU8GTA
TRXBench Hi Peter. Another test to do before is to check the current (A). In your case there was no bias on pre-driver, drivers and finals so the current it would has been very low. I know the bias about 10-15% (approximately) for the maximum current (about 20 Ampere for HF radio with 100 watt output power). In your case was a great way to understand that the PA didn't work. Best 73s.
Great video yet another Radio I have only had one problem with my FT 1000 mkV witch was the VRF/'MEM ch switch went tits up but apart from that keep up the videos Now I have you and Mr Carlson Lab I won't get lost or stuck in finding problems Sam
Peter really enjoyed that fault finding video just shows what missing voltage can do, you wonder when these radios are made would they be bench tested maybe 1 in every 1000 is the test and this has been a faulty one? very good peter :)
Hi there again Peter. ("Deduction my dear Watson.") Sherlock would have said ,or something like that .Hi Hi. I laughed reading the comment from Capt. Larry re old radiomen giving the radio a bang to find a intermittent fault. That reminds me of some years ago in our units Tech workshop when a regimental signaler brought in a faulty psu for a C45 radio. He stated that the thing would not switch on. One of our technicians took hold of the offending psu and bounced it onto a thick rubber mat on the ground.(That's why the radio equipment had to be soldier proof). Connected the psu to a radio at hand, plugged it into a test antenna, switched on and hay presto it worked.The signaler left the workshop with his tail between his legs so to speak and was told "Next time give the F--ing thing a kick with the sole of your boot on the front protection bar. That was the typical first i.a. to sort out the usual none working vibratore installed psu's for the "Larkspur" C range of sets. They were changed to transistorised units in the mid 60's. Thank God. Well done on the repair video Peter. Well explained for anyone having to do the same repair to their equipment. Keep up the good work as always. 73 de John - G0WXU.
Very well done and informative. My only complaint is you seem to talk a bit longer than need be and draw out the length of the video unnecessarily, but the final result is a working radio, and of course that is want we all want to see.
Randy Behrmann Thanks for your feed back! You may be right, I'm always trying to do it as easy as possible for beginners. That might be boring for more experienced viewers...Hope it is not to hard to watch. Thanks again!
Love your videos. I've learned a lot. I have a 1000MP (non mark V) with no power out. It goes into transmit mode, but no power out. This has been an intermittent problem over the last few months, but now it's consistent no power out. Following your video I discovered that voltage to the final stage drops from 13.7 down to about 12 when pushing PTT. Any thoughts on what to check next?
Hi TRX Lab I have same defect on my FT-1000MP I saw this video and when I come back from my Holiday I try to investigate because my radio doesn't switch in TX Into the video I noticed that you have used a three way connector: in one of these is connected radio in the second a dummy load an in the third a bnc that is connected to a millivoltmeter and next to a frequency counter. Where I can find this three way connector. what is the exactly model. Thanks in advance for your support. Riccardo (IU2OFF), Milano Italy
Love the video. Super informative. I am having an issue with my FT 920 and was wondering if you could help. Is there a way to contact you? Thanks a lot.
***** Hi, you can contact me over the RU-vid internal message system. When you are on my youtube side go to "channel info" >>>> write message.... that's it..73
Hello, Thanks for this famous video which teach me a lot of things. Howevere I have a question, what can be the reason on this rig if the rf power decrease when I increase the frequency. Thanks in advance if somebody can help. F4IUC
+Mr Carlson's Lab +TRXBench Why do you guys think radios at $1K+ level don't incorporate feedback circuits for automatic failure analysis (e.g. autos and many other current electronics)? I'm a believer that with processors the rig should be doing the work to tell you right away what's wrong.
