rainy day project[via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com]

[mike bryce]

We all seem to have a pile of these lurking in a dark corner. I know I do.
And guess what? It rained yesterday!

Out came a GR-88 VHF receiver.

The problem was two fold. Very weak audio, no squelch action. It did pick up
stations however.

Thinking the squelch circuit was at fault, I had all the correct voltages
except for one. A quick look at the incoming noise from the IF with my scope
showed very little if any noise.

Moving back to the IF sections, I found one transistor with no collector
voltage. After removing the PC board from the case, that's a job by itself,
I flipped over the board for some under side voltage checks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a solder bridge across two traces. A
quick touch of the soldering iron and the problem was fixed.

Now, this radio is nearing 40 years old. I wonder why no one found this
problem. Makes you kinda wonder if the original builder thought that is the
best this thing will and just lived with it? Who knows?

Bottom line?

After all these years, 90 percent of problems can be traced to improper
soldering.

Now, I wonder when it will rain again?

--
Mike Bryce WB8VGE
SunLight Energy Systems
"Electricity at the speed of light"

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