AStatic D104 lolipop

[Se7en]

bought a beat up amplified d104 lolipop.
element is a tin plate... with wires on the back.
it was missing the power wire and a mic wire so i added all that mic worked great for two days now the transmit audio is intermittent static ....audio still works but it sounds like its popping pop corn...... any ideas>? pot has been cleaned no cold joints.
just strange how it just started doing it for no reason:headbang

 

[CroMagnum]

Never buy a used mic from a taxi company.

 

[mackmobile43]

Never buy a used mic from a taxi company.

especially is if the dispatcher dips snuff!

 

[Wire Weasel]

Look at the solder joints again on the replacement element. See if they look good. Might need to gently reheat and reflow the solder.

Possible the feather switch contacts in the neck/stem are dirty and need to be cleaned. You can try contact cleaner spray but the best way is to use an electrical contact cleaning file.

Make sure the battery caps fits on the battery tightly - both sides.

Good luck.

 

[Robb]

The most trouble I've seen with a D104/lollipop is that the switch contacts aren't clean. Don't use anything abrasive to clean them - either! Just use some contact cleaner and a piece of paper between them. That works about 99% of the time. Well; at least the trouble that I'd had with them - anyway . . .

 

[Se7en]

mic was not bought from that taxi off ebay LOL.
lastnight i dismantled it time to rebuild.

im going to clean up the chrome and paint the base black or gold flake black.

the spring gives it that Japanese gong / ping sound when i key up

the element is nothing like i have seen before? it has Asbestos attached to the grill and the element is like a thin sheet of aluminum on the back is two wires red and white. i will be re soldering those wires on the mic to give it a clean look and a new 9 volt plug.
i have a gun bluing kit and a silver or gold plating machine.... might just plate the mic or blu it

 

[Robb]

The parts look pretty nice with a fresh chrome plate. Some guys will re-paint the base with a color of their own liking. Seen some look pretty smashing with a fire red base - IMO. New black felt on the bottom - too. But watch out for the mic element; be real careful with it. There are no replacement elements; just NOS for the Astatic on eBay - if you are sill lucky enough to still find one.

 

[Se7en]

The parts look pretty nice with a fresh chrome plate. Some guys will re-paint the base with a color of their own liking. Seen some look pretty smashing with a fire red base - IMO. New black felt on the bottom - too. But watch out for the mic element; be real careful with it. There are no replacement elements; just NOS for the Astatic on eBay - if you are sill lucky enough to still find one.

i will NOT buy those new elements there crap IMO.

 

[CroMagnum]

the element is nothing like i have seen before? it has Asbestos attached to the grill and the element is like a thin sheet of aluminum on the back is two wires red and white.

It's a common crystal element that's been around for literally about 100 years now. RB Micro has a crystal element replacement kit that works pretty good. Either that or be prepared to pay through the nose for an original MC320 element. If you can find one.

im going to clean up the chrome and paint the base black or gold flake black.

Check out Rustoleum #7213 Silver "Hammered" to match the original Astatic base finish.

 

[Se7en]

still has intermid static on transmit. needs a new cap on the amp section. i rewired the inside of the neck ptt and the base, onvously repainted and cleaned up the chrome. chicken choke has to be re chromed.

 

[tecnicoloco]

Get rid of that crappy preamp in the base of the microphone and build a new one,there is a good preamp design at grinchradio website,just google the site.

The preamp design is based on fet's,(nice fat tube sound)



73 de Tecnicoloco

 

[Se7en]

Get rid of that crappy preamp in the base of the microphone and build a new one,there is a good preamp design at grinchradio website,just google the site.

The preamp design is based on fet's,(nice fat tube sound)



73 de Tecnicoloco

oh thank you! ill check that out asap.


-------> http://sites.google.com/site/grinchradio/cobra-and-johnson-extreme-audio-mods/d104mods

 

[Robb]

Get rid of that crappy preamp in the base of the microphone and build a new one,there is a good preamp design at grinchradio website,just google the site.

The preamp design is based on fet's,(nice fat tube sound)



73 de Tecnicoloco

I gave an old D104 to a local just recently, and he built that same FET preamp for it.
Great tip - IMO . . .

 

[Se7en]

i would like to buy an un-amplified d104 but i cant find any, i also start making that pcb from grinchradios using cad.
5 caps
7 resistors
& 2 fets cant get any easier than that

 

[tecnicoloco]

i would like to buy an un-amplified d104 but i cant find any, i also start making that pcb from grinchradios using cad.
5 caps
7 resistors
& 2 fets cant get any easier than that

Excelent,use 1% metal film resistors,100uF tantalum caps,the 1000uF need to be low esr electrolytic cap(Panasonic,Nichikon,Etc..)for best sound and 10K bourns precision reostat(10 turns)




73 de Tecnicoloco