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GE 3-5810A
- Thread starter Staybolt
- Start date
Put the radio in PA mode, and hook up an external speaker. do you get any audio when you try talking in the mic?
Did you try keying another radio nearby on the same channel to see if you get a meter deflection?
If there was no audio when you put in PA mode and tried keying up and connected a speaker to the PA jack, then the audio chip might be history. There was ones that just up and failed, and the capacitor that is right behind it sometimes shorts out and makes it seem likes its dead too... If you really want to get it working and are handy with desoldering/soldering, then you may be able to at least resurrect the radio.
Of course, I am assuming that radio is a Cybernet chassis... I may be completely wrong though...
A picture inside would tell.
First flaw I would look for is 40-plus years of old age.
History is everything for something this old. Did it quit during a lightning storm, one day when the antenna forgot to get unplugged? Did someone connect red and black wires in reverse polarity? Did someone open it up and start twisting adjustments randomly?
I would start with the calibrated eyeball. Remove the covers and see if a bright light reveals any signs of excess temperature, smoke or scorching.
Not so different from "my car won't start". It's just one symptom, but with more than one possible root cause. Did the teenage motorhead from down the street open the hood to "improve" something?
Forgot to ask. Does anything light up?
73
Yes it lights up and yes I know it's old and "needs the capacitors replaced
First flaw I would look for is 40-plus years of old age.
History is everything for something this old. Did it quit during a lightning storm, one day when the antenna forgot to get unplugged? Did someone connect red and black wires in reverse polarity? Did someone open it up and start twisting adjustments randomly?
I would start with the calibrated eyeball. Remove the covers and see if a bright light reveals any signs of excess temperature, smoke or scorching.
Not so different from "my car won't start". It's just one symptom, but with more than one possible root cause. Did the teenage motorhead from down the street open the hood to "improve" something?
Forgot to ask. Does anythingYes light up?
73
If there was no audio when you put in PA mode and tried keying up and connected a speaker to the PA jack, then the audio chip might be history. There was ones that just up and failed, and the capacitor that is right behind it sometimes shorts out and makes it seem likes its dead too... If you really want to get it working and are handy with desoldering/soldering, then you may be able to at least resurrect the radio.
Of course, I am assuming that radio is a Cybernet chassis... I may be completely wronng though...  A picture inside would tell.
It's not a cybernet. And of course I'm good on soldering and desoldering. I've been tinkering on radios over 30 years, lol.
First flaw I would look for is 40-plus years of old age.
History is everything for something this old. Did it quit during a lightning storm, one day when the antenna forgot to get unplugged? Did someone connect red and black wires in reverse polarity? Did someone open it up and start twisting adjustments randomly?
I would start with the calibrated eyeball. Remove the covers and see if a bright light reveals any signs of excess temperature, smoke or scorching.
Not so different from "my car won't start". It's just one symptom, but with more than one possible root cause. Did the teenage motorhead from down the street open the hood to "improve" something?
Forgot to ask. Does anythingYes light up?
73
If there was no audio when you put in PA mode and tried keying up and connected a speaker to the PA jack, then the audio chip might be history. There was ones that just up and failed, and the capacitor that is right behind it sometimes shorts out and makes it seem likes its dead too... If you really want to get it working and are handy with desoldering/soldering, then you may be able to at least resurrect the radio.
Of course, I am assuming that radio is a Cybernet chassis... I may be completely wronng though...  A picture inside would tell.
It's not a cybernet. And of course I'm good on soldering and desoldering. I've been tinkering on radios over 30 years, lol.
Just me.... but a "first couple of things" I would check would be:
1- Power. Find and check all the power supply test points just to make sure you aren't fighting something simple that is common to all/many circuits.
2- My SAMS shows this unit uses a PLL02A for the PLL chip. Check pin 6 (LD) with a DMM or scope. If it is low, the PLL is not locked and most of the time nothing will work. Looking at the schematic it looks like this radio only kills "TX" if it is not locked. But, if it is NOT locked... who knows WHERE the VCO is oscillating.... if at all!
And ... if the power supplies good, it might be a good idea to chase the "no PA" problem first.... as it is STRICTLY audio. If that isn't working you won't get any sound at all... which seems to be what you have. You'd just have to check ....
mic jack -> audio amp -> speaker.
You might also want to check the microphone/microphone wiring. The RCV pin grounds the speaker when the speaker is supposed to work. If the mic doesn't ground that pin... the speaker won't emit sound. I realize this won't affect the PA checkout... I am assuming that you had a speaker plugged in the PA jack when you tested that...
These are some "low hanging fruit" that I think would be a great place to start.
Bob
1- Power. Find and check all the power supply test points just to make sure you aren't fighting something simple that is common to all/many circuits.
2- My SAMS shows this unit uses a PLL02A for the PLL chip. Check pin 6 (LD) with a DMM or scope. If it is low, the PLL is not locked and most of the time nothing will work. Looking at the schematic it looks like this radio only kills "TX" if it is not locked. But, if it is NOT locked... who knows WHERE the VCO is oscillating.... if at all!
And ... if the power supplies good, it might be a good idea to chase the "no PA" problem first.... as it is STRICTLY audio. If that isn't working you won't get any sound at all... which seems to be what you have. You'd just have to check ....
mic jack -> audio amp -> speaker.
You might also want to check the microphone/microphone wiring. The RCV pin grounds the speaker when the speaker is supposed to work. If the mic doesn't ground that pin... the speaker won't emit sound. I realize this won't affect the PA checkout... I am assuming that you had a speaker plugged in the PA jack when you tested that...
These are some "low hanging fruit" that I think would be a great place to start.
Bob
Hmm. Sams CB-155 has the "B" version.
Question was about the "A" radio. Totally different design, different vendor, different PLL chip.
Gonna see if I have Sams CB-147 in the basement. Would help.
73
Question was about the "A" radio. Totally different design, different vendor, different PLL chip.
Gonna see if I have Sams CB-147 in the basement. Would help.
73