Off Topic- Radio troubleshooting question

[Bucket Head]

Anyone have any experience with C.B. radios? A driver at work brought me his non functioning radio and asked if I could fix it. It won't come on. I checked the inline fuse and checked the red and black wire for continuity. I've got power going to the back of it, where the leads plug in, but nothing happens.

Is there an internal fuse or circuit breaker? Any ideas on it failing to power up? Is it cooked? Maybe someone hooked it up to 24v instead of 12v and didn't tell me??

Or, like a lot of stuff these days, does he just discard it and get another one? Way too much stuff is made to be "disposable"- nothing lasts.

Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Steve

[Michiganiac]

My qualifications -

5 years USCG Radioman (defunct rate) and 32 years as licensed ham radio operator (general class)....

Probable diagnosis -

Smoke tested.....

Remedy - buy another one....

[Bucket Head]

"Smoke tested", lol! Yeah, I was leaning that way too. I will let the owner know that an experienced radio technician feels that, "the radio is damaged beyond repair". If that doesn't do it, I'll say "Someone cooked it- who hooked it up?". I'll see what the reaction is to that.

Thanks for the diagnosis!

Steve

[DrTimPerkins]

Yeah...the formula for that is:

DC power + wrong polarity = smoke + non-operating

That little note on many electronics these days that says "no user serviceable parts inside" is generally correct. I've certainly had my share of trying to fix things like that, but almost all attempts have produced nothing but fireworks and smoke.

[Bucket Head]

Lol! I was expecting fireworks and smoke when I started troubleshooting it. But the fireworks and smoke must have been experienced by the first "user" when it was still in the truck!

I wonder what air freshener works best to mask the lingering scent of hot electrical components? Lol.

[DrTimPerkins]

I wonder what air freshener works best to mask the lingering scent of hot electrical components? Lol.

I bet burnt maple syrup smell would cover it up and make you forget all about the failed radio. :lol:

[Sugar Bear]

Anyone have any experience with C.B. radios? A driver at work brought me his non functioning radio and asked if I could fix it. It won't come on. I checked the inline fuse and checked the red and black wire for continuity. I've got power going to the back of it, where the leads plug in, but nothing happens.

Is there an internal fuse or circuit breaker? Any ideas on it failing to power up? Is it cooked? Maybe someone hooked it up to 24v instead of 12v and didn't tell me??

Or, like a lot of stuff these days, does he just discard it and get another one? Way too much stuff is made to be "disposable"- nothing lasts.

Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Steve

A few years back they were pretty cheap on EBAY cause everybody was getting rid of them. Not sure if that is still the case.

[Bucket Head]

Okay, so here's "Part B" of this radio story. After telling the driver the radio may well be cooked, I got a "That's impossible. Check it again!" from him. So before I did that, I took my test light out to his truck (well, not his- their rentals, from Ryder) and checked the feed wires. No power there! So then he says he tried the radio on two other trucks and it still didn't work! So now I'm questioning where he is "trying" this radio, why is there no power to his leads on the other trucks if that is the case and is there a possibility that the radio does work.

So today I take in my 120v to 12v converter power source and hook the radio up on the bench. You guessed it, it works! None of the trucks have power going to the leads! We don't work on the rentals so what he does from here is on him.

So the moral of the story is never assume power leads have power going to them (even on a new truck!) and there is always another part of "the story" that your not getting!

Steve

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Steve
I hook up my 2 meter rig in my car just using a "cigarette lighter plug" There is enough amperage there for even a higher power transmitter. Its an easy install on any truck then...............as long as they have a "cigarette lighter plug" or as they call them today "Aux Power Outlet"
Jay KA9NKA

[DrTimPerkins]

Cigarette lighter plug -- a rapidly disappearing term.

The old John Deere 610 bulldozer we used to have at PMRC had two things on the dash (besides the key) as I recall: an ammeter and a cigarette plug. Some things used to be really important years ago.

[Bucket Head]

I didn't give any thought to looking to see if there was an aux power outlet! I'm sure there was one somewhere. Just about everything comes with one nowadays.

And cigarette lighter plug terminology shows our age, lol! My '86 F-350 sap hauler has a swing-down, from the bottom of the dash, ash tray in it! I gave a ride to a 30 year old coworker one day with it and I got a "whats that thing?!" from him when I took my sunglasses case out of it. Lol. And one day I was getting gas at a full service station with it and the kid pumping gas opened the fuel door, spun the cap off, looked at it for a while and said, "Wow, a metal gas cap". I just laughed!

Steve

[Michiganiac]

Hey Steve
I hook up my 2 meter rig in my car just using a "cigarette lighter plug" There is enough amperage there for even a higher power transmitter. Its an easy install on any truck then...............as long as they have a "cigarette lighter plug" or as they call them today "Aux Power Outlet"
Jay KA9NKA


I keep threatening to stick the 2 meter back in the car...

Wonder if there's anybody out there? Is the link machine still active?


Dennis N8NCQ (and yup - it's a great CW call. . :) )

[Zucker Lager]

I keep threatening to stick the 2 meter back in the car...

Wonder if there's anybody out there? Is the link machine still active?


Dennis N8NCQ (and yup - it's a great CW call. . :) )

Yes Dennis good CW call When KA9KA became a silent key years ago I tried to get that call but it didn't work out Would have liked to drop the " N " out of my call. Still KA9NKA does have a kind of rhythm. Echo Link? yes our Rhinelander WI repeater is, not sure about the others in the area like you I've been out of the link for a while. Jay

[Father & Son]

Cigarette lighter plug -- a rapidly disappearing term.

The old John Deere 610 bulldozer we used to have at PMRC had two things on the dash (besides the key) as I recall: an ammeter and a cigarette plug. Some things used to be really important years ago.

Hey Dr. Tim,
I think the cigarette lighter disappeared not long after the floor dimmer switch😂😂😂😂😂😂

[DrTimPerkins]

I think the cigarette lighter disappeared not long after the floor dimmer switch😂😂😂😂😂😂

How about "3 on the tree"?

TP

[bill m]

How about "3 on the tree"?

TPThat's what the car I learned to drive on had, a 1961 Checker Superba

[Bucket Head]

My '86 Ford has the dimmer switch on the floor too, lol! Yeah, it's old school.

[Michiganiac]

Yes Dennis good CW call When KA9KA became a silent key years ago I tried to get that call but it didn't work out Would have liked to drop the " N " out of my call. Still KA9NKA does have a kind of rhythm. Echo Link? yes our Rhinelander WI repeater is, not sure about the others in the area like you I've been out of the link for a while. Jay

It would really be fun back in my proffesional days.....


The figure 9 was shorthanded by a long dash and a dit... Figure 8 a long dash, 2 dit. 7 could be long dash 3 dit - but most guys didn't - they would use the conventional two dash three dit.....

So if you use that shorthand the KA9 gets a pretty cool swing to it..

[Zucker Lager]

My '86 Ford has the dimmer switch on the floor too, lol! Yeah, it's old school.

First car was a 51 Vauxhall (import from England) it was a really cheap junker ha ha
How about "Fender Skirts" and "Curb Feelers".................they still have them don't they??? Jay