"D Peter Maus" wrote in message
...
Lisa Simpson wrote:
Thanx for that info! Sadly, I am not electronically inclined &
would not
dare to attempt repairs myself!
The 803A is a good place to learn on, Lisa. There are enough
of them around for an inexpensive price that it's worth it to
give it a try. Besides, if it works, you've got a decent
radio.
I, myself, never tried to tinker with my DX-440 (the Radio
Shack equivalent). However, I've read numerous times
that it's a tinkerer's dream.
Neither was I when I started. You try, you learn. Start with
something
small, and work your way into more complicated things.
Before you know it, you'll be doing roadside repairs to the fuel
injection computer on your BMW, with a plastic spoon and burglar
alarm
tape. (Don't ask. You don't want to know.)
::cue McGyver Theme Music::
--Mike L.
"D Peter Maus" wrote in message
...
Lisa Simpson wrote:
I purchased an ATS-803A a while ago off ebay, and must say I am
singularly
unimpressed with it; it is absolutely deaf off the supplied 54"
attached
telescoping antenna, no better off a replacement 72" telescoping
antenna,
barely any better off a 35 foot dipole, and marginally better
off an
external eavesdropper "C" antenna. Even sent it in to RS to
have it
checked
over, they sent it back "tweaked" & "tuned" $35 & 2 weeks later,
to no
avail.
Having said all that, there is a Yahoo newsgroup you can
probably d/l
the
manual from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sangean803/
You'd be much better off getting a Kaito KA1101 or 1103, a
Grundig Mini
300
PE, a Realistic DX-302 or 394 IMHO.
Sounds like an ATS-803 a friend has. The problem turned out to
be the
connection from the whip to the board, and the switch between the
whip
and the antenna connector. Addressed that connection, cleaned up
the
switch, it was good as new. To the degree that he listened to the
handover of Hong Kong on the BBC in his basement off the whip.
Your problem may not have been that simple, but it's a decent
place
to start.
Then again, if your front end was overloaded, an FET may have
needed
replacement. Also not a great problem, given that the ATS-803
board is
thru-hole, not SMT.
One other problem with the ATS-803 I've seen is the tails on
the
through-hole components tend to be long enough, that when
assembled,
they touch the other boards, and the shields on them, creating
intermittent problems.
Trim the tails on all visible components and the problems go
away.
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I'm a novice in most SW ways -- primarily a listener who
enjoys
foreign news, music, and cultural programs.
I bought a new Sangean ATS-803A a long time ago, around 1989 I
think,
and used it off and on for a year or two, then put it on a
shelf and
forgot about it.
A couple of weeks ago while reorganizing a messy storage room
next to
my study, I discovered the radio and put it back into service
at once.
I'd forgotten how great it is and how much pleasure SW can
provide.
It's like getting a brand new outlet all over again.
On the strength of that, I recently bought a Passport to World
Band
Radio 2005 and am beginning to find my way around.
But I can't find the instruction manual that must have come
with the
ATS-803A, so I have little idea how to make full use out of it.
For example, I can't figure out how to set the time, now that
new
batteries have been installed. That's a simple matter, I know,
but I've
already said I'm a novice!
If someone can tell me in Basic English how to do that first
step, I'll
be thankful.
And if anyone is willing to photocopy parts of the manual that
you
think helpful to a starter, I'll be doubly thankful and happy
to
reimburse you for expense of photocopying and mailing. (I live
in NE
Vermont.)
Parenthetically, finding the ATS-803A saved me some money.
After
becoming interested in SW again, and thinking of an easily
portable
unit, I was about to order a Grundig S350 when I remembered the
Sangean
and found it impressive. It may be a bit old fashioned, but I
bet it's
more solidly built than many of today's portable units.
Cheers,
Bill