RadioBanter - Icom 208h Display Problem

In article ,
DP wrote:

Was looking for some thoughts on a problem I am encountering with my new
Icom 208h mobile. I mounted it in my truck yesterday with the remote control
unit on my dash and the actual radio mounted elsewhere in the vehicle. When
I powered it up this morning, I noticed that some segments on the display
were partially lit that shouldn't be. For example I have an alphanumeric
name on one of the repeaters, where the forth character was an 'H'. The
display was showing an extra segment across the bottom of the 'H'. There was
also a "sql" icon near the top that should not have been showing. The
erroneous segments were not black like the others, but at about half
intensity. After about 10 min or so, the display cleared up and was normal.
After the radio is powered off for a while, if I turn it back on, it will do
this again.

I have already programmed the radio, so I do not want to be too quick in
doing a full reset and I am not sure this will help anyway. Does this sound
like a defective display or could something else be causing this?

This sounds like a defective display, display-driver, or a bad
connection between the display itself and its driving electronics.

Another possibility is that there's a "contrast" adjustment for the
radio, and that the constrast-adjustment circuit is mis-set (or the
contrast control is somewhat dirty).

All of these are problems I'd more expect to see in a used product.
It's not all that unusual for radios (and other consumer-electronics
devices) to develop LCD segment problems, due to loosening or
oxidation of the contacts or cables connecting the LCD to its driver.
Unplugging and replugging the cables, careful cleaning of contacts,
etc. can sometimes fix these problems... but these fixes are not for
the novice to try, and should only be done if you have the radio's
service manual and a proper set of tools.

If it's a new unit, I'd recommend returning it to the dealer and
requesting an over-the-counter exchange,

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!