Alinco radio weird problem
 

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest. It is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Came back later and it started working fine even made soem contacts
with it. Used it for about 20 minutes, no problem. Put the radio away
inside.

Hooked it up last night to try out some antennas and it did the same
thing. I played with it for an hour to no avail. Took it inside and
took it part way apart, did not see anything, maybe soem pinch wires to
the display but could not tell. Put it back togther. Hooked it up and
it worked fine. left it in the garage last night. Hooked it back up
this morning before going to work. It worked fine.
Am I crazy? What could this be?

Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest. It is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode' where every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or at the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test equipment that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to. Perhaps the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest. It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode' where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to. Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The radio
was completly not usable.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest. It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode' where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to. Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this - if wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display may be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

Lou

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest.
It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode' where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test
equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to.
Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The
radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not
sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this - if
wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display may
be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of
the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

LC'

Could the 3 v lithiam battery be going bad?

wrote in message
oups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a hamfest.
It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode' where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test
equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to.
Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The
radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not
sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this - if
wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display may
be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of
the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

LC'

Could the 3 v lithiam battery be going bad?


It could be, a good sign of that would also be loss of memory of other
functions.

L.

(don't know where the C' came from!)

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a
hamfest.
It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display
lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode'
where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or
at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test
equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to.
Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The
radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not
sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this -
if
wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display
may
be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of
the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

LC'

Could the 3 v lithiam battery be going bad?


It could be, a good sign of that would also be loss of memory of
other
functions.

L.

(don't know where the C' came from!)

It stays on the frequency I left it when I unplugged it. I guess this
means the battery is ok?

Not necessarily..............

wrote in message
ups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a
hamfest.
It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display
lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode'
where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or
at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test
equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to.
Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The
radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not
sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this -
if
wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display
may
be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of
the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

LC'

Could the 3 v lithiam battery be going bad?


It could be, a good sign of that would also be loss of memory of
other
functions.

L.

(don't know where the C' came from!)

It stays on the frequency I left it when I unplugged it. I guess this
means the battery is ok?

That's the problem with second hand radios............if yours is having
that problem. Most of the stuff I've seen lately has been junk. It seems
that many of the hamfest folks (not all of them) are following eBay's
tradition. At the last hamfest I attended (Radio Expo), I ended up with a
100% average........................I had to repair everything. Of course,
everything was misrepresented as "working fine". On the subject of your
radio, I have purchased radios over the years that do hold their memory, but
they did have some of those weird problems. Replacing the backup battery
cured the problem. And then, there is the other side of the
coin.............this is the one where somebody replaces the backup battery
and subjects the uP to ESD. End of story, unless you are adept at replacing
quad flat-pack ICs (not too hard, but you need the right technique). It also
helps if you have a stereo microscope when replacing one of these devices.

Pete

wrote in message
ups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Lou wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe McElvenney wrote:
Hi,

I bought an ALinco DR 590 dual band amature radio at a
hamfest.
It
is a
mobile. Got it home, hooked it up, everything on the display
lit
up. I
mean everything, even things that were not supposed to. The
frequency
number has stange lines in it. It was not usable.

Some items of test equipment have a display 'test mode'
where
every
digit and LED/LCD segment are switched on either in sequence or
at
the
same time as a function check. I have three items of test
equipment
that
do just that on demand, so it could be that your rig was simply
strutting
its stuff.

As for the socket coming away, again it may be meant to.
Perhaps
the
terminal plugs into the assembly just behind it.


Cheers - Joe


If this was a "test" mode then why did it stay in test mode? The
radio
was completly not usable.


You said something to the effect of having it in your garage. Not
sure if
heated or not, but the temperature changes could be doing this -
if
wide in
nature - cold to warm - etc. Could be a bad solder joint. Display
may
be
going flaky. You bought it used, who knows what ales it. A copy of
the
owners manual if you don't have one - would be a good start.

LC'

Could the 3 v lithiam battery be going bad?


It could be, a good sign of that would also be loss of memory of
other
functions.

L.

(don't know where the C' came from!)

It stays on the frequency I left it when I unplugged it. I guess this
means the battery is ok?

Pete KE9OA wrote:
That's the problem with second hand radios............if yours is having
that problem. Most of the stuff I've seen lately has been junk. It seems
that many of the hamfest folks (not all of them) are following eBay's
tradition. At the last hamfest I attended (Radio Expo), I ended up with a
100% average........................I had to repair everything. Of course,
everything was misrepresented as "working fine". On the subject of your
radio, I have purchased radios over the years that do hold their memory, but
they did have some of those weird problems. Replacing the backup battery
cured the problem. And then, there is the other side of the
coin.............this is the one where somebody replaces the backup battery
and subjects the uP to ESD. End of story, unless you are adept at replacing
quad flat-pack ICs (not too hard, but you need the right technique). It also
helps if you have a stereo microscope when replacing one of these devices.


Here is my take on the likely problem with the radio. I have a Kenwood
TM241a mobile radio that had a similar problem. It turns out that a LOT
of them did. The connector from the main board to the display has
problems in this unit. I took the unit apart, cleaned the connector,
with DeOxit, and after reassembly, it works fine. Some people have
written about using a soldering iron to beef up the connector pins on
the circuit board. I suspect that this may be your problem. It is about
a half hour job, if that.

Hope this helps!

- Mike KB3EIA -