DX 396 serious trouble?
 

The batteries went dead on my 396, and since I changed them, the thing
acts haunted. I've tried 3 different sets of c cells, no difference.
The radio keeps shutting itself off, and then flashing the 12:00. It
will not keep stored pre-sets or remember the time. When I replace the
batteries, sometimes I get the LOCK on the top right of the screen.
But only sometimes.

I've tried and tried to reset the alarm or the sleep setting, but no
avail. I've left the thing w/o batteries in it for days, no change.
I'ved moved the lock switch every which way in every possible
combination. Any ideas, anyone?

Just a guess, remove the batteries and look at the contacts. You (or someone
familiar with the radio) may need to remove the back of the radio to gain
access to one of the contacts. One (or both) of the contacts may be corroded,
or the unaccessible contact (with the back on) may not be exerting enough
pressure on the batteries to keep them firmly mated electrically.

Below, from http://support.radioshack.com/suppor...oc58/58674.htm
also suggests that the use of an AC to DC adapter disconnects the internal
batteries. Even if you haven't used an adapter (you might wish to try to see
if it works this way) the contacts on the jack may be intermittent, remove the
batteries, and use something to exercise the contact where the adapter plugs
into the radio. I just used a plastic ball point pen refill (with the level of
ink well below the end) and inserted this into the power receptacle. The radio
shut off. This proves that the jack uses a mechanical rather than an
electrical switching scheme. Do this several times or more.

"You must use a power source that supplies 3V DC and delivers at least 300 mA.
Its center tip must be set to positive and its plug must fit the receiver's
DC 3V jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could
damage the receiver or the adapter.

Always connect the DC adapter to the receiver before you connect it to the
power source. When you finish, disconnect the adapter from the power source
before you disconnect it from the receiver.

If you disconnect power from the receiver for about 30 seconds, all
information stored in memory will be lost. However, if you disconnect the DC
adapter plug from the receiver's DC 3V jack and have batteries installed, the
memory stays intact."

Let us know if you're successful.

Regards.


In article ,
(T) wrote:
The batteries went dead on my 396, and since I changed them, the thing
acts haunted. I've tried 3 different sets of c cells, no difference.
The radio keeps shutting itself off, and then flashing the 12:00. It
will not keep stored pre-sets or remember the time. When I replace the
batteries, sometimes I get the LOCK on the top right of the screen.
But only sometimes.

I've tried and tried to reset the alarm or the sleep setting, but no
avail. I've left the thing w/o batteries in it for days, no change.
I'ved moved the lock switch every which way in every possible
combination. Any ideas, anyone?

Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

With the batteries out, you might try shorting the + and - terminals together.
That should neutralize any charges in the radio that the batteries might "see."

I first learned of the problem when I changed batteries in a watch. The
instructions gave the wrong places to short out but I figured out what they
wanted to do.

When It happened on my DX-392, I knew what to do as well as when my batteries
quit in my eTR7 while it was operating.

Bill, K5BY

Can you say a little bit more about this? I am not sure how to do the short.
And what would cause this condition? Would cheapo batteries cause it to occur?


I believe that when the batteries die with the radio on, different things
inside shut down at different times, leaving various items of capacitance
charged up to different levels. Touching the ends of a wire, with the batteries
(actually cells) removed, to the positive and negative battery terminals for a
few seconds should discharge the capacitance to equal and negligible levels.
It's like removing a static electricity charge.

Right now the problem seems to have mysteriously gone away. But, once in a
while, the lock indicator is showing up when i turn on the radio.

You could still have poor tension at the end terminals of the battery as
someone had mentioned. The next time I seem to have battery problem with my
DX-392, I'll try slipping a quarter in between the D cells at an accessible
point.

One time on the 392, after replacing the D's (it uses AA's for backup), FM
stations were slow to lock in. That improved to normal over several days. I
suspect a problem with the PLL circuit from day one. Some FM stations seem to
come in better 0.5 MHz higher. Too, it seems to depend upon the frequency. I'm
sure I caught one station shifting when I turned my monitor on or off. (That
thing should require an FCC license as a transmitter.)

73,
Bill, K5BY

(T) wrote in message . com...

I am
hoping to DX the all-sta game broadcasts.

FWIW:
http://www.monitoringtimes.com/mt-bball.html

The DX-396 does not have SSB, but my guess is that AFRTS will be
broadcasting the All-Star Game.

Let's back up. I printed out all of this thread's comments regarding your
radio. It worked and then you saw that it had quit.

You don't mention using an ac wall adapter, so the C cells must momentarily
break connection while the unit is on. Vibration from the speaker, especially
when the volume is turned up, could cause poorly contacting cells to briefly
break connection.

Otherwise, once it is working good, it should continue to work until the
battery dies.

73,
Bill, K5BY