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148 GTL Rebuild, need help

Apr 21, 2012
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... ohhh, what can i say, besides DONT TRUST EBAY!
I bought a "works great" 148 gtl and it turns out it doesnt work so great.
To begin with, when I hooked it up mobile the rx audio would be low until I gave the car some gas. Ive had 2 other mobile units that work fine, so I knew it wasnt the car. So I brought the unit inside and hooked it up to my variable power supply and it seemed to work ok, with the exception that the channels under 11 or so didnt rx unless I lowered the voltage down to about 9v. The more I lowered the voltage, the more channels under 11 would come back. So i figured the voltage regulator was bad. I checked the PLL and it was hot to the touch and it was running 13 some odd volts at all the pins that were suppose to be 8v. I also checked pin 1 on the voltage regulator and it too was running at 13 volts instead of 8. Also SSB (LSB and USB, didnt matter) would squiel when I turned up the dynamike or the volume or both. I ordered a new voltage regulator and while i was waiting for it the radio really went south.
I was testing the SWR (which actually read 1:1.5 or so, nothing that should have damaged the radio) of an antenna and all of the sudden I wasnt hearing anyone on any of the channels. I also noticed that R113 had burnt and R77 had a singe mark on it. also, there would be a pulsing sound on chan 13.
I got the new Voltage regulator and installed it and here is where I stand now:
Radio seems to be stable voltage wise (8v measured at pin one of the Voltage Regulator and PLL) but now it seems the PLL maybe dead.
I also added a frequency counter to make sure i was on the right freqs.
Now when I xmit (got a good 1/2 wave inverted V dipole that i tested with another radio) the FC reads either one of two issues:
sometimes the radio will sound normal (normal radio static) on channels 1 through 29, and the FC will read around 27.7 through 28.5ish depending on the channel. 30 through 40 are really quiet. If i tap pin 8 on the PLL with my finger, all the channels will go really quiet and when I check the freq, all channels report back at 27.5 or so. If I tap pin 7 it will go back to channels 1 through 29 working.
Sounds to me like the PLL is malfunctioning, but i wanted to get some input from others on the forum before i shelled out the cash for a new one.
Any help would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks
 
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Ok so we are not talking about a new "refurb" radio like the title says, it's a used radio from e-bay?
 
Since things change when tapping parts, think I would re-touch as many solder points as you can in the PLL/VCO section. Do the whole board if you have the time and patience. I would also re-align the entire PLL/VCO too. Starting with the VCO voltage.
 
the VCO voltages are pretty far off if i remember correctly. ill go check them in a little while and post them.
Also, when i say "tap" i mean "tiny slight light touch" It doesnt seem like loose parts, pressure doesnt seem to make any kind of difference when i press the area.
Thanks
 
I would still re-solder.
You say you are re-building; then re-touch all solder joints.

How old is the radio?
If you are truly 'rebuilding'; then replacing all of the electrolytic caps should also be done. There is a forum member here ('Klondike Mike') that sell capacitor kits on ebay for many of the most common/popular radios at a very cool price. Send him a private message; think he gives forum members a small discount.

A complete alignment will be necessary too.

Clean all switches with DeOxit and spray the pots with pot cleaner and compressed air.
 
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As far as returning it goes, the seller said they wouldnt accept returns. Plus i'd really like to get it up and running, i think its a nice radio.

The radio is from 89, and i would like to redo all the caps too, im just trying to get a lead on the out of frequency operation.

Im having a little trouble finding the VCO however, I thought it was the 10 pin SIP that is (if your looking at the radio with it right side up and pointed forward) located on the left side, right behind the voltage regulator, but upon closer inspection, I believe that is the mixer. Can anyone point me in the direction of the VCO?
 
At this point since your already into it I would keep at it, but. Contact the seller and tell him you deserve a portion of the purchase price back.
 
At this point since your already into it I would keep at it, but. Contact the seller and tell him you deserve a portion of the purchase price back.

Good idea, i think ill do that.
Ive already spent hours arm deep in the thing (havent changed much besides the burnt resistors and the voltage regulator, and took off the freebanding channel switches. But I have spent quite alot of time poking and prodding and getting to know the specifics) so I'm kinda determined to get this particular unit fixed.
I have that feeling, ya know, "it's not a perfect radio, but its MY radio", plus if i can get this unit working, It'll give me alot of satisfaction.
 
ohh my lord... i dont know if im stupid, blind or what. For the life of me i cannot find IC 2 on my unit, or the Top or Bottom PCB view in the service manual. I can find it perfectly fine on the schem. but just cant see to find it ANYWHERE ELSE!!! someone, please let me know what parts it is adjacent to. IE: to the right of IC1 and the left of IC3 or something like that.
Thank you
 
At this point since your already into it I would keep at it, but. Contact the seller and tell him you deserve a portion of the purchase price back.

I totally agree. However there are people on here that don't, when I had a radio (HR2510) that I bought on here died the first day I started using it, people acted like it was no big deal and that I should just get over it.

Either way 9c1Driver is totally right
 
... ... yeah... found it... the giant one that says uniden on it... i dont feel dumb at all! its not like i didnt look at it a million times or anything like that. I dunno, it didnt look like an ic to me! more like a giant resistor pack or something. :drool:
one question bothers me still about not being able to locate it. How come it isnt labeled on the PCB view in the service manual? now that i know where it is on the unit, i still cant locate the label for it in the manual, just the not very ic like 2 boxes within a box representation of it... most likely the same genius that led me to not finding it before is at fault here.

anyways, lemme go check the voltages on it. and maybe ill feel a little less stupid after that (not likely)
 

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