Dropped my SARK 110.... help please.

[zor...@gmail.com]

Hello,

Wonder if anyone could help - I unfortunately dropped my SARK 110 - I was up a 30 foot ladder working on a VHF antenna and the SARK 110 fell out of my belt pouch and hit the deck. It is in a rubber protection case but now - whilst it appears to operate 100% one third of the screen has white vertical lines running up it. (See attachment). Does anyone know if this can be fixed/repaired ??? Or what part might be faulty ?? There are no cracks or marks on the screen or the case. To say I am gutted would be something of an understatement.

Any comments/help appreciated.

Thanks,

Richard

[Shirley Márquez Dúlcey]

That's almost certainly damage to the LCD module. The simple fix would be to get a replacement display. Most TFT displays get all their data through one pin, so a display fault like that can't be caused by a connection problem between the microcontroller and the display. Most likely that means that some internal connection in the LCD module has broken, but good luck finding that; I'd replace the panel. (It should cost somewhere in the $10-20 range.)

Unfortunately, the repair instructions on the site, although they provide help for a lot of other components, don't include information about obtaining or installing a new display. Perhaps somebody here on the list can provide that data so you can get the right module; it needs to be the correct size (so it fits in the box) and use the same display controller as the original.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sark110" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sark110+u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sark110/8e89b740-f29e-46ee-8207-842c635618d5o%40googlegroups.com.

[alanhol...@gmail.com]

Hi Richard

 

Try forwarding this email to Melchor EA4FRB for advice.

 

melchor...@gmail.com

--

[zor...@gmail.com]

Hello Alan and Shirley - thank you for the replies.

I've  e-mailed Melchor - did that immediately after I posted the original message. So awaiting a response from him. 

But I agree with Shirley - and the fact it is probably LCD damage. I had the SARK110 open to see if there was anything immediately obvious but of course - there wasn't. The repair options don't specify where I could get a replacement screen but in all honesty - that is above me as regards fitting it. There appears to be some small ribbon cables between the PCB and the screen - but I did not want to risk separating the two (couldn't see how to do that anyway to be honest) unless I could not get them interconnected again.

Perhaps Melchor can point me to someone or somewhere that it can be sent away to for repair as I really don't think my old eyes are up to micro component engineering these days !!!

But thank you for the replies anyway.

Regards,

Richard

[John G3PQA]

Richard,
Bad luck over your Sark.  Where are you located? Call?
I understood from Melchor and someone else a few years ago that replacing the screen is possible, but not that easy.
Am sure Melchor will advise.
I have one of the first Sark-110s which has had heavy use over the 7 or 8 years and I was thinking of replacing the screen myself.
73
John G3PQA

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sark110" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sark110+u...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sark110/a39459b4-eda8-4b8b-adac-f7ce2ec4f69ao%40googlegroups.com.

[melchor...@gmail.com]

Hello Richard,

 

Some internal connections on the display glass are likely to have been broken as a result of the drop, so this can be fixed by replacing the display module that is not hard to do. What I have to check with Seeed Studio is if they have any spares, as this is a customized display and as far as I know, there are no other sources.

 

I will ask Seeed’s and will come back to you.

 

Best regards,

Melchor EA4FRB

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sark110" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sark110+u...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sark110/8e89b740-f29e-46ee-8207-842c635618d5o%40googlegroups.com.

[zor...@gmail.com]

Hello John and Melchor,

Many thanks for the replies. All info gratefully received. John - I'm located in NW England - callsign is G4UGB.

Thanks to Melchor regarding the replacement screen module - however it is unlikely that I would be able to fit the screen myself. I am a retired radio/electronics engineer but my old eyes now are no good for micro component maintenance !!! I'd probably need to send the SARK110 to someone who could do the job for me. However - I don't know if that is achievable. I certainly would not tackle it myself.

Anyway - looks like I'll have to wait until Melchor gets some more information from his supplier. Thanks again Melchor.

Regards,

Richard