SG-230 problem
Andy
I purchased the SG-230 about 4 years ago. I took it out of its box yesterday
for the first time and tested it out on a light bulb as a dummy load and all
worked fine. It found a match on all HF bands.
I connected it to an antenna today and it would not tune. It would not reset
with the Smartlock. I took the back off the 230 and noticed when I apply the
13.8 Volts all the relays click once and they
all stay in that position until I disconnect the power and if I apply RF,
10-80 watts when the 230 is powered up it does nothing, it doesn't even
attempt to tune.. I have also tried 2 lengths of 10ft wire and it does
nothing.
There are five LED's inside that are all on (green).
Does anyone know what is causing this problem?
73 Andy
Ed_G
news:V27Pj.102710$Lq5....@newsfe18.ams2:
I recommend you email your question to SGC. My recent experience
with them shows they are fairly good at replies to questions, although
you may have to wait a day or two for an answer.
http://www.sgcworld.com
Ed K7AAT
Andy
Just sent an e-mail off to them.
73 Andy
"Ed_G" <Huckleber...@bigvalley.net> wrote in message
news:Xns9A8794AAA337DHu...@198.186.192.196...
Tad Danley
>
> I recommend you email your question to SGC. My recent experience
> with them shows they are fairly good at replies to questions, although
> you may have to wait a day or two for an answer.
> http://www.sgcworld.com
>
>
> Ed K7AAT
I agree. There is also a yahoo Group for Smartuners. It is not
sponsored by SGC but I have found it to be a good source of information.
Good luck and 73,
Tad, K3TD
Andy
Joined that one. But I have not had much success yet.
73 Andy
"Tad Danley" <tda...@nospamatverizon.net> wrote in message
news:cxaPj.11048$Zk5.1882@trnddc05...
Andy
Andy
"Andy" <dx...@blueyounder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:BVgPj.43598$_h7....@newsfe05.ams2...
Cecil Moore
> Is there any where here in the UK that will repair this coupler?
I have repaired mine a couple of times. The SGC documentation
is very good. Have you checked the four lines between the
Smartlock and the SGC-230? If the notune line (white wire)
is at ground, the tuner is in perpetual reset. The notune
line should be at a plus voltage when the reset button
is not pushed and go to ground when the reset button is
pushed. The digital control portion of the tuner is super
easy to troubleshoot and a good technician should be able
to diagnose and repair minor problems. All of my problems
have been minor and easy to repair.
The most nagging problem was when the tuner wouldn't tune
while my pickup was in motion but would tune just as soon
as I stopped the vehicle. It was a loose nut inside
the box on the output feedthrough insulator.
Have you tried the tuner without Smartlock in the circuit?
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com
Andy
notice that the braid of the coax where it connects to the terminal inside
had broke off. Re-soldered this and its still the same. This was due to the
big plastic nut on the back being lose and allowing the cable to turn.
I wish I could fix it myself. But I would have to be talked through how to
check the components to see if they were ok or not.
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:tpkPj.2$LQ...@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net...
Cecil Moore
> But I would have to be talked through how to
> check the components to see if they were ok or not.
Do you know any fellow hams who are electronic
technicians or engineers, preferably electrical?
Lumpy
Verify there's a good RF ground connected to the tuner.
Even if you're using some kind of balanced antenna,
my tuners are happier with a little metal on the ground.
I have a simple, 12' piece of braid bolted to the
tuner/transciever cases and simply laying on the sand.
Craig 'Lumpy' Lemke
Andy
I have been off the air for a long time. After the move to here and having
very good neighbours I am able to get back on the air. Well until the tuner
stopped working.
I did find this PDF doc just now. I have the model after the year 2000.
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:VSlPj.14$To6...@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net...
Andy
I was told last night that SGC is now over charging there customers for
repairs.
73 Andy
"Lumpy" <lu...@digitalcartography.com> wrote in message
news:6769p1F...@mid.individual.net...
Christopher Cox
I had a similar problem with my SG-231. It turned out to be a corrosion
problem in the power/control connector. This made a electrical
connection to be made to the Reset/Hold/Tune leads. There was a little
corrosion on the back side of the circuit board as well. Look up into
the male connector and disassemble the female.
I cleaned up the corrosion problems with a dental pick and fine wire
brush. I resealed the connectors with epoxy. The silicon sealant SGC
used seems to be effected by moisture as it had become milky looking
till it dried out.
Hope this helps.
Chris
Andy
I will have a look, but its unlikely to be corrosion due to it being stored
in its box in my cupboard for the lat 4 years. But it might help others.
This might help you though. Some one did tell me once to seal the SG-230
with silica gel after putting some silica gel in side so soak up any
moister. Its those little packets you get inside the box with new electrical
items.
Thanks
"Christopher Cox" <chrisTO...@coboxincORORATED.com> wrote in message
news:48106868$0$20176$4c36...@roadrunner.com...
Andy
only testing with a 100 watts although it was with a very high SWR at the
time
Do I have to go to SGC for the diodes or is there a replacement that I can
use instead?
73 Andy
"Andy" <dx...@blueyounder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:g83Qj.140863$cj2....@newsfe13.ams2...
Cecil Moore
> It looks like some of the SM 3-pin diodes D10, D9, etc have failed. I was
> only testing with a 100 watts although it was with a very high SWR at the
> time
>
> Do I have to go to SGC for the diodes or is there a replacement that I can
> use instead?
My SGC-230 manual says those are 1N4148 high speed
switching diodes which are one of the most popular
diodes of all time. They should be readily available
almost anywhere.
Andy
I had a look at the 1N4148, they are 2-pin.
The diodes in mine are Surface mount 3-pin.
Are the 1N4148 diodes for the old version board, before year 2000?
My board is the newer version, after year 2000
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:TilQj.3305$26....@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net...
Cecil Moore
> Cecil,
>
> I had a look at the 1N4148, they are 2-pin.
>
> The diodes in mine are Surface mount 3-pin.
>
> Are the 1N4148 diodes for the old version board, before year 2000?
Yes, my manual is copyright 1994.
> My board is the newer version, after year 2000
What does your schematic say about those diodes?
Andy
I purchased it new myself. My PCB board is an Q50102000-E. it is what they
call the newer version, after the year 2000.
My manual is a Revised: November 2000. The Document number for the
schematic, Q30102000E Rev: A Dated February 17, 1992. It looks to me to be
the wrong schematic for my PCB board. Maybe some one might know if it is or
not or have the correct one that they can send me?
All it says about the diodes is that they are either D5, D7, D9 etc. It
doesn't say what they are.
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:GLoQj.477$To6...@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net...
Cecil Moore
> My manual is a Revised: November 2000. The Document number for the
> schematic, Q30102000E Rev: A Dated February 17, 1992. It looks to me to be
> the wrong schematic for my PCB board. Maybe some one might know if it is or
> not or have the correct one that they can send me?
This one is copyrighted Nov. 2000
www.sgcworld.com/Publications/Manuals/230man.pdf
> All it says about the diodes is that they are either D5, D7, D9 etc. It
> doesn't say what they are.
Yes, it doesn't say but if it were me, I would replace the
blown diodes with 1N4148's (assuming discrete diodes will
fit in the SMD pad space).
Andy
How would I connect the 1N4148 2-pin to the 3 pads that are under the SM
3-pin diodes, will this even work?
If it is possible I would have to mount them vertical.
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:xrpQj.530$506...@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
Dave Platt
>> doesn't say what they are.
>
>Yes, it doesn't say but if it were me, I would replace the
>blown diodes with 1N4148's (assuming discrete diodes will
>fit in the SMD pad space).
I wonder whether these diodes might not be MMBD4148 or some such?
These are 1N4148-type fast switching diodes in an 3-pin SOT323
surface-mount package.
Mouser and Digi-Key carry several variants of these. The MCC versions
are $.10-$.15 each in onesies and are good to 75V, 150 mA. The Diodes
INc. versions are around half a buck each in onesies, and are good to
75V, 200 mW. I'm not sure whether you'd want apples, or oranges :-)
--
Dave Platt <dpl...@radagast.org> AE6EO
Friends of 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!
Andy
code of sorts.
73 Andy
"Dave Platt" <dpl...@radagast.org> wrote in message
news:sbt9e5-...@radagast.org...
Cecil Moore
> Yes, that is exactly the same manual as mine.
> How would I connect the 1N4148 2-pin to the 3 pads that are under the SM
> 3-pin diodes, will this even work?
I'm pretty sure it would work if you get the pads right.
One is probably grounded. One is probably the cathode.
One is probably the anode. You should be able to figure
out which is which using a digital ohm-meter.
Andy
The diodes are in a small 3-leaded SM package. Looking down at the
package with it oriented so that the single lead is on top, the
cathode is the top tab and the anode is the left tab on the bottom.
It looks like the bottom right out of the two is not used.
Wonder if anyone can confirm the above?
73 Andy
"Cecil Moore" <nos...@w5dxp.com> wrote in message
news:NOsQj.2278$LQ4....@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net...
ml
"Andy" <dx...@blueyounder.co.uk> wrote:
did you try asking SGC to sell you just the part?
or at least confirm for you the part i bet any tech there would do that
much u cuould then buy them cheep anyplace
seems easiest route ? ii dunno
Dave Platt
>code of sorts.
Yes, that's an ID code.
According to one set of notes I've found, Fairchild use 5D as the code
for an MMBD914, which is a fast switching diode similar to the 4148,
in a 3-lead SOT-23 case. The MMBD4148 would have a 5H code. The two
parts look *very* similar on the data sheets, and from what I've seen
in practice they're interchangeable in most applications.
If this is what you've got, then the pinout is as follows: if you
look down from the top of the diode, with the two-leaded side on the
left and the one-leaded side on the right: pin 1 at the top left is
the diode's anode, pin 3 at the right center is the diode's cathode,
and pin 2 at the lower left is not connected to the diode.
The pinouts are the same for the MMBD914 and MMBD4148.
Dave Platt
In article <RZsQj.24362$Rr7....@newsfe29.ams2>,
Andy <dx...@blueyounder.co.uk> wrote:
>I found this just a few minutes ago, on a web site.
>The diodes are in a small 3-leaded SM package. Looking down at the
>package with it oriented so that the single lead is on top, the
>cathode is the top tab and the anode is the left tab on the bottom.
>
>It looks like the bottom right out of the two is not used.
>Wonder if anyone can confirm the above?
That's consistent with what I see in the data sheets for the
surface-mount (SOT-23) switching diodes of type 914 and 4148.
Andy
OK.
All 5 LED's are lit and stay lit when I key and de-key the transceiver.
There is no clicking of the relays.
In the SGC Smartuner troubleshooting that can be found here
http://www.sgcworld.com/Publications/Downloads/troubleshoot.pdf it says,
For newer SG-230's and other SGC antenna couplers:
1. If LEDs do not light, RF sense diodes and bypass capacitors are suspect.
Also
check Q1 (ZN2222) and CPU chip (68HC711).
2. If LEDs do light and coupler does not initiate tuning, check the CPU
chip. On rare
occasions, the mixer A1 may fail. Verify if you have clock signal on the
output of U3
(74HC393) chip. Verify DC voltage at U11, Pin 1 during transmit. Check R1
and if
no voltage is present, check all 4 sensing signal inputs to the CPU chip -
FWD, REV,
PHASE, IMPEDANCE. If you have an input signal, you should see the
appropriate
LED light. Also verify RF PWR signal is present.
How do I check the mixer A1 to find out if it's working?
What equipment would I need to check for a clock signal on the output of the
74HC393 chip?
What or where is U11 and how can I determine what one is pin 1?
R1 has voltage.
73 Andy
"Dave Platt" <dpl...@radagast.org> wrote in message
news:k36ae5-...@radagast.org...
Cecil Moore
> What equipment would I need to check for a clock signal on the output of the
> 74HC393 chip?
Unfortunately, you need an oscilloscope for troubleshooting
at that level.
> What or where is U11 and how can I determine what one is pin 1?
Good question. I don't see U11 on the schematic.
hl2...@gmail.com
>
> I purchased the SG-230 about 4 years ago. I took it out of its box yesterday
> for the first time and tested it out on a light bulb as a dummy load and all
> worked fine. It found a match on all HF bands.
> I connected it to an antenna today and it would not tune. It would not reset
> with the Smartlock. I took the back off the 230 and noticed when I apply the
> 13.8 Volts all the relays click once and they
> all stay in that position until I disconnect the power and if I apply RF,
> 10-80 watts when the 230 is powered up it does nothing, it doesn't even
> attempt to tune.. I have also tried 2 lengths of 10ft wire and it does
> nothing.
> There are five LED's inside that are all on (green).
>
> Does anyone know what is causing this problem?
>
> 73 Andy
Allodoxaphobia
and sent to the city dump by the widow.