Ft-290r

[Toni Vines]

I've been given an old FT-290R. I'm absolutely new to this (studying for my first license) and would like a little help please. I'm trying to learn how to use this radio. I've downloaded the manual and am working my way throught it slowly. I've noticed that the memory clears when I switch off, could this be due to the on-board lithium battery being flat? If so, is it difficult for me to fit a new one? Or could it be due to the back-up switch inside being off? I've opened the cover and can see 'Back-up - on - off' but I can't see the switch that it refers to!
Also the internal light is out. I understand this is a job for an expert. Is this correct?
Any help or advive would be wonderful.
Thanking you,
Toni Vines.

[5B4AJB]

The FT290R is a pretty old (but good) radio now, chances are the internal lithium is flat as you guessed.
Changing the backlight is a fairly involved affair on any radio, not hard, but time consuming.

I changed the backlight the other day on an old radio, fed up of constantly putting bulbs in, so I put in a white LED with a series resistor instead (any colour you like).

The backup battery is in the manual, it looks like a CR2032 or something.

It also looks like you have to reset the microprocessor after you change the internal battery too...