440 problem

[Coastalmanonc]

Hi, I am new to this forum so if I am posting in the wrong area, please set me straight. I have a 440 that developed what I guess is a common problem. The display above 22MHz became dots. The radio was working great below 22MHz. After getting information about replacing D22 and D23 diodes from the internet, I took my radio to a local repair shop that is an ICOM dealer and repair shop. I took the repair info to them and he said he could fix it. I can't do the work myself because my hands aren't steady enough. The repair shop kept my rig for a month and then gave it back with no charge saying that he put the diodes in, but that did not fix the radio. In fact, now I have a new problem in that on lower bands when you touch the tuning knob the radio goes into transmit. I am located on the coast of NC and not near any other repair facilities. Would someone be able to recommend a repair shop anywhere in the US that can work on my 440 and not be as expensive as the Kenwood repair facility? I would like to be able to get my radio fixed and usable again.
Thanks,
Charlie
WA4GSI

[5B4AJB]

I operated from a tent with a car battery & my TS440

After the battery voltage dropped to about 10.5V, the fluorescent display went out, just before that, it became a series of dots.

Might just be something to do with the display?
I wonder if you have RS232 control and if everything actually works OK?

[WA9WVX]

Hello Charlie,

Hmmm, those are some interesting problems on the 23~24 year old equipment that the Amateur Radio communiity all face if the operators are not knowledgeable in basic electronic theory, have no test equipment, tools and the required copies of the hardbound and/or PDF manuals, PCB overlays and schematics. Most Amateur Radio Distributors don't have a Repair Department any longer and dislike to spend the time and money on qualified technical personnel. We live in a "Throw Away Society" and have to go purchase new multi-band, multi-mode HF / VHF / UHF transceivers.

With that being said, I believe you're dealing with three separate issues:

1. A loss of the Frequency Display above 22 MHz to 30 MHz.

2. Perhaps a degradation of Receiver Sensitivity on 28~30 MHz.

3. And now a problem with automatic transmit when touching the VFO knob (this one is very strange to say the least) but the problem developed after dropping off and picking up the Kenwood TS-440 at (most likely) an ICOM Commercial Land Mobile Radio (Business Band) dealership (but I'm only guessing).

Most "if" not all Commercial Land Mobile Radio Two-Way Sales and Service companies do not want to get involved with Amateur Radio Equipment due to the time that's required explaining every liittle last detail what their service technician performmed on your radio. "Time is Equal to Money and they have service contracts with their bigger Public Safety Departments based on a 7 by 24 basis and this why we as Hams do 95% of our own repairs.

I've spent a lot of my own time researching for independent radio service shops in North & south Carolina but came up without a single name. I will recommend a small company up in the New York City area who performs repairs on legacy (older radio products) that's received high marks on eham.com and here's the Land Air Communications link:

http://www.landaircom.com/

Hal seems to know the Amateur Radio equipment, repair business and market as he's a Ham too! His electronics background reads like`a who's who.

I also did some research on your Kenwood TS-440 Internet Modifications and found two (2) sites:

KB2LJJ

http://www.kb2ljj.com/

Or

KLIMA CO

http://www.klimaco.com/HAMRADIOPAGES/440_mods.htm

Now the choice is yours on which way to proceed.

73,

Dan
WA9WVX

[kj4jtt]

When you got it back were the dots still there? You say that if you move the VFO knob - it goes into transmit? I thought I had seen about all the problems that radio gets. It's a new one on me. I would bet it comes down to something done while it was at the shop. Check to see if it does that weird transmit thing on all bands.

[Coastalmanonc]

Thanks for the information from all! The power is coming from a matching Kenwood power supply, but I'll check the voltage coming out from it. I will also follow up on the good advice. If there is a fix, I'll let all know. I have never heard of a XMTR going into transmit when touched either so I was hoping someone else had seen it. That did just start after the ICOM repair shop worked on the radio. The only good part of the experience with the ICOM shop was the fact he did not charge me for anything. Maybe he realized he had done something to make the radio worse than when it came in.
73,
Charlie

[KB1ZQ]

I have a TS-440 I use for mobile operations and years ago it di the display of going to dots.. I took it to a Kenwood authorized repair shop in Dallas area and they found that the solder joints in the oscillator were bad... This only happened when the rig got warm... you might look into that as the cause for your display problem... as for the diodes and transmit, maybe they installed them backwards... just a thought...