matt2950

Hi guys, got the sads lol.. lightning took my rci2950 out last night, its lighting up but no sound and the display is not showing anything, it just lights up orange N thats it ..

Anyone had this prob before ?.. is there any chance it will survive ?

Thanks in adv ... Matt

trash

What struck by lightning ? No, but it's not that I haven't been trying !

I've purchased a few radios that have been struck by lightning over the years, because I was curious about the nature of the strike and a bit of a challenge.

The most common radio I've seen struck by lightning is an IC202. These things are like a magnet for it. If you own an IC202 and you hear thunder... lock the bugger in a metal box !

The reason why I mention the IC202s is that it is a coincidence that their audio output amplifiers always end up getting fried.

If you're handy with a soldering iron and a circuit diagram, then it's a matter just working through what the strike has done. The IC202's I had, one was a direct hit to the antenna, it was a mess inside, but it was still repairable. The second had been disconnected when it was hit, the lightning jumped from the disconnected coax, hit the PL259 and proceeded across the circuit board to the audio amp chip, frying it and then out the headphone connector to earth.
A third had no visible signs of a strike, but checking the audio amp, it was dead (the only thing).

Start from the speaker and work backwards to the audio amps, then the IF stages and then the mixer and RF stages. You don't need anything fancy to test it.
I have a rectum paralyser, so the task is easy, but it can be done with an old AM CB as a signal source and a CRO. The scope doesn't need to be >30MHz, you're just using it to look for a carrier, not an actual sinewave etc.
You know the RX signal path, just work through it. At each stage of failure, replace the components required.

matt2950

OK thanks trash, I wish it was as simple as a audio IC but the whole screens gone blank, almost like the cpu has died... funny you say that about the 202 coz I actually had a 208H sitting on the bench when this happened but it wasnt effected, it wasnt connected to the aerial though where as the 2950 was, both radios on the same supply.. damn thing !

trash

Well, if you want to sell it or donate it to trash's dungeon of doom. I'm sure we can come to an agreement. If nothing else I'll disect it to learn more about lightning strikes

CoBalt

Check the simple things first. 5,7,12V regs. No reg, no radio.