APX6000 Scratchy Audio

[amcferrin90]

I recently bought a couple of APX6000 radios for use at work. I programmed them up on a couple of direct simplex channels we use for testing before I have them programmed by a system admin. One works great on TX and RX. The other works great for RX but on TX there's scratchy sound inconsistent with any movement, tapping, bumping, etc. For some reason I thought it might be a problem with the PTT button because occasionally while holding PTT the TX LED will turn off and back on. I turned it off and just cycled the PTT button a hundred times. Turned it back on and son of a gun the audio issue is pretty much gone.

Getting access to the PTT button is pretty easy by removing the housing. There's probably nothing else I can do to clean it without further disassembly, I think. Just bouncing it off more seasoned folks than I. I did do a little cleaning dust from inside the housing. It was tuned before I received it as it had the tuning report with it. Which leads me to believe the tuner or accessory connector PTT made it work just fine.

 

[n3obl]

Well first thing is did you buy from a dealer? They should be checked on a service monitor and aligned before being used for life safety purposes.

 

[amcferrin90]

Well first thing is did you buy from a dealer? They should be checked on a service monitor and aligned before being used for life safety purposes.

Yes "It was tuned before I received it" and it was a used dealer. Yes I am working on getting it replaced. Just thinking if it's something like dirt that can be blown out. Did that already too. There was something metallic attracted to the speaker too. That just blew out with canned air.

 

[devicelab]

Yes, they are very easy to work on. My first guess was that the housing wasn't installed quite right. There is definitely a "correct" way that a housing should fit around the core radio. I know because I rushed it a few times only to realize something wasn't right.

You may have just had some debris in the microphone and/or housing near that area.

 

[amcferrin90]

Yes, they are very easy to work on. My first guess was that the housing wasn't installed quite right. There is definitely a "correct" way that a housing should fit around the core radio. I know because I rushed it a few times only to realize something wasn't right.

You may have just had some debris in the microphone and/or housing near that area.

I have some contact cleaner. I wish I had my dad's old can of Blue Stuff from the 60s but it's worked on other electronics. It didn't make a difference. I'm thinking maybe take a small slice of paper and slide it up under the popple which might scrape anything off that resists air and not ruin the contacts. The button clicks every time and I see how the housing goes together. I was really curious what was attracted to the speaker coil that blew off with air. Because as I moved my finger around it, it just clinged as it moved around. These flex cables are annoying. I do cell phone repairs and these are next level PITA.

 

[devicelab]

These flex cables are annoying. I do cell phone repairs and these are next level PITA.

Yes, I know. I ruined a APX XE top head because of those friggin flex cables.

 

[speedway_navigator]

A spkr mic should show the PTT on the radio is or isn't the issue.
The smart a** in me wants to say "did you gargle before talking into the mic?"
but I gave up being one for Lent.

Hey, I just remembered I go to a Baptist church, we don't do Lent.

 

[amcferrin90]

A spkr mic should show the PTT on the radio is or isn't the issue.
The smart a** in me wants to say "did you gargle before talking into the mic?"
but I gave up being one for Lent.

Hey, I just remembered I go to a Baptist church, we don't do Lent.

See I was gonna lean on demon possession and it wants out but I really didn't know how that would go over.