adkangler1966
Member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2023
- Messages
- 6
Ok, I've resurrected the old Radio Shack DX-398. It requires a new speaker. Also, power, via batteries, seems sporadic. Does anyone repair these anymore? Thanks in advance.
DX-398 ATS-909 Repair
- Thread starter adkangler1966
- Start date
First off, check your batteries for oxidation spots. That gave me the same issue with my RS 200629/Sangean ATS505. Secondly, check your battery terminals on the DX-398 for oxidation. I had a spot that was on the positive terminal plate, inside the compartment, and the corrosion / oxidation was hard to see. Cleaning it up fixed the problem.
Lastly, if you feel comfortable taking the back off, check the solder point where the negative terminal spring is soldered to the main PCB. That solder pad can weaken slightly after years of use -- at least it did with mine. Adding some solder and re-heating the joint fixed that problem, which occurred in my DX-398 in 2012 or so. No problems with that terminal since.
No idea on how to fix or replace the speaker. I use headphones exclusively with my DX-398.
Good luck. Hopefully someone else can come up with some repair ideas for you. If there is an electronics repair shop in your area, they might be able to fix the radio's power problem, especially if you can provide them with a schematic.
Lastly, if you feel comfortable taking the back off, check the solder point where the negative terminal spring is soldered to the main PCB. That solder pad can weaken slightly after years of use -- at least it did with mine. Adding some solder and re-heating the joint fixed that problem, which occurred in my DX-398 in 2012 or so. No problems with that terminal since.
No idea on how to fix or replace the speaker. I use headphones exclusively with my DX-398.
Good luck. Hopefully someone else can come up with some repair ideas for you. If there is an electronics repair shop in your area, they might be able to fix the radio's power problem, especially if you can provide them with a schematic.
wenzeslaus
Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2023
- Messages
- 147
yep. intermittent battery power is a good sign. only a loose connection.
replacing a speaker is easy. as long as you aren't clumsy and can solder. buy a "parts only" radio or get the dimensions and buy a replacement speaker. I have done it several times already swapping parts between radios.
very few radio/electronics repair shops left. everyone in the business acknowledges old techs are retiring and there are no replacements, shortly there will be nobody left. we have 1 in this big city and the only work they accept is vintage equipment they cherry pick, charge $$$, other than that they won't give you the time of day. complete jerks. I'd just as soon throw a brick through their window before I'd pay them to even take my trash out for me. they stay in business because they are the only one left.
there are a handful of repair shops in the country that you can mail your radio to them. maybe in another 10 years you have to mail it to China.
replacing a speaker is easy. as long as you aren't clumsy and can solder. buy a "parts only" radio or get the dimensions and buy a replacement speaker. I have done it several times already swapping parts between radios.
very few radio/electronics repair shops left. everyone in the business acknowledges old techs are retiring and there are no replacements, shortly there will be nobody left. we have 1 in this big city and the only work they accept is vintage equipment they cherry pick, charge $$$, other than that they won't give you the time of day. complete jerks. I'd just as soon throw a brick through their window before I'd pay them to even take my trash out for me. they stay in business because they are the only one left.
there are a handful of repair shops in the country that you can mail your radio to them. maybe in another 10 years you have to mail it to China.
Yes, they are great receivers made at a time when Sangean built quality products with good engineering. The original ATS-909 is still one of the few shortwave portables that can handle a large external antenna properly. SSB performance is brilliant and much better sounding than those Tecsun DSP SW receivers and their distorted audio.
The later revisions - ATS-909X and ATS-909X2 don't measure up to the original in my view.
The later revisions - ATS-909X and ATS-909X2 don't measure up to the original in my view.
4nradio
Member
A Sony portable, the ICF-7600 I believe, uses the same speaker. I tried one in an original ATS-909 and it fit perfectly and sounded great. I can't vouch 100% for the 7600 model of the replacement, but from memory that sounds correct. You might do a search on "speaker" on the Sangean groups.io forum(s).
I have a DX-398 that I bought for $15 at one of those stores that sold banged up boxes with "new" items inside. The speaker buzzed really badly. I replaced the speaker with one from Digi-Key. It was about $7. It sounds much better than it did with the OE speaker. I just picked a "full range" one that measured the same size, and it fit great. I bought another slightly different one that didn't sound as good, but it fit just fine too.
