Pro-2096 stuck in PC/IF cable screen - fix

[GrayJeep]

My 2096 would intermittently display the PC/IF screen used for cloning even with no plug installed.
Then it would reboot and scan until something disturbed it.

Some careful pressure with fingers revealed that the problem would occur when pressure was applied to the PC/IF jack or the earphone jack and sometimes to the volume/squelch knobs.

I opened the radio and noted that the small board holding the 2 jacks and the knob controls could move a little. I tried to get the board out but didn't want to apply massive force to the knobs so I just reheated the ground wire to the board with no change in results.

My fix is to use a shorting plug in the PC/IF socket. It seems that the problem is that the PC/IF socket which normally grounds the PC/IF until a plug is inserted (then it goes to programming/clone mode) is opening either by a cracked solder joint or by internal contacts not making well. So by pushing in a shorting plug I forcibly ground the connection.

Now it's solid with no intermittent behavior.

I would have reheated the solder joints but, again, I couldn't get the knobs off to take the board out.
This works. Maybe it'll help somebody in the future.

(Filed for the searchable record in RR.)

 

[N9JIG]

I have a similar issue with one of my PRO2096's, it won't come out of the PC/IF mode, wanting me to remove the non-existent cable. I tried the shorting cable with no joy, so I suppose it is a bad or broken solder joint on the jack or board.

I suppose it was invertible, as the cord comes in and out several times daily as this is my primary PRO96Com radio.

If I get brave I might try and resolder the jack joints if I can get it disassembled.