Last week I dropped my BCD436HP and broke the antenna connector. This torqued me off quite a lot since it is my main handheld scanner and I was leaving on a trip that weekend. I was able to buy the replacement connector from Uniden Parts (Part number BJKG1211001, $5.00 plus $4.99 shipping).
When I got home the part was waiting in the mail box so this evening I went to work. Below are the steps I followed.
Caveats apply here: This will void your warranty! If you damage your radio it is your own responsibility, I do not suggest this for anyone not willing to trash their radio to save a repair fee. Uniden or G&G will repair this for under $100 so consider this before undertaking the project.
Also, be sure that the board itself isn't damaged, if so then it is unlikely to be repairable so sending it to Uniden might be the better option. They may replace the radio or board or they could notify you that it is not repairable. I cannot speak for Uniden, I do not work for them and I assume they would discourage these types of self repairs.
While this was done on a 436, most of this could also apply to other handheld scanners such as the 396, 346, 330 and others.
All that said, here is what I did:
1. Remove the batteries and antenna. Removal of the SD Card is not required but you can if you want.
2. Remove four screws on the back of the radio plus the two in the battery compartment.
3. Remove the MFC knob and the retaining nut on the antenna connector.
4. Remove the front case half.
5. Remove both rubber button and jack covers, one on each side of the radio.
6. CAREFULLY remove the rear case half. This can be tricky; you need to press in all three of the battery springs at the same time to clear the plastic case. (These are the negative connectors for the batteries.)
7. Once the guts are separated from the case remove the four screws holding the daughter board to the main board and carefully separate them. There are two things to watch for here: First is that there is a panel connector on both pieces and second; there is a metal plate that sits between these two boards that without the screws is no longer held down. Be sure to pull the board straight out, do not twist it!
8. On the daughter board do not yet remove the retaining nut from the antenna connector.
9. With a low-heat soldering iron (15 watts works best) carefully apply enough heat to melt the solder on the center pin of the antenna connector while simultaneously gently pushing on the wire coming from the board towards the center of the board. As soon as they are separated remove the soldering iron but keep gentle pressure on the wire so that they do not rejoin again until the solder cools.
10. Push the wire coming from the main board down gently towards the board itself so that when you remove the old antenna connector it will clear. Remove the retaining nut from the old SMA connector and wiggle out the connector.
11. Insert the replacement connector and thread on the retaining nut, tightening it down with a split wrench if available. If you do not have one of these specialized tools you can carefully tighten it with a needle nose pliers or a small flat blade screwdriver inserted in the notches.
12. Carefully bend the wire coming from the board back to the center pin of the antenna connector and re-solder it to the pin.
13. Start to reassemble the radio by replacing the rubber button cover in place on the case back (not the jack cover, that piece comes later).
14. This is a good time to check the inside parts of the display glass for dust and fingerprints. Microfiber cloths can help remove these if needed.
15. Insert the daughter (smaller) board (with the antenna and earphone jacks and MFC) into the back half of the exterior case. You will know when it is properly placed when the earphone jack is flush with the case top. You might have to wiggle it a little to get it properly aligned.
16. Drop the metal plate on top of the daughter board, lining up the rectangular hole with the panel connector.
17. Now comes a tricky part. Carefully replace the main board on top of the daughter board-rear case half assembly. Be very careful about two things: the battery springs have to line up with and go into the slots and the panel connector has to mate properly and without damaging it. Since you cannot see the connector it is all done by feel. Push the board straight down gently, do not twist it.
18. Insert the rubber jack cover into its notch on the side of the radio.
19. Replace the four screws that hold the board assembly to the rear case half. Each screw hole has an arrow pointing to it.
20. With the keyboard side down (to avoid the keyboard buttons from falling out or mis-aligning) mate the case halves together. Make sure the button or jacks covers haven’t fallen out and are properly seated.
21. Replace the four screws on the back of the case and the two inside the battery compartment.
22. Replace the retaining screw on the antenna connector and the MFC knob.
23. Replace the SD-Card if needed as well as the batteries.
24. Power up the radio and check for proper operation.
When I got home the part was waiting in the mail box so this evening I went to work. Below are the steps I followed.
Caveats apply here: This will void your warranty! If you damage your radio it is your own responsibility, I do not suggest this for anyone not willing to trash their radio to save a repair fee. Uniden or G&G will repair this for under $100 so consider this before undertaking the project.
Also, be sure that the board itself isn't damaged, if so then it is unlikely to be repairable so sending it to Uniden might be the better option. They may replace the radio or board or they could notify you that it is not repairable. I cannot speak for Uniden, I do not work for them and I assume they would discourage these types of self repairs.
While this was done on a 436, most of this could also apply to other handheld scanners such as the 396, 346, 330 and others.
All that said, here is what I did:
1. Remove the batteries and antenna. Removal of the SD Card is not required but you can if you want.
2. Remove four screws on the back of the radio plus the two in the battery compartment.
3. Remove the MFC knob and the retaining nut on the antenna connector.
4. Remove the front case half.
5. Remove both rubber button and jack covers, one on each side of the radio.
6. CAREFULLY remove the rear case half. This can be tricky; you need to press in all three of the battery springs at the same time to clear the plastic case. (These are the negative connectors for the batteries.)
7. Once the guts are separated from the case remove the four screws holding the daughter board to the main board and carefully separate them. There are two things to watch for here: First is that there is a panel connector on both pieces and second; there is a metal plate that sits between these two boards that without the screws is no longer held down. Be sure to pull the board straight out, do not twist it!
8. On the daughter board do not yet remove the retaining nut from the antenna connector.
9. With a low-heat soldering iron (15 watts works best) carefully apply enough heat to melt the solder on the center pin of the antenna connector while simultaneously gently pushing on the wire coming from the board towards the center of the board. As soon as they are separated remove the soldering iron but keep gentle pressure on the wire so that they do not rejoin again until the solder cools.
10. Push the wire coming from the main board down gently towards the board itself so that when you remove the old antenna connector it will clear. Remove the retaining nut from the old SMA connector and wiggle out the connector.
11. Insert the replacement connector and thread on the retaining nut, tightening it down with a split wrench if available. If you do not have one of these specialized tools you can carefully tighten it with a needle nose pliers or a small flat blade screwdriver inserted in the notches.
12. Carefully bend the wire coming from the board back to the center pin of the antenna connector and re-solder it to the pin.
13. Start to reassemble the radio by replacing the rubber button cover in place on the case back (not the jack cover, that piece comes later).
14. This is a good time to check the inside parts of the display glass for dust and fingerprints. Microfiber cloths can help remove these if needed.
15. Insert the daughter (smaller) board (with the antenna and earphone jacks and MFC) into the back half of the exterior case. You will know when it is properly placed when the earphone jack is flush with the case top. You might have to wiggle it a little to get it properly aligned.
16. Drop the metal plate on top of the daughter board, lining up the rectangular hole with the panel connector.
17. Now comes a tricky part. Carefully replace the main board on top of the daughter board-rear case half assembly. Be very careful about two things: the battery springs have to line up with and go into the slots and the panel connector has to mate properly and without damaging it. Since you cannot see the connector it is all done by feel. Push the board straight down gently, do not twist it.
18. Insert the rubber jack cover into its notch on the side of the radio.
19. Replace the four screws that hold the board assembly to the rear case half. Each screw hole has an arrow pointing to it.
20. With the keyboard side down (to avoid the keyboard buttons from falling out or mis-aligning) mate the case halves together. Make sure the button or jacks covers haven’t fallen out and are properly seated.
21. Replace the four screws on the back of the case and the two inside the battery compartment.
22. Replace the retaining screw on the antenna connector and the MFC knob.
23. Replace the SD-Card if needed as well as the batteries.
24. Power up the radio and check for proper operation.
