vx3200 gone deaf !

[m-gerty]

I have a vx3200 that by all indicators the narrowband filters are messed up. With the radio on scan it won't stop for anything, if I take it off scan it'll rx most of the time. The program hasn't been changed since it was narrowbanded years ago. The radio has been removed from my truck, attached to a different antenna, power supply and still no joy..
Anyone know about a tech bulletin or parts values, sources.
Any help appreciated.

 

[PACNWDude]

This model as well as many others had a manufacture defect in the filters for narrow band use. Vertex won't repair them any longer, and some shops may have the filters and ability to fix it.

This problem came up once narrow banding became a requirement. It is the VX-3200/4200/2200 and some Motorola's as well. There was high humidity in a Japanese plant that made the filters. This causes them to fail.

It may not be legal for your specific use, but if you set the radio channels to wide band it will probably work better, just as a troubleshooting method.

 

[m-gerty]

This model as well as many others had a manufacture defect in the filters for narrow band use. Vertex won't repair them any longer, and some shops may have the filters and ability to fix it.

This problem came up once narrow banding became a requirement. It is the VX-3200/4200/2200 and some Motorola's as well. There was high humidity in a Japanese plant that made the filters. This causes them to fail.

It may not be legal for your specific use, but if you set the radio channels to wide band it will probably work better, just as a troubleshooting method.

Thanks for taking the time...
Ok.. I just changed all the channels to wide band, everything else (tx-rx-pl) is the same that it has been for years. Still no joy, so it's apparently not just narrow related. I can transmit ok, it just stops whenever it feels like when on scan, when on a busy channel it'll pick up bits and pieces of the transmission
What do you suggest I try next ?

 

[m-gerty]

Anyone ???

 

[PACNWDude]

At this point, a service monitor check of the radios receive sensitivity is probably in order. Checking squelch and talk tests with another radio may help troubleshoot.

Either time for a new radio or to have someone look at it with knowledge of how to check RX sensitivity.

 

[m-gerty]

At this point, a service monitor check of the radios receive sensitivity is probably in order. Checking squelch and talk tests with another radio may help troubleshoot.

Either time for a new radio or to have someone look at it with knowledge of how to check RX sensitivity.

All of that would probably cost more than the radios worth. Thanks for your time...

 

[cmdrwill]

Could be a fried front end, the receiver input stage, due to high SWR or adjacent transmitter antennas.
We get a lot of them with deaf receivers, and the FE transistor is bad.

The poor little transistor is trying to pickup microvolts and gets blasted with volts, transistor fails.

 

[m-gerty]

Could be a fried front end, the receiver input stage, due to high SWR or adjacent transmitter antennas.
We get a lot of them with deaf receivers, and the FE transistor is bad.

The poor little transistor is trying to pickup microvolts and gets blasted with volts, transistor fails.

I can check/change transistors.. Just need to know which one, is there a schematic available for download somewhere?

 

[ElroyJetson]

The ceramic filter corrosion issue can affect both narrow AND wideband filters. It's not limited to only the narrowband filters.

I've changed out so many I lost count of how many times I've lost count!

Some radios run one filter for wideband, the other for narrowband. Others run both filters in series for narrowband operation.

There are a fair number of filter types that are very similar and SOME may even work as substitutes others, but some will NOT.

I think Mouser and Digikey both carry just about every type that might be found in your radio.