WS1065 - Stopped Rx

[quarterwave]

A friend has a WS1065, had it a year and 3 months, bought new, I programmed for him. I have a Radio Shack version of same.

His has worked fine since he got it, until last week, it just stopped. Looks like it's working, won't hear a thing.

It's digital trunking, but it won't hear a wx channel either. Being very radio centric, I felt like it went deaf.

I brought it home and tried it here, when I first plugged it in, it did start to receive some talk groups and mirrored mine. Then it just stopped. I ended up putting the file back in it, and trying it, nothing.

Question: Does anyone besides Whistler repair them? They seem very snarky about repairs....as in they don't want to and you might as well buy a new one.

Question 2: Ever see this problem just happen all the sudden? I wouldn't even ask if it weren't for the fact it started working and then stopped again without so much as breathing on it. Weird.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

No luck with another antenna?

 

[tvengr]

If the display looks like it is scanning properly when it suddenly stops receiving, I would suspect the antenna also. Take a look to see if the center pin of the connector on the antenna has broken off or is pushed in.

 

[tvengr]

One other thing to check: Dirty contacts on the headphone or external speaker jack could be muting the internal speaker. That would also affect receiving weather. Plugging and removing a cable in the jacks several times may correct the problem.

 

[quarterwave]

Thanks for replies, speaker is good, no jack issues. Does not appear to have a antenna port issue, I tried it on my outside antenna as well as the standard back of set antenna. No luck. I too, went right to the antenna as the culprit, from experience. I think it just went goofy.

 

[tvengr]

Do you hear any hiss out of the speaker? I have seen several instances in the Radio Shack Pro-197, the WS1065's older brother, where the TDA1905 audio output IC shorted. It is replaceable by a NTE7000. You might want to remove the cover and check if the large resistors around it are discolored. Be careful! If the IC is shorted, the IC and resistors will be extremely HOT.

 

[quarterwave]

I'm good on audio, I had left it off for a while, turned it on and it would not lock onto a WX channel even with open squelch, then I tapped the top of the case and it started working. Switched back to the trunking system and it started picking up. Ran about 15 minutes and stopped again. By "stopped" I mean, it will show signal, but not the T symbol where it locks on the trunked data. My 197 is running just fine 3 feet away. Not a problem with actual signal levels. This thing has a bug or a wicked intermittant.

 

[Swipesy]

I used to have that issue with my PSR500. A gentle wrapped with my palm on the side of the scanner solved the issue. Used to happen once a month. Then the issue went away and has not done it in 3 years. Never figured out what the issue is but a "gentle" wrap does work.

 

[Daleb49]

I used Whistler repair twice and had fast turn around and solid repairs.
Never did they push anything about buying a new one.

 

[tvengr]

I tapped the top of the case and it started working.

It would be worth a try removing the cover and checking for loose plugs. You can also try lightly tapping inside the scanner with an insulated object to see if you can find a location where the problem comes and goes. A problem like that can be caused by a bad solder connection on the circuit board or the speaker.

 

[KMG54]

Were they not famous for a bad solder joint from the center pin of the antenna to the PCB?

 

[tvengr]

There is a problem that if too much stress is put on the antenna connector that it will break the solder connection from the antenna connector to the circuit board on the PSR-500, Pro-106. Pro-651, and WS1040 handhelds.

 

[quarterwave]

It would be worth a try removing the cover and checking for loose plugs. You can also try lightly tapping inside the scanner with an insulated object to see if you can find a location where the problem comes and goes. A problem like that can be caused by a bad solder connection on the circuit board or the speaker.

Already did that stuff. Nothing popped up.

However.... Through trial and error, discovered that if I turn it on with the squelch all the way down (open) and leave it there it scans and receives just fine. It is only being used on a P25 Trunking system, so no conventional channels. Has worked perfect for a few days now. Owner has it back and it's fine.

 

[Sector46]

If the display looks like it is scanning properly when it suddenly stops receiving, I would suspect the antenna also. Take a look to see if the center pin of the connector on the antenna has broken off or is pushed in.

OPEN IT and TIGHTEN DOWN all the Circuit Boards, seem to have lost ground possibly, and exercise all multi connectors a few times.

 

[quarterwave]

OPEN IT and TIGHTEN DOWN all the Circuit Boards, seem to have lost ground possibly, and exercise all multi connectors a few times.

DID THAT when I had it open the first time, didn't help, but as later reported, it is working, just not the way it should be,