Xts2500 SMA question - broke off rf board

[SCPD]

Greetings to all. I have a xts2500 model 2. Irrelevant the firmware is latest and host dsp etc done through a ibutton. The SMA connector has come off the rf board. I ordered the replacement from /\/\ dealer which is on the way. I am aware these are common wear and tear in older units or units which have been pressed up against at the belt line on the vhf antennas.

While I wait for the part I am inquiring information on the replacement of the sma to the rf board. I have soldered electronics so im not unfamiliar but not master know it all. I noticed the sma seems to be soldered under the sma to the rf board however it's so worn its hard to tell. The rear of the board I can tell the center pin was soldered on the back side however the outer pins (4) which slide through the rf board are so worn I cannot tell. I assume they are all soldered on the back side to me obvious. Is the sma soldered on the side it sits on? Anyone who has replaced these and knows I'd greatly appreciate your advice or suggestions. I'm aware the rf board can be replaced already looked at that and or sending it to the depot for repair. However since I'm not novice with electronics and radio equipment but not top end I decided to try it. I read it's a common issue and regular wear and tear. If all fails I'd just depot it or get a new rf board and go the proper route with that through repair dealers. I'd like to try the sma repair though. If you have knowledge and have done this I'd like to hear what you did. Smd or how you went about it. I have a general idea but I prefer to ask someone who has done it prior to make sure I do it right. For the radio police it's a old personal unit which is not used in PS. From the looks of it it's possible it had been repaired before after its first surplus owner had it. I read in another forum about the issue but it didn't elaborate much. Mentioned was a "large heat sink". Overall the radio is old and has served it's purpose and isnt a total loss as it has a replacement apx next to it. Why I decided to give it a self repair trial.

Thanks for you help.
Craig

 

[rescue161]

The SMA is not soldered on the side that it sits on, but you will have major difficulty in removing it if you have never taken one off before. We do these all the time and even then, it is a pain in the butt. The best is when it is completely broken off of the board and all you have to do is remove the pins. Otherwise, you have to use lots of heat and that SMA acts as a heatsink.

Hot air rework station is the easiest. Good luck.

 

[SCPD]

The SMA is not soldered on the side that it sits on, but you will have major difficulty in removing it if you have never taken one off before. We do these all the time and even then, it is a pain in the butt. The best is when it is completely broken off of the board and all you have to do is remove the pins. Otherwise, you have to use lots of heat and that SMA acts as a heatsink.

Hot air rework station is the easiest. Good luck.

Thanks that's what I was figuring but wanted to be sure before digging in on the one side. The SMA connectors came in today and as you mentioned they had broke off with the pins easily sliding out. Went pretty smooth lIke new. Thank you for the information.

 

[rescue161]

Good deal. The volume and channel selectors are much worse.

 

[cmdrwill]

rescue161,

How about the antenna jack on XPR 6550? The radio has no transmit power and a really deaf receive. broken antenna jack?

No signs of physical damage, and I have not opened the radio yet.

 

[rescue161]

I would take a look. If it is broken, it will either wiggle or be completely broken off of the board. In most cases of radios with low output power, it has been the SMA. A few cases have been faulty antennas. Very few were bad boards.

 

[g8tzl2004]

Rescue 161

How about EX560 - like EX600 but submersible and with an SMA antenna socket.

Radio works OK but cannot tighten antenna. I think the ground pins of SMA socket have become unsoldered and SMA ground is rotating - although center pin must be OK. If you carefully position socket you can then tighten antenna - so pins must have ended up resting in PCB holes which enables antenna to be tightened (but will not be reliable)

Do you think SMA socket just needs resoldering or have SMA ground pins broken? Is it easy to open up an EX560?

Thanks

 

[rescue161]

If the ground is rotating, then the entire SMA needs to be replaced. I do not advise continuing to use it in the current condition.

 

[SCPD]

Good deal. The volume and channel selectors are much worse.

Yeah I was looking at those during the process and they seemed pretty secure luckily. That's one thing many need to keep eye on with surplus equipment if they don't plan to do repairs themself.

 

[cmdrwill]

And no one told people you can not sling the radio around by the antenna.

Every one thinks the antenna is just a handle.

 

[ElroyJetson]

I've had to deal with that problem before. I don't often criticize Motorola but every single time they make a radio where the RF connector, which is a screw-in type, is soldered to a PC board, I know that it is going to be problematic and it's a crap design.

Radios with the connector as part of a separate frame are trouble free in this regard. Like your XTS5000.

But when you solder the RF connector to the PC board, I know it's eventually going to break free because the antenna will come in contact with many things.

Solder connections are not structural. Neither are PC boards.

 

[SCPD]

Not sure of his equipment issue but my end was normal wear and tear and what seemed to be a former weak repair from previous owner. The radio was a surplus bought one many years ago it only was in service short while then the agency switched to 700mhz getting rid of all the vhf equipment. Then other owner had it as a desk radio and minor outer use. Then I picked it up and did firmware upgrades bringing it up to date. Obviously he must have did a repair or took it to a shop. One complaint I hear is the xts radios on the long vhf and 700 antennas bend enough to wear the sma connections out over time. Motorola considers it a normal wear and tear item to be replaced. Never seen it on a 5000 or apx yet since those rolled out. My first time dealing with it on a 2500 but have heard it's a common replace issue in used equipment. This is expected in official use gear which takes a beating specially in physical environments such as corrections snd public safety to one sitting in a vehicle or chair and the door or chair pressing against the radio for years. It was actually a easy replacement I just wasn't sure about the inside being soldered which it didn't appear to be but wanted to be sure. I'd imagine motorola considers most the low to mid tier sma to be a wear and tear item. One thing is for sure the previous owner used the apx vhf 7/800 long arm pit buster antenna on it for rx. As for people using antennas as a club or handle that wpuld get me started on proper handling and care. Of course one cannot prevent a suspect from grabbing it but personal use different story. It is as backwards as a agency I know where they decided to build a shelf above 30 xts 1500s for books and all the vhf narrow band antennas are literally bent over almost at a 60 degree angle with the users cramming them upright under it everyday. I made comments and thoughts but they didn't care. Reply I got was "don't worry about it they are paid for". I'm glad I am not part of that departments micro managing and engineering ideas. I have no doubt those 30 1500s will eventually have the sma issue if not already and it'll be discovered when the antenna is removed or tx issues start to exist.