Yaesu: Yaesu FT60R Help - (inaudible volume after dropping)

[hamradiouser99]

Hi guys, hope someone can help here. We have a Yaesu FT60R that was dropped accidentally on a hard floor. It looked like it hit on the end with the knobs and antenna.

Afterwards, the volume doesn't seem to be adjustable and is so low as to basically be inaudible. However, the unit power-on tone and static are as loud as ever when they are present (so it appears the speaker itself is ok), it is just that the volume of a received signal can barely be heard when it locks in and turning the volume knob does nothing to bring it up or down. I hope I explained that well enough. The stations still lock-in and signal strength is good according to the display.

I ordered a new VR-board from Yaesu as I though the knob may have been broken but after replacing it, nothing changed.

Can anyone offer any suggestions that would help troubleshoot and fix the issue? Thanks.

 

[RichardKramer]

Hi guys, hope someone can help here. We have a Yaesu FT60R that was dropped accidentally on a hard floor. It looked like it hit on the end with the knobs and antenna.

Afterwards, the volume doesn't seem to be adjustable and is so low as to basically be inaudible. However, the unit power-on tone and static are as loud as ever when they are present (so it appears the speaker itself is ok), it is just that the volume of a received signal can barely be heard when it locks in and turning the volume knob does nothing to bring it up or down. I hope I explained that well enough. The stations still lock-in and signal strength is good according to the display.

I ordered a new VR-board from Yaesu as I though the knob may have been broken but after replacing it, nothing changed.

Can anyone offer any suggestions that would help troubleshoot and fix the issue? Thanks.

I have 5 - FT60s, 2 of which had an audio problem with the speaker. Putting in a weather channel or just open the squelch to hear the rushing noise; push hard a few times on the front of the case where the speaker is. If the sound comes and goes it is likely one of the speaker wires is loose ( which was the case on 2 of mine). I opened the case and resoldered the wires and voila, sound is stable thru the speaker. On one of the radios I had to reglue the speaker to the case as it had come loose. If you use a speaker mic, try putting the plug in the jack and pulling it out a couple of times; I had the issue where the contacts did not open back up for the speaker to activate.

 

[hamradiouser99]

Thank for the suggestions. but the sound level is fine with the system sound, button presses etc. It is just the audio from received stations that is inaudible.

So unfortunately pressing the front of the case didn't do anything. Since it was dropped, maybe it could be a cold solder break in an amplifier circuit? Are there schematics for the radio on the Internet? Thanks again for any help getting the radio back working.

 

[hamradiouser99]

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[AK9R]

Are there schematics for the radio on the Internet?

I Googled "yaesu ft-60 service manual" and the first hit was a complete service manual with schematics.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Send the radio to Yaesu for repair.

 

[dcr_inc]

plug a speaker mic in and see if the audio is loud

 

[hamradiouser99]

I Googled "yaesu ft-60 service manual" and the first hit was a complete service manual with schematics.

Hey, thanks, I didn't think that would be that easy to find.

Send the radio to Yaesu for repair.

Not really worth it I'm afraid. Probably cost more than the radio to fix. Plus I bought it on ebay with a mod installed. Really looking to fix it myself.

plug a speaker mic in and see if the audio is loud

Nice idea, I'll try this out. I'm trying to narrow done the area where the problem could be so this could help.

Did a tear down already and used the microscope for a visual inspection but didn't see anything in particular stand out. Radio fell approx. 3 feet onto a tile floor so took a bit of a jolt. If it fell on the antenna, could that cause a problem with volume level?

 

[hamradiouser99]

plug a speaker mic in and see if the audio is loud

Ok, finally got a speaker mic hooked up. Volume is still very low on received stations. Static is loud when no station locked in.

Could a damaged antenna cause this issue?

 

[dcr_inc]

Are the stations you are listening to narrowband?.. That would cause low volume.. I am aware of the dropped radio..

 

[hamradiouser99]

Hi,

No, just testing with a nearby NOAA weather station. That station was working fine up until the moment of the drop.

 

[dcr_inc]

Check set item #55..

 

[hamradiouser99]

Ok, checked #55 and it was set to "wide". I then tried it with "narrow" also and nothing changed.

Then I set it back to "wide".

 

[AK9R]

Could a damaged antenna cause this issue?

Maybe. But, maybe not. Do you live near a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter (162.400 to 162.550 MHz)? If so, tune to that frequency and see if the radio still has low volume.

 

[hamradiouser99]

Maybe. But, maybe not. Do you live near a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter (162.400 to 162.550 MHz)? If so, tune to that frequency and see if the radio still has low volume.

Yes, that is what I am doing. There is a station nearby with a good signal. As I mentioned above, that station was actually on the radio when it was dropped. After the drop, it is almost inaudible...can just barely hear it if I put the radio up to my ear.

Since it was dropped, I thought it might have landed on the knobs so I changed the vr unit with a new one from Yaesu, but that didn't help. Now I am wondering if the antenna could have been damaged.

 

[AK9R]

There is a station nearby with a good signal.

Meaning the S meter showed almost all of it's bars? If that's still the case, then the radio is receiving a good signal, i.e. no problem with antenna or RF circuitry, but there's a problem with the audio circuitry.

 

[hamradiouser99]

Yes, good bars. For all intents and purposes the radio seems to work fine. Except for the volume or received stations.

If it isn't the antenna, my next idea is to reflow the components on the amp circuit in case of a solder break.

Unless someone has a better idea?

 

[dcr_inc]

Could be a broken smd resistor.. Very common

 

[hamradiouser99]

Or a ceramic disc maybe..this looks like it could be cracked to me. This component is on the very top edge of the board where it could possibly have been dropped.



Also the crystal filter right below the disc also in the IF section...might have an issue next to the upper leg.



What do you guys think?

 

[dcr_inc]

Apply heat to ONE end of the component.. If it splits, its bad..

 

[k6cpo]

If all else fails, there's always Yaesu repair service.