bent 2-way radio at the repair center

this is not good at all

Bent CP200d boardbent CP200d radio board

In the radio repair industry we have seen many ways end-users damage their radios. One of the more common types of portable radio damage is compression or crush damage. When this happens the component board, which is very rigid, can become bent. How does this happen? Usually it is a from the user sitting on the radio after it has been placed in their back pocket or in the seat of a vehicle.There are a multitude of problems that can be caused when your component board gets bent in this way, and none of them are good.

shield damage on CP200dUsually the exterior house of the radio miraculously can bounce back into shape follow a squeeze (unless it is of the extreme nature). What you can’t see is the effect it has had on the board inside. Many times the radio user will not realize the component board has been damaged.

The Motorola radio pictured arrived from Mississippi with only exterior scuffs, and no additional notes. The real damage wasn’t seen until the technician had opened the CP200d radio. As you can see in the pictures, the metal shields were dented in, and the green component board was warped. Not seen in these photos, underneath the shields there are likely components which have popped off the board. The layers of the board and traces are likely cracked. Unfortunately in a case such as this the damage is fatal. The radio had to be deemed non-repairable.

At the radio repair center we’ve seen radios that have been driven over by a truck be repairable. We rely on our highly skilled technicians to assess each radio and determine if it can be repaired or needs to be replaced. If you have a radio you believe to have compression damage, go ahead and send it in the the radio repair center. As radios have became smaller we see more compression damage. Some damage is as simple as the user placing the radio in their back pocket and sitting on it. Other damage is more serious and caused by machinery or vehicles.

crush damaged 2-way radio batteries

Another area of concern would be the battery that was on the radio at the time the crush damage happened. The cells in the battery could be come unstable and be a hazard. Much like the radio housing the battery’s exterior may not show the damage within. If the compression was enough to deem the radio non-repairable, the battery should also be retired to recycling. (Side note: Most Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy stores have battery recycling centers near the front of the store.)

If you find yourself with a compression/crush damaged radio, we’ll be happy to take a look at it and determine if it is repairable. Radio repair is generally around one third the cost of new.

~cl

batteries for 2-way radios, radio repair

tips: remote mics

Push and hold the PTT button while transmittingRemote Mic
One common mistake many radio users make is starting to speak before they’ve completely pressing the PTT (push-to-talk button), or releasing the PTT before their transmission is complete. You might only miss a few words, but those words could be critical. It very well could be a matter of safety. Push the PTT and give yourself a moment before speaking. Hold the button until you are finished.

Speak clearly in your normal voice
Shouting CB-style can cause distortion of your voice, just as speaking to softly can make your communication non-discernible. Speak clearly, enunciate, and at a normal volume for best communication when using a remote speaker mic.

Hold the remote mic 1-3″ from your mouth
It is a common mistake for users to have their mouth too far away from the microphone. This can make it harder to pick up your voice, and also leave you open to environmental noise.  Having the mic too close to your mouth can also be a problem. This unwelcome mouth noise and breath sounds could be a distraction to those receiving your transmission. Practice keeping the microphone a nice 1-3″ from your mouth, and speak clearly.

Don’t wrestle the microphone around in your hand
While most modern remote microphones have some noise suppression, you should still avoid unnecessary movement while transmitting.

Connect the microphone securely to the radio
If your microphone has a two-prong plug, make sure it is completely seated before turning on the radio and beginning to communicate. You should feel a small snap when it seats into place correctly. Avoid unnecessary plugging and unplugging, over the course of time this will lead to a bad jack connection. Plug straight in and pull straight out, refraining from side-to-side wobbling, which can wobble out the jack. If possible leave your audio device plugged in all the time. If your radio has a multi-pin connector, be certain you security to the radio. Clean your contacts with a pencil eraser for best connection.

Always have your radio turned off when attaching any audio device
Most modern radios will sense the audio device and react accordingly. In the event you plug the device in with the radio turned on, many times you will experience problems such as temporary or intermittent voice activation (VOX), or an unresponsive audio device.

Keep your microphone clean
Read our blog post about Hygiene for more info.

Most radio models have remote speaker microphones available. Call us if you need help determining which mic would work best with your model.

 

 

audio accessories for 2-way radios, radio tips, Uncategorized

someone ran over my radio

It happens more often than you might think… an employee comes in to tell the boss “someone ran over my radio”. It is not something a business owner or manager wants to hear. The radio repair center compression damaged radios in all shapes and sizes (Motorola, Kenwood, Vertex and others). Some are repairable, while others are not.

Repairability might depend on whether the radio was on a solid surface, or something simple like dirt or mud. It also depends on the rigidness of the housing. Larger radios are generally more forgiving than small radios, simply because there is more space between the component board and the exterior housing.

What to do if your radio gets ran over:

1) Turn off the radio. Look for physical signs of damage.
2) Be especially watchful of any battery which has been squeezed or crushed. (See the previous blog post about this.) If the battery is obviously damaged get rid of it in hazardous waste. If you are uncertain, send it in with the radio.

The good news is many business grade radios survive being driven over by a loader or truck. All is not necessarily lost. If your radio is damaged get it in to the radio repair center right away. Let us know it has been squeezed or crushed. We will do what we can to get it repaired and back to you right away.

Here at Delmmar Communications our nationwide 2-way radio repair center can assess your damaged radio and determine if it can be brought back to factory spec. The cost of radio repair is generally less than half the cost of a new radio. Give us a call, 800-872-2627.

 

~cl

batteries for 2-way radios, radio repair

bulging, smoking, flaming batteries

Bulging 2-way radio battery

Bulging 2-way radio battery

Scary even when it’s not Halloween!

What happens when your radio’s battery becomes a fire hazard? How does this happen?  Physical damage, over charging, defective battery… these can all be potential causes.

This bulging DTR series battery is from a DTR650 2-way radio that came into Delmmar’s 2-way radio repair center for repair. Our check-in crew quickly spotted the bulge and placed the battery in a secure fire resistant location.

During a repair the radio and accompanying accessories are assessed by a qualified technician. All common failure parts, along with any other necessary parts are replaced. With this radio a phone call was made before beginning the repair. The customer chose to have their DTR650 radio repaired under the flat rate repair and purchase a new battery to replace this bulging one. Bulgy has been disposed of in hazardous waste.

In the news recently there has been a lot of talk about electronics devices catching fire on planes. An educated guess would be the battery in the device was damaged or poor workmanship. It could have been physical or liquid damage, overcharging, poor manufacturing, or the effects of the change in air pressure in the cabin. While we have not heard of any incidents involving 2-way radios (which have restrictions when taken on a plane), users should always use wisdom whether in the air or on the ground.

There are dozens of youtube videos showing these types of batteries in flames once they are abused, overcharged, wet or mistreated.  Short story: If your radio battery bulges, or shows any sign of puncture/damage DO NOT use it.

Delmmar Communications‘ advice: For your two-way radio choose a fresh good name brand battery from a reputable radio dealer. Choose good quality Li-Ion or NiMH batteries instead of Li-Polymer. If you have questions give us a call, 800-872-2627.

~cl

batteries for 2-way radios, radio repair, radio tips
Motorola battery date code

do you care about battery dates?

GOT STATIC? GOT POOR TRANSMIT?

Using an old battery on your radio can cause you problems, including poor or intermittent transmit, a battery that no long last the full day, lots of static or white noise, poorly functioning add-on audio devices, and more. Continual use of an old or bad battery can eventually cause wear and tear to the radio itself, resulting in the need for repair.

The life expectancy of the average rechargeable battery used in 2-way radios or other devices is 2 years. This includes your rechargeable flashlight as well as your portable radio.

How can you tell the age of your battery?
Nearly every manufacturer of a rechargeable battery marks the battery with a date code representing the date of manufacture. Sometimes these date codes are hidden in plain sight. You might feel like you need a secret decoder ring to break the code. Motorola is no different than most manufacturers, their batteries and accessories are marked with manufacturing codes.

Motorola batteries follow a very simple date code system. You will find a 3- or 4-digit number on the battery label (or embossed in the plastic of the battery itself). Use the example 1611, the first two digits are the year, and the next two digits are the week of the year. The battery shown is dated 2016 the 11th week.
If you have a 3-digit code the first number is the year. 611 would be either 2016 or 2006. (You can usually tell by the appearance of the battery if it is 10 years or more old.)

Next time you have a poorly functioning radio check your battery date code. Maybe you simply need to replace your battery.

Battery tips:

  • Clean your battery contacts on your radio and charger periodically with a pencil eraser to remove any film or debris. This will allow your radio to make better contact on the charger. (Never use chemicals or a sharp object to clean contacts.)
  • Always have your radio turned off when placed on the charger, and if in an emergency you must have a radio turned on when on the charger, never ever transmit while charging. This can burn out components in your radio causing the need for repair.
  • If you feel you have an old, bad, or poorly functioning battery, try trading batteries with a known good radio and see if the problem is solved. You may simply need to replace your old battery.
  • The shelf life of a battery which has never been charged (initialized) is supposed to be indefinite. If you store new batteries before you use them, mark them with the date you initially charged the battery. This will give you a better idea on your 2 year life expectancy.
  • When initially charging a battery that has been in the cold or stored for a period of time before use it may take 2-3 charge cycles for the battery to successfully take that first charge. If you charger is blinking when it usually doesn’t, leave the battery on the charger and let it blink a few hours, even try again the next day doing the same thing. The battery will usually wake up, charge and be fine.
  • Beware of aftermarket batteries from less than reputable sources. We’ve seen or tried them all. We do offer a good aftermarket battery for most models if you are looking for such a battery.
  • Dispose of all old batteries in hazardous waste. Most big box stores have handy recycling bins where you can deposit your old batteries for recycling.

What are you waiting on? Go check your date codes! If you have questions give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are always happy to help.
~cl

2 Commentsbatteries for 2-way radios, radio and battery recycling, radio tips

mics for business radios

Public Safey MicSo you are probably used to seeing your local law enforcement officers wear a remote speaker mic on their shoulder. It’s identifiable, something that seems to be part of their uniform. But did you know many other industries use these devices too? Just to name a few: manufacturing, amusement, sporting and entertainment venues all take advantage of the convenience of the remote microphone. Remote mics (aka lapel or shoulder mics) can be used anywhere two-way radios are used. They move the convenience of your radio on your lapel.

You can find a remote mic for most types of commercial two-way radios. Mics vary in features with some including submersible, windporting, display screens, antennas, emergency buttons, audio jacks for earpieces, coiled or straight cords. For basic business two-way radios a remote mic may simply have a speaker, microphone, coiled cord, lapel clip, and a push to talk button.  Everything you need to have the convenience of your radio near your head, where you an both talk and listen.

Ever seem like you are constantly taking your radio off your hip to talk? Maybe a remote mic is right for you!

If you need help finding the perfect remote speaker mic or audio device for your portable radio, give Delmmar Communications a call, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

2-way radio news, emergency response radios, firefighter radios, radio accessories & batteries, radios for public safety

have radio, will travel…

Travel Charger for CP200dCharging radio batteries can become a problem when away from your office. We’ve seen clients improvise all kinds of devices to charge their radios when away from their home/office. We can tell you, several of these jury-rigged devices we’ve seen were downright scary! Today, we received good news from Motorola, they will be offering a new Travel Charger for the CP200d and PR400 family of radios.

While some models have had a travel charger available, the CP200d family of radios did not. The new PMLN7089 Travel Charger includes a single unit charging tray, mounting bracket, and cord w/cig. lighter adapter.

While we still suggest users only put their radio on the charger overnight (think of it as putting your radio to bed), there are still times where a charger in a vehicle would be very handy. This little device will take care of that need.

If you have questions about chargers, give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

2-way radio news, radio accessories & batteries

wet 2-way radio rescue…

WEVAP rescue pouche’ve found an innovative product available to assist in saving a wet 2-way radio or cell phone. It’s the EVAP Rescue Pouch. The manufacturer states it is ” 700% more effective at removing moisture than rice. EVAP contains a unique drying agent that safely removes the moisture from sensitive electronics preventing damage while restoring use — fast!” The kit consists of a specialized ziplock pouch with moisture indicator, 2 large packets of drying agent, and easy instructions.

We received our first one in to look at and we were impressed.

It comes sealed to keep moisture prior to use away from the special drying agent. The instructions are simple and concise. The bag is big enough for most modern 2-way radios or a cell phone. (Size:  5.196″W x 6.299″H) In the event your device is too large for the bag supplied you could still use the kit by putting your item in the pouch and then sealing it in a large ziplock bag. The handy moisture indicate on the bag will tell you when it is done in 6-24 hours.

Here at the radio repair center we see radios coming in for repair daily which have liquid damage. The keep to repairability is getting the device dry and getting it shipped to us as soon as possible. With an EVAP Rescue Pouch you could even ship it to us pouch and all. It could be drying out on the way here. Such a neat idea we wish we’d came up with it ourselves!

If you are interested in getting an EVAP-bag to have around in case of emergency, just give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

2-way radio news, radio accessories & batteries, radio tips, water resistant radios

radio vs cell continued…

Motorola CP200 radio and cellphoneWe often are asked by friends, family and clients about the status of 2-way radio in a world where everyone seems to be carrying their own personal communications device, a cell phone. Here are some thoughts of those in this industry concerning this subject.

Most people would admit they could not function without their smart phone, the computer attached to your hip.

But in reality, as a communications device, a cell phone is still a device for making a phone call to another person. You dial a number, let it ring, wait for an answer, hope to talk to the person you are calling, possibly leaving a voice message. The process takes at least a minute of your time or more just to connect. And following this routine, you may end up having a conversation for several minutes.

When using a two-way radio you simply press the push-to-talk (PTT) button and instantly speak to your group (or one-to-one depending on your radio system). You can give a brief message or instruction, receive an immediate response and finish your task accordingly. The entire process typically takes a few seconds. It is fast and efficient, saving time and money. In the realm of public safety and businesses such as construction, it can save lives. In addition, radios are highly effective in high noise environments, built rugged for long-term use, offer an intuitive one-touch user interface, and feature a battery designed to do a full day’s work.

Nearly all business models of two-way radios are repairable and have replacement battery packs available. The life expectancy of a two-way radios is up to 10 years, with many exceeding this mark.  Computing the cost of purchasing a typical business 2-way radio (Motorola CP200d) over 10 years including replacement batteries every two years and 1-2 repairs, it would calculate to under $12/month to own/operate the radio. Much less than the overall cost of cellular for the same time period.

Cellular devices are by nature fragile. The majority are too lightweight for work environments. Battery packs are often non-replaceable.  If you talk to those in the cellular industry, you will find the life expectancy of a phone is about two years. At the 2-year mark, the cell carriers are ready to make a deal with you where you can get the next model “free” or inexpensively to keep you as a client. The industry is reliant upon the monthly fees we all pay. We’ll let you do the math on what a maintaining a cell phone will cost you over the course of 10 years.

Radio communication is instantaneous with the simple use of a PTT button. The person needing information receives it quickly. Requests for assistance are heard by everyone monitoring the frequency. This is essential in many industries and especially in public safety. Radios designed for public safety can also have other features such as an emergency button or a mandown feature where the radio will notify dispatch of an officer who is no longer vertical. In construction when giving instructions to a crane operator PTT radio technology is the quickest form of communication.  Think about restaurant hostesses or retail clerks communicating with others on their team. This type of communication is done more efficiently using a radio versus a cell phone. It would be hard to imagine the public safety or business world without 2-way radios.

And up to now we haven’t mentioned the downside of using a cellular device instead of a radio, things such as surfing the web, playing games, making personal calls, just aren’t a problem when businesses use two-way radios for their onsite communications. So when choosing between using your smart phone and 2-way radios, you can see where the two devices differ both in features and overall long term cost. Both have their place where they can work to the best advantage. It’s up to you as a business person to choose your communications device wisely.

What will the future bring… expect a new generation of radios with smartphone capabilities. Stay tuned.

If you have questions, give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

2-way radio models, batteries for 2-way radios, radio tips, radio vs cell phone

early indications of Spring…

Greenhouse PlantsOur customers in the nursery and greenhouse business are starting to prepare for Spring. 2-way radios which had been set aside from last season are beginning to arrive at the radio repair center to be tuned up and repaired for the busy season ahead.

Many in the growing industry use push-to-talk radio technology instead of cellular for on-site communications. A variety of reasons include: two-way radios are dedicated primarily to voice capabilities, which support immediate person-to-person and group communications; and while smart phones provide many features and Apps, it is the simplicity of two-way radio that makes it attractive for situations where simple communication is important. Simply push the button and talk! It’s easy with no learning curve, or games and Apps to get distracted.

Two-way radios are designed to be rugged, and take the punishment of a 40-hour work week. Nearly all models are repairable and have replaceable batteries. This is why many nursery and greenhouse owners rely on basic push-to-talk technology to save the steps of many workers while providing communication throughout their facilities. One of our growers explained one increased productivity benefit this way, “You don’t have to worry about an employee calling or texting his girlfriend on his radio… unless she is an employee too.”  Guess that can be listed as another side benefit of 2-way.

This is your reminder to check your radios over before the busy season and get them in for repair if needed.

Also, now would be a great time to replace batteries. You can order directly from eradiostore.com, or give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We’d be happy to look up your radio model and tell you what battery options are available.

~cl

batteries for 2-way radios