rusty 2-way radio

There is a point of no return when it comes to wet electronics.

Unfortunately, this Motorola MagOne BPR40 from an automotive recycler in Illinois set a bit too long before coming to the radio repair center. As you can see in the photo the rust and corrosion overtook the component board. It fell out of the radio like confetti, and the tech could immediately see the radio was non-repairable. As you probably guessed, the ladies here at Delmmar hate making those calls, letting customers know their radio has been deemed non-repairable.

Motorola BPR40 radio repair
MagOne BPR40 – liquid damage

Here are a few wet radio TIPS :

If you know your radio has gotten wet, remove the battery, and dry the radio with a soft cloth. Then get the unit to the radio repair center as soon as possible. If the techs can get to the radio right away, they can clean any visible rust or corrosion, working to prevent further damage. Your battery may be damaged as well. Include it with your radio (unattached), and Delmmar’s technical staff can check it also.

If the radio and battery have been submerged, it is likely the battery will need to be replaced.
Just like other electronics, you can put your device in a bag of rice, or use an Evap-Bag to aid in the drying process while it is in route to the repair facility.

We don’t know the story behind this 2-way radio, but from appearances it may have been left outside and recently found after several weeks or months of weather. The customer chose to dispose of this radio here at the repair center, so there was no charge for return shipping.

You can always find a copy of Delmmar’s current repair form on our website delmmar.com and eradiostore.com.

 

 

Uncategorized,

wet 2-way radio?

Don’t wait until your radio is corroded and rusty inside to send it in for repair.

By then it may be too late to repair your wet radio. Once a radio has become wet, corrosion starts to form rather quickly and deteriorate the metal. Good news, many times it is possible if caught early to restore a radio which has become wet. Early signs of corrosion can be removed and stopped.

Some basic information on what to do if your radio encounters water:

  1. Remove the battery. Do not turn on or try to use the wet radio, as this could cause further damage. (If you feel the battery has became wet inside, you will need to replace it.)
  2. Thoroughly dry the radio. You can use a towel on the exterior and any internal battery compartment. If you feel the water has intruded further, use a blow dryer on a low setting to air dry the radio. Specialty EVAP-bags can help to remove the moisture (700x more effective than rice). Call our office, 800-872-2627, and inquire about availability of EVAP-bags.
  3. Get the radio to a radio repair facility ASAP. The longer you wait, the more likely the radio will grow corrosion, and be deemed non-repairable.

Watch for IP57 or IP67 ratings when purchasing radios for the most water resistance. IP stands for Ingress Protection.

We’re here to help, and do our best to bring your radio back to good working condition. Give us a call here at Delmmar Communications if you have questions or need more info, 800-872-2627.

radio repair, radio tips, water resistant radios

Poor range – Is it your antenna?

Your antenna may be shortening your range. Here are some reasons:

  1. Your 2-way radio antenna is weather check, missing the top cap, some outside sheathing or has a crinkle or big bend in it. Exposing the coiled wires within to outside elements can oxide or corrode the metal, causing them to be inefficient and reduce range. If you can bend the antenna and see the metal coils or it is crooked in appearance like someone shut it in your car door, you need a new antenna.
  2. You are not using the correct antenna. Somewhere along the line you decide to use another antenna on your radio. It seemed to fit, so you weren’t worried, despite being shorter, taller, VHF vs. UHF, etc. See #4 below.
  3. You’ve used the antenna as a handle. This can strip the threads, or pull the antenna connection loose from the component board. When this happens you will need to get your radio into the repair center, or in some instances there is a chance the radio would be deemed non-repairable due to non-reversible damage to the component board.
  4. Any of the above three problems can also lead to a radio problem called reflected power. Instead of doing its job of getting all the power away from the radio and returning none to the transmitter, the bad antenna reflects the power back down into the radio and beats up the transmitter. This can quickly lead to a radio needing repair.

The inexpensive fix is simple, buy a new radio antenna. Most antennas range between $11 and $25. Delaying taking care of the problem can lead to the need for both a new antenna and a radio repair.

A good rule of thumb to remember is HEIGHT and PLACEMENT determines range. Holding your radio upright, perpendicular to the ground, will give you the best range. Tilting your radio to the side or using a stubby antenna will reduce your range by up to 2/3s. Educate your radio users on how to hold their radio for best range, you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

No time like the present to check your antenna. If it seems bad or weather checked replace it. Give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

radio repair, radio tips

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

spicy – 2-way radio repair

They say “variety is the spice of life”.

Here in the 2-way radio repair center things can be pretty spicy. We see a variety of radios every week, everything from portable radios (handhelds) to repeaters (a device which increases the range of the average two-way radio). When you do flat rate repair on more than 40 models of Motorola radios, and then add in Kenwood and Vertex radio repair… variety is the name of the game.

Most radios are in need of the common user-interface items. The things you move or touch when using the radio such as push-to-talk buttons, battery contacts, on/off/volume potentiometers, accessory jacks, antenna ports, etc.. Then there are the radios which look like roadkill and the electronics technicians are miracle workers using everything but the kitchen sink, bring them back to life. The techs do board level repair, this means they actually work on the component board that came in your radio, soldering and replacing necessary parts to bring your radio back to factory spec (or as close as possible).

Our customers are pretty spicy too. We take care of radios for businesses of all types, from A to Z. If they use radios we probably have them as a client. Today we might be talking to a nightclub owner and the next client might be a monkey reserve. Those of us here at Delmmar Communications enjoy the variety of clients we serve and helping businesses keep their radios in good working order. Plus, we can generally repair a radio for less than 1/2 of the cost of a new unit. This makes us all happy.

Have a radio needing repair? Pass the Tabasco please!
~cl

radio repair