SS360FM dry joint

[NightProwler]

My 360FM, Not the one im rebuilding, has a dry joint somewhere, i think. It can be fine for hours then all of a sudden the RX fades off so a quick tap pretty much anywhere on the case brings it back to life, So before I go crazy with a soldering iron is there any particular place on the board that may have a dry joint causing this or is it a case of it could be anywhere?

Cheers dudes...Rich

[cb4ever104]

Might be a dry joint . Might be a component that's having issues once it heats up . Those kinds of faults are a bit of a pain . The best way would be to start injecting signals at different points in the RX path when it goes faulty to try and localise it a bit . That's what I'd do anyway .

[Mudslinger]

It might just be the screws which hold the PCB into the chassis.

Other than that a good lamp, a magnifier and a bit of patience and I am sure that you will find it.

[NightProwler]

Cheers dudes, I tried the old tighten the PCB screws trick but nothing. I got my other 360FM giving me issues now

[bitbang]

When you say the RX fades, is it the audio or the signal?
If its the signal that's dropping, worth checking the fingers of the antenna socket are grabbing the pin of the pl259 well. If its the audio, check the external speaker socket. I know they are obvious but both have caught me out before.
Edited to add, check how dirty the antenna socket fingers are too, one I had was manky, cotton bud did the trick.

[NightProwler]

The audio and RX fade away, Radio just makes a very quiet hiss. I'll check around the antenna socket and speaker socket while im at it.

Cheers...Rich

[Buick Mackane]

As sammy suggested when the radio goes deaf inject a signal and trace it till you find the point where its being lost, Could almost be anything causing and not necessarily a dry joint