SS360FM crazy channel display

[NightProwler]

So I just finished putting my old 360FM back together, Last job was fit the channel changer. Everything works like it should except the channels. The display has gone crazy, It goes channel 1,2,8,8,9,9 and so on like that. Some channels are in the right place but others aint. Ive checked the ribbon cable and soldering a thousand times but im stuck. Any ideas dudes?

Cheers...Rich

[Buick Mackane]

You could try swapping the selector for the one in your other SS360, If that doesn't fix the problem then at least it eliminates the selector from the equation

[NightProwler]

I did think of that but it's a pain in arse to do, Bloody ribbon cables.

[Buick Mackane]

Inspect all your work with a magnifier, The tiniest bit of solder could be causing the issue

[NightProwler]

Done that but I will go over everything again. I need a hobby thats easier on the eyes

[Edd200sx]

Check the ribbon with a meter at each end set to beep

Quite often break

[cb4ever104]

Could be either the selector , soldering issue, or the cable. A multimeter is your friend here. The selector drives both the leds and the o/p to the pll. If 2 positions on the selector are giving you the same led and pll results, then start measuring on the actual pins on the selector to see if the voltages vary there. If they do vary then the fault is further along. If the voltages are the same on the selector pins then the selector is knackered. One or more of the little metal springe terminals might have broken off. They can be replaced if you have another selector available for spares.

[NightProwler]

Right I have checked all the traces on the PCB and channel changer PCB and everything is good, Havent checked voltages yet. I have a spare channel changer here and I have rebuilt one before but it's not something I really want to do again, But if needs must. I will check voltages before I go stripping the changer down. Cheers dudes

[cb4ever104]

Rich . I'm just reading your original post again . Are your frequencies right on all channels , or is it just the led display that's wrong ?

Ex. "It goes channel 1,2,8,8,9,9" . Is it actually on CH1,2,8,8,9 and 9 when you go through the channels ?

[NightProwler]

Im not sure to be honest Sammy so I will dig the freq counter out. I replaced the ribbon cable with 9 pieces of wire and it is still the same. Double checked the soldering and traces again but it's still the same. I will get to work again this week on it but for the time being Ive had enough

[cb4ever104]

but for the time being Ive had enough

Been there !

[NightProwler]

Well I just pulled it back out the box and chucked it on the frequency counter, Not only are the channel numbers mixed up but it's all over the shop. Channel 40 mid shows 27.405 but channel 39 it drops down to 26MHZ somewhere. Does similar things around the bands, One channel will be ok then the next one it goes somewhere else. Checked and double checked all the wiring and traced everything with a meter but the wiring looks good. I think this is more than a channel changer issue

[Buick Mackane]

Well I just pulled it back out the box and chucked it on the frequency counter, Not only are the channel numbers mixed up but it's all over the shop. Channel 40 mid shows 27.405 but channel 39 it drops down to 26MHZ somewhere. Does similar things around the bands, One channel will be ok then the next one it goes somewhere else. Checked and double checked all the wiring and traced everything with a meter but the wiring looks good. I think this is more than a channel changer issue

The Bin Awaits

[NightProwler]

It's getting closer.

[NightProwler]

Right I just changed the channel changer board for another one I had here and I have the channel display working 1 -40 but the channels are still all over the place. I also just noticed if I turn the RF gain down the power output drops to nothing even though the RF gain is wired up properly and not for variable power, I have checked the wiring on my other 360 and it's wired correctly. And heres another mind bending one, The radio is showing 5 watts on the power meter and the signal meter swings across when keyed but connect it to my frequency counter and the radio puts out nothing and the meter does not move. Im so confused im going to bed.