Unidentified Radio Issue

[bxemt335235]

Good Evening;

I was wondering if anyone knows why I'm hearing the audio from channels 1-4 [which are programmed with the following: (477.8375) (478.2125) (478.0125) (483.4875)]

being "mirrored" ON CH's 9-12 [which are programmed with the following:
(476.6625) (476.9625) (471.8125) and
CH 7 (471.0625) being "mirrored" on CH 8 (476.9125)]

and even more-so HOW do I repair this problem. Any help will be greatly appreciated. This radio is currently used by a privately contracted EMS Squad in Northern New York City.


Thanks
BXEMT335235

[Rick Rock]

Well, for starters, what radio are we talking about?

[RESCUE161]

They are probably just "talk around" or "direct" channels that don't go through the repeater.

Some of those frequencies are licensed to the City of New York Police Department.

[tvsjr]

Or, if it's a portable with a rotary switch, the most significant bit of the rotary switch's output may have failed.

[bxemt335235]

This radio is a Saber-1 Model# H44SAN7139CN 458-490MHz
I have full knowledge of what the allocations are.
Besides being an EMT-D; I'm also a NYC Auxiliary Police Officer

The other question was "direct"/"talk around" ... that is incorrect ALL 12 Channels in that radio were programmed for repeater operation.

According to the technician who programmed the radio, he said the frequencies appear correctly in the radio's channel list, but yet I'm still experiencing the problem in question.

Could it by any way be a hardware issue?

Good Evening;

I was wondering if anyone knows why I'm hearing the audio from channels 1-4 [which are programmed with the following: (477.8375) (478.2125) (478.0125) (483.4875)]

being "mirrored" ON CH's 9-12 [which are programmed with the following:
(476.6625) (476.9625) (471.8125) and
CH 7 (471.0625) being "mirrored" on CH 8 (476.9125)]

and even more-so HOW do I repair this problem. Any help will be greatly appreciated. This radio is currently used by a privately contracted EMS Squad in Northern New York City.

Thanks
BXEMT335235

[mike m]

A common saber problem, especially on older radios that get a lot of channel changes.

The frequency switch is a BCD style switch with 4 main contacts weighted as 1, 2, 4 and 8.

Each channel selection is made up of these 4 switch contacts added together to get the channel numbers from 1 to 12.

To get CH1, switch contact 1 is connected,
CH2 switch contact 2 is connected,
CH3 switch contacts 1 and 2 (1+2=3) are connected,
Ch4, switch contact 4 is connected.

Channels 9, 10, 11 and 12 simply add switch contact 8 to all of the above,

CH 9 connects switch contacts 1 and 8 (1+8=9),
CH10= switch contacts 2 and 8 (2+8=10) ,
CH11= switch contacts 1,2 and 8, (1+2+8=11)
and finally Ch12 uses switch contacts 4 and 8 (4+8=12).

The connection from contact 8 is missing, as a result on CH9 thru CH12 you only see the lower 3 BCD contacts 1,2 and 4 being connected just as they were being selected for CH 1 thru 4.

Sorry for the long winded techy answer but either switch S823, the channel BCD switch, is bad in your radio or the flex circuit is bad. In all of my cases the switch was old and worn out.

The tech, if familiar with Sabers, should have had a light go off in his head immediately saying it was the BCD/frequency switch.

Mike

[bxemt335235]

Thanks Mike;

Now to the problem at hand; Does anyone know where I am to begin in terms of repairing this problem.... and more importantly, what kind of impact is this due to have on my wallet?. as I stated before the kind of work I do, this radio is needed 5 days out of the week.

A common saber problem, especially on older radios that get a lot of channel changes.

The frequency switch is a BCD style switch with 4 main contacts weighted as 1, 2, 4 and 8.

Each channel selection is made up of these 4 switch contacts added together to get the channel numbers from 1 to 12.

To get CH1, switch contact 1 is connected,
CH2 switch contact 2 is connected,
CH3 switch contacts 1 and 2 (1+2=3) are connected,
Ch4, switch contact 4 is connected.

Channels 9, 10, 11 and 12 simply add switch contact 8 to all of the above,

CH 9 connects switch contacts 1 and 8 (1+8=9),
CH10= switch contacts 2 and 8 (2+8=10) ,
CH11= switch contacts 1,2 and 8, (1+2+8=11)
and finally Ch12 uses switch contacts 4 and 8 (4+8=12).

The connection from contact 8 is missing, as a result on CH9 thru CH12 you only see the lower 3 BCD contacts 1,2 and 4 being connected just as they were being selected for CH 1 thru 4.

Sorry for the long winded techy answer but either switch S823, the channel BCD switch, is bad in your radio or the flex circuit is bad. In all of my cases the switch was old and worn out.

The tech, if familiar with Sabers, should have had a light go off in his head immediately saying it was the BCD/frequency switch.

Mike

[FireCpt809]

In this day and age with the plethora of UHF sabers out there it might just be cheaper to get one and change the modules and reprogram a replacement radio. To repair it you would have to find the switch pay for the repair. In the long run it may be cheaper to just get a new radio.

[Tom in D.C.]

UHF Saber I radios are going for between $30 and $60 on eBay
these days. Getting one of these and swapping out the modules
(you probably won't easily find a 480 mHz T-band Saber I) would
be a lot less expensive than paying for labor and the part to fix
your old radio.

If someone does offer you a Saber in your bandsplit make him
back up the claim with a guarantee. The majority of Saber sellers
these days don't know a bandsplit from their rear end.

[bxemt335235]

is it just the (channel selector knob) itself that needs to be changed? if so, I can swap it with a radio from my command. As of right now, I'm having all the important channels from 8-12 moved to numbers below 8. I'm even having to comprimise by discarding at least 5 channels. thankfully they're 5 channels that serve little purpose to me

later
BXEMT335235

In this day and age with the plethora of UHF sabers out there it might just be cheaper to get one and change the modules and reprogram a replacement radio. To repair it you would have to find the switch pay for the repair. In the long run it may be cheaper to just get a new radio.

[AEC]

is it just the (channel selector knob) itself that needs to be changed? if so, I can swap it with a radio from my command. As of right now, I'm having all the important channels from 8-12 moved to numbers below 8. I'm even having to comprimise by discarding at least 5 channels. thankfully they're 5 channels that serve little purpose to me

later
BXEMT335235

In this day and age with the plethora of UHF sabers out there it might just be cheaper to get one and change the modules and reprogram a replacement radio. To repair it you would have to find the switch pay for the repair. In the long run it may be cheaper to just get a new radio.

The kit to repair your problem is: RPX4689A.

You can't simply pop off a knob and 'fix' the problem, the entire switch must be replaced.

I have a complete assy. to repair the problem you have if you are interested, or you can swap frames as all other components and main board can be refitted to the 'new' frame with known good switches.

Radio frame length makes no difference as the side flex is the same in secure and non secure radios, I have both available, and they are in used, but excellent condition.

Let me know if I can assist you, Email privately though.

Thank you!