Re: Tuning Encoder Click-Ball Removal?

Yes, 

I have done it and I am pleasently surprised at the results. HF tuning is much smoother and intuitive on CW (20Hz tuning) and SSB (100Hz). Not so though on VHF/UHF or Menu setting when the indent steps in the tuning dial made selection easier. It still works of course, but its easier to make a mistake and move to the next option as a slight movement of the control dial is not stopped by the indent. Since I mostly use Memories for VHF/UHF channels this is not a problem and setting menu items just needs a bit more care.

It is not too difficult if you are proficient with a screwdriver and soldering iron, but does involve a considerable amount of dismantling to remove the front panel assembly and the front panel control board from the front panel and reassembly once completed.

The following is what I did, YMMV and no responsibility for any damage caused or resulting by or from this information is given or implied. If you dont feel you can do this then dont try it.

Steps are as follows:

1: Disconnect all leads from the receiver.
2: Remove the top and bottom Covers. Store the screws safely.
3: Invert the radio so speaker is uppermost. Disconnect speaker.
4: Remove DSP if fitted. DSP is mounted in screened box adjacent to the speaker . Remove the 4 screws from the cover and disconnect the cable. 
5: Disconnect the Voice Board if fitted.
6: Remove the Speaker/ DSP mounting plate. 4 self tapping screws.
This will expose one of the three flat ribbon cables that connect the front panel to the radio. Examine the ribbon cable connector on the PCB and note that it has a latch at the top that holds the ribbon cable. Using a small screwdriver push the lever upwards on one side 
(it moves about 1mm) and repeat at the other side of the connector. This will release the cable and it can be gently pulled out.
7: Invert the radio and repeat step 6 above for the two ribbon cables between the top PCB and the Front panel.
8: Examine the four lugs ( 2 on top, 2 on bottom) holding the front panel to the main chassis. These are simple plastic lugs that latch against cutouts  in the chassis. They may have clear tape covering them to hold the lugs in place. Gently lever the edge of the tape that is stuck to the inner vertical face of the front chassis. 
Carefully lever with a small screwdriver the top two lugs on the front panel clear of their latch points on the chassis. 

DO NOT APPLY TO MUCH PRESSURE OR YOU WILL SNAP THEM OFF. ** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED **

Repeat the process below and the front panel will come away from the  chassis of the radio. 

9: The Control board now needs to be removed from the front panel case.
10: Remove the knobs. They pull off, note MAIN and SUB Volume controls are dual potentiometers and so there are 2 knobs per control.
11: Remove the Nut and Washer for each vol control.
12: Invert the front panel and remove the screw from the middle of the PCB by the keyboard.
13: Gently lever the Control board from the Front panel. Pushing gently on the Vol controls and holdng the sides of the front panel apart the control board will drop out.
14: Holding the PCB in the normal position the Tuning control is bottom right. 
15: Unsolder the control noting that there are two mounting lugs and 3 pins for the encoder. Use a hot iron and solder sucker or desolcering tape to remove the solder from all connectors. do not heat the PCB by leaving your iron on too long, as you will damage the board  I used a solder sucker and a 40W iron with small tip to remove the solder from the mounting lugs, and a 15W irom for the encoder pins. My encoder dropped out when I pushed from the back.

Now you have to dismantle the encoder to remove the click ball function.

16. looking at the back of the encoder, you will notice that the encoder is held together by 4 metal locking tabs bent over the plastic moulding. Using a small craft knife, lever the four lugs upwards and gently pushing from the shaft end the encoder back plate with the three encoder pins will come away. Inside there is the contacts for the encoder visible. 

17 The shaft itself has a set of contacts that brush against the contacts in the back plate to provide the signals for tuning. 
** DO NOT TOUCH THESE CONTACTS. ** 

18. The Metal case of the encoder has a small metal shim on the inside of the case that provides the detent for the click function. This presses against the upper side of the shaft whic has a ring of notches moulded around its edge to provide the click.

19. Remove the shim and remount it upside down in the metal case of the encoder so that the indent is now facing inwards so that when you insert the shaft back into the mounting and turn it there is no click.

20. Refit the encoder back plate, checking that the 3 pins for the encoder are between the two mounting lugs and not adjacent to them.
Bend the four lugs back with a small screwdriver and check that all is tight and when the shaft is turned there is no click. 

21. Using a multimeter on a low ohms range or continity range check that the encoder still works. The center pin is common and the outer ones should change as the shaft is turned. 

22. If all is well, then remount the Encoder on the control board, ensuring you mount it on the correct side and solder the connections and mounting lugs.

23 Reassemble the conrol board into the front panel. Ensure that all keys click when pressed and refit the fixing screw on the back panel.
Check that the three flat cables are firmly connected to their connectors on the rear of the front panel. These are the same connectors as on the PCB that you removed in the dismantling process earlier.

24: Remount the Front panel and feed the three flat ribbon ccables and the two cables for the DSP and Speech boards through the holes in the Chassis front plate. Note that the DSP and Speech board cables pas thourhg the left hand hole when looking at the receiver from the front.

25. reconnect the 3 flat cables, noting that the locking latch on each connector should be raised as you insert the cable. Once it is firmly pushed home and square, push the locking latch down on each side to lock the cable.

25. You should check the front panel operation at this time. Reconnect the speaker. Connect supply and press power on button. 

26. Radio should power up and check function of all buttons. If some buttons are not responding, then there is probably a button stuck down preventing the CPU keypad scanning routine from working. Check you can hear a positive click as you press each button.  if this does not fix the problem, you will have to dismantle the front panel and reseat the PCB correctly.

27. Assuming all is OK, you can compete reassembly as a reverse of the dismanting process.

Tuning should be more natural on SSB and CW. I use 20Hz tuning for CW and 100Hz for SSB and dont miss the clicks at all.

Paul 






--- In [email protected], "leonard_trembley" <leonard_trembley@...> wrote:
>
> Hi-
> 
> Have any of you been successful in removing the little 'bb' size click-detent ball in the Tuning Encoder in order to have smooth tuning (as a regular radio)?
> 
> If so, please share how to do this with the group!
> 
> 73's
>