Help with Icom 208H thats frozen

[nwoods]

I'm stumped. My Icom 208H 2m/440 HAM radio is frozen up. It turns on and off, and it receives, and for all I know, it transmits also, BUT, it absolutely will not let me switch channels, and its set on Duplex mode, and it isn't recognizing the 600hz offset when the mic is keyed. The strength bar indicates that it is transmitting, but no one can hear me because its set to a repeater that requires an offset.

I figure there is some sort of lock on it, but the manual is pathetic, and I can't figure out how to unlock it.

Anyone familiar with this radio and perhaps know how I can prevent it from adding to the local landfil?

 

[Ludedude]

There's a lock key on the mic, I think it says VFO/Lock but I don't remember off the top of my head and mine's in the truck outside. Press and hold it until it beeps, see if that works? If not, you can use the reset procedure in the manual but of course that will wipe your memories etc.

 

[nwoods]

Solved! Thanks to Russ Chung, for the following:

RESET THE RADIO, hold the [SET LOCK] and [S.MW-MW] buttons down during power-up. ...

 

[nwoods]

Okay, stumped again. Now my 208 works fine in all respects save one: It won't transmit. I can receive like a champ, tune and dial in freq's to my hearts content. The handset works fine, the remote head works fine, everything seems operational, but when I key the mic, absolutely nothing happens. If I'm in duplex, it never switches to the offset freq. If I'm in simplex, it just doesn't do anything. No power meter at the bottom of the display, nothing. I can change power settings, change tx modes, change anything that there is to change, but I cannot transmit.

Any suggestions?

 

[spressomon]

Okay, stumped again. Now my 208 works fine in all respects save one: It won't transmit. I can receive like a champ, tune and dial in freq's to my hearts content. The handset works fine, the remote head works fine, everything seems operational, but when I key the mic, absolutely nothing happens. If I'm in duplex, it never switches to the offset freq. If I'm in simplex, it just doesn't do anything. No power meter at the bottom of the display, nothing. I can change power settings, change tx modes, change anything that there is to change, but I cannot transmit.

Any suggestions?

Had the same issue with mine a couple years ago. It's a known issue with the mic switch on the 208H. Take it apart and, using contact cleaner & lube spray, spray the mic button switch.

 

[nwoods]

Interesting. I'll give that a shot. thanks!

 

[Michael]

If cleaning the switch doesn't work...

If cleaning the switch doesn't work...

The switch is a known problem on some ICOM mics. HRO San Diego and other HRO outlets will repair them for you for ~$10 or you can buy the switch for a couple of bucks and do it yourself. Amateur soldering skills will suffice but you'll need a solder sucker or a solder wick to remove the solder from the pins.

 

[nwoods]

Had the same issue with mine a couple years ago. It's a known issue with the mic switch on the 208H. Take it apart and, using contact cleaner & lube spray, spray the mic button switch.

Tried it. No joy. I sent an email to this guy to see if he has any suggestions:
http://www.7000mic.com/

Regards,

NW

 

[nwoods]

Okay, I dusted off some rusty soldering skills, and removed the switch and reseated it in a new bed of solder. While at it, I removed the thick cloth wind cover over the mic pick-up, and ever so slightly eased open the small hole that you speak through.

Upon reassembly, I tightened up the screws to the circuit board, put it all back together and plugged it in. Negative results again, but different this time. Now I have a solid red light on the keypad, and if I hit a certain button (not quite sure which one), I get a solid continuous tx indication, that I cannot cancel without turning off the unit. For those of you on the Catalina repeater tonight, I apologize

After a few dissassemblies, reassemblies, and testing, I realized somewhat stupidly that I was tightening the circuit too much, and it was pushing the PCB into the keypad membrane, causing a "sticky" button effect (and thus the red light).

I finally got the right amount of tension in the PCB attachment, put it all back together, and it worked! I had a contact from a Big Bear repeater from here in Yorba Linda (about 60 miles away), who said I sounded "amazingly clear, with excellent sound". Awesome.

So, cleaning the red plastic solid state mic switch with contact cleaner, easing open the hole for the mic, and removing the thick windscreen tape over the mic, and carefully not over-tightening the screws for the PCB, all seemed to have worked well. I don't know if resoldering the switch mount to the PCB did any good or not, but it does not seem to have hurt anything

I now I am posting this here so that next year I can come back and remember how to fix this issue again