Kelvin Hughes Husun 55 repair

[Ice-Tea]

So, I was given one of those for repair, a marine VHF. Well over 30 years old and, well, surprise, it doesn't work anymore. At least not well. Especially sending seems to be hit-and-miss. My first guess was bone-dry electrolytes but at least at first sight seems to be OK.

Second guess was the TX/RX relay but that seems to work as well. I'm now focussing on a damaged pushbutton (weird, because I can't find the debris of it but it is certainly seriously damaged....) Problem is, I don't know what it is supposed to do... Anyone know what the D/Watch button is supposed to do?

[PA0PBZ]

I think D/Watch is Dual Watch, monitor 2 channels, one will be the emergency channel 16.

What kind of hit-miss are you looking at?

[Ice-Tea]

Ah! That makes sense!

Well, sometimes it transmits. Sometimes not. So I figured sticky relay, doesn't seem to be an issue though...


Not sure how the D/W switch would cause to many issues with the transmit path   :

[PA0PBZ]

So how does it not transmit? I guess you are using the PTT button on the microphone? Does it not react at all on that button or does it just not produce output? Does the TX led light up?

[Ice-Tea]

Excellent questions. Unfortunately, I just got the unit, haven't seen it work or fail in its original setting. And I didn't get the antenna so I'm pretty limited in the testing I can do untill I get my hands on an antenna.

[PA0PBZ]

An antenna would be a bad idea, what you need is a dummy load and a wattmeter. I'm not sure about your local regulations but here you need some kind of license to operate these things, and really you don't want to random transmit around a bit, not even knowing it the transmitter is on the right frequency.

[Ice-Tea]

I can hook it up to a CMU200, so I got that covered

My dad has a license (and, well, the antenna) so if needs be I can bullshit my way out of this. I have a portable VHF as well which could serve as a test receiver.

Sure, the CMU would do the job but setting it up properly would be much more fun. Also, if the unit goes in 20W mode the CMU is gone. Hmm, better take a CRTU then...