Death of my SONY World SW Receiver Model SW-100 Radio

[alan8376]

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Does anyone still actually enjoy twirling through the frequencies on a SW Radio whilst sitting on deck at night when they are relaxing, especially in this modern time of Laptops, Ipods, CD/DVD players? I don't necessarily mean the 'Radio Ham' type of radio. More the BBC World Service type of reception which fluctuates depending on atmospherics and Sun flares etc. This 'cigarette packet' size super radio has travelled with me all over the world.
If SWMBO is accompanying me, she insists I use headphones. She can't stand the wailing and whistling! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif(and thats just me!).

Anyway! Does anyone have any tips on tracking down faults on this 'miniature radio?' I know the ribbon cable can break on the flip up display. The fault on mine is. On switching on, it defaults to LW, then switches off after 10 secs!

A new one, even if still available is about £150. Yes, I have had a so called Sony expert have a quick look at it, but nothing spotted. I am not sure if there is anything currently on the market which comes anywhere near it for looks and size!

Any suggestions for alternatives?

 

[BruceDanforth]

I have the same radio and enjoy tuning around with a wire hauled up the rigging on a long trip. Not had any problems with mine but I suspect it is miniaturised to an extent that fixing it is not going to happen.

 

[lenseman]

Radios of this type usually have an "all singing and dancing" chip which does everything except final stage audio amplification.

To suggest that it 'defalts' to LW suggests that this chip has possibly got an incorrect supply voltage and again, the fact that you say it "switches off after 10 seconds" suggests that there is a capacitor fault. Capacitor and supply voltage faults can and are often linked.

Large electrolytic capacitors 'dry-out' with age and this could possibly be an area to investigate?

Wherever you are in the world, get your Sony man to meter the supply rail to this main chip and watch to see if it changes over the 10 seconds before shut down.

Or bring it round to my place for checking.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

One of the reasons I like my nasa, you can actually follow the circuit. Pushed I could prolly spend some time and come up with a pretty accurate cct diagram. My icom h/h (12 channel) is the same, which is why I am keeping hold of it.

Big difference between your ssb and mine, mine is the size of a car stereo and needs an external ps. But, you have convinced me that I am happier with it since reading your post.

I do know a local shop who will order spares for me, sony being one of them, it may be a lot cheaper for you to replace the whole cct board if you know your display is ok. It is probably plug in anyhow. Just find an independent hifi type outfit if you have any left around you.

J

 

[INKABOAT]

What, do you mean that there are other things to do instead of consulting the supplied booklet and tuning in to Radio Khazakstan? My SW 100 is eight years old, and has been round the world at least once. Unfortunately the aerial is half the original size, the battery holder clip failed around three years ago so masking tape is the order of the day, and the hinge looks like it will collapse any day now! My favourite radio story centres around my German neighbour in Cherbourg Marina: he was fitting a seriously large second hand Sailor SSB receiver in his Rival yacht. After a large number of curses and lumps of bulkhead being thrown out he finally got it to work. I didn't make a friend by suggesting that he could have used a fag packet sized alternative!
I still can't find anything to replace it......

 

[simon_sluggett]

Heard a bizarre program last friday on BBC R4 about SW "number stations" . With names like "lincolnshire poacher" apparently they send out secret coded messages for spies in the field and have been going on for 40 years. They are not officially listed anywhere and are sent on the extreme edge of SSB band so are hard to locate. All very spooky but fascinating. Anyone found one of these while twiddling their SW radio knobs?

 

[VicMallows]

Re: Number Stations

Yes, heard that program a year or so ago. Fascinating. Years ago I was heavily into amateur radio and spent many hours listening on the SW bands. I certainly remember those 'number stations' ... there were quite a few of them.

Similarly there were RTTY (teleprinter) stations which would transmit:
"the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" or "now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party" continuously; except that every so often they would insert four digit number streams.

Vic

 

[chas]

Re: Number Stations

Mine died last year. A sad loss. It refused to tune. Apparantly nothing could be done. I now have a relationship with a Roberts which was much cheaper and seems to have a similar capability to the Sony, but is larger.