Newbee requires help. (Introduction only)

Hello everyone and Happy New year.
Taking my foundation exam next week and today I received my 1st radio, Yaesu FT290R.
Bought off eBay for spares repairs £125 plus shipping/duties (now stands me in nearly £200), to me here Bulgaria.
OUCH! the person who sold it tucked me up a good un, pictures showed all lit up and apparent fault no sound.
Errrrr! doesn't light up at all and I don't know where to start.
Is there anyone please that can point me in the right direction.
Taken covers off and down to circuit boards, nothing appears to have shorted/burnt. Power to input now't else. Fuse okay and all looks good.
Helpppppp! Pleeeeeeaaase.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Paul 'W'

Hi Paul,

Welcome to Charlie Tango and a Happy New Year to you also.


Sorry to hear about your woes with your recent purchase of a Yaesu FT290r. Unfortunately eBay sellers can be quite unscrupulous.

There are service manuals as well as circuit diagrams available on the internet for this radio which I came across when I serviced an old FT290r myself that was donated to me. I must admit that although I got it all working it was a bit of a pain to service especially disassembling the front panel(!)

(Mine had faulty VFO circuitry as well as audio issues with a blown audio amp which are difficult to obtain cheaply as well as requiring alignment - need some basic test gear for that.)

There'll probably be a million people tell you it'll have "Electrolytic Capacitor" failures, but I only had to replace one single capacitor due to a discharging memory battery....the rest were absolutely fine.


Sorry I can't help further but it's an almost impossible task to assist technically across the web and I'm afraid I don't do this for a living but simply volunteer my time when I can.

Hope you get sorted.

All the best,
Victor

Hi Paul, welcome to the CTDX group, hope you get it sorted mate
73s
Steve.

Hi Victor, Many thanks for your kind response.
I hope my reply finds you in good spirits and well.
Yes my first toe in the water and goofed, I wouldn't mind but the description/photo's of the 229R was lit up and on channel 145.000 so I thought maybe a fuse or minor glitch. It arrived yesterday and when connected to power supply now't, zilch, nada totally blank. Not even a glimmer of life.
After serious investigation this Woman is a dealer (eBay) and must have 10 of these radio's mainly stripped down for parts. Will be steering well clear.
Victor! I will be consulting various manuals and schematics but exam looming so need to pay full attention to it. I reside long term Bulgaria for health and financial reasons and since Brexit things have become a little awkward with regards to items shipped from Blighty. Customs duties for one and useless snail paced couriers another.
2 Mint FT 221R's on on their way via eBay Germany, both sold as seen, spares repairs so I hope to make 1 out of 2.
Callsign? not sure how to go about this, maybe you could update? Please take on board a 65 year old jumping in at the deep end.
Have a fantastic day! 73's 
Onyer¬Edson....

Hello and welcome.

Hope you get everything sorted.

73s John.

No worries there Paul,


More infuriated to hear further of your FT290 story than anything and hope you are able to repair it or otherwise chase a refund up with eBay.

I understand you're busy with exam studies at the moment and wish you all the very best with it.  

I'm also quite jealous and drooling with mention of a Yaesu FT221r let alone two of them!
A miles better radio in every respect as well as more repair friendly and having two of them should make life easier for you, as mentioned hopefully making at least one from the two.



To obtain a call sign you have to make sure your profile is completed with your name, country and QTH being the town or city you live in or near and then simply make request or ask for one here. To view your profile click the 'Profile' button at the top of the website page when you are logged in and you should be able to enter your details there.


All the best to you,
Victor

Hello Paul, welcome to the forum.

73's Gary.

C.T. Admin.