Got home last night. Normal return problems from my month out to work, can’t sleep at proper times so was up at 4:00AM. I really dreaded the thought but decided to go “air out” the shop and check the radio and see what went south. First check – of course – is voltage at all points from the Power supply to the radio. Everything checked fine. Hum?
Open eyes a little and notice that the TX light on the old KPC4 is on? That was a thought when it died as that thing is about 20 years old… unplugged power from it and plugged back in and the TX light went out… well, maybe that was all it needed but ??? Geez that means it may have locked in TX and the radio fried? unplugged the input from the TNC… but radio does not come on and pulling the speaker plug causes a short but noticed hum in the radio speaker – in OFF position???? another HUM?
so turn on TNC… green light like it should be but – It is in Kiss mode so it does not blink any of the other lights or at least I don’t remember it doing that?
I get out the new radio (spare I ordered from HamCity) plug it in and turn on, set frequency and it is hearing a lot of APRS data. Good all that is working.
Plug the tnc back into the mic connection and it goes to TX but the TNC is not showing TX. unplug that and just plug in the speaker to TNC and nothing on the receive side… so
Conclusion. The old KPC4 crapped out, went lock down TX, and burned up the radio as well… but have not fully got into the radio but suspect it is probably fried. For sure the TNC is toast.
So, got online, ordered a new TT4 that can be put in kiss mode as TNC to replace the KPC4 and the cable to hook it up… save a little time there and hope it comes in next week.
Digi will continue to be down until replacement TNC is hooked up and configured out.
WD0AJG