[ICOM] IC-718 that dies on 30m, revives, dies again

[John Fuller]

My IC-718, now two years old, worked fine when I put up a dipole and began
using it on 30 meters about a year ago. After a few months, however, it
developed an erratic pattern of dying, then coming back to life, then dying
again. At first it happened only rarely; today, it happens two-thirds of the
time. 

 

The dipole is cut for a very low SWR. When the transceiver works, it shows
1:1 SWR and maximum power output. Then, all of a sudden, the power drops to
nothing or almost nothing. Then it returns but the signal freezes into a
constant carrier as I continue to send code. The SWR jumps all the way to
the right side of the meter. 

 

Sometimes turning off the transceiver or changing bands several times
restores normal operation. Most of the time it doesn't, however. 

 

Before I go to the trouble and expense of shipping this rig to Icom for
repair, does anyone have experience with this problem or a suggestion for
curing it?

 

John Fuller

K4HQK

Alexandria, Va.