[ICOM] IC-756 Pro flat ribbon cables

[Stephen Budensiek]

Phil,
   I had a strike when I lived on a mountain top in NC.  Blew the
switches out of every power strip, burned out every light bulb that
was on, tripped about half the breakers in the breaker panel,
charcoaled the phone caller id boxes, burned the underground phone
line open, and blew the phone interface box on the pole out in the
road in pieces.   Didn't get the disconnected 756Pro then, but an
IC2100 sitting on the radio bench, not plugged into anything either
power or antenna, blew the PA module and switching diode.   Yes,
everything was heavily grounded (worked for a communication company,
all by the book), all antenna's were disconnected (smallest cable
coming in was 7/8 heliax (160-6m ants), uhf antenna's on 1 1/4, and
1296 on 1 5/8.   They found it hit the power pole outside at the road,
followed the underground cables into the place.   Needless to say, it
was VERY noisy when it hit.   I've been at the base of 330 ft towers
when we got hit a number of times at work, can tell more stories about
that, burned #2 ought ground wires in wire troughts, lot of other
stuff, but not now.

73's de Stephen, K0SD

*******************************

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:32 AM, Phil Krichbaum <vailphil at sopris.net> wrote:
>    I had a 756 PROII that was destroyed by a spike that came in the
> neutral side of the power line. It was connected to to the Icom PS which
> was ON but the rig was OFF and the PS still is in use and need no
> repairs. I also had a interface cable between the puter and rig for rig
> control and another for CW to the CW jack on the back. The puter was off
> but plugged into the AC mains and it was toasted by what ever came in
> the neutral side. On the rig side of each connection from the puter
> there were signs of damage. The rig was totally dead and I sent it to be
> repaired but not at Icom. The guy told me that even if he could get it
> working, he couldn't guarantee anything as no telling how much damage
> might show up down the road. This was from a nearby lightening strike
> and the antennas were disconnected. I also lost a TV, answering machine
> and Internet modem and LNA on the dish where I was receiving a 2.4 GHz
> internet connection.
>    I found that for insurance companies to pay off for lightening
> damage, it best be a direct strike and there better be some singe marks
> on the house. If it comes in the power or phone lines, you are out of
> luck! A friend had a similar problem with a FT1000MP about the same time
> and got the same story from Yaesu, we can get it going for $1100 but no
> guarantee on how long it will work. He did not have it fixed and gave it
> to another ham who had all but the tuner fixed. The rig worked well for
> about a year before developing a new set of problems and is a boat
> anchor now.
>      I had my power company install a "meter treater" at my power
> meters which has three big MOV's in it (I also lost the relay on my
> water pump meter). No further problems with spikes coming down the line
> although I loose a router about every other year. Last summer I saw,
> heard and smelled a strike all at the same time that hit the overhead
> line between my house and my neighbor. I'd disconnected the antennas and
> disconnected all AC juice in the shack and no damage to the ham gear. I
> now have a master strip that I unplug. The 756PROII and III rigs are not
> well protected from ESD incidents. I use lightening protection  devices
> that are the constant discharge type, not ones where the spark has to
> jump a gap. I have a big 3 blade knife switch that I'll install in the
> AC line to the shack eventually where one switch kills all the AC, even
> the neutral. I've not had any damage to any antennas save the indicator
> POT on a HAM IV.
>    73 Phil N0KE
>
> Stephen Budensiek wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>>    Had a IC-756 Pro that got spiked in a power problem (sitting turned
>> off, but plugged in)   All the problems seem to be confined to the
>> main board, but I'm experiencing problems with the flat ribbon cables
>> after unplugging them to remove and work on the main board, then
>> plugging  them in again for testing a few times.   Several of the
>> traces on various flat (ribbon) cables have had the traces come part
>> way loose and peal back where they plug into the main board jack, so
>> they don't make contact with the plug.   Had another Icom recently do
>> the same thing with no plugging/unplugging sequences.   The 756 Pro
>> would turn itself off randomly (not like hitting the power button off,
>> but like having a power loss to the radio, receiving one moment, black
>> display on a dead radio the next).  Are the flat ribbon cables real
>> fragile, or am I the only one seeing this problem.   Curious what
>> other users are/have experienced.   Anyone find a way to re-attached
>> the traces on the cables, or is the only alternative buying new ones?
>>     Thank you.
>>
>> Stephen, K0SD
>> ----
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>>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
> Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
> Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html