[Premium-Rx] Watkins Johnson WJ-8711A LO & BATT errors apparently resolved

[Charles Thatcher]

I recently acquired a WJ-8711A from a knowledgeable seller who had
replaced the power supply to get it up and running again  and also then
installed the suboctave  preselector module.

>From time to time a LO ERROR appears in the Memory/Scan window and the
sound becomes distorted and unintelligible. I run the BITE test and it
gives me an ERROR = 00256. I have cold rebooted it and it works most of
the time, but now and then the error recurs.

As far as I can see from the manual it seems to have something to do
with a low frequency oscillator (I have no idea what that is - nil
experience with electronics and radio fundamentals).

 

14 May 2016:

Unfortunately this problem has now become permanent and the radio is
unusable.

I would really appreciate some help to get the radio working again.

Many thanks.

 

Charles T

 

16 May 2016

I found these error messages in the manual if it will help:-

 

BIT     DECIMAL VALUE           MNEMONIC         DESCRIPTION

 

8         256                                      BATT ERR
Battery Voltage Low.

 

9         512                                      LO ERR
Local Oscillator Unlocked.

 

Would appreciate any pointers.

 

CT

 

Early June 2016....

 

I came across a tip from an enthusiast called Ben Bijmans from Holland -
I can't find his email unfortunately.

He has the HF1000 which had a similar, though not identical which
included the LO ERROR as well as PS ERROR 1.

DRS recommended he replace the C31 capacitor which he did 3 times which
sorted it for a few weeks each time.

The 4th time he gave up replacing it and he used only electrical contact
spray, and the problem is gone.

 

I unplugged the PS from the appropriate circuit board, cleaned the
contacts and sprayed onto all the circuit boards, then left the receiver
for a few days.

 

The error is gone - so far, at least 2 weeks.

 

Maybe it was an intermittent contact issue after all?

 

Charles Thatcher

Johannesburg