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prkaye

Well Known Member
My ICOM A210 has been giving me a problem. The problem appears to exist during hte first few minutes of operation, until the radio warms up, an appears to be worse when the ambient temperature is lower (assuming because it takes the radio longer to warm up).
The problem is that the radio is constantly in the RX mode - the RX indicator is illuminated, and i hear a constant static. When I depress the PTT I can transmit as normal, and when an actual transmission is made from another aircraft, I can hear it without a problem. But between radio events, my unit is stuck on RX and i hear this annoying background static. As I mentioned, the problem seems to get much better when the radio warms up. This suggests to me a problem internal to the radio itself.
Any ideas?
 
Years ago I had an ICOM HAM radio that would do something similar. The shop took some spray chemical that would come out very cold and kept checking out all the transistors and chips until they discovered the one that was bad. Replaced it and has been perfect since.
 
Sounds like the receiver squelch circuit. Does the setting for "SQL LEVEL" in the menus make a difference for you? If not, there may be a problem with the circuit.

It is typical for amplifiers to have increased gain at cold temperatures, and yours might just be breaking the squelch if you haven't set it before. If the SQL level doesn't make a difference it is possible you have bad components in the receive path and a trip back to Icom is indicated (unless others have ideas to check).
 
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Stuck PTT switch would put the radio on constant TX, not RX.

Squelch Level... I wasn't aware there was something user configureable in the radio for that. I'll check out the manual. i played around with the squelch on my intercom, but of course that had no effect on the radio itself.
 
I just checked the manual. There are two menu items for squelch level.

AM SQUELCH LEVEL (Squelch mode for AM mode operation)
FM SQUELCH LEVEL (U.S.A. Version Only) (Squelc mode for FM mode operation)

I assume the normal mode of operation (that I would be using) is "am mode"?
I'll try that setting... I guess I would increase that setting to solve my problem?
 
prkaye said:
I just checked the manual. There are two menu items for squelch level.

AM SQUELCH LEVEL (Squelch mode for AM mode operation)
FM SQUELCH LEVEL (U.S.A. Version Only) (Squelc mode for FM mode operation)

I assume the normal mode of operation (that I would be using) is "am mode"?
I'll try that setting... I guess I would increase that setting to solve my problem?
Click to expand...

Yup, AM level is what you want. Increase should be the desired effect (Icom users confirm this?). As with the knob settings on the older radios, you want to find the level where the noise just disappears and then maybe one setting higher to avoid annoying false trips.
 
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The spray method is the one to find problems such as a bad solder joint or a defective component such as a resistor, capacitor or IC. Sometimes resistors that are soldered to a board contract so much that they develop a crack and change value, then as they warm up they start to work again. I had a problem where a wire jumper that passed through a circuit board would contract enough that the copper wire would shrink and separate circimferentially from its monel plating until it warmed up. Boy! was that a puzzler!
 
Smiths Falls apron - interference

Phil,

Before you go changing those settings, are you getting the squelch breaking open on the apron close to the taxiway at CYSH? I have an Icom A-200 and have had the squelch open on me on occasion in that area. Move around some and the squelch closes.

Have not looked into it any further but there must be some interference in that particular area. Maybe you are seeing the same thing as I.
 
Hey alfio... I have experienced that on the apron before, but today the squelch stayed open in flight most of the way to kingston. Hopefully increasing the setting fixes it.
 
My Icom 210 does the same thing.

I just installed a new Icom 210 and that is the only disappointment, I have with the unit. The squelch is not right when it is first turned on. I cranked up the squelch by going into the setup, but it is still not right. But like you said once it's warmed up it's fine. If you crank the squelch up enough so that it doesn't scream when you first turn it on, then it will be too high once warmed up. You will not hear some talk. It seems to only be a few minutes to quiet down, but it is a pain. I've been starting the plane and turning on the radio with the volume way down. Then when I'm ready to take off I up the volume. I'm thinking part of it is the antenna. What type of antenna are you using? I've got an Archer wing tip antenna which I don't think is the best. I think if I had a better antenna I could up the squelch and still get an acceptable receive. The best fix would have been a regular squelch nob in my opinion, just turn it to where it is quiet. Sometimes the electronic gizmos are not the best.
 
My ICOM A210 does a similar thing - sometimes. I didn't tie it to being cold, because it does it when it's hot or cold out, and it doesn't go away after the radio 'warms up'. I've tried adjusting every configurable change there is to no avail. Last week it did it again and then the next day it didn't. I hadn't adjusted anything and I couldn't see any differences between the two days. I'm thinking now, it could be an antenna thing, or maybe a bad ground, but haven't been able to identify anything there on my first inspection of these areas. The noise isn't exactly squelsh, but it's a noise that doesn't go away when receiving a transmission. The noise covers up much of the transmission, making it difficult or impossible to hear what's being transmitted. It will be a problem for a while and then not happen again for a month...... got me baffled. Wish I would have bought an SL-40.
 
Scott Hersha said:
My ICOM A210 does a similar thing - sometimes. I didn't tie it to being cold, because it does it when it's hot or cold out, and it doesn't go away after the radio 'warms up'. I've tried adjusting every configurable change there is to no avail. Last week it did it again and then the next day it didn't. I hadn't adjusted anything and I couldn't see any differences between the two days. I'm thinking now, it could be an antenna thing, or maybe a bad ground, but haven't been able to identify anything there on my first inspection of these areas. The noise isn't exactly squelsh, but it's a noise that doesn't go away when receiving a transmission. The noise covers up much of the transmission, making it difficult or impossible to hear what's being transmitted. It will be a problem for a while and then not happen again for a month...... got me baffled. Wish I would have bought an SL-40.
Click to expand...

Be sure to check that ribbon connector. Especially if it was installed on a cold winter day, when it's more brittle. A friend had a similar problem...........and it was the ribbon. We fixed it quickly, as I had a couple of spares, due to my own winter day installation. They cost around a dollar.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
Ribbon connector? What's that?
I had the wiring harness for mine made up for me by SteinAir.
I have a Comant Bent Whip Antenna.
 
prkaye said:
Ribbon connector? What's that?
I had the wiring harness for mine made up for me by SteinAir.
I have a Comant Bent Whip Antenna.
Click to expand...

The ribbon connector.............connects the front panel to the main body of the radio. The front panel is released with two allen screws (at least I think they're allen screws, as it's been a few years), to allow the radio to be removed from the panel. Otherwise, it couldn't have the large animated screen, if the panel release screw was in the middle, as with other radios.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
prkaye said:
Ribbon connector? What's that?
Click to expand...

Does this help?


20gebgj.jpg


If you look in your A210 installation manual you will find this picture and an illustration of how to take the panel off. Be very careful with the cable and use no tools on the cable itself as it is fragile.

Installation Manual:
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?Document=323
 
Phil-
Not sure this will solve the problem, but I noticed that I was having issues with my A210, not because I had wired it wrong, but b/c the radio did not plug all the way into the connector. What I had to do was move the connector closer toward the radio by inserting an extra washer b/w connector and tray. This allowed the radio to seat better and I have since had no issues. Given that yours seems to be a heating/cooling issue, maybe there's just enough thermal expansion to make a better connection when the radio has had a chance to warm up. Worth a try anyway. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks guys. From the sounds of it it must be my squelch. I'll try adjusting the setting, and if that doesn't have any effect I'll contact Stein about warranty work on the unit.
I doubt it's the ribbon connector, since that was installed by Stein and I haven't touched it. Plus the front panel display/controls doesn't seem to have any issues.
Also doubt it's improper seating of the wiring harness, since it's such a specific issue - one which an improper squelch setting or bad squelch circuit explains perfectly.
If I ever decide to go with a different COM radio (e.g. SL-30), I was trying to figure out the easiest way to do a retrofit to my existing wiring. Seems to me that the easiest thing would be to make a sort of adapter harness that plugs into my existing harness for the ICOM and re-mapps the wires to form a new harness for the SL-30. This way I could do all the wiring work of fabricating the adapter harness on my bench, at home, and the work in the plane would simply be plugging it in. Also, this way I could swap an ICOM back in easily if the SL-30 ever had to go for mainenance. Have any of you ever done something like this?
A better solution would be to have two COM radios, but I'm not sure if my existing intercom (PM3000) would support that and also how complicated wiring this up would be.
 
increasing squelch setting worked

thanks guys... increasing that setting seemed to do the trick. That's a relief.
 
This is quite an old thread of mine, but I thought I'd post an interesting related aspect I discovered this weekend. I ended up pulling my radio out on the weekend to facilitate access to something else on the panel. When I replaced it and tested it, I found it to be stuck in RX mode again. Pulled it out of the hangar and the problem went away. Pushed it back in the hangar, back stuck on RX mode. After a bunch of experimenting, I discovered the flourescent lights in my hangar are being picked-up by the radio, causing it to desquelch, display "RX" and emit static! I could toggle the radio's squelched state by turning the lights on and off! I was amazed that the overhead light fixtures could give off so much interference. Perhaps the steel roof and walls of the hangar are reflecting and focusin the interference all back into the hangar.
 
A210 Display

Last week, I had the panel apart for some minor repairs. During reassembly the A200's metal catch was not seating & in the repair process the hex screw snapped in the metal catch. Time to upgrade to the A210, which I bought on Friday.

Sunday after installation the radio worked well with clear reception / transmission on the ground freq. Frankly, the ribbon cable, which I consider to be a design weakness!, adds a bit of awkwardness to the installation process, but it was installed. Deja vu to the days of the AT PC!

Yesterday (Monday), I decided to take a ride with the new radio ... voila, no display on the A210, but I can hear ground & ATIS. So, back to repair mode.

ICOM Support asks me to look at the ribbon cable. No issue; the radio is brand new! After an hour of troubleshooting, ICOM Support says I will need to send them the radio; yikes I need a second coms, so I reinstall the A200 (metal catch repaired) and all works well.

Later in the day (just for "fun") I re-install the A210 & voila the display is fully functional. ICOM Support suggests that the ribbon cable is at fault and needs to be replaced (on a brand new radio that seems a very odd suggestion!)

I suggested the A210 did not seat fully on the blade connector (although the display was working the previous day!). ICOM Support told me that was not the case, but the ribbon cable was likely faulty (they have a newer design, it's longer, and "better").

At this point the A200 (except for the metal catch) has been reliable, the A210 has proven unreliable and has a "design weakness," and I've lost confidence in ICOM.

So, I'm replacing the A210 with a GTR 200 & will sell the A200. The GTR 200 is similar in cost to the A210, newer technology that's probably more like a Z87, and tested & supported by Garmin!

Seem reasonable?
 
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