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"I can barely hear you!" - Transmitter repair.

Started by Greg G., March 02, 2013, 09:27:01 PM

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gemini1096

I have the same problem on my Japanese phone. The wife is complaining she cannot hear me when I use it. The mike seems okay and I'd hate to change it. Isn't there some possibility to amplify the signal picked by the mike?

Jim Stettler

A US source for transmitter Carbon would probably be John Infurna. He  buys old T1 transmitters for the base metal of the transmitters. He has a casting project that he wants the metal for. I am sure he saves the carbon from the transmitters. I don't know if he has started disassembling his stash of transmitters yet.
Jim

You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

gpo706

Quote from: twocvbloke on March 03, 2013, 04:02:06 AM

I replaced the transmitter in my 500DM with one of these drop-in electronic inserts:

http://tinyurl.com/bh2gk6v

And it improved call quality no end (and to preserve originality I tied the carbon transmitter inside the phone, so I can put it back in if need be), I don't know if they're available on that side of the pond, but seriously worth looking into if you like using your phone rather than having it as a display piece... :)

2CV, cheers, just ordered one for my July 1950 (base only!) WE 500, again tried using it and the usual response is  "I can hardly hear you..."
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

Greg G.

Quote from: trainman on March 04, 2013, 10:41:02 AM
IS the phone wired right? I had the same volume problem with a 302. Turn out I had miwired it after taking it apart to clean everything and replace the cords.

I haven't messed with the wiring, it's just as I got it.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

twocvbloke

Quote from: gpo706 on March 10, 2013, 01:52:19 PM2CV, cheers, just ordered one for my July 1950 (base only!) WE 500, again tried using it and the usual response is  "I can hardly hear you..."

hehe, the only carbon microphone I have (that has done duty on the phoneline) that works well is the one in my Cortelco 2554, though even then I have to speak up a bit as it's not as loud as an electronic transmitter, but still works fine... :)

gpo706

#20
Just an update, tried the electronic mic 2CV recommended, and no TX, put the old carbon one in - no TX.

Fed up, left the 500 for a day or two, tried the elec mic again, nothing.

Utterly fed up, been trying it on and off since, finally tonight "adjusted" the two prongs in the mouthpiece to make a contact with the underside of the TX.

Works very loud and clear.

Sometimes takes a month or so for one's mind to think things through eh?  :-\
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

twocvbloke

Yeah, I had to fiddle with the pins in my 500DM's transmitter cup too as they were a touch on the weak side, and the electronic transmitter's contacts needed a bit of a scratching to break through surface corrosion, but ultimately it improved the phone's usability no end... :)

I fitted the electronic transmitter while the phone was powered up (at the time by my BT 286A), so I could hear the scratching noises from a bad connection, and the "no transmission" issue, so had it working in relatively little time (well, if you subtract the head-scratching time that is!! :D ), but I'm the sort who enjoys fiddling with things for hours, sometimes not even noticing I've spent hours fiddling, so I'd spend more than enough time thinking about something until it either it works or I just get bored... :D

gpo706

#22
Same here, I just let them trap dust until my brain figures out what's going on...

Pesky prongs eh?

It didn't help that the TX cup is unmodularised (is there such a word?) and had to pull the handset cable tight to the aperture, and then the TX cup has a cord restraining inverted "U" on the bottom, which has to be placed back to front to let the modular socket sit flush.

Oh dear, what a palaver to swap a mic!

This will be stored in some recess of my memory for the next time, I wouldn't blame any of our American cousins here for having a good laugh at my blundering incompetence mind you...  :)
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

twocvbloke

Quote from: gpo706 on April 21, 2013, 01:02:12 PMI wouldn't blame any of our American cousins here for having a good laugh at my blundering incompetence mind you...  :)

Oh I wouldn't worry about that, I just spent about half an hour trying to fix the printer (was trying to make up some custom dial labels for my BT Viscounts), only to find I had the print quality settings set to "Text" and not "Photo Quality"... :D