Hi Jim,
My Omni 6 has gone "dark" on me at times: By "dark" I mean that
the light for the meter went off and the frequency display LED's were
off as well. The rig continued to function normally... I completed a
qso "in the dark" the one time. Turning the rig off and then back on
has solved the problem each time.
I assume that it may be a relay acting up.
Am I on the right track? Any advice?
No, I do not think you're on the right track. The only relay in a
Omni VI that switches power is a single pole relay. If it failed you
would not have been able to complete a QSO. If the rig is still
transmitting and receiving, I think that relay must be working. Maybe
one of the connectors on the DC POWER INPUT BOARD, where the relay is,
is getting temporarily "fixed" by the vibration of the relay. I
recommend that you exercise all of the connectors inside the radio,
particularly those on the , DISPLAY CONTROLLER BOARD (Sometimes called
LED DISPLAY DRIVER BOARD), the DISPLAY BOARD, LOW LEVEL DRIVER/NOISE
BLANKER BOARD, and the DC POWER INPUT BOARD. Better yet, use some Caig
Laboratories De-Oxit to clean all of the connectors as you are
unplugging them and plugging them back in. While you're at it, inspect
for a possible cold solder connection to one of the connector pins.
The LOW LEVEL DRIVER/NOISE BLANKER BOARD has an interesting
combination of functions included on it. Aside from the two functions
that are obvious from the name of the board, there is also the regulator
circuit that provides the +REG voltage to the rest of the rig, and the
meter light dimmer control circuitry. If the fault were there it would
likely only affect the meter lamps and not the LEDs. The signal that
controls the LED brightness and the meter lamps comes from the LOGIC
BOARD, goes to the LED DISPLAY DRIVER BOARD and from there it also goes
to the LOW LEVEL DRIVER/NOISE BLANKER BOARD. My guess is an intermittent
connection in the cable between the LOGIC BOARD and the LED DISPLAY
DRIVER BOARD would affect both the LEDs and the meter lamps.
DE N6KB
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