Hi everyone,
My names Keith and I’m from the UK, I’m new to the forum and looking for a little advice on an issue I am having with one of my 3101 handsets.
I purchased a set of these with each handset coming from a different source. The first works perfectly but the second is giving me issues. When i turn it on and hit the PTT the LED flashes red continuously and a beep sounds but no signal is transmitted.
Having read the manual (which has the most basic troubleshooting section i’ve ever seen) it suggests that this might be related to the battery but Ive tried 2 different fully charged batteries with the same outcome. Both batteries work correctly in the other 3101.
If anyone has any suggestions id be happy to hear them. I think it works on some level as I was able to transmit a signal from the good radio to the one with issues (albeit slightly garbled).
If you bought them new and you are having a problem - send them back.
If you bought them used - then you just learned a valueable lesson.
Most people do not get rid of anything - when they are hams - unless there is something wrong with them.
Be it a dead battery or that it is junk…
Because you bought a walkie talkie and because you do not have much experience with radios and because you do not have any test equipment - my two suggestions would be to either A - take it to a two way radio shop and have them put them on their service monitor.
Or B - send them back to the manufacturer to have them repaired - that is if they still service that model.
Yes I know only one is broke.
I am using ( them ) in the plural sense - because in your lifetime this isn’t the only time you are going to buy something and it will be broke.
Fortunatley you did not buy a broken ADI or ALINCO - as I did.
Then you not only face no factory technicial support, but no factory repair shop… A approved repair shop can charge as much as they want - since they did not break it or buy it - it doesn’t matter to them how much it costs to fix it if it is broke.
Most times you can buy a new one cheaper then you can buy a used one and pay to have it fixed.
Use the good one and throw the other away or keep it for parts would be my reccomendation.
Maybe someone tried to transmit too long and fried the finals.
Maybe someone tried to transmit without a antenna and fried the finals.
Maybe the finals just gave out from use.
Valuable lessons aside (I’m aware of the dangers of purchasing used items) I was hoping that perhaps someone had encountered a similar problem with their Kenwood model and would be able to offer some advice.
Has anyone had any experience with this particular line of radio before I look into a repair?