I inherited one of these from my late father. I believe he purchased it in 2013. The battery was not accepting a charge in 2019, so I purchased a replacement battery. The unit sprung to life and seems fully functional with one exception. The LCD panel lights up but with near zero contrast, so lettering is too faint to read. I’m not seeing a contrast control in the manual. Does anyone know how to adjust contrast/brightness on this model?
Thanks in advance!
Robert
Hi Robert, the LCD and keypad backlight can be turned on and off using the Auto Backlight (ABR) menu option (Menu 22), however there is no dim feature for it on the KG-UVD1P.
There are a few factors that determine the longevity of any LCD display assembly, including where and how it was stored. The KG-UVD1P is a very reliable and rugged radio, so a failing backlight is not something we generally hear about with this model. In fact, it’s one of our best selling Wouxun radios, and it is rarely returned. We get fewer returns on the KG-UVD1P than almost any other brand of business radio, and it is one of the reasons we worked with Wouxun to base their new KG-805 GMRS and MURS radios on a model platform similar to the KG-UVD1P.
It is not unusual for any LCD Display or backlight to dim over over time as a device ages. Whether it’s a large LCD monitor or a tiny display on a radio, they can fade over a long period of time. I repaired my share of LCD computer monitors and laptop displays over the years, and it was fairly common for the backlight panels to fade or go out, especially in the early days. The backlights on LCD screens of two way radios are not that much different, just smaller.
From what you described, it sounds like the backlight on the display is going out. While it may be possible to replace the backlight, we don’t currently carry the part for it, simply because we seldom get one back from which we could pull the part, and the cost of repair is likely more than what a new unit would cost.
Hi Rick,
Thank you for the kind reply. I looked at the service manual this morning and it appears the LCD function is controlled by an IC. So my next thought was to wonder if the programming cable function has any contrast control.
The LCD is lit up so back light is bright. I’ve attached a picture. It was working a couple years ago. It was stored indoors and not in any sunlight and kept in the charging cradle plugged in since 2016. I got around to trying it a week ago and discovered the battery was toast, so replaced that with a new one. Radio is completely functional and talkative otherwise. I get good reception on some channels.
My only other thought is if there might be a menu option for setting back to manufacturer’s defaults.
Thanks for your thoughts on this item.
Robert
Okay, sorry, I misunderstood. I thought the backlight was weak, but it’s the LCD itself that is barely visible. I don’t think a reset will fix that, but it’s usually a first step in troubleshooting. There may not be sufficient power going to the display chip, which could be caused by a poor connection to the board or a failing component on the board for the display driver. Without putting it on a bench and opening it up, it could be several things, but based on the image and what you told me, I’m leaning towards the latter.
