Corroded aerial pc board

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PurplePukeko

16 posts

Geek

#209048 10-Mar-2017 09:51

Hi folks,

Have just pulled apart a friends tv aerial, they were having dodgy reception on most chanels.

The pc board is corroded with a brake in one of the tracks.

Is there any reason I can't just solder a wire as a "jumper" as a temp fix ?

Guess the best way to find out is try, can't make things worse.

Just wondering if there was any traps with doing this.

Thanks

Jaxson

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#1734251 10-Mar-2017 10:00

You should hopefully be able to get it going again.

If it's an older board without an F connector, make sure you lightly sand the screw clamp connection area, and strip back the cable coming in to fresh wire before reattaching.

PurplePukeko

16 posts

Geek

#1734258 10-Mar-2017 10:02

Cheers Jaxson.

Will have a play soon

Jaxson

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#1734263 10-Mar-2017 10:13

All the usuals apply. Don't burn yourself, don't solder batteries, don't like the end of the tip, don't run your lead through water etc

I figure if you're asking if you can solder it, then you're capable

I often use a straight section cut out of a paper clip to repair joins. Just lay it on the track and solder either side. Often easier/more effective (gives the board back some strength) than taking a jumper wire loop between the two points.

richms

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#1734274 10-Mar-2017 10:31

Should be able to.

Back when I was involved with antenna installers it seemed common to leave things not quite waterproof inorder to get a call back in a few years time to replace things. So once done, I would paint the board up with something and make sure that the box is mounted with the holes facing down etc.

Richard rich.ms

PurplePukeko

16 posts

Geek

#1734291 10-Mar-2017 11:15

Thanks folks

Just setting up for a play

Yep not liking the tip of the iron is a real good tip, the flux residue tastes horrible :)

Unfortunately the tracks are too fine and close together

I cant really understand why they made it that way, except to make more surface area to corrode and built in obsolescence etc

Or am I being a tad cynical .......

richms

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#1734330 10-Mar-2017 12:00

because the board will be a transformer to match the ballanced antenna elements to the unbalanced coax cable. Conventional transfromer based baluns have much loss at UHF so are best avoided.

Richard rich.ms

PurplePukeko

16 posts

Geek

#1734355 10-Mar-2017 13:06

Thanks folks

Working perfectly

A bit of Kiwi #8 thought applied to it seems to have worked

The board is corroded, it's only a temp patch

Living close to the ocean is nice but is not an electrical friend

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Jaxson

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#1734375 10-Mar-2017 13:33

Good stuff, well done.

And given your low post count, welcome on board too

PurplePukeko

16 posts

Geek

#1734424 10-Mar-2017 15:04

Cheers Jaxon

Long time lurker before I joined :)