Corroded aerial pc board

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PurplePukeko

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#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

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#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

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#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

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PurplePukeko

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#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

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

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#1734424 10-Mar-2017 15:04

Cheers Jaxon

Long time lurker before I joined :)