FM02 - Any problems with your unit ?

[ukewarrior]

I am in communication with VAST and want to know if you feel you should have warranty (2 years) service on your unit.
This should only be if you feel your unit has died due to no cause of your own.
I don't think anyone in this community wants to loose access to these devices due to any misuse of the warranty.

To date, no one as asked me to replace their units.
But, I do think it is time to ask. This is something that would make sense to do once a year or so.

This covers any units sold in the group buys or from WLC ventures (Chris Foley)

Please post ONLY if you want a unit replaced under warranty in order to keep this thread clean.
All you need to post is your desire for a replacement and the quantity if more then one.
This is not the thread to post design enhancements or other thoughts.
After that is done, I will post how the process will work for replacement (if needed)
You will be responsible to send your unit to me here in the USA.

[buddhawood]

I have never been able to get my unit to transmit more than a few feet. see the thread here
http://doityourselfchristmas.com/for...V-FM02-Problem
I gave up in early October and have been using my original transmitter. I would like a replacement or if I could send it to you I would love to be proven an idiot and be something simple. I wasn't planning on bothering anyone until the season was over.

[ags0000]

Now that the seasonal rush is over, I would like to understand what happend with my FM02. It never worked, yet with the same antenna, my replacement (not an FM02) worked on first attempt and since without problem. As I said, I can't state with certainty that I didn't do *something* to damage the FM02, but I don't know what it could have been. It appears to have been DOA. I tried both my W3 supply and the Shure supply to provide the 12vdc needed by the FM02. The display of my FM02 does light and I can control the frequency displayed with the two buttons. I tried my homemade 1/2 wavelength dipole antenna and the test antenna. I suspect that the final output transistor is bad. I haven't found a source for a replacement (someone did post a similar, lower-power version I believe -can't find that post now) but would also be willing to try replacing that to see if it is the problem. The only issue there is that if it works, I know what was wrong (but not how it went bad - DOA or something I did). If it doesn't work, I won't know what is wrong or how to fix it.

[glaforce]

I bought mine in your first group buy in 2011. Took it to work (I'M a TWO-WAY radio bench tech for the last 20+ years) Put it on my test equipment and all looked ok thought the output was a bit low but though that maybe my service mointor just didnt like the 100K wide signal anyway. Set it up at home for my display into a diople antenna (at no point was it powered up with out a 50 ohm load or a matched antenna) and i only got about 100' of range .. took it back to work and tested it again this time looking up the specs first. I found that my unit had -65db of output and it should of had +8 db that a massive difference. Started trouble the transimitter and found that i had a -20db signal out of the IC into the final output transistor and -65db at the antennna port. So being so close to show time I replaced the final output transistor (marked R25) and this got me back on the AIR with a good solid +8 or so db signal.


So yes i think that VAST should have a 2 year warranty. they could also send me a couple of spare output transistors or i would be glad to exchange my FM02 for a new unit if they like.

I it would be best to have 2 of these units for your display.

[ukewarrior]

PM sent.

I bought mine in your first group buy in 2011. Took it to work (I'M a TWO-WAY radio bench tech for the last 20+ years) Put it on my test equipment and all looked ok thought the output was a bit low but though that maybe my service mointor just didnt like the 100K wide signal anyway. Set it up at home for my display into a diople antenna (at no point was it powered up with out a 50 ohm load or a matched antenna) and i only got about 100' of range .. took it back to work and tested it again this time looking up the specs first. I found that my unit had -65db of output and it should of had +8 db that a massive difference. Started trouble the transimitter and found that i had a -20db signal out of the IC into the final output transistor and -65db at the antennna port. So being so close to show time I replaced the final output transistor (marked R25) and this got me back on the AIR with a good solid +8 or so db signal.


So yes i think that VAST should have a 2 year warranty. they could also send me a couple of spare output transistors or i would be glad to exchange my FM02 for a new unit if they like.

I it would be best to have 2 of these units for your display.

[ukewarrior]

PM sent.

Now that the seasonal rush is over, I would like to understand what happend with my FM02. It never worked, yet with the same antenna, my replacement (not an FM02) worked on first attempt and since without problem. As I said, I can't state with certainty that I didn't do *something* to damage the FM02, but I don't know what it could have been. It appears to have been DOA. I tried both my W3 supply and the Shure supply to provide the 12vdc needed by the FM02. The display of my FM02 does light and I can control the frequency displayed with the two buttons. I tried my homemade 1/2 wavelength dipole antenna and the test antenna. I suspect that the final output transistor is bad. I haven't found a source for a replacement (someone did post a similar, lower-power version I believe -can't find that post now) but would also be willing to try replacing that to see if it is the problem. The only issue there is that if it works, I know what was wrong (but not how it went bad - DOA or something I did). If it doesn't work, I won't know what is wrong or how to fix it.

[ukewarrior]

PM sent.

I have never been able to get my unit to transmit more than a few feet. see the thread here
http://doityourselfchristmas.com/for...V-FM02-Problem
I gave up in early October and have been using my original transmitter. I would like a replacement or if I could send it to you I would love to be proven an idiot and be something simple. I wasn't planning on bothering anyone until the season was over.

[raplass]

Mine has worked fine, ~400 feet of clean range before obstructions start to break up the signal. Roughly a quarter mile range before it is gone completely. Slight hiss, but I haven't dared yet to try the capacitor on Pin 19 fix for that.