05-21-89 11:38:00 
From: GARY WALSH
  To: ALL
Subj: Re: SONY 2010
        The SONY 2010 has a design flaw that causes static 
electricity to easily blow the first RF stage.  This has been discussed at
length on this echo in the past and Sony is quite aware of it.  So much 
so, that I sent my 2010 to Sony's "official" factory service center here in
Canada (Winnipeg) 3 weeks ago and received it back in 2 weeks ALL FIXED
at NO CHARGE.  The warranty expired a long time ago, but they still put
it through under warranty. You might try the same thing.  Just make sure it
goes to a Sony Repair Center.
 
        This was the 2nd time in 2 1/2 years the 1st RF stage blew.  A
good thunderstorm can do it, but so can less dramatic events such as
touching the antenna after dragging your feet along a carpet <grin>.
I understand the external antenna input has NO protection whereas the rod
antenna does. Therein lies the "design flaw".  I asked Sony to perform a
mod, if available, to eliminate the problem.  They "may" have done it, but
made no mention of it in the return "service order".  I can't complain
though, as the repair was done FREE. Not many companies would do that.
 
        >Gary<


11-22-89 17:08:44 
From: JACK HOWARTH
  To: GARY WALSH
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 193 (Re: SONY 2010)
Gary,
   I saw a fix for the static sensitivity of the 2010's front end posted
a week ago on the HamNet SIG on CompuServe.  Apparently only the whip
antenna has protection diodes on it. These diodes are not used when the
external jack is used. The safest and easiest fix is to just put the
necessary protection diodes into the gray antenna adaptor box Sony
supplies. All you need is 99 cents worth of hardware. Get four 1N914
diodes from Radio Shack and place them in strings of two series pairs
across the antenna and ground terminals in the gray adaptor box. Have 
one series pair with its cathode to ground and anode to the antenna and
the second series pair in reverse. That is
          Antenna                     Ground
                   ---|<---|<---
                   --->|--->|---
This modification will allow either negative or positive charges of more
than 1 volt that hit the external antenna to be bled of to the ground.
I have been using it for a week and the modification has no effect on
reception. This is to be expected as by its nature a diode won't pass the 
low voltages of radio signals through to the ground.
                         best wishes...
                                   Jack p.s. Now if some 
company like Radio West would just come out with a mode for the 2010's AGC
to make it hold the volume more stable on severely fading signals. Gee,
Sony put all that effort into a sync circuit to reduce fading and then
screw up the AGC instead. Go figure...

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