Proud Of Myself.....

[Diamond Jim]

The video from the 3618 was getting a little distorted so I started to investigate. I found that the coax port on the back was loose and it would spin in a complete circle, I thought not good. Rather than send it off I thought what the hell, I can either fix of #&%^ it. I figured that the port would be held to the inside of the back with the same type of nut and washer that is on the outside. Wrong, as usual. It is forced in to a hole in a metal compartment with clamped on covers on the sides. What I discovered is that it is just sodered to the side of the compartment. I have decided that by screwing the cable on to tight broke the sodered connection. I forced it back into place and put some soder around the inside edge and a little on the outside edge, hooked it up and the video is crystal clear. I figure that it being sodered to the compartment is a way to ground it because before I sodered it the video was lousy. Anyway, it's all put back together and working fine.

I thought that this should be shared in case there are any members with a Satworks 3618 and it happens to them.

 

[rkrenicki]

I know how you feel.. I got alot done today myself.. I hung and pointed my starchoice dish (which I am pleased to say has perfect signal, and is pointing right down the middle, equal signal on both satellites) in 5 minutes this morning.. and I just fixed my TiVo, which is currently downloading updates as we speak! just needed some creative soldering to get the modem working again

 

[PSB]

Nice work Jim!

 

[Anole]

proud of ya too

Yea, sometimes all it takes is a big hammer.
In this case, a really big soldering iron is the key.
Get it on, get it hot, flow the solder, and get off it.
Just like doing copper pipe.

For anyone contemplating following in Jim's footsteps with a little wimpy iron, forget it.
You need one with a nice big tip!

I remember building a kit many years ago, and it needed a lug soldered into the middle of the big chassis.
I pulled out my Dad's 100 watt iron with a half inch square tip, and was amazed how easily that went down!
The solder flowed like butter.

 

[Diamond Jim]

For anyone contemplating following in Jim's footsteps with a little wimpy iron, forget it. You need one with a nice big tip!

Not in this case, I had to have one that was long and narrow because the connection I had to soder was in a tight place and I had to be careful not to melt any of those plastic things sticking up out of the board.