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Nautel Push Buttons

B

BobOnTheJob

From the strange but true category, if the push buttons on a newer Nautel become less responsive (or non-responsive), take a push pin and poke a hole in the membrane that covers each switch. Nautel explains that there is air in there that loses it's effectiveness and the hole allows fresh air. If I read this on April 1, I'd ignore it. But I did it and it worked quite well. Add a push pin to your tool kit if you have a Nautel!
 
Yep, same problem on an XR-6. Button would stick causing the display and functions to lock up. I used a piece of super 33 to pull the button back up. Everything is on logic, but when you are on site it is easier to use the panel buttons than fiddle with the remote control. ;) So to fix this you simply have to replace the Canadian air with some fresh air ;D
 
Doncha just love high tech operator interfaces?
I've been cussin' bad touch devices for 20 yrs now.
 
RadeoEngineer said:
I can die now. This is the dumbest failure I've ever heard.
Click to expand...
Maybe those old push buttons on the Harris FM20H3 weren't so bad after all...not sure I've ever seen one of those go bad.
 
Had one go bad on a 10K--but it was easy to replace. Vaguely remember raiding an old cart machine for a replacement--still going strong.
 
I hate these soft membrane push buttons. In most cases a transmitter will be in a less than ideal environment, sometimes in the middle of "wherethefugawi" or on a mountain top. I want buttons I can pull out and replace if need be for the main functions of the TX. On, off, raise, lower and local or remote control. The rest can be fancy, but those basic functions should be foolproof.
 
Nautel offered to send me a new membrane but warned me that it would be a tedious & time consuming exercise (with much off air time) to replace it. They said that all but one engineer thus far has opted for the push pin method....and I'd bet that he wishes he had now. Nothing quite as helpless as standing in front of a 5KW transmitter that is running but can't be controlled...and the bad feeling was compounded by the knowledge that sunset would eventually arrive.
 
It seems Nautel outfoxes themselves a lot these days. I'd be a bit more careful what parts I would include in a transmitter design. Some things, no matter how "cool" they are simply should be in a transmitter.
 
OKCRadioGuy said:
Should not be...
Click to expand...
Now we know how the design engineer thought>

Like in posting: there should be an 'undo' option; however, in automobile engineering they have another button: FTT (@$^& The Technician)
 
I remember replacing the membrane on the front panel of a Halikaainen DRC-190 once. (Best remote control ever built at the time, and still would be a good one today). What a job that was. Consequently, when one of my Z series boxes' front panels had a problem (locally generated, not by Harris) I got the panel off one that had been retired from service due to storm damage. Several screws and a couiple of plugs beats peel and clean and stick. Harris says they can supply me the small inserts to make it look correct, I haven't had time to pursue it - so my Z12HD says it's a Z3.5CD. Matters not.
 
Had one of the ol' DX-50 power select buttons come apart. (OLD! oh boy)
Noticed the pile of ITC cart machines in storage had the same buttons. Yep, works great!.
Didn't later versions go to the membrain switches?
 
I just replaced the front panel on my Nautel V1. Took about 3 hours. Some screws are hard to get at. Had to replace it because the RF off button went screwy and randomly turned the transmitter off. All the front panel buttons and LEDs on this series are in a sandwiched overlay on the front panel and not individually replaceable. Looks cool but... Next time I'll just do the pinhole thing.
 
techdir895 said:
I just replaced the front panel on my Nautel V1. Took about 3 hours. Some screws are hard to get at. Had to replace it because the RF off button went screwy and randomly turned the transmitter off. All the front panel buttons and LEDs on this series are in a sandwiched overlay on the front panel and not individually replaceable. Looks cool but... Next time I'll just do the pinhole thing.
Click to expand...
Hopefully there won't be a next time :). IIRC, my problem was with it not responding to pushing the buttons...wonder if that would have fixed a random activation issue as well? It would sure have been worth a shot based on what you just endured.
 
WNTIRadio said:
I hate these soft membrane push buttons. In most cases a transmitter will be in a less than ideal environment, sometimes in the middle of "wherethefugawi" or on a mountain top. I want buttons I can pull out and replace if need be for the main functions of the TX. On, off, raise, lower and local or remote control. The rest can be fancy, but those basic functions should be foolproof.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. Broadcast gear seems to be moving to membrane displays and getting smaller and smaller. Give me gear large enough that I can get my fingers on a knob and turn it. Give me large pushbutton switches that I can replace in the field, similiar to this:



http://products.eao.com/index.php?IdTreeGroup=124&IdProduct=49043
 
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