drifting off channel

In more ways than you know. The boards do not 'just wear out'. At most a crystal or capacitor is bad with total parts cost just a few bucks. Second, most likely it is just a vibration induced bad solder connection on the leads to the 10.24 MHZ crystal. Total cost very small to repair. Yes there are other possible causes but these are the most likely and most common. In 99 percent of the times a driver is told the cost is more than the radio is worth the statement is an outright lie. Very seldom is this true. So seldom I would not believe it unless several good techs concurred. Usually they give you a song for trade in, spend a few bucks repairing it, then sell it for hundreds. Often they will say the radio cannot be repaired. What they are really saying (assuming they are not trying to scam you out of it for little) is that THEY cannot repair it. My advise is never part with a radio under these circumstances. Keep it. Buy a cheap Cobra if you must have a radio while out on the road and save your expensive radio to get other opinions and hopefully locate an honest competent technician. Statistically what I say is true and it is sad to know this is the way it is out there, but there it is. I have repaired radios hit by lightning requiring extensive cleaning of carbon flash off the board and in one example of an RCI 2950 replacement of 7 IC's, various other components, and the hard part locating over a dozens diodes not open or shorted, merely very leaky which is difficult in circuit to find. My point is when they say it cannot be repaired, or is not cost effective, do not believe them and do not part with it to them. Not unless it is a known trusted location to you from past experience. In such cases always seek other opinions.

 

Ditto... most of the time, its a bad/cold solder joint near the vco, or the 10.24 xtal. Takes longer to take the covers off than to repair it. Take it to a trusted tech, and have it checked out.

 

You guys are going to dry up all my used radio bargains giving out good information like that!

 

Yes you did.