Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

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  • Jack Crow
    It's a CLASOB!
    • May 2008
    • 823
    • USA
    #1

    Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

    Hi all,
    Got a client that is pushing me back to my oldest roots as a CB mechanic.

    He sent me three antiques to look at.
    All with 1975 or 1976 date codes on the units.

    Anyhow...

    Here is a link to the drawing.

    http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/midland/13_830/graphics
    /midland_13_830_om_sch.pdf


    The symptom was weak RX audio and nearly zero TX audio.

    How I wish I had an ESR meter back then. (1979 or so).

    Anyhow, used the ESR meter to poke around.
    Found three 'real bad' ones and the rest are weak but that is expected after this much time.

    C203, C204, and C211.

    Those three got the radio running.

    I am real impressed with this instrument.

    All for now.
    Jack Crow
    "You are, what you do, when it counts"
    The Masso

    "Gravity, the quickest way down"
    Mayor John Almafi

    "You ever drop an egg, and on the floor you see it break?
    You go and get a mop so you can clean up your mistake.
    But did you ever stop to ponder why we know it's true?
    If you drop a broken egg you will not get an egg that's new?"

    MC Hawking
    Tags: None
    • LDSisHere
      Badcaps Veteran
      • May 2012
      • 727
      • U.S.A.
      #2
      Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

      It is impressive that the old electronics only needed new capacitors. Stuff made today will never work like that 30 years from now. Did you happen to notice what the brands were and/or where they were made? Also, what type of ESR meter do you have? It is really good you were able to save them.

        Comment

        • Jack Crow
          It's a CLASOB!
          • May 2008
          • 823
          • USA
          #3
          Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

          LDSisHere
          Interesting board handle.
          I stole mine from a John Stakley book called ARMOR.

          Anyhow, the tag on this radio said it was made in April of 1976.
          I strongly doubt current standards apply to parts like this.
          Two were gray SANYO's and the last was a blue Mitsubishi.
          No real useful date codes or anything like that.

          That is how electronic servicing was back then. If it worked then it was 'good enough'.

          Things have changed.

          Was at a Pilot Truck stop yesterday and wondered over to the CB case to have a look around. I had to stare at one unit for a while before I recognized it as a cb set.

          Look what 'they' did with the classic Cobra 29.

          https://www.cobra.com/detail/model-2...technology.cfm

          Nuts.

          Hope all is well on your end.
          Jack Crow aka Radio Mike Herndon Virginia
          "You are, what you do, when it counts"
          The Masso

          "Gravity, the quickest way down"
          Mayor John Almafi

          "You ever drop an egg, and on the floor you see it break?
          You go and get a mop so you can clean up your mistake.
          But did you ever stop to ponder why we know it's true?
          If you drop a broken egg you will not get an egg that's new?"

          MC Hawking

            Comment

            • Jack Crow
              It's a CLASOB!
              • May 2008
              • 823
              • USA
              #4
              Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

              LDS,
              Brain Glitch. You had asked about the ESR meter.
              Guys here tend to be loyal to their brand. This is my second one. The first one is at a friends shop up the road in Sterling and the number two unit is with me here.

              As for ESR meter work, this is more my usual line.
              Working on elderly two way radios.
              http://www.flickr.com/photos/9010884...7608429361546/

              and

              http://www.flickr.com/photos/9010884...7622973054587/

              I tend to work on the weird stuff.

              The current day job has me working on full duplex radios used in the chemical weapons business.
              I hate nerve gas, evil stuff.
              These photos were taken for me (WMD security rules) when I went to visit a site in Indiana. My hands working on the radios. Their kids going into the 'TOX' zone and making the world safe again from this crap.

              http://www.flickr.com/photos/9010884...7619771677018/
              VX nerve gas (look it up on the wiki) is one of the most nasty things humans ever came up with.

              In this case what was knocking them down was bi metalic problems in the portable radio battery holders. Yes, simple oxidation was making the radios un reliable. Ended up removing the failed battery holders, and keeping them from being used ever again.
              The job moved on.

              This was an amp kit I built in Kuwait.
              Had it playing the output of my MP3.
              Over time parts began to fail. Had to get some new caps for the thing. .2uF at 250 volts.
              The vendor only had 600 volt parts.
              That is why those orange things are so huge.
              It's in the living room right now cranking Jimmy Buffet.
              http://www.flickr.com/photos/9010884...7631251419068/

              Hope it helps.
              Jack Crow
              "You are, what you do, when it counts"
              The Masso

              "Gravity, the quickest way down"
              Mayor John Almafi

              "You ever drop an egg, and on the floor you see it break?
              You go and get a mop so you can clean up your mistake.
              But did you ever stop to ponder why we know it's true?
              If you drop a broken egg you will not get an egg that's new?"

              MC Hawking

                Comment

                • kc8adu
                  Super Moderator
                  • Nov 2003
                  • 8832
                  • U.S.A!
                  #5
                  Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

                  just fixed a 29gtl for a friend.
                  over 20 years it had been to 3 shops that didnt fix it.it had an open mic and many bad "yec" caps.it got all new panasonics.has a heil element in the original plastic "coffin" mic.
                  aligned to spec.now eveyone that knows him wants to know what he is using in his truck and where did you buy it.most call bs when he says its a 70's cobra.

                    Comment

                    • LDSisHere
                      Badcaps Veteran
                      • May 2012
                      • 727
                      • U.S.A.
                      #6
                      Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

                      Jack Crow,

                      Thanks for taking the time to share all that information. I enjoyed looking through your pictures detailing your work and methods. I am hoping to buy a Blue ESR meter kit in the next couple of weeks so I was curious as to what model you use which is why I asked about it. The more I read about them the more I want one.

                      That nerve gas stuff is insane. I would not go near that place. Working there seems like it is more a punishment than a job. WOW!

                        Comment

                        • Jack Crow
                          It's a CLASOB!
                          • May 2008
                          • 823
                          • USA
                          #7
                          Re: Midland 13-830 cb radio repair

                          L,
                          There is an element of male ego involved here.

                          When you can say 'been there, done that, got the tee shirt' it's a status boost in the community of guys.

                          Same deal with two deployments to Iraq as an FAC .
                          FAC= Fat Assed Contractor.

                          Same deal with the ham radios in the truck.
                          Four bands of 110 watt mobiles.

                          Pure and simple ego gratification.
                          The trick is I know it's a poor joke.

                          Keep it safe
                          Jack Crow
                          "You are, what you do, when it counts"
                          The Masso

                          "Gravity, the quickest way down"
                          Mayor John Almafi

                          "You ever drop an egg, and on the floor you see it break?
                          You go and get a mop so you can clean up your mistake.
                          But did you ever stop to ponder why we know it's true?
                          If you drop a broken egg you will not get an egg that's new?"

                          MC Hawking

                            Comment

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