Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

[Agent24]

Someone gave me one of these radios several years ago with a faulty amplifier

I opened it hoping to find out what was wrong but never did (didn't know much back when I was 12 or whatever)

I put it away, forgot about it for a while. Took it out a year ago, realised I had forgotton where half the wires connected.

Now I'm hoping I can find a schematic or at least someone with one who can take some photos or otherwise describe where the connections are supposed to go.


I figure that now I know a bit more with what I'm doing, I should be able to actually get the amplifier working again and use the radio

I've attached a photo and added this link in case someone has one but with a different brand, as seems happens a lot with these kinds of things.

[kc8adu]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

looks a bit like an older panasonic.
post pics of the board.it may become obvious where things go.and if it is really a rebadged panasonic it may be easy to crossreference to the real model.

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Here's some photos, hopefully someone will recognize something there.

First board is the power supply, 9 volts, F = Positive and G = Negative. I know that much

From the board (BFO) I am not too sure what goes where. I think the red wire (which broke off) went on the B- point, but there is nothing called B- on any other board.

As for the amp board, M+ and M- I believe are for the VU meter, and C is audio signal input from the tuner board

Not sure what M is on the tuner board.

Several points are not used, as this is the model without the tape deck built in.

The green wire I am holding comes from a small disc-shaped board on the ferrite antenna, but not sure where it connects to.

The 2 red wires following that are for the dial light, and connect somehow to the left most switch on the amp board (point A and B, or, A or B & something else)


I really think a schematic will be needed to prevent major headaches...

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

It would appear that this is the same design as the RadioShack 12-795. Does anyone have the schematic etc for that?

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Also found it goes by the name "Venturer 2959-6"

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Good news!

I found someone selling one on Trademe, and after someone purchased it I contacted the buyer and they took some photos for me!

They didn't get everything I needed but they got the critical bits (eg: the unlabeled connectors for the BFO board and external antenna jack) and after some careful examination of the circuits and some logical thought I figured out where everything else went.

Tuner still works, amp still doesn't.

It will throw a short burst of sound out when you switch it OFF but normally won't do anything. Guess I will pull and test all components for the amp IC (all 10 of them!) first because I have no idea where I'll get a new one of those if it's dead.

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Well, I guess when you stick with something you eventually get results!

With help of the datasheet and some thought, I pulled and tested all the components associated with the IC, and they all tested fine.

So it was down to finding a new IC and just seeing what happens.

Luckily I was able to get six NEC uPC1213C amplifier ICs on eBay from a seller in Switzerland - turns out there are quite a few sellers in Europe with these ICs, but the one from Switzerland was actually the cheapest (and for six ICs too, nice!)

(on a side note, is there a program anywhere that can search eBay for items in ALL countries no matter what? - eBay global works but only for sellers who have listed New Zealand in the shipping list - the problem is most people don't, but after asking nicely they usually ship here anyway)

Put the new IC in yesterday and all seems to be working fine!

Now I just have to figure out a way to make a better heatsink for it as the original one fell apart when I removed it, and might have been the reason why the original chip died to begin with.

[GadgetmaNZ]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Hi Agent24,
I also live in New Zealand and got this Technica/Venturer/Radio Shack 2959-6 on my worktable to get fixed.
I work volunteering for MenZ Shed Richmond and I do not get paid anything for this job but I might get a hand with some woodworking on my van in return.
The problem is exactly same as yours so I assume it could be the amplifier IC?

Did you find a schematic somewhere?
Did you have any IC's left as you got six from Switzerland?

I have another working one which I thought about using for diagnosing but discovered this Forum and looks like you have done all the hard work diagnosing the fault if lucky?

Cheers
Henry from Nelson

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

If it gives a short burst of sound when you turn it OFF, but nothing otherwise, then I expect it's quite likely that it's the same problem.

I never got a schematic, if there is one I haven't seen it. Asked one guy in a repair shop who had one of these radios in the window and he just laughed.

I can send you an IC if I can find where I put them... send me a PM or Email.


Still not totally sure why it died, but I reckon the heatsink is rubbish. The person who gave it to me would have had it blasting out in the garden so I guess that story could make sense.

The datasheet for that IC (attached) expects a nice big ground plane for the heatsink legs to be soldeed onto. The radio I have didn't have that, instead used a little bit of tin or something IIRC. Maybe it wasn't enough. I suggest you use something better, just in case.

Funny you brought this up today as I finally ordered a sheet of copper to make a better heatsink from just last week.

[kaboom]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

I'm gonna rain on this parade- that's no Panasonic. Overall, cheep construction... The real 2200s have both LW & MW antennas in the Gyro-Antenna. This thing has a ferrite rod, immovable, mounted on a board.

No Jap caps- they've all got weird names...

I see no "M" or "triad" logo on those boards. That looks a lot like various chinese "copy" radios I took apart years ago.

Don't get "tunnel vision" looking for an "equivalent model" where one may not even exist!

-Paul

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Oh for sure it's not a Panasonic, I never thought it was...

[redrooster]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

I'm gonna rain on this parade- that's no Panasonic. Overall, cheep construction... The real 2200s have both LW & MW antennas in the Gyro-Antenna. This thing has a ferrite rod, immovable, mounted on a board.

No Jap caps- they've all got weird names...

I see no "M" or "triad" logo on those boards. That looks a lot like various chinese "copy" radios I took apart years ago.

Don't get "tunnel vision" looking for an "equivalent model" where one may not even exist!

-Paul

I just noticed this old post and I cant believe that no-one has rained on his parade for being a troll and bringing this brand of juvenile nastiness to the discussion.

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

(Quoted from email - better if you post here)

Hi there,Did you ever manage to get a schematic? My radio has been fiddled with and I need to tune the slugs back in.I must have looked just about everywhere for a schematic,looks like it may be unobtainium.Ha!

No, never found a schematic for this. If one was ever released it would have been on paper and nobody has bothered to scan it.

Don't know how I can help with the tuning either, unless there are some measurements I can take that would help, but I know very little about radio tuning circuits so I don't even know if that would be of any use.

[Agent24]

Re: Rhapsody RY-610 Multiband radio - need schematic\photos

Added some docs I found while tidying up my files which relate to the RadioShack 12-795 version. Might be of some use, but there's no schematic. Sorry.