PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 595
JUNE 2002
A Little More Cleaning
Keep all cooling fans clean
and their vents clear of all
clogging sand, dust and dirt.
Use a brush or compressed
air—whatever your equip-
ment TM says—to clean the
fan and the areas around it.
PS 595
JUNE 02
42
Some Things to Check
If you have any broken or missing knobs, switches or connectors, get them
replaced.
Dirt and sand work into the con-
nectors and keep the contacts from
touching. If they’re dirty or making
bad contact, clean them with low-
pressure air or a soft brush.
Keep connector caps on audio con-
nectors to keep out dirt and sand
when the radio’s not in use.
If you have loose or missing panel
or cover screws, tighten or replace
them. A missing screw lets dirt and
sand get inside your set.
Give your commo equipment
room to breathe. If you pile gear on
or around it, heat quickly builds up.
Keep field gear, maps, manuals and
other items away from the RT blower
fan. Blocking the airflow will cause
the heat to build up inside your set.
Make sure loose latches and mounts are tightened properly or repaired. They
can cause commo equipment to bounce out on a rough desert ride.
Check the whip
antenna’s mast base
to be sure the contact
is clean. Use low
pressure air or a soft
brush to clean it.
No Moisture
Static electricity is common in the desert. It’s caused by wind-blown sand and
extremely low humidity. Poor grounding conditions aggravate the problem. Make
sure your equipment is properly grounded.
Be sure to use tip caps on all antennas to
cut down on wind-caused static discharges.
Electrical Insulation
Wind-blown sand and grit
will damage electrical wire
insulation over a period of
time. All exposed cables
should be protected with
tape or large shrink-wrap
tubing before insulation
becomes worn. Of course,
keep dust caps on all cable
connectors when not in use.
Sand will also find its way
into parts of items such as
spaghetti cord plugs, either
preventing electrical contact
or making it impossible to
join the plugs together.
Carry an old toothbrush and
use it to clean plugs before
they are joined.
Protect cables
from wind-
blown sand
Use toothbrush
to clean plugs
Keep cooling fans
and their vents clean
[wheeze]
what part
of
“Don’t
pile stuff
on me”
don’t you
get?!
Keep caps on
connectors
Missing screw
lets dirt and
sand get in set
Clean antenna
contact with soft
brush or low
pressure air
Make sure
you have a
cap and that
you use it!
595. 40-43 (C)
4/27/02
2:36 PM
Page 3
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