MODIFICATIONS

  WARNING: Improperly performed modifications can severely damage your
  radio.  I have performed these modifications successfully, but I
  offer no guarantee or warranty for them.  Proceed at your own risk.

  TOOLS NEEDED:

  1) Small philips-head screwdriver 2) Tweezers 3) Magnifying glass 4)
  Low-wattage (15 watt) soldering iron 5) Long-nosed pliers


  MODIFICATION 1: Enables out-of-band transmit for 1.6 MHz to 54 MHz.
  This does not enable extended VHF transmit; a modification for this
  may be available soon.  This does not enable AM or FM broadcast band
  transmit.  Your memories will be cleared after this modification,
  since you need to reset the CPU.

  1) Open the top of the radio by removing the 3 top screws and 2 side
  screws. Look at the radio from the with the front panel facing you.
  screws.

  2) Gently pull up the speaker and set is aside without damaging the
  speaker or the wires that attach it to the rig.

  3) Note the silver rectangular box near the middle of the PCB marked
  something like "9 MHz SSB Filter".

  4) Move your eyes up from this filter toward the back of the radio.
  Just before you get to the "D 108" marking, you will see two tiny
  diodes, two blank spaces, and one additional diode.  They look
  something like this:

                     D108

                        [XX] [XX] [  ] [  ] [XX]

           Remove this diode ^^^^

  5) The second diode from the left needs to be removed.  I did this
  by crushing it with long-nosed pliers.  You can also heat it with a
  low-wattage soldering iron and pull it up with tweezers.  Be sure
  not to damage the other diodes or the PCB.  Be sure that you don't
  apply too much heat, since the heat can damage the PCB and the other
  diodes.

  6) Re-assemble the radio.  Reset the CPU by pressing and holding
  down the UP and DOWN buttons on the front panel and pressing POWER.


  MODIFICATION 2: Enables more sensitive transmit above the 2 meter
  band.  (148 to about 162 MHz; after that, sensitivity drops off.)
  Keeps sensitivity for the FM broadcast band.

  1) Open the top of the radio by removing the 3 top screws and 2 side
  screws. Look at the radio from the with the front panel facing you.

  2) Note the silver rectangular box near the middle of the PCB marked
  something like "9 MHz SSB Filter".

  3) Move your eyes up from this filter toward the back of the radio.
  Follow the ribbon cable up.  Notice a wide white connector with
  several colored wires in it on the back of the PCB.

  4) The fourth wire from the left is a yellow wire.  Cut this wire.
  Rather than cutting it, you can remove the connector, stick a paper
  clip in the side of the connector under the wire, push it in, and
  pull the wire out.  Be careful not to remove the other yellow wire.

  5) Re-insert the connector back to its original place on the PCB.

  6) Open the bottom of the radio.  You will again need to remove 5
  screws.

  7) Look at the radio with the front panel facing you.  Note 5 tiny
  transistors behind the MENU button.  Follow the trace from the
  middle transistor to a hole just to the left of jack J8.

                           +------------------------+
                                                       *
               [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]             +-O   ***  J8
                                                           *
                           Solder wire into this hole ^

  8) Solder a small wire into this hole.  Be careful not to apply too
  much heat; use a low-wattage soldering iron.  Be careful not to
  damage the PCB or the grey cable coming out of J8.  Use a magnifying
  glass.

  9) Run the other end of the wire you just soldered to the front of
  the radio and attach it to the yellow wire you just cut.

  10) Re-assemble the radio