Used GM340: What to Ask and What to See Before Buying

Where do these stations come from?

The main source is enterprises that have switched to digital and sell the entire analog parc.

The second is transport companies that change cars: the station is removed with a bracket and goes to the warehouse.

The third, the most unpleasant, is the technical guide of faulty machines, when one worker is assembled from three.

The first two options usually give the technique in a predictable state, the third - the lottery.

Therefore, the first question for the seller is simple: where the device comes from and why it is removed.

Body, fasteners and connectors

The scuffs on the case say nothing: the station lives under the panel and there is always rubbing.

But the autopsy marks along the edge of the hull and the torn slats of the screws are a reason to ask questions.

The antenna connector is inspected first: a crushed central contact means working without a load.

The power supply shoe is checked for melting - darkened plastic gives overload or poor contact.

The accessory connector on the back wall should be clean, without traces of soldering past the contacts.

Range and firmware

The configuration is listed on the nameplate, and it is checked against what you need, even before inspecting the rest.

The device on 403-470 MHz cannot be translated to 136-174 MHz by any firmware.

Embroidered channels are not a problem, they will be rewritten, but it is still worth asking about the settings file.

If the station is blocked by a programming password, not every service can remove it.

Without a programmer, it will not be possible to check the channel plan on the spot, so it is better to come with your own.

How to evaluate a transmitter without instruments

Full power and deviation are measured on the equivalent of the load, and this is a matter of service.

On the spot you can hear a lot: a long transmission should not be accompanied by the volume at the correspondent.

The body warms up after five minutes of transfer - this is normal, but should not burn.

Reception is checked on a weak signal: the noise suppressor must open smoothly, and not twitch.

If the seller refuses to let you make a long transfer, that is the answer in itself.

Compactness: What is lost most often

The manipulator disappears first: it is removed separately and then not found.

The second one is the mounting bracket, because it stays in the old car.

The third is a power supply cable with a fuse holder, which is cut off along with the wiring.

All this is bought, but the money eats up some of the benefits of a used machine.

Therefore, the price is not compared by station, but by a complete set ready for installation.

When is it cheaper to buy a new one?

If you need not one device, but several identical ones at once, a prefabricated solyak will cost more in maintenance.

If the station goes to the facility with documents, the origin and guarantee are more important than the economy.

If there is no set or settings file to the device, safely add the cost of the service to the price.

If the case was opened, and the seller can not tell why, it is wiser to pass by.

In other cases, the second-hand device of this series lives for a long time - the design has this.