Error communicating with Maestro Hardware(152) Please try again. (Y)

Rick

I purchased a used Maestro recently (Real Cheap). The previous owner somehow managed to rip the USB 3.0 connector jack off of the Main Circuit board while opening the case to charge the battery in the Tablet.  I purchase a couple of new surface mount jacks and had a friend of mine that does rework on surface mount boards reattach the jack to the Main Board.
This jack has a cable plugged into it that connects the Main Board to the Audio Board on the back cover. If I hit OK the unit appears to continue to boot and it sits there for ever saying Loading.... on the screen.  The buttons light up and I can toggle them on and off. The VFO knobs appear to work because if I shut the Maestro down and go back to the front panel controls on my 6600M the frequency on both VFO's has changed. so I know its communicating with the radio. It just seems to me that the rear board with all the input/output jacks is not communicating with the main board. I hear no sound whatsoever in my Headphones plugged into the rear Headphone jack (no clicks, pops, or anything). I believe the issue is the main board is not talking to the rear audio board but I can't troubleshoot it because I need a schematic diagram of that part of the circuit. Flex won't fix it because its been worked on by someone else and the Factory is no help.  Does anybody have a diagram for this so I can try to troubleshoot it???

Bob K8RC

AFAIK, the factory is the only place you're going to be able to acquire a circuit diagram.

Good luck.

Rick

I have asked for a diagram but they say its Proprietary information and won't give it to me.  All I want is the section that pertains to the audio output board and the area on the Main Board that interfaces to it.
Its not like I'm going to start building my own Maestro's

Rick

Bill -VA3WTB

Correct Rick, no diagrams.

Rick

I don't think I'm asking for too much.  All I need is the pinout for the connectors to the audio board so I can check to see if Im missing a voltage or a signal of some kind. Since they won't repair it for me I figure its the least they can do for me.

Rick

[Deleted User]

You  are asking for too much as Flex does not give that info out. So much for that REALLY CHEAP Maestro. Send it back for repair.

Rick

I already did. They won't touch it!!!!!

Jim K4JAF

Being "real cheap" should have been a clue that something internal was broken.  You usually get what you pay for.  

Rick

No it was said to be in good working condition when I bought it. The seller misrepresented it and then would NOT respond when I filed a dispute with PayPal. PayPal refunded most of my money except for shipping charges and I got to keep the Maestro.
I was just hoping to fix it since I don't have much money Into it. So if I can't I'll just throw it in the Garbage.

Rick

Rick

Im waiting to see if Tim has any input on this issue. I just need to know what I should be seeing on the pins of th USB 3.0 connector that connects to the Audio Board.  Which pin should be ground and which pins should have voltage and data etc....

Rick

Bob K8RC

Burch - K4QXX

It surprises me that Flex won't repair it.  I understand if it was a warranty deal but you would be paying them to work on it.

Rick

The connector in the Maestro is different than that shown in the picture uploaded by Bob.
Here is a picture of the type of connector used. The cable is about 10 inches long and the connector is the same on both ends.  Im not sure if its actually being used as a USB connection but perhaps its
being used as a way to connect 10 wires from point A to point B. The back of the connector that this plugs into has 10 pins soldered to the Main Board. There are 5 for each of the Micro USB connectors.

Rick

I managed to get a new USB Cable. Then I found that many of the pins on the socket on the Audio Board that this cable plugs into were intermittent. I got them all resoldered  and now I get audio and the PTT works etc....  The issue now is when it starts to boot a message come up that says it cannot initialize Maestro Hardware (K) and it sits there forever saying Loading....

The Maestro seems to be fully in control of my 6600M as I can adjust the VFO's, and Volume, and the ATU etc..  The problem is the Maestro NEVER gets to the Radio Screen so I can't see what Im doing.  Whatever Maestro Hardware(K) is seems to be preventing the boot process from completing.

What is Maestro Hardware (K) ??????

Any ideas???

Thanks much

Rick        KA1AQP

Dudley WA5QPZ

Rick,

The error 152 is usually a failure to reset the processors for the control and lights panel.   You say that the Maestro has control of the radio, but it is failing to complete the boot up procedure,  little bit of a conflict,  as the external control board has to go through the internal tablet of the Maestro...   If not a connection issue to the internal tablet ,   Flex Service will need to take a look at for the cost of bench time..   It will cost you at least $99,  minimum one hour bench time...   

Dudley

Rick

I have already returned it to Flex and they would NOT touch it because some else had been into it.
If you read ALL the messages in this thread you will see what I have already done.

Rick.  KA1AQP

Gerald-K5SDR

Rick, there is probably a way we can get you the information you need.  Put in a ticket and ask them to contact me for the info.

I hope you understand why we don't try to repair radios that have been worked on by customers.  There is no way we can estimate the damage or even know if a device can be fixed. Repairs like that can take hours of engineering (not technician) time to diagnose if at all possible. I know because I have been called in to consult on some like that in the past.

73, Gerald

Rick

I would like to thank Gerald for the help I received from Tech Support and I would like to thank Dawn for all of her help. I still have a couple issues I need answers to.  I still needknow what the Error Codes Y,K,YTS,ETH etc... mean whenI get the message Error communicating with Maestro Hardware (152)  
If I boot the unit using the Wall Wart to power it it comes up with the error with the letters (Y,K) at the end.  The Maestro is communicating with my 6600M because I can hear the audio from the radio and I can tune the VFO's and the frequency changes and the Auto Tuner works and I can transmit when I push the MOX button on the Maestro. All the controls appear to work properly but the screen on the Maestro just sits there saying Loading.... forever. I did get it to load all the way up and get to the Radio screen but it only did that 1 time. Im not sure why. I suspect a bad connection somewhere perhaps in 1 of the USB cables on the Main Board or the Audio Board. I have had the connections
looked at by my friend that does rework on surface mount boards. He redid a couple and that seemed help but it still is not right

Rick.   KA1AQP

Eric-KE5DTO

I sent you a direct email with some more details.