Sony 2010 Problems & Solutions
by Kevin Alfred Strom, Route 219, Hillsboro WV 24946 USA

copyright 1994 by Kevin Alfred Strom

Hillsboro, West Virginia, 19th April, 1994

The SONY 2010 is one of the most popular portable radios, and deservedly
so, since its versatile choice of bandwidths, ample memories, good
dynamic range, and synchronous AM detection give it an edge over most
other portable radios, even after almost a decade has passed since its
introduction. Its performance is just a small notch below that of
table-top receivers costing more than twice as much. But it does have
a few quirks which can be easily resolved in the home workshop.

NOTE: Do not attempt to make any of these modifications unless you are
comfortable with using a soldering iron inside your radio and are
willing to accept the consequences if you make a mistake.

MEMORY/CLOCK WIPEOUT PROBLEM

The Sony 2010's microprocessor circuitry is operated by the 2 AA cells
installed under the main D cells in the battery compartment. When the
radio is transported, sometimes the contacts on these computer cells can
jiggle loose. If these contacts open, even for a millisecond, all memory
data will be erased, and the radio's clock will be reset to zero. The
same things happen when you remove the computer cells to change them.The
solution to this problem is to obtain a 0.1 Farad (100,000 microfarad)
3-volt "memory capacitor," available at Radio Shack, and a 100-ohm
quarter-Watt resistor. Place the resistor in series with the capacitor,
and connect the combination in parallel with the computer cells, making
sure to observe correct polarity of the capacitor. The capacitor keeps
voltage applied to the Sony's microprocessor circuitry if the cells are
disconnected, while the resistor limits the inrush current to the
capacitor, protecting the capacitor and preventing the battery voltage
from instantaneously falling to near zero when a new set of cells is
installed. With this modification in my 2010, I find I can remove the
AA cells for up to 15 minutes without losing the data in my memories or
my clock setting. Needless to say, battery jiggling no longer wipes my
clock and memories either! (Related tips: When the LCD readout begins to
look faded, it is time to replace the AA cells. If left in direct
sunlight [NOT recommended] the 2010's LCD can turn entirely black. A
short session in the freezer will restore the LCD in some cases.)

"BATTERY HOG" PROBLEM

Some have described the 2010 as a "battery hog." I used to agree. It
seemed that after about an hour of use, the operation of the
synchronous detector became unreliable, and after two hours, weak audio
and some distortion would begin to make listening distinctly unpleasant.
A new set of batteries would always solve the problem, but their short
life kept me tied to the AC adapter most of the time. But it seemed to
me that the problem was worse than it had been when the radio was new.
The problem turned out to be a high-resistance connection between the
D-cell holder and the main circuit board. Both the positive and negative
contacts are made by pieces of springy metal (part of the D cell end
connectors) which press against solder pads on the PC board. I took the
back off the radio, scraped a corroded area off the appropriate solder
pads, and gently used a pair of pliers to slightly increase the tension
on the two spring metal pieces, so that they press a little harder on
the solder pads. (The positive contact is a flat piece of metal whose
edge presses against the board, and the negative contact is made of
thick wirelike metal.) Voila! My D cells now operate satisfactorily at
least twice as long as before, and the synchronous detector works fine
even when the "battery check" light is far below the green range.

These tips are presented as a public service and may be republished by
anyone as long as full credit to me, including my address, is included.