Hello OM community, I know that a good number of Neo FreeRunner units have been subjected to the hardware rework to fix the infamous bug #1024, and it is my understanding that one or more shops used to perform this rework service professionally once upon a time. I am now looking into the possibility of having my company Falconia Partners LLC offer this hw rework service, as I have heard reports from FreeRunner owners who say that their units never got the rework and do suffer from the bug, and I would also like to be able to offer a band conversion service, i.e., converting any given FreeRunner between 850 MHz and 900 MHz bands in either direction. The band conversion would involve changing one SAW filter component at reference designator U402 (populate Epcos B7820 for 900 MHz or B7845 for 850 MHz, I have the parts readily available) followed by recalibration - and my little company has just the right RF test equipment setup (and newly developed calibration software that fully replicates the functionality of the apparently-lost Windows version used by OM/FIC) to do the latter.
The extent of required disassembly is exactly the same for bug #1024 rework and for the SAW filter change - in both cases the metal shieldcan cover over the GSM section of the motherboard needs to be removed, and both reworks can be done in the same surgery. I do wonder, however, if any of the people who used to perform bug #1024 rework in the past on a professional basis (i.e., on customer devices, not their own personal ones) might be willing to share some tips as to what would be the absolutely least invasive way to open that shieldcan and then put it all back together after the surgery. One complication that exists on GTA02 devices but not on GTA01 (nor on my newly made FCDEV3B modems) is that the WLAN daughterboard sits directly on top of the shieldcan cover over the GSM section, and the two are bonded together with some material that seems to be some form of conductive glue. It is not a strong glue, i.e., the WLAN module can be easily pulled off by hand, but pulling it off like this leaves a mess underneath, and thus I assume that my naive way of doing it is probably not the right way. Hence I wonder if any of the people who used to do the rework for bug #1024 professionally might be willing to share the secret of how to do it right: 1) Did you remove the WLAN daughterboard first and then lift the shieldcan cover, or did you somehow remove these two pieces together so they remain attached to each other with that bonding material? 2) If you removed the two pieces separately, how did you restore the bonding between them upon reassembly? 3) If it is possible to remove the shieldcan cover along with the WLAN module on top of it as a single piece, how does one do it? TIA for any tips, Mychaela _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community