How to replace the memory battery in an Alinco DR599

The Alinco DR-599T dual band (2 meter and 70 cm) rig is a great radio.  BUT, it was manufactured in the 1990s making it 20+ years old.  

Due to its age, the battery that keeps the programmed channel memory from being lost fails.  This is not a problem if you never disconnect the radio from its 12 volt supply.  But, if you do, you lose all of the programmed memories.

If you have some experience soldering, this can be fairly easily solved.

According to the manual, the battery is located in the removeable front panel.

The front panel is easily removed using a #1 Philips screwdriver to remove these four screws.

Disconnect the front panel from the radio.

Remove the back cover of the front panel by removing these two screws using the same screwdriver.

Here is the location of the battery. 

As you can see, someone has replaced this before.  They used a 2032 battery and soldered the tabs and wires to the 2032.  Not  pretty sight.

The battery Part Number is ED0006 from Alinco.  I'm going to use a CR1616 with tabs that I bought from Amazon.  It is a bit smaller and thinner than the 2032 making it an easy fit.

First, we'll remove the old battery by desoldering it from the front panel circuit board

Then install the replacement being mindful of the polarity connections.  The + goes to + and the - goes to -.

Once the battery has been replaced, put the rear cover back on the front panel.

Then reinstall the front panel on the radio.

And we are done!  

Now you can program the frequencies into the channels and they will stay even if power is removed from the radio!

Thanks!

Mike

N5BGZ