Mike W. wrote:
Nothing to be embarrassed about. Not having the proper tools, training or
manuals etc. makes it very hard t repair these radios. I used to work at a
car audio place, and we also did all kinds of repairs, 2-way commercial
radios, CB's, car audio. The GM radios we worked on, any other kind of
factory radio we sent out to a specialty shop. There is just too much that
can get broken or otherwise screwed up just getting to the problem, as you
have found.

Find a reputable shop and get it repaired. Do some looking in the yellow
pages and online. What part of the US are you in, anyway?

Hi Mike...

Hate to give up, hate to throw it away, and certainly not worth getting
repaired commercially - would cost as much as a new one, painful as that
must be to those young fellows still in the service business.

Finally did get it apart, got to the bottom of the board. Reflowed a
few suspicious looking areas, and put it back. Not intermittent display
anymore - now it's off all the time

Took it out again, followed traces and paths. Found an open choke.
Small one, looks like a shorter and fatter axial resistor. Don't know
the value, but fortunately another of us wrote me email and has kindly
offered to search for one for me

Then again, if everything else fails, in one of our local for sale
groups a fellow has one for sale, that does work. Almost identical,
save for only three equalizer slides (mine has 5). Problem that his
has is that it won't play burned CD's (does play commercial ones,
though) DRM?

Not in the US, about 75 miles north of the US border, in Winnipeg
Canada (north of North Dakota). Lots of friends and aquaintances in
the USA though

Take care.

Ken