Working on the AADE LC Meter IIb

I've been fooling with the AADE LC Meter IIb which was bought from Ebay, mentioned here:

https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2025/10/just-because-i-could.html

Unfortunately the LC meter was DOA.  It seemed to have been a kit so possibly it never worked ?  I reheated all the solder joints but no help:

the display is blank no matter what the contrast pot setting



Here is one item I may mod:
the orange Panasonic pot marked 103 is impossible to adjust if the LCD is in place



The contrast pot for the LCD is under the LCD and inaccessible.  So I had to horse the LCD on and off just to adjust it.  The AADE manual shows a vertical trim pot so I will see if I have one that might fit or possibly order one.  One mod I did make was to add an BAT85 reverse polarity diode in series with the red wire.

I do have a spare 16x2 backlit LCD module, so I tried it.  It sorta works ?  The LC meter uses a 16x1 LCD module (a one chip module) so this 16x2 module displays weirdly:



Also the 16x2 LCD doesn't fit that well.

I'll keep plugging on the meter - try and scrounge up a new contrast pot and LCD module.  One thing I will also try if I have one around is to change the 16x1 LCD module connector - reheating the joints was weird because the post doesn't stand proud of the solder joint. 

Anyway I am glad that the meter PIC is OK and that the unit is repairable, a win for sure !

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm