Eileen sent me an unprompted follow-up e-mail on the popping issue - which, to me, is a good sign that they want to provide high quality products and fix any issues that are discovered in the field. Here is what she wrote:
"For the "popping" sound, it is a procedure problem, some radio would appear the "popping" sound often, and some may appear seldom, so people ignore the "popping". For fix the problem have to change the CPU of the radio. So it can just fixed by us. If some one want to send the radio back for fixing the problem, we will fix it for free, but he should pay the freight cost. But I think the freight fee maybe too expensive, so if some one can change the clip as attached by himself, I can send one to him. But I think it is difficult for ordinary people. As you know, disassembling the radio may break the radio, and changing the clip would be much difficult. And we won't warrant the radio again since it is disassembled."
I read that as a software/code (procedure) problem in the firmware. Since the chip has to be replaced, then it must be like most other radios with a write-once chip. She sent the picture below, too. I think replacing that chip is beyond my skill level. (I'm just hoping to fix the
rotary encoder when I get it and that's just three solder points! That's complicated enough for me.)
