Good luck in finding the failed part - the ICs are more likely than any of the other parts, and there are only a few of them on Vcc, so it shouldn't take too long.
And if you go with the linear power supply route - a couple of others have done that, too - so look at the messages in this forum for some important info, such as a resistor that needs to be in place to keep the firmware happy with the power supply status.? There was a recent thread this past month with some details.? Myself, I like the current design - it is efficient and gives a significantly increased battery life compared to using a linear supply.? And I need my radio/battery package to be as small/light as possible and give plenty of runtime.
Stan KC7XE.
