The Sicon-8 is built to keep you on the air. The Sicon-8 was designed with service in mind. Our goal is to make it easy and inexpensive for you to keep the Sicon-8 running in the field. Wherever possible, chips and exposed parts are in sockets for easy service. In addition to sockets, entire PCB sub-assemblies are used in the Sicon-8. These assemblies contain parts that are exposed to possible damage from things like lightning or overloads. They may also have elements that are not easily field serviced, like surface-mounted chips. By putting exposed or hard-to-replace parts on sub-assemblies, we give you the opportunity to stock spares and to easily replace damaged parts, keeping you operating at all times. The audio codec PCB is not directly exposed to the outside world, but does contain a surface mounted chip. Other chips on this board are socketed for easy replacement and the entire assembly comes off with just two screws. The Ethernet board and Web Server assembly is connected to the outside and contains some SMT chips as seen in the photo to the right. This assembly also contains parts that can be field replaced, such as the BEL transformer and microcontroller. In addition, the entire board is inexpensive and comes out with just one screw. All of the relays are mounted on one board that can be removed with three screws. Although the Sicon-8 uses very heavy-duty relays, they are directly connected to the outside world. After many years of heavy use, it is possible for them to fail or to be damaged by severe lightning at any time. By putting these parts on a chassis that can be replaced, you have an inexpensive and convenient way to keep your Sicon-8 operational, even many years into the future. One of the most commonly damaged parts in any product is the telephone interface because it is often connected to very long telephone lines that can induce huge voltages during a lightning strike. The telephone interface in the Sicon-8 is a field proven design and has demonstrated its ability to survive when similar products fail. Usually, when damage does occur tot he telephone interface, it is limited to one of the inexpensive, socketed chips. In the event of a more catastrophic failure, the entire PCB is designed for easy replacement.