Eric

I'm wondering if maybe it is a contact issue.

Inside the Autostar handset there is a flexible rubber keypad with carbon pads underneath. These "short out" contact patches on the pcb to "make" the switch for a button press.

Occasionally, dust, dirt, grit, coke, gets in there and stops the buttons from making good contact.

If you are willing to open up the Autostar handset (three screws I think (my ETX is currently back at the Telescope Hospital, so can't look to check) are all that are needed to be loosened and the two halves separate.

You can clean the rubber pads and the pcb contacts with iso-propyl alcohol (do you guys across the pond call it rubbing alcohol?). Be careful though - the ribbon cable that connects the pcb to the lcd display is a kind of very thin & flimsy plastic and easily "nipped" and folded when re-assembling the handset.

If you're game, it might be worth a try. Personally, I'd try the curly cord first and if that doesn't fix it and you can't borrow another handset, then have a look at the contacts.

See if that helps.

Art