Yep, range check would have found the problem. Since you radio blew a fuse you should have performed a range check before flying with the radio. I can't even begin to count how many planes I've seen lost that could have been saved if they had done a proper range check before they flew for the day. I perform a range check before flying anytime I've done any work on the plane or radio, and if nothing has been done to the plane then I do a range check about every other trip to the field for that radio/plane. I record them in my flight log so I have a record of every range check that I do on my radios. Better safe than sorry if you ask me.

Ken