VHF fixed radio

Randall Schmidt

Randall Schmidt

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Mar 1, 2016
273
Oday 28 Tracy's Landing
I install a new $200 GPS equipped Horizon VHF fixed radio in my 1984 28 foot Oday today. The power works. I hear static but no radio check works on the designated local channels 26 and 27. Hailing for my marina on 16 got no response too. I played with the squelch to no avail. I guess my antenna is the issue. It routes thru the mast to the top. What an ugly job to look forward to resolving. Any tips, or comments appreciate. My wife thinks I'm just doing something wrong the radio and I admit to being a neophyte in this arena.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Could you pick up a weather channel? Hear any other traffic at all?
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,353
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Little help.
  1. New in box unit?
  2. No corrision on antenna cable?
  3. You checked that there is an antenna on the mast?
  4. Trouble shooting, use a different antenna, one on the deck. If it works then you know you have to deal with the mast wiring or the antenna on the mast.
If you are 10 miles or less range use then you can mount an antenna on the deck or stern pulpit.

Places to check on the mast antenna are:
All connections are clean and no shorts in wiring. Wiring not chafed or frayed. Antenna is in working order. Antenna cable and antenna matches spec rating for radio.
 
bawlmer

bawlmer

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Sep 15, 2013
708
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Do you or some one you know have a hand held? Do a radio check with it and just make sure the radio is working. That would be a good place to start. I see you are in Virginia. There are a lot of strong weather stations in the Chesapeake area and you should hear something even with a questionable antenna system.
 
Randall Schmidt

Randall Schmidt

.
Mar 1, 2016
273
Oday 28 Tracy's Landing
Could not get anything, don't recall where to look for weather channel, I did not see a label on the unit for that
 
Randall Schmidt

Randall Schmidt

.
Mar 1, 2016
273
Oday 28 Tracy's Landing
yes, new in-box unit
antenna connection at back of radio looked good.
There is an antenna on the mast but maybe a break in the cable on the way?
can I put a coat hanger in as a temporary test antenna? do i have to buy a test antenna to troubleshoot this?
I'm planning an ICW trip from Chesapeake to the Gulf via Okeechobee waterway where clearance is a know issue, if I have the mast attached antenna replaced I wonder if I need to have it parallel to the mast up high but not actually on top of the mast.
 
Randall Schmidt

Randall Schmidt

.
Mar 1, 2016
273
Oday 28 Tracy's Landing
I have a hand held unit and could hear some activity (though hardly any) via that HHD, it was a crappy cool wet day to be out and I was at a secluded marina but that told me there was something out there to hear.
 
HMT2

HMT2

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Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
You can buy an emergency VHF antennae relatively inexpensively, it's good to keep one around anyway. I had a similar problem with an old VHF that quit revecivig.., after a lot of hassle I discovered that a connection on the cable from the mast to the radio had become disconnected. Follow the cable from your radio to where it goes up the mast . Your radio most assuredly has a weathers station button. Look for a button that says W or WX, or consult your owner'a manual for your radio.
 
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bawlmer

bawlmer

.
Sep 15, 2013
708
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Randall. Can you talk to the fixed radio from the handheld and vice versa when you are standing next to it? That will tell you at least if your radio is working.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,296
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Most radio problems are the result of three things:

1 low voltage
2 bad coax (water intrusion is often found)
3 corroded or loose connectors.

If you have a voltmeter, # 1 is easy to determine
If the coax or antenna are 'shorted' or open, that may not be indicative of a problem as many antennas have a loading coil making conductivity between the braid and center conductor appear shorted when in fact that is normal.

If the coax and connectors are old and not properly maintained, that is your likely problem.
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,353
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
SH radios have a weather button. The GX1700 model identifys it has mutiple channel weather channels preset. So you should be able to hear something.
What model did you buy?
The first suspect would be antenna connections.
 
Ken Cross

Ken Cross

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Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
From an old commercially licensed Technician: An almost no cost test.
You can verify if the problem is an antenna by unhooking it and connect a wire coat hangar (unwind it first to streighten it out, cut it to 39.5 inches long, and clean the paint off the first 1/2 inch.) Put the bare end in the center of the antenna connection (do not transmit like this - EVER, unless it's an emergency) but tune it in to weather or any other known broadcast. You can also have someone else transmit from their boat or from a handheld. If you can hear okay the problem is in the antenna or coax. If not, return the radio as defective. Please note that this will not provide great reception, but should at least identify the problem.

Ken
 
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jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,353
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Reminds me of the radioman in the movie "Down Periscope".
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

.
Jan 7, 2011
5,308
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I can hear lots of chatter in channel 16, but I don't get a response from the automated radio check (Sea Tow) on channel 27/28 in my area. I tried a radio check on channel 9, but no response. The PO has installed some sort of coax "switch box" that I assume switches from the mast antenna to an emergency antenna I found laying in a cabinet in the head. Neither setting seems to transmit, but I do hear other radios.
Is a switch box a good,thing or a bad thing?

Need to check the connection to the mast antenna last time I was up the stick, I found it loose and tightened it. I was able to get a response on channel 27 early in the season, but not now.

Greg
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

.
Sep 25, 2008
7,296
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Tally Ho said:
I can hear lots of chatter in channel 16, but I don't get a response from the automated radio check (Sea Tow) on channel 27/28 in my area. I tried a radio check on channel 9, but no response. The PO has installed some sort of coax "switch box" that I assume switches from the mast antenna to an emergency antenna I found laying in a cabinet in the head. Neither setting seems to transmit, but I do hear other radios.
Is a switch box a good,thing or a bad thing?

Need to check the connection to the mast antenna last time I was up the stick, I found it loose and tightened it. I was able to get a response on channel 27 early in the season, but not now.

Greg
Click to expand
Antenna switches are notorious for failing. Even a functioning one has an inherent insertion loss.
If you had a loose connector at the mast, it is an open invitation for water permeation of the coax, especially as you imply it wasn't properly sealed.
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

.
Jan 7, 2011
5,308
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Thanks Don. I suspected the switch was not a good idea.

May be time to pull the stick and replace to coax.

Greg
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I had maybe the same problem. An option (I don't recall the name of it) changes the xmit-rcv frequencies. See if you get an "A" along with, say 78. It's like it is USA/Canadian or Euro or some such difference. Instead of xmit/rcv on the same freq, it makes the unit transmit on one freq, rcv on the other(duplex). This would cause one-way operation which, really, is no usable operation
 
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