Last week I started having a problem with my Standard Horizon fixed mount VHF and I'm hoping someone can give me a clue. When the Ram mike is connected it won't show any power but the main radio does. However, the main radio won't transmit or receive anything and I can't change the selected channel or go to the WX channel. If I remove the Ram mike and power the radio back on it works fine. I've checked the connections and don't see any corrosion or bent pins. Any thoughts on what I could try before sending the mike in for repair? Thanks, Jim S/V Wampeter
Standard Horizon VHF Ram Mike
- Thread starter Jim C
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I had a similar problem...
with my RAM mike. To make sure it was not a wiring problem between the cockpit connector and the radio, I used a RAM mike from a slip neighbor to try and everything worked fine. So in the end I determined that it was broken or partially broken wires in the RAM cable at the connector. I cut back the cable by 1" and re-soldered the connector and that solved my problem. Depending on the location of your connector, you may be putting a lot of stress on that portion of the cable as you use the RAM mike. Re-soldering is a pain as the wires are very small and you have to make sure that you combine the grounds and shields as they were initially connected.
with my RAM mike. To make sure it was not a wiring problem between the cockpit connector and the radio, I used a RAM mike from a slip neighbor to try and everything worked fine. So in the end I determined that it was broken or partially broken wires in the RAM cable at the connector. I cut back the cable by 1" and re-soldered the connector and that solved my problem. Depending on the location of your connector, you may be putting a lot of stress on that portion of the cable as you use the RAM mike. Re-soldering is a pain as the wires are very small and you have to make sure that you combine the grounds and shields as they were initially connected.
Two things could be the problem.
The female socket has a tendency for the connectors to spread over time. Using a sharp knife, compress the edges of the connector to tighten it. Secondly, it may be corrosion on the pins/receiver. Slide the female connector onto the male portion several times to rub off the film. Once the mike is on and making good contact, LEAVE IT CONNECTED. Leaving it on is good protection against corrosion. Jim
The female socket has a tendency for the connectors to spread over time. Using a sharp knife, compress the edges of the connector to tighten it. Secondly, it may be corrosion on the pins/receiver. Slide the female connector onto the male portion several times to rub off the film. Once the mike is on and making good contact, LEAVE IT CONNECTED. Leaving it on is good protection against corrosion. Jim
Thanks
Thanks for the advice. This is our second year with the boat and I have been removing the mike each weekend thinking it would be better to protect it from the elements. It sounds like this may have caused thr problem. I check out the cable and connector and in the future will just leave the mike hooked up. Fair winds, Jim
Thanks for the advice. This is our second year with the boat and I have been removing the mike each weekend thinking it would be better to protect it from the elements. It sounds like this may have caused thr problem. I check out the cable and connector and in the future will just leave the mike hooked up. Fair winds, Jim
One more thought...
Hey Jim, I had the same thing happen to my Icom. I finally spoke to Icom tech people who told me that I probably blew a chip inside the radio. Sure enough, I sent the radio back to them for repair-they fixed it for free which was great of them to do. They sent along a note advising me never to plug or unplug the RAM mic when the radio was on. Always make sure the radio is off first. The surge can cause these delicate chips to blow. I never knew that!! Nor does it say anything in the manual about that. The tech guy thought maybe they should incorporate the warning into the book. DUH!!
Hey Jim, I had the same thing happen to my Icom. I finally spoke to Icom tech people who told me that I probably blew a chip inside the radio. Sure enough, I sent the radio back to them for repair-they fixed it for free which was great of them to do. They sent along a note advising me never to plug or unplug the RAM mic when the radio was on. Always make sure the radio is off first. The surge can cause these delicate chips to blow. I never knew that!! Nor does it say anything in the manual about that. The tech guy thought maybe they should incorporate the warning into the book. DUH!!
My problem with my Horizon
RAM mike is the display disapears and buttons do not function but I'll get sound,when I first installed this RAM I had the problem so I took the mike back to WM and they gave me another all was great till last weekend and same problem so I switched mikes with my buddy and had same symtom so I disconnected the connector at the back of the radio and reinstalled and that worked???? Its a royal pain in the A.. to get to the back of my radio so I'm wondering whats up,and I never knew that you can cause damage by disconnecting the mike with the main radio on,sure makes sense
RAM mike is the display disapears and buttons do not function but I'll get sound,when I first installed this RAM I had the problem so I took the mike back to WM and they gave me another all was great till last weekend and same problem so I switched mikes with my buddy and had same symtom so I disconnected the connector at the back of the radio and reinstalled and that worked???? Its a royal pain in the A.. to get to the back of my radio so I'm wondering whats up,and I never knew that you can cause damage by disconnecting the mike with the main radio on,sure makes sense
Standard Horizon Problems
I had a Quest VHF for almost two years and the volume control went. It had a three-year warranty. I could transmit but not receive. I took it back to Worst Marine and they replaced it without question with the last one they had in stock. Seems they have decided not to sell SH anymore. I wonder if that decision was prompted by problems such as ours?
I had a Quest VHF for almost two years and the volume control went. It had a three-year warranty. I could transmit but not receive. I took it back to Worst Marine and they replaced it without question with the last one they had in stock. Seems they have decided not to sell SH anymore. I wonder if that decision was prompted by problems such as ours?
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