Radio Question

[GLF]

Good job. I stayed in a little to close this morning. I tried to call you on the radio but no answer.

I heard someone call me, and I replied.....but no one answered back again.

Could you hear me on the radio?

I have a new ICOM 422 radio. I do not think I am getting the greatest reception. The boat came with a shakespear Galaxy 5225XT already on it. I dont know much about the antenna, but I see it is priced at $114.99 at cabelas. I hear other boats talking to other boats, but sometimes I do not here the other boats replying. Makes me wonder if there might be something wrong with the antenna.

Does anyone know if there is a way to test the antenna? Oscilloscope?

[Mike]

Did you tune the antenna with a SWR meter.

It is important that the coax is the correct length..

found a link that might help. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question490.htm

[bruggeman]

Be sure you are running 10 gage wire to radio.One possibility no splices.

[GLF]

Did you tune the antenna with a SWR meter.

It is important that the coax is the correct length..

found a link that might help. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question490.htm

Marine radios operate on VHF. This may still apply.

I think the coaxial cable may have been shortened. The connector has been cut off, put through a hole on the dash, and reconnected. Its possible the cable was shortened also.

Be sure you are running 10 gage wire to radio.One possibility no splices.

My auxiliary switch is 10 gauge wire and goes to a terminal strip. I wired the radio to this terminal strip, and used a stake-on for the connection.

[Priority1]

In regards to hearing only one side of a radio communication, that is quite common. One boat may be within your 10-12 mile range and the other beyond that. It does sound like you have an antenna issue. It's easier to pick up a signal than to transmit one. I prefer the solder type antenna connection.

[GLF]

In regards to hearing only one side of a radio communication, that is quite common. One boat may be within your 10-12 mile range and the other beyond that. It does sound like you have an antenna issue. It's easier to pick up a signal than to transmit one. I prefer the solder type antenna connection.

I was out around 200' of water. Maybe thats why I could not hear him.

The antenna connector is soldered.

[minnow]

I think I now have my radio figured out. I took my antenna and pulled the inside of it out and the wire came unsoldered from the metal rod and the rod was caroded bad wich explains why it was not transmitting and receiving only on occassion. Hope this helps with anybody that might have the similar problem.

[GLF]

I think I now have my radio figured out. I took my antenna and pulled the inside of it out and the wire came unsoldered from the metal rod and the rod was caroded bad wich explains why it was not transmitting and receiving only on occassion. Hope this helps with anybody that might have the similar problem.

I think I should have a lot more range than what I am getting. I will check this on mine.

[minnow]

I am going a little north about 4 miles to see what I can to there.

[GLF]

I just got out the phone with a technician from Shakespear, about my radio issues.

The antenna should not be closer than 3' from the transmitter.

The first thing I was told to check was to see if there was not any excess cable coiled up. There should only be an one extra foot of cable, and it should not be coiled up.

The next thing he told me to do was to unscrew the antenna connector and plug only the center conductor into the radio. Change the radio to a weather channel. Once you have it on a weather channel. screw the connector on.

If it gets worse, the problem is the connector, or the antenna.

If it does not change, unsolder the center pin and stick it in the back of the radio. Have the radio tuned to a weather channel, and touch the shield to the outer ring of the radio.

If it gets better, you have a bad connector.

If the problem gets worse, its the antenna.

VHF antennas are plug and play. You do not tune them.

I will be checking things out the next time I get to my boat. I will report my findings.

NOTE: Never transmit while the antenna is not hooked up.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

Wow, thanks for posting the info.

I'm now wondering if I should shorten my antenna cable. I haven't noticed any issues, but I have about 3 or 4 extra feet coiled up below the console.

I'll add it to my off season list

[minnow]

I`ll bet it is your antenna once I replaced mine I could here caz on sat a.m. from port sheldon and I was north of muskegon about 4 miles. If you want a hand some evening touble shooting that just give me a call I am about 20 min from your boat.

[GLF]

I'm now wondering if I should shorten my antenna cable. I haven't noticed any issues, but I have about 3 or 4 extra feet coiled up below the console.

How is your radio range?

I`ll bet it is your antenna once I replaced mine I could here caz on sat a.m. from port sheldon and I was north of muskegon about 4 miles. If you want a hand some evening touble shooting that just give me a call I am about 20 min from your boat.

I am hoping its not the antenna. The fishing slush fund is tapped after filling the boat last week. I have Friday off, and may head up to the boat. I need to get my sons life jackets for this weekend, and maybe a couple of things for the tourney.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

How is your radio range?

The fishing slush fund is tapped after filling the boat last week.

My radio range seems to be okay. I was talking with a couple of boats out of South Haven a couple weekends ago without issue. He was about halfway between the piers and the power plant and I was about 2-3 miles north of the piers. I'm guessing the total distance to be about 6-7 miles apart at that point. That's the best gauge I have thus far on transmission distance. I don't normally have any issue hearing people.

I hear ya on the fishing slush fund! This is not a cheap sport. Last weekend, a guy cut it really short behind my boat and wrapped my core line around his rigger cable I lost my 1/2 core, 100+ of dacron backing, planer board, and lure. $$$$$ I would've understood a little more if he were fighting a fish or if I hadn't been trolling in the 180degree opposite direction of him or if I were in high boat traffic or he would have responded on the radio so I could at least get my board/lure back or.............

I won't get into gas........

[GLF]

I edited the trouble shooting post and added something.

Your antenna should not be closer than 3' from the transmitter.

[shu9265]

Mike after or conversation this afternoon, I went to the boat and redid my wiring for the radio, and replaced my antenna also. ( had a spare in the garage)

Long story short it works again! I even cut the antenna cable and got rid of the big loops in it. Thanx for the insight, saved me a bunch of cash!

[GLF]

Thats good to hear Bill! Did you perform the checks on the old antenna after you redid the wiring?

[shu9265]

Nope, when I was messing with the antenna, I noticed that the tube was loose from the base, and when I lifted it up the wire came out of it. Gonna see if I can reinsert it and solder it back in place.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

I checked my radio last night again by having a buddy take his hand held vhf radio up the road. He lost me at about 9 miles, but there were a couple trees, small hills, etc, so I think that's working pretty good. I lost him at about 5 miles, but his radio is a handheld, so I'm assuming that's why I lost him.

Either way, I'm happy with it and haven't noticed any issues on the lake, so I'll save the task of eliminating my coiled up spare cable for an off-season project.

Hope you get your issues worked out and that it's the easiest/cheapest one to fix!

[GLF]

I checked to see if I had extra coiled up cable last week. It was a straight shot from the antenna to the radio. I will be taking the antenna apart the next time I go up to the boat to see if I have a bad connection.

[GLF]

I`ll bet it is your antenna once I replaced mine I could here caz on sat a.m. from port sheldon and I was north of muskegon about 4 miles. If you want a hand some evening touble shooting that just give me a call I am about 20 min from your boat.

Scott,

I am going up to the boat on Saturday to work on it.

When you took your antenna apart, how big and long of a piece of wire did you use to push it apart with? Obviously, I will need at least an 8' long piece of string for getting it back together.

Whats the connection like to the brass rod? Was the wire screwed on, or soldered on?

I want to make sure I have everything that is needed.

Thanks,

Mike

[GLF]

I was up to the mall in Grandville yesterday, and swung through Gander Mountain aslo. While I was there, I decided to pick up a new Shakespear antenna.

In the instructions for the antenna, it says to coil up the extra cable in an 8" coil.

*GLF thinks back to the phone conversation with the Shakespear tech a few weeks ago. I was told to cut the extra cable and not to have more than 1' of extra cable.

I have a set of directions telling me one thing, and their tech telling me another. hmmmmmmm

I will cut the extra cable off.

On the way up to the boat, I called left a message on minnow's(Scott) voice mail, asking if he could bring a soldering iron to the boat. I told him to call me when he got out of work. While I was waiting, the boys wanted to go swimming, so we took them to the pool so they could swim. While putting them in the pool, I submerged my phone After it was submerged, it did not work. It just sat there vibrating. So I pulled the battery out and let it dry.

Well...Scott tried to call me a few times, and I was not able to answer the phone. So I did not get the connector soldered on.

Thanks Scott for being kind and willing enough to bring the soldering iron to the boat.

While I was there, I put the center conductor of the cable in the connector on the back of the radio, and turned it on. I now have better reception. Next time up to the boat, I will bring a soldering iron with me to put on the connector.

[Dv8oR]

I submerged my phone After it was submerged, it did not work. It just sat there vibrating. So I pulled the battery out and let it dry.

Been there, done that. Mine has been in the Hardy twice and Muskegon Lake once. I"ve dried it out all three times on the dash of the boat with the charger plugged in and still works!!!! (after about 24 hours of drying).....