However, I am told that when I transmit I am broken, I assume static. The mic got soaked when I was out earlier this year (saltwater soaked - Corrosion?). Suppose it is a bad mic? I first thought it was the antenna plug but it looks okay to me and I figured if I am transmitting even though it is a broken transmission, it must be connected well. My radio has some age and hard miles on it, do you think the old radio is giving up the ghost on me or is it something with the mic or antenna connection. Need some help on this one. Thanks for any input you can share.
Would start with the mic and double check the connection of the cable to the centerpin coupling. The antenna is more important than the radio(good radio with a great antenna is better than vise versa). Most radios these days are submersible but the weakness is usually the mic. Start with the most likely and eliminate possibilities. Good luck.
Knowing that you got an excess amount of water in the microphone, it seems that the obvious place to start would be there.
Otherwise, the reasons for not transmitting out are pretty simple. You can take a multimeter and use the resistance (ohms) button and test between the ground on your boat (any metal that is electrically connected to the negative side of your battery terminal) and the outside shell of the PL-259 “N” type RF connector (this is the connector that plugs into the antenna.) This should be a short, or 0 ohms. If you have more resistance than one or two ohms max, you have a problem. Re-terminate the connector.
Next, using the multimeter, test between the center conductor (usually a gold pin) on the RF “N” type plug and ground. This should be open, showing “OL” on most meters. If the meter reads anything different when you touch the leads, you have a problem. Re-terminate that connector.
Other than what’s listed above, there isn’t a whole lot more that usually goes wrong, unless its something internal to the radio itself.
Knowing that you got an excess amount of water in the microphone, it seems that the obvious place to start would be there.
Otherwise, the reasons for not transmitting out are pretty simple. You can take a multimeter and use the resistance (ohms) button and test between the ground on your boat (any metal that is electrically connected to the negative side of your battery terminal) and the outside shell of the PL-259 “N” type RF connector (this is the connector that plugs into the antenna.) This should be a short, or 0 ohms. If you have more resistance than one or two ohms max, you have a problem. Re-terminate the connector.
Next, using the multimeter, test between the center conductor (usually a gold pin) on the RF “N” type plug and ground. This should be open, showing “OL” on most meters. If the meter reads anything different when you touch the leads, you have a problem. Re-terminate that connector.
Other than what’s listed above, there isn’t a whole lot more that usually goes wrong, unless its something internal to the radio itself.
Thanks 23, That was the step by step directions I needed. I will let you know what I find!!
23, I have an 8’ Shakespear antenna and the PL-259 connector is made into the anntena where it is not accessible unless I am missing something which i may be.
I checked the RF N type plug and my meter will not give an OL reading, however the meter when turned to OHMS read 965 when I put one lead to the center pin and the other to the ground as you instructed I originally got a reading of roughly 500. So I reconnected and re-soldered the plug and when I finished got a reading of 965 which I assume is the same as an OL, I also bought a new radio and installed it.
Are my readings on the meter like they should be??
