No vhf reception or transmission

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Kevin Hawes

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Before leaving ramp checked radio, no transmission or reception, check connector and perform ohms check at connector, no connectivity so antenna not shorted, connector look good no visible damage, standard horizon gx1400 radio what to check next ( called around no one locally has a antenna tester) don’t want to just order a new radio and antenna for something minor, Shakespeare 5101 antenna - Standard Horizon GX1400 vhf. adjusting squelch no help. Yes getting gps position on screen and green transmitter light then trying to transmitt
 
How do you know you’re not getting transmit or receive? Have you tried the NOAA weather channels in your area usually channel one or two. Find someone with a VHF handheld to see if you were transmitting very weak or not at all. Short of getting a signal meter, another receiver transmitter that you are sure is operative is your best bet. Most boaters have a handheld as well. If you have a NOAA weather reporting station in your area, you should be able to hear it with your squelch turned all the way off. Also try transmitting on both high and low power and see if that helps. Another way is to do a DSC test call to the Coast Guard. The procedures and numbers for that should be in your manual. If DSC is working then your transmitter has to be OK. Of course could be something in the voice modulation system that prevents voice transmits as opposed to data transmit. Remember, though, that VHF FM is line of site only and highly dependent upon the height of both the transmitter and receiving an antenna.
 
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Kevin Hawes said:
check connector and perform ohms check at connector, no connectivity so antenna not shorted, connector look good no visible damage,
Click to expand...
"no connectivity:.... That doesn't rule out an open connection of the antenna.
Did you open up the ferrule to look? is it a soldered connection or a "twist-on"?
verify the center conductor is not broken or too short to reach the connection. That is the most common trouble with a VHF.....
 
I believe that a 'good' antenna will look like a short when ohmed. If that is true, your antenna is suspect. I don't know how you could tell that there was no transmission unless you had another radio nearby.
Note that transmitting into an open circuit or no connected antenna can damage a radio. If you have a low power TX option, use it for testing
 
As mentioned above, NOAA is pretty easy to get just about anywhere. I get it easily in Allentown, PA without an antenna. But you can use your body as make-shift antenna to get better reception - just put your finger squarely on the receiver's antenna jack.
 
Go to West Marine and buy a stubby VHF antenna. Good to have in your ASB in case you break the big one. You can get NOAA weather with a coat hanger for an antenna.

Any boating friends with an antenna laying around? How about your marina?

I would look around the last thing you did around the radio. Maybe connector is pulled apart (re-pin anyway), cable cut, frayed, shorted. Then again it could just be the radio.
 
wspitler said:
How do you know you’re not getting transmit or receive? Have you tried the NOAA weather channels in your area usually channel one or two. Find someone with a VHF handheld to see if you were transmitting very weak or not at all. Short of getting a signal meter, another receiver transmitter that you are sure is operative is your best bet. Most boaters have a handheld as well. If you have a NOAA weather reporting station in your area, you should be able to hear it with your squelch turned all the way off. Also try transmitting on both high and low power and see if that helps. Another way is to do a DSC test call to the Coast Guard. The procedures and numbers for that should be in your manual. If DSC is working then your transmitter has to be OK. Of course could be something in the voice modulation system that prevents voice transmits as opposed to data transmit. Remember, though, that VHF FM is line of site only and highly dependent upon the height of both the transmitter and receiving an antenna.
Click to expand...
Tried all 88 channels for reception, my handheld, my battery is gone but no one will sell me 1 because they say it can not be mailed to me here on the islands (funny thing I can order a new radio/battery and they can mail it to me but not just a battery) only marine center is the size of a 1 car garage and can buy oil but no batteries for radios.yes going to order new radio and next time I hear of someone going to main land will ask for them to find me a battery and hand care it here
 
DennisG01 said:
As mentioned above, NOAA is pretty easy to get just about anywhere. I get it easily in Allentown, PA without an antenna. But you can use your body as make-shift antenna to get better reception - just put your finger squarely on the receiver's antenna jack.
Click to expand...
Hmmmm, Dennis, do you have long floppy ears aka rabbit ears?
 
just out of curiosity, where are you located that things are so difficult to get?
 
Kevin Hawes said:
Tried all 88 channels for reception, my handheld, my battery is gone but no one will sell me 1 because they say it can not be mailed to me here on the islands (funny thing I can order a new radio/battery and they can mail it to me but not just a battery) only marine center is the size of a 1 car garage and can buy oil but no batteries for radios.yes going to order new radio and next time I hear of someone going to main land will ask for them to find me a battery and hand care it here
Click to expand...
If you have your battery charger for your handheld, I believe you can plug it in and get power to the handheld even with a dead battery. Depends on I guess the status of the battery though.
 
Kevin Hawes said:
Tried all 88 channels for reception, my handheld, my battery is gone but no one will sell me 1 because they say it can not be mailed to me here on the islands (funny thing I can order a new radio/battery and they can mail it to me but not just a battery) only marine center is the size of a 1 car garage and can buy oil but no batteries for radios.yes going to order new radio and next time I hear of someone going to main land will ask for them to find me a battery and hand care it here
Click to expand...
Off topic here, but my company manufactures equipment that is battery powered. Because of shipping regulations via air, shipping batteries installed in something is not a problem, but shipping batteries stand-alone, especially if they are lithium, is very difficult. Lithium batteries need a ton of extra documentation and safety testing data if being shipped via airplane stand-alone. So that's likely why you can't get a battery.
 
Just a thought.
Where are you located?
Your radio probably has the options for three different frequencies assignments; one for US, INTL, or Canada. If not set to the correct option, you probably won't hear much. In addition. no-one will hear you.
 
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