Problem transmitting on 2M

[geoff5093]

I have a Yaesu 7800 and Larsen NMO 2/70B antenna, which is mounted on a trunk-lip NMO mount. I have the radio directly connected to the battery using 2 gauge positive cable and 8 gauge grounding cable, which is connected to where the jack is secured to the trunk body.

Heres my problem, I can receive signals great, better then I can with my 2096 scanner when listening to the same frequency. However whenever I transmit, no one seems to hear me, when I say a callsign others just keep on talking. Tonight for instance was a local NET meeting, and when they were taking visitors callsigns, no one gave any indication that they could hear my tranmission. The weird thing is, the SWR meter on my CB moves quite a bit when I transmit (the CB is off and isn't even connected to a power source).

So this has me wondering what the problem is. I made sure that the input frequency on which I transmit is correct, as well as the output, and I have the correct PL tone set. In this case it was 85.4Hz I believe, so I set it to "enc" on the radio, and I've tried it with repeaters with no PL without any luck.

So does this sound like it's because the antenna/mount arent getting a solid ground connection from the trunk, since both sides are painted? And if so, would sanding down the bottom side help? Or does it sound like the radio itself doesn't have a solid ground connection? BTW, should I be able to hear myself when I have my scanner tuned intot he output frequency of the repeater i'm transmitting on? Because I can only hear myself if I tune to the input frequency (which i'm talking on)

Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[nexus]

When you key up the repeater do you hear the squelch tail after unkeying? If not you're not bringing the repeater up. If you do then I'm not sure, unless there is a problem with your microphone.

My suggestion would be to take your scanner and program in something like 146.5200 and then tune your 7800 to 146.5200 and test your transmit audio. Make sure you can hear yourself coming through the scanner.

Not that I doubt you, but I don't know of any repeaters using that tone. What repeater is it you're trying to get into? ENC will be encode only, meaning it will only send the ctcss tone but your receiver will be carrier only. ENC.DEC would be encode and decode ctcss which means the repeater will have to be sending the same ctcss tone in order to open up your receiver, and then there is DCS which not many repeaters use.

I would think as long as the repeater has a tone on it, ENC by itself should be correct. Tell me what frequency were you on, and what repeater it is.. like the callsign, or club who owns the repeater.

I have the same NMO mount and never did anything to my paint job. So off hand I'd have to say negative to scraping the paint off your car to make a good connection. You shouldn't have to do anything to it. Did you adjust your power output, like use low or one of the medium power settings? let me know what you get when you listen to yourself transmitting on simplex.

 

[n3ncn]

The scanner deal may not work due to over powering the unit. Sounds like your PL tone is not set correct or make sure your freq. offset is at 00.60 and that you have the + or - correct.

 

[nexus]

I have a 50 watt Yaesu FT-8900r mounted in my vehicle, and when I key up on a simplex frequency that I'm monitoring on any of my scanners I get no desense effect what so ever. So I'd think that he could at least tell if his audio is getting out or if it sounds like its too low. Because those yaesu radios do have an audio gain adjustment inside them.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Please remember that repeaters have separate input and output frequencies, and most also have a PL code associated with it. Do you have the right offset (+ or -) for the repeater programmed in? Have you put in the applicable PL code? Put an swr/power meter in line between the 7800 and the antenna to determine whether you are getting power out and how comfortable the swr fit between the rig and antenna really is. These are the beginning diagnostics I would check before looking to fix something more complex. If you're having problems programming the 7800, there is a cloning cable and software that you can obtain from most ham shops or from the large on-line sites. Hope this helps.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Please remember that repeaters have separate input and output frequencies, and most also have a PL code associated with it. Do you have the right offset (+ or -) for the repeater programmed in? Have you put in the applicable PL code? Put an swr/power meter in line between the 7800 and the antenna to determine whether you are getting power out and how comfortable the swr fit between the rig and antenna really is. These are the beginning diagnostics I would check before looking to fix something more complex. If you're having problems programming the 7800, there is a cloning cable and software that you can obtain from most ham shops or from the large on-line sites. Hope this helps.

 

[geoff5093]

This is the one i've been trying most often:

When I set my scanner to the repeater input (the frequency I transmit on), I can hear myself fine. But when I set the scanner to the repeater output I can't hear anything. I dont hear anything when I let go of the mic, but i'll try setting ENC.DEC and see if that makes a difference.

I also made sure that the (offset?) was set to -, and that the input/output was on the correct frequency.

EDIT: And before someone asks, I have it on the highest transmit power (50W).

 

[n2mdk]

Generally on 2M the offset is too close so it will desense the scanner, so it's not uncommon that you don't hear yourself. When you key up the frequency do you hear the squelch tail or courtesy beep if there is one.

 

[N8IAA]

Do you have a dummy load and swr meter that you can use? Do you have a volt/ohm meter? The volt/ohm meter can check to see if you have an open on the antenna. Use the continuity setting on the meter. Take one lead and touch it to the ground(outside of the PL259 connector, and the other to the ground on the antenna base. Then test the center conductor the same way. Dummy load to the antenna side of the meter, antenna connection from the radio to the input side of meter. Key up and see if you are getting the power out that it is set for. Do you belong to a local club? If so, someone with the proper equipment can help you test to make sure the radio is working. No mods made made to tx out of band?

HTH,
Larry
N8IAA

 

[geoff5093]

Do you have a dummy load and swr meter that you can use? Do you have a volt/ohm meter? The volt/ohm meter can check to see if you have an open on the antenna. Use the continuity setting on the meter. Take one lead and touch it to the ground(outside of the PL259 connector, and the other to the ground on the antenna base. Then test the center conductor the same way. Dummy load to the antenna side of the meter, antenna connection from the radio to the input side of meter. Key up and see if you are getting the power out that it is set for. Do you belong to a local club? If so, someone with the proper equipment can help you test to make sure the radio is working. No mods made made to tx out of band?

HTH,
Larry
N8IAA

I don't, but I do have a volt/ohm meter, and I will check it tomorrow. I find it weird though that I can receive perfectly fine.

But if someone could check my logic here. I have another scanner up in my room on the second floor (the 2M is in my car). Now when I tune my scanner to a particular repeater output, I can hear whats going on, so shouldn't whatever I transmit on the input frequency also be outputted by the repeater on the output frequency?

And no, I havent done any mods to it. I have another trunk-lip mount, so i'll check that one as well.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, the cable is a bit squished between the trunk and the surrounding body panels. It's nothing too big, however it does indent the cable a bit.

 

[JESSERABBIT]

Yes, the center conductor may have seperated. As stated above, check for continuity.

 

[nexus]

If you're receiving the repeater with good strenght, but when you key up and then un key and don't get a reaction from the repeater (i.e. the squelch tail) then I would think that you're not sending the correct tone still. Are you sure you programmed the tone in correctly, or sure that it actually saved that tone? Go into the menu and scroll over to Tone.F and press the dial knob in once to activate that menu selection and then dial until you get to 85.4 and press the dial once again to select that tone. Then either press the mic key or press menu to escape back to the main display. Make sure that you have ENC on your display.

Having ENC.DEC will not make any difference, in fact it may prevent you from hearing the repeater (unless the repeater is sending out the tone as well as receiving it.)

I was thinking maybe your info would of been out of date but every single site indicates that its 85.4 hz. Also did you try any of the other repeaters in your area????

As for the offset, everyone on here who is a ham should realize by now that the radio has automatic repeater offset. So as long as you dialed up 146.850 it's going to automatically put you on - offset .600 which is the correct US bandplan. So I'm pretty sure that you're transmitting on the correct input. You'd have to go into the menu and change the offset stuff around to screw it up. Just in case though, when you key up you should be transmitting on 146.250. When you key up on your radio you're not going to be able to hear yourself come over another radio on the output (146.850) close by because your 50 watts is desensing the scanner's receiver from hearing the repeater. But you should be able to hear yourself on the input freq through a scanner next to you on 146.250. I believe you said you tried that and could hear yourself just fine, so we know its NOT a transmitter issue, and it's NOT a microphone issue, and it's NOT an audio output gain issue. I doubt seriously that it's your antenna, mount, or the cable. Even with the cable having a dent in it, thats ok, I got one in mine too, doesn't effect it at all.

Seriously try setting your tone frequency (Tone.F) again in the menu. I think it might not of saved or its just not on the right one. Try another repeater in your area that doesn't require a tone. 146.745 is in Derry doesn't list a tone so it shouldn't require one.

 

[nexus]

Yes, the center conductor may have seperated. As stated above, check for continuity.

If his center conductor would have separated he wouldn't be hearing anything at all. He claims to be receiving better than his scanner does.

 

[nexus]

Hey Geoff, I found this link don't know if you have it or not, but its full of info.. btw what's your callsign now?

http://nerepeaters.com/

 

[geoff5093]

Ya, after keying up I get no tone or noise back. I dont think I have the wrong info, because i've tried several local repeaters where i've heard people on, and a few of those dont have any PL, and I still can't get through.

And to say again, when both my scanner and ham are tuned to a specific frequency, say 147.000, the ham picks it up much clearer then my 36" scanner antenna, but not surprise there.

I also have the NE Repeater Directory saved, and it shows the same thing. A frequency of 146.850Mhz, -, 85.4. But I don't know what the "TS" stands for.

 

[nexus]

Ts = Tone Squelch

I'm at a complete loss then. I've never seen a radio do that before. You might want to take it back to the store you bought it from, and ask them to take a look at it. Maybe get another one. I just don't get it, if you're absolutely sure you got the tone entered in through the menu and saved it, and then have encode turned on. My only thought would be to either find another local ham, maybe the guy who administered your test or take it back to the store and see if they can check it out for you. Getting help on here is not going to be very effective.

 

[geoff5093]

Ts = Tone Squelch

I'm at a complete loss then. I've never seen a radio do that before. You might want to take it back to the store you bought it from, and ask them to take a look at it. Maybe get another one. I just don't get it, if you're absolutely sure you got the tone entered in through the menu and saved it, and then have encode turned on. My only thought would be to either find another local ham, maybe the guy who administered your test or take it back to the store and see if they can check it out for you. Getting help on here is not going to be very effective.

I thought that might happen. So for that repeater for instance, all I need to do is make sure the radio is on the output frequency, that the input frequency is correct, the PL tone is set correctly and ENC is displayed on the screen, and that the power output is set to "high".

Should there be anything else that needs to be set before I can transmit, something that hidden in the menu option?

I really appreciate your help Nexus and others! I'm kinda afraid (not really afraid, but you know what I mean), that if I drive a half hour down to the store I bought it at, they are going to do something really simple and make myself look like an idiot :-/

 

[w0fg]

Start off on a simplex frequency like 146.52. Program the radio for that and see if you can hear yourself on the scanner. If not, either you have no output or your microphone is bad. If you can hear yourself, go to the repeater frequency in question and set the scanner to the input frequency. If you don't hear yourself there it's possible that you have the offset reversed. Does that particular radio display the actual frequency when you are transmitting? In the instance you show it shoud be displaying 146.250. Use that as another check. As mentioned, double check your PL tone and that you actually have it activated. It is possible to program a tone but not turn it on. It is possible that you have short or an open in the antenna cable, but if you're receiving well that's less likely.

 

[geoff5093]

Start off on a simplex frequency like 146.52. Program the radio for that and see if you can hear yourself on the scanner. If not, either you have no output or your microphone is bad. If you can hear yourself, go to the repeater frequency in question and set the scanner to the input frequency. If you don't hear yourself there it's possible that you have the offset reversed. Does that particular radio display the actual frequency when you are transmitting? In the instance you show it shoud be displaying 146.250. Use that as another check. As mentioned, double check your PL tone and that you actually have it activated. It is possible to program a tone but not turn it on. It is possible that you have short or an open in the antenna cable, but if you're receiving well that's less likely.

I will try that, both are in my car however. Last time I tuned my scanner to the input frequency, I heard feedback, which was obvious because the mic was about a foot away from the scanner speaker.

Yes this radio does show the input frequency. Say for instance I tune the ham to 146.850, when I press the PTT to transmit, it shows Tx and shows the frequency 146.250.

I know before when I set the PL to 85.4, it would get reset when I changed another stations PL tone, but I now have them programmed into memory, and i've checked a fwe times and various programmed repeaters all show different PL's.

 

[gcgrotz]

Try setting up 146.52 with a high PL like 203.5 and key it up and see if you hear the hum of the PL. It may help to use a pair of good headphones as the scanner speaker may not reproduce low tones. If you don't hear it then I think the radio might have a problem. A radio shop with a service monitor could confirm that quickly. Chances are someone at the shop is a ham and would do a quick check for free.

You could also have someone else listen on the repeater output (some distance away from you) when you key it up and see if they hear you.