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TK-780 static

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hailstone

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I recently purchased a Kenwood TK-780 mobile for my Subaru Outback. Since I have installed the radio, I have had constant problems with the squelch opening up on random channels and staying open with static.

The radio is mounted below the car stereo in place of the dash storage pocket. It is wired directly to the battery. I am using a 1/4 wave Larsen antenna NMO mounted on the roof. I had previously used a TK-2180 handheld connected to the roof antenna with no problems. I can also run a handheld on the same channel that the TK-780 is unsquelching on with no static inside the car. The TK-780 will unsquelch regardless of whether the car is running or not.

I have tried turning the squelch level up on the radio with the KPG-49 software. It was at around 150 and I have turned it up to 225 with some improvement. I am worried however that I am making the radio deaf. The ebay seller claimed that the radio had been aligned by a tech.

Is there anything else I can try or do I have a bum radio?
 

mmckenna

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Not sure how I missed that in your original post, but I see it now.

Noise can get into the radio in a number of ways, through the power feed, through the antenna, or through any other wiring (speaker, accessories, microphone, etc).

The fact that it does it with or without the car running helps a bit, but doesn't narrow it down. Likely it's not ignition system noise, although there are many other items in the car that stay energized with the key off.

Feeding directly off the battery can solve some issues, but you have already done that. You might want to try making sure the negative lead is not connected to the negative post on the battery. Connect the negative lead for the radio power to a body ground, preferably one near the radio itself.

Make sure things like cell phone chargers are unplugged, some of them can be pretty noisy.
If that does't solve it, try pulling the fuses one at a time and see if the noise disappears.
 

n7maq-1

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when you set the Sql level, did you set it for narrow, or wide? Are your channels narrow or wide?

Jim
 

Sheazle

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I'm having a similar issue with a 790h in my truck. Similar wiring setup also, however the squelch only seems to open up on the primary scan channel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

hailstone

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It might have been a grounding issue. I replaced the Kenwood with a Bendix King and was still having some issues with static. I moved the ground from the battery to a metal dash support closer to the radio. I also replaced the factory stereo.



I will check the Kenwood TK-780 on the service monitor when I get a chance.

Thanks for the help!
 

mmckenna

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It might have been a grounding issue. I replaced the Kenwood with a Bendix King and was still having some issues with static. I moved the ground from the battery to a metal dash support closer to the radio. I also replaced the factory stereo.

I had a 2005 GMC Canyon pickup that did that. I installed a radio and ran the negative to the battery and was getting some alternator whine. When I fixed that, by grounding closer to the radio and to the sheet metal, the issue resolved.
 
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