TX Further Than My RX

WX9RLT · Nov 28, 2014

I have an issue I can not seem to figure out.

I am able to transmit(TX) alot further than I can receive(RX)

I will be on the 52 (146.520) and people can hear me full scale, and I am barely able to hear them. This happens ALOT. So I am confident the problem is on my end.

I run an 8800R with a tram 1480 at 30 feet. With RG-8U FOAM. My antenna is tuned.
I know if I upgrade my coax, it might fix the issue. But I am wanting to see if anyone has had this issue? Or can suggest how to get my RX better?

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

73
WX9RLT

popnokick · Nov 28, 2014

Because you seem to be transmitting out to "normal range" based on reports from QSOs, it's not likely that the problem is your antenna or coax. Look closely at your receiver and any settings that you can adjust, such as Attenuation. (Not familiar with 8800R so others may comment on what to check on the RX.) Is the problem only on 2M or 70cm as well? If everything is as it should be, is there any chance you can connect another transceiver or a receiver (scanner, perhaps) to the antenna to check RX performance? This will help determine if the RX in your 8800 has a problem that needs repair.

jonwienke · Nov 28, 2014

If you're running more power than your contact, that's to be expected.

If you have a 5-watt HT connected to a properly-configured outdoor antenna, you may be able to hear a distant 100-watt base station, but not be able to talk to it.

Are you running full power all of the time?

MTS2000des · Nov 28, 2014

more information needed:
are you working simplex stations or repeaters?
power level you transmit with? type of station and power level the users you are trying to talk to are using?

PrimeNumber · Nov 28, 2014

Or do you have an extremely high local noise level? If you're in a noisy spot and the other guy is in a quiet spot, all else being equal, he'll hear you a lot better.

rapidcharger · Nov 28, 2014

freybearfreakfan said:
I will be on the 52 (146.520) and people can hear me full scale, and I am barely able to hear them. This happens ALOT. So I am confident the problem is on my end.

Don't be so sure.
A lot of folks who regularly work 146.520 have base stations with high gain directional antennas high up on towers, using more sensitive receivers, situated in good hilltop locations and they can hear a lot other's can't. They can hear weak stations really well even if you can't necessarily hear them well (or at all). Plus there's no telling what power level they're using. You could be running 50 watts and they might be using 5 watts.

Is it happening anywhere else such as repeaters where the signal being received by you is the same for everyone?

nd5y · Nov 28, 2014

Make sure RF Squelch (Menu 32) is OFF.

FKimble · Nov 28, 2014

You're on 146.520 so I assune your working symplex. If the other guy is running lower power than you, like maybe a HT, then your problem is to be expected. Are you running an extra high power station? This would also tip the balance as you descrube.

prcguy · Nov 28, 2014

I replaced all the light bulbs in my house with Cree LEDs and boy do they put out some serious RF interference on 2m. Using a Yaesu 8900 on 2m I can hear a group of people just fine using handhelds in my town with the lights off but when on they all just go away. The radios gives no real indication of the interference on the S meter.

Check for interference in your house or take the radio mobile up the street and see if you can hear what you can talk too.
prcguy

PrimeNumber · Nov 28, 2014

prcguy said:
I replaced all the light bulbs in my house with Cree LEDs and boy do they put out some serious RF interference on 2m. Using a Yaesu 8900 on 2m I can hear a group of people just fine using handhelds in my town with the lights off but when on they all just go away. The radios gives no real indication of the interference on the S meter.

Check for interference in your house or take the radio mobile up the street and see if you can hear what you can talk too.
prcguy

My whole shack runs off of a 12V small solar system, and when I added an LED desk lamp to it, man did the noise go off the scale. A ferrite choke on the power cord, just outside of the LED bulb fixed the problem. This may not be enough for every situation, but at least for this one case it worked.

popnokick · Nov 29, 2014

If it's the broadband type noise generated by LEDs in the house, switching to a different radio will also help confirm the problem. And you could also do the old "household interference eliminator" method.... go to your circuit breaker panel and switch the Main to "off". Assuming the radio is running from a battery supply (or on a different breaker) and doesn't shut down as well, you'll quickly determine if any interference is within your house.

rfradioconsult · Nov 29, 2014

Check with some of the local HAMS try to find someone with a communications service monitor that can check your receivers performance, it should perform down to around -130 dBu.

majoco · Nov 29, 2014

down to around -130 dBu.

I'm sure you mean dBm.

rfradioconsult · Nov 29, 2014

majoco said:
I'm sure you mean dBm.

dBm that would be about -120

majoco · Dec 1, 2014

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TX Further Than My RX

WX9RLT

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