Baofeng receiving problems while driving

[jonwienke]

It's not a loose connection in the radio. You don't have to violently shake the radio. It happens while barely moving or holding the radio and walking. When the motion stops the noise stops.

If moving the radio (even if it isn't vigorous shaking) causes static in reception then by definition there's a loose connection or bad solder joint in the radio.

 

[nd5y]

If moving the radio (even if it isn't vigorous shaking) causes static in reception then by definition there's a loose connection or bad solder joint in the radio.

If you heard this noise and have any experience as an electronics technician you would know from the sound and relation to movement that it isn't from a cold solder joint, bad capacitor or loose connection. It doesn't sound the same.

 

[jonwienke]

I do have considerable experience as a technician; enough to know that if all the connections in a device are good, then vibration and G-forces applied to any axis of a device will have no effect on its operation.

If vibration or G-force causes problem, then some connection is intermittently affected by the vibration or G-force. The effect that defective connection has on the audio output can take many forms, depending on where exactly the defective connection is located. The fact that it doesn't sound like a typical audio crackle simply means it's not in the audio amplifier or demodulator, and does not disprove a defective connection.

The only other options are RFI and aliens.

 

[bill4long]

If moving the radio (even if it isn't vigorous shaking) causes static in reception then by definition there's a loose connection or bad solder joint in the radio.

Nope. I've had three UV-82's and both have the same problem even walking around with the radios. I have performed very careful experiments with the radios and have come to the conclusion it is not a mechanical issue. There are no loose wires, etc. It seems to be a multi-path RF cancelling effect. I suspect the physical layout of the internal components are the problem.

 

[jonwienke]

Multipath RF interference doesn't sound like a "geiger counter".

 

[bill4long]

Multipath RF interference doesn't sound like a "geiger counter".

When walking or moving slowly, the effect is not rapid. I can position the radio in my shop very carefully to bring up the "static" to a constant point. I suspect he's describing it as a geiger counter because in the car the radio is moving swiftly relative to the transmitted RF. If you really are interested it this, I suggest acquiring one of the radios. Then you'll actually hear what we're hearing and can perform your own tests as I have.

 

[nd5y]

Multipath RF interference doesn't sound like a "geiger counter".

Not in a normal double conversion superhet receiver. This noise has something to do with the AT1846S/RDA1846S one-chip transceiver. That's why it doesn't occur in other "real" radios in the same locations.

 

[bill4long]

Not in a normal double conversion superhet receiver. This noise has something to do with the AT1846S/RDA1846S one-chip transceiver. That's why it doesn't occur in other "real" radios in the same locations.

Probably more accurate to describe it as phase noise. But it is due to multi-path reception, IMO. The effect is a very quick static crackle if walking around. The rate of occurrence, of course, is raised when driving around. As I said in a previous post, I can position the radio very carefully to cause the noise to be constant.

I don't think the AT1846S/RDA1846S is the issue. I have other Baofengs and Wouxuns based on the same chip and none of them do it. More likely it's the layout of the components, the particular filtering components, or the how the antenna is interfaced.

 

[nd5y]

I suspect he's describing it as a geiger counter because in the car the radio is moving swiftly relative to the transmitted RF.

No, because it sounds like the "tick" type sound a geiger counter makes. It isn't like weak signal white noise or picket fencing or crackling like a bad capacitor in an audio circuit.

 

[bill4long]

No, because it sounds like the "tick" type sound a geiger counter makes. It isn't like weak signal white noise or picket fencing or crackling like a bad capacitor in an audio circuit.

Right. When moving the "ticks" are very short and rapidly occurring. But walking around makes the "ticks" longer and less frequent. As I said, I can position the radio so that the "tick" is not a tick, but a continuous constant "hash."

 

[nd5y]

I can position the radio very carefully to cause the noise to be constant.

I haven't orserved that.

I don't think the AT1846S/RDA1846S is the issue. I have other Baofengs and Wouxuns based on the same chip and none of them do it.

Which Wouxun model uses that chip? I have a KG-UV2D and I know that it and the other UVD1P based models are regular superhet design and doesn't make the noise.

 

[bill4long]

Which Wouxun model uses that chip?

UV-6R. My bad. That's a Baofeng. Strike the Wouxun.

 

[klozer]

I don't know why I've never thought of this before, though it's probably because I've basically given up on the issue thinking that it was RFI from the car, but I have a couple of baofeng bf-888s laying around that haven't been used in a while, and I thought I'd give one a go in the car today to see what happens.

I plugged the mag mount antenna to the radio and drove the same routes that I always do, listening to the same repeater as usual, and shockingly, there was no geiger counter noise. RX was so much cleaner, albeit the crappy speaker in the unit was on the verge of distortion when I had to crank it up to hear it over the road noise.

I think it's pretty clear, at least in my case, that the issue lies with the uv82hp radio itself, and that my car is actually pretty quiet as far as RFI goes. The mailman will be dropping off a new uv-50x2 today, so I'll be plugging that in tonight and see if there's an improvement.

 

[jonwienke]

If you really are interested it this, I suggest acquiring one of the radios.

What part of "I own over a dozen Baofengs" did you not understand?

 

[N4GIX]

I was wondering which software you use to program your WLN's, the KD-C1 software or CHIRP?

I use the KD-C1 software. I have CHIRP of course, but I've not tried using in on the WLN's.

 

[12dbsinad]

What part of "I own over a dozen Baofengs" did you not understand?

Well, apparently you don't have one that does it. ALL my UV-82 versions do this. It is NOT RFI. I can tell you this from a technical background in RF and land mobile radios for many years.

Heck, I'll even send you one so you can experience it for yourself. You'd have to be deaf not to hear it, just waving the radio around in your hand in the middle of nowhere will produce the issue.

 

[jonwienke]

I don't have any UV-82s, but I have a bunch of UV-5Rs and BF-F8s with 4 or 5 firmware versions, a couple BF-F8HPs, and some GT3-WPs. Maybe 15 Baofeng radios total. None of them have the problem you describe.

 

[12dbsinad]

I can confirm the UV-82C, UV-82, UV-82HP, UV-82WP and the GT-5 all experience this problem. Increase your collection to 16 and buy one of those.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

FM radios are usually immune to pulse type ignition noise from spark plugs, etc due to some very high gain limiter amplifiers that run into saturation and do not respond to amplitude modulated signals like spark plugs. A good FM transceiver will be into hard limiting within 10 or 15dB of its rated sensitivity, or with anything more than a moderately weak signal.

With that said, the Baofengs, Wouxons and other inexpensive radios are "entry level" and don't have very good limiting action or adjacent channel rejection and they don't do well in high RF environments. You can't expect a single chip $25 radio to perform like a $1,000 and up Motorola. The cheap Chinese radios are a great bargain and well worth their retail price but they have limits which the OP has found.
prcguy

I wonder if these cheap radios have ever been tested to EIA-603D? Probably not. Also the deemphasis circuitry might be disabled or non existent.

Why buy one of these radios when perfectly good Motorola radios can be had for $100? I know, you can save $65.

 

[nd5y]

I can confirm the UV-82C, UV-82, UV-82HP, UV-82WP and the GT-5 all experience this problem. Increase your collection to 16 and buy one of those.

This problem doesn't happen everywhere. That's why I posted earlier I think it seems to be location dependent and may have something to do with strong out of band signals like UHF TV that aren't the same everywhere.