• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

CB Gods hate me .... Ebay LMR 400 is no good?

Status
Not open for further replies.

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
It looks perfect..... Everytime I screw a connector on to my Rig Expert it bottoms out on the plastic top boby of the Rix Expert. So the top of the coax connector is loose and I can turn the Rig Expert in circles as the threads are as tight as I can get them but the coax cable behind the connector is loose .... Best way to describe it.... But the Rig Expert works really good as soon as I push the pin into the Rig Expert and the threads touch it gives me a reading..... The LMR 400 has Big heavy duty ends so it's exacerbates the problem a little requiring me to play with it more
 

G7RUX

Active Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
543
This sounds like it could well be an issue; pop the casing and see what’s going on in there as the 259 shouldn’t foul the casing…it sounds like there may be either damage or just a loose connector that needs sorting. The AA-170 (and probably the AA-54 too) does not have an internal cable as the SO239 pin connects directly to the board via a soldered jumper…

1694103703337.jpeg
 
Last edited:

rescue161

KE4FHH
Database Admin
Joined
Jun 5, 2002
Messages
3,674
Location
Hubert, NC
Out of curiosity, what type of connector does the Rig Expert have? I hope it isn't an N-type.
 

rescue161

KE4FHH
Database Admin
Joined
Jun 5, 2002
Messages
3,674
Location
Hubert, NC
Nothing is wrong with N-type. I prefer them to the UHF PL259. I absolutely loathe PL259 and SO239 connectors.

The problem lies with folks not realizing that the connector is an N female and cram a PL259 in and it splays out the center conductor of the poor N female, forever ruining her.
 

G7RUX

Active Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
543
Nothing is wrong with N-type. I prefer them to the UHF PL259. I absolutely loathe PL259 and SO239 connectors.

The problem lies with folks not realizing that the connector is an N female and cram a PL259 in and it splays out the center conductor of the poor N female, forever ruining her.
Oh of course, I had forgotten about that.

Still, from the OPs‘s description of the connector situation I suspect the issue is the broken socket or it’s connection to the internal board.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
7,424
It looks perfect..... Everytime I screw a connector on to my Rig Expert it bottoms out on the plastic top boby of the Rix Expert. So the top of the coax connector is loose and I can turn the Rig Expert in circles as the threads are as tight as I can get them but the coax cable behind the connector is loose .... Best way to describe it.... But the Rig Expert works really good as soon as I push the pin into the Rig Expert and the threads touch it gives me a reading..... The LMR 400 has Big heavy duty ends so it's exacerbates the problem a little requiring me to play with it more

That should not be happening at all. Are you sure you have the correct connectors on everything being mated?
 

G7RUX

Active Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
543
It looks perfect..... Everytime I screw a connector on to my Rig Expert it bottoms out on the plastic top boby of the Rix Expert. So the top of the coax connector is loose and I can turn the Rig Expert in circles as the threads are as tight as I can get them but the coax cable behind the connector is loose .... Best way to describe it.... But the Rig Expert works really good as soon as I push the pin into the Rig Expert and the threads touch it gives me a reading..... The LMR 400 has Big heavy duty ends so it's exacerbates the problem a little requiring me to play with it more
So I’m being completely clear here, there is no coax behind the connector so if it is turning then something has come adrift.
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
This sounds like it could well be an issue; pop the casing and see what’s going on in there as the 259 shouldn’t foul the casing…it sounds like there may be either damage or just a loose connector that needs sorting. The AA-170 (and probably the AA-54 too) does not have an internal cable as the SO239 pin connects directly to the board via a soldered jumper…

I think it's ok... it's just the SO 239 0n the top of the Rig Expert is a little short.... or the connectors I have seem to be deeper on the screw threads.... but I'll take a look
 

G7RUX

Active Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
543
If the connector is turning then something is broken, I do not believe there is a coax jumper behind the connector but it should be soldered directly to the board.
 

G7RUX

Active Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
543
If the connector is turning then something is broken, I do not believe there is a coax jumper behind the connector but it should be soldered directly to the board.
Having looked inside an actual unit of the AA-54 *there is no coax jumper.*

If the connector is rotating then the connection to the board is broken.
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
ok.... the RG8 goes onto the RigExpert and never hits the plastic top of the RigExpert it screws on and stops like a normal fitting....... the RG8 was the only one giving me a good SWR.....
.I put a 90 degree elbow connector on the RigExpert as tight as I could.....and tightened the connector in my vise... I then spun the RigExpert in circles... as seen in three pictures..... I then put the LMR400 and again could spin the RigExpert in circles... it does make a connection but it hits the RigExpert and bottoms out so I can't screw it on anymore and when this happens the saw teeth of the connector don't engage I can spin the RigExpert in circles.... but it does seem to give me an SWR reading... I took a picture of the RG8 and LMR 400 I also have as requested some pictures of the RigExpert..... hopefully someone may see something???? now the plastic cover at the top of the RigExpert.... when I had the top of the RigExpert off, I can push the plastic in a little but I didn't want to break it.... so even though the LMR400 is touching the threads and the pin is inside the fingers of the RigExpert do you think the SWR is off???..... thanks again for all the help... I honestly don't think anything is wrong... the RigExpert works... the antenna seems like new and the LMR400 works fine on a dummy load... but something is stopping me from getting a working SWR... and I don't want to put this thing up 32 feet without knowing everything is working correctly.
 

Attachments

  • RG8 fits normal stops tightening.jpg
    RG8 fits normal stops tightening.jpg
    69 KB · Views: 23
  • rig vise 1.jpg
    rig vise 1.jpg
    57.3 KB · Views: 20
  • rig vice 3.jpg
    rig vice 3.jpg
    65.8 KB · Views: 20
  • rig vise 2.jpg
    rig vise 2.jpg
    64.8 KB · Views: 17
  • rig connector with tape measure.jpg
    rig connector with tape measure.jpg
    147.7 KB · Views: 16
  • rig connector.jpg
    rig connector.jpg
    113.6 KB · Views: 20
  • RG8 VS LMR 400 ends.jpg
    RG8 VS LMR 400 ends.jpg
    35.3 KB · Views: 18
  • rig open cover 3.jpg
    rig open cover 3.jpg
    92.9 KB · Views: 21
  • rig open cover 2.jpg
    rig open cover 2.jpg
    113.6 KB · Views: 24

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
Having looked inside an actual unit of the AA-54 *there is no coax jumper.*

If the connector is rotating then the connection to the board is broken.
no the coax connector is spinning along with the RigExpert not the coax just the connector as if it is not screwed on more than a couple threads
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
Does both the LMR and RG cable connectors "spin" the same way?
BB
nope.. see pictures.. the RG8 screws all the way on and stops before it hits the RigExpert... like a normal connection .... the LMR400 hits the top of the RigExpert so the back of the LMR400 never seems to pull tightly to the connector.
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
680
Location
Massachusetts
If the connector is turning then something is broken, I do not believe there is a coax jumper behind the connector but it should be soldered directly to the board.
RigExpert is good... it just doesn't let the connector tighten correctly.. but still makes contact and so far has always done a nice job for me ( I had it 2 weeks) ..my Tram 3500 cable and my RG8 both thread on normally and both give me a nice SWR
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top