IC-F5021 - cannot transmit

[toronado13]

I have been struggling for weeks now with my IC-F5021. I think I am using the correct software to program it and I seem to be able to rx fine, but I cannot seem to transmit any distance. I can hit a repeater with my Baofeng hand held here at my house, but nothing with this radio. I've even tried the antenna I'm using on the ICOM with my Baoefeng and it appears to work fine.

I am fairly new to this, as this is my first radio, but I'm thinking maybe it's not transmitting strong enough? I've messed with power levels in the software, all is set to High. I've messed with the Wide vs Narrow stuff, nothing...

I can transmit on a frequency right here and hear it with my handheld, so I know it is at least transmitting something...

I'm sorry for such a vague and open ended question... just looking for a little more guidance, other things to search or try!

Thanks!

 

[mmckenna]

What is the history of the radio?

Bought new?
Bought used from someone you know?
Bought used from someone you don't know?

What frequencies are you programming it for?

 

[toronado13]

History unknown. Bought it from ebay... I realize it just might be broken in some way, but I'm trying to learn more in the process of troubleshooting it. Already I've gained some knowledge.

I've tried many different frequencies for local ham repeaters and a commercial repeater nearby. Keying up on 146.520 I can hit my handheld, but I don't seem to get beyond that... every once in a while I can hear it open up the repeater, so I do think I've got my offsets and everything programmed right. After all my troubleshooting I feel like it's a transmit power issue perhaps?

 

[WA0CBW]

Have you measured the output power with a wattmeter?
BB

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, I think you need to put a watt meter on it and see if it's putting out anything.
Sounds sort of like the final is fried and you're only getting exciter output to the antenna.

Meanwhile, please don't transmit on anything you are not licensed for. Not telling what's wrong with it. If it's off frequency or the deviation is wrong, you could still be interfering with others and not know it.

 

[westcoaster]

Take a Phillips screw driver and remove the two screws holding the antenna connector on to the back of the radio.

If the antenna connector falls out in your hand, there is your problem....
If the antenna connector remains in place with a GENTLE wiggle and a tug (you'll know if the connector is loose), return the two screws and search elsewhere....

Edit: I have had both a Kenwood TK-7360 and an Icom F5061 have the connector fall out in my hand.
The fix is to repair/replace the wire on the circuit board.

Edit (again) both radios had the EXACT symptoms you describe. Could transmit locally but no distance....

 

[12dbsinad]

Are you sure it's an output power problem and not a receive problem? Need to start with the basics like output power like what was already said. But I have seen these models with bad ceramic filters causing very poor RX that sometimes will start working, then stop. To the user it seems like the radio is not working (TX) when in fact you're not receiving.

 

[toronado13]

Well, it seems to RX no problem at all. I pulled it apart and the connector seems good and solid. Now onto the watt meter I guess. I don't have any specialized testing equipment to put in line, is there anything rudimentary I can do with a regular watt meter? I have no way to put it under a dummy load or anything... if not, I guess I will look to buy something, I may need it in the future anyway.

 

[mmckenna]

Well, it seems to RX no problem at all. I pulled it apart and the connector seems good and solid. Now onto the watt meter I guess. I don't have any specialized testing equipment to put in line, is there anything rudimentary I can do with a regular watt meter? I have no way to put it under a dummy load or anything... if not, I guess I will look to buy something, I may need it in the future anyway.

A basic watt meter and a decent 50Ω dummy load are a good investment if you expect to be working with radio a lot. I think it was some of the first test equipment I ever purchased. You don't need to buy a $400 Bird watt meter, but a decent ham radio grade meter will work. You can find used 50Ω loads on e-bay pretty cheap. Get a good name brand, not some cheap Chinese thing.

 

[12dbsinad]

Take a 2' fluorescent tube and tape it to the antenna. Transmit with the radio, if the bulb fully lights, you have decent RF output. Follow me for more radio troubleshooting advise.

Disclaimer: DO NOT DO THIS! Get a decent wattmeter like mmckenna said!

 

[mmckenna]

Take a 2' fluorescent tube and tape it to the antenna. Transmit with the radio, if the bulb fully lights, you have decent RF output. Follow me for more radio troubleshooting advise.

You don't even need to buy your own tube, just drive through a parking garage!


But seriously, there are some good 50Ω loads on e-bay right now.

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I think I have a TX/RX brand load from a combiner system.

 

[12dbsinad]

You don't even need to buy your own tube, just drive through a parking garage!

That's getting more difficult as lots are converting to LED! Trust me, I try!

 

[toronado13]

some testing equipment is on it's way to my house! Will report back with my findings after it arrives. I appreciate all of the comments... seems like a good bunch here on this forum! Thanks!

 

[toronado13]

Well, it would appear my transmit problems are definitely a broken radio. I get zero movement on the watt meter when I key up. I still can hear something on the tx frequency if I set my handheld to the same, but the meter shows nothing to the antenna. I guess maybe I will look to get a new radio, as I'd be clueless to try and fix it at this point!

 

[mmckenna]

Well, it would appear my transmit problems are definitely a broken radio. I get zero movement on the watt meter when I key up. I still can hear something on the tx frequency if I set my handheld to the same, but the meter shows nothing to the antenna. I guess maybe I will look to get a new radio, as I'd be clueless to try and fix it at this point!

Sounds like one of the driver amps or final transistor took a dump. What you are hearing on the radio would be the exciter (driver output), probably a few milliwatts. Might be fixable by a good shop, but those are older radios and you can probably buy a working one off e-Bay a lot cheaper than trying to get that one fixed. Plus you'll have some spare parts.

 

[westcoaster]

Does the radio seem like it is also deaf?

Can hear transmissions that are quite close (hand held beside the radio) but won't pick anything up several miles away with an antenna?

 

[toronado13]

Nope, I can hear transmissions from the local repeaters without issue. So it's only outbound TX.

 

[westcoaster]

Yup, sounds like something blew....

Perhaps a pair of magnifying glasses and another peek at the circuit board to see if anything is amiss...

May be the perfect opportunity to teach yourself component replacement on a circuit board....

Whatcha got to lose??