Problem transmitting on 2M

[geoff5093]

Try setting up 146.52 with a high PL like 203.5 and key it up and see if you hear the hum of the PL. It may help to use a pair of good headphones as the scanner speaker may not reproduce low tones. If you don't hear it then I think the radio might have a problem. A radio shop with a service monitor could confirm that quickly. Chances are someone at the shop is a ham and would do a quick check for free.

You could also have someone else listen on the repeater output (some distance away from you) when you key it up and see if they hear you.

I'll try that as well when I get home. I have a scanner on the 2nd floor of our house, which is about a 100 ft away from my car, so i'll try that as well.

But would a grounding problem cause the radio to not transmit? Or is that not likely.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[geoff5093]

One more thing about simplex. Say me and a friend want to use simplex, I tune to 146.520 on my transceiver, and I am outputting by default on 145.920, correct?

If so, wouldn't you want the other guy to have his output set to 146.520, and his input set to 145.920? So that way my output is his input, and vice versa?

 

[K8PBX]

One more thing about simplex. Say me and a friend want to use simplex, I tune to 146.520 on my transceiver, and I am outputting by default on 145.920, correct? If so, wouldn't you want the other guy to have his output set to 146.520, and his input set to 145.920? So that way my output is his input, and vice versa?

No. When operating simplex you should both be on the same frequency.

 

[n2mdk]

There is one other thing I can think of and that your keying up and speaking to fast after keyup. Give it at least a half a second after keying then speak. The repeater PL may be slow at opening, there are also some repeaters that need you to key for up to a second before it opens to prevent kerchunking (repeated fast keyups).

 

[geoff5093]

Well today after class I went out and checked all the cables, as well as disconnecting and reconnecting the cables from the mic and head unit, and changed the offset back to the correct one for the repeater, I am able to transmit. I made a test transmission on 147.000 and the other operator said my transmission was loud and clear (although his was a bit scratchy).

Again, thanks for all your help, I know I can count on you guys

BTW, forget what I said earlier about simplex, I forgot you dont use separate input and outputs.

 

[nexus]

Wait a tick.... Are you saying now that you actually talked to someone on a repeater NOW? On 147.0000 you spoke with someone. And its ok if his signal was scratchy, he could just be "just in range" or in the fringe range of the repeater's tower" so everyone will of heard him as scratchy too.

So you did get out on a repeater. And no I never said anything about being on high power, in fact you might want to try lower power settings. Not that it is likely with your power hookup, but if you don't have enough current getting to the radio when you key up on high power it'll keyup and show you transmitting on high (full bars across) but it won't actually transmit. So if you set the radio to low or med power if there is enough current then it'll actually transmit. If that works then you need to recheck your entire power hookup.

For instance someone who puts their 50 watt radio through the cigarette lighter plug would NOT be able to use high power, the acc. plug just can't handle that many amps. So even though it'll key up and appear to transmit, it actually won't be transmitting, unless you put it on low or med power. But see I didn't think that would of applied to you seeing how you said you're connected directly to the battery with 2g wire. the 2g is actually overkill 10g is sufficient but it should work.

But now if you're telling us that someone finally heard you talking through a repeater on 147.0000 then the only thing I can say is still not using the correct tone. And yeah I'm almost expecting that if you took it back to the shop you bought it from, they'd probably find out why you weren't able to get into the repeater. But hey, none of us have been helpful, and you're obviously not able to get it to work so I say take it back they should know how it needs to be setup, or maybe there is a problem with that unit. Radios do have to be returned for problems from time to time.

 

[geoff5093]

Wait a tick.... Are you saying now that you actually talked to someone on a repeater NOW? On 147.0000 you spoke with someone. And its ok if his signal was scratchy, he could just be "just in range" or in the fringe range of the repeater's tower" so everyone will of heard him as scratchy too.

So you did get out on a repeater. And no I never said anything about being on high power, in fact you might want to try lower power settings. Not that it is likely with your power hookup, but if you don't have enough current getting to the radio when you key up on high power it'll keyup and show you transmitting on high (full bars across) but it won't actually transmit. So if you set the radio to low or med power if there is enough current then it'll actually transmit. If that works then you need to recheck your entire power hookup.

For instance someone who puts their 50 watt radio through the cigarette lighter plug would NOT be able to use high power, the acc. plug just can't handle that many amps. So even though it'll key up and appear to transmit, it actually won't be transmitting, unless you put it on low or med power. But see I didn't think that would of applied to you seeing how you said you're connected directly to the battery with 2g wire. the 2g is actually overkill 10g is sufficient but it should work.

But now if you're telling us that someone finally heard you talking through a repeater on 147.0000 then the only thing I can say is still not using the correct tone. And yeah I'm almost expecting that if you took it back to the shop you bought it from, they'd probably find out why you weren't able to get into the repeater. But hey, none of us have been helpful, and you're obviously not able to get it to work so I say take it back they should know how it needs to be setup, or maybe there is a problem with that unit. Radios do have to be returned for problems from time to time.

Yes, 147.000 is a local repeater here, however I had to change the offset from + to -, however that shouldnt have been the reason because there are other repeaters that are set correctly. Perhaps one of the cables wasnt connected securely the whole time, so maybe disconnecting and reconnecting them fixed the problem, who knows.

I've only tried that one repeater since I reconnected all the cables and made sure the connections were secure, I will try others tonight and then I will know if the problem is fixed for good or not. I also have a professor who has a 2M mobile ham, so we will also try talking on simplex and see if that works.

As for power, i'm connected directly to the battery and chassis using an old amp kit I had (the amp and subs are gone, but the wiring is still there). I believe it's 2 or 4 gauge wire for the positive, and 8 gauge for the negative, so it shouldnt be a problem with not getting enough power.



And nexus, you have been a big help, don't put yourself down.

 

[nexus]

Well let me explain something about that frequency. You see, 147.0000 mhz is going to be the only frequency using the US BAND PLAN that can either be a + or - offset. It's entirely up to the repeater's control operator which offset he wants to use.

I've seen the same freq down here on both - and +. But that'll be the only frequency that they do that with. All of the others will follow the guideline setup in your radio, which is the auto repeater offset. Your radio was just assuming that the offset for 147.0000 would be + and that normally is the case, anything above 147.0000 is + and anything below 147.0000 is -

Oh and I'm not putting myself or anyone else down, just saying that without being able to see the radio, its going to be very difficult to find out whats wrong, so yeah go see your professor. I still have a feeling that maybe if you can transmit on 147.0000 repeater but not the one with the tone, that the tone you're using is wrong. You might want to follow the manual to use the PL search feature, or use the CTCSS search feature in your scanner (if it has that, my uniden 396 can search for ctcss) and see what 146.8500 is displaying when people talk on it. Ask around on the 147.000 about the tone for 146.8500.

 

[scanfan03]

Also, if you have a scanner that can search CTCSS, transmit on the input frequency for the problem repeater and make sure you are trasmitting with the 85.4 tone using the scanner. Program the scanner with the input to the repeater and put it in tone search.

 

[geoff5093]

I know what you mean, I'm actually leaving for work in 10 minutes, so I'm going to see if I can get anyone else on a different repeater to hear my transmission. I'm hoping that it was just because the mic cable wasn't actually fully secured in (however the buttons did work).

 

[geoff5093]

I just got my call sign

KB1POR

 

[loumaag]

I just got my call sign

KB1POR

Maybe the radio will work properly now.

 

[nexus]

I just got my call sign

KB1POR

Hey dude, you mean you didn't have your callsign issued when you were trying to check into that net or get on that repeater? If so, NOT COOL.

 

[n3ncn]

"when I say a callsign others just keep on talking"
This is from his original post guys on the other hand KB1POR does not appear in the FCC database.

 

[w0fg]

It's there now, but it was just issued on the 25th.

 

[geoff5093]

Ok, to be honest I used my friends call sign after I had completed and passed the exam, I didnt really do any real communications, I was just seeing if people could hear my transmissions.

Turns out that the website I used for the repeaters had the wrong PL's listed on most of the repeaters, so thats the last time I use that, lol



And what do you mean it's not there? It's right here: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=2955038

 

[n3ncn]

"Ok, to be honest I used my friends call sign after I had completed and passed the exam, I didnt really do any real communications"...
Actually you did. You may not have made a contact but you did transmit.
I am glad to know it's there. All the hard work you did to get your ticket is great. Now let's study more on the rules laws and fines you can get for illegal transmissions you made and admitted to on the world wide web.
Welcome to the world of ham radio. Enjoy yourself and be legal now.
73 N3NCN

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi all,

You guys are all dancing around the problem and only one even came close. Unfortunately he didn't quite hit the mark.

"Program the scanner with the input to the repeater and put it in tone search."

By the date on that listing ('03) it just could be the tone was changed since then. Not only can a scanner search it out but the rig can too, monitor the input and sooner or later someone within range will lock up the PL search, voile! Once the correct tone has been found you can take it from there. I say sniff out the input because repeaters sometimes use different tones on the input and output and one I know uses anti PL on a remote receiver to avoid key-ups from users of another repeater.

There are other possibilities but remote, one could be a blown final. A dead FPA module can still pass the driver signal so there may still be enough to be heard but it won't go far. That happened to me once, I was even able to light up a local repeater but a few milliwatts didn't do much else. One shack essential is an SWR meter, never leave home without it. Uh huh, you guessed it, I don't have to tell you.

"The best answer to a problem comes to you in your sleep."

Just as long as it doesn't come on the toilet as mine do, need I say more? Yeah maybe I should, all joking aside that's where I get my best inspiration. Don't say it, don't you DARE!

 

[geoff5093]

I got everything working now, so thanks to everyone that helped on the first page, but I believe it's time to let this die.

 

[nexus]

This was exactly what I said in the very beginning. That the tone most likely was not correct. And sure enough, the listing on that website had invalid information. I find that all of the time for stuff here. All of the directories seem to have repeaters listed that don't exist. I call them PAPER REPEATERS! Glad to read that you got the issue squared away.