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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#2
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
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#3
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
wrote in message ... Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#4
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
wrote in message ... Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer Actually, an SWR meter would be quite helpful. Connect it between the transmitter and the antenna cable, transmit, and see what the forward & reflected power is. Now put it between the antenna and the cable, and repeat. Is the transmitter putting power into the coax? Is the coax putting power into the antenna? Is the antenna reflecting too much power back to the coax? Is the coax returning too much power to the transmitter? This simple meter will tell you if the problem is a bad transmitter, bad coax, or bad antenna. Ed |
#6
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
Check for a short curcuit in the PL259.
wrote in message ... This is all helpful, but any explanation for the clicking noise? Helmer On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 16:05:22 GMT, wrote: Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#7
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation.
PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available. You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna. Doug wrote in message ... Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#8
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
Would transmit on 1 watt, not 25. I do not know what type of dummy
load to ask for, or if RadioShack even has one that is not for CB use. I read somewhere the instructions for a DIY, but not in enough detail to be understandable. I guess I will have to spring for a SWR meter. I have one for CB, but know that would not be suitable. Thanks, Helmer On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 18:20:42 -0400, "Doug Dotson" wrote: The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation. PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available. You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna. Doug wrote in message ... Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#9
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
SWR meter for CB is not suitable for VHF. You can get a dummy load through
most ham suppliers like www.aes.com. Have you tried to disconnect the coax at the radio and antenna and checked for a short between the shield and center? Checked for continuity end-to-end for the center conductor and also the shield. Is this a new antenna? Did it work with the old antenna? Doug wrote in message ... Would transmit on 1 watt, not 25. I do not know what type of dummy load to ask for, or if RadioShack even has one that is not for CB use. I read somewhere the instructions for a DIY, but not in enough detail to be understandable. I guess I will have to spring for a SWR meter. I have one for CB, but know that would not be suitable. Thanks, Helmer On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 18:20:42 -0400, "Doug Dotson" wrote: The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation. PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available. You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna. Doug wrote in message ... Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty, and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would not help at this point. Thanks for any help. Helmer |
#10
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PL-259 connectors VHF UHF
In article , says...
SWR meter for CB is not suitable for VHF. You can get a dummy load through most ham suppliers like www.aes.com. Have you tried to disconnect the coax at the radio and antenna and checked for a short between the shield and center? SNIP Some antennas present DC continuity between center conductor and shield. That is, if you measure the antenna with an ohmmeter it may look like a short (at DC) and be fine at the design frequency. Moral: If your antenna is of this construction, you must disconnect the coax at the antenna and radio to check the coax for shorts. If you can find a ham that has an "antenna analyzer", it will do a good job of testing the antenna system. The SWR meter is the next best choice. ------- If the SWR is high for some reason the radio may transmit at 1 Watt but shut down to protect the transmitter at high power. The comment about checking the DC supply is good too. A bad feed could be supplying enough current to work at one watt, but severly dropping voltage at high power. Woody |
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