Help

[Ziploc]

Hi guys , running barefoot my radio rx tx great. Add a jumper into a meter and or my box I lose receive. Wiggle coax it’s in and out . Yes I tried 2 new jumpers and 1 old . WTH

 

[Handy Andy]

When you "wiggle" the coax, where are you wiggling the coax - at the amp, meter or Radio?

It may just need to be Resoldered - either on a tip of the jumper coax you're using - or look inside the meter, amp and Radio - make sure you're antenna jack, it's outer ring and center contact is soldered to the connections inside them.

Wiggling the coax usually means a broken or poor loose connection - you just need to add solder to the tips of the coax center tips - refresh the solder to a slightly bigger diameter to help with the "clearance" problem

 

[Ziploc]

Ok, hard to believe 3 jumpers are bad. Radio and antenna only is fine

 

[Big Kahuna]

Andy asked about where because it could be the connection at the radio or meter not the coax.

 

[Ziploc]

Weird if I pick up the radio and set it down it does it intermittently.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Sounds like the antenna connection to the circuit board is broken. I once had an Icom IC-735 ham rig that would intermittently show a BAD SWR even on the built-in meter and a dummy load attached directly to the radio with a double male connector. The connection inside the radio where the antenna connected to the circuit board was broken from very small movements of the inner part of the antenna connector from plugging/unplugging the antenna connection so much. I solved that permanently by replacing the short solid wire with a piece of flexible stranded wire.

 

[Ziploc]

Uhm , good point . Thank you

 

[543_Dallas]

Uhm , good point . Thank you

Check the connectors on the radio, amp and meter also. When you slide the tip in it should be a snug fit. If not......

 

[Ziploc]

Check the connectors on the radio, amp and meter also. When you slide the tip in it should be a snug fit. If not......

Thank you

 

[Ziploc]

Check the connectors on the radio, amp and meter also. When you slide the tip in it should be a snug fit. If not......

So , the radio and amp antenna jack are snug putting in co ax . However there is no resistance plugging in the xmit of the box.

 

[543_Dallas]

So , the radio and amp antenna jack are snug putting in co ax . However there is no resistance plugging in the xmit of the box.

Take a small screwdriver and bend the contacts inward. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Ziploc]

Take a small screwdriver and bend the contacts inward. Rinse and repeat.

Ok, so I have to take lids off amp to do this?

 

[543_Dallas]

Ok, so I have to take lids off amp to do this?

No.

 

[Ziploc]

Ok , yeah on back of amp there is like a 4 piece segment that is flush to the plug. It’s flush to the mount I got a tip of a pen knife on it . Hope it works. You been a big help. What causes this ? Worn out plug?

 

[543_Dallas]

Ok , yeah on back of amp there is like a 4 piece segment that is flush to the plug. It’s flush to the mount I got a tip of a pen knife on it . Hope it works. You been a big help. What causes this ? Worn out plug?

Mostly wear and abuse. It also happens when someone leaves a solder blob on a coax connector and jams it in the socket.

I replaced a relay in my amp because of this recently. Intermittent RX loss was the symptoms. I could key the amp a couple of times with the foot pedal and the RX would come back. I figured it had to be the relay but I was wrong. The connector under my work bench that goes out to the antenna was loose on the center conductor.

Hopefully it fixes your problem.