Just doesn't have any receive or send. Out of the blue too. No storms in the last few days and no reason that I can see.
Antron 99
A bit of heavy dew this morning but it was dry when I powered up at like 1pm. Radio and Scanner both have no recieve so I know it's something further up the line. Took the two way switch out of line and no decent signal again. Can get the radio to receive weather stations is all... but it sounds a bit weak. I suspect its pulling that from a length coax. The SWR is fine on the radio which I would have expected not to be but I guess if it's got enough wire to give it impedence it might not be that bad. No in or out signals though.
Both mobils in the Truck and the Trailer are recieveing and sending fine to each other. But not to the base. Nor is the base sending out to them. Not even picking up the normal chatter on CB 19 on this base. But then again when the Scanner is hooked up to this very same antenna on that two into one switch, its not getting anything either. Even when I eliminate the switch completely and directly attach the antenna coax to it as well. Not even the weather stations are coming in on the scanner though. So that rules out the switch I think. And it rules out the two short Coax jumpers that run each to the switch. It must be down the line right?
And I checked the tighness of the connection at the Lightning protector. Thats good. Grounds are all good to antenna and protector and then to ground.
Went up on the roof and took the Antenna down and check tightness of the sections and the coax connection. Don't see any breaks or wear spots. Put that all back up and still nothing.
So I have tried eliminating the switch, jumpers and the problems on the other end at the antenna at this point. Got nothing more to do that I can think of there. cannot see inside the Antenna so don't know. Do they go bad? I mean its not been subjected to anything serious. A few breezy days or two. Nothing over 25 mph at any time. And few of those. And worked after those as a matter of fact. Surely it can take that easy.
I would have suspected the radio at some point (well I did but) if it was not that the Scanner also is not recieving. And they both went like this at the same time. No receive. The only thing shared that is left is it's path to the two. And that the Coax (assuming the Antenna is good)
I have to assume now I have an internal break in a coax. So I got two runs to determine. My suspicion is the one first run of 20 feet because it is a Radio Shack bought section. The second long run is a more quality piece and wire that I ordered made up and it has much better quality ends but it goes under ground for about 15 feed. That area appears undisturbed but... who knows.
Any suggestions? I really cannot think of a way to check continuity of them without taking them down. But I guess I need to. I might eliminate the Lightning arrestor with a simple joint fitting before I do. just to be sure. I don't have any way to generate a reading at one end and read it at the other that I can think of.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Or test methods in some fashion that I could employ. Or anything in that list you think is overlooked. Or in the end... a simplistic test for an Antenna like the A-99.
Antron 99
A bit of heavy dew this morning but it was dry when I powered up at like 1pm. Radio and Scanner both have no recieve so I know it's something further up the line. Took the two way switch out of line and no decent signal again. Can get the radio to receive weather stations is all... but it sounds a bit weak. I suspect its pulling that from a length coax. The SWR is fine on the radio which I would have expected not to be but I guess if it's got enough wire to give it impedence it might not be that bad. No in or out signals though.
Both mobils in the Truck and the Trailer are recieveing and sending fine to each other. But not to the base. Nor is the base sending out to them. Not even picking up the normal chatter on CB 19 on this base. But then again when the Scanner is hooked up to this very same antenna on that two into one switch, its not getting anything either. Even when I eliminate the switch completely and directly attach the antenna coax to it as well. Not even the weather stations are coming in on the scanner though. So that rules out the switch I think. And it rules out the two short Coax jumpers that run each to the switch. It must be down the line right?
And I checked the tighness of the connection at the Lightning protector. Thats good. Grounds are all good to antenna and protector and then to ground.
Went up on the roof and took the Antenna down and check tightness of the sections and the coax connection. Don't see any breaks or wear spots. Put that all back up and still nothing.
So I have tried eliminating the switch, jumpers and the problems on the other end at the antenna at this point. Got nothing more to do that I can think of there. cannot see inside the Antenna so don't know. Do they go bad? I mean its not been subjected to anything serious. A few breezy days or two. Nothing over 25 mph at any time. And few of those. And worked after those as a matter of fact. Surely it can take that easy.
I would have suspected the radio at some point (well I did but) if it was not that the Scanner also is not recieving. And they both went like this at the same time. No receive. The only thing shared that is left is it's path to the two. And that the Coax (assuming the Antenna is good)
I have to assume now I have an internal break in a coax. So I got two runs to determine. My suspicion is the one first run of 20 feet because it is a Radio Shack bought section. The second long run is a more quality piece and wire that I ordered made up and it has much better quality ends but it goes under ground for about 15 feed. That area appears undisturbed but... who knows.
Any suggestions? I really cannot think of a way to check continuity of them without taking them down. But I guess I need to. I might eliminate the Lightning arrestor with a simple joint fitting before I do. just to be sure. I don't have any way to generate a reading at one end and read it at the other that I can think of.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Or test methods in some fashion that I could employ. Or anything in that list you think is overlooked. Or in the end... a simplistic test for an Antenna like the A-99.
But would be best to eliminate ALL other things first I guess. To avoid an unnessicary expense of shipping. Plus the sudden onset of performace change of the scanner thats sharing that same antenna tells me it is in the line or antenna.