Can you tell me more about the operation of the radio?
You said your wife was talking and you couldn't hear her very well or even have any meter movement...
That can mean a failed part in the RX chain - or out of tune can...or even a switch in the Wrong Position.
Set you radio...
View attachment 35871
You have an LTD - but the above is pretty much the Same panel...
Starting from the LEFT
Set S/RF / SWR / CAL - to S/RF
Set NB / ANL / ANL / OFF - set to OFF
Set CB / PA to CB
Tone (if you have one) To Hi - helps with hearing hiss for RX noise level
Set BRT / DIM to your preference Bright or Dim
RX/TX light - Green for RX, RED on TX...
ANT - Glows RED when you have poor antenna connection or problems with your antenna.
Squelch - Full Counter Clock wise - OFF
Dynamike - Up Clock Wise - ON
RF Gain to MAX
Delta Tune to CENTER (you may be able to feel a detent)
The Radio has a Delta Tune control - it controls the RX FREQUENCY of what you hear as stations tuned into your Receive Frequency - on the channel.
SWR CAL used to CALIBRATE your antennas' POWER for tuning your antenna - you compare Power going to the antenna Forward - against Power Not being Used by the Antenna and is being returned to the Radio (REFLECTED) - this is a ratio - a number - a performance indication of how well your system can be tuned to perform.
Ok, my main concern?
Delta Tune...
In the older days, most radios used Crystal Synthesis - a bank of Crystals that were "mixed" with another bank and when placed thru a tight filter, gave you 23 channels. Now we have 40 but there are still radios out there that are "Fixed" in frequency but slightly off to another radio - you don't hear the differences much, but they can sound distorted. This can happen if you use this radio to talk to another that isn't tuned to your frequency you're receiving. Yes, they are on the same channel, but not the EXACT frequency in the channel band plan.
If L23 or :L24 were off, or you didn't try tuning in your wife using the Delta Tune control - this may be part of the distortion you're hearing. The radio is just not lined up to hear her correctly - only we have to figure out if it's L23, L24 or Both?
- - are you checking the operation of the Delta Tune?
- - there is a can "L23" which handles IF fro RX, as well as "L24" - being the main tuning coil for the 10.240 Xtal - the true Heart beater (a Required function) of the radio.
Check also - the operation of the RF gain control - it has to be fully on - turned fully Clockwise to make the receive have it's highest gain so you can hear distant stations.
Ok, I'm going to stop here and let you play with your radio a little bit I want to know what it is you're dealing with when it comes to not being right...
Mark can L23 & L24 ( for reference )
have her transmit and slightly adjust each and see if I can get her cleared up?
would it help if I used a frequency counter?
I don’t have one right now but thinking about getting one soon
IDEA!
Better yet I have a DX55HP which has a clarifier and a +10Khz switch with frequency counter in my truck... this radio pretty much and catch all frequency’s between channels... i can transmit, turn the clarifier until I find what frequency the 29 I’m working on is receiving at... then adjust L23/24 that way u know which direction to go as well .... would that work?