My export is being poopy

[roadrage]

Several times yesterday and today when conditions sounded like they were good, I tried to key up and break into the action. I tried on SSB and AM and got nothing. I just got my radio back from the shop too. I was making all kinds of contacts with real good reports before it went out. I was being told I was putting out strong signal and clear audio. It seemed like I was the guy everyone wanted to respond to. I was having incoming stations giving me a 4 or 5 on my meter, and they were telling me I was putting their meter in the red. A few guys told me they couldn't believe I was running a mobile. The problem was that I was spattering over the 2M mobile while on the lower channels. Now that my radio is back I can't get anyone to even acknowledge I'm there. I'm sure it is just a coincidence but it is discouraging. It seems like it is working OK locally. I was talking with the wife at about 8 miles as the crow flies before I lost her. But I just can't get down on the DX. I guess I gotta just give it some time and see if anything changes. Wish me luck!

 

[mrgumby]

most likely its just the conditions it happens to everyone including myself and sometimes you just wonder why can"t they here you but its just conditions most of the time

 

[The Mad Scientist]

it happens to me too, i had that problem this evening. i herd a couple guys
in canada talking about hot peppers, and i tried to get back to them but no response. it is just they way it goes sometimes. however, with an almost 20 s-unit reading on the meter, i think it was more a matter of them out talking their ears. they had to be runnig some decient power.

 

[roadrage]

Thanks for the reasurance. Part of me was thinking that, but since the radio is so new to me, I worry that fixing the radio made it perform like excrement. WHen the radio arrived, I had to try it out before sending it off. The first few days I had it, there was some good skip and I was the man. I had several "wow, can't believe you're on a mobile." So I am probably just paranoid. It was spattering onto my 2M radio which i a definate no no. And the limiter was clipped as well. I don't like clip jobs either, because it takes away the point of talkback. I have to keep the mic gain down so far, to keep from overmodulating, that I can't hear the talkback.

Up until now, all I have run is type accepted radios. This is my first HP rig, so DX is still pretty new to me. I want to be heard, but it has to be clean. There may be an AB biased HD amp on my Christmas list.

 

[The Mad Scientist]

there you go. keep the radio stock and add a good ab biased amplifier. that used to be the way of things, till the hacker shops started screwing up radios on a massive scale. good luck to you

 

[trucker]

It is not your radio. The last few days the sun has not been kind to us. Maximum useable frequency has been below 15MHZ and even then, conditions stink. BIG Solar Flare a few days ago is causing problems on all HF bands. Even VHF is being effected.
But, don't worry, in a few days this thing will fade and conditions will improve.
trucker

 

[n0zna]

the bands have been bad

the last 2 weeks,even on 20/40/80 and 2 mtrs...6 mtrs is the only one thats rocking...It might not be your radio,and right now a big amp might not even help....I had a hard time on my weekly net on 10 mtrs,all that i had was 6 locals and 4 in Fla...we still have the Fla pipeline on 10 mtrs and 6 mtrs in the afternoon....73 de JW

 

[The Mad Scientist]

what frequency are you using on ten meters? i will try to look and see if i can hear you.

 

[psycho]

An 10/11 meter radio bleeding on 2 meters is just impossible. Relying on "Radio Checks" to check your radio isn't good and meter readings means zilch, because no 2 signal meters will read the same.
Who told you your radio was bleeding on 2 meters?

 

[roadrage]

An 10/11 meter radio bleeding on 2 meters is just impossible. Relying on "Radio Checks" to check your radio isn't good and meter readings means zilch, because no 2 signal meters will read the same.
Who told you your radio was bleeding on 2 meters?

It is actually not impossible. My mobile 2M radio sits on my dashboard about 2 ft away from my Galaxy. Now the Galaxy has been fixed and no longer spatters, but when I first received the radio it most certainly did. When the Galaxy was on the lower channels and my 2M was set to monitor my local police freq (155.310), my Icom was picking up the Galaxy so bad it was providing better talkback than the Galaxy's internal talkback function. I didn't even dare to use the Galaxy until I was a mile or two out of town.

I don't mean to sound rude, but you're telling me that something is impossible, when it happened. I guess that the fact that it happened makes it possible.

As I stated, I sent my Galaxy out to my tech and the spatter is remedied. I don't get so much as static over the 2M when I key up now.

 

[roadrage]

what frequency are you using on ten meters? i will try to look and see if i can hear you.

I know I'll probably take a beating for saying this, but I stay off the 10M spectrum with it. I am strictly on 11M.

 

[The Mad Scientist]

It is actually not impossible. My mobile 2M radio sits on my dashboard about 2 ft away from my Galaxy. Now the Galaxy has been fixed and no longer spatters, but when I first received the radio it most certainly did. When the Galaxy was on the lower channels and my 2M was set to monitor my local police freq (155.310), my Icom was picking up the Galaxy so bad it was providing better talkback than the Galaxy's internal talkback function. I didn't even dare to use the Galaxy until I was a mile or two out of town.

I don't mean to sound rude, but you're telling me that something is impossible, when it happened. I guess that the fact that it happened makes it possible.

As I stated, I sent my Galaxy out to my tech and the spatter is remedied. I don't get so much as static over the 2M when I key up now.

do you know what was done to correct the issue?

 

[The Mad Scientist]

I know I'll probably take a beating for saying this, but I stay off the 10M spectrum with it. I am strictly on 11M.

why would you take a beating? if the radio is stock why would it matter? i know allot of hams that use those and radios like it on ten meter...they just wont tell you that.:glare:

 

[roadrage]

do you know what was done to correct the issue?

I never got any reports of sounding dirty, but I had to keep my gain backed off at 12 o'clock while on AM. I still was bleeding over everything no matter what. I even came over my truck's stereo. I know that the AMC limiter circuit was reintroduced to the radio and it isn't overmodulated. That probably helped. Also, I was told there may have been some heterodyne happening, but it wasn't confirmed. I just know it isn't happening now.

As far as taking a beating, I know there is quite a mix of HAM and CB on this forum so that is why. I know that the export radios can be looked down upon. I will say that I got some great reports with it from some guys with HF rigs that were down on the 11M. On 38 LSB, I was told that I sounded clean but a bit hollow. I did have my mic gain down at 8 o'clock and I noticed my power was still at minimum. I keep the variable power down while talking local and forgot to turn it up.

 

[roadrage]

I just find it impossible to believe unless it is bleeding directly into the speaker. Quite a few of the 1-2 kw mobile fellows around here run 2 meters.....they don't "bleed" on their 2 mtr radios and they all run a roof top antenna. Sorry but it makes no sense.

I don't know why it was happening. I know it was overmodulated. Further than that is beyond me. But I sent it out to DTB Radio and it doesn't do it anymore. It wasn't just coming over the speaker because I could see the signal on the meter as well has hearing my voice on te speaker. I was told it was possibly heterodyne happening.