CB Issues

[AstraX]

So I got the CB installed tonight.  Thanks to tliguana  for all the help and the SWR meter.  We however couldn't get it functioning 100%.   Everything seems to be working fine except for I can't hear anything coming through.  The RF meter on the front of the unit spikes to show an incoming signal, but nothing but static comes out of the speaker.  The other direction is fine, Simon could hear me clearly.  Any ideas why only one direction of audio would be working?

[AV.NINE]

Its your ground on your antenna. Here this is the easiest way to put it....



Green and Pink CANNOT be touching. There should be ZERO continuity between the 2 colours. Thats why there is the plastic ring that goes on top of your bracket first.

 Right now (my very educated guess) is that your PART A is touching YOUR BRACKET. So your antenna is not functioning. DO NOT USE YOUR RADIO ANYMORE THAN YOU HAVE.

If its not touching then a couple questions... Did you scrap the paint off the bolt holes? Do you have access to a multimeter?

[AV.NINE]

Text me tomorrow.  I have a multimeter and can figure it out very quick for ya.

[AstraX]

tliguana had a multimeter and we tested it for grounds.  Everything seemed good.  I only took off paint where a nut/washer should be touching.  For the sake of checking it I will have a look at Part A.

But if the antenna wasn't functioning would I still be able to send out a clear signal? Thats what I don't get, why would it be going out, but not coming back in.

[cLAY]

If the meter is jumping with an incoming signal then it sounds like the speaker is bad or something on the radio isn't set right. Is there a port on the back for an external speaker? If so try plugging a set of earphones in. The the squelch turned all the way down you should hear static.

What model is the CB? New or used? Is the mike plugged in? Is it new or used? Do you have a spare mic to try? Some Cobra/Uniden radios don't recive properly is the mike isn't plugged in or is bad.

What was the SWR reading you got when  you set the antenna up?

[w squared]

If the meter is jumping with an incoming signal then it sounds like the speaker is bad or something on the radio isn't set right. Is there a port on the back for an external speaker? If so try plugging a set of earphones in. The the squelch turned all the way down you should hear static.

What model is the CB? New or used? Is the mike plugged in? Is it new or used? Do you have a spare mic to try? Some Cobra/Uniden radios don't recive properly is the mike isn't plugged in or is bad.

What was the SWR reading you got when  you set the antenna up?

This. If your meter is jumping, then you're receiving the signal....which means that your problem is likely somewhere between the front end of the CB (where the meter is attached) and the speaker (where the jeep words come out).

[TL-Iguana]

If the meter is jumping with an incoming signal then it sounds like the speaker is bad or something on the radio isn't set right. Is there a port on the back for an external speaker? If so try plugging a set of earphones in. The the squelch turned all the way down you should hear static.

What model is the CB? New or used? Is the mike plugged in? Is it new or used? Do you have a spare mic to try? Some Cobra/Uniden radios don't receive properly is the mike isn't plugged in or is bad.

What was the SWR reading you got when  you set the antenna up?

I thought of this after the fact, but also agree this could be an issue. If the mic is bad, it could prevent incoming signals from being heard.. I was able to hear Dan transmit on a number of different channels, loud and clear. The antenna was set up exactly how you guys have shown in that picture, with the base of the stud grounding into the mount which grounds great to the jeep. Double checked this with a multimeter. The top of the antenna is isolated, and there is no continuity between that and ground, also double checked with the meter. The SWR on channels 1 and 40 was 1.6 after some trimming. 19 was at 1.4 . Any more trimming and the SWR would go up on channel 1, so it seems that it is at ideal point where it is now. I do believe Dan also tried an external speaker, and again, we can just hear static and nothing else. The squelch seems to work as normal, as it will shut out the static when turned up just a bit. He tried transmitting with the RF knob turned full clockwise, and full counterclockwise, and I can hear him loud and clear every time. Just no incoming signals.. This is also the same for receiving, it didn't seem to matter where the RF knob was set, he cannot hear me. He can however see the incoming signals fluctuate on his RF meter on the radio when I cue up to talk, but no sound comes through. Just static...

It all seems to point to a defective unit, which would suck! Its so stealthy how he has it installed! It would be a shame to have to take it all out again... I didn't check the continuity of the coax from the back of the cable to the front, but perhaps that would be a good step to take? However it would seem to me that the coax is good, as his transmit is crystal clear on various channels...

Install looks really good Dan, It was a pleasure to help out with it. That mount that AV. Nine made, Wow! very very slick!

[AV.NINE]

... That mount that AV. Nine made, Wow! very very slick!

Thanks alot bud. I've tweaked the design a bit and will be getting a few dozen cnc'd.

Anyways. I read wrong last night, but it was 1 am so my bad.

I thought you had said you weren't getting any noise out of your speaker. But if you are and there isnt any continuity between H and G on that pic, then I would have to guess a faulty unit.

[cLAY]

 The squelch seems to work as normal, as it will shut out the static when turned up just a bit. He tried transmitting with the RF knob turned full clockwise, and full counterclockwise, and I can hear him loud and clear every time. Just no incoming signals.. This is also the same for receiving, it didn't seem to matter where the RF knob was set, he cannot hear me. He can however see the incoming signals fluctuate on his RF meter on the radio when I cue up to talk, but no sound comes through. Just static...

 However it would seem to me that the coax is good, as his transmit is crystal clear on various channels...

Sounds like there is a problem with YOUR unit not transmitting properly. I would have him check his unit(and yours) against another known good unit to verify.

[TL-Iguana]

Yeah.. Tested for continuity on one of the mount bolts to the base of the antenna and that was good, and from the tip, which gave nothing. Also good Had us both scratching our heads. I even checked between the mount bolts and another bolt on the gate just to make sure that the gate was grounded to the mount which also came up as a good connection.



As For the antenna mounts, when you get them done, Im pretty sure I have a guy here that will buy one Will tell him to PM you if thats the case.

[TL-Iguana]

Sounds like there is a problem with YOUR unit not transmitting properly. I would have him check his unit(and yours) against another known good unit to verify.

I cant dispute this, but it was working fine on the run last sunday... I havent changed anything since then. I will double check mine today with another known working one just to be sure. Will let you guys know if mine is at fault!

[w squared]

One of the things that I've used in the past when diagnosing problems is that some CB's are able to tune in the weather channels. This makes a great "test" signal for diagnosing speaker and connection problems.

[AstraX]

Thanks for all the ideas on this guys.  I will try and check a couple of them out.   Simon, if you can let me know how your test goes so we can rule out your unit having any issues that would be great.  The idea of the unit being defective was honestly the first thing that came to my mind.  If it is, at least the time consuming part of the install is done and I should just be able to swap the unit and pull through some new wires if I need to.

[TL-Iguana]

Simon, if you can let me know how your test goes so we can rule out your unit having any issues that would be great.  

just verified the operation of my radio, and i am transmitting on 1, 19, and 40 all with no problem. We were close together and then drove about 2k apart, still good.

[AstraX]

Thanks for checking on that Simon.

Well so really it sounds like either a dead mic or something wrong with the radio itself.   I supose either way I should just take the unit back since it is brand new...Maybe I will ask them if I can just try a new mic first to see if that fixes it.