Need CB help, Poor Receive, Transmit works great

crazykz

crazykz

R.I.P. - 2012/06/16
Rest In Peace
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
1,183
Location
Pewaukee, WI
Bike
2007 ST1300A
Hi All,

Well I'm stumped. I can hear people keying up but I can't hear them talking. So it seems like my receive is shot. However I can transmit just fine and be heard by others. I'm trying to think of something that would affect just receive. I've played with the squelch but that didn't have any affect.

Anyone experience something like this and may have a suggestion? I'm kind of at a loss. I'm using the Midland handheld unit hardwired to the bike with the Firestik NGP antenna.

Curt
 
I can't remember exactly, but I seem to remember (from way back in the days when CB's were as popular as cell phones are today), that when you use an external antenna you have to be very careful about the length of wire (I seem to recall that it needed to be in 3 ft increments)... and you needed to get the SWR's (don't ask me what SWR stands for) as close to zero as you can..... But with the symptoms you're describing, I'm not sure this is the problem... I also seem to remember that the SWR's were important on the transmit side... Maybe someone else can help... All I've done is confuse myself.... :banghead: :oops: :banghead: :oops: Good Luck... :confused:
:cool:
 
You can pick up a SWR meter from Radio Shack (online if the store doesn't have one) but that usually deals with the transmit. Usually you can receive signals if you had a piece of coathanger for an antenna. Squelch settings definitely affect receiving if turned up and the sender does not have a strong signal. Sitting in the Holler with the interstate over the the next hill, I cannot hear the truckers (not that I want to ;) ) at 15 or so squelch on my Valk CB. If I turn it down to 5 squelch, they come through loud and clear. I also have the Firestik NGP antenna. Can you try the unit on another bike to eliminate the unit? Or just try it detached from the bike to eliminate a bike problem?
 
Yeah I can take it off and put the battery pack on and the rubber ducky antenna. Maybe it's the squelch but usually I adjust it to just where the static ends and that has always seemed to worked. Maybe it is the unit but I'm not sure. I can hear when people key up but I just can't hear them talk. All I can hear is a very faint static.

Curt
 
Obviously the antenna and/or feedline is not the issue if transmit is good but receive is a problem.

The issue lies within the radio. It either has a damaged receiver or has an attenuator that was inadvertantly turned on.

Ray
 
nm6r said:
Obviously the antenna and/or feedline is not the issue if transmit is good but receive is a problem.

The issue lies within the radio. It either has a damaged receiver or has an attenuator that was inadvertantly turned on.

Ray
Click to expand...

Yeah there's some functions on that thing I'm not sure I know how to use. Too bad there isn't a reset to factory defaults. I'll check the settings and try it off the bike. It will be unfortunate if I fried it.

Curt
 
Quite often buttons have more than one function. Either pushing a function key first or simply holding a key for 1 second or longer. It would be easy to activate a feature that isn't normally used. Most electronic gadgets do have a reset feature. Check Midland's web site or call their customer service if you can't find an attenuation feature or a reset in the owner's manual.

Ray
 
This "was" working. Looks like I'll be testing off the bike. I may have to order a new one. My waterproofing solution is not that great.

Curt
 
Odd. Usually transmit is bad and receive works.

Last time I saw this combo, it was a bad mic. I know, I know. You said it transmits fine. There is circuitry in the mic related to receiving also.

Try a new mic.
 
You might like to try this;

Not sure about the model of radio you have there but it possibly has a transmit receive relay inside. This relay cycles the radio from receive to transmit when you key the mic. (Its possible its solid state too, ignore the rest of this)

If the contacts are old, havent transmitted much, radio lives in a dusty environment, its possible the receive side contacts are dirty and attenuating your receive signal (which is a voltage like 1 microvolt !!!). You can see how a corroded or dirty contact can foul up the receive. Transmit signal voltages can be 1 to 10 to 50 volts (a million times higher !!) and have no problem getting thru the contact resistance. Usually you notice having to turn up the receive volume past where you normally would.

Try just knocking on the side of the radio, or keying the mike a lot and you may break the contact resistance for a while. Otherwise open the radio, find the small icecube relay (it will be the only one in there), remove the plastic case and use some electronic contact cleaner on the contacts. The relay is usually say 0.25" x 0.75". has 2 pins at one end (the coil) and 6 pins at the other (the contacts)
 
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