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Old 04-06-2011, 14:43   #1
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VHF - No Sound

Any idea how to trouble shoot the problem? New antenna on mast and power to unit shows channels and TX, etc. so it seems to be working but no sound out of microphone, no squelch, no nothing. Could it be a blown transceiver? Will remote speaker wired in help test?

Suggestions? Thanks!

Jim in CT
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Old 04-06-2011, 14:51   #2
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

Don't know the model you have but I once had the same problem and after my wife ground me up the mast to check the antenna and a lot of fiddling around I found I had the damn thing set to "hail" which was a setting if you used the unit as a loudhailer with an external speaker. Once I learnt how to get it off that setting it was fine.
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Old 04-06-2011, 15:16   #3
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

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Don't know the model you have but I once had the same problem and after my wife ground me up the mast to check the antenna and a lot of fiddling around I found I had the damn thing set to "hail" which was a setting if you used the unit as a loudhailer with an external speaker. Once I learnt how to get it off that setting it was fine.
Interesting (on two counts). First that your wife could "ground you up the mast" is pretty impressive! Second is that I didn't and don't know if my unit has a "hail" setting but will check that out. It's a Midland Regatta unit if that helps.

It occurs to me now that I tried to use the unit last year without the antenna. Why the whip disappeared I don't know. Could I have blown the transceiver by turning up the volume too high?

Jim
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Old 04-06-2011, 15:23   #4
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

I'm not that heavy and the boat has good sized winches so it's not that difficult to grind me up the mast. You might have blown the set if you tried to transmit without an antenna.
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Old 04-06-2011, 15:27   #5
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

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I'm not that heavy and the boat has good sized winches so it's not that difficult to grind me up the mast. You might have blown the set if you tried to transmit without an antenna.
HMMMM. Sounds like something I would try to do. If I can't find a way to test it I will just have to buy another - grrrrrrr! I don't like to spend money on the boat and try to do everything myself. Thanks for the help.

Jim
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Old 04-06-2011, 16:08   #6
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

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Originally Posted by Jimske View Post
Any idea how to trouble shoot the problem? New antenna on mast and power to unit shows channels and TX, etc. so it seems to be working but no sound out of microphone, no squelch, no nothing. Could it be a blown transceiver? Will remote speaker wired in help test?

Suggestions? Thanks!

Jim in CT

have you tried turning the volume up????

it is a little knob that says volume,,,,start there and then trouble shoot
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Old 04-06-2011, 16:21   #7
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Make, model, age?

If you could tell us the Manufacturer, model and age of your radio it could make it easier for us.

Can you borrow another radio and see if it works in the same place?
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Old 04-06-2011, 16:54   #8
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If it has a audio out jack try some earbuds or patch it to your stereo amp. .if you get sound then I still can't tell you what's wrong but this worked on an old radio I had. Can't remember what I did .
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Old 04-06-2011, 17:07   #9
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Re: Make, model, age?

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If you could tell us the Manufacturer, model and age of your radio it could make it easier for us.

Can you borrow another radio and see if it works in the same place?
Will find out about the model. Good idea about trying another one in it's place. Will do ASAP.

Jim
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Old 04-06-2011, 17:49   #10
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

squelsh sound has nothing to do with the antenna. If there is a jack for an external speaker then try that. sound out of mic? not unless it is a speaker mic. The speaker can be tested with a multimeter to see if open circuited. Was it working before you fixed it?
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Old 04-06-2011, 19:50   #11
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

Bad speaker is a definite possibility.
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Old 05-06-2011, 05:07   #12
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Re: VHF - No Sound

Your radio has a hail/PA feature, and external speaker jack.
See: Midland Regatta, another independent unbiased marine VHF radio review
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Old 05-06-2011, 06:38   #13
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Re: VHF - NO SOUND

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squelsh sound has nothing to do with the antenna. If there is a jack for an external speaker then try that. sound out of mic? not unless it is a speaker mic. The speaker can be tested with a multimeter to see if open circuited. Was it working before you fixed it?
Yes - has wires for external speaker and mic is not speaker - speaker in radio and no sound out of speaker.

No, the unit was never working. I now don't recall if there was sound and I tried to turn the volume up and just went to the handheld after that or if there was never sound. Again, the whip for antenna was gone and I just now went up and replaced it. I kept the boat out of the water last year for a total repaint. I don't take it out every year.

I won't be able to check this out for a few days. I can check the circuit for the internal speaker but I have to open the unit up . . and will do.


Thanks, I don't have a good working knowledge of electronics. All this info helps a lot.

Jim
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Old 05-06-2011, 06:48   #14
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Re: VHF - No Sound

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Your radio has a hail/PA feature, and external speaker jack.
See: Midland Regatta, another independent unbiased marine VHF radio review
My unit has jack for GPS and wires for external speaker. I'd like to be able to use this radio and/or fix it myself if possible.

Jim
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Old 05-06-2011, 07:39   #15
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Re: VHF - No Sound

Jim-
Along Vasco's suspicions...RTFM first. Get that manual and make sure it isn't something terribly simple just set wrong. But I'd also emphasize, DO NOT PRESS TRANSMIT unless you know there is a working antenna on the radio. While most modern radios will protect themselves, some can easily burn out if you transmit without a working antenna connected to them. So if in doubt--keep it to one quick click, or don't transmit at all.
In a pinch, you should be able to take a wire coat hangar, a two foot long alligator clip (jumper wire), or other piece of wire and press it into the center hole of the antenna socket, and if the radio is working at all, it WILL receive something from strong local signals. If it still receives nothing, makes no noise?
The radio is set up wrong, or broken.

It can be something as simple as the internal connection to the internal speaker breaking loose. Or the transmit switch in the microphone being stuck. Or, the power lead to the radio may be corroded, chafed down to one strand, or a bad fuse. Sometimes there's one fuse in the power cord and another at the breaker panel "oops" so it helps to check the power cord, make sure the radio is getting proper voltage with enough power to at least light a test light or small cabin light bulb.

When all else fails...some marine electronics shops will still "take a look" for free.

Incidentally, for under $20 you should be able to get a "VHF emergency antenna" that comes in a plastic tube. Maybe a dozen feet of cable and a short antenna you can stick on the rail, etc. Makes a good way to test that your radio/antenna is good, even if you never use it for anything else.
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