VHF only working on Emergency channel 16

[Killer Freddo]

Hi all , I have a Standard Horizon VHF , it was installed by previous owner , new .

Oddly I can receive and transmit only on Channel 16 clearly.
But when I attempt to transmit on any other channel , others cannot hear me and I cannot hear them.

The unit has been like this since new out of the box.
Is there some thing I'm over looking to why only Channel 16 will work?

I really do not want to buy a new unit when this is already new .

Thanks
Troy

[transmitterdan]

Depending whether you are in the US, Canada or somewhere else there are different settings that control the assignment of frequencies to channel numbers. Look in the manual and see how to change the mode. Possible modes for Standard Horizon radios are US, Canada and International. Set your radio to the same mode as your friends. Then you should be able to talk to them.

[Killer Freddo]

Thanks, I checked and I have the correct location set , but I did note I only had it set on 4 watt , I increased it to 25 watt .
I do recall my friend saying he did hear me once but faintly but I was not able to hear him.
Would increasing to 25 watt help the problem?

[bobofthenorth]

Depends how far apart you were but the short answer is "Absolutely yes".

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.travellingwithgeorge.blogspot.com

[four winds]

Don't think the 4 watt setting would affect recieving call ability.

Do you have an automated radio check in your area? Sorta nice to hear one's broadcast played back.

[Alan Mighty]

Have you checked the installation of the antenna and the coaxial cable?

What sort of antenna? Its length? Height? How far is the antenna from the transceiver?

What sort of coaxial cable? How long is the cable from transceiver to antenna?


What connectors (UHF connectors such as PL259 and SO239 or something else)? How many connectors between the radio and the antenna?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Troy.

[Cormorant]

And check your antenna connections for corrosion or maybe a loose fit.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Killer Freddo

Thanks, I checked and I have the correct location set , but I did note I only had it set on 4 watt , I increased it to 25 watt .
I do recall my friend saying he did hear me once but faintly but I was not able to hear him.
Would increasing to 25 watt help the problem?

More power will not help hear your friend. So please describe in more detail exactly what you can and cannot do. Please give distance, channel numbers, etc. Also, please describe in more detail your VHF setup such as exact radio model &antenna, size and length of coaxial cable from radio to antenna, how does DC power get to the radio and location of antenna.

[The Garbone]

For what it is worth I just installed a new Standard Horizon GX1600B and have a similar issue. It receives and transmits on 16 and 68 but not in the 20s for an automated check..

[bobfromcanada]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

For what it is worth I just installed a new Standard Horizon GX1600B and have a similar issue. It receives and transmits on 16 and 68 but not in the 20s for an automated check..

You can't talk to another boat on those 20s. The lower 20s are port operations or Coast Guard. The high 20s in the marine VHF band (24-28) are full duplex which means the transmit and receive frequencies are different. They are reserved for ship to shore operations (read marine operator, coast guard etc). If you try to talk to another boat he won't hear you because he is listening to the frequency assigned to the shore station transmit.
If your radio works on 16 and 68 it's likely performing perfectly.

[steamgoat]

New Standard Horizon radios come with a big red sticker,
'We are here to help' call 800 767 2450 8am to 5pm PST for assistance.
Hope this helps.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Have you checked the installation of the antenna and the coaxial cable?

What sort of antenna? Its length? Height? How far is the antenna from the transceiver?

What sort of coaxial cable? How long is the cable from transceiver to antenna?


What connectors (UHF connectors such as PL259 and SO239 or something else)? How many connectors between the radio and the antenna?

My thought exactly. Sounds like an antenna installation problem.

[HopCar]

If he has an antenna problem, wouldn't that affect channel 16 as well?

[hellosailor]

Most radios will have a semi-secret keypress combination that changes the channels fro "US" to "International" and that can be all it takes to make them useless, since the duplex channels will be set differently for that. Offhand, I think 16 is simplex and the same regardless of both, so it would still work.


Secret settings like that are usually in the manual and I'm sure SH would send you a new manual if you can't download one or find the original. There may also be a secret setting that resets the whole radio "back to factory". Sometimes it is just a matter of "hold this down while you turn on the radio" and the PO may have just accidentally pressed too many buttons.


Great folks at SH. They'll get it figured out fast for you.