Fried radio.....I think

[parlyle]

I just came back from tuning my "Lil Will" antenna. And my new Cobra 29. All went well, (1.8 on Ch.1 and Ch.40.)
Unhooked the SWR meter and put the antenna into the radio. Turned on the radio and ............NOTHING.........!
Sorry to shout, but thats how I feel. I couldn't get anything but the interference from the engine. Nothing. I turned every knob on the front of the radio and got nothing.
I am up a creek, we are travelling to our daughters wedding next week and need the radio. I hope you guys and gals can come up with something that I can do.
I tried so hard to get everything right, and then it hits the fan.
I'm done ranting.........
Thanks for the responses:

Lyle

[CURTWAYNE]

I'm sure you have your antenna, and your mic hooked up?
Do you have a pa/cb switch? Is it on cb?

[haze1]

double ck all your connections, if you are picking up interference from engine then I doubt that the radio is fried. turn your RF gain to max and turn your squelch all the way down so that you are not muting any signal noise. I had to replace my coax today as it had a break in the wire someplace and would get reception or transmit intermittently. the new coax took care of my problem, which was basically similar to your problem, sometimes I could get out or receive but most time it was quiet until the break in the coax would touch or make contact. another option to correct the engine noise is to install a filter which wires into the main power source, but I doubt this will fix the problem you have described , I think it is more than likely the coax is bad. If you do replace the coax get a quality one thats at least 18 feet.
good luck

[parlyle]

Originally Posted by haze1

double ck all your connections, if you are picking up interference from engine then I doubt that the radio is fried. turn your RF gain to max and turn your squelch all the way down so that you are not muting any signal noise. I had to replace my coax today as it had a break in the wire someplace and would get reception or transmit intermittently. the new coax took care of my problem, which was basically similar to your problem, sometimes I could get out or receive but most time it was quiet until the break in the coax would touch or make contact. another option to correct the engine noise is to install a filter which wires into the main power source, but I doubt this will fix the problem you have described , I think it is more than likely the coax is bad. If you do replace the coax get a quality one thats at least 18 feet.
good luck

I went out and tried to see if my old cb worked and I got somewhat of the same results.
I have the "Lil Will" magnetic antenna. Can the coax be changed on that one? Or do I have to buy another antenna?
One of the problems I found I have is that when I drove around on the Interstate (94) I would get some reception then it would fade, then it would get too loud, then it would go somewhat dead, then it would be statiky. It wasn't consistent with loud hissing if I turned the squelch down, like my old Cobra CB. Maybe that thought wasn't worded the best, but I hope you know what I mean. With the "29" it is a lot quieter than the old one. Is this the way the "29" works?
Thanks:

Lyle

[CURTWAYNE]

I've got two cobra 29's. One is a standard ltd. The other is a nwst. With the automatic noise limiter turned on, the 'noise' should be knocked down quite a bit.
I'm not familiar with a Lil Will antenna.
Your most recent post says it would get loud, then quiet, then statiky.
Reminds me of when my microphone shorted out. I was talking to a friend of mine as we were driving down the interstate. I began to realize that when I lifted the mic to speak, the sound on the radio would pick up, sound better. When I put it down, the sound on the radio would almost cut completely out. So, I started wiggling the mic cord from one end to the other. Just before the connector, as I wiggled it, it would cut in and out.
Wish you luck in figuring out what is wrong with your radio, I'm sure it's driving you nuts.

[parlyle]

Originally Posted by CURTWAYNE

I've got two cobra 29's. One is a standard ltd. The other is a nwst. With the automatic noise limiter turned on, the 'noise' should be knocked down quite a bit.
I'm not familiar with a Lil Will antenna.
Your most recent post says it would get loud, then quiet, then statiky.
Reminds me of when my microphone shorted out. I was talking to a friend of mine as we were driving down the interstate. I began to realize that when I lifted the mic to speak, the sound on the radio would pick up, sound better. When I put it down, the sound on the radio would almost cut completely out. So, I started wiggling the mic cord from one end to the other. Just before the connector, as I wiggled it, it would cut in and out.
Wish you luck in figuring out what is wrong with your radio, I'm sure it's driving you nuts.

I just got back, again, from trying the radio. Mine is the standard LTD, CLASSIC. I will check the mic out next time out. I still had the intermittent static and then nothing. But, I did get a radio check, so I'm getting out there. I turned up the "Dynamike" setting all the way and thats when I got the come-back.
Thanks:
Lyle