HANDHELD RADIO

Tim, it's neither. When someone uses the handheld on the ground when
I'm flying in my glider, the transmission is very weak. So much so
that I have to close all the vents and turn up the volume considerably
to hear what they are saying. The radio operates just fine; it's just
that it doesn't seem to transmit well.
I'm only guessing, but I'd put my money on the antenna as the problem.

wrote:

Tim, it's neither. When someone uses the handheld on the ground when
I'm flying in my glider, the transmission is very weak. So much so
that I have to close all the vents and turn up the volume considerably
to hear what they are saying. The radio operates just fine; it's just
that it doesn't seem to transmit well.
I'm only guessing, but I'd put my money on the antenna as the problem.

Does it break the squelch on your glider radio? If it does, the low
volume is not due to a weak transmission, but more likely due to a weak
audio signal. Perhaps the user is holding the unit to far from their
lips, or the audio gain in the transceiver is not set properly (a
factory setting, I'm guessing, but check the manual). Can you use an
external microphone to see if it makes a difference?

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

sounds to me like the person using the handheld radio is not close enough to
the microphone.......if you're getting the transmission then the radio is
reaching your receiver
tim

wrote in message
oups.com...
Tim, it's neither. When someone uses the handheld on the ground when
I'm flying in my glider, the transmission is very weak. So much so
that I have to close all the vents and turn up the volume considerably
to hear what they are saying. The radio operates just fine; it's just
that it doesn't seem to transmit well.
I'm only guessing, but I'd put my money on the antenna as the problem.

X-no-archive: yes
In article , Tim Mara
writes
sounds to me like the person using the handheld radio is not close enough to
the microphone.......if you're getting the transmission then the radio is
reaching your receiver
tim

wrote in message
roups.com...
Tim, it's neither. When someone uses the handheld on the ground when
I'm flying in my glider, the transmission is very weak. So much so
that I have to close all the vents and turn up the volume considerably
to hear what they are saying. The radio operates just fine; it's just
that it doesn't seem to transmit well.
I'm only guessing, but I'd put my money on the antenna as the problem.



The next logical step would seem to be:

Attach a RF Power Meter to the radio (using a Dummy Load) and confirm
that the RF Power is as per specification.

If this is OK:

Attach an AM (Not FM) Modulation Meter in place of the Power Meter and
confirm that the depth of Modulation is to specification.

If these test return OK results then it is probably a User Problem.

Tim Newport-Peace

"May you be cursed with a chronic anxiety about the weather."

John Burroughs (1837-1921).

All handholds suffer from some Faraday effect when transmitting from inside a vehicle be it a plane a car or whatever. Your best bet is splicing into your external antenna.
Another good idea is to looking into how and why different antennas are made and take a crack at it. If you're lucky enough to survive an aerial catastrophe and all you have is your back-up handheld you can greatly increase the TX distance of your handheld just by using parts of your craft to "MacGyver" a possibly lifesaving antenna.

Two of us at our club have the Vertex VXA-220, and no problems so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUqve7OchwQ

On 3/15/2016 7:03 AM, Casey wrote:
Two of us at our club have the Vertex VXA-220, and no problems so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUqve7OchwQ

Which reminds me. I have a Vertex VXA-150 that has become surplus to my
requirements. In very good condition! This one hasn't seen lots of
use, but it's light enough that I used to fly with it hanging from my
neck on a breakaway lanyard. It was always handy and never adrift or
(worse) behind a rudder pedal!

http://www.acespilotshop.com/pilot-s...-150-pro-v.htm

vaughnsimon at gmail dot com

Vaughn

A deal is pending on that radio.

On Monday, March 28, 2005 at 9:44:49 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Tim, it's neither. When someone uses the handheld on the ground when
I'm flying in my glider, the transmission is very weak. So much so
that I have to close all the vents and turn up the volume considerably
to hear what they are saying. The radio operates just fine; it's just
that it doesn't seem to transmit well.
I'm only guessing, but I'd put my money on the antenna as the problem.

You need to turn up the audio (modulation) on the handheld. Its either in the menu or internally on a pod. If you are not electronically inclined have someone else do it. If you were close to me I would offer in person assistance...... If its an antenna issue just try a substitute one from a friend.. Usually BNC antennas although old tech are pretty sturdy as they have been used for many years and can handle lots of abuse. And what you describe is low modulation. If it were a bad antenna you would hear lots of static on the signal. As if the ht was out of range.

Also I had a good laugh at everyone bashing JRC when in fact the company has been a respected brand for many years. As good if not better than Icom or Yaesu. I know this from experience owning a few of the HF (ham radio) transceivers they have made.

Remember you are using Amplitude Modulation for communications its not going to be FM stereo sounds.

I reponded to Vaughn's Vertex FS message, but was a tad too slow and someone beat me to it. It turns out he's just down the road from me and I would have treated him to lunch as part of the deal. ;-)

Paul A.
Jupiter, FL