# Radio/antenna problem



## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

My radio and antenna worked good for a few years, but one day as I was getting out of the boat, I slipped and broke the antenna. Bought a new Shakespeare model over a 100 bucks, installed it, and now it isn't working correctly. I can be sitting in my driveway and my wife takes my handheld and drives a mile or so away. We can talk and it is crystal clear. When I get out on the water with the boat running, i ask for a radio check, i don't hear anything. I am relying on my handheld until i get this figured out. Any suggestions?


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

that's a good question if ya know someone with a cb and has a SWR standing wave meter, ask to borrow it , its easy plug it in line on your antenna and check standing wave it should be very low , another try is your ground.


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## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

I was thinking it was a ground problem too.....never thought about the SWR meter. My uncle might have one. Thanks, bustedrod.


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## Mrwiggler (Jan 26, 2017)

I would'nt think it was a faulty ground, if your recieving and talking to a hand-held a mile away. I've tried getting a radio check before , and no response. Maybe try getting a radio check with someone u know. Good luck.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

oh yeah I have Hollard out for radio checks and nothin, you propbly don't have a problem lol


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

moondog5814 said:


> My radio and antenna worked good for a few years, but one day as I was getting out of the boat, I slipped and broke the antenna. Bought a new Shakespeare model over a 100 bucks, installed it, and now it isn't working correctly. I can be sitting in my driveway and my wife takes my handheld and drives a mile or so away. We can talk and it is crystal clear. When I get out on the water with the boat running, i ask for a radio check, i don't hear anything. I am relying on my handheld until i get this figured out. Any suggestions?


did you solder the end of the radio connection or did you use the end that doesn't require solder. I had fits with one of my antennas. turned out the end of the cable had a loose wire that was touching the connector. check the connector for wires that connects to the connector. if thats not the problem then you might have got a bad antenna.
sherman


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## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

I soldered it Sherman....I think I bought the antenna that you recommended in another post.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I bought a antenna at cabelas some yrs back. it worked good for awhile. our boat broke down and I put out a request to get towed and that i'd pay somebody to tow me in. I got a call back wanting to know how much I would pay. at that point my radio quit working. nobody could hear me. I called out to the coast guard and they could hear me and I could hear them. they got a guy at the ramp that agreed to come back out and get me. I couldn't talk to the guy in his boat but I could talk to the cg. when they got close I could hear them talking to the cg so I asked them if they could hear me. as long as they were within a couple hundred yrds we could talk without having to say everything through the cg. he towed me in and we could talk to each other. but the antenna went bad and it was new. I put another antenna on and problem solved. you may have just got a bad antenna. it don't happen very often but it does happen.

be sure and let us know what you end up doing to fix the problem.
sherman


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## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

sherman51 said:


> I bought a antenna at cabelas some yrs back. it worked good for awhile. our boat broke down and I put out a request to get towed and that i'd pay somebody to tow me in. I got a call back wanting to know how much I would pay. at that point my radio quit working. nobody could hear me. I called out to the coast guard and they could hear me and I could hear them. they got a guy at the ramp that agreed to come back out and get me. I couldn't talk to the guy in his boat but I could talk to the cg. when they got close I could hear them talking to the cg so I asked them if they could hear me. as long as they were within a couple hundred yrds we could talk without having to say everything through the cg. he towed me in and we could talk to each other. but the antenna went bad and it was new. I put another antenna on and problem solved. you may have just got a bad antenna. it don't happen very often but it does happen.
> 
> be sure and let us know what you end up doing to fix the problem.
> sherman


I cannot get out again for a couple weeks. We have a big shutdown at work and I am stuck there. Will let you know if I find the problem. Thanks.


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## Farmhand (Jul 11, 2011)

They are line of sight. I would think a handheld with a small antenna might not work so well a mile away.


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## Rodbuster (Apr 14, 2004)

I had the same problem with my 2 yr old radio. I could talk for a while then nothing. I tried different antennas same thing. I called Icom for support.They said it sounded like a filter. I sent it in they replaced the filter all good. Mine would work tell it got warm.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

was that a cobra? because I had the same deal with a new radio 79 was a problem channel. now it works but if it gives me anymore trouble I may un plug it and toss it in the lake. I don't deal with junk very well lol


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## erie mako (Jan 22, 2013)

You're too far away from me or I'd check it for you...
You could be looking at one of several issues causing your problem.

Maybe google search for a ham radio club close to you, one of those fine people should have a watt meter to check your antenna if you ask nicely or offer a donation to their club...


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

Try your boat on water with that same handheld on land at the ramp. you know this combo worked before... so try it again. It is not unusual to not get anyone to respond on radio except for emergency.


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## Rodbuster (Apr 14, 2004)

Mine was a Icom I was ready to toss it in too. And it did drop ch 79 but 16 would work.


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