HANDHELD RADIO

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.

just checking

JRC has a pretty good track record, but one or two bad experiences can be
disappointing.

YMMV,

Frank


"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:h3O1e.565$ZV5.57@fed1read05...
ok... I think we all knew that... but from what I read... ICOM is not
JRC...
just cause ICOM is "made in Japan".. that does not make it JRC...

I did not see any affiliation to JRC in the article...

so.. whats your point?

BT


"F.L. Whiteley" wrote in message
...
please read the following
http://www.icomamerica.com/downloads/cq-interview.pdf

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:ViL1e.543$ZV5.432@fed1read05...
Hint,... it's not the antenna... it's the radio... JRC = Japan Radio
Corp...

Get an ICOM

BT

wrote in message
ups.com...
All,
I have been using a JRC JHP-500 handheld radio for field
communications
and have been a bit disappointed with it's performance. It has a
standard 6" flex antenna. When I am in the air and someone tries to
talk with me using the handheld, the transmission always sounds very
weak, even if I am flying right over the top of them at the airport.
For all I know, the radio is fine and the real culprit may simply be
the antenna.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions on other (stock) handheld transceivers that have
worked
well for others that won't break the bank?

wrote:
You might want to check the solder connection beneath the BNC
connector.

A friend of mine had the performance of his JRC take a serious
downgrade, and he opened up the case and found a split solder
connection beneath the BNC connector, with a quick re-solder all was
fixed. Shortly after I had the exact problem and solution with my
JRC.
It now works well!

Mike Reyes


Though it may not have been exactly the same problem (I suspect it
was), I had an lack of transmit capability with my ICOM IC-A22. This
was using both the rubber ducky and connecting to an external aircraft
antenna, so I bet it was the internal BNC connector in the handheld.

I sent it in for warranty service (under $50.00) and it came back
working great. I've even used it for Diamond Altitude and Diamond Goal
flights...in a 1-26!

Another thing to consider (though I suspect the cluprit is
"lips-too-far-from-microphone") is that "directly above" an antenna is
the "cone of silence." Remember to advise people NOT to point the
antenna at folks you're trying to talk to: make sure the antenna is at
an angle (90 degrees is best).

-Pete

"309" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
You might want to check the solder connection beneath the BNC
connector.

A friend of mine had the performance of his JRC take a serious
downgrade, and he opened up the case and found a split solder
connection beneath the BNC connector, with a quick re-solder all was
fixed. Shortly after I had the exact problem and solution with my
JRC.
It now works well!

Mike Reyes


Though it may not have been exactly the same problem (I suspect it
was), I had an lack of transmit capability with my ICOM IC-A22. This
was using both the rubber ducky and connecting to an external aircraft
antenna, so I bet it was the internal BNC connector in the handheld.

I sent it in for warranty service (under $50.00) and it came back
working great. I've even used it for Diamond Altitude and Diamond Goal
flights...in a 1-26!

Another thing to consider (though I suspect the cluprit is
"lips-too-far-from-microphone") is that "directly above" an antenna is
the "cone of silence." Remember to advise people NOT to point the
antenna at folks you're trying to talk to: make sure the antenna is at
an angle (90 degrees is best).

-Pete

Good point. Glider antennas may also have a similar cone, or may be mounted
in such a way that it works better at a distance, or poorly while on the
ground.

Frank

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).

JVC= Japan Victor Company, an old subsidiary of RCA - RCA-Victor
Even if you by an American radio it's probably A. Made in Japan or B. Manufactured with Japanese components.
But Icon is a good low to mid end radio, but if you're talking about a back-up radio that could be the difference of survival or not a couple dollars in your pocket sure won't do you any good when you're 8-10ft ASL on a some mountaintop!

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