VHF Questions and A Half-Arse Fishing Report

[Scoop Sea]

Yesterday on the way out, I noticed my VHF wasn't working. I took it out of the bracket and tapped it and it came on. Shortly thereafter it went back off. I then followed the leads which went to the switches on my console. Wanting to go offshore and running solo, I decided I better check it a little further. I cut the lines and wired the VHF directly to the batteries, this seemed to solve the problem at this point. I did a few "radio checks" and had someone hit me back. Usually Seatow replies, but since this was around 0730, I figured maybe they weren't manning the office yet and didn't give it a second thought.

Later that day, I kept hearing folks get "radio checks" and kept hearing Seatow respond and advise that they could do the automated radio check on I believe they said channels 26 and 27 in the big bend. At that point, I thought I would try those channels and didn't have any luck. I then tried on channel 9 and then channel 16 and still didn't have any luck. I could pick up traffic, but couldn't apparently call out. I pulled out the antennae plug and looked at it. It didn't look so hot, i.e. it was skint back and had a few wires in the plug, but that was about it. I then skimmed off some of the coating, rerouted it through the male adapter and plugged it back in. I still couldn't get a response on radio checks: 26, 27, 9, 16.

This leads me to the questions:

1. Is it o.k. to have the VHF directly routed to my batteries. Besides maybe the fact that there isn't a fuse in the line, I can't see where it would be a problem (but not having the fuse may actually be the problem).

2. Any ideas on the anennae issue, why I may be losing my ability to call out?

3. When you do a radio check on the automated channels, what occurs, i.e. does the receiver just reply what you spoke and then you know it made contact?

In advance, thanks for any insight you all may have.

As for the fishing, although it was a beautiful day, I only ended up catching 2 short gags and one short red. The red was "just a lil" over on my Seatow ruler on the side of my boat. I threw it in the cooler and continued to fish for a few minutes. That's when I remembered that I had won a fishing stick at the BBF Banquet, so I pulled it out and the red was "just a lil" under on the stick. I figured "The Man" wouldn't let me average the two and would hook me up if I kept it. In turn, I let it go (after it tore up my hand pretty good when it went psycho on me as I pulled it out of the cooler).

I also had some real nice folks come right up to my marker and cruise around it awhile. I was about 35 yards up from it. Thanks goes out to you three guys in the Sea Pro with the green lettering. Nothing makes you feel so loved as to have other folks come up on the hole you are fishing.

Lastly, when I got back to Rock Landing, there were some nice folks down from Georgia that decided that the double vehicle ramp should be a single ramp, the time to loosen up your ties, etc is when you have your boat backed down the ramp, and then proceeded to get aggitated at me because I was waiting in line at the boat staging area with my trailer and they wanted to come down that lane to go park, even though that would be going against the direction of traffic flow. I kindly pointed them in the right direction.

Nice day on the water with a few minor aggitations. But, that's what you get when you own a boat.......

[Jumptrout51]

Check the International button on your radio.
It may have been turned on causing the receive problem.
You could transmit but not receive.
The direct to battery is not a problem,you could add a in-line fuse to the hot wire if you wanted to.

[Scoop Sea]

Thanks JT, I will check that out after Church. With all the fumbling around with the VHF yesterday and the fact that I could transmit earlier, but couldn't later, it very well may be that I turned it on by accident.

[wevans]

Almost all VHF problems are related to a bad ground. Check the conections on both ends real well

[Scoop Sea]

Well I checked and the setting was on the good Ol USA. I can't find a ground problem. The VHF is lit up, I can hear folks conversing, etc., but I am just not transmitting. I'm thinking about getting a new one, but I just feel like the problem isn't with this VHF but rather the antenna. Any other suggestions? I was thinking about getting a handheld, but I don't think it will reach out as far as I like to go.

[BAD BEHAVIOR]

Well I checked and the setting was on the good Ol USA. I can't find a ground problem. The VHF is lit up, I can hear folks conversing, etc., but I am just not transmitting. I'm thinking about getting a new one, but I just feel like the problem isn't with this VHF but rather the antenna. Any other suggestions? I was thinking about getting a handheld, but I don't think it will reach out as far as I like to go.

Had the same problem, replaced the MIC and problem solved!

[fishinfool]

I would try what BB did. Your mic gets lots of abuse just riding, not to mention it is fairly susceptible to moisture damage. Add in the electrical connection from the mic to the base and the potential for problems increases a lot.
I have a ICOM M36 Floating 6W Handheld VHF Radio. You can attach an external mic or you can use the built in push to talk. It is waterproof, floats, and scans as many channels as you want to set up. Very good quality radio and functions well. If it dies after the 3 year warranty I would buy another one.
FF

[Jumptrout51]

Yep. Bad mic.
Warrior repairs these mics and sells new ones if they can't be fixed.

[groupertherapy]

Would also look at the antenna connector at the radio. May want to cut the coax and re-attach or replace the connector. Check the ground also. If it is not grounded well the additional electrical load when transmitting will make the ground fail. And just like anything electronic it may not be just one problem causing the failure.