Jonny_H
regular
Reged: 15/08/2006
Posts: 1512
Loc: Liveaboard - following the sun...
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Just completed the installation of an Icom 802, as follows:
Icom 802
AT140 Tuner
Dynaplate (linked to the AT140 only)
Pacific Whip Aerial
Pactor PIIex running Pactor III
Got it all connected and turned the radio on - however can only hear static (admit that I haven't had time to try all the scheduled calls, but thought I may hear at least something).
An installation question first .... the radio came off another boat which was professionally installed. I have the ground connected to the AT140, however nothing connected the ground point on the 802, some have said this is right, and others haven't - opinions?
Next problem I have noticed; when I select a frequency the radio says 'THRU' - so I press the TUNE button, and 'TUNE' flashes while the main controller of the radio clicks, and then returns to say 'THRU' ... is this right? I thought from reading the manual is should flash 'TUNE' whilst tuning and then say 'TUNE' when tuned??
Any advice on this one? Also whats the best freq / time to listen to see if I have a good Rx (I'll tackle Tx when I know I'm set up right and can receive!).
Thanks
Jonny
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www.freewebs.com/jksailing
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whipper_snapper
regular
Reged: 09/08/2006
Posts: 1548
Loc: Kenya
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I am this very minute playing with my shiny new Pactor IIex. The P3 performance is amazing compared with P1. Right now I am using it to get wxFax into JVCcomm and it is working a treat with broadcasts from Germany and UK.
You will find details of WxFax broadcast times and freqs here
http://www.yachtcom.info/Weather.htm
That will test your receive. Even if you can't decode it, you will hear the faxes burbling away.
Quote:
however nothing connected the ground point on the 802, some have said this is right, and others haven't - opinions?
It usually makes no difference.
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The_Joker
regular
Reged: 20/01/2007
Posts: 855
Loc: ked Away
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The radio dosent need to be conected to the ground. It will work fine without it.
The fact that the atu isnt tuning it is your problem.
Are you sure the control wires to the atu are right?
If you tune the radio right down to the broadcast band and see if you get anything there 1.548 (I think? or it could be 0.1548) should be radio city (or whatever it.s called
Why did you go for a whip rather than a backstay? I doubt that is your problem i was just wondering why?
Rob
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Why so serious?
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Foxy
regular
Reged: 08/03/2006
Posts: 146
Loc: Cruising
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Double and triple check the control wires to the ATU (the multistrand shielded cable)- the little plug at the radio end is notoriously tricky. You are correct in saying it should say tune when you push the button. Does the ATU make a whirring clicking noise when you push the tune button? If not, something is amiss!
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david_brighton
regular
Reged: 15/11/2002
Posts: 1031
Loc: Brighton UK, boat nr Trieste. ...
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And another question.Can anyone suggest some english language stations to listen to in the Med? All my frequencies for BBC and VOA seem to be out of date.
That is if the costcutters haven't stopped them.
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Is August a sailing month?
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Jonny_H
regular
Reged: 15/08/2006
Posts: 1512
Loc: Liveaboard - following the sun...
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Rob,
Went for whip as it was included with the 802 and the AT140 (which we got 2nd hand off someone who'd done an atlantic circuit).
The wiring to the AT140 is interesting. It was installed on a Dufour 42 by Sailcom they installed as follows:
On the AT140 - normal 4 coloured wires for the control cable, plus a grounding wire which goes to the ground point at one end, and the other end via a capacitor is spliced into the control cable.
On the radio box - the ground cable noted above comes out of the control cable, you can see another capacitor and is then spliced back into the control cable. This then has the 4 wires going to the plug.
This wire was cut before I installed it, however I just soldered the cut wires back together - could this be the problem? I will re-check the connections are good, but should I replace the wire completely? Also, anyone know what the grounding wire with the capacitors on it is doing in there? I can see at the tuner end it connects the ground, but at the radio end it is just used as a shield around the other wires as far as I can see??
Jonny
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www.freewebs.com/jksailing
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The_Joker
regular
Reged: 20/01/2007
Posts: 855
Loc: ked Away
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I'm not sure what you mean on that cable but it is just a screen.
I need to read the book again but i seem to remember that you ground it?
Rob
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Why so serious?
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Jonny_H
regular
Reged: 15/08/2006
Posts: 1512
Loc: Liveaboard - following the sun...
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Yeah - I think it is the screen. The cable has a screen, black, red, white and yellow. At the radio end the coloured wires go into a plug which enters the radio (although I've just pulled one of them out when looking ... doh!) and the screen is just a screen (not connected) at the tuner end the screen goes via a capacitor to the earth point and the coloured wires to a plug into the tuner.
Hmmm ... may ask Sailcom for their opinion
Jonny
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www.freewebs.com/jksailing
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trouville
regular
Reged: 10/06/2004
Posts: 2847
Loc: crusing with an Arpège
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There arnt good English stations to be found only US religious ones which have great signals sounding as if there broadcast from an FT one with an amp.
There is radio china that can be found everywhere its a bit boreing as it goes on about how great china is!
For some reason i find French & Italian stations mainly?There are Dutch stations for Dutch abroad & Germany international.The BBC when found is about africa,VOA when found is very poor
Amature radio again is almost only French Spanish & Italian on 80 ??Nothing on 20
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liveaboard
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whipper_snapper
regular
Reged: 09/08/2006
Posts: 1548
Loc: Kenya
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The capacitor is to block DC current while passing RF. If you are keeping your SSB and DC 'grounds' separate, as you should, and if you should decide to ground the set, but you don't need to, the capacitor will keep the DC isolation between SSB 'ground' and ship's neg.
For a receive test, how about RAF volmet: 5450 kHz, 11253 kHz. 24 hours service.
You will find lots of freq's and times here:
http://www.yachtcom.info/Frequencies.htm
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