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From: Stan Gardner (no email)
Date: Tue Apr 02 2002 - 15:06:37 EST
I contacted ICOM again for help, received the following:
Hi...
You can download dealers in your are from our web site. From our home
page, go to the Support tab. Click "Service Centers" on the next page.
Select your state from the next page. Then, you can scroll the list of
service centers. You didn't mention the type of antenna you are using,
but if it is shorter than 23 feet, you need to lengthen the antenna. If
longer, then that should be good. Without a technician looking at the
radio and installation, I'm not able to tell you too very much more.
You also might contact Don Melcher at H.F. Radio On Board at:
www.hfradio.com. He might be able to supply you with more information.
Regards;
Mike
I then contacted Don Melcher.
Don Melcher
H.F. Radio On Board
Dear Don,
I was referred to you by IcomAmerica as someone who could help with my
radio installation. I purchased a new in-the-box (although a
discontinued model) ICOM M800 with remote head and new ICOM AT-130
antenna tuner. I did my homework, even had several e-mail conversations
with someone who installed one on an identical boat, and went to work.
I'm using an insulated backstay for an antenna. The antenna tuner is
aft and is grounded thru 4" copper foil run along the hull for 20'-25'
and connected to two bronze thru-hulls. The radio is midships and is
grounded thru another 20'-25' of foil to two more thru-hulls. These two
grounds are connected to each other thru more foil and attached to about
60 sq ft of aluminum plate on my water tanks below the water line. I am
told that I have way more ground plane than I need, so I don't think
that is the problem. I have checked the coax between the transmitter
and the antenna tuner for continuity and for shorts.
The radio went in for repair right out of the box as a fuse was blown in
the main transmitter and a "solder connection on the fiber optic cable
connection?" was broken. I received a report saying that the radio had
been repaired and tested under warranty. It now turns on OK and I can
change channels, etc. So, now it's all installed, but I can't pick up a
clear conversation on any channel, certainly can't talk to anyone.
Often I can hear a faint conversation, press "TUNE" and the voices get a
little louder, but the static also increases dramatically, with no net
gain in clarity. I'm at a loss as to what to do at this point.
Everything is under warranty so if something's broken I need to get it
fixed now, but I'm not sure whether it's working or not. If it is
working, it doesn't seem to have much utility if I can't talk to
anyone. It may be that there's just nobody transmitting when I'm
listening - I have no experience with SSB. I do hear faint
unintelligible conversations from time to time and I hear data fairly
clearly on a number of channels.
I have invested a lot of time and money and am frankly very disappointed
at this point. Icom has been less than helpful.
Any advice?
Stan,
S/V Seabird V
Received the following from Don Melcher:
"It always amazes me how people can manage to find me AFTER they have spent a
lot of money and can make it work, where if they had REALLY done their
homework, we would not be having this conversation, and they would have
saved themselves some grief and probably some money...."
Soooo,
If there's a lesson here, it's don't attempt a SSB installation without
professional help. I tried to do it cheap (under $2000) and it bit me in
the butt. I'm going to keep working on it and see if I can't find another
boater locally who knows something about it to help me.
Stan Gardner ~~~_/) ~~~ Schlumberger
Automated Test Equipment
Senior Mechanical Engineer Probe Systems
Tel - 408 586 6532 150 Baytech Drive
FAX - 408-586 4654 San Jose, CA
95134-2302
Email -
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