Icom M710

[Sanctuary54]

We have a ICOM M710 SSB and we are not receiving well. We have checked all the grounds, cleaned them and reconnected them but still only receive faintly. Any suggestions?

Carrie, on Sanctuary Currently in Coconut Grove Fl. Waiting for weather window to Nassau.

[speciald]

Check the connection to the back stay. The coax will often go bad here as power arcs if the connection is wet. Sometimes just cutting off a few inches of coax will fix the problem. When re-attaching, bring the coax to the clamp from above to keep water from getting into the end of the cable. Seal with self anealing tape. I'm in Puerto Del Rey waiting for the tropical storm to pass. Looks like it will about a week before we can leave for St. Maarten.

[camaraderie]

Sanctuary...is this a new problem? Is the degradation recent or is the radio new to you?
The suggestion for checking the backstay is a good one since RECEPTION is at issue. Suggest all connections to and from your antenna coupler be checked as well as a second step.

[sailingdog]

Also, would recommend using adhesive lined heat shrink tubing rather than self-annealing tape if possible, as it will be a more waterproof seal.

[thekeip]

A word of advice: until you get the receive function under control, don't try to transmit.
Good luck,
Howard Keiper
Sea Quest
Berkeley....Ca.

[sailingdog]

Wise advice.

Originally Posted by thekeip

A word of advice: until you get the receive function under control, don't try to transmit.
Good luck,
Howard Keiper
Sea Quest
Berkeley....Ca.

[thekeip]

Which reminds me....I think one of the first things I'd do is to rig some kind of jumper from the 710's rf connector (coax) directly to the antenna without going to or through the tuner...you never mentioned the tuner...why's that??
Howard
Berkeley

[Sanctuary54]

Thanks for all the replys guys... We recently cut the coax and re-instaled it to the back-stay. We also mounted several spacers to keep it off the insulated part. We also placed a copper foil on the ground on the tuner (Icom 1-20) and placed it in the water. No change. Also, if we take the ground wire off the back of the radio...there is no change. We can hear Chris Parker at 6:30 on 4045 but no other boats. Yet, the boat beside us heas everyone???

Carrie & Carl
Sanctuary

[thekeip]

I think what bothers me a bit is that a good receiver -even a mediocre one, doesn't need all that much in the way of an antenna to receive something. I read into your post that you're having a general all-band problem. For sure though, your troubles will multiply if you try to transmit with a defective antenna system
I'll try to psysch this out as best I can...but others here are way more conversant than I.
Howard Keiper

[camaraderie]

Can you bypass the antenna tuner and just go straight to the radio?
Otherwise I am stumped. The guy with probably the most ham/ ssb knowledge around here is Btrayfors...suggest you PM him to look at this thread and provide thoughts.