B-100 Antenna Troubleshooting OR "Is 200 FT all I get?"
 

(Newbie alert) I thought what I was doing was straight forward...

I have:
- Midland 4 W 1001Z
- 13.8 DC Power Adaptor
- 45' cable to a Saturn B-100 Antenna on my roof
- I haven't tuned it 'cause I don't know how

On the other node I have a MAXON HCB-10C Portable

AND MY RANGE IS 200-300 FEET!!!

Please, anyone, tell me I'm doing something wrong but simple to fix.

Any help would be appriciated.

Doh! What an idiot I am. I did as you suggested and now I get 1 ft more
range for a grand 201'. Thanks for all the help.

Hello CRR360:

The problem maybe with the antenna and coax.

Check to see if the coax is wired correctly. Cenetr to center wire, and
outer to outer continuity with a meter. Also make sure the center does
not have continuity to the outer part of the coax connectors.

The antenna your using is also know for NOT being a good performer.

Let us know how the coax checkes out.

Jay in the Mojave

crr360 wrote:
(Newbie alert) I thought what I was doing was straight forward...

I have:
- Midland 4 W 1001Z
- 13.8 DC Power Adaptor
- 45' cable to a Saturn B-100 Antenna on my roof
- I haven't tuned it 'cause I don't know how

On the other node I have a MAXON HCB-10C Portable

AND MY RANGE IS 200-300 FEET!!!

Please, anyone, tell me I'm doing something wrong but simple to fix.

Any help would be appriciated.

On 29 Jun 2005 19:26:47 -0700, "crr360" wrote:

(Newbie alert) I thought what I was doing was straight forward...

I have:
- Midland 4 W 1001Z
- 13.8 DC Power Adaptor
- 45' cable to a Saturn B-100 Antenna on my roof
- I haven't tuned it 'cause I don't know how

On the other node I have a MAXON HCB-10C Portable

AND MY RANGE IS 200-300 FEET!!!

Please, anyone, tell me I'm doing something wrong but simple to fix.

Any help would be appriciated.
*******

Just for clarification sake

SOmeone with the HCB-10C walks 200 to 300 feet down the road and you
transmit and he can not hear you?

If that is so canyou hear anything else?

It may sound as if you have a defective antenna. Or you have a
defective coax. As someone else suggested. disconnect the coax at the
radio and at the antenna. with an Ohm meter check continuity of the
shield and center conductor from one end to the other. Also check for
shorts between the center conductor and outer conductor. This needs to
be done with the coax disconnected from the antenna.

Report back what you have found and then we can go from there.

james

james,
to be clear: HCB-10C walks out perfoming a mike check w/ the Midland
mobile responding.
1. past 200 feet, you can't hear a transmission from the HCB-10C to the
Midland mobile.
2. past 300 feet, you can't hear a transmission from the Midlan mobile.

BTW, I checked the continuity of the Coaxil per your recommendation -
no short, and the continuity lighted up fine on both the center post
and the shield. I did learn a lesson: next time I'll check it FIRST
before stringing it through my ceiling, attic and roof.

Using Topofusion application, I also checked the Line Of Sight from my
house to where we walked the HCB-10C and it's a mere slight incline; no
obstructions other than some trees.

Thanks for the help.

Jay in the Mojave,
Could you recommend a good strong base antenna that:
1. is fairly easy to install
2. doesn't have a footprint that will snag the airlines overhead or
scare small children

Thanks for the help.

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
Hello CRR360:

The problem maybe with the antenna and coax.

Check to see if the coax is wired correctly. Cenetr to center wire, and
outer to outer continuity with a meter. Also make sure the center does
not have continuity to the outer part of the coax connectors.

The antenna your using is also know for NOT being a good performer.

Let us know how the coax checkes out.

Jay in the Mojave

crr360 wrote:
(Newbie alert) I thought what I was doing was straight forward...

I have:
- Midland 4 W 1001Z
- 13.8 DC Power Adaptor
- 45' cable to a Saturn B-100 Antenna on my roof
- I haven't tuned it 'cause I don't know how

On the other node I have a MAXON HCB-10C Portable

AND MY RANGE IS 200-300 FEET!!!

Please, anyone, tell me I'm doing something wrong but simple to fix.

Any help would be appriciated.

Antron A99 is about the easiest to get set up, not a lot of wind
resistance, not real large.....

Hello CCR360:

There are the fiberglass antennas that are the simplest to install. No
foot print that will snag the airlines overhead, or scare small children.

But I always thought that having a significant sky hook antenna that
aircraft purposely avoided, and small children where scared of, was
always desirable. Right?

I don't think I am missing anything here!

Jay in the Mojave

crr360 wrote:

Jay in the Mojave,
Could you recommend a good strong base antenna that:
1. is fairly easy to install
2. doesn't have a footprint that will snag the airlines overhead or
scare small children

Thanks for the help.