Your using RG-58 to power the radio?
BAD idea. The wire inside is very small and won't be able to handle the
current the radio needs to run at full power.
Use at least 18 gauge wire or better yet, 16 gauge for BOTH plus and minus.
Don't forget to put a fuse on BOTH wires.
Give that a shot and report back.
73
----------------------

Dan wrote:

12 feet of RG58, plugged into the cigar lighter using one of those
radio shack adapters. I tried hooking it directly up to the battery
and had the same problem. Also hooked it up to a 10Amp power supply.

Nitespark wrote in message news:XHKlc.38165$NZ4.16447@lakeread05...
Dan wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

Thanks,
Dan
KE5BCC

What is the gauge of wire (for power) you have feeding the
transciever??? and how long???

Where is your power lead hooked in??? Is it hooked into the battery or
do you have it running through the fuse panel????

12 feet of RG58, plugged into the cigar lighter using one of those
radio shack adapters. I tried hooking it directly up to the battery
and had the same problem. Also hooked it up to a 10Amp power supply.



Nitespark wrote in message news:XHKlc.38165$NZ4.16447@lakeread05...
Dan wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

Thanks,
Dan
KE5BCC

What is the gauge of wire (for power) you have feeding the
transciever??? and how long???

Where is your power lead hooked in??? Is it hooked into the battery or
do you have it running through the fuse panel????

Dan wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

Thanks,
Dan
KE5BCC

that is definetally not normal. do you have a SWR meter ? or any kind of
meter you can attach to the radio to see what is coming out of it ?

how is the 242 on receiveing in comparison to the ht ?




--
Registered Linux User #346565
http://www.tblx.net
WA5K

Hi, Since you are new to the hobby (congratulations) is your antenna
correctly mounted (grounded OK)? How is the coax cable run, could you
have "pinched" it
or cut it pulling it through metal parts of your car, maybe causing a
short in the cable?
It sounds like it is an antenna issue. It sounds like the radio is
folding back it's power
for protection. If you don't have an swr meter, get one or borrow one.
Also, see if you can borrow a magnetic mount antenna for a quick test. If
that works OK then it is an antenna / coax problem. One more thing you
can try if your antenna seems ok.
Add a small coax jumper (a foot long or so) between the radio and the
antenna coax. Once in a blue the added length of coax can cure some SWR
problems.
73 and good luck!!

Dan wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

Thanks,
Dan
KE5BCC

Dan wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

Thanks,
Dan
KE5BCC

What is the gauge of wire (for power) you have feeding the
transciever??? and how long???

Where is your power lead hooked in??? Is it hooked into the battery or
do you have it running through the fuse panel????



--
One lawyer can steal more than a hundred men with guns.

On 3 May 2004 21:10:18 -0700, (Dan) wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

After reading the other replies here, here's another test you could
do: Connect your radio to a (10A)PSU that's connected to the mains.
See if that cures your problem. If not, disconnect the antenna and use
a dummy load.
If the radio still behaves the way it does now when fed from a PSU and
using a 50 ohm dummy load I would strongly suspect a radio problem.

On 3 May 2004 21:10:18 -0700, (Dan) wrote:

I just got my first mobile, a used HTX-212 (45W on high power).. When
I have the car engine off the transmit bars only light up about half
way. When I drive they go up farther but I still have trouble hitting
the repeater while my HT hits it with no problem. Are these power
fluctuations normal?

After reading the other replies here, here's another test you could
do: Connect your radio to a (10A)PSU that's connected to the mains.
See if that cures your problem. If not, disconnect the antenna and use
a dummy load.
If the radio still behaves the way it does now when fed from a PSU and
using a 50 ohm dummy load I would strongly suspect a radio problem.