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

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

I have an SWR meter but it is for 10/11 meter only. I think I
discovered "half" of the problem.. The power cable was passing
directly over the antenna coax. I separated them with about 6 inches
of space and the radio now hits many more repeaters than my HT,
however the power meter still only goes up half way. The receive is
very good. I am able to pull in all of the Wx channels on 162.xx..
Can't even do that with my scanner and an attic antenna. The 1/2 of
the bars when transmitting still bugs me though..


Dan



Jeremy Salch wrote in message ...
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 ?

I have an SWR meter but it is for 10/11 meter only. I think I
discovered "half" of the problem.. The power cable was passing
directly over the antenna coax. I separated them with about 6 inches
of space and the radio now hits many more repeaters than my HT,
however the power meter still only goes up half way. The receive is
very good. I am able to pull in all of the Wx channels on 162.xx..
Can't even do that with my scanner and an attic antenna. The 1/2 of
the bars when transmitting still bugs me though..


Dan



Jeremy Salch wrote in message ...
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 ?

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.

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????

On 4-May-2004, (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????

RG-58 center conductor is pretty small diameter for the 10 Amps needed at 45 Watts. Also, cigarette
lighter plugs have very poor central contacts. If you have a voltmeter, DVM, etc., try measuring
the DC voltage at the radio while transmitting. If it drops much from the 13.8 Volt battery
voltage, the power out will drop drastically. For a proper installation in a mobile, you should run
two #12 wires directly to the battery terminals for positive and negative. Don't depend on a ground
wire to the car body for the negative. And include fuses in both leads at the battery. This might
seem like redundancy, but it will protect the radio from being burned up by stray currents if the
chassis ground comes loose. 73.

Ken Fowler, KO6NO

You are using RG58 coax as a power lead????? Through a cigarette
lighter plug????

That is probably 99% of your problem. A 45W radio is probably drawing
10 amps or so. You need to completely rewire the power lead using at
least 12 ga wire (NOT COAX). It needs to be fused on BOTH leads AT THE
BATTERY. A cigarette lighter power connection should not be used for
more than 3-4 amps.

I would suggest you get with someone experienced an knowledgeable about
installing communications equipment in vehicles and get their guidance.

I would be surprised if your VCO even locked up when you were running
high power.

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????

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

I think he meant he is using the cigarette lighter for power (though he also
has hooked to the batteray and to a 10A PS), and he is using RG-58 [for the
antenna] but he has not stated the gage of the power leads. Agree RG-58
would be a disaster for power lead for anything drawing over a fraction of
an amp.

Heavy lines, directly to the battery, *both* fused, twisted for noise
immunity, is the recommended procedure by several major auto makers for 2
way radio installations.

"Nitespark" wrote in message
news:isQlc.38442$NZ4.17231@lakeread05...
You are using RG58 coax as a power lead????? Through a cigarette
lighter plug????

That is probably 99% of your problem. A 45W radio is probably drawing
10 amps or so. You need to completely rewire the power lead using at
least 12 ga wire (NOT COAX). It needs to be fused on BOTH leads AT THE
BATTERY. A cigarette lighter power connection should not be used for
more than 3-4 amps.

I would suggest you get with someone experienced an knowledgeable about
installing communications equipment in vehicles and get their guidance.

I would be surprised if your VCO even locked up when you were running
high power.

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????

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