VHF troubleshooting

[Mundaysj]

Hi,
I may as well start off with a question for all those who know more than me.... and there are a lot of you!!
As soon as the weather warms up a bit up here I would like to get my VHF working.  Last year (my first year on Blond Ambition), I found that I could hear on my VHF, but could not broadcast out.  As the boat was already on her mooring, I bought a hand held and lived with that all year.  (Well, truth be told.. one went in the water after too many dark 'n stormies so I had to get a second had held.)  Now that I could actually do some work with it, I would like to get the one on the boat working.  SO.... how do I test the wire leading up to the antenna?  and could I , a non-electrician, replace the connection at the base of the mast?  I am pretty sure it needs a new one.  And why are there two wires coming out at the base of the mast?   Is one for the mast light and one for the VHF?  Can anyone recommend some trouble shooting steps for me?  Or am I just hopeless?
Thanks!!
I am looking forward to another adventure-filled sailing season!
Regards,
Sherie

[Mundaysj]

Darn,.. Just realized that i posted this in the wrong spot, but I can't seem to do anything about it.  Sorry... I really am blonde.  )

[Bob23]

Ahhh....Dark and Stormys! There's just something about Gosslings! No, you are not hopeless. Can you send a photo of the wire that exits at the base of the mast? West Marine sells a fitting that requires no soldering. It was a little tricky to install, but not impossible. It's gold colored, the same as blonde!
I used it and, during a radio check I transmitted 10 miles easily.
But...could it be the antenna? Could it be the radio? Maybe you can pull the radio out, do a temporary installation on a friend's boat that has a working antenna system and thereby confirming that the radio works! Or vice versa!
Bob23...over and out!

[mrb]

Sherie

Are the two wires at the bottom of the mast separate from the antenna cable.  What are the colors of the wires and is there one or two lights at mast head. 

Without knowing these things I would still hazard to say that both wires go to light, on being positive and other negative.  If the colors are green and white, white should always be the negative. Green is positive  If they are blue and white, white is still negative and blue is positive. Unless some one changed them the mast wires should be blue and white.

The only vhf antennas I know of do not require electrical hook up.  Bob23's suggestion about hooking your radio up to a friend's antenna and power is best advice for troubleshooting radio.  Let us know if that works out for you.

Hope I haven't added to much to the confusion factor here
Melvin

[bmiller]

If you can receive then it's most likely not the antennae.  Does the radio have a selector switch for US/Canadian/International channels? Is the mike securely attached?
I'll bet it's something silly, you'll find it.

[Mundaysj]

Good questions... If I can take a picture this weekend, I will post it.  Wire vs Cable?? How would I know which is which?  I feel even dumber than when I started this thread!  )

[mrb]

No,  Just maybe more confused.

Let's try it this way.  The thing that hooks to your radio is the antenna cable.  Now if you have two more things at the base of mast those would be wires.  First question now should be, do you have navigation lights (red and green) on the bow of boat?  You should and if you do they should be green and white.   That would leave the two wires at base of mast which should be blue and white and they would be for what is called your steaming light. This light is usually about 2/3 or higher on front of mast. It is white when light and only used when running under motor at night.

If you can't upload pictures yet, try to let us know if all your navigation light work, colors of any wire in question and if you have been able to try your radio on another boat with known working radio. Not to add to confusion but just some insight into radio. All radios that both receive incoming message and send out message are in fact two diff. devices put into one case.  You have a basic receiver and a transmitter.  We know your receiver part is working because you say you can" hear on my VHF".    The transmitter is in question as you say you cannot broadcast. Likely it is broke but there is always a slim chance that a switch is in wrong position, mike key is stuck or something on that line.  That is why the suggestion to try it on another boat of make checks as bmiller suggests. 

bmiller is more than likely right about antenna being good if you are able to receive incoming calls. 
 
Sherie, this may be fates way of offering you a chance to buy that new radio with all the glitz that you have been putting off.

melvin

[Mundaysj]

Thank you for the great explanation.  OK... I am going from memory.. because I was sick this past weekend and then it snowed... so it will be a little while till I can check it out. 

But I think the one thing is a cable...a coax cable if I remember correctly, but it needs a new connector.  Unfortunately I don't have another boat close enough to try it out.  But I could just put on a new connector and check the sending and receiving with my handheld, no?  If that doesn't work, maybe I'll have to think about a new fixed VHF.  Can I use the existing antenna with a new VHF or do they come as a package?

The other one I don't remember so well. But I do have a steaming light that is not working... so maybe that other one is a wire .. whatever it is, it is not connected at the base of the mast.... but I won't know if that is the problem with the streaming light or if it is the bulb until I can test the line.  My bow light and stern lights are working fine.  (Thank God...  at least one thing is working!)

[mrb]

Hope not the flu,  If still sick do not read until well and sorry in advance for possible confusion on electric wire section.  Really not complicated just may look that way.

If you are receiving I doubt it is the connector as if it was bad you wouldn't be receiving incoming signal.

Yes you should be able to use your existing antenna.  New radios are usually sold as a separate unit. where you live there a probably a few marine stores to choose from so I would buy the radio hook it up then if I felt I wanted a new antenna buy it separate. 

Trouble with new antennas and cable is dropping mast and running new cable through mast. 

If you want to for peace of mind and learning curve try changing the fitting first.  Be nice if a friend at your harbor has experience doing that sort of thing and can walk you through procedure.

I'm going to say the other wires at the base of mast are for the steaming light.  Very few people actually motor around at night and as they don't like drilling holes through cabin they just never finish the installation. 
The easiest way to check if the bulb is good is if you have a multi meter for checking electrical outlets or circuits. If you have one set it on resistance  (or ohm setting)  symbol looks like a horse shoe with little upsweeps at each end.
You will know if you have it on right setting by touching test leads together and needle or read out goes to zero. then touch each lead to one wire at mast base at the same time, if reading goes to zero or close to zero your bulb and wires are good.  If you don't get a reading then bulb or wires are bad.  Then you must check bulb.  GUES I NEED TO ASK IS YOUR MAST UP OR DOWN NOW.  If its down then yes check the bulb first.  IF YOU DO NOT HAVE METER then I would hook two wires to battery and touch them to wires at base of mast.  If light lights up good to go if not check that bulb.

There are devices made to run wires though decks that are water tight.  Again a good local marine store should be able to help.

Melvin

[Bob23]

Sherie, Melvin:
   I used the Cable Clam (catchy name, eh?) to run my vhf coax through the cabin top. There might even be a photo in the gallery. I was easy to install, and did not leak. Best of all, when I drop the mast, it allows me to unscrew the male fitting from the back of the radio and pull it through the cabin top. Got it at West Marine. Probably available elsewhere including Defender.
   Happy drilling, if it comes to that! Bob23