VHF Reception. (Does my Radio Work?)

[DJE]

Everybody seemed to be hearing me Ok on Friday morning off Bembridge and on Friday evening approaching Cherbourg. But there was one point on Monday afternoon about 17 miles South of Bembridge Ledge when I was trying to talk to Galadriel and we were both hearing very broken transmissions. I suspect that we were quite close to each other at the time but didn't realise it and were still using high power (25W). It seems strange to have both transmit and receive problems at one point only. I was receiving Solent Coastguard from about 10 miles North of Cherbourg.
How did everybody else hear me over the weekend?

 

[fireball]

Well - on Friday it was fine - but then we were only about 10 miles apart at most.

 

[Chrissie]

Friday morning I could here people calling you but not any replies from you, I was about 6 miles behind you at that time, I had problems picking up 16 and only heard the weather announcments all weekend, my set was crackling loudly on 16 so monitored 69 and switched 16 off for hours at a time.
Called the large naval ship (Argus) on 16, and had no response, was there a blanket on radio near the naval games?

 

[DJE]

It packed up completly over the weekend nobody could hear me and I couldn't anybody else much either. I think I've traced the problem to the plug and socket connector at the base of the mast which was going a funny green colour. Cleaned it all up and gave it a good squirt of WD40 and then at least Port Solent could hear me from the mooring.
All that banter on Ch 69 at 25W must have worn something out!