Icom 802 SSB - Techy Question

Jonny_H

Jonny_H

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Just completed the installation of an Icom 802, as follows:

Icom 802
AT140 Tuner
Dynaplate (linked to the AT140 only)
Pacific Whip Aerial
Pactor PIIex running Pactor III

Got it all connected and turned the radio on - however can only hear static (admit that I haven't had time to try all the scheduled calls, but thought I may hear at least something).

An installation question first .... the radio came off another boat which was professionally installed. I have the ground connected to the AT140, however nothing connected the ground point on the 802, some have said this is right, and others haven't - opinions?

Next problem I have noticed; when I select a frequency the radio says 'THRU' - so I press the TUNE button, and 'TUNE' flashes while the main controller of the radio clicks, and then returns to say 'THRU' ... is this right? I thought from reading the manual is should flash 'TUNE' whilst tuning and then say 'TUNE' when tuned??

Any advice on this one? Also whats the best freq / time to listen to see if I have a good Rx (I'll tackle Tx when I know I'm set up right and can receive!).

Thanks

Jonny
 
I am this very minute playing with my shiny new Pactor IIex. The P3 performance is amazing compared with P1. Right now I am using it to get wxFax into JVCcomm and it is working a treat with broadcasts from Germany and UK.

You will find details of WxFax broadcast times and freqs here
http://www.yachtcom.info/Weather.htm

That will test your receive. Even if you can't decode it, you will hear the faxes burbling away.

[ QUOTE ]
however nothing connected the ground point on the 802, some have said this is right, and others haven't - opinions?

[/ QUOTE ]

It usually makes no difference.
 
The radio dosent need to be conected to the ground. It will work fine without it.
The fact that the atu isnt tuning it is your problem.
Are you sure the control wires to the atu are right?
If you tune the radio right down to the broadcast band and see if you get anything there 1.548 (I think? or it could be 0.1548) should be radio city (or whatever it.s called
Why did you go for a whip rather than a backstay? I doubt that is your problem i was just wondering why?
Rob
 
Double and triple check the control wires to the ATU (the multistrand shielded cable)- the little plug at the radio end is notoriously tricky. You are correct in saying it should say tune when you push the button. Does the ATU make a whirring clicking noise when you push the tune button? If not, something is amiss!
 
And another question.Can anyone suggest some english language stations to listen to in the Med? All my frequencies for BBC and VOA seem to be out of date.
That is if the costcutters haven't stopped them.
 
Rob,

Went for whip as it was included with the 802 and the AT140 (which we got 2nd hand off someone who'd done an atlantic circuit).

The wiring to the AT140 is interesting. It was installed on a Dufour 42 by Sailcom they installed as follows:

On the AT140 - normal 4 coloured wires for the control cable, plus a grounding wire which goes to the ground point at one end, and the other end via a capacitor is spliced into the control cable.

On the radio box - the ground cable noted above comes out of the control cable, you can see another capacitor and is then spliced back into the control cable. This then has the 4 wires going to the plug.

This wire was cut before I installed it, however I just soldered the cut wires back together - could this be the problem? I will re-check the connections are good, but should I replace the wire completely? Also, anyone know what the grounding wire with the capacitors on it is doing in there? I can see at the tuner end it connects the ground, but at the radio end it is just used as a shield around the other wires as far as I can see??

Jonny
 
I'm not sure what you mean on that cable but it is just a screen.
I need to read the book again but i seem to remember that you ground it?
Rob
 
Yeah - I think it is the screen. The cable has a screen, black, red, white and yellow. At the radio end the coloured wires go into a plug which enters the radio (although I've just pulled one of them out when looking ... doh!) and the screen is just a screen (not connected) at the tuner end the screen goes via a capacitor to the earth point and the coloured wires to a plug into the tuner.

Hmmm ... may ask Sailcom for their opinion

Jonny
 
There arnt good English stations to be found only US religious ones which have great signals sounding as if there broadcast from an FT one with an amp.

There is radio china that can be found everywhere its a bit boreing as it goes on about how great china is!

For some reason i find French & Italian stations mainly?There are Dutch stations for Dutch abroad & Germany international.The BBC when found is about africa,VOA when found is very poor

Amature radio again is almost only French Spanish & Italian on 80 ??Nothing on 20
 
The capacitor is to block DC current while passing RF. If you are keeping your SSB and DC 'grounds' separate, as you should, and if you should decide to ground the set, but you don't need to, the capacitor will keep the DC isolation between SSB 'ground' and ship's neg.

For a receive test, how about RAF volmet: 5450 kHz, 11253 kHz. 24 hours service.

You will find lots of freq's and times here:

http://www.yachtcom.info/Frequencies.htm
 
Icom SSB - Parts Supplier?

Thanks all. I think my tuner is failing to tune.

I have double checked all the connections etc and found the wires between the auto tuner and the IC802 to be a bit suspect - on trying to unplug to investigate further 2 of the 4 wires came out - so clearly not the best connections!

However, the connectors are en-cased in plastic and despite my best efforts all I managed to achieve with the soldering iron was to get a great burnt plastic smell /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anyone know a good Icom parts supplier who would stock the connector for the back of the 802 for the tuner cable?

Thanks

Jonny
 
Re: Icom SSB - Parts Supplier?

They're a good mob and can usually come up with something. I was there the other week and they were very helpful.

If they don't come through, you could also try Waters and Stanton who have helped me out in the past.

Rick
 
Re: Icom SSB - Parts Supplier?

Hiya.
Re the 802.
Firstly, and I mean no disrespect. have you ever used ssb ?.
You will get SOME signals with a piece fo 10 foot wire stuffed into the centre of the antenna socket.
Tune around from 14.2 Mhz to 14.4 .. see if you get anything (During the day)
Your atu may not be working perfectly, or may..
static is often all you hear on ssb.. unless you hit a good signal.
try the wire first, then try the atu (With the new connector if you have kernacked the old one.
Joe
 
Re: Icom SSB - Parts Supplier?

Joe,

None taken - new to SSB's. Read up lots on them, and just installed it ourselves with guidance from others.

The reason I think the ATU isn't working is because when you press 'TUNE', the 'TUNE' signal flashes and then says 'THRU' instead of 'TUNE' as it should when correctly tuned.

The connector on the back of the 802 is tiny white plastic thing designed to have the cables soldered to metal connectors which are then clipped into the plastic socket - unfortunately this means if the cable comes out you can't resolder them as you can't get the metal connectors out of the plastic socket and using a soldering iron on the plastic socket results in a sticky white mess (I know!). I'm looking for a new socket and hopefully that will work.

I want to get it all tested before we leave in July and make sure the kit all works 100% (that way I know any tuning issues are mine and not the equipments!). I will try with someone else's tuner / 802 this weekend so should be able to narrow down the issue.

Hoping to get my callsign this week and then I will set-up a Sailmail account and start messing with that side of things (but again, I want to know the radio itself is 100% before I start getting stuck into Pactor modems and USB - Serial converters!!)

Thanks

Jonny
 
Re: Icom SSB - Parts Supplier?

I recently had a problem with my M802 RC25 control head. The multipin connector got a bit corroded and I needed to replace it. I ordered the part from ICOM in the US and received only the connector. However, the connector is actually soldered directly to a small pcb inside the RC25 and this you cannot get a replacement for. They even tried the factory in Japan without success. Then they spoke to the repair techs and they rummaged in the repair bin and found one that is like new, still soldered to the connector and with the ribbon cable attached. The price...$15. It arrived 2 days later. Great service from nice guys.
 
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