Icom handheld aerial problem

doug748

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I have an Icom IC M31 which ( I think ) has a duff aerial:

1751358617630.png

Is there any easy way of attaching a makeshift aerial to test this theory? It is the common screw on stubby used on a number of models:

1751358720819.png

.....I envisage spending no money, bunging in a length of coax with matchsticks; that sort of thing.

Thanks
 
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What makes you think the aerial is the problem? What is the problem with tx or rx?

A simple test would be a 50cm long piece of straight wire inserted into the screw connector. That is roughly a 1/4 wave whip aerial. But only try it on rx it won't be properly tuned for tx (though a decent radio it would do no harm, just not work very well)

My HH's are older and have a standard BNC socket for the aerial to plug in and I have a cable that allows me to plug the masthead aerial into the HH.
 
I played around with this a while ago ie. connecting my handheld to the fixed VHF's aerial and what you need is an SMA<=>PL-259 adapter (NB. Sometimes they refer to SO239 as that is the name of the socket for the PL-259 plug)... I'm assuming your fixed VHF will have the PL-259 type plug... if not, they do the same for BNC type aerial connectors... should be less than a tenner...
 
I had the same problem which wasn't resolved with a replacement aerial. It turned out that the socket had let water in and had corroded on the inside. The radio was over 15 years old and had been used a lot outside.
 
I played around with this a while ago ie. connecting my handheld to the fixed VHF's aerial and what you need is an SMA<=>PL-259 adapter (NB. Sometimes they refer to SO239 as that is the name of the socket for the PL-259 plug)... I'm assuming your fixed VHF will have the PL-259 type plug... if not, they do the same for BNC type aerial connectors... should be less than a tenner...
Think you will find the OP's VHF uses a different connection to the more common SMA connection found on other ICOMs
 
Think you will find the OP's VHF uses a different connection to the more common SMA connection found on other ICOMs
For my icom m1euro v I got a threaded connector to a standard VHF connector so I could connect the handheld to the main aerial. Fitting a command mic by the helm means the handheld doesn't get much use !
 
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