VHF transmits but doesn't receive

[Kochi]

Hi everyone

The Raymarine RAY55E on our boat is transmitting but not receiving. I been through the handbook and can't see that I'm doing anything wrong. Hoping someone on the forum has some advice.

 

[30boat]

My RD60 didi that two times and after another malfunction I threw it away and got a a decent Standard Horizon.

 

[Richard10002]

My RD60 didi that two times and after another malfunction I threw it away and got a a decent Standard Horizon.

My Standard Horizon was poor at receiving. With a meter thing, I tracked down a poor connection at a plug joint below the mast step. Fixed the joint and it was like Piccadilly Circus.

Here's the discussion from 2009!

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?197354-VSWR-meter-bad-results!!/page2&highlight=SWR+meter

 

[bedouin]

I presume you've tried the obvious - turning up the volume and turning down the squelch. Also when you say it transmits - does it get a reasonable range rather than just being picked a few feet away? If the transmission is good but reception not work then it is not the antenna - suggests and electronics problem,

In the old days Raymarine had a very good service department - you could phone them up and get advice on issues like this -I am not sure if that is still the case, there have been a lot of changes.

 

[Kochi]

Thank you all. I had a Standard Horizon on the last boat and it worked fine.

I've connected a new aerial and Solent are receiving me loud and clear but I cannot hear their reply on this set but can on the (Standard Horizon) hand held.

 

[Mistroma]

Sounds like same problem we had. If I turned squelch off I'd get a constant hiss but could hear transmissions, it might be worth checking it your set does the same. I gave up and bought a Standard Horizon.

Radio was rarely used so fault not obvious far ages.

Boat was new in 2009 and radio didn't seem great but problem seemed to appear randomly. Handed it to (useless) local Raymarine agent who kept it all winter and had to be pestered to get the "new replacement" back. New one didn't come boxed and had no sun cover until I chased it up. I've always suspected it was the old model.

It failed completely at end of 2011 and I discovered a corroded connection at base of mast, inside the boat. I thought this might have been the problem all along and put in a proper connector, checked antenna etc.

All seemed OK in 2012 when we left the UK. However, intermittent fault came back and we couldn't hear anything but seemed to transmit.

Pretty certain that lots of people had similar problems with RAY55E. A friend is going to replace something on the set (poss. a filter ) as that's a known fault. He can just keep it if it works and I'll keep my new, much cheaper Standard Horizon.

Certainly wouldn't say RAY55E was worth having.

 

[Modulation]

Hi
Happened to me with my last vhf. Turned out to be some corrosion in the cables(interna) going to the speaker. I checked by bypassing the speaker and attaching to a spare.
So it WAS receiving after all but I decided to replace the whole vhf as I reasoned that there could be corrosion in other parts as well

 

[Kochi]

Just followed your advice with the squelch and yes it is receiving from our handheld but impossible to hear what is being said. That's progress, thank you, as I now know that the problem lies with the set and not elsewhere. Probably best just to replace it.

Would a Standard Horizon VHF work with the Raymarine GPS?

Thank you again.

 

[Mistroma]

Just followed your advice with the squelch and yes it is receiving from our handheld but impossible to hear what is being said. That's progress, thank you, as I now know that the problem lies with the set and not elsewhere. Probably best just to replace it.

Would a Standard Horizon VHF work with the Raymarine GPS?

Thank you again.

I'm sitting beside a Standard Horizon 1600E VHF connected to a Raymarine GPS using the same connecting wires my old Raymarine 55E used. All working fine and displaying position, course etc.

 

[Gypsy]

Just followed your advice with the squelch and yes it is receiving from our handheld but impossible to hear what is being said. That's progress, thank you, as I now know that the problem lies with the set and not elsewhere. Probably best just to replace it.

Would a Standard Horizon VHF work with the Raymarine GPS?



Thank you again.

The SH will expect the GPS signal to be NMEA 0183 so be sure that is what the Raymarine GPS can send to it - Not Seatalk.

 

[Mistroma]

The SH will expect the GPS signal to be NMEA 0183 so be sure that is what the Raymarine GPS can send to it - Not Seatalk.

Good point, I used original connections marked as NMEA. However, I had made up a detailed wiring diagram for all the instrumentation and dug it out a few minutes ago.

It says that my Raymarine GPS connects to the SmartPilot computer via SeaTalk and then exits via NMEA port 2 to get to the panel where the VHF sits. I'd obviously forgotten that it is converted from SeaTalk to NMEA.

I guess it also depends on which Raymarine GPS OP has fitted. I believe that the older RayStar 125 can output either SeaTalk or NMEA, depending on wiring.

 

[dial-a-monkey]

It may be the "common problem" with these radios - The ceramic filters fail due to bad design( The filter components are DC biased - which they shouldn't be)
The symptoms are: Transmits but doesn't receive - or reception none - > very poor and deteriorates over time... some more information here.. http://sv8ym.blogspot.gr/2010/10/more-on-withering-filters-case-ts-2000.html

Many manufacturers of VHF radios replace the filters for free but Raymarine have decided to charge the cost of their mistake to you at a healthy 110? Euros which is basically the cost of a better radio.

It's also possible (as some boat builders like Beneteau don't install the antenna cable with grommets) that the shield insulation for the antenna cable is damaged and is earthed (In the radio the shield is connected to the negative terminal and then through damage to the insulation via the mast lightening ground) - anodes disappearing fast??!! The extra power of transmit makes it out but the electrical noise picked up from mast and put onto the shield - drowns (balances~?) out the receive signals.

I would, before you do anything else, just stick a opened wire coat hanger( you will get reasonable reception) into the central bit of the antenna plug on the back of your radio and get a mate to call you - if you can hear signal then it's your antenna system/cable at fault - if not it's probably bad ceramic filters.

Replacing the ceramic filters is very fiddly and takes a steady hand - they are tiny, involves some very basic electronic knowledge - but the parts are very cheap - and have to be sourced from china - there's little risk if you need to buy another radio anyway ( it's the receive side of the radio - so no risk that you will cause unwanted interference to other VHF users - does NOT require any re-tuning or recalibration after fixing) - takes a couple of hours. You can see if it was the filters when you get them off - breaking one apart and you will see a lot of corrosion around or on the plates.

The Filters are LTM450 you need 2, they are in the Intermediate Frequency stage of the radio

If you need pics - or instructions, I might even have a couple of the parts spare..I'm happy to help

 

[Kochi]

Thank you for such a full answer and sorry for not replying sooner. We have connected a spare antenna, called using our handheld and still have the same problem. I'm not sure I would be able to replace the filters myself and Raymarine will apparently charge between £60 and £100 (plus VAT?) for the job. I have this spoken to Greenham Regus and concluded the best way forward is to replace the Raymarine with a Standard Horizon GX2000E as we have an unused CMP25 RAM mike from a previous boat.

Thank you again.

 

[dial-a-monkey]

N.P..If I wasn't floating around Greece I could have fixed it for you...It's annoying to see equipment go to waste for such a small issue - if you ebay it - it will get recycled.

 

[Monique]

If I faced your problem, I would consider a standard Horizant 2100 E. For the small price difference you get an integrated GPS and an AIS a system.

This kid was surprisingly useful in the Med on my last boat. I also had 80 nautical mile range on channel 16. Impressive kit.

 

[Kochi]

I have considered that model but does the GPS work below deck?

 

[nigelmercier]

... I would consider a standard Horizant 2100 E. For the small price difference you get an integrated GPS ...

No you do not.

http://www.standardhorizon.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=178_173&products_id=100019

Still a great bit of kit though.

 

[masa66]

Can you help me to find this 2 filters? I have open my Ray 54E but I see only one LTM450 on the dsc receive module....there are other under the mainboard? I can't see the components because it's upside down ..

It may be the "common problem" with these radios - The ceramic filters fail due to bad design( The filter components are DC biased - which they shouldn't be)
The symptoms are: Transmits but doesn't receive - or reception none - > very poor and deteriorates over time... some more information here.. More on the withering filters case: The TS-2000 disappearing noise conundrum

Many manufacturers of VHF radios replace the filters for free but Raymarine have decided to charge the cost of their mistake to you at a healthy 110? Euros which is basically the cost of a better radio.

It's also possible (as some boat builders like Beneteau don't install the antenna cable with grommets) that the shield insulation for the antenna cable is damaged and is earthed (In the radio the shield is connected to the negative terminal and then through damage to the insulation via the mast lightening ground) - anodes disappearing fast??!! The extra power of transmit makes it out but the electrical noise picked up from mast and put onto the shield - drowns (balances~?) out the receive signals.

I would, before you do anything else, just stick a opened wire coat hanger( you will get reasonable reception) into the central bit of the antenna plug on the back of your radio and get a mate to call you - if you can hear signal then it's your antenna system/cable at fault - if not it's probably bad ceramic filters.

Replacing the ceramic filters is very fiddly and takes a steady hand - they are tiny, involves some very basic electronic knowledge - but the parts are very cheap - and have to be sourced from china - there's little risk if you need to buy another radio anyway ( it's the receive side of the radio - so no risk that you will cause unwanted interference to other VHF users - does NOT require any re-tuning or recalibration after fixing) - takes a couple of hours. You can see if it was the filters when you get them off - breaking one apart and you will see a lot of corrosion around or on the plates.

The Filters are LTM450 you need 2, they are in the Intermediate Frequency stage of the radio

If you need pics - or instructions, I might even have a couple of the parts spare..I'm happy to help

 

[snowbird30ds]

After having issues with a navman 7100 (rebadged by many) I came to the conclusion that the only way I would have confidence in my vhf when I needed it was to junk it and buy either SH or Icom, both have an excellent reputation, I now have a GX1500 and it has been faultless for a good few years and I have every confidence it will be fine for many more yet.
A vhf you don't have faith in is worthless.....

 

[ghostlymoron]

I have considered that model but does the GPS work below deck?

I had that model SH and it worked fine on the integrated GPS Below deck