XM DSC VHF only receives at low volume

[Rebel Rebel]

HI all,

Recently installed a XM DSC VHF onboard with a new Vtronix whip antenna at mast head and new cable run to the radio.

Upon testing it appears that I can transmit clearly but I could not receive, I get distortion / static / white noise instead of words but silence between the words. I had the squelch dialled up to just eliminate background static.

I then discovered that if I kept the volume really low I could make out everything clearly from a nearby testing handheld and from other radio traffic in the area. Obviously this is no good as engine noise / wind noise would mask the message, but it suggests that I can receive ok.

I have double checked all connections at deck level and even ran a separate cable and connectors to the foot of the mast with no improvement.

I'm guessing it is perhaps a speaker issue? The volume is not the same as gain on the signal is it? It shouldn't introduce distortion at low levels. My next step is to try an external speaker or maybe headphones to test.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot this issue? Unfortunately the radio was a boat jumble buy on my behalf by a friend, although it was meant to be brand new, so no receipt, no warranty, no luck!

Hope you can help,
Cheers,
mArk

 

[SAWDOC]

Of all the dsc VHF sets out there, in my opinion you ended up with the worst possible. I would send it back to the jumble otherwise I predict it will just cause you grief on an ongoing basis. Not at all surprised it ended up in a jumble. It has an almost unique feature of not being able to disable the alarm which combined with its tendency to frequently lose the gps input means that it shrieks frequently annoyingly again and again. End result ? I used to leave mine switched off to avoid the intrusion into my daydreaming. Spend a modest few bob on a SH and you won't regret it.

 

[neilf39]

Possibly a faulty speaker or amplifier circuit, more likely the latter. Faulty component works at very low gain but not when it's turned up. Your test with another speaker would eliminate that but volume may be impacted if not the same impedance.

You may have found the reason it was for sale at the jumble.