Constant radio static driving me up the wall!!

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

It also entertains me how many people see the helm on my boat and ask why there are 2 VHFs. Realistically, the answer is "because when I installed them I couldn't find a spot for a third VHF and antenna." I hate using dual watch, so I'd love a third radio (the dual watch implementation on my SH radios causes a noticeable stutter in the selected channel about every second while it quickly checks for traffic on 16).

Heh... yep.

FWIW, I don't notice anything I'd call a "stutter" on our Icoms, (400BB and 510).

Both are set to do Priority Scan when we choose to use Dual Watch. When we use Dual Watch, we usually have 16/9 pre-set on one radio and 16/13 pre-set on the other, one or the other radio actually scanning, the other stationary on either 13 or 9.

When not in Dual Watch, we just leave one radio on 16 and the other on 13... more often in our case, since the whole idea of Channel 9 being the "alternate hailing channel" doesn't seem to have taken hold around here.

-Chris

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

Heh... yep.

FWIW, I don't notice anything I'd call a "stutter" on our Icoms, (400BB and 510).

Both are set to do Priority Scan when we choose to use Dual Watch. When we use Dual Watch, we usually have 16/9 pre-set on one radio and 16/13 pre-set on the other, one or the other radio actually scanning, the other stationary on either 13 or 9.

When not in Dual Watch, we just leave one radio on 16 and the other on 13... more often in our case, since the whole idea of Channel 9 being the "alternate hailing channel" doesn't seem to have taken hold around here.

-Chris

Interesting that the Icoms don't stutter. Maybe they actually have a second receiver or something instead of switching channels for a split second to check for transmissions on 16. Typically I monitor 9/13/16 full time. If I need to switch to another channel, I typically drop the watch on 9. At some point I'll figure out a setup for a third VHF so I can dedicate each one to a channel.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Interesting that the Icoms don't stutter. Maybe they actually have a second receiver or something instead of switching channels for a split second to check for transmissions on 16.

Or maybe it's there but just something I haven't noticed.

-Chris

[plebian99]

In some location you can be in a RF hotspot. That is that there so many transmitters in a area on different frequencies you can get what is called "intermodulation" or overload.

It depends on the brand and receiver design and some designs are better at filtering out the crud. The only way you will know is to install the radios in your car and drive to another location or take them home and have listen. If the radios behave correctly this may well be the issue.

Sometimes radios also suffer lighting damage that is mild and they use "PIN diodes" to switch from receiver to transmit. These PIN diodes can generate IMD or partially faulty or leaky. You might want to get your radios checked out and specifically mention the problems that you have.

Sometimes this problem of "rf alley" intermodulation or crud can come from your antenna connectors that have corrosion that can create mini diode junctions that detect rf and this can also cause crud. So check everything, clean your connectors, check you coax and then get the radio checked out. Maybe borrow another boaters radio and see if it behaves the same it should give you some clues.