Lowrance or Garmin Combo?

[conco46]

I like humming bird had my combo for 6 years n going strong.
Brings up bait fish and reef real clear

My mate has touch screen 10" Lowrance and its great

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[chocolatemoose]

there is a lid for every pot
some people like new tech
some like touch
some like buttons
some like tried and trusted
.. its... yeah.. just a fun old world

[Lovey80]

Had an issue last night on a newly installed GME VHF. Have linked it up with a GME AM/FM using a splitter. First trip everything ran perfect. Last night the VHF wouldn't transmit or receive but using the same antenna I could get clear radio right up on the Hards.

Anyone know now what would cause the VHF to not get comms?

[bluefin59]

Possibly the splitter causing the problem ,they are renowned for it even though mine has been good for the last 5 yrs also if mine is suspect it only takes a minute to disconnect and connect antenna direct to the radio ,.. Matt

[Lovey80]

Thanks Bluefin that was one of the first things I tried to isolate on the boat when I was out there. One thing I didn't try until I pulled my other boat out the shed today to do some more fault finding, was to try channel 16. Not wanting to clog the emergency channel.

Today though ugh I was able to get comms on channel 16 perfectly using the Antenna directly to the unit and through the splitter. Messed with the squelches, hi & low power and couldn't be heard on anything but channel 16 which was clear as day. I'm resigned to the fact that a two week old VHF is now faulty.

anyone had a similar experience?

[scottar]

What other channels did you try? Due to modern radios being frequency synthesised as against using crystals, it is very unusual (but nothing is impossible) for them to work on one channel but not others. As for out of the box failures - definitely not uncommon with electronic gear.

[Lovey80]

Only bothered with 16,20,21. I figured that if I had clear as day comms on 21 a week or so a go and nothing today then something must be faulty in the unit.

[Smithy]

21 repeater is down at the moment. They did work on it two weekends ago and the batterys have not recharged. Are you on INT on the screen not US or Can for Canada? Radio check Coastguard Mooloolaba on 16 and 73 then try Noosa on 22 or Redcliffe on 81.

[Lovey80]

ill give it a try Smithy but considering the distances I should have got comms regardless of the repeater as both antennas were in sight of each other.

[scottar]

Not the way a repeater works. On a repeater channel the radio is transmitting on one frequency and receiving on another so it physically impossible to talk without the repeater being functional. If you do a google search on "international Marine VHF Frequencies" or it may be in the back of your radio manual you will see the list of frequencies - some are simplex - same transmit and receive and can be used for direct radio to radio communication. The others are duplex - different transmit and receive and require a functional repeater to operate.

[Lovey80]

fixed! the fitting at the end of the antenna cable was shorting. for some reason hanging the unit off it upside down in the cab had the unit working. had to be it.... can't understand why I couldn't get Comms on channel 20 yesterday? is there a list of what channels are repeater and what are simplex?

[scottar]

This link may help. Channel 20 is duplex so no direct communication. Repeater channels only work when you and the vessel you are trying to talk to are within range of the repeater for that channel.

http://www.offshoreblue.com/communications/vhf-au.php

[Lovey80]

This link may help. Channel 20 is duplex so no direct communication. Repeater channels only work when you and the vessel you are trying to talk to are within range of the repeater for that channel.

http://www.offshoreblue.com/communications/vhf-au.php

Thanks mate. There should be something that comes up on the screen to notify you that the channel you are on is a simplex or duplex channel. Strange that it is not.