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  • UHF Installation how did I go?

    Firstly I've tried installing a GME tx3340 with one of these antennas:
    vhttp://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...#ht_817wt_1104

    It was mounted on the factory alloy bullbar.

    Since then I have a few questions:

    1. What sort of range am I meant to be getting? Reason why i asked is because we mounted another one into my dad's 4wd, and I was getting around 600m. Mind you his car was in the garage when we tested it.

    2. The antena comes with a 259 type connector. I stripped the antenna cable fed through the white plastic bit with bit of inside wire sticking out and i soldered it to the connector. My understanding is that's the way to do it?? Also the metal wire mesh...does it need to be touching the connector to provide some sort of grounding earthing??

    3. If it's under-perfoming what should i be looking at?

    4. this one is bit embarrassing but when connecting the radio to the battery terminal i accidentally shorted +ve with the spanner touching the metal part of the engine. Some sparks went flying. Question is, what sort of damage can this cause on the engine computer/sensors/battery? Everything seems to be working OK so far. Battery is reading 12.8V

  • #2
    Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

    Originally posted by pjorek
    Firstly I've tried installing a GME tx3340 with one of these antennas:
    vhttp://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...#ht_817wt_1104

    It was mounted on the factory alloy bullbar.

    Since then I have a few questions:

    1. What sort of range am I meant to be getting? Reason why i asked is because we mounted another one into my dad's 4wd, and I was getting around 600m. Mind you his car was in the garage when we tested it.

    2. The antena comes with a 259 type connector. I stripped the antenna cable fed through the white plastic bit with bit of inside wire sticking out and i soldered it to the connector. My understanding is that's the way to do it?? Also the metal wire mesh...does it need to be touching the connector to provide some sort of grounding earthing??

    3. If it's under-perfoming what should i be looking at?

    4. this one is bit embarrassing but when connecting the radio to the battery terminal i accidentally shorted +ve with the spanner touching the metal part of the engine. Some sparks went flying. Question is, what sort of damage can this cause on the engine computer/sensors/battery? Everything seems to be working OK so far. Battery is reading 12.8V
    1. 600m does not sound right BUT it is very hard to tell from what you have described. UHF is a line of sight typre wavelength and does not "bounce" or reflect like other waves. My understanding of antennas is that two thirds of the power is released in the bottom third of the antenna so being that the antenna is mounted on the front of the bullbar if the front then you will find that the then you may have a lot of sheidling issues of the released signal if the front of the vehcile was in the gargage and the receiving UHF set was outside. The atrenna you have selected is a 4.5bd so you should be able to easily get 15kms of coverage so long as there are not obsticles or interferance.

    2. The cable has two cores, the actual signal core (centre) and a sheild (mesh). The sheild wires should be in contact with the plug when you do it up. Mine is not soldered but I do believe soldering will give you a better connection provided you are able to get enough heat to ensure that the solder has bonded correctly and not just sitting on the outside over a layer of flux.

    3. Try a different antenna or take it to the shop that you purchased from and see if they can help. If you can't take it then ring them. Try it in another vehicle as it could just be bad connections as well.

    4. Should be fine if it was brief as there is an amount of protection built in to allow for these accidents. Sustained shorting may be a different issue.
    [COLOR=#000080]Nick[/COLOR]
    [URL="http://pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=5308&sid=bcbebadd30673f1ac72047e6e8a93d79"]2006 TD GXL Evolution & Trips[/URL]
    [URL=http://www.fuelly.com/driver/Schaffer/prado][IMG]http://www.fuelly.com/smallsig-metric/45547.png[/IMG][/URL]
    [img]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/Schaffer71/Avatar/CooperCreek.jpg[/img] [img]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/Schaffer71/Avatar/BendlebyRanges.jpg[/img]

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

      thanks for the response, bit of an update on this, it all seems fine however the range between our cars is no more than 500 meters in straight line which is obviously bad.

      i've managed to briefly find someone on channel 10 and speak to them for a couple of minutes whilst they were around 3-4km away, so logically it means my dad's car is at fault. However when we installed his antenna we paid extra attention with the lead, soldering, wire mesh. With mine i don't even think the wire mesh has a contact with the plug?? Mine's mounted to an alloy bullbar whilst his is a steel one, which shouldn't matter.

      Perhaps there is someone in Perth, preferably near Jandakot with an UHF who could do some test with us to determine which car is at fault?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

        Originally posted by pjorek

        1. What sort of range am I meant to be getting? Reason why i asked is because we mounted another one into my dad's 4wd, and I was getting around 600m. Mind you his car was in the garage when we tested it.

        Something not right, sounds to me like symptoms of a very sick antenna system. Probably in the way you've wired up your antenna or connector. You have either a short or a non-continuity somewhere. Warning : sometimes this can damage your radio so don't transmit too much till you get it looked at .

        2. The antena comes with a 259 type connector. I stripped the antenna cable fed through the white plastic bit with bit of inside wire sticking out and i soldered it to the connector. My understanding is that's the way to do it?? Also the metal wire mesh...does it need to be touching the connector to provide some sort of grounding earthing??

        Also known as a "UHF" connector. The braid needs to be crimped to the outer part of the connector. Normally you need a special crimp tool to do this. There should have been a collar that goes on to the coax braid. First then push the connector on, feather the braid around the ferrule, push the collar over then crimp it. It can be a bit tricky wiring these because if you get a single "hair" from the braid touching the centre wire, you'll have a short and your radio will be useless

        3. If it's under-perfoming what should i be looking at?

        Most probably your antenna or coax.
        With your design of antenna, using a multimeter you can check for continuity and shorts. Put your meter in "ohms" mode. There should be continuity ( zero ohms or close to it ) between the centre pin of the connector and the centre top pin of the antenna ( take the whip off ). Then there should be continuity between the outer part of the ocnnector and the shiny chrome part of the antenna. There should be NO continuity ( very high ohms ) between the centre pin and outside of your connector.
        But the only way to properly test your antenna and cable it is with a VSWR meter. This device will tell you if you are putting out the right power, and if you antenna is working correctly.


        4. this one is bit embarrassing but when connecting the radio to the battery terminal i accidentally shorted +ve with the spanner touching the metal part of the engine. Some sparks went flying. Question is, what sort of damage can this cause on the engine computer/sensors/battery? Everything seems to be working OK so far. Battery is reading 12.8V

        should be Ok -if it had damaged anything you'd know about it by now

        I think it would be worth spending a few $ more and taking it into a radio shop and get them to check it out - at least put an VSWR meter on it. You'd then know everything was working properly especially if you need to make an emergency call at some stage.
        Cheers, Wayne

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

          Thanks for the response, I'll get my trusty multimeter out today and check the antenna. Hopefully I haven't blown the power amp just yet? Can anyone confirm, if you blow a power amp you'll still be able to hear the distance but you won't be able to trasmit?

          Also my PL 259 connector is a solder type and not crimpped one so i can't really crimp the back to the braided line.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

            fixed!!

            Ended up being dodgy earth on the PL 259 connector (braided line didn't have good enough contact with it).

            Got 7km range and that's with the car inside my faraday caged garadge. As soon as i took the car out 10km+ is achievable.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: UHF Installation how did I go?

              Great result. Good to hear.
              [COLOR=#000080]Nick[/COLOR]
              [URL="http://pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=5308&sid=bcbebadd30673f1ac72047e6e8a93d79"]2006 TD GXL Evolution & Trips[/URL]
              [URL=http://www.fuelly.com/driver/Schaffer/prado][IMG]http://www.fuelly.com/smallsig-metric/45547.png[/IMG][/URL]
              [img]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/Schaffer71/Avatar/CooperCreek.jpg[/img] [img]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/Schaffer71/Avatar/BendlebyRanges.jpg[/img]

              Comment

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