I have an older FT890 which has been collecting dust...and now I want to get it working again.  

When I turn the radio on, there is no audio whatsoever, except in FM mode where its just a rush of noise (even on CB channel 19..where I know the needle would be moving around).  None of the other modes have any audio.  The automatic antenna tuner does nothing.  Sometimes, and this is only sometimes, the display flashes.  

I fear that something bad has happened to the ICs in there.  I tried the reset procedure many times with no success.

Anyone have any ideas on what's going on with my radio?

-Thanks

Phil/KF4ZTO

thanks

will do

KF4ZTO

I live in the Washington, DC metro area (Northern Virginia)  And I need some help with jammers on the 26 to 32 MHz band.  The worst is on the CB band.  Around here, it is nearly impossable to use any part of the legit 26.965 to 27.405 MHz band becuase of people and their "foot warmers".  I am also getting stations that appear to be operating AM or SSB on the 31 and 32 MHz bands, (I am listening with a FM-only scanner).  Any idea how to get rid of these people, they are very annoying and cause an interferance with legit stations, including the Civil Air Patrol, who uses 26617 and 26620 kHz for tactical communications.

thanks

CAPcadet69@hotmail.com

KF4ZTO

ok ok people

here's my two idea:

The 26.965 to 27.405 MHz band (at least in the Washington, DC metro area) is totally crap.  There are stations that I monitor (using a 30 year old 23-channel GM radio) that have at least 300 watts.  Channel 6 is by far the most active.  I hear these stations and they jam over all other CB activity on the channel.  I have also heard CB shops adversising moded CBs and linears on channel 19 all the time.  From time to time, i hear stations that appear to be on AM or SSB (I am listening using an FM-only scanner) from the 29.0 to 33 MHz band.  BEAR IN MIND.  The 28.0 to 29.7 MHz band was allocated for AMATUER RADIO USE.  This means use something else.  Frequencies from 29.80 to 30.55 MHz are used by the UNITED STATES MILITARY.  If I were you, I would stop going all back to these frequencies.  The 30.58 to 31.98 MHz is for forestry fire towers to use.  the 32.00 to 33.00 MHz band is also a military allocation.  The 33.02 to 33.98 MHz band is allocated to fire departments.  Well, you get the idea.  You have to understand that ham radio operators and CBers (legit users of the 26.965 to 27.405 MHz band) are not the only people that use that special 26 to 33 MHz section.  If you're gonna use that modified CB, use something like 26.7 to 28.0 MHz.  Stay off frequencies that are legit!  People use them! And my of them are public safety or government frequencies.

thank you for your concern.

KF4ZTO

Well you have a few things you can do.

1) Use a CB system, esp. SSB, if you are gonna be out there on 'remote' islands, the 27 MHz band should be pretty free, and you might just be able to use a few junk radioshack CB radios (just make sure you get a nice antenna) and make it work.

2) Use a MURS system, the new MURS channels are pretty much used all over the world now (illegal yes, but FRS is illegal in many places, and it is used)
The MURS radios are pretty much VHF business band frequencies that are license-free. My advice would be to get some nice VHF base stations, and some nice virtical antennas (Ringos, maybe?) and then use the MURS channels (151.820, 151.880, 151.940, 154.570, and 154.600 MHz).  With a nice antenna, 20 miles should be no problem.

3) Use a GMRS system, although 20 miles would be a strech, because GMRS is UHF, i would go with either the CB system or MURS system.  (the CB idea would be cheaper.

As far as Marine HF goes, it is overkill, unless you use it on the CB band (26.965 to 27.405) or the Business Radio HF Channels (27.430, 27.450, 27.470, 27.490, 29.710, 29.730, 29.750 MHz)


thanks, and if you have any questions, e-mail me at
CAPcadet69@hotmail.com

KF4ZTO

I would have to agree

no BPL!!!!

save ham radio people

KF4ZTO

Well, this is an interesting topic.  Many ships (many third-world container ships) use older (modified) ham gear for the MF-SSB and HF-SSB bands.  About  95% of these stations stay on the marine bands are are perfectly legit, or the ship's radio operator is also a ham anyway.  As far as I know, not many USCG people know (or care about) the differance between a $2000 Marine HF rig and a $750 ham HF rig.  The US Coast Guard is looking for the safety aspect of it (i.e. transmission on the emergency frequencies [i.e. 2182.0 kHz] as well as the "working" duplex frequencies).  Because many Marine MF/HF radios are sold with the ability to transmit and receive from 1.8 to 30 MHz continous, and they are then programmed with the marine frequencies that the operator desires.  Sometimes this creates a problem, with the ability to use any frequency, many people ignore the marine bands and use whatever frequency they want.  This could be a frequency that is ment for ham use(for example, listen to 160 and 80 meters at night, esp. near the West Coast) or any other frequency (i.e. the CB "freeband" from 26.000 to 28.000 MHz is filled with stations operating from ships using marine equipment).  Ham radio has long been an asset to marine radio services, and it should always be.  As long as the radio is being used for what it should be used for (I personnaly think that if a ship's radio operator uses a moded. ham rig for operating on the marine frequencies, its fine).

well, theres my two cents.

KF4ZTO