Hope this helps someone else... After a great deal of testing and experimenting the
problem turned out to be with the power supply. Changed to a new Alinco DM-330MV and
the problem went away.

Thanks for the help. It's a difficult problem to fix. Maybe it's time for a new radio.

Does anyone know if this problem was solved? I am having almost the
exact problem with the following differences:

This is my second experience with this problem on the same IC 207.
After my first experience with this problem, my radio did start working
for a while but I don't recall what change, if any, I made to cause it to
work. I was trying a lot of different things and suddenly, it started to work.
At the time, I thought the addition of a choke balun made it work
but I'm using one now and the problem continues.

When I make a transmission I can hear the power supply hum. I don't know what causes this.
 The hum seems to be the same regardless of
the power setting on the radio. I do not recall this happening when the 207 was working correctly. I've experimented with the distance between
radio and power supply and that doesn't change the hum. I've also tried
the radio on a newer, Astron power supply. On the Astron power supply, I
don't hear the hum but the radio continues to fail.

After the original problem was fixed, I used the IC 207 successfully for
several months. The problem only restarted when I switched from a dipole
antenna to a J-pole. Switching back to the dipole does not correct the
problem.



Any ideas will be greatly appreciated

Len,

This is too easy! Lighten up, It's a JOKE...

and the reason you fell for it is because you're so
full of yourself.

Steve KE7RTV

pure as in safe from the interlopers who want to screw
things up for the rest of us.

Len...... I just want the hobby to stay pure. I thought you'd be with me on that.

Keith, my concerns about amateur radio turning into CB
may very well be baseless, I don't know... but, neither do you. I'm only suggesting that we understand
what we're doing before we make changes because it's certainly a cat which can't be put back into the bag.

CB has become somewhat of a synonym for crude behavior
and given the cultural nosedive in which we find our-
selves, I don't think the concern about the rot working its way into amateur radio should be brushed
off as simple bigotry.


Steve KE7RTV

Keith,

There's plenty of agreement with you that the current
exam structure is not the best, so why do you keep
saying it over and over? I've been in a few other
countries myself and I think that changing our system
because of what other people think should be the last
reason we should change.

I've made this point before but the threat posed by CB
is real and worrying about the possibility of  amateur
radio turning into another CB does NOT make someone
a bigot.

Instead of telling us again what's wrong with the exam
why don't you tell us what you would do to prevent
amateur radio from turning into another CB.

Steve KE7RTV

While I'm predisposed to do away with the exams I have
to say that the worry about amateur radio turning into
another CB is very legitimate and shouldn't be tossed
away as just another form of bigotry.

I haven't used a CB since the 70s so a couple of years
ago I bought one for my grandson. I thought it would
be a good way to interest him in the radio hobby.
Boy, was I wrong about that.. in fact, after hearing
some of the filthy language being used, seemingly on
every channel, I took it apart and used it for parts.

I don't know if the exams are what's keeping amateur
radio from devolving into CB or not, but I don't
think we should criticize those who worry about it
happening without offering some good ideas about how to prevent it.

Steve KE7RTV

Keith,

Let's say for a second that there is no longer any
testing and all an applicant needs to do is demon-
strate his ability to operate a radio. Would you then
expect a large number of young people to pursue the
hobby? If not, then why not? What else has to change to make the hobby interesting to young people?
(please don't say the old guys have to die, because I'm one of those old guys) <gr>

I tend to agree with you about the relevance of the
material on the exams but I don't see how just the
elimination of testing will bring in a large influx
of new (young) people.

Jim and Len, I know you make a good case for a lot of
the material now being covered on the exams and I
respect that, but it seems to me that the question for
most of the material is, "is this absolutely necessary" for someone to know before he can operate
a ham radio and in many instances the answer seems to
be no.

Keith's point that the depth to which a person wishes
to involve himself in the hobby should be left
up to each person and not defined by someone else seems to be a good one, and difficult to refute.

Steve KE7RTV

My note wasn't meant as criticism. My point was to
suggest that if amateur radio wants to appeal to young
people then maybe it could learn from the methods used
by other hobbies which have been successful at doing
it.

Steve KE7RTV

I just wanted to add that last year I was the mentor
of the robotics club at the local high school. On our
first day, we had to find extra seats for the large
number of kids who showed up. There was so much
interest in amateur robotics that the school is
planning to start its first robotics class. Both
girls and boys came to find out about the hobby.

These kids are fascinated by technology, willing to
work hard, and not afraid of a challenge. Often,
robotics is more difficult, from a technological
standpoint, than amateur radio.

I don't know exactly what the difference is, but
one thing the robotics indurstry has been very
successful at is making the hobby seem like it's
exciting and fun and unfortunately, this is something
amateur radio has failed to do.

The exams, the technical manuals, and the
hidebound attitude of many amateurs have all combined
to create an image of amateur radio as a hobby
which is not very appealing to young people.

Steve KE7RTV

Lots of questions relating to RF safety? I count 6, as
defined by the manual...... for all the exams combined.

I wasn't suggesting that any test be eliminated. My
idea, which isn't new, is that the tests be changed so
they better reflect the actual duties and responsibilities of an amateur radio operator and get
away from all the questions about electronics theory.

Money is a problem, but only to the end that people
don't want to spend a lot of it on a radio and then
be told they can't use it until they pass a test on
on electronics theory, most of which isn't necessary to the safe and knowledgeable operation of their radio.

Thanks for answering. It's no secret that Amateur Radio needs to find a way to attract new (young) blood
and I'm wondering if testing will help or hurt that
effort. I suspect the later.

Steve KE7RTV