99 IS CB feeder cable or very low power

[grego]

The CB on my 99 IS still works - I can be heard when next to at a light , BUT the power is so low that I cannot be heard 50 ft away. Broadcast power is too low for any distance.
I suspect a problem with the feeder cable.  Any help on this ;  p/n for feeder cable, source to buy, or other hints if feeder is not the problem is deeply appreciated. OEM parts fiche show radio/cable/antenna parts but not the CB or cable . CB feeder cable is much shorter. Thanks in advance

[Jersey]

The CB on my 99 IS still works - I can be heard when next to at a light , BUT the power is so low that I cannot be heard 50 ft away. Broadcast power is too low for any distance.
I suspect a problem with the feeder cable.  Any help on this ;  p/n for feeder cable, source to buy, or other hints if feeder is not the problem is deeply appreciated. OEM parts fiche show radio/cable/antenna parts but not the CB or cable . CB feeder cable is much shorter. Thanks in advance

Replacing the coax cable is pretty straight forward if you have a soldering iron.  If you're not familiar with that, could contact a local Ham radio operator to assist.

Have you checked the SWR ?

[Steel cowboy]

How is "reception" only at a distance

[grego]

Reception is better than transmitt can receive with more distance Problem is definite on transmit side. Don't know how to check the SWR

[Steel cowboy]

Could be your mic too, if your receiving ok. Try the mic for the passenger

[WintrSol]

Reception is better than transmitt can receive with more distance Problem is definite on transmit side. Don't know how to check the SWR

Another reason to find a HAM radio operator, as CB shops are (almost) gone. They have meters you place between the transmitter output and antenna cable, which will tell them something about the antenna system. Some also measure approximate power output.

[grego]

I have used two different mic headsets with same results. Seems to be a TRansmit power issue

[3W-lonerider]

if your swr's are to high it will affect transmit. it will also burn out the final drive unit if you talk long enough, by over heating it. take the bike to a cb shop and have them check the swr's. i have 2 swr meters, but i dought your close to me.

[luftkoph]

22 year old coax, its no wonder you can't transmit very well, you're swr's are probably off the charts, I'd start with a new coax make sure all the connections are clean and corrosion free.

Most swr meters are set up to use PL-259 connectors with a jumper coax between your radio and the antenna coax, I have no idea what Honda used for coax some of these weird automotive am/fm/cb radios used Motorola type jacks, this could complicate maters for you.

Walcott radio in Walcott Ia. Might be able to help www.walcottradio.com

[Bagger John - #3785]

22 year old coax, its no wonder you can't transmit very well, you're swr's are probably off the charts, I'd start with a new coax make sure all the connections are clean and corrosion free.

Most swr meters are set up to use PL-259 connectors with a jumper coax between your radio and the antenna coax, I have no idea what Honda used for coax some of these weird automotive am/fm/cb radios used Motorola type jacks, this could complicate maters for you.

Walcott radio in Walcott Ia. Might be able to help www.walcottradio.com

42-year ham radio operator (30 year Extra, with a formal RF/EE background) checking in here.

Unless that short of a coax run is physically damaged somehow, it will add nothing in the way of an impedance mismatch to the system. I'd check with a different antenna (the loading coils in these are known to go open-circuit). Depending on what sort of equipment is available I'd start with an SWR bridge at the radio-to-antenna connection and a 50-ohm dummy load in place of the antenna. That will absolutely rule out the feedline as being the problem.

FWIW, every Hondaline coax assembly I've ever messed with (and this numbers in the high dozens, if not hundreds) is pretty decent quality and won't degrade. This includes fitment on GL1100, 1200, 1500 and the Valkyrie models.

If the original poster happens to make it to a place where I can test his radio installation I'll be glad to. There's also one other "gotcha" with the Hondaline CB radios. Put simply: The RF final section will not allow 100% modulation at rated (4w carrier) power without distortion due to the use of an RF transistor whose gain and dissipation figures are marginal at this power level - it's a 5w device. A few well-known shops tune these radios for maximum carrier (not optimum modulation envelope) and the result is that your buddies can't hear you due to distortion. There's simply not enough headroom in the power amplifier chain to allow the RF envelope to reach full modulation without flat-topping.

There are two ways to fix: Reduce the carrier level and increase the modulation level (via internal adjustment on the main board) or swap the power amplifier transistor for a device with higher dissipation ratings. I've done the former with every Hondaline/Clarion CB I've owned - and with 2w unmodulated carrier, the radio can be heard at a considerable distance using the stock antenna. (Blondie and I once did a base-to-bike test and got in excess of 10mi range on flat terrain.)

Connectors used in this system are the old RCA automotive radio type. Adapters to insert SO-239/PL-259 equipped gear can be found at any amateur radio or scanner supply shop. I don't see a lot of CB-exclusive outfits carrying them, however.

[grego]

Update. Stilll having low  power transmit problem. I replaced the antenna with one from Sierra electronics (AO GL12 CBANT) basically a complatible antenna fitment with a GL1200. https://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=AO-GL12-CBANT. .  (BTW I replaced the stock antenna since the wire beneath the mount was very twisted and the rubber boot to the mount post rotated freely, I thought the wire may have an intermittent connection internally. But this did not fix the power transmit problem)

Riding next to a companion on a Goldwing trike the tested range was about 100 ft stretch to 150 feet straight line of sight. Microphone, trigger key, headset,  and antenna all work fine...I can be heard to about 100 feet or - less-. But past that nothing . That indicates a very low power on transmit side CB problem, I think . Is there any CB repair folks still working on these old units ? or compatible replacement CB ?

[3W-lonerider]

check with sierra electronics. they work on motorcycle radios. but you can ask them if they do the cb's to.

[SCain]

Update. Stilll having low  power transmit problem. I replaced the antenna with one from Sierra electronics (AO GL12 CBANT) basically a complatible antenna fitment with a GL1200. https://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=AO-GL12-CBANT. .  (BTW I replaced the stock antenna since the wire beneath the mount was very twisted and the rubber boot to the mount post rotated freely, I thought the wire may have an intermittent connection internally. But this did not fix the power transmit problem)

Riding next to a companion on a Goldwing trike the tested range was about 100 ft stretch to 150 feet straight line of sight. Microphone, trigger key, headset,  and antenna all work fine...I can be heard to about 100 feet or - less-. But past that nothing . That indicates a very low power on transmit side CB
problem, I think . Is there any CB repair folks still working on these old units ? or compatible replacement CB ?

grego,
I still use the factory CB on my Interstate, I ride with guys that still use them and they work very well.
Are you adjusting your squelch the further you get away from the other bike?
So I keep my squelch setting at 20 when riding in a group close together, if we get some distance between us I start to lower it maybe to 15 and if we are real far apart I may go down to 10.

Setting the SWR is very critical to CB performance, good luck and hope you get it figured out.
Steve

[Bagger John - #3785]

check with sierra electronics. they work on motorcycle radios. but you can ask them if they do the cb's to.

They do.

I'd tell them to set the carrier at 2w carrier and modulation for 85-90%, NOT 5w w/ 35% as I've found some of their stickered Hondaline CB radios...

...but you do you.