Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

In article , wrote:

Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

Pl-259 Connectors are called "UHF Connectors" sometimes but they are
basically the same thing. Amp makes some Specialty Connectors that
have Teflon Dielectric rather than the Bakalite that you normally find
in Pl-259's. These are a bit better at higher frequencies but only a
bit better. Pl-259's have been around since before WWII and are a
defacto standard for any radio that operates below 150Mhz and sometimes
even higher in frequecy, but they are a really bad type of connector
above 30 Mhz, and most knowledgable people change them out for a more
suitable type. They are used brcause they are cheap, and any Mooron can
put them on coax.

Bruce in alaska

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

Actually, an SWR meter would be quite helpful. Connect it between the
transmitter and the antenna cable, transmit, and see what the forward &
reflected power is. Now put it between the antenna and the cable, and
repeat. Is the transmitter putting power into the coax? Is the coax putting
power into the antenna? Is the antenna reflecting too much power back to the
coax? Is the coax returning too much power to the transmitter?

This simple meter will tell you if the problem is a bad transmitter, bad
coax, or bad antenna.

Ed

"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...
On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 16:05:22 GMT, wrote:

Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

The PL-259 connectors are also commonly called "UHF", so I'm sure you
got the right connector. I don't know of any different style for
higher frequencies.

Now that's sad. That's like not knowing there's an ocean at the end of your
river.
Hint; TNC, up to 2 GHz; N, up to 12 GHz; APC-7........., well, there's an
ocean of them.

Ed

I think he meant to say... There are no other connectors that look like
PL-259 and are sold at your typical boat store....(Like 75 ohm versions
or something like that).... I have never seen SMA, N, or anything but
PL-259s or BNC at the local marine store.




Ed Price wrote:
"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...

On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 16:05:22 GMT, wrote:


Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

The PL-259 connectors are also commonly called "UHF", so I'm sure you
got the right connector. I don't know of any different style for
higher frequencies.


Now that's sad. That's like not knowing there's an ocean at the end of your
river.
Hint; TNC, up to 2 GHz; N, up to 12 GHz; APC-7........., well, there's an
ocean of them.

Ed

This is all helpful, but any explanation for the clicking noise?
Helmer

On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 16:05:22 GMT, wrote:

Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation.
PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless
ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the
coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can
still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean
no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or
reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available.
You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna.

Doug

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

Would transmit on 1 watt, not 25. I do not know what type of dummy
load to ask for, or if RadioShack even has one that is not for CB use.
I read somewhere the instructions for a DIY, but not in enough detail
to be understandable. I guess I will have to spring for a SWR meter. I
have one for CB, but know that would not be suitable.
Thanks, Helmer

On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 18:20:42 -0400, "Doug Dotson"
wrote:

The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation.
PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless
ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the
coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can
still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean
no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or
reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available.
You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna.

Doug

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer

SWR meter for CB is not suitable for VHF. You can get a dummy load through
most ham suppliers like www.aes.com. Have you tried to disconnect the coax
at the radio and antenna and checked for a short between the shield and
center?
Checked for continuity end-to-end for the center conductor and also the
shield. Is this a new antenna? Did it work with the old antenna?

Doug

wrote in message ...
Would transmit on 1 watt, not 25. I do not know what type of dummy
load to ask for, or if RadioShack even has one that is not for CB use.
I read somewhere the instructions for a DIY, but not in enough detail
to be understandable. I guess I will have to spring for a SWR meter. I
have one for CB, but know that would not be suitable.
Thanks, Helmer

On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 18:20:42 -0400, "Doug Dotson"
wrote:

The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation.
PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless
ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the
coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can
still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean
no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or
reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available.
You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna.

Doug

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer