Reporting back on my ICOM 802 problem. Received, but wouldn't transmit. As
correctly guessed in this NG, the control cable between the radio and the
automatic antenna tuner was not done properly, basically due to those tiny
little crappy plug connectors. I got a REAL radio tech and we fixed it. Just
soldered the wires together at the antenna connector then sealed them up. At
the radio, we used a terminal strip and connected the heavy wires from the
control cable there, then ran smaller wires that worked better with the
little plug to it from the terminal strip.

Formal complaint on the way to ICOM about those damm plugs. They were the
only thing I couldn't do myself in the initial installation, and the cause
of all these problems.

BTW, the radio is working great with only a Dynaplate in the water for the
ground plane, connected by 2" copper foil to the antenna tuner and the
radio. The antenna tuner is 3' from the antenna, as ICOM suggested.

Congratulations, Keith! Tell your radio tech he can just unscrew the
cover off the tuner and unsolder that damned pigtail from the main
board WITHOUT removing the main board. It has solder loops where the
screw terminal connector is SUPPOSED to be installed. Then you can
eliminate another failure point where you have the soldered wires
taped up and make it all look more professional. I bought Belden foil
shielded 6-conductor control cable that fits perfectly into the
watertight fitting in the tuner's case. Looks factory when you get
done.....(c;

Thanks for the info on the dynaplate. We just replaced the Perkins
4-108 engine in Lionheart with a nice one I got from Ken off
r.b.cruising newsgroup in NC. Just like a new engine. Lionheart now
has her HF tuner connected with heavy copper strap to the engine and
the heavy lead keel 6' 6" down below. Tunes great all the way down to
1.8 Mhz on the 160 meter ham band!

When you get to sea connect a hundred feet of hookup wire to the
ground terminal on the tuner and throw it overboard making a trailing
wire ground plane. Give that a try. Amazing signal reports here.
Don't use beer cans or anything shiny for a sea drag anchor on the
open end. "Something" ATE half of my trailing wire!....(c;



On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:44:42 -0600, "Keith"
wrote:

Reporting back on my ICOM 802 problem. Received, but wouldn't transmit. As
correctly guessed in this NG, the control cable between the radio and the
automatic antenna tuner was not done properly, basically due to those tiny
little crappy plug connectors. I got a REAL radio tech and we fixed it. Just
soldered the wires together at the antenna connector then sealed them up. At
the radio, we used a terminal strip and connected the heavy wires from the
control cable there, then ran smaller wires that worked better with the
little plug to it from the terminal strip.

Formal complaint on the way to ICOM about those damm plugs. They were the
only thing I couldn't do myself in the initial installation, and the cause
of all these problems.

BTW, the radio is working great with only a Dynaplate in the water for the
ground plane, connected by 2" copper foil to the antenna tuner and the
radio. The antenna tuner is 3' from the antenna, as ICOM suggested.