Spectra Rx problems

[cduda]

This is in addition to a post about this subject earlier, just different problems:

Have a Spectra Mobile where I am not receiving local repeater frequencies very well and distant repeater sites not at all. I checked the antenna with an Ohm meter and found that there was a problem, put a new mini UHF connecter on it and checked with meter again, no readings...So that was fix # 1

The local repeater frequencies come in a little bit better but nothing like they should and some other sites where I am within miles of towers, nothing. Remote head is fine. The channels that are local that I can pick up, I can TX on them but the reception from another radio sounds very scratchy. I placed another known working antenna on and same results if not somewhat worse. What should my next steps be? Is tuning the next step?

Thanks

[Will]

Cuda, hard for you to tell without test equipment... at least a signal generator.

And !!! you probally have bad capacitors in your Spectra that have allready leaked causing some of the same problems you are having.

[kc7gr]

This is in addition to a post about this subject earlier, just different problems:

<snippety>

The local repeater frequencies come in a little bit better but nothing like they should and some other sites where I am within miles of towers, nothing. Remote head is fine. The channels that are local that I can pick up, I can TX on them but the reception from another radio sounds very scratchy. I placed another known working antenna on and same results if not somewhat worse. What should my next steps be? Is tuning the next step?

Thanks

I've got a Spectra VHF on the bench right now that had sensitivity problems on the receive side (about 3uV vs. the more normal 0.3 or so). The problem turned out to be a shorted PIN diode (surface-mount part, very tiny) in the PA section, specifically in the T/R switch area.

As Will has already pointed out, this sort of problem is pretty much impossible to properly diagnose and repair without appropriate test gear.

If you decide you've had enough, and just want to get the thing fixed, you can send it to either one of us (PM first for details, of course). The choice usually comes down to geographics, and/or how backed up each of us are.

Happy tweaking.