MTS2000 UHF not performing as good as bubble pack radios

[jusbuc2k]

Hey guys,

This is my first post, and I wasn't 100% sure if this is the right board, but I didn't see somewhere else more specific.

I have an MTS2000 UHF 403-470 that I've had about 7 years now. I've used it for simplex operation on GMRS, and pretty infrequently. Lately I was doing some testing to see what kind of range I could get out of the radio before hunting season started. I drove to a spot in town that is about 6 miles from our house, stood outside, and got perfectly clear Rx/Tx with the wife (with her an on HT1000). However, simply walking out into the woods about 1/4 mile from my house, I completely lose any ability to communicate. The thing is, I can receive and transmit perfectly clear to the HT1000 at the same spot in the woods on a little Motorola bubble pack GMRS radio, and an older Talkabout DISTANT (2watt GMRS) just fine. What could be wrong with the MTS2000 that I could get 6 miles plus with great Rx/Tx, but really sucky performance just through some woods? Could the radio need an alignment, is it toast? I've never had any work done on either the MTS or the HT.

Any help would be appreciated!

Justin

[RadioSouth]

Notice the 1st posting, Welcome. Sure, alignment or perhaps antenna would be suspect if the MTS was the only radio misbehaving Just to narrow other variables were the comparisons made at the same time ? I notice you lost signal at 1/4 mile into the woods, was there any recent rain ? Might sound unusual but damp pine needles are known to absorb RF especially in the UHF + range due to their resonant length. Assuming outdoors with no manmade obstructions even at half the power 2 watt MURS will probably out perform 4 watt GMRS.

[jusbuc2k]

It's been pretty dry here, so I I don't think that would be it, but good thing to check. I tried two different antennas, the Motorola wideband UHF antenna (gray), and a Smiley 5/8 wave UHF 465 tuned antenna, neither seemed to make a difference. I was trying both at the exact same time, yes. I didn't think to try out a VHF radio, because the bubble pack Moto radio was working fine. I might need to investigate getting the MTS aligned, unless getting that done is more expensive than a new radio entirely, since it's so old.

JB

[CircleBat]

sounds like a typical grounding problems on these radios causing poor RX/TX..resolder all your grounds and will solve your problems.. these were headache radios back in the days.. limited support on parts

circlebat

[jusbuc2k]

CircleBat,

Thanks for the comment, but do you have any more specific info on what exactly to solder? I'm perfectly capable of doing it, I've got the radio disassembled here in front of me and I have the parts diagram, but I'm not seeing what ground points to solder. I found this HT1000 related post (http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... 84&start=0) that is sort of helpful, but I think my radio already has the newer style "clip" shield mentioned there.

[BigTex1136]

I just read your post and welcome to the board. 2nd I have an Mts2000 VHF same dam problem. Would have 8 radios working a job all on simplex within 1/2 mile of each other at an apartment complex. Anyways the Ht1000s did GREAT! My xts3000 also no problem. The one mts2000 could not hear us unless I was looking at the guy and we were close enough we did not need a radio and the tx was the same. I changed out antennas and batteries never could figure it out. If I am on a repeater the range is also cut bad. POOR RX and lucky to hit the repeater. Radio is on a self now. Sad too I love that radio useded it for about 10 years. So I am open to repair ideas also.

[jusbuc2k]

I did some research on the board and a few other places, got a schematic from the service manual. I did some solder work tightened up all the grounding and shielding clips, and generally cleaned things up. I haven't had a chance to test again now, but I'll report back when I do. If it doesn't work out, I'll probably just abandon my MTS or sell it for parts, and go with an HT1000 (which really does everything I need it for anyway).

[MT2000 man]

Upon reading your first post, did you say you originally got 6 miles on SIMPLEX talking portable to portable ? That is VERY good range. Best I've ever got on simplex is a mile and a half - two at best. What kind of city / town do you live in ? There must be like no trees / buildings in the way to get that kind of distance.

[jusbuc2k]

Yes, I got SIX miles between my house, and the town I live by SIMPLEX. The place I was in town was a higher place in town, and our house is roughly at the same elevation, with a lower region in between. It's all either farmland or woodlands between the two, but definitely not just free open space. I get clear transmissions between those two points even between 2watt radios. This is a google maps plot of points A and B (roughly, but very close). https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unkn ... 4&t=m&z=14

[jusbuc2k]

Well I did some testing last night, and after a little solder work the radio seems to be performing better, but still not as good as the two HT1000s I have.

[Will]

Two things to look for:

The contact from the RF board to the base of the SMA jack in the frame. Is the contact straight in relation to the RF board. Is the contact surface clean on both the tab and the bade of the jack. Is the jack center pin pushed out of position.

The P S speaker mic switch on the RF board dirty and or intermittent.

[jusbuc2k]

Thanks Will! I did some more cleaning up and a few better soldering jobs and it seems to be working well now.

[olderookie]

Yes, I got SIX miles between my house, and the town I live by SIMPLEX. The place I was in town was a higher place in town, and our house is roughly at the same elevation, with a lower region in between. It's all either farmland or woodlands between the two, but definitely not just free open space. I get clear transmissions between those two points even between 2watt radios. This is a google maps plot of points A and B (roughly, but very close). https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unkn ... 4&t=m&z=14

and if you look to the north about 20 miles there I am howdy neighbor.........

[Radio_Cowboy]

Yes, I got SIX miles between my house, and the town I live by SIMPLEX. The place I was in town was a higher place in town, and our house is roughly at the same elevation, with a lower region in between. It's all either farmland or woodlands between the two, but definitely not just free open space. I get clear transmissions between those two points even between 2watt radios. This is a google maps plot of points A and B (roughly, but very close). https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unkn ... 4&t=m&z=14

and if you look to the north about 20 miles there I am howdy neighbor.........

Howdy to both of you. I am across the river in the Alton/Bethalto area.