Hello all,
I recently did an installation on a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado for a local sheriff's department. The truck was fine for about the first month and then one thing after another has gone wrong. He continues to have communication issues with his Maratrac, such as transmitting difficulty, mike sticking opening etc. I have been unsuccessful at filtering out the alternator wine with numerous filters. Anyway to make a long story short, it seems like each week he is having trouble with something else on the truck. I am writing to see if any of you guys have done installs on the particular type of vehicle to see if possibly the truck itself is the problem. I outfitted 5 crown vics for the same department, same equipment and everything, and this truck is the only one with problems. Thanks in advance.
2004 Chevrolet Silverado Problems........HELP!!!!
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elite vehicle solutions
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I realize that the 2004 model is different, but FWIW, I have a VHF Vertex and UHF Kenwood in my 2001 silverado, and have no issues. Both radios powered directly to battery w/ign sense. No alternator whine that I'm aware of.
Your mileage may vary, especially with the new truck. Kit may have a point though.
Gordon
Your mileage may vary, especially with the new truck. Kit may have a point though.
Gordon
If all else fails, get a bigger hammer.
Re: 2004 Chevrolet Silverado Problems........HELP!!!!
Have the Altinator and Voltage Regulator checked on the truck.....Alt wine will come from a bad diode in the altinator and the TX problems could result in bad or over voltage to the radios......elite vehicle solutions wrote:Hello all,
I recently did an installation on a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado for a local sheriff's department. The truck was fine for about the first month and then one thing after another has gone wrong. He continues to have communication issues with his Maratrac, such as transmitting difficulty, mike sticking opening etc. I have been unsuccessful at filtering out the alternator wine with numerous filters. Anyway to make a long story short, it seems like each week he is having trouble with something else on the truck. I am writing to see if any of you guys have done installs on the particular type of vehicle to see if possibly the truck itself is the problem. I outfitted 5 crown vics for the same department, same equipment and everything, and this truck is the only one with problems. Thanks in advance.
On the Maratrac, where is the ground wire tied to ground and where are the orange and the green wires connected? I know this is a hashed-out subject, even by Motorola, but the Maratrac, and only slightly less so the Spectra, are very sensitive to the location of the power connections.
Having several of each myself and having installed many in new Chevies, the problems seem to revolve around the power sources. On many late model vehicles, the accessory harness is overrun with vehicle digital signal noises, some of which the Maratrac especially interprets as intended for it. This usually stems from tying the green and especially the orange wire to the fuse or accessory panel. What cures the problem for us is to put a relay in the orange wire circuit connected along with the green wire to the same power source as the red wire. The relay coil is then connected to the vehicle accessory panel for transmitter control.
The ground wire sometimes has to be tied to ground near the radio and also to the battery negative or to a post common to other accessories on the vehicle in order to eliminate alternator whine. Also, twist the green and orange wires around each other for as much of their length as they run together. We have had to go so far as to ground an ambulance module to the frame rail and to the battery to stop the whine and the control hijinks.
NOTE: we have discovered that certain models of stand-alone strobe light assemblies (Code 3 in particular) will cause a Maratrac to severely desense on receive, fail to transmit, continue transmitting when the key is released, and sometimes change channels when the strobes are operating. This is also a problem with some older Whelen power supplies.
Hope something of all this helps.
Having several of each myself and having installed many in new Chevies, the problems seem to revolve around the power sources. On many late model vehicles, the accessory harness is overrun with vehicle digital signal noises, some of which the Maratrac especially interprets as intended for it. This usually stems from tying the green and especially the orange wire to the fuse or accessory panel. What cures the problem for us is to put a relay in the orange wire circuit connected along with the green wire to the same power source as the red wire. The relay coil is then connected to the vehicle accessory panel for transmitter control.
The ground wire sometimes has to be tied to ground near the radio and also to the battery negative or to a post common to other accessories on the vehicle in order to eliminate alternator whine. Also, twist the green and orange wires around each other for as much of their length as they run together. We have had to go so far as to ground an ambulance module to the frame rail and to the battery to stop the whine and the control hijinks.
NOTE: we have discovered that certain models of stand-alone strobe light assemblies (Code 3 in particular) will cause a Maratrac to severely desense on receive, fail to transmit, continue transmitting when the key is released, and sometimes change channels when the strobes are operating. This is also a problem with some older Whelen power supplies.
Hope something of all this helps.