CB Squeal

[H2O]

Had a strange issue with my 06 CB.

When I bought the bike this June the CB would transmit fine, but whenever someone would key their mic all I could hear was a squeal. After about 20 minutes I could start hearing people's voices coming over the squealing until the squeal subsided and all was well.

That lasted until a few weeks ago, right before a long trip a few of us took on our bikes.

The radio went back to the same issue and this time never got better.

I went through all, and I mean all the connections in the wiring on the bike before we left, cleaning and applying dielectric grease.

 

So, last week I replaced the CB. Now it's back to normal.

I realize this is a digital radio but I've never experienced a squeal on a two way unless it was on transmit.

I'm thinking about trouble shooting the thing.

Anyone ever heard of this happening on receive before?

[Condor]

Just a wild stab here, but it could be a short in your PTT... ???

[H2O]

Just a wild stab here, but it could be a short in your PTT... ???

 

I thought about that too. Maybe the contacts in the ptt on the front and the passenger might be dirty or not opening up completely but I went through both of them, and while I had the bike all apart, I opened up every modular plug and connection I could find, front to back. Everything appeared clean and crud-free. I blew out everything with air, cleaned as best I could and installed dielectric grease on everything. I checked the antenna too.

Don't have an SWR meter anymore, but my experience with two-ways is that on receiving SWR's don't cause a squeal on receive when it's out of parameters. I probably need to check that. Could it be I the SWR's are way out of whack and caused the radio to crap-out??

Nothing worked until I just coughed up the money and found another radio on ebay and replaced the whole unit under the trunk.

I'm convinced there was a problem in the radio, but I have never cracked open a digital radio. Had experience with the old crystal units though. lol

 

I guess I'll try troubleshooting the old unit when I get time, but I just think it's bizarre that the squeal was on the receive side and was wondering if someone could say "Yes, had the same problem and it was right there in this diode, capacitor, triac, resistor, ....etc."

[Marcarl]

Just for your info: dialectic grease is just that,,, doesn't transmit electricity,,, hope you put it on AFTER you made the connections.

[H2O]

Just for your info: dialectic grease is just that,,, doesn't transmit electricity,,, hope you put it on AFTER you made the connections.

 

Oh, now you tell me!!!

 

No, I didn't that, but thanks for the advice.

[MiCarl]

Just for your info: dialectic grease is just that,,, doesn't transmit electricity

 

Yep, it's a common misconception that dialectic grease is conductive. I suppose this is assumed because it is commonly used on high voltage ignition parts. When you use it on a spark plug boot it lubricates so the boot doesn't stick to the plug and helps insulate it from leaking the electricity (spark). At the voltages spark plugs use any thin layer that gets on the plug terminal is of no consequence. At low voltages though even a thin layer acts as an insulator.

[H2O]

Yep, it's a common misconception that dialectic grease is conductive. I suppose this is assumed because it is commonly used on high voltage ignition parts. When you use it on a spark plug boot it lubricates so the boot doesn't stick to the plug and helps insulate it from leaking the electricity (spark). At the voltages spark plugs use any thin layer that gets on the plug terminal is of no consequence. At low voltages though even a thin layer acts as an insulator.

 

That is true. I know electricians that think otherwise, but a dielectric is NOT a conductor. I know some who apply it directly to exterior (outdoor) connections in order to reduce corrosion at high voltages, but only to reduce corrosive effects and that's after terminations have been made.........at 12 volts.................I wouldn't.