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Old January 29th 08, 01:46 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
Dick Dick is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 70
Default Icom in car won't turn on... amps?

Does it do it with the car warmed up and the engine charging the
battery? With the engine running, what is the voltage at the radio
feed to the nearest 1/10 of a volt? I assume you have decent gauge
wiring from that relay to the radio. I would recommend 12-gauge as a
minimum. I use 4-gauge to a feedpoint under the seat, then the stock
Icom power cable from there.

Dick - W6CCD

On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:46:56 -0800 (PST), RJValenta
wrote:

I just got my car back from the shop, and that Icom IC-208H I have
wouldn't turn on... as I prepared for the long annoying battle with the
dealership, I figured I should make sure it was definitely the radio...
brought it to the basement and hooked it up to a 12v powersupply - it
worked fine.

Now - my 2002 Jeep Cherokee was getting the transmission replaced, and
sat outside at the dealership during the 2 coldest weeks we've had in
a while... so cold that when I took the radio out, it hurt to hold it
for too long in my bare hand... but it still fired up in the basement
even though it was obviously below the Icom operating temp of 14'...
so, the problem must be with the car.

So I get my battery tester (can't find my multi-meter), set it to 12v,
hook the leads up to the connection in the car - 12v, no problem.

This morning, I reconnect the radio to the power in the car, and I can
hear it ticking... like its almost going to think about firing up, but...
it doesn't happen.

The setup is simple, its fed from the battery with a 30amp relay that
trips off the fuse box when the car is turned on. 12v coming in... but
it won't turn on, so I think to myself... 'no amps?'.

At this point, my slowly decaying knowledge of electronics starts to
flounder... but obviously its not the wiring because the current is
getting there, and not the relay for the same reason. Any ideas?
Could it be as simple as a bad connection somewhere? Thought I'd get
more knowledgeable thoughts on it before I start to tear things apart
out in the cold.


Thanks for any input...

Richard
N0TZC



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