I installed a VFH/UHF radio in a 1997 Grand Cherokee. The RF antenna
is approximately two feet horizontally, and slightly higher from the
Jeep's radio receive antenna. If I was listening to the vehicle radio
and keyed the VHF radio, it would mute the vehicle radio. The vehicle
radio finally is no longer working, except for one station. I am
assuming an induction problem. Technically, what exactly happened,
how, or not to fix the vehicle radio. How to prevent this problem in
the future. I raise this question not so much for the sake of the
Jeep, but because I am proposing to a put a VHF/UHF rig in the lady's
2005 Honda Accord. The only viable place on the car is a trunk mount.
It appears the car radion antenna is embedded in the rear glass and I
believe this area is also where the XM radio antenna is located. I
have tried to contact Honda on various levels but have had no success.
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Thanks,
Ethan Davis KB3EGG

On 1 Feb 2006 17:57:42 -0800, wrote:

I installed a VFH/UHF radio in a 1997 Grand Cherokee. The RF antenna
is approximately two feet horizontally, and slightly higher from the
Jeep's radio receive antenna. If I was listening to the vehicle radio
and keyed the VHF radio, it would mute the vehicle radio.

In our 1996 Chevvy Cavalier have a 50W VHF / 35W UHF rig into a
dual-band mag-mount on the roof and the vehicle radio antenna is on
the rear fender, about 3 feet away. I have never had the type of
front-end overload that you describe.

The vehicle
radio finally is no longer working, except for one station. I am
assuming an induction problem.

Not an "induction problem". Maybe perhaps the rf did damage to the
auto radio's front end, reducing the sensitivuty of the radio, or
did some damage to the digital circuitry used to tumne and control
the radio. You did not specify if the problem was with the AM or FM
bands.

Of course, that's the high-tech discussion. Perhaps the problem is
a bad antenna-to-auto radio connection. I had that happen once in a
1976 Plymouth where the radio's antenna socket was not soldered to
the radio chassis.....

Technically, what exactly happened, how, or not to fix the vehicle radio.

It may be cheaper to have a good quality after-market vehicle radio
installed rather than pull the old radio, have it repaired, and
reinstall it. If we decide to keep the Chevvy much longer, we need
to do that to replace the jammed cassette tape portion of the radio.
We'll take it to Circuit City or an equivalent radio shop - the days
of standing on my head to repair car radios or install 2-way rigs
are long passed, and I wouldn't have a clue how to disassemble the
Chevvy to take it out. I'll leave that to others - it's worth the
price.

How to prevent this problem in the future.

We had this happen when a 100W VHF radio took out the front end of a
very expensive spectrum analyzer which was connected to an antenna
on a mast 10 feet away from the comm antenna. The solution was not
to key the comm radio unless we were sure that the analyzer was
disconnected from the antenna lead.

There should be some front-end protection in a high-end auto radio.
Check it out before you buy.

I raise this question not so much for the sake of the
Jeep, but because I am proposing to a put a VHF/UHF rig in the lady's
2005 Honda Accord. The only viable place on the car is a trunk mount.
It appears the car radion antenna is embedded in the rear glass and I
believe this area is also where the XM radio antenna is located. I
have tried to contact Honda on various levels but have had no success.
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Why can't you put the antenna on the roof "as God intended it" ??
I prefer the mag-mount because with a flick of the wrist I can take
it off to go through the car wash or leave the car in the shopping
center parking lot for an extended time and not have it be a break-in
target.

BTW - I understand that Honda cannot be bothered to answer such
questions from buyers of their products. Don't take it personally.
Perhaps your dealer can help you better than "Honda".

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

wrote:
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Read the owner's manual. It will advise what precautions, if any, need
to be taken with regard to two-way radios.

As far as the dealer goes, they offered to look into it but had no
better luck than I did. What is frustrating is that when they are
approached with such a question, it is as if I have just come from the
darkest regions of Africa, with some strange object or ritual they have
never heard of, or seen.

Thanks for the reply

Ethan Davis KB3EGG

By the way, both AM and FM in the vehicle radio are malfunctioning.

Thanks,

Ethan Davis KB3EGG

No luck with the owners manual. Technically, the radio should be
protected by the manufacturer, but like other large businesses it is
part of that business to protect itself against liability by not
offering concrete guarantees, or suggestions on the proper method of
protecting the car's radio.

wrote:

I installed a VFH/UHF radio in a 1997 Grand Cherokee. The RF antenna
is approximately two feet horizontally, and slightly higher from the
Jeep's radio receive antenna. If I was listening to the vehicle radio
and keyed the VHF radio, it would mute the vehicle radio. The vehicle
radio finally is no longer working, except for one station. I am
assuming an induction problem. Technically, what exactly happened,
how, or not to fix the vehicle radio. How to prevent this problem in
the future. I raise this question not so much for the sake of the
Jeep, but because I am proposing to a put a VHF/UHF rig in the lady's
2005 Honda Accord. The only viable place on the car is a trunk mount.
It appears the car radion antenna is embedded in the rear glass and I
believe this area is also where the XM radio antenna is located. I
have tried to contact Honda on various levels but have had no success.
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Thanks,
Ethan Davis KB3EGG

I own a 1995 Ford Explorer and have it equipped with a 50/144/440 radio
that runs from 3-50 watts. I have my VHF/UHF antenna permanantly
mounted on the roof (Larsen low profile 18" dual band). I run the radio
into a diplexer and have a separate antenna for 6 meters. The way I
have it rigged up is the 6 meter antenna also serves as my AM/FM antenna
through the use of a splitter. I also have a 100 watt HF radio with a
multiband antenna on the rear bumper.

I have noticed interaction with my AM/FM radio at the 3 watt level on
UHF. High power almost always takes out the broadcast station but the
receiver has never been damaged.

When I transmit on HF, I can hear the SSB signal over the car stereo
speakers.

You don't mention how much power you are running but if your transmit
antenna is only 2 ft from the AM/FM antenna and you are running 40-50
watts, I would not be comfortable with that distance.

As for fixing the existing radio, you would probably be cheaper to get
some aftermarket system. Just be aware, when you do, if you are using
existing OEM speakers, often times, there may be an impedence mismatch
with the OEM speakers and an aftermarket receiver. Most aftermarket
units are 8 ohms. I have seen OEM speakers that were other impedence.


Andy

On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 23:43:31 GMT, "Travis Jordan"
wrote:

wrote:
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Read the owner's manual. It will advise what precautions, if any, need
to be taken with regard to two-way radios.

As I recall there is something about it in my 4-Runner manual, but the
Toyota dealer installed the Kenwood TM-D700 for me so it was ready to
run when I got the car.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

On 1 Feb 2006 17:57:42 -0800, "
wrote:

I installed a VFH/UHF radio in a 1997 Grand Cherokee. The RF antenna
is approximately two feet horizontally, and slightly higher from the

2' is pretty close. I'd not mount them that close.

Jeep's radio receive antenna. If I was listening to the vehicle radio
and keyed the VHF radio, it would mute the vehicle radio. The vehicle

it was overloading the front end of the car radio which was causing it
to shut down, probably from the AGC, or actually driving the input
transistor into saturation.

radio finally is no longer working, except for one station. I am
assuming an induction problem. Technically, what exactly happened,
how, or not to fix the vehicle radio. How to prevent this problem in
the future. I raise this question not so much for the sake of the
Jeep, but because I am proposing to a put a VHF/UHF rig in the lady's
2005 Honda Accord. The only viable place on the car is a trunk mount.

Don't mount the ham antenna and the broadcast antennas within 2 feet
of each other. 4 or 5 feet would probably make the difference. They
are about 6 feet apart on my 4-Runner and I notice no interaction even
when running up to 160 watts on 2-meters.

It appears the car radion antenna is embedded in the rear glass and I
believe this area is also where the XM radio antenna is located. I

I doubt it'd bother the XM satellite antenna as that is so far removed
in frequency from the ham frequency, BUT it depends on how well
grounded that system is. If the feed line is not grounded right at
the window it could also pick up signal from the ham antennas.

have tried to contact Honda on various levels but have had no success.
I am wondering if I put the VHF radio in the car, will it "burn out"
the other radios. This should give something for a lot of
conversation. I hope I can get some help.

Any time you mix radio systems there is *some* risk. It may be
miniscule, and it may not. You should see what we have to go through
to get an IFR certified GPS system installed in an airplane. It has
to be tested "in flight" against all of the other radios in the plane
before it can be certified.

Then again, some where, some one will find a way to do it. I prefer
to let some one else find the best way. It's both easier and cheaper
that way. :-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


Thanks,
Ethan Davis KB3EGG