UHF radio

[belzi82]

Hi everybody,
It has been a while!!!
Today I accidentally knocked my UHF and now it is not working (won't turn on). I have been having trouble with it since i had my bullbar replaced.
I have no idea what to do. I tried disconnecting and reconnecting it and nothing.
Help please???

[TPC]

What model radio is it?
Where did you knock it?
If it turns on by turning a switch on the volume control and you knocked that heavily you may have broken a connection inside the unit.
There could be a fuse holder close to the back of the radio that is making a poor connection.

[PeeBee]

Checked your fuse and also earth connection?

[threedogs]

X 2 with all the above
First what model UHF is it and where is it mounted ?
where abouts in Melb are you ???

[Winnie]

Long time no read, Belzi. Nice to see your name pop up.
Have you checked the fuse?

[belzi82]

Hi all,
Its a oricom uhf080 (2009) model.

Havent checked fuse, will look when i get home from work.

And I am in the outer east of melbourne.

[TimE]

If all else fails, try a factory reset?

Factory Reset
Should it be necessary you can return all the UHF080 settings to the factory defaults to do this.
1. Switch the unit OFF.
2. Press and hold the CALL button.
3. While still holding the CALL button, turn the power switch to ON, this will reset the factory defaults.

[belzi82]

Thanks everyone for your help. Still having issues with the uhf.
I just pulled the fuse out and it doesnt seem cracked (internally it looks intact). Is it like car fuses that need to be replaced once they have a crack in it??
Please help.

[belzi82]

If all else fails, try a factory reset?

Factory Reset
Should it be necessary you can return all the UHF080 settings to the factory defaults to do this.
1. Switch the unit OFF.
2. Press and hold the CALL button.
3. While still holding the CALL button, turn the power switch to ON, this will reset the factory defaults.

Hi
I did this and still no power

[GQtdauto]

Sorry but does it actually turn on but you get no signal ? Or not turn on at all .
If it turns on but no signal and you've had your bulbar changed it seems like that's where your problem is , when I installed my dual battery tray I pinched the cable and had similar trouble but mine did turn on , I may be wrong but all the leads I've seen from aerials are fixed aerial end and depending on the old mount it would require the cable to be pulled back out of the cabin .

[belzi82]

After getting the bullbar it did turn on but now it doesn't

[GQtdauto]

Ahh so it doesn't turn on , have you checked that the main power in wire is live at the back of the unit , and the earth wire is grounded properly ? I guess you have replaced the cracked fuse but was it a known good fuse that you replaced it with .
If all the above check out it means unfortunately the unit might have survived the knock you gave it .

[belzi82]

How do I check that the wire is live??

[belzi82]

Sorry, I dont really lnow much but I am trying!!

[GQtdauto]

Best , cheapest and easiest way is with a cheap 12 volt test light , sort of like a screwdriver with a wire hanging off the handle end , should have an alligator clip on the end of the wire .
These cost around ten bucks for cheap ones , the alligator clip goes onto something metal that's earthed , the screwdriver tip should be pointed and needle sharp , this end you just push into the positive wire at the back of the radio .
Usually a red wire and the earth is usually a black wire .
You need to work out if the radio is wired up through accessories or direct , ie key on acc to work or live all the time .
Test the tester on the battery first to make sure it works and make sure whatever you connect the alligator clip is connected to a good earth , easy if you have a multi meter .
When I say push the probe into the wire at the back of the radio I mean 25mm to 50 mm from the unit , don't push it into the unit where the wire comes out .

[TPC]

Buy yourself a multimeter, they are cheap these days.
Then test where you have lost the voltage, would be happy to talk you through it.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-digital-multimeter-dmm/p/QM1500

[GQtdauto]

Hey kudos for giving it a go and no one knows how to do it until they're shown or told how to do it , for some of us this is simple but if you've never used a tester before not so simple .
I recently wired up some mirrors and the metal plate I put the alligator clip on was not earthed , I spent half an hour and plenty swear words before I dragged out the multi meter and checked that the earth was no good .

[GQtdauto]

Thanks TPC you're an elec guru I believe .

[belzi82]

Buy yourself a multimeter, they are cheap these days.
Then test where you have lost the voltage, would be happy to talk you through it.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-digital-multimeter-dmm/p/QM1500

Hi TPC,
I bought a multimeter and tested the coax cable and it has power. I got nervous with checking the DC power and so havent done it. I googled how to and got some scary answers. Can you please help me??

[GQtdauto]

While your waiting for TPC , the back of the uhf unit should have a red wire (positive) and a black wire ( negative ) , the positive wire normally is fused if you can see the fuse disconnect and try testing here .

[TPC]

Assuming the multimeter is like the one in the picture below set it up like this.
Not knowing how it is wired, have the car key turned to accessories and open the fuse holder and connect the red multimeter cable probe to the battery side and the black cable to an earth and it should show around 12V on the multimeter.
If there is voltage there make sure the fuse is ok, if you have a spare the same then replace it anyway and use the multimeter to check for voltage at the red wire of the power plug on the radio with the black lead on earth.

If you would prefer I talked you through it on the phone let me know and either you pm your number or I could pm you mine.

71961

[belzi82]

Buy yourself a multimeter, they are cheap these days.
Then test where you have lost the voltage, would be happy to talk you through it.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-digital-multimeter-dmm/p/QM1500

Hi.
I checked both with meter and got -0.12 so I assume that is correct.
Tried the wires from the battery and then plugged Uhf in and tried from in front of fuse near back of uhf also got -0.12.
I am assuming this means that my uhf itself is dead and I would need a new one?

[belzi82]

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.

[TPC]

Hi.
I checked both with meter and got -0.12 so I assume that is correct.
Tried the wires from the battery and then plugged Uhf in and tried from in front of fuse near back of uhf also got -0.12.
I am assuming this means that my uhf itself is dead and I would need a new one?

You should be getting around 12.6 showing on the meter, if you are getting -0.12 that would not be right, that is the sort of reading you would get if there was no voltage there.
Are you sure about where the decimal point is?
What do you get on the meter if you go on the battery terminals?

[belzi82]

Buy yourself a multimeter, they are cheap these days.
Then test where you have lost the voltage, would be happy to talk you through it.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-digital-multimeter-dmm/p/QM1500

Main batt 12.4
Deep cycle 12.68
Cannot remember which one I wired the uhf too.
Could I be using metal that is not earthed??
I open fuse box and there is a metal bracket (unpainted) that I am using. I couldnt see any screws in there.

[TPC]

Main batt 12.4
Deep cycle 12.68
Cannot remember which one I wired the uhf too.
Could I be using metal that is not earthed??
I open fuse box and there is a metal bracket (unpainted) that I am using. I couldnt see any screws in there.

It does sound like you have a problem with the wiring and if you have the negative wire connected to a point not earthed that could be it.

[belzi82]

Thanks.
If that is the case how come it has been fine for the 5 years I have had it installed and it is only recently that it has happened??
Only thing different is I knocked it out of the bracket.
I will pull all the wires out over the weekend and have another go.
Thanks heaps TPC.

[TPC]

Thanks.
If that is the case how come it has been fine for the 5 years I have had it installed and it is only recently that it has happened??
Only thing different is I knocked it out of the bracket.
I will pull all the wires out over the weekend and have another go.
Thanks heaps TPC.

You could also have a break in your wiring, it is common for wiring to get damaged if it is crimped by something.
Let me know if you need any advise on the weekend, would give you a hand but you are a bit far away from me.

[Avo]

turned it on without arial attached? that has been known to stuff some

[belzi82]

Thanks TPC. I will have a go and see how I go. Is there any way to tell there is a break in the wire apart from visually. I guess by checking with the multimeter. I am assuming it would be easy to buy more wire from Jayco or a car shop if this is the case.

[TPC]

turned it on without arial attached? that has been known to stuff some

Will only be a problem if you transmit without the aerial connected or with a damaged aerial but would not likely cause the radio to not turn on after.

[belzi82]

Avo. Aerial has always been attached so I dont think so.

[Avo]

sheesh w3as just thinkin thats all.i stuffed one of m,y first ones tyhis way..gme it did throw up an error code..ah well

[belzi82]

Sorry Avo.
Thanks for helping, appreciate it!!

[Avo]

Avo. Aerial has always been attached so I dont think so.

was thinking it may have been removed when bar was pulled off

[belzi82]

Could have been Avo but I doubt the insurance company would use it but then you never know they can be dodgy!!

[Avo]

Sorry Avo.
Thanks for helping, appreciate it!!

alls good mate,

[gubigfish]

Thanks TPC. I will have a go and see how I go. Is there any way to tell there is a break in the wire apart from visually. I guess by checking with the multimeter. I am assuming it would be easy to buy more wire from Jayco or a car shop if this is the case.

Car parts shops and Jaycar will have the type of cable required, when you buy a UHF it comes with the required power cable