User's Manual

599 / Eagle Users manual Release 1.002 – September 27, 2010 30
Part #74447
Printed in USA
6. In Case of Difficulty
While we cannot cover every possible
problem, here are some hints for dealing with
some potential difficulties. Check the
obvious. Is your dc power source okay?
Check power supply, cable and connector(s).
Is the 25 ampere fuse loose or missing?
Antenna problems? Try a dummy load. Is a
proper antenna connected? Is any
external antenna switch connected and
properly set? Have you double-checked the
Eagle’s many control settings, including those
in the Configuration menu, for your intended
mode of operation? Have you checked how
the optional Filter’s are installed and
confirmed their installation ordering versus
the Configuration Menu?
Problem: No audio from receiver
Is the AUDIO (AF) turned up?
Is RF GAIN turned down (receiver will mute,
and S-meter will read a higher value than
band noise).
Is squelch activated? SQL will appear in
block letters on the screen. Press FNC then
FAST/SQL and check SQUELCH level.
Is the speaker wire internal to the rig broken
or disconnected? (Have you pulled the
covers off recently?) Try headphones to see
if audio returns.
Is NR off? Under some circumstances, noise
reduction can cover band noise completely,
leading the user to think no audio is coming
from the speaker.
Problem: Distorted SSB transmit
Be certain the mic gain is set properly. The
ALC LED should flash on voice peaks, but
not remain continuously lit in SSB modes.
Check the setting of the speech processor.
An excessively high setting can reduce audio
quality.
A frequent cause of a distorted SSB signal is
inadequate RF grounding resulting in RF
feedback. Common RF grounding problems
are no ground connection, or too long a lead
to a good ground. Many problems relate to
the lack of an RF station ground, as
contrasted with a safety ground connection.
We recommend bonding all equipment
chassis together with short heavy metal braid
or strap. Make these connections from
chassis ground lug to chassis ground lug and
connect the last piece in the chain feeding the
antenna to a good earth ground. This lead
needs to be as short as possible. Lengths near
¼ wavelength on any band used can be
particularly troublesome when the far end is
connected to earth.
Another potential cause of distorted SSB
arises when the station is in the near field of
the antenna. This is a problem many
apartment dwellers face.
Distorted SSB transmit can result from
chassis ground and signal ground from the
microphone being tied together to a common
connection. This is a common problem with
third-party microphones. Assure the chassis
ground and signal ground from the
microphone is separated.
Problem: Transceiver power shuts off
while transmitting
The Eagle is equipped with a silicon-
controlled rectifier that opens if the PA
current draw exceeds an instantaneous power
of approximately 30 amps. This will shut off
power to the transceiver. Excessive current
draw can indicate a problem with excessive
SWR due to antenna or feedline problems.
Power to the radio can be restored by cycling
the power switch and off or the 13.8 Vdc
source on and off.