Starcom and handheld cb

[bogey]

I've recently installed the Starcom1 advance (Thanks bike effects!) and didn't have any problems setting up for my sirius radio. However, when I hooked up the cobra handheld cb, I get some pretty nasty sounds. I can hear others but I can't transmit anything that sounds legible. I've tried it with both the PTT and with the VOX but it didn't seem to matter any way I tried. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bogey

 

[Go Far]

I've recently installed the Starcom1 advance (Thanks bike effects!) and didn't have any problems setting up for my sirius radio. However, when I hooked up the cobra handheld cb, I get some pretty nasty sounds. I can hear others but I can't transmit anything that sounds legible. I've tried it with both the PTT and with the VOX but it didn't seem to matter any way I tried. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Bogey

I ordered the Starcom advance from bikeeffects also and will have it next week, so I'm curious about your problem. I'll be plugging in a Midland.

Is the bike running when you try to transmit? Does it sound like electrical noise? Does it vary with RPM?

-If the radio has a short attached antenna, did you try different angles and orientations on the bike?

-Try adjusting the mike sensetivity, It may be picking up background noise.

-try getting power directly from the battery

 

[bogey]

I've tried it with the engine both on and off - no difference. It doesn't have that background noise associated with rpm noise either. I've also tried adjusting the vox and no difference there. Next option is locating a different power source to see if that makes any changes. I thought I'd try it with just the battery operation first. Haven't tried another antenna but will look at that possibility as well.

Thanks for the input and will keep you posted as to my hopeful successes!

Bogey

 

[Bike Effects]

I have sent a link to this thread to "Mr. Starcom". I hope he has a reply for me on Monday. I'll let you know.

 

[atxrider]

Hey Guys, I ran into the same problem when trying to use an autocom setup with a midland portable cb. You need a ferrite choke to cut down on the rf interference. I got one at radio shack...they are typically made to slip on a coax cable, but they fit over my protable antenna just fine.

Ferrite Choke

Regards,

Davy

 

[Ken C]

I am having a similar problem.

First, try your radio completely away from the bike to make sure that it is not malfunctioning.

Next, try a test running the radio on a separate battery and move the antenna away from the Starcom1 and the bike's wiring. Also, try lower transmission power.

I think RF is feeding back into the Starcom1 somehow and causing the noise.

If you can isolate the problem wires, you can -- as suggested -- install ferrite chokes. If it is coming into

the Starcom1 chassis, that will be more difficult to deal with. It might be necessary to move the Starcom1 as far as possible from the antenna.

Also, many handhelds are made expecting to be held in the hand, which functions as a ground plane. RF could be feeding back into the power leads otherwise. In this case, it can help to use a "counterpoise" -- which is a wire of lengh equal o 1/4 of the wavelength attached to the anetnna ground.

Ken C

 

[Badcat]

I've recently installed the Starcom1 advance (Thanks bike effects!) and didn't have any problems setting up for my sirius radio. However, when I hooked up the cobra handheld cb, I get some pretty nasty sounds. I can hear others but I can't transmit anything that sounds legible. I've tried it with both the PTT and with the VOX but it didn't seem to matter any way I tried. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Bogey

I have been fighting noise on my Midland handheld cb and a Starcom1 advance. The radio works perfectly on battery power but when I power it from the bike using Midland's adaptor I get a squeel in my headset and cannot transmit. I can receive with no problems. I am using a no ground plane Firestik antenna.

I spent about $40 on Radio Shack rf chokes placing them on every wire in and out of the radio with no luck.

I have a message in to Jeff at Sportbike effects and I know he will come up with something, he always has!

Burk

 

[bogey]

]
I have been fighting noise on my Midland handheld cb and a Starcom1 advance. The radio works perfectly on battery power but when I power it from the bike using Midland's adaptor I get a squeel in my headset and cannot transmit. I can receive with no problems. I am using a no ground plane Firestik antenna.

I spent about $40 on Radio Shack rf chokes placing them on every wire in and out of the radio with no luck.

I have a message in to Jeff at Sportbike effects and I know he will come up with something, he always has!

Burk

Badcat - that is exactly the same here except that for mine, it works fine with the power source and hand-keying the mike. But as soon as I hook the Starcom1 into it, it just has that squeel and definintely doesn't transmit anything you can understand. I was ready to go try the frrite choke described earlier but it sounds like you've been down that path and have not been successful. I do find it strange that I can hear okay through the speakers but the transmission is all messed up. Hopefully there is an inexpensive fix to our problem.

Bogey

 

[Luke]

Have you grounded to the frame? The FJR frame carries the ground from the alternator. The ground to the starcom must br isolated from the frame.

 

[Bike Effects]

I have a message in to Jeff at Sportbike effects and I know he will come up with something, he always has!
Burk

I talked to Starcom in the UK on Friday and they are still supposed to get back to me with an opinion on this issue. Sorry for the delay.

 

[Wolfhound]

I used a DC isolation transformer for input into my Autocomm - isolated bike noise from system....

 

[Bike Effects]

I received this info from Starcom today:

The most likely reason for the squeal is out put power modulating the DC cable into Starcom.

1. Make sure the Starcom1 DC cable length is short. ( especially the earth)

2. Make sure the CB output is set to low.

3. Remove CB antenna to see if problem resolved.

4. Place CB furthest distance from Starcom. Make sure cables are not close.

5. We also suggest you fit Ferrites onto the Starcom1 DC cable close to the unit.

 

[bogey]

Well, I've removed the small antennae from the handheld and ran a firestick from behind the Givi case. I was able to receive and transmit fine. But then I wanted to listen to tunes and with both hooked up, the radio is silenced regardless the setting on the vox. It seems like I will only be able to run one at a time unless one of the genuises on this forum can tell me what I'm doing incorrectly (notice I didn't say it was "wrong" cause that would be like.. impossible!!)

I also installed a ferrite choke but that didn't seem to matter as the transmission and reception worked fine until the sattelite radio was turned on. Go figure!

Thanks again for any assistance!

Bogey