Radioddity DB25-G: Stopped receiving from repeaters suddenly

[TrikeRadio]

I have had and used a Radioddity DB25-G for over a year now and in general been very happy with it
(except a few quirks that I wish were different, but that is another topic.) 

In the past day or two I noticed that the repeaters which I usually listen to were unusually quiet, and after turning on one of my HTs, I realized that the DB25G was not letting me hear the repeaters. I could transmit with the DB25G no problem. People could hear me and I could hear them via my HT, but not from the DB25G. It also seems that this affects ALL repeaters not just one or two, so it is not a repeater changing tones. And yet...  I can still hear and transmit on simplex!

I have:

1. set my squelch down to 1 - even tried off (0) and monitor button (and I think sometimes on monitor I can JUST BARELY hear transmissions from the repeater above the background static
2. turned off my RX CTCSS & DCS (only using the TX to activte the repeaters)
3. checked my TX and RX tones/dts - they are correct
4. confirmed that the +5 offset is correct
5. factory reset the radio and reloaded my saved set of channels from a working copy
6. factory reset the radio and manually entered tones for my most used repeater instead of uploading a data set of channels
7. tested my antenna with a different radio (and it works fine)
8. been through the user manual settings multiple times and even tried every setting I was unsure about
9. changed out the fuse in the fuse line just in case

but still it is failing to let me hear anything from repeaters. 

Is it possible that the RX of the radio has failed only for repeaters not Simplex?

Is there some setting I have accidentally set that is causing this issue?

Any suggestions or ideas I might try that I have not already listed above? 

 

frustrated that a radio which has worked fin for a year just suddenly doesn't! 
 

[LeoG]

Reset and reprogram.  Maybe just a software bug.

[TrikeRadio]

2 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Reset and reprogram.  Maybe just a software bug.

Yeah. I tried that - see my # 6 above

[LeoG]

Hit it with a hammer.

[LeoG]

Can you receive on ch 8-14 the FRS channels with run 467 receive?

 

Receiving a repeater is just 462.  Weird.

[WRYS709]

Replace it with a DB20-G (analog) or a DB25-D (analog and DMR)

[SteveShannon]

49 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

I have had and used a Radioddity DB25-G for over a year now and in general been very happy with it
(except a few quirks that I wish were different, but that is another topic.) 

In the past day or two I noticed that the repeaters which I usually listen to were unusually quiet, and after turning on one of my HTs, I realized that the DB25G was not letting me hear the repeaters. I could transmit with the DB25G no problem. People could hear me and I could hear them via my HT, but not from the DB25G. It also seems that this affects ALL repeaters not just one or two, so it is not a repeater changing tones. And yet...  I can still hear and transmit on simplex!

I have:

1. set my squelch down to 1 - even tried off (0) and monitor button (and I think sometimes on monitor I can JUST BARELY hear transmissions from the repeater above the background static
2. turned off my RX CTCSS & DCS (only using the TX to activte the repeaters)
3. checked my TX and RX tones/dts - they are correct
4. confirmed that the +5 offset is correct
5. factory reset the radio and reloaded my saved set of channels from a working copy
6. factory reset the radio and manually entered tones for my most used repeater instead of uploading a data set of channels
7. tested my antenna with a different radio (and it works fine)
8. been through the user manual settings multiple times and even tried every setting I was unsure about
9. changed out the fuse in the fuse line just in case

but still it is failing to let me hear anything from repeaters. 

Is it possible that the RX of the radio has failed only for repeaters not Simplex?

Is there some setting I have accidentally set that is causing this issue?

Any suggestions or ideas I might try that I have not already listed above? 

 

frustrated that a radio which has worked fin for a year just suddenly doesn't! 
 

So you say it works on simplex. Can you hear the repeaters when you’re receiving on 15-22 with no tones?

[TrikeRadio]

28 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

So you say it works on simplex. Can you hear the repeaters when you’re receiving on 15-22 with no tones?

does not seem to. Not sure why

[SteveShannon]

1 minute ago, TrikeRadio said:

does not seem to. Not sure why

Do you receive anything on 15-22?

[TrikeRadio]

1 hour ago, SteveShannon said:

Do you receive anything on 15-22?

only simplex it seems.... when I tranimis simplex on my HT i can hear it on 15-22 but cant seem to hear anything from repeaters even with no ctcss / dcs and squelch on 1... if i make squelch 0 or press the monitor button... and listen to static... it seems I can just make out transmissions over the static even from repeaters

[TrikeRadio]

I am starting to wonder if my radio got goofed up by exposure to RF that might be emanating from the old 3d printer that I have near the radio. I think I had it on, and was running the printer which I have not done in a while... wondering if I just overloaded or fried something. Is that even possible?

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, TrikeRadio said:

only simplex it seems.... when I tranimis simplex on my HT i can hear it on 15-22 but cant seem to hear anything from repeaters even with no ctcss / dcs and squelch on 1... if i make squelch 0 or press the monitor button... and listen to static... it seems I can just make out transmissions over the static even from repeaters

That doesn’t make sense. The radio has no way to know whether it’s receiving from a repeater or another type of radio on 462.550 MHz for example (or any of the other frequencies in the 462 MHz main channels). Are you certain that you’re listening on the right frequency for the repeater?

[TrikeRadio]

10 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

That doesn’t make sense. The radio has no way to know whether it’s receiving from a repeater or another type of radio on 462.550 MHz for example (or any of the other frequencies in the 462 MHz main channels). Are you certain that you’re listening on the right frequency for the repeater?

Yeah I know it seems weird.. but only thing I can think is my simplex test might be powering through since the HT is close to the other radio and antenna... is that possible? maybe the reception is just so bad that it can get the strong nearby signal but squelch out the weaker signal? I don't understand it either. And I agree there should be no difference between a repeater transmitting on a 462 frequency and a simplex on the same frequency if listening without any tones/codes. could it just be my regular squelch is only lettting thorugh very very strong signals even when it is on 1 ? 

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, TrikeRadio said:

Yeah I know it seems weird.. but only thing I can think is my simplex test might be powering through since the HT is close to the other radio and antenna... is that possible? maybe the reception is just so bad that it can get the strong nearby signal but squelch out the weaker signal? I don't understand it either. And I agree there should be no difference between a repeater transmitting on a 462 frequency and a simplex on the same frequency if listening without any tones/codes. could it just be my regular squelch is only lettting thorugh very very strong signals even when it is on 1 ? 

Do you hear the repeater clearly on your hand held radio?

if so, I would suggest that your antenna or coax is bad on your mobile radio. 
Yes, a handheld transmitting right next to a mobile with a disconnected antenna will be well received. 

[TrikeRadio]

5 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

Do you hear the repeater clearly on your hand held radio?

if so, I would suggest that your antenna or coax is bad on your mobile radio. 
Yes, a handheld transmitting right next to a mobile with a disconnected antenna will be well received. 

I might think that too... but I put my HT on the antenna I was using for my DB25G and it worked transmitting and receiving just fine. Plus... if it was the antenna or coax.. .I would think that transmitting with the mobile unit would also be a problem, not just receiving. 

I have a feeling that I either scrambled something in the firmware or damaged something in the radio when I had it on... and sitting near the odl 3d printer I have  (which I was using for the first time in a long time) - I have a feeling the power supply might be dumping a lot of RF interference and maybe sitting right next to the radio... screwed something up. Is that possible? 

[SteveShannon]

7 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I might think that too... but I put my HT on the antenna I was using for my DB25G and it worked transmitting and receiving just fine. Plus... if it was the antenna or coax.. .I would think that transmitting with the mobile unit would also be a problem, not just receiving. 

 

Very valid points!  

7 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

 

I have a feeling that I either scrambled something in the firmware or damaged something in the radio when I had it on... and sitting near the odl 3d printer I have  (which I was using for the first time in a long time) - I have a feeling the power supply might be dumping a lot of RF interference and maybe sitting right next to the radio... screwed something up. Is that possible? 

Yes, it’s possible to have the configuration corrupted, especially if the radio is opened up and able to receive off of the GMRS established channels, but I would be surprised if the 3d printer was responsible.  

So to recap, the db25g receives just fine from an HT that’s right next to it, but not from anything farther away that would require the outside antenna. Is that accurate?  Can you verify that by taking your HT away some distance while transmitting to see when the mobile unit starts losing the signal? You’ll need someone else to listen to the db25g while you go away.

The db25g also transmits just fine. Have you tried transmitting to anyone other than the HT next to it, such as someone a mile away or through the repeater?

Transmitting to others (I presume) using the HT with external antenna and coax works just fine, leaving them eliminated as the problem.

[WRUU653]

It seems you have done all the things I would recommend and yet it’s odd that only repeater channels RX seem to be an issue. Something is missing from this puzzle.

Do you have an SWR meter like the Surecom that shows the frequency being transmitted? I realize you said the issue is the RX but I wonder if it’s putting out the right frequency and if there is a correlation to receiving the correct frequency or incorrect frequency?

Also you said it receives simplex but does it receive simplex from a further distance that isn’t next to it? I think @SteveShannon asked about this as well. 

[SteveShannon]

3 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

Also you said it receives simplex but does it receive simplex from a further distance that isn’t next to it? I think @SteveShannon asked about this as well. 

Exactly, I think that simplex versus repeater is immaterial, but proximity is the actual issue.

[WRUU653]

10 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

Exactly, I think that simplex versus repeater is immaterial, but proximity is the actual issue.

Which leads back to an antenna issue or at least a connection from the antenna issue I’m thinking. Could there be a bad jumper cable from the main cable to the radio or something else that might be overlooked? I would be tempted to hook up a signal stick antenna or similar right at the radio to test with a different antenna set up and eliminate everything but the radio as an issue. 

[SteveShannon]

6 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

Which leads back to an antenna issue or at least a connection from the antenna issue I’m thinking. Could there be a bad jumper cable from the main cable to the radio or something else that might be overlooked? I would be tempted to hook up a signal stick antenna or similar right at the radio to test with a different antenna set up and eliminate everything but the radio as an issue. 

Yeah, but he made a very good point when he reiterated that he can connect his HT to the coax and antenna and get out just fine.  That makes me wonder if the issue is the coax connector on the radio or even the transmit/receive relay on the db25g.

[LeoG]

Is the reverse frequency activated?  You know, talkaround.

[WRUU653]

1 minute ago, SteveShannon said:

That makes me wonder if the issue is the coax connector on the radio 

kind of where I was heading with my thoughts. I was wondering if there was a jumper used for the mobile that wasn’t in his HT test or if it’s in the radio itself.

 

5 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

or even the transmit/receive relay on the db25g.

I hadn’t thought of that.

 

3 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Is the reverse frequency activated?  You know, talkaround.

Really good point, I think I accidentally did that once. However that should have been eliminated in the resetting of the radio programming. 

[LeoG]

My TD-H3 was really subborn about it.  I didn't know how I activated it and power off/on didn't clear it.  I asked here and got an answer and it solved my issue.

I agree resetting it should had removed it.  But we're grasping at straws here now.

[WRUU653]

2 minutes ago, LeoG said:

My TD-H3 was really subborn about it.  I didn't know how I activated it and power off/on didn't clear it.  I asked here and got an answer and it solved my issue.

I agree resetting it should had removed it.  But we're grasping at straws here now.

It’s certainly worth a look. 

[SteveShannon]

25 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Is the reverse frequency activated?  You know, talkaround.

Great question. 

[TrikeRadio]

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

Very valid points!  

Yes, it’s possible to have the configuration corrupted, especially if the radio is opened up and able to receive off of the GMRS established channels, but I would be surprised if the 3d printer was responsible.  

It was only ever a GMRS radio (never "unlocked" in any way) but it can do "receive only" on other bands outside of GMRS frequencies... since I have done the reset from menu # 58, and reloaded an old good code plug I would be surprised if it was a configuration issue... unless it was some corruption of firmware or a hardware issue? 

 

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

So to recap, the db25g receives just fine from an HT that’s right next to it, but not from anything farther away that would require the outside antenna. Is that accurate?

I will have to actually test the proximity thing with simplex. The ONLY antenna I have for it is this is a Nagoya UT-72G mag mount with the attached coax. I attached it to my HT using a pigtail adapter so

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

The db25g also transmits just fine. Have you tried transmitting to anyone other than the HT next to it, such as someone a mile away or through the repeater?

Transmitting to others (I presume) using the HT with external antenna and coax works just fine, leaving them eliminated as the problem.

Yeah the DB25G will transmit just fine to the local repeater and people there in our club said they hear me great just like usual. but I don't hear their reply on the DB25G only on my HT. 

The repeater is 24 miles away on a mountain peak installation and tower at about 5,500 feet in altitude. so I can easily hit it with my HT from indoors even.