In article ,
Meat Plow wrote:

Heh. I have the VX-5 software from RT and the data cable. So a reset then
reload might not be a bad idea. I've also had grounding problems with
this radio. Makes the audio howl when you turn it up past 50% on 70
centimeters. Main component board depends on lands around screw holes and
the aluminum chassis is part of the ground. An occasional loose/tight of
the chassis screws seems to cure it for a year or so.

Haven't had that particular problem on my own VX-5. On the other
hand, the SMA antenna connector had a nasty tendency to loosen itself.
I found a Web article suggesting the use of a standard hex-bit-shaft
screwdriver, filed or ground down to create a couple of flanges which
engage the slots in the SMA retaining nut... a handy home-made tool
for re-tightening things. This, plus a small drop of Loctite on the
threads, fixed the problem.

I've been fighting off the temptation to just remove the SMA, drill
out the hole, and replacing it with a BNC.

Other than this, the radio has worked well, the batter has held up
remarkably and the audio is robust. I also have a dual band FT-60. Rock
solid radio, very loud audio with little distortion. Bought it back in
2006 from AES. They had a special on the radio and drop charger that I
couldn't resist. I bought a Diamond SRH320A antenna for it. I've worked
repeaters 50 miles away outdoors on 2 meters with that HT.

It's amazing how far one can work with little power, with a clear
line-of-sight. I recently had a nice QSO on the repeater I help
maintain, with a ham sitting in a hotel room up in San Francisco
(about 45 miles from the repeater) talking on his HT. He was using a
roll-up twinlead J-pole. Sounded as if he was right next to the
repeater.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
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