www.iFourWinns.com

If you haven't already (I didn't see your 9/21 update until now), I recommend getting more radio checks, hopefully at longer distances. The reason I say this is, if you transmitted for very long with the old antenna not connected right, it's possible that you damaged the final power transistors in the PA section of the transmitter. If you're only getting a couple of miles of range with a new 8' fiberglass antenna across open water, something's not right.

I agree about your radio being on the same circuit with your lights, and a fixed VHF can (as said) draw up to around 23A depending on the model. But if the antenna doesn't present the correct resistance to the transmitter (as could be the case with a bad antenna connection), the radio could be trying to draw much more current than normal.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike, I do understand your theory and the fact that radio damage may have occurred when it had a poor connection. The situation is that I'm on a relatively small lake (30k surface acres of water) so reaching out much further than has already been tested may not even be possible.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Gotcha.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic