MT2000 VHF reception

[posse401]

I recently acquired a MT2000 VHF and it doesn't seem to be receiving properly. When I listen to traffic it is often broken and cuts in and out. When I put a scanner in the same spot or next to it, the scanner picks up the traffic clearly. I am wondering if anyone has any troubleshooting suggestions? It "appears" to have the correct antenna, but I could be wrong there. Any help is appreciated.

[Will]

Probably needs an alignment. The factory alignment can be scrambled if the radio has been cloned or force fed another codeplug. The tuning values are in the stored in the codeplug.

[Jim2121]

First thing I would do as Will, said would be to put it on a service monitor. 2nd. what is the model number It should start with an "H" so we know the VHF bandsplit. Most are 136 to 174/178! Mhz. Remove the antenna and tell us if you see a color spot/code at the base. Is there any wear & tear on the antenna? (since that is one of your concerns)

[Karfield]

Another common problem with VHF Jedi radios is a charring where the antenna screws into the casting. This is generally a concern for the black "dot" antennas that are the most common. I've seen this issue cause quite a few problems with VHF units in the past, however (comma) it doesn't appear to affect the other bands so much. (odd)

If you do have an alignment problem you'll want to go in and set your front end adjustment. You can follow the book if you want to but tuning it by ear is just as good as using the DC volt meter. Also, generally the softpots are around 15 points higher than the previous for a good quick tune.