CRT 3900 - 27.305 on channel 16

Hi All,

Bit of a newbie Q...! but I was out testing out my setup last weekend (ss3900 & Sirio 5000) hoping to get on the Beds Bucks usb 27.305 net on channel 30 around 4pm.

No luck, so started flicking around and found the 305 net on channel 16. Made contact which was great, but now trying to understand why the channels on my 3900 don't appear to align to the standard chart.

It's had a UKFM40 eprom installed, no other mods.

Any ideas or guidance would be appreciated!

Strange that as it's not a programable radio ..... is it ??.
Does it have a switch for the uk-40 if so turn it off and try it.
A frequency counter would be handy.

3900 cant not be programmed they are clones of the old school radios ie: Superstar 360 /Cobra 148 gtldx style, it sounds like the eprom or the whole radio  has got misaligned some how , but saying that the 27305 is on the mid bands which if I remember is band D on the band changer on the front of the radio ,you really need it to be hook up to frequency counter to check it ,if you  know anyone with a 3900 frequency counter you have a socket in the back to plug it in .
Just a silly question what made you think you was hearing the 305 net onCh16 ? Have you ever thought they may have moved to ch 16 for a reason or it was a different network with some of the 305 regulars on it cos I know some of the regulars do go on other networks.

Alan Pilot wrote:

Strange that as it's not a programable radio ..... is it ??.
Does it have a switch for the uk-40 if so turn it off and try it.
A frequency counter would be handy.

No, not programmable and the uk40 switch was off. Think a freq counter is the ticket - I believe there is one which plugs straight into the back.

Thanks

NUBSTER wrote:

3900 cant not be programmed they are clones of the old school radios ie: Superstar 360 /Cobra 148 gtldx style, it sounds like the eprom or the whole radio  has got misaligned some how , but saying that the 27305 is on the mid bands which if I remember is band D on the band changer on the front of the radio ,you really need it to be hook up to frequency counter to check it ,if you  know anyone with a 3900 frequency counter you have a socket in the back to plug it in .
Just a silly question what made you think you was hearing the 305 net onCh16 ? Have you ever thought they may have moved to ch 16 for a reason or it was a different network with some of the 305 regulars on it cos I know some of the regulars do go on other networks.

Thanks for coming back. The guys were calling out with the 305 freq so I did assume, rather than check. I'll hop back in the next couple days and see if I can join and confirm. Cheers

Another question you say it was fitted with a UKFM EPROM how do activate the the radio to go on UKFM ? can you describe how you do it cos if it's done via a switch I might have a answer ,I'm not promising lol but might.

I did ask about the switch as well.
I know what your thinking NUBSTER....

Alan Pilot wrote:

I did ask about the switch as well.
I know what your thinking NUBSTER....

Hello Alan , is it this what your thinking  with the switch left in on position for UK FM  when then band knob is turned its messing up the frequencies  ,so basically if the eprom switch is off for UKFM  when the band knob is use it should be on frequency. 

Bloody ell thet was a long  winded  post hope you got my drift lol , I'm alot better at talking than typing

NUBSTER wrote:

Alan Pilot wrote:

I did ask about the switch as well.
I know what your thinking NUBSTER....

Hello Alan , is it this what your thinking  with the switch left in on position for UK FM  when then band knob is turned its messing up the frequencies  ,so basically if the eprom switch is off for UKFM  when the band knob is use it should be on frequency. 

Bloody ell thet was a long  winded  post hope you got my drift lol , I'm alot better at talking than typing

Along those lines.
The switch has to alter some thing on the eprom i would think.
It needs a counter plugging in and going through.

I've just thought of another switch that came standard on 3900's ,I use to have one once and when you buy them new from the shop or internet  you had a choice because they was sold only to transmit on the mid/Euro band on FM  but by cutting a wire and moving a jumper inside it open them up to all modes and frequencies but not UKFM this was controlled by pushing or pulling the SWR CAL knob on the front to get either just Euro/ Mids FM pushed in or pulled out for all modes a frequencies this is how they came from factory to so wonder if that with the eprom has caused a problem

NUBSTER wrote:

Alan Pilot wrote:

I did ask about the switch as well.
I know what your thinking NUBSTER....

Hello Alan , is it this what your thinking  with the switch left in on position for UK FM  when then band knob is turned its messing up the frequencies  ,so basically if the eprom switch is off for UKFM  when the band knob is use it should be on frequency. 

Bloody ell thet was a long  winded  post hope you got my drift lol , I'm alot better at talking than typing

Hi both, so to access the uk40, Switch Tone to High, NB/ANL to ON, Band E/B. I must admit I didn't switch NB/ANL off when on SSB, so I guess that could be it... Will get on the radio today/tomorrow and see if that makes any difference. Otherwise I'll need to get a Freq counter I think. Thanks guys!

Be interesting to see what happens
By the way does your 3900 do what I said using the SWR/CAL knob in my post ?.
because if it dont that could also be part of the problem because that's how they was sold brand new from morjoraty of shops .

NUBSTER wrote:

Be interesting to see what happens
By the way does your 3900 do what I said using the SWR/CAL knob in my post ?.
because if it dont that could also be part of the problem because that's how they was sold brand new from morjoraty of shops .

Hi, no push/pull on the swr/cal knob. will confirm how it goes this weekend. Thanks for your help!

That's strange it dont have pull out SWR/CAL switch cos most I've seen have that well the two I had once did ,sorry to be a pain mate can you post a pic of it showing the front if poss please.

I remember having a similar issue with a radio many years ago it had the CH9 switch converted to drop you down a channel so you could access the ALPHA channels which were once used by some emergency services in the USA I believe.
Just a thought if you seemed to be a channel out of alignment it is always another possibility.

Managed to get out yesterday and yes, switching the NB/ANL off seemed to get me on the right channels on ssb, although didn’t manage to make contact to confirm. So just misreading the instructions that came with the eprom I think. Here’s a pic of the rig and thanks for your help.
Cheers, Kev

https://i.servimg.com/u/f52/20/27/39/75/5c6a0c10.jpg