Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Due to its rugged design, the VHF550 requires very little maintenance.
However, it is a precision electronic instrument, so you should follow a few
precautions:
If the antenna has been damaged, you should not transmit except in
•
the.case.of.an.emergency..A.defective.antenna.may.cause.damage.to.
your.radio.
•
You.are.responsible.for.continued.FCC.technical.compliance.of.your.
radio.
You should arrange for periodic performance checks with your West
•
Marine.dealer.
Common questions
Problem
The.radio.won't.power.on.
The.radio.won't.transmit.
Noise.comes.out.of.the.speaker.
all.the.time
I.can't.hear.anything.(no.volume).
from.the.speaker.
I can transmit, but no one can
hear.me.
Things to Try
Check.the.power.connections.
Check.the.fuse.
Check.the.master.battery.switch.and.branch.
circuit.that.connect.to.the.radio.
Make.sure.you.are.not.in.weather.mode.
Make.sure.you.are.not.trying.to.transmit.on.a.
receive-only.channel.(see.the.channels.and.
frequency.tables.starting.on.page.54).
Make.sure.you.are.transmitting.at.the.correct.
power.level.for.this.channel.(see.the.channels.
and.frequency.tables.starting.on.page.54).
Make.sure.the.duration.of.each.transmission.is.
less.than.5.minutes.
Adjust.the.squelch.level;.it.is.probably.too.low.
Adjust.the.squelch.level;.it.is.probably.too.high.
Make.sure.you.are.not.in.weather.mode.
with Weather Alert Watch turned on. This
combination.mutes.the.speaker.unless.there.is.
an.active.alert.
Check your UIC channel settings; you may
be transmitting in US mode while the stations
around.you.are.operating.in.International.mode..
(See.Setting the UIC channel mode.on.page.
10).
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