No power out on a new Flex Refurbed 6500.

Steve - K6SRS

No power out on a new Flex Refurbed 6500. Just purchased and received from Flex, so it has the latest software and Flex's guarantee. Receive functions seem perfect. The antenna tune function seems to be working and declares "success". However clicking the mike in any modulation mode generates a spike on the panadapter but no action on the RF Power or SWR sliders, and a watt meter into a dummy load shows no power out. I do have the correct microphone selected. Any other ideas?

Bill -VA3WTB

so if you press tune,,there is no RF out
and how is you mic connected?

Mike Miller

Turn on the Mic bias this happened  to a friend of mine, mike needs 5 volts to operate.

mikeatthebeach .

Try a Master RESET for factory defaults
Also, check in FM Mode

Bill -VA3WTB

Ok so if your mic is connected to the back, use BAL  if it is connected to the front use MIC   if connected to a PC, use PC   selections are on the PROC  MON pannel

James Whiteway

Depends on which mic he is using. Not all need the 5 volts.

Terry K8EET

Have you tried CW to see if you get any output? 

NX6D Dave

I would expect the MIC that ships with refurbished 6500s to be a FHM-2.  Those are electret mics and need the bias power to operate.  There have been bugs that caused the BIAS not to be set even if the correct MIC profile was selected.  Check the "Radio Setup - > Phone/CW" settings page to make sure the BIAS is turned on.  If it is off, the radio will behave exactly as you have described.

If it is on, then set "Enable/Disable the Level Meter during Receive" option on the same screen and verify that the MIC level meter is responding to speech.  That will narrow the problem down quite a bit.

Ria

if TUNE yields power then the PA is good.

Did you press DAX? If DAX is enabled when you hit MOX you will not modulate with the mic.

Cal N3CAL

Make sure your TX slice has the correct antenna selected.  You might have the XVRT port selected for TX.

Cal/N3CAL

Mark_WS7M

Tune button is the best test for this.  Set to to 1W then turn it on.  Advance it slowly and see what you get.

Greg N8GD

I recently had a friend contact me about the same problem with his 6300.  Seems he forgot that you have to MODULATE the radio to get power output if you are in other than the TUNE mode.  Just key the mike in SSB mode and TALK into it.  It will definitely show output.  I told him this and he was embarrassed that he had forgotten that critical point.  Terry, K8EET, had it right.  Try CW (with a key).

Steve - K6SRS

It outputs power in AM or FM just fine, but nothing  in LSB or USB.

Clay N9IO

Steve you may be outputing an RF signal but is the mic modulating or deviating? Turn the MON on and see if you hear your voice over the local speaker.

Steve - K6SRS

Did more testing into a dummy load.  With the mic connected to the front panel, "mic" selected in the TX panel and the FHM-1 mic selected as the default, I get proper power out with antenna tune, AM and FM.  I get nothing out with LSB or USB.  Seems I'm seeing carrier but never modulating. All this just the 6500 and PC, no other externals.   Are there still some audio settings I'm missing?  

Steve - K6SRS

Hey!  There is a slide switch on the back of the FHM-1 labeled 1 & 2, nothing else.  In "1" I modulate, in "2" I get nothing.  Maybe the basic problem is fixed.  What is this switch? 

Clay N9IO

If you are using the stock FHM-2 mic then as NX6D said "Check the "Radio Setup - > Phone/CW" settings page to make sure the BIAS is turned on. If it is off, the radio will behave exactly as you have described." Also as Ria N2RJ mentioned makes sure DAX is not on.

Clay N9IO

Hah! Sorry brudda no idea I have never used the FHM-1 or the 2. Been using my Heil HC-4 cartridge for 25+ years now including the 6300 and 6600.
In fact the FHM-2 has not been out of the box.
Lots of little learning curves huh?
Good luck...

Steve - K6SRS

Don't think I'm long for the FHM mics either.  

Greg N8GD

On my FHM-1 the switch is marked "Tone."  The rwo positions change the frequency response of the mike, making it either a high or low response (I forget which is which).  Sounds like one of the positions is not connecting - either a bad switch or bad internal wiring.  EIther way, the mike needs to be replaced, if the unit is under warranty.

Steve - K6SRS

Thanks!  With a flashlight I can see the word "Tone".  Side 2 does seem to be dead.  think it is time to move beyond this fairly entry level mic.

jim

are your DAX  settings  all ok