SL-30 Transmit Problem

I have an SL-30 com/nav and PS Engineering PM300 intercom.* I recieve just fine and the intercom system functions good.* I finally got everything hooked up and found out I can't transmit.* I'm getting a carrier but not voice.* I tested it with a handheld.* I've tried the SL-30 in another aircraft and it works great.* I've pulled it all back out and double checked each wire and pin and everything checks good.* It appears to be seating good.* I'm running on an Odysey battery and I took it off the trickle charger to avoid any noise.* I've been told by the place that I purchased it from to wait until I have it powered up by the alternator.* I'm a little nervous about waiting that long as I don't want it to hold me back when I'm that close to flying.* Has anyone else had a similar experience or can you offer any suggestions.

Doc:

Sounds like a wiring problem. Try the other PTT button. Just a thought.

(criss cross headset and PTT)

I had the exact same problem. I double checked all wiring and pin outs just as you did and the problem continued. I too could receive and the transmit light would come on but would not carry. Checked out with the handheld same as you....great minds think alike . I have a 430 as well but I always want ALL systems up and running prior to 1st flight...no exceptions. Even though I 'knew' the brand new radio was seated properly....I tripled checked it prior to sending it back to Garmin. Guess what...it wasn't seated properly . If your tray isn't mounted FLUSH with the panel this could be your problem.

Also....you might find a buddy that has an SL30 and plug your radio into his tray to verify.

Transmit Problems

Check to see if you have a mic gain to radio adjustment on the intercom. I just found this on an 8 that I wired. Before you do this try to turn the intercom off and see if you can transmit. this will tell you if your wiring is correct.

SL-30 Transmit problem

I pulled the rack part way out to make sure it was seating properly. I noticed later that the mic and audio grounds were grounded to the SL-30 frame and not sent straight to the PM3000 ground pin. I was told this is fine by the shop that prewired the harness. I'm leaving the name out because they have been awesome giving me assistance and more than patient with my trouble shooting.

I tried my radio in another airplane and it works just fine. I didn't try crisscrossing the mike switches. I'll have to check that out tonight.

I also get the same results with the intercom turned off. No side tone as well with intercom on or off. But if I understand correctly with the PM3000 on I may or may not have side tone depending on how it is set up internally.

I think there is a mic gain. I'll look at that tonight. I didn't mess with it because the mics work fine with the intercom system. I beleive the mic gain is on the SL-30 and I assumed it is if I am using the intercom system internal to the SL-30 which I am not.

Unfortunately that is the only radio I have. Thanks to Smokn John I may be able to get by with smoke signals for a while.

Has anyone had a radio that worked just fine on the alternator but wouldn't transmit on the battery? The battery is getting about 11.8v to the back of the radio. I'v thought about connecting jumper cables to it from the truck with nothing running to get some more juice to it without introducing any noise.

I had a transmit problem with my SL30 when I installed it. The fix for my problem was the antenna. I used a cheap antenna from Spruce that is made to be hard wired to the coax. I would absolutely make sure that your antenna has a BNC type connector on it. I also have had bad luck with the Van's supplied foil antennas. These antenna's work OK, BUT the BNC connectors that were supplied with them were faulty. If you have a strong carrier with no voice, then you probably have a different problem, but I thought I would bring it up anyway. Does the internal intercom work on your SL30?? Testing this might verify that your mic's are wired correctly.

I had a SL30 problem also

It turned out that I had not pushed my headset plugs in all the way. This caused the transmission of the carrier, but no voice, no side tone.

Check all the wiring from the headset plugs, make sure that your headset work on another radio.

Kent

If I remember correctly, the SL-30 has a menu option that allows you to select which mic to use for transmit, Mic 1, Mic 2 or Both. You might check to see what Mic is wired up, or change the menu item to both.

Paige

Last night I went throught it again. Can't seem to skip past the problem. I put my ohm meter to the antenna wire again and it check good. However this time I checked the antenna. I tested from the center conductor to the antenna wand itself and it showed infinite resistance. I don't know for sure but it makes sense to me that the center conductor should be connected to the antenna wand. Is this correct? I hope so that would me my problem is the antenna. Its a new Comant CI-122 antenna. Can anybody enlighten me?

If you antenna wand is metallic, then there should be little or no resistance from the wand to the center conductor of the bnc/coax.

Radio Transmit Problem

For everyone's info:

I have a Comant CI-122 antenna. After talking with Comant technitions the antenna is suppose to show open from center terminal to wand and center terminal to ground.

After checking my wires several times and making sure the desubs were seated good, I was positive it was wired right. I correctly resolved that the PM3000 intercom was not sending voice through to the radio. As I was preparing to mail in the intercom for repairs I discovered that the male pin on the back of the intercom was bent over. Guess which one (Mic audio hi). Now I feel silly after all the time I spendt messing with the problem. I never thought to check the actual device itself. More than likely I bendt it at some point during the building process.

Many thanks to Stark Avionics. They were a great help and first class operation. The first thing they said was to make sure the radio is seating, check power/ground and the pins.

At least I know I can get out if for some reason I hit some turbulance and end up upside down in the cockpit with a stick in my back, rudder pedals hitting my head with feet sticking in the air and a leg cramp.