1985 Gl1200 Limited CB Radio Help

[Guest]

I am trying to trouble shoot my CB radio on my 85 LTD. The radio will mute the FM radio when the squelch is turned counter clock-wise and RX shows on the CB face.It will also mute the headphones if HS is selected.It also mutes the FM when the transmit button on the left handlebar or the rear passenghr PTT button is pushed. This works as it should.My problems are:#1. The CB is stuck on channel 9. #2 I still should hear the squelch thru the speakers when the squelch is turned to the point RX shows.I have no sound from either the speakers or headsets Parked 5 feet from my 06 wing with both CB radios on, the 85 CB does not throw a carrier when the TX button is pushed and does not recieve one when the 06 transmits. Any knowledgeable help as to where to go from here would be greatly appreciated. Like : How to check the antenna and has anyone ever opened the CB cover to check the Cannnel 9 button or the switch on the left handlebar( which does nothing to change channels). The PO said it worked time to time and he had to play with the switch on the left handlebar. Thanks Pat

[SIR tricky]

As far as the channel 9 problem, the button does have a tendency to stick when it is pushed in, try pressing the arrowed portion of the button it is supposed to spring out.

As for the handlebar switch squirt some WD40 into the switch and try to loosen up the dirty contacts, if successful then spray contact cleaner in the switch and continue this occasionally.

There are a mess of cables and connections under left hand pocket.
These could be corroded and making poor contact.
The headset and the speaker signal are sent from the CB on different circuits,
look at the cb connector you will see the see the CB audio out is on pin F and the headset out is pin N

It could be the CB is bad.

You could talk to the people at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sierra-mc.com/">http://www.sierra-mc.com/</a><!-- m -->
They do repairs and maybe help

[Guest]

I talked to them and they only repair CB radios November thru Feburary. I was planning on sending it in anyway. Thanks. Pat

[SIR tricky]

I was in the store last week on the way home from Georgia.
I talked to them about an intermittent problem I am having with mine, this has been going on for a few years now. I can always transmit but for some reason it will quit transmitting, I pull the CB out, remove the main plug, reconnect the plug and it will transmit again,.. untill it quits again.
The person I talked to seemed conversant with the problem, I told him I would send it in for repair.

Nice to know of the months they repair them.

[Guest]

That's what I was told over the phone. Nov thru Feb. Pat

[SIR tricky]

Actually I just got an email from them today telling me to send in my CB and they will get to them on a first there first served basis and that they will do them November - December. A base rate for repair is 96US$ if your repair will cost more they will call prior to doing the work.
Considering the cost of a used one and they are scarce thats not bad.
Sierra only work on bike radios and communications having dropped any automotive business they had in the past.

[Guest]

Update on CB:
Called Sierra and they told me to send it in now. Sent it UPS last Monday( 10/21 ) and they recieved it Wed 10/23. They called me Thurs 10/24 and said it was ready and would ship back that pm. Turned out to be a bad crystal. Recieved it today (10/27) and installed it and all is well. Top notch company. I wish everyone I deal with is that efficient. Pat

[SIR tricky]

Yes I have visited the store and they are very good people.
I am going there on Wednesday to drop off two CB's I think we are lucky to have them still working at all after 22 years

[Guest]

Tricky, I agree 100%. We now have everything working on the "old girl". Pat

[Guest]

Tricky, the CB quit recieving and I returned it to Sierra and they replaced the crystal this time. When I got it back it still would not recieve. Doug at sierra told me He bench tested the CB for hours in the recieve mode and it never failed. He said the problem could be in the multi-changer by not switching to the recieve mode. I found one on Ebay and also got an antenna splitter also. Do you have any other ideas as to what to check? I took the shelter off and checked the antenna wire for continuity and it checked ok.I checked all the wires on the main CB harness and all checked good. The only thing left under the left fairing pocket is the power amp. Could that effrct the recieve function on the CB? RX does not even display on the CB, but it transmits fine. ThanksPat

[SIR tricky]

It could very well be in the multi changer.

Nothing to do with the amp, all that does is amplify any signals that are sent to it.

Did you try it with the other multi changer that you got from ebay.

If your managing to receive then the antenna should be OK

Personally I would have thought if it wasn't showing the TX or RX that the problem would be the CB

ANy chance you can swap it with a known good CB?

Thats how we decided our two CB were not functioning properly, the same problems just transferred to the two bikes

[Guest]

I have not recieved the multi-changer yet. I got on my 06 Wing and rode about 1/4 of a mile away and the 85 transmitted fine. In fact the 85 was in my garage. I am going to check the SWR's on the bike. One thing I did fine that when I unplugged the Antenna under the shelter from the antenna splitter, I had continunity from the center of the male RCA plug by the gas tank to the center of the antenna at the back with the mast removed. I tdid not show continunity from the center of the female RCA connector by the tank to the male tip coming out of the antenna splitter in the left pocket. If that is the case it seems that it would not transmit either.If the AM/FM works fine , I asume the power amp in the left fairing pocket is ok. When I got it back the first time it worked for a few times and quit recieving. Sierra re-soldered the crystal the first time and when I sent it back the second time, they replaced it. Like I said the sent it on recieve for 6 hours and it worked fine before they sent it back the second time. Sierra is leaning towards the multichanger unit. I'll see when it comes in. Pat