I have an 08 Ultra,and trying to troubleshoot an issue. Others report that they can hear me fine, but when I listen to them, it comes across as extremely garbled. Maybe 1 out of 8 words is understandable, the rest is just a bunch of electronic noise.

I've tried different headsets, as well as having it come through the speakers. Same problem. I have taken off my shorty antennas and gone back to the stock whips. Same problem.

I even swapped out the CB unit with a friend's unit. Sample problem.

Any ideas where I should be looking. It worked fine for three years, and just started the problematic few weeks ago. Thoughts?

 

Sounds like your radio is in need of repair. The radio process the analog signal from the CB module.

 

Have you installed an audio amp on your bike? If so, it's very possible that you may get some interference on the CB frequencies from that device depending upon it's design.

Have you installed a HID headlight system? The HID modules are known to emit spurious emissions that can interfere with the a wide range of frequencies.

Have you installed a phone cradle or ipod cradle? Try receiving on the CB without those items in the cradle and away from the bike and see if they are causing any issues.

If you have installed nothing extra on the bike since the time that the unit was working properly, and if your friends can hear your transmitted signal just fine, that pretty much rules out any "significant" coax or antenna issues.

If its doing the same thing on receive even when you try your friends cb module, then it's probably not your radio. I would be interested to see how your radio performs on his bike? I bet your radio is fine. There is something causing the interference or maybe a slightly compromised feedline contributing to noise on receive.

Final thought is that I would not rule out a compromised piece of coax between the radio and the antenna. If it has become pinched or flattened over time, its impedance characteristics may be compromised. It's a good troubleshooting move to replace the coax cable to see if that is the problem. And even if it makes no improvements, you know that now you at least ruled that out as a causal agent.

 

Check the wire that goes the ground plane in your tourpak

 

as I understand it the CB head outputs to the radio through which the sound is amplified to the speakers. 2 CB tried same issue. This is done via a harness plug in. If your radio and CD work fine on speakers then I think the problem is in the connection, perhaps it got wet, needs some dielectric grease? just a guess by the way as I do not have one.

 

I appreciate all the feedback. I do have an amp for the past couple of years before the problem started. Nothing was added or changed when the problem started, it just started one day. I'll check the ground in the tour pak again. Along withe wiring running back to the antenna. Thanks for the ideas to check.