Reverse transcription

[Qiang Zhang]

Hi, I got some problem with reverse transcription.

It did not work, and the cDNA gel showed strong 18s and
28s RNA bands and smears between and beyond them.
The control ( same samples but I didn't add reverse tr
anscriptase which is rTth) gave the same results.

My question is if the RT step works, should I still see the
18s and 28s bands or,instead, only smears?
If only smears(that's what I heard), where are the 18s
and 28s bands? They are buried in the long smear of cDNA?