Magnum OmegaForce S-45 HP Review

[9C1Driver]

Exellent review, the Omega Force radio's are real butt kickers. Very cool with the RFX added. I don't know what all the pissing and moaning is about here.

 

[bob85]

magnum topguns DO add distortion, if it does not then your ears dont work correctly,
increasing dynamic range ( nothing to do with frequency response ) is counterproductive to readability under difficult conditions,

limiting peaks while boosting the lower volume parts to increase avg power while narrowing the audio bandwidth to contain mainly the intelligence portion of the audio and filtering the clipping products is how you increase readability and talk power for any given maximum transmitter peak output,
you sacrifice fidelity and dynamic range to punch a hole through the swingers,

1w swinging 75w marvelous

 

[Wire Weasel]

Seriously, if you don't understand that 1 watt swinging 50 or 60 is overmodulated, it is very hard to take anything you say seriously. "Squeaky Clean" ??!! I wonder how people trying to use spectrum near you when you are operating that way feel about your "clean" signal.

And a licensed Ham, no less. :headbang

David, bashing hams should really be left to the pigs. This is how mosfets work. They drive to full power from a low power input. My Galaxy Dx 94HP has (4) 25 watt mosfets working together to produce 100 watts. The variable power is adjustable from 5 to 40 watts from the factory. Radio drives to the full 100 watts from any setting. So that's 5 to 100 watts. It is not overmodulated The signal is clean and clear. They are just dadburn loud. These are the "audio monster" radios you have been hearing about. You should try one sometime if you talk on CB AM. You will be the envy of the neighborhood and skipland as well.

And a licensed ham no less.

I am a General


Now go and sin no more

 

[sp5it]

What is bandwidth of filters used in I and II IF in that radio? Are they wide as a barn doors, or there is some improvement in RX filtering, IMD and unwanted signals rejection?
All I see so far are bells and whistles.
MIke

 

[Wire Weasel]

What is bandwidth of filters used in I and II IF in that radio? Are they wide as a barn doors, or there is some improvement in RX filtering, IMD and unwanted signals rejection?
All I see so far are bells and whistles.
MIke

Hi Mike. Bells and whistles and a little more modjo and power and a couple of extra channels is what the sheeples want. These are $250-300 fancy cb's.

For real ham class performance one should purchase a real ham radio. There is no use in trying to compare an export mobile to a Yaesu FT DX 9000 Contest

 

[Robb]

So if I talked to Australia (much farther than Brazil) with 20 watts from an old non dx 2950 with a 50 dollar A99, does that mean the 2950 is a better radio than the Omega?

No; it was just a pleasant surprise.
I think it says more about a cheap IMAX 2000 and skip conditions than it does the radio.
But it was cool...
:laugh:

 

[Robb]

Seriously, if you don't understand that 1 watt swinging 50 or 60 is overmodulated, it is very hard to take anything you say seriously. "Squeaky Clean" ??!! I wonder how people trying to use spectrum near you when you are operating that way feel about your "clean" signal.

And a licensed Ham, no less. :headbang

Here's is the deal...
When other "Ham" friends of mine tell me - without my asking- that this radio is a real winner and is one of the best - if not the best- sounding radios they have ever heard -in their many years as Hams; what would you think?. Not to mention that I have been in my mobile many miles away and listened to my base station while my brother operating it. I know what it sounds and works like - and compared it time and again to other stations and the gear they run.

I suppose it is hard for Hams to have been told that these radios are no good - and without any exploration of their own - categorically dismiss these claims out of hand like Hammie sheeples.

AS CBRadioMagazine said (paraphrased)- it is hard to accept the fact that there is a certain brands and models of export radios that DO work well on Ham bands AND are CB's as well.

Is it really so hard to believe that mfrs aren't sizeing up to demands in order to make a suitable product?

 

[sp5it]

I suppose it is hard for Hams to have been told that these radios are no good - and without any exploration of their own - categorically dismiss these claims out of hand like Hammie sheeples.

It's a Chicken Band junk -so called Export to be sold in USA under FCC wings. It has nothing to do with 10m radios.
Mike

 

[Highlander_821]

Here's is the deal...
When other "Ham" friends of mine tell me - without my asking- that this radio is a real winner and is one of the best - if not the best- sounding radios they have ever heard -in their many years as Hams; what would you think?. Not to mention that I have been in my mobile many miles away and listened to my base station while my brother operating it. I know what it sounds and works like - and compared it time and again to other stations and the gear they run.

I suppose it is hard for Hams to have been told that these radios are no good - and without any exploration of their own - categorically dismiss these claims out of hand like Hammie sheeples.

AS CBRadioMagazine said - it is hard to accept the fact that there is a certain brands and models of export radios that DO work well on Ham bands AND are CB's as well. Is it so hard to believe that mfrs aren't sizeing up to demands in order to make a suitable product?

This is all beside the point. I have no problem with using an export legitimately on 10 meters, with license. I use a 2517 and a Lincoln on 10 meters legally and happily. I have no issues with the S45 in that regard, especially with SSB.

I also don't dispute that the Magnums running Topgun circuits in AM mode with the 1 watt key swing 60 setup are loud--I'm sure that they are loud. I take issue when you say loud and "clear". I especially take issue when you also say that that is "clean".

Presumably your ham friends are hearing your S45 on 10 meters in USB. Big difference between that and 1 watt swinging 60 on AM. Again---not saying that isn't loud. Just saying it is far from "clean".

 

[Robb]

I'm sure you are right. But it sounds clean; that doesn't mean that it going to show a lot of artifacts on a scope. For that matter, I'm sure a lot of radios also fall under that rule, if we were to check them all. Keep in mind that many hold the AR-3500 in high regards - especially Hams. It isn't such a stretch to think that the same guy who put that together couldn't come up with as much again in radio designs to follow...

The fact is, if you had a Cobra 29 with a 1 watt dead key put into a 100 watt amp and it then it shows a 6 watt dead key and swings up to 110 watts PEP. To the ear it sounds fairly clean. "Clean" is not the strictest sense of the word being used here. I think some are being hung up on that definition.

My review was not a tech's perspective - but an end-user one. It still stands, that a radio that can do what it does like the OmegaForce and do it better than others and still be a decent 10 meter rig is just not acceptable to some. Truth is, it delivers what it promises. Seldom can most companies make that claim.

When SP5IT asked me about the 1st and 2nd filter section, I cannot tell him what he wants to know. I am not a tech - and have said as much. However, as a studio hand I do have a sense about what my ear and my gut feelings tell me about what I hear for myself. I can hear that the receive is as good as claimed; as I had the chance to compare it to other radios that have been held in high regard for receive qualities. Same goes for transmit modulations. Ditto on 10 meter performance with just the compressor on. Having a trained ear -in the studio world- is an absolute necessity. One cannot get on without it!

 

[Highlander_821]

Fair enough.

To me, when someone says a transmitted signal on CB or Ham is "clean", that means clean in RF terms, like not using excessive bandwidth, or producing harmonics or other spurious emissions that interfere with other radio services, or other operators within that band, be it CB or 10 meters.

 

[sp5it]

When SP5IT asked me about the 1st and 2nd filter section, I cannot tell him what he wants to know.

Let's keep it simple.
1. You are on channel for ex. 13. Across the street someone is talking on 14. Both AM. Can you easly talk with someone with signal s3 and less? I can.
2. Someone with signal s7 is talking on 27.135 AM. Move to 27.140. Is freq clean? On mine radio i got only backround noise.
I'm using 20 yo CB with good quality crystal filters and some modifications.
Why instead of redneck blue leds, high power afterburners and bells and whisltes not to improve RX, better IMD, better signal filtering, narrow front end filters, good quality mixer.
Still sell same old crap with no real improvement. Just a little polish over old shit.
The key is to hear, not to be heard long way.
Mike

 

[Robb]

As I said - the receive is excellent. It isn't just about the TX - as you suggested. But I don't know enough about electronics to give you details that you asked. Maybe I can find the schematic and post it here so the techs can give some evidence to their claims. Otherwise, it is hearsay.

No - there isn't massive channel bleedover. But from the distance you point out - I haven't seen a radio yet that won't do as you describe - regardless of type or mfr. At that distance - one will have receiver overload. I'm careful not to anger my neighbors - and have not yet done that to date. It gets the 'happy neighborhood award" - that is true. I think that says someting very positive here.

"The key is to hear, not to be heard long way." -Mike
If I just wanted to listen, I would do just SWL
Since I want and need a radio that talks as well as it listens - this radio has satified me. Otherwise an external amp would be necessary at an additional cost and risk to my "Good Neighbor" policy.

 

[loosecannon]

rob, while i appreciate the end user review as far as the features of this radio go; i must take issue with your application of the term "dynamic range".

i do not feel it applies here as a comparison of a radio that swings from, say, 1 to 20 watts and a radio that swings from 1 to 100 watts.

we are not talking about how loud of a "P" sound a shure SM-58 can take before it distorts. we are talking about amplitude modulation.

i am also well versed in audio engineering and i dont think either of us spent much time listening to AM signals while in the studio.

AM carries with it an inherent carrier to peak ratio, and the further you deviate from that ratio, the further away from true "AM" you go; eventually resulting in DSBSC mode. (double sideband suppressed carrier)

so, we can all agree that this is probably a pretty good sounding CB radio; your explanation of why it "doesnt sound distorted" doesnt really hold water IMO.

please dont take this as bashing, i am just debating a point with you.


also, while Sam Lewis was behind the AR3500 radios; they were built in an entirely different radio climate than radios are built today, or will ever be again most likely.

Sam knows exactly how to create another receiver that works as well as the one in the AR3500 did, but he cannot justify the additional cost.

thats just the way CB's are these days. As far as exports go, there is really only one receiver design with different little variations on it.

they all use the same design because its cheaper than inventing something new, and they will continue to do it this way.

if you were to compare the receive of your omegaforce to the receive of your AR3500 and did not notice a significant difference; then i would say you are not listening close enough.

this issue of user reviews vs. free advertising is a sensitive one for me and a few others on here simply because of the forum we came here from.

the moderator there would be given a piece of equipment from Sam Lewis and he would give his review of it. if he didnt like your question or comment about his findings, he would delete your post.


thats just my 2 S-units worth,
thanks again for the review, it was informative,
LC

 

[Robb]

I'll be taking this radio for a test spin in the mobile - probably tomorrow.
I'm hoping I will have some skip conditions tomorrow. But if not; I have some locals that will help me get some feedback for this test.

I know this radio makes a better base station than a mobile; but I want to see for myself just how it behaves and performs...