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Magnum S9-175
- Thread starter IDIeselman
- Start date
I just found this thread again and would like to thank you fellas for all the information you provide. I did do the trade. I only paid $200 for the TS so I have a $300 S9 now. Well I did for 4 months as the volume/squelch control went bad so I sent it to Doug for a check up "Tune/Alignment" and have a new control installed, I now have $400 into it. I did not notice any change in performance over my Cobra stealth and Texas star combo although everyone says the Magnum sounds clearer. The new tune up netted a 3 watt DK on low, 17 watt on high and peak is 226 watts. I find it sounds best with the power adjusted at the 2:00 position and mic gain at 10:00, The sixth digit of the counter does drift alot depending on ambient temperature but levels out and stays pretty constant once warmed up when talking. It is more radio with more features than I will ever use. I think my next step may be a simple 959 with an alignment only.
Thanks again.
Tim
Thanks again.
Tim
IDIEselamn if your going to use it for SSB I would kind of stay away from a 959, why not try a Magnum Omega Force or their great little 257HP they are both more stable than an S9 and great talkers on SSB. I had a 959, spent money:tongue: for an align after the factory couldn't get it right and it still would drift a little, the Magnums that I mentioned get dead on whether there cold or hot no fiddling with it other than tuning in guys off frequencies that probably are using 949 or 959's LOL
My S9-175 is wending it's way through the USPS system towards me, as I type!I expect it the middle of next week.
Roger that,
I heard USPS is going broke..I hope they don't go belly up mid way.
Seriously, looking forward to your view on the radio. I wish to know how it compares to the 45HP, ease of use, pro's and cons.
cheers mate
Bruce
My S9-175 is wending it's way through the USPS system towards me, as I type!
Are we there yet?
My S9-175 is wending it's way through the USPS system towards me, as I type!
You are killing us man. I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on this radio once you have a chance to put it to the test.
:headbang
So last week (Sept. 15) I received my package, except H&Y shipped the wrong item!!! I called them immediately, and they shipped out the right item the very next day, Sept. 16. I will now receive the correct item most likely tomorrow. More to follow. (They accidentally shipped me an SX-175, instead of the S9-175!!! Someone over there is either dyslexic, or ...)
Finally! After much gnashing of teeth, and general post office idiocy, we finally received the package yesterday, Sept. 26.
I suspect that Magnum is actually building these S9-175 from S9's, and simply adding the SX-175 power cabinet to them. I received my radio in a re-stickered SX-175 box. The box contains the radio, bracket, mic, hardware, power cord and a separate speaker. It may take me a week or so to get around to putting the radio through it's paces, as I have some other projects ahead of it, but we will get to it. Very attractive radio, BTW.
I suspect that Magnum is actually building these S9-175 from S9's, and simply adding the SX-175 power cabinet to them. I received my radio in a re-stickered SX-175 box. The box contains the radio, bracket, mic, hardware, power cord and a separate speaker. It may take me a week or so to get around to putting the radio through it's paces, as I have some other projects ahead of it, but we will get to it. Very attractive radio, BTW.
I'm pretty close as well for finishing my review but after some serious time running the radio I can give a quick report -
- Plenty enough output to make contacts, it replaced a radio + 2 pill combo in that vehicle and it was like nothing changed.
- Radio does have slight warm-up (minor compared to many other exports) and once warm is right on the money, the freq counter actually takes longer warm up than the radio. I have noticed that with bigger variances in temp you may have to readjust in the morning on occasion but once adjusted it stays put.
- Audio is excellent straight out of the box (added SRA-158)
- I've been running it completely stock and it's been performing really well, gets only mildly warm even with a lot of talking and I see less drop off in watts than you experience with the RFX-75 system that tend to run hotter.
- I'd agree with Dave that the radio is great for the AM/SSB CBer's but really isn't something for 10 meters as a ham.
I'd rate this one up there with the Galaxy 95T2 and the 2970DX.
- Plenty enough output to make contacts, it replaced a radio + 2 pill combo in that vehicle and it was like nothing changed.
- Radio does have slight warm-up (minor compared to many other exports) and once warm is right on the money, the freq counter actually takes longer warm up than the radio. I have noticed that with bigger variances in temp you may have to readjust in the morning on occasion but once adjusted it stays put.
- Audio is excellent straight out of the box (added SRA-158)
- I've been running it completely stock and it's been performing really well, gets only mildly warm even with a lot of talking and I see less drop off in watts than you experience with the RFX-75 system that tend to run hotter.
- I'd agree with Dave that the radio is great for the AM/SSB CBer's but really isn't something for 10 meters as a ham.
I'd rate this one up there with the Galaxy 95T2 and the 2970DX.
A couple of comments about your posting:
What's an "SRA-158"?
Not surprising considering the design. Sort of a cross between an S45HP, and a Galaxy 95T2. It uses a uP, but still uses a separate PCB for the freq. counter, which will cause the counter to drift initially. As well, there are certain components in the clarifier and oscillator circuits which will drift on warm-up, which are common to many radios. You just have to hope that the manufacturer has spent the money to buy good components, and not cheap sweepings off the factory floor!
What's an "SRA-158"?No doubt!!! For amateur 10M operation , the OPTIMA wins hands down. Second is the S45HP, but it too has some issues that I don't like. All the others are just CB/"freeband" radios in my opinion. You can use them on 10M, but any HF radio is better for frequency discrimination, QSY ability, IF filtering, etc. Notwithstanding these issues, these radios are all fun to use. (Of course, I haven't forgotten the venerable RCI 2950 series, or the iconic HR2510. I'm talking about the current crop of new radios.)
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Hey CBRADIOMAGAZINE thank you for the honest comments. I had read over and over how great these S9 radios were so after owning a new 257 and Omega Force I bought one new also. What a disappointment to me the way it moves around on frequency, like you said not a lot like a Galaxy but enough to annoy me that the numbers would go to 48 49 52 53 even after using it for awhile mine did that. Guess the 257 and Omega Force radios spoiled me so I took a small loss and sold my S9
Yeah - that can happen
I know on this model and the last straight S9 I owned I ended up turning off the freq counter when in the mobile as it would move sometimes even though the radio wasn't really drifting.Compared to a 959 or Galaxy 99 the Magnum S-9 175 has much less drift, especially in a base environment. I still think if you're a huge SSB'er you go for a 257 or 2950 (2970N2 for radio with amp) or 2510. The big + on this one of course is the output and the audio for SSB and AM and the echo/talkback features you don't get on the other radios ( alot of people love running echo even though I know most of us roll our eyes).
It still rides that line between the AM'er and SSB'er while the other radios mentioned definitely lean toward SSB'er. Always hard to make everyone perfectly happy.
While a little drift still can get on my nerves since I'm 95% SSB operating, the S9's are definitely tolerable, much like the 95T2. Even though the output on this radio isn't hitting quite as much as the 2 pill amp that was in the setup I've had no problems whatsoever making contacts. For an all in one package it's a nice setup and I'd definitely take this radio over most of the SSB exports (aside from the pre-mentioned models).
Well I use SSB 99% of the time and listening to the radio I could tell it was moving around on frequency even without looking at the counter, the Omega Force doesn't do that, the Delta Force doesn't do that or the 257, guess maybe Magnum should have used the same micro processor in the S9 that they use in the others
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