• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
  • Click here to find out how to win free radios from Retevis!

Another from Ranger RCI-X9

Does anyone know how to do the frequency conversion on this rci x9? Im gonna buy one for the heck of it but i cant find the conversion info anywhere
 
Right after my last post on this thread, I did the unthinkable and bought one of these. Hmmm.

I converterted it, did a picture tour somewhere here in the forum then powered it up. Waaaaaayy off frequently on ssb, unusable... So just yesterday I finally got a run to Lubbock Tx with some time to burn while there and took it to the cb shop. An old pal Bob Devita at South Plains Electronics, been in the biz for years and has done work for me in the past. Left it for an alignment and about an hour in he calls me which I thought was quick. He said as he was doing alignment it just wouldn't go to frequency in usb mode. He explained that his preliminary thought was a bad can but knowing it was brand new he wanted to call before digging into it just in case I wanted to have warranty repair it. He said he could repair it and I have no doubt but instead opted for warranty. He didn't even want to charge me after that.... I asked what he charged an hour and paid him his time because that's his work and just didn't feel right about it.

So...... I regret buying the X9.... Off to Chris Holland it goes for warranty repair that is currently 4 to 6 weeks...

Do me wrong once, shame on you
Do me wrong twice, shame on me

I've learned my lesson
 
Last edited:
Had to send mine to Mr. Holland for repair After i got it from Wallcott never again...
Hopefully he'll get it squared away, it appeared he does good work. The alignment, I expected and had no problem with that. Small quirks sometimes just happen in this hobby. The frustration comes when the high priced radio needs repaired before it can even be used..... When it comes back, I may or may not keep it.
 
More the same old garbage. More power than they can reliably make and garbage mosfets!

I kind of like my SSB radio's to actual be stable on SSB and not designed to let the smoke out as feature of the design!

LOL
 
  • Like
Reactions: G-Golly Wally
Notice these already needing to be sent out for repairs not very old and already letting the smoke out!
My opinion - it's chasing watts.

The Almighty WattMeter, all bow down and make a sacrifice to Dosy.

Send ye 520's, Z24's and 13N10's unto the alter... lay thy neck upon this block for that I may chop thee... I shall spillith ye magic smoke in a glorious show of sparks and crackles...
 
Just bought one from Chris Holland at Superior CB. The 198 it comes with is unable to modulate the radio properly. But in a noisy environment, it is the best option I am sure. I have been running an Astatic 636L all day on it.

Does anyone know of a schematic for this radio? Is it like the 2950cd?
It seems they (ranger) are no longer providing info on the newest rangers.
I believe the 2950 is what some have referred to in other posts, but if there is a schematic if someone did share it, I'd be appreciative too.
 
After running it a while in the shack, here are my thoughts on it.

On AM, this thing has the big audio we would all expect. Sounds clean, clear and loud with an Astatic 636. On SSB, it develops good power. Audio reports come back good, but on my monitor radio, I am not satisfied. I opened it up to check the bias of the amplifier, and it was right where I would have put it. Rats! The sound I am chasing is my President Madison with modified D104 and Texas Star DX500v. I suspect that the bias circuit is not able to carry the current needed. But if it sounds good to the person on the other end, then it sounds good.

The warm up period for frequency stability is typical RCI / Galaxy. I always do a little AM talking before I go to sideband anyway. The fine clarifier is Tx and Rx, Chris Holland did this as part of the setup. Unfortunately it can't get to the zeros, and there is no VFO mode. Can't get the A channels either. Doesn't have FM.

The receive static is typical RCI / Galaxy also. Thankfully it is remedied in the same way. Adjust L8, this one took one full turn to the right. I assume this is the normal L8 can at the output of the double fet stage. It seemed to work the same way but I haven't found a print to verify.

The X9 is in the same price range as a Stryker 955. The 955 will do all of the above while being rock solid on frequency with Rx DSP. It makes about the same power and sounds great on SSB too.
 
Thanks for the report. I've yet to get mine back from superior and the call last week I was told about 2 more weeks.

If I were to choose again it would have been the 955 but I also got the x9 before the 955v2 was available.

Imo the x9 really is a good looking radio though, just lacks a few things. Hopefully your x9 lives a long life and gives no major problems.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ kingmudduck:
    Hello to all I have a cobra 138xlr, Looking for the number display for it. try a 4233 and it did not work
  • @ kopcicle:
    If you know you know. Anyone have Sam's current #? He hasn't been on since Oct 1st. Someone let him know I'm looking.