im glad connex is making radios without echeo. especially one with ssb.
remove all that garabage and make a solid performing ssb radio.
remove all that garabage and make a solid performing ssb radio.
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Connex CX-566SB
- Thread starter Cheech
- Start date
I ended up sending the radio off to the Connex Repair center, it had two issues, carrier on SSB and was off frequency. Radio just got there this week so waiting to hear what they say. Kinda sucked to have to pay shipping to send it to the repair center after I just bought the radio and paid shipping to have it sent here.
Will do a video and write up as soon as it comes back.
Will do a video and write up as soon as it comes back.
just curious if ya got this direct from the factory or elsewere?
if from factory id call them and tell them about the issuses so
hopefully they can be corrected early .b4 the radio gets a bad
rep.someone else on here got one off a online place and was working
fine is why i ask.
if from factory id call them and tell them about the issuses so
hopefully they can be corrected early .b4 the radio gets a bad
rep.someone else on here got one off a online place and was working
fine is why i ask.
This was a direct from factory model - one of the first to hit the market.
I didn't even want to mess with it since it had problems right off the bat so I sent it to the repair center.
Radio has been fixed and is one it's way back. Bad mode switch and bad PA switch I'm told.
FYI - Tech Solutions is no longer the factory repair center for Connex. Don's CB in Erie is handling them now.
I didn't even want to mess with it since it had problems right off the bat so I sent it to the repair center.
Radio has been fixed and is one it's way back. Bad mode switch and bad PA switch I'm told.
FYI - Tech Solutions is no longer the factory repair center for Connex. Don's CB in Erie is handling them now.
Got the radio back and did some testing - I'll have a full review posted eventually.
So far - Receive is okay, not great. Stations don't sound very full and the speaker on this model is pretty sucky, ext speaker would be recommended.
TX - stock mic is a SRA-198 which doesn't give you much audio at all and sounds tinny. Add a good power mike for better audio. Output isn't all that great after tuning, actually putting out less in terms of swing than a comparable new 959 I have sitting here.
SSB stability - drift during warmup but once warmed up (5-10 mins) radio was fairly stable and I only found minor adjustment needed, so better stability than the similar Galaxy models.
Talkback - not super loud but seemed to work fairly well.
Light - lots of bright colors, but it does have a dimmer with like 8 positions so you can definitely tone it down a bit. The cool white was the color I liked the best.
So overall - I'd take a pass. If you need a radio with the crazy light system then go for it, but for a daily SSB radio I'd suggest a Grant XL/LT or a RCI 2950DX any day of the week over this radio. In terms of stability I'd say it beats the 959, but in terms of RX and TX quality and ability I think the Galaxy radios do better.
For AM I'm a fan of the Connex exports but this one didn't really do anything to impress me. Of course maybe I was jaded from the start since I had to send it off for factory repair 5 mins after opening the box.
So far - Receive is okay, not great. Stations don't sound very full and the speaker on this model is pretty sucky, ext speaker would be recommended.
TX - stock mic is a SRA-198 which doesn't give you much audio at all and sounds tinny. Add a good power mike for better audio. Output isn't all that great after tuning, actually putting out less in terms of swing than a comparable new 959 I have sitting here.
SSB stability - drift during warmup but once warmed up (5-10 mins) radio was fairly stable and I only found minor adjustment needed, so better stability than the similar Galaxy models.
Talkback - not super loud but seemed to work fairly well.
Light - lots of bright colors, but it does have a dimmer with like 8 positions so you can definitely tone it down a bit. The cool white was the color I liked the best.
So overall - I'd take a pass. If you need a radio with the crazy light system then go for it, but for a daily SSB radio I'd suggest a Grant XL/LT or a RCI 2950DX any day of the week over this radio. In terms of stability I'd say it beats the 959, but in terms of RX and TX quality and ability I think the Galaxy radios do better.
For AM I'm a fan of the Connex exports but this one didn't really do anything to impress me. Of course maybe I was jaded from the start since I had to send it off for factory repair 5 mins after opening the box.
Well I'd have to say for the first time I don't agree with you. I had a 959 that was horrible on SSB this Connex is tons better after a little warm up, after a little tweek and tune it does as much as any other non mosfet radio that I have and for 200 bucks it's just a really great deal. I am currently using the RF Limited CR577 on it all the radio guys in the area said it really sounds very very good. I have to say we don't talk on AM much at all so all my experience has been on SSB. Again if everybody thought like me we would all be driving Oldsmobiles and they would still be in business LOL.
Are you sure we're disagreeing? 
I also had agreed that the Connex radio has less drift than Galaxy 949/959, and can sound pretty good with a power mic added
My main points would be that although it's more stable I found that to my ear the Galaxy radios had better receive. Hard to explain but with local and DX stations they didn't seem to come through as clear as other radios I've tested/own. It's one of those things that may differ from ear to ear and of course it can differ from radio to radio (being as mine had a problem from the factory perhaps the radio in particular is at fault).
Output was fine but it didn't tune up as strong the 959 for AM or SSB.
Now - if I had to choose one radio for SSB between the two I might opt for the Connex only because the drift on the Galaxy 949/959 can been pretty bad. If I had to choose one that had better sound for TX/RX I'd lean towards the 949/959.
If I had money to burn on a new SSB radio and didn't mind going to an export I'd skip both and go to a 2950DX or Magnum 257.
And to be brutally honest - I much prefer one of my Uniden Grant radios over the Connex or Galaxy SSB radios any day of the week. The newer "CB" radios just can't seem to come close for SSB. They have the features dialed in, but without the great receive and SSB stability I've still yet to see the straight SSB CB that can stir the market again.
I also had agreed that the Connex radio has less drift than Galaxy 949/959, and can sound pretty good with a power mic added
My main points would be that although it's more stable I found that to my ear the Galaxy radios had better receive. Hard to explain but with local and DX stations they didn't seem to come through as clear as other radios I've tested/own. It's one of those things that may differ from ear to ear and of course it can differ from radio to radio (being as mine had a problem from the factory perhaps the radio in particular is at fault).
Output was fine but it didn't tune up as strong the 959 for AM or SSB.
Now - if I had to choose one radio for SSB between the two I might opt for the Connex only because the drift on the Galaxy 949/959 can been pretty bad. If I had to choose one that had better sound for TX/RX I'd lean towards the 949/959.
If I had money to burn on a new SSB radio and didn't mind going to an export I'd skip both and go to a 2950DX or Magnum 257.
And to be brutally honest - I much prefer one of my Uniden Grant radios over the Connex or Galaxy SSB radios any day of the week. The newer "CB" radios just can't seem to come close for SSB. They have the features dialed in, but without the great receive and SSB stability I've still yet to see the straight SSB CB that can stir the market again.
well you sure got my attention with that one, yes one of my favorites is the Grant XL but I need to get to channel 27.415 which is a problem with that one, the 257HP I have is a great radio along with the Omega Force all bought after your review of each and I have not been disappointed. So keep up the good work, your reviews are GREAT. I actually perfer my Lafayette SSB-140 and a Johnson 4740 but the Connex with the optional freq counter, unlocked clairfier and channel mods is really growning on me, I have to say I did do a recieve align also so it does work very well.
Are you sure we're disagreeing?
I also had agreed that the Connex radio has less drift than Galaxy 949/959, and can sound pretty good with a power mic added
My main points would be that although it's more stable I found that to my ear the Galaxy radios had better receive. Hard to explain but with local and DX stations they didn't seem to come through as clear as other radios I've tested/own. It's one of those things that may differ from ear to ear and of course it can differ from radio to radio (being as mine had a problem from the factory perhaps the radio in particular is at fault).
Output was fine but it didn't tune up as strong the 959 for AM or SSB.
Now - if I had to choose one radio for SSB between the two I might opt for the Connex only because the drift on the Galaxy 949/959 can been pretty bad. If I had to choose one that had better sound for TX/RX I'd lean towards the 949/959.
If I had money to burn on a new SSB radio and didn't mind going to an export I'd skip both and go to a 2950DX or Magnum 257.
And to be brutally honest - I much prefer one of my Uniden Grant radios over the Connex or Galaxy SSB radios any day of the week. The newer "CB" radios just can't seem to come close for SSB. They have the features dialed in, but without the great receive and SSB stability I've still yet to see the straight SSB CB that can stir the market again.
just curious here it seems to me that maybe your reciever section isnt tuned up,left pretty much stock.same tith the txing section could it be its not really peaked its was left stock also.just seems to me you guys have 2 totally diferent operating radios.just my opinion
on this .i love your reviews they been very helpul in this hobby
my opinion, they had those in stock someplace and just decided to use them, mine don't do anything else either but the radio sure does work great
If you look at the Connex 3400 it has the third digit as well. It is used as a "band" indicator for the extra channels. That radio uses the left most digit for the band indicator.
I'm guessing that they had a bunch of those and used them for that. The front of the radio looks almost exactly like the 3400. I'd almost bet that it has the same board in it as well. (with extra parts for the SSB ops)
trucker
I'm guessing that they had a bunch of those and used them for that. The front of the radio looks almost exactly like the 3400. I'd almost bet that it has the same board in it as well. (with extra parts for the SSB ops)
trucker
Ditto that! I had an S9 and it was JUNK! It got hotter than heck on AM when the top gunn was on and it drifted badly on SSB. What a dissapointment!!!