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CRE 8900 SSB - don't know if anyone had posted this yet

I guess the PTT switch is going out already in my road devil. When I key up most times it makes horrible scratching sounds. I hear it in the talkback and it's being transmitted. Go figure. Looks like I'll be looking for another power mic. As this radio really came alive on AM with a power mic. I won't buy another road devil though. I've only used this one a month or so and it's already messed up.
 
mdavis735 said:
I guess the PTT switch is going out already in my road devil. When I key up most times it makes horrible scratching sounds. I hear it in the talkback and it's being transmitted. Go figure. Looks like I'll be looking for another power mic. As this radio really came alive on AM with a power mic. I won't buy another road devil though. I've only used this one a month or so and it's already messed up.
Click to expand...

Some of the other guys talked about using a certain type if contact cleaner that lubricates the PTT switches for Astatic mics.
 
I'm no Astatic mic fan but a month seems not correct, why not try some tuner or contact cleaner in the switch, I have one that is like 5 years old and still works fine. You might have gotten some dirt or food stuff in it.
 
Tucker442 said:
I'm no Astatic mic fan but a month seems not correct, why not try some tuner or contact cleaner in the switch, I have one that is like 5 years old and still works fine. You might have gotten some dirt or food stuff in it.
Click to expand...

Food stuff?
I've read on somewhere on how someone had the same problem with their Astatic mic after a month's use. The advice given to them was to use contact cleaner and some kind if lubricant to keep the contacts from wearing out prematurely.
 
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mdavis735 said:
I guess the PTT switch is going out already in my road devil. When I key up most times it makes horrible scratching sounds. I hear it in the talkback and it's being transmitted. Go figure. Looks like I'll be looking for another power mic. As this radio really came alive on AM with a power mic. I won't buy another road devil though. I've only used this one a month or so and it's already messed up.
Click to expand...

Hear lots of complaints about the new road devils, glad I bought mine in the late 80's early 90's. Workin great for many years on my Uniden Grant XL and now my cre 8900 just need to add some channel buttons.
 
Lil'Yeshua said:
Don't quote me but I think it does. You would have to look at the stock mic circuit board to see where the up/dn positions go to. And no I haven't checked into it yet. I'm still piffed of at the road devil wanting to make the radio make ugly squeal noises. It did'nt do that until I run the ground from the volt reg to the mic/shield ground. On a good note,my stock mic is working better and not trying to unkey itself. On CBTricks for the 8900 you'll see the mic pinout. It has a Better description of what goes where.
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I'm no electronics expert but I do know an EE that may be able to help me figure it out.

Sorry about your squeal and after all your work to draw power from pin 6.
 
Well I used my contact cleaner and lube from radio shack. No more wind noise when keying the road devil. All nice and clear again. Thanks for the suggestion guys. Must have been a blonde moment for me. I usually think of that kinda stuff.
 
Lil'Yeshua said:
You know you can use that same hot mic pin to power the up/down and ASQ providing that you wire it up correctly in a Road Devil mic
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Well you may not be interested in this anymore with your Road Devil squealing but I found something interesting in the stock cre8900 mic.

The 6th power pin is not connected inside the mic to anything. It is connected on the connector (not very cleanly). Must not be needed for channel up/down or ASQ. This is promising as it should make it easier to add channel up/down to the road devil.
 

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That's good to know. I have yet to do the mod that turns the talkback completely off. I haven't written the road devil off yet. Been busy working with no time other than sleep. The road devil adds clarity to the 8900. The stock mic makes it sound muffled according to radio reports.
 
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Lil'Yeshua said:
That's good to know. I have yet to do the mod that turns the talkback completely off. I haven't written the road devil off yet. Been busy working with no time other than sleep. The road devil adds clarity to the 8900. The stock mic makes it sound muffled according to radio reports.
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Glad to hear you haven't given up on the road devil. I will keep trying to figure this out and share it here as I get closer. I can relate to being to busy for hobbies sometimes but too much work is a good problem to have.

I just ordered a D104-Tug8 and a 636L I'll play with. I am hesitant to mess with my vintage Road Devil given the complaints on the newer ones so I will probably try adding the channel up/down to the 636L first.

Anyone match the D104-Tug 8 to the CRE 8900 yet?
 

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