FINE TUNE CB SHOP FOR REAL?

[rabbiporkchop]

You consider that "studio quality audio"....... Uhmmmmm ok lol

I often hear that it sounds like an FM broadcast station from people who have never heard a decent sounding radio. I can't seem to figure out why people seem to be ashamed of how their audio sounds and they don't want other people to hear what it sounds like. I hear lots of folks bragging about how great Mike's radio repair is but so far the only one customer that I've heard that had any work done there sounded awful and I did happen to make a recording of that radio and then when the guy realized how awful it sounded came up with an excuse that it was a stock radio. I'm not ashamed of how my radio sounds since everybody that hears it says it's one of the best sounding radios they ever heard in their life and that it's so Crystal Clear sounding it seems Supernatural to them because they'e never heard anything quite like it.
Anyway I'll repeat what I said earlier that there's lots of people that brag about how great their technician is but those people seem to be ashamed of how their audio sounds in reality since they don't want to show us what it sounds like.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

After listening to the audio It sounds like shit. It's not a bandwidth thing because <3k wide ssb from a decent radio sounds much better . It's obvious the radio in the video is just a still picture so I'm not sure what mode is being used. If this was recorded using AM the audio is terrible. It sounds like you stuck a straight pin through the mic element.

The recording was made on a stock Cobra 29 with the recorder plugged directly into the back of the Cobra 29.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Looked at ten seconds of that video when I noticed the radio in that video isn't in operation. If it was especially on USB the meter section would show movement. Still unconvincing.

Perhaps you'll like this better.

 

[dave457]

Supernatural.....lol
Bottom line is if your happy with it
Thats all that matters

 

[543_Dallas]

The recording was made on a stock Cobra 29 with the recorder plugged directly into the back of the Cobra 29.

The transmitter/mic combo either sounds horrible of the receiving/recording equipment is screwing things up. The stock 29 with stock mic would probably sound better.

That microphone was never placed in a microwave for any length of time was it?

 

[rabbiporkchop]

The transmitter/mic combo either sounds horrible of the receiving/recording equipment is screwing things up. The stock 29 with stock mic would probably sound better.

That microphone was never placed in a microwave for any length of time was it?

Any issues will be directly related to the receiving radio or my inability to set audio levels to make the recording device happy because it sounds great over the air. This isn't really about me per se it's just suggesting that technicians should be willing to demonstrate what their stuff sounds like to potential customers if they want to attract potential customers.
Lots of folks like to recommend certain shops without demonstrating what that shop is capable of doing in the real world.

 

[LeapFrog]

Lots of folks like to recommend certain shops without demonstrating what that shop is capable of doing in the real world.

And.. "In the real world" one out of three operators will say: Man that "LOUD" Cobra 29 LTD w/ class-c junk behind it sounds "GREAT", narrow audio stock-bandwidth, and all...
So what is your point RPC? Do you think 4 out of 5 CB'ers know what "120 dB down" means?

Do they have "the ear" to notice (subjective) results, or are they able to understand objective measurement?
(All that equipment is flashy, but if people don't understand what it means...)

My point is... the work that is out there on the air, that is the pudding/proof..
Sad to say but "the theory" isn't everything, and people form opinions....
~while~
Facts are facts, but if you preach on deaf ears...
Measurements must be interpreted by those "in-the-know" (not me )

BUT
Dosy meters are easy to read and fun to look at for most operators who casually enjoy the CB.
Maybe we should be holding the average CB'er to a higher-standard??
Hand someone a spec sheet with numbers printed out, or show a meter swing.. . Which is going to grab the attention of more people....

So how would you recommend people show what they can do, on air?
With conditions ever changing, technicalities from regulations, and dummy load being too close, I'm open for suggestions.. Maybe I can rent a spot down at the trailer park and setup a receiving radio?

But I guess If I couldn't ensure my station was clean, or "wide enough".. I'd pay someone to do it, and Mark would be my choice, if an export was on the table.
The confidence he has in his bench is what has me sold, but honestly I've heard kick ass radios that "whooped butt" in skip land, and they where not the cleanest..

At the extreme end of it all is an over-simplification, and watt meter watchers are created every time new people join this hobby.
That is why I see many 50 Watt Cobra 29's on youtube, people are deceiving people (I think) but at the end of it all, if it works and they are "getting out good" ... That's all most people will care about.

~Rant mode off~
P.S. screw YouTube's GoLdEn-tEcHs, I've been trying to get this IRF520N to scream like a banshee from hell (the magical 50 watts PEP), but my meter cannot be tweaked, and my "coils ain't spread".

 

[543_Dallas]

Any issues will be directly related to the receiving radio or my inability to set audio levels to make the recording device happy because it sounds great over the air. This isn't really about me per se it's just suggesting that technicians should be willing to demonstrate what their stuff sounds like to potential customers if they want to attract potential customers.
Lots of folks like to recommend certain shops without demonstrating what that shop is capable of doing in the real world.

If you're going to blame the receiver or recorder this all seems pointless. You need to get line level audio from the receiver and connect that to your recorder through an isolation transformer. I've posted info on this a few times.

If you're going to use the ext speaker jack at least use a transformer to match the output impedance of the radio to the recorder. The radio requires something like an 8 ohm speaker and I'm guessing the recorder is designed for a several hundred ohm microphone. Line level would still be much better.

Those sdr things I told you about before have the ability to record. The quality is much better than you could ever have with a recorder and radio.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

If you're going to blame the receiver or recorder this all seems pointless. You need to get line level audio from the receiver and connect that to your recorder through an isolation transformer. I've posted info on this a few times.

If you're going to use the ext speaker jack at least use a transformer to match the output impedance of the radio to the recorder. The radio requires something like an 8 ohm speaker and I'm guessing the recorder is designed for a several hundred ohm microphone. Line level would still be much better.

Those sdr things I told you about before have the ability to record. The quality is much better than you could ever have with a recorder and radio.

I admit that sometimes I do things half assed. Olympus DM420 plugged directly into the Cobra 29.
It works much better when I can see the VU meter to adjust levels. I was just guessing.

 

[undertaker]

I remember when radio was fun.....

 

[543_Dallas]

I remember when radio was fun.....

Why is it not fun now?

 

[rabbiporkchop]

My only use mine on the commute to work and back home but it seems quite fun to use

 

[LeapFrog]

.
Taking things too seriously, or giving too much thought to some of the things I've heard on air. Also, getting too technical has deflated my sails when discussing things with other operators.

 

[543_Dallas]

.
Taking things too seriously, or giving too much thought to some of the things I've heard on air. Also, getting too technical has deflated my sails when discussing things with other operators.

The tech stuff gets old on the air. I try to avoid it with most people because I know a lot of people just aren't interested and can't really join the qso.

Almost everyone that joined a radio forum was looking for some technical info. Don't let people on the radio or the internet have that kind of control over you.

 

[543_Dallas]

My only use mine on the commute to work and back home but it seems quite fun to use

I use mine on the weekend. Usually late at night when there's nothing else to do. I'd rather build or repair something than talk on it. I listen on the drive to work but don't talk from the mobile much anymore unless traffic is very light.