So, what are your personal takes on this radio? I have a chance to get a newer one with mosfit finals, peaked and tuned for 125.00 I just got a used 148 soundtracker so I need to know if it would be worth replacing it. Haven't even hooked up the 148 NW ST yet.
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Galaxy DX 959 opinions
- Thread starter EtchaSketch
- Start date
IMHO I would go with the 959. Bigger meter,talkback,roger beep and adjustable output are just a few added features. If the 959 is a refurb RUN LIKE HELL!! I bought a refurb 949....Biggest mistake ever! It cost me more in the long run than it would have to just buy a new one!
I run a 959 in my mobile, and I love it. It matches well with the rest of my equipment and I do get good reports on it's output. I've had a few cobra's, still do, and while they are good radios in their on right, they don't compare with any of my galaxy radios, or my ranger radios for that matter.
Great radio Highy recomended for the eice and performance. Con: Drifting, but overall great radio.....
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
get a older uniden grant or one of the side mic cobra 148s oe 146/138 xlr . much more stable for frequency and better ears with a lower noise floor and great tx audio .
i have 2...one mosfet...better than 148gtl and is great on ssb.Wild on am,if you want swing...73s de JW
Just did an alignment on one of the 959/mosfet version last night. The receive went from being a dog - to excellent. Make sure the SSB/APC voltage is 12.5v on TX; so many of them are set @ 13.5v on TX/VR-17 from the factory.
These mosfet 959's work best when the RF Output control is set @ 12 o'clock on SSB and 10 o'clock on AM. If you don't think so; just see how hot the back of the radio gets - if even turned up to the 3 o'clock position. There is NO HEATSINK on the back of these radios. You have been warned - put one on with epoxy or super glue. That you can do. Changing the APC voltage made it run a bit cooler.
DON'T mess with the radio if you don't know what you are doing - BTW!
If yours is sub par; then find a reputable tech/hobbyist nearby. They respond favorably if properly aligned!
These radios are a real pain to adjust the VCO/oscillator (L20, L21, L22). The tuning coils are UNDERNEATH the freq counter board and it must be unplugged to get to these coils and VR7 (the TX frequency output adjustment). After unplugging this board, putting it back in without bending all of those pins will make you sweat! There is also the danger that you ground one of these many exposed pins to something; so be very careful! Very tight space to work with in there.
Other than that, I like the radio and have aligned a few of them.
Had 409 Queensland, Australia pop up last night @ 11PM/PST, and talked to him briefly. The receive audio on these radios are brilliant if they have been aligned. Pretty nice - really . . .
These mosfet 959's work best when the RF Output control is set @ 12 o'clock on SSB and 10 o'clock on AM. If you don't think so; just see how hot the back of the radio gets - if even turned up to the 3 o'clock position. There is NO HEATSINK on the back of these radios. You have been warned - put one on with epoxy or super glue. That you can do. Changing the APC voltage made it run a bit cooler.
DON'T mess with the radio if you don't know what you are doing - BTW!
If yours is sub par; then find a reputable tech/hobbyist nearby. They respond favorably if properly aligned!
These radios are a real pain to adjust the VCO/oscillator (L20, L21, L22). The tuning coils are UNDERNEATH the freq counter board and it must be unplugged to get to these coils and VR7 (the TX frequency output adjustment). After unplugging this board, putting it back in without bending all of those pins will make you sweat! There is also the danger that you ground one of these many exposed pins to something; so be very careful! Very tight space to work with in there.
Other than that, I like the radio and have aligned a few of them.
Had 409 Queensland, Australia pop up last night @ 11PM/PST, and talked to him briefly. The receive audio on these radios are brilliant if they have been aligned. Pretty nice - really . . .
Last edited:
DXman
Yes, that's 3100 degrees F. Nine yrs of hard work.
I wouldn't get one. They drift like a sailboat, and I'm not real impressed with the audio tone of these radios on TX either. If you want a good AM/SSB mobile, get anything with the D858 SSB chassis (President Grant, Cobra 138XLR, Realistic TRC-449, etc) older MB8719 chassis (5 pin side mic Cobra 148GTL, Uniden Grant, President McKinley, etc) or even the old PLL02A Cybernet chassis (Hy-Gain V, JCPenney 6247, Midland 79-892, etc). These have better audio quality, and are far more stable. If the final goes, all 3 can be modified for MOSFETS if necessary. Can't go wrong with the old school stuff.
Just my .02 worth.
~Cheers~
Just my .02 worth.
~Cheers~
WOW, a lot of information to work with. Sorry for the delayed response, gone for awhile. Thanks for all the info. going to hold out for an old school I think.
Good idea on holding out, I bought a refurb to use here as a base, it was way way off frequency I got it aligned only to have it move around like the other guy said drifts like a sail boat. I talk on SSB about 99% of the time and it just wasn't for me. Sent it to a great radio repair shop got a real alignment and clairfier unlocked so it was usable that way but still had to always play with the clairfier so off it went to a new home. My old 148 side mic Cobra puts that radio to shame and the Cobra I have was made in 1988 guess they used better parts in those days The only other very stable radios I have bought new are the Magnum Omega Force and a Magnum Delta Force, the Delta Force was like brand new but like 5 years old, both of them are fantastic about staying on frequency, ones in my truck the other is in the house for a base
cpu controled magums like the omega/delta
and rci 2950/70/90/55 are a few of the best for ssb.
the 959 will be about the same as the 148 soundtracker
maybe a little better
I have two of the 959, except for the 5 digit freq counter I like them.
Have to change the voltage regulator and the audio chip, then they become stable on ssb, if they are tuned for max watts they will drift on SSB tx so the new regulator is a must if you like SSB.
I used the LESSCOM channel conversion kit and works great, excellent audio reports with the stock mic after changing the audio chip.
Google search will come up with much info on this rig.
Shame it has to be modded to get the best performance out of it. but that is what gets it FCC type accepted.
Have to change the voltage regulator and the audio chip, then they become stable on ssb, if they are tuned for max watts they will drift on SSB tx so the new regulator is a must if you like SSB.
I used the LESSCOM channel conversion kit and works great, excellent audio reports with the stock mic after changing the audio chip.
Google search will come up with much info on this rig.
Shame it has to be modded to get the best performance out of it. but that is what gets it FCC type accepted.