For the OPs sake, I hope the below is useful coincidence.
(I’ll do a thread on this truck in the near future; rarely at home, and pressed for time & energy while on the road).
Had to run against 45-mph crosswinds late last night to get from the Rio Grande Valley after loading, and to be first in line at Clays Radio Shop in San Antonio this morning.
Had Robert put the 5’ Skipshooter on the Rig Expert and we discussed how to run coax & power in this 579 Peterbilt (if theres someone better at installations, I’d like to meet them).
Also did a take-off of the exterior door mirrors so his machine shop can make stainless antenna mounts as he now has for other trucks (no aftermarket support otherwise).
The “portable base station” was toted inside to make true the statement that two heads are better than one . . time to look over the logic. And re-check operation of transceiver & amplifier.
GALAXY 99v2
RM ITALY KL7505v
From the Techs notes:
Transceiver Carrier Level
Low 2.25w & Modulates 15w
High 15w & Modulates 30w
Receiver Sensitivity 2.5 vpp with 2dB injected.
Amplifier Carrier Level
(with 2.25w)
Low 40w & modulates 180w
Medium 80W & modulates 225w
High 125W & modulates 250W
(As before, I don’t have a dog in “the fight”; the gentlemanly disagreements).
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The 99v2 was receiving but not transmitting. Been riding in the truck the last trip or two.
Walked it thru DTB Radio as my travel plans for the afternoon got cancelled. Realized I might get lucky: Dave would be in
and could deal with the radio as I waited (Carlisle, PA is a long ways from home). Delivered just up the road but never expected to come back to this major truck intersection of truck stops, etc.
Fixed that TX (“solder problem”; no, don’t ask where; apparently since new and not first time), removed relay talkback and lowered dead key down to 1.5W. Got it back on frequency. Audio now nicer than before (across another radio a UNIDEN
Zachary).
Time to get it back in the rack in the Pete.
Found a 5.5” Francis gathering dust to get me another 6” higher than the Skipshooter. Puts me dead at 14’ (where trailer requires 13’ 5” clearance).
I’ve been to this shop in the past only to find him closed that day on several occasions. Other days, a line waiting. Felt providential to drive up today, walk in and he had my radio cases off minutes later with a good idea of where to go next in his examination. No one else came in (rare for a Friday at truck-related services).
Left tech questions alone in main so as not to jinx the spell. A
quite different experience than previously (previous not bad, just that diagnostic focus and work didn’t need anything from me except occasional short answers;
cooking with gas was underway. Griddle hot and bench gear was talking).
About an hour of shop time purchased. Hopefully the last as the almost seven-year total dollars spent on this 99 hit the limit.
No other radio has given me as much enjoyment as this one. Others may offer more advantages, but this one has been my gold standard: from the Cobra 29 range of things to here IS the CB Radio range AM/SSB as I’ve experienced it until last month).
A KL-203 to go behind it now, and a new KL-7405 at home waiting to go in. (Have upgraded truck power to 6-AWG at 19’ versus previous 10/2 Duplex at 36’ since last used).
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