Looking at getting a compact SSB rig for the compact car.

[sonoma]

if you get one of the radios I mentioned or exit13 mentioned we have the guru of those radios right here on this forum. he can help with any problems you could have with one of these if you are capable of doing repairs and trouble shooting.
you would not need any help with a President McKinley. Jesse James Dallas runs one of the McKinley radios that I know of.

 

[sonoma]

here is a PC-122xl for you to look at.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIDEN-PC-...h=item2abcfff6fb:g:-D8AAOSwNTNb~37U:rk:2:pf:0

 

[LeapFrog]

A Fine Tune?

On the wallet, for no reason; sure.
You're getting a few passives changed and a standard alignment
for your hard-earned money, that's all folks!
The rest is a show...

A, factory, Cobra 148 GTL should do the trick, while not too compact.
Or as mentioned, the Uniden Bearcat 980SSB.
Consider the (stock) Anytone AT-6666 if you're a HAM.

 

[sonoma]

leapfrog he wants a small radio about the size of a uniden 510XL from what I read into his postings. he has a 2950 radio but it is too big. the 2950 is the same size as a 148 radio.

 

[sonoma]

here is a link to a McKinley so you can see info about it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/President-...h=item1cb4c014fe:g:JkgAAOSwYq5bZhpc:rk:2:pf:0

 

[Eldorado828]

Small footprint, modern, nice power output, great receiver,and ssb I'd say the anytone at-6666. Same chassis as the new Stryker sr-447hpc2 so it's really small for what it packs and nice price too. Conversion for 11 meters is really simple too

 

[Blackcat630]

Nice radio, but long in the tooth.

True, looking at 20+ years of age on these units. Cap failure is fixable but inevitable..

 

[Blackcat630]

I have no experience with the anytone flavors but as previously mentioned the 6666 might be one to look at for its size and features

 

[543_Dallas]

Don't buy an old pile of crap and you won't need a guru to fix it. Modern technology runs circles around that old stuff that we remember being better than is actually was. If you buy a 980 just take it out of the box and use it. Keep it as far away from cb shops and cb techs as you can.

 

[BammBamm]

980 with a rm203 is what I’m running. Added a Cobra 75 power mic and get great reports. The mic was given to me and I plan on a upgrade after Christmas.

 

[Martian]

The PC122 and derivatives were built to a price with some corners cut to save money and decrease their size. Remember to frame this in the context of when this was so you don't apply the standards of today to yesterday. Times were different.

Modern equivalents like the 980 and McKinley are far superior in a lot of ways.
If faced with a physical constraint - you have to use whatever will fit.
If I had the space I would personally go with the AnyTone. You get a little more punch in a very compact radio.
The McKinley is a nice radio but the display is very half hearted compared to the 980 - which is big, bright, and easy to read so the 980 would be my second choice.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

You're getting a few passives changed and a standard alignment

And we know this how? I apologize in advance for asking for hard cold facts.

 

[Handy Andy]

Since you are looking at a small footprint radio, the only thing NEW that can fit even close to a 520's footprint - is the Uniden 980.

But that's brand new...

Can you spare a moment and look around for a Realistic TRC-465, PC-122 or even a Cobra 146GTL - those are small DIN style (means can be installed in the dash - and even with the 146GTL - may need a shoehorn to find/fit into the dash (a different grommet/plate) - a good working oldie of a radio can surpass much of the newer radios today by "knob placement" and ease of access to all the needed BASIC controls.

The only reason I'm mentioning this is due to the nature of a small car - in knowing ownership of quite a few different ones - ranging from Sprint, Aspire, onto Scion X-series, they don't provide locations, or room, to mount much of anything these days.

I've had to mount my radios BEHIND the Overhead Dome light and use a crossmember on the headliner to mount and hold the Bracket. This poses several problems for those not used to seeing their radio via mirror image, but it actually frees up your field of vision forward as well as keeping your eyes closer to line of sight for less distraction - working with a mirror image of oneself let alone seeing the radio as a "ghost image" in the Rear view mirror, you get used to it. And for the basic essentials of knowing a simpler radio and operation of it makes it far more convenient let alone safe for operation in a small car where you may not always been seen and may need to avoid obstacles and keep your eyes on the road. Which is not always possible with todays in-dash crap they call entertainment

In fewer words - it's easier to find home plate with fewer knobs than to operate a menu-driven radio or a radio with backlighting that has far more knobs. It's in the sheer complexity, that you can lose your way and find yourself too distracted and now you hit something or got hit by something - and you'll have to explain that to the cops if you're able to...

The simpler the operational character you use for your vehicle, the more happier the miles down the road become. .

 

[LeapFrog]

And we know this how? I apologize in advance for asking for hard cold facts.

Oh yeah, the "max mod" is an active component...
I've seen Mark's cheat sheet for what parts he changes on a Stryker, but don't worry I won't post it here, I don't want to ruin the illusion you work so hard to maintain.

 

[jessejamesdallas]

My President McKinley dash mounted in my 2001 Tacoma.

I have a external speaker hooked up to it, but it really doesn't need one, the speaker was already there from a Uniden 520 and Uniden 680 I use to have hooked up...just left it.

Only thing I did to the McKinley was open up the modulation pot and turn up the ssb to 12w...that's the only thing you need to do to these radios...Mine is paired with a 1x2.