MAGNUM 257 HP Review

[Turbo T]

I owe you a beer. I will follow these steps tonight. I never did the reset so that may be all it is

Make mine a Killians Irish Red please. Or Coors in the Gold cans.

If that is in fact true then it would pretty much be useless for working 10 meter repeaters.

Yes for the most part. I'm actually surprised the 257HP has the ability (so the instructions say) to even work a repeater.

True.

You'd think the recent export offerings would add some useful HAM features. Might help sell more rigs to a few HAMS that otherwise, shun the typical export rig.

Take the Optima, if it had CW, selectable tones I bet more amateurs would buy them, seeing how they're free from beeps and echo.

You need to keep in mind, the so-called 10 meter radios aren't really geared at ham radio operators, they're more geared at CB operators. The only reason they're called "amateur transceivers" is so they can get around the FCC regulations, as pretty much all exports exceed the FCC's 4 watts and 40 frequencies/channels rule they have imposed on CB radio.

Very true that radios like the 257HP and the Optima might be free of echo boards and roger beeps, but unlike a true amateur radio transceiver, neither radio has a full VFO. The HTX-10 OTOH does have a full VFO, and is a true 10 meter radio, that looks every little bit line both radios although I don't know if it does CW or repeaters or not.

I just needed to do the reset. I had it wired up correctly. Thanks again. I like this little radio. It's not perfect by any means but it's effective.

Glad to hear it's working for you. Now where's my beer?

 

[Mudfoot]

Your not getting the point of my post. I know full well what audience the export is geared for. That doesn't mean I can't use it on 10-12 meters.

The Optima does have a "full" VFO and plays quite well. It's a good respectable starter rig for a new HAM. It's pricey, but still a good rig. If it had more features as I mentioned, it would be more desirable to an amateur.

The HTX-10 has no CW capability, so I don't consider it a real HAM radio.

I'm just tired of the same old crap. I'm just waiting for a decent 10 meter or dual bander to come out. You know, one that could be sold by HRO, Universal, AES and the like. Of course, it would still have to be able to freeband.

Will the curmudgeons approve? I doubt it.

 

[VA3ES]

If that is in fact true then it would pretty much be useless for working 10 meter repeaters.

True, but a lot of 10M repeaters are open.

 

[Onthecoast]

I agree. All of the 10m radios out there right now lack a lot of features. None of the big amateur radio mfgs make anything with 10m and multi modes so its kind of a bad situation. You have to step up to a very expensive unit to get all the features

 

[Onthecoast]

Well, it looks like I'm having problems with the SSB side of things. Power is all over the place but mostly very low. I'm not sure exactly what to think, but AM power seems to be very strong. I'm going to see what this thing does but it looks like I will be calling Magnum for support.

 

[Tucker442]

I've probably said it more than once, the 257HP that has TB on the serial number all seem to have some kind of issue on SSB. New box design, new radio and they do not work well on SSB

 

[Onthecoast]

I may have jumped the gun. Could have been my SWR meter acting up on me or a loose connection but I tested for quite awhile tonight and everything on SSB was as it should be. I'm getting full power on SSB and AM, although I wouldn't mind being able to bring the top end adjustment on AM down a little further.

 

[Mudfoot]

True, but a lot of 10M repeaters are open.

Yes,

The "fun" repeaters are the ones that are usually left open. When the band is WIDE open I usually head for the FM and repeater portion first, then finish off on CW.

Used to have a local 10 meter repeater way back when. I really miss it, beats the pants off 2 meter repeaters any day of the week. 6 meter repeaters are right up there as well.

 

[Tucker442]

OnTheCoast are you in NJ?? I heard a guy just last night on 39LSB with a 257HP talking about the issues he was having and something about a bad piece of coax. His radio sounded ok not the power house a good working 257HP would soung like

 

[Onthecoast]

Not me. Unless I was getting some great conditions at night! Nah I wasn't on 39LSB, my antenna is cut for 10m and I need a tuner before I can get on 11m without hurting the radio.

 

[grimsbybaz]

has anyone got the board or alignment layout for the 0megaforce s45 or do they know where i can find it please. Ive looked in all the usual places like defpom and rigpix etc but the ones i have found are incorrect.. ie RV numbers dont match up.
Cheers.
Barry.

 

[Tucker442]

Hi Barry try CB Tips and Tricks they list both the S45 and S45hp same adjustment points and if that doesn't help just email me tucker4422@verizon.net I can help you out

 

[smokie4]

strange board on my 257_HP

I just picked up one of these great little radios and started playing around with it. It was set up with the band type modes, CON3. I wanted to change the CON to selection 2 to have the 10 meter, and continuous coverage. While doing that I noticed a blue wire hanging free from the board on the underside of radio or trace side.
If any one has an idea what this is, and where the hanging blue wire would hook up to I would appreciate it.

 

[smokie4]

Evidently this little gem is the talkback board. the blue wire goes on the center leg of the mic-g (mic gain) control. This is if you use the EC2018EX microphones with the talkback option.

There is also an addendum with the new TB models that state you have to have the power all the way up, and control the output power with the mic gain control(SSB only).

Sam and crew do a great job in the customer service dept in my opinion too.
It's also a great little compact, and powerful radio.

 

[Tucker442]

Smokie4 I'm with ya Sam and crew do a great job to bring us great radios for a fair price, just a shame he has no control over production and at times it does cost him a bunch of money for warranty repairs, my hats off to Sam Lewis and family