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Mobiles as a base? Which one to get?

CB590

CB590

W9WDX Member
Jun 29, 2016
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Trenton Nj
www.590dx.com
I was trying to get a good radio 10/11m for use as a base radio only for my new bench. Will be running A99 for antenna, I may opt to run a TS350 kicker later on..

I have HF, VHF, UHF covered..

I was wondering opinions on the Galaxy 86v? Has variable power, pushes 50w or so on high. It runs about $250 at Bells.. if used as a base only it should be stable(r) on SSB I am guessing.. this would eliminate the kicker idea for awhile as well, hence spending a little more..

I also like switches.

I don't want echo, beep, etc. If it's there fine.

I want audio punch and SSB..

The Stryker 955 is too much $$

My last buying of a Cobra 148 ended badly so I'm turned off to EB for used stuff.. I was looking at a Uniden 122 for $100 though..

Other option is another McKinley which I use in my truck for $185, or a Uniden 980 for $115 which I am guessing is SSB stable as well..

The Lincoln 2 v3+ has not punch on AM so I've heard.

The Anytone AT6666/v6 for $250 or AT5555/v6 maybe for $220??

Suggestions??

Like to stick to sub $200 if possible.
 
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I'm not sure what you mean by "audio punch", but if you mean what most people mean, it means you want it to sound loud, which is most often achieved by overmodulation, you will screw up a sideband radio by doing that.

If you want your voice to sound louder, get a powered mic that will use compression to make your voice sound louder. That will allow you to leave modulation alone, and still get a louder sound.

I like the Uniden 980 SSB. It's a decent radio. It is limited to 4 watts AM and 12 watts ssb though, and can't be turned up very much. I also like the President 2 V3+. The audio on it is just fine, and if I want to be louder, I would just use a different microphone.
 
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A lot of your more modern radios like the 980 and McKinley are not really what you would call "punchy" radios.

I get the impression that you want a screwdrivered radio?
Am I misunderstanding?

Like @PoDuck mentioned about the 980, it's a decent radio but it's not really a screwdriver special. Well, it is if you want to blow it up.

Are switches a must? you mention that you like things with switches so that really limits things to older more analog radios.
 
@PoDuck

Not trying to hijack the thread but it may offer some help to me and the OP. What will running loud audio through an AM rig do to it's SSB performance as I see you mentioned it will screw it up. Do you mean you need to tune the audio for SSB performance vs AM or it will physically mess with the radio?

I'm looking for a radio similar to the OP. Something with loud audio on AM (even if it'd require just buying a new mic) but good SSB performance as well.
 
I just want punchy audio.. I heard Galaxy and General Lee have some punch to them.. no swing kit or clipped wires.. just a peak and tune.. with low 2w or so dead key..

Maybe just a Red Devil RD104-E mic will work.. but I still need a decent radio with SSB..

The Quad 5 was on my list.. it's basically the same as the AT5555 v6 I believe..
 
sub5wr said:
@PoDuck

Not trying to hijack the thread but it may offer some help to me and the OP. What will running loud audio through an AM rig do to it's SSB performance as I see you mentioned it will screw it up. Do you mean you need to tune the audio for SSB performance vs AM or it will physically mess with the radio?

I'm looking for a radio similar to the OP. Something with loud audio on AM (even if it'd require just buying a new mic) but good SSB performance as well.
Click to expand...
What I am talking about is screwing with the modulation limiter or level, not "loud audio" per se. Most people, when they want a radio that is "loud" are talking about doing something like this to it. It has multiple problems. First is that it makes the radio bleed all over the band, because it allows the transmission to exceed the 10khz bandwidth per channel. Second is that it reduces effective output power, because instead of limiting the power output only to the channel you are trying to talk on, it spreads that power across to channels nobody is listening to you on. It may make a watt meter swing, but that is because watt meters can't determine what wattage is being sent over only a single channel.

If you want loud output, audio compression is the best way I know of to achieve it. This increases the quiet sounds and reduces the loud sounds, making the audio still sound louder.
 
As to what it does to SSB, AM and SSB modulation are linked, at least in all the radios I've looked at. Clipping the limiter removes some compression the radio was doing. In AM, it is audio compression, and in SSB, it is RF compression. Reducing RF compression reduces the signal to noise ratio, and actually makes it so you can't be heard as well at a distance. Reducing audio compression makes the radio sound quieter. This is compensated in AM by increasing the modulation, and you get a type of compression, but it is much more distorted, as it is clipping compression, and not a linear compression. Turning up the modulation does not increase the compression in ssb.
 
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The Quad 5 is supposed to have great audio although I can't confirm it. The company makes audio compressors and they say that you don't need to add it to the quad 5. The only other radio that I know of to have loud AM and good SSB to s the Stryker 955. Otherwise it is hard to have both loud AM and good SSB. What makes the AM loud kills SSB. That's why most people run separate units. I run a Sonar 2340 for AM and a President Madison for SSB.
Chris
 
@PoDuck

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

I've seen a post about those Top Gun radios. Seem pretty good on both AM and SSB. May be something to look into.
 

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