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Montgomery Ward Gen 719

Tucker442

101E
Oct 30, 2010
1,012
198
73
70
Jamesburg NJ
Got one of these off of Ebay for 29 dollars, it works as good if not better than any other radio I have here in the shack. Hears like an Elephant, does over 20 watts on SSB with great audio, it's like a no brainer, who would have thought Montgomery Wards would have had a 40 channel sideband radio to work anything like this.
 

You got one fine radio there. I ought to know... I sold it to ya! :cool:

Really hated to see it go, but I'm thrilled it went to someone who will really appreciate it as much as I did. Also... I gotta pay for this new DX2547 base somehow :unsure:
 
well Jopcobra I really appreciate the radio and you selling it to me, with all the bad luck I have had with new and used radios this past month the Montgomery Ward was a welcome surprise. Thank You Thank You Thank You
 
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well Jopcobra I really appreciate the radio and you selling it to me, with all the bad luck I have had with new and used radios this past month the Montgomery Ward was a welcome surprise. Thank You Thank You Thank You

Hey Tucker442, hope you're well... How you liking that
montgomery ward 719 still ? I'm trying to find schematics and I hear you can get upper channels, not even sure what PLL is in it yet lol...

Can you elaborate and thanks, Retro 73's
 
Hey Tucker442, hope you're well... How you liking that
montgomery ward 719 still ? I'm trying to find schematics and I hear you can get upper channels, not even sure what PLL is in it yet lol...

Can you elaborate and thanks, Retro 73's
Retro I was to understand it is the same chassis as a Cobra 146, so see if you can find some mods for that and that should give you freeband channels
 
The Wards GEN-719 uses the Upd 2824 PLL chip which cannot be modded for extra freqs. Replace the 2824 with a Upd 2812 chip (IF you can find one), and then you can add extra channels. As far as the 719 being the same as the 146GTL, I'm not sure. The parts list in the 719 service manual calls for the uniden PC833AD main board (same as the 146), but the schematic and the main board pictorial shows the main board to be a PC621. ??????

- 399
 
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Thanks fellas for replying but maybe I'll get lucky and they'll already be some extras going on.... I bought a Motorola 555 and that happened recently to me ! But I've aquired the CB PLL Data Book recently as well and will check it too... Wow Unit_399 you seem to have service manuals for all radios brother. I'd love to have a copy of the service manual for my newly aquired Montgomary Ward 719A if you don't mind please ? I just had a fella on eBay help me out with a manual for the AirCommand base 1040 which I have never found anywhere and he did send me all of it and didn't even charge me a dime !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are still some people out there that are kind and considerate and CARE and don't hoard thier stuff just to themselves, lol not implying anything just saying that was so refreshing !! I hear these lil mobiles are pretty decent.

73's Retro waving ...
 
Good luck with your Wards 719 radio. I sometimes run a Montgomery Wards 702 40 Ch AM Base Station. Similar good receiver performance and great audio for an AM only radio that I think has that cool '70's stereo 8-track receiver look.

I've always wanted an AirCommand and I'm sure if I get one I'll be looking for a schematic. Maybe you could post a scan of it up here or forward a good copy of it onto CB Tricks for others to use if needed. Thanks.
 
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Good luck with your Wards 719 radio. I sometimes run a Montgomery Wards 702 40 Ch AM Base Station. Similar good receiver performance and great audio for an AM only radio that I think has that cool '70's stereo 8-track receiver look.

I've always wanted an AirCommand and I'm sure if I get one I'll be looking for a schematic. Maybe you could post a scan of it up here or forward a good copy of it onto CB Tricks for others to use if needed. Thanks.

Yeah I've just aquired the manual but the only useful schematic in it is the mic wiring... But I've got the Sams Photofact that has it in it ... You can find that on eBay for the most part but yeah it's good to contribute.

73's
 
Okay, I probably have the SAMs then. Understood now, it is the manual that's not on the interweb yet.
 
The Wards GEN-719 uses the Upd 2824 PLL chip which cannot be modded for extra freqs. Replace the 2824 with a Upd 2812 chip (IF you can find one), and then you can add extra channels. As far as the 719 being the same as the 146GTL, I'm not sure. The parts list in the 719 service manual calls for the uniden PC833AD main board (same as the 146), but the schematic and the main board pictorial shows the main board to be a PC621. ??????

- 399

It is possible to change the crystal X1 (10.2417 mHz) to a higher frequency. I had done this to several of this chassis type and succeeded in having the radio on 10 meters. I remember using a leftover crystal (11.1125 mHz) from a President Washington base. Only drawback is that you have to re-tune the rig so it will work there and using a switch may not work as this chassis is so narrow.
The use of a 'Super diode' will allow a wider spread of the voice lock or clarifier. This is needed for the UPD2812 chip as the extra band would end in zeros rather than fives. This would also help for using the radio on 10 meters.

73 mechanic
 
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It is possible to change the crystal X1 (10.2417 mHz) to a higher frequency. I had done this to several of this chassis type and succeeded in having the radio on 10 meters. I remember using a leftover crystal (11.1125 mHz) from a President Washington base. Only drawback is that you have to re-tune the rig so it will work there and using a switch may not work as this chassis is so narrow.
The use of a 'Super diode' will allow a wider spread of the voice lock or clarifier. This is needed for the UPD2812 chip as the extra band would end in zeros rather than fives. This would also help for using the radio on 10 meters.

73 mechanic

Yes sir sounds familar as from going to see my local tech and hearing about that more than once. Someone was selling one on eBay and even mentioned about it having upper frequencys in it. I wished I had snagged that one but I've got one on the way and should arrive tommorow in fact.... Yeah it's modable for sure, depends on the method. Heck I was gonna see what he can come up with if he replaces that silly PLL in my TRC-459 ssb base to a MB8719 and perhaps that could obtain me some uppers but no idea, but I'm gonna suggest it. That one is very tedious and difficult to get extra channels...

Thanks for the input 73's happy DXing, Retro
 

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