New Magnum 257 with Talkback/echo

[davegrantsr]

lol, i'm not so sure your accurate there, kenwood,icom and yaesu have been doing their own share of pleasing f@cknuggets in recent years too.

i'd rather use a cobra 148 gtl dx,president richard,superstar 360fm,stalker st9 or president grant/jackson on 11m ssb than any low end amateur set.unless you pay out extra for the optional narrow ssb filters for hf sets they are pretty poor on 11m despite what the all the gear/no idea experts on 11m think, not to mention they are a hell of a lot less to lose in a bust than a $500+ ham set,probably a lot more reliable too as all the sets i've mentioned when set up properly within spec are very reliable, its only when f@cktards try to push them beyond their design limits they are problematic.

hmmmmmmmmm........low end amateur sets on 11m? most of the local sidebanders, who have general tickets, have pretty much abandoned 27.385 for 2m FM simplex (which, losing them there, in itself, is not neccessarily such a bad thing as their knowledge of electronic theory is, um, lacking-they certainly got NOTHING out of their general training), actually use higher-end hf sets. there are more then a few 746 pros, 756 pro3, ft1000, ts2000 and more that i hear on 11m as opposed to entry level hf rigs like the ic718 & ft450. it seems the galaxy-type cbers that get a tech ticket are the ones that buy those rigs.
and yes, 99.9% of the time, my 11m mobile is a grant xl, and 25% of the time base cb is the same....the other 75% is an ar3500.

 

[hotrod]

F@ocknuggets? I don't know if buying a radio with echo and talkback automatically puts someone into that category

Anyway - in regards to this particular radio let me tell you what I think is the + side to the whole arguement in the previous posts.

The talkback in this radio is added but not engaged UNLESS you buy the specially modified microphone OR you do the mod to enable it (always on or with a potentiometer).

I like the fact that the radio doesn't have echo or talkback enabled stock and if those who want to add it can easily drop $50 and have both to work with. In fact Magnum isn't really chopping up or ruining a great radio in this case, they are merely adding an option that can be enabled.

With the 257 I think this is important because unlike with many other exports there are two different crowds who use this radio - the more serious SSB operators and the less serious CBer crowd.

I think this current mod pleases both. Now - would I like to see Magnum make the super SSB radio for the serious freeband/CB/Ham SSB operator....sure, but like Robb said they know their market and when the time comes they'll build it if the demand is there.

In the meantime Yeticom has the Optima and it really is the first type of export radio to make that leap. So we'll see where the market goes from here but as far as I'm concerned it's nice to see companies making any types of mods/products to sell more radios when they easily could go the other way and just reduce down to 1 or 2 of their best selling radios and sit on those.

Uniden is by far the best example of a company that has given up on furthering the hobby and just going to work the old designs until they die out and they close up shop.

so if someone like me that doesnt want/need echeo/talkback it wont have it
unless they buy the mic?

 

[VA3ES]

so if someone like me that doesnt want/need echeo/talkback it wont have it unless they buy the mic?

Eggszockley! The dedicated Magnum echo mic only, enables the echo and talkback. The stock mics do not.

 

[jazzsinger]

F@ocknuggets? I don't know if buying a radio with echo and talkback automatically puts someone into that category

highly debatable

Uniden is by far the best example of a company that has given up on furthering the hobby and just going to work the old designs until they die out and they close up shop.

Hmmm, if thats the case how do you explain the president jackson 2?

i hear others are in the pipeline too, thats if president europe ever get their finger out. outwith that i don't think theres a company in history has furthered 11m ssb'ing more than uniden, their 30 odd year old designs still being copied/ripped off today is testament to that.

the reality is uniden have far more profitable business to be doing these days than cb's, the other reality is if anyone is working old designs to death its ranger rci and magnum who just ripped uniden products right off. is it any wonder uniden can't be atrsed doing r+d for others to come along, steal their designs and cut heavily into their profits therefore making new r+d pointless.

 

[jazzsinger]

hmmmmmmmmm........low end amateur sets on 11m? most of the local sidebanders, who have general tickets, have pretty much abandoned 27.385 for 2m FM simplex (which, losing them there, in itself, is not neccessarily such a bad thing as their knowledge of electronic theory is, um, lacking-they certainly got NOTHING out of their general training), actually use higher-end hf sets. there are more then a few 746 pros, 756 pro3, ft1000, ts2000 and more that i hear on 11m as opposed to entry level hf rigs like the ic718 & ft450. it seems the galaxy-type cbers that get a tech ticket are the ones that buy those rigs.
and yes, 99.9% of the time, my 11m mobile is a grant xl, and 25% of the time base cb is the same....the other 75% is an ar3500.

its a pity few of them actually have a clue how to operate the high end sets they buy only to flatter their ego's. classic all the gear/no idea merchants, their rank rotten audio on good sets is often the main clue they are clueless in seattle.

 

[jazzsinger]

Now - would I like to see Magnum make the super SSB radio for the serious freeband/CB/Ham SSB operator....sure, but like Robb said they know their market and when the time comes they'll build it if the demand is there.

i'm sure they'd find the demand there if they actually built a decent set and marketed it, but while they are still releasing the same old badly copied from uniden stuff we will never know.

 

[Robb]

the reality is uniden have far more profitable business to be doing these days than cb's, the other reality is if anyone is working old designs to death its ranger rci and magnum who just ripped uniden products right off. is it any wonder uniden can't be atrsed doing r+d for others to come along, steal their designs and cut heavily into their profits therefore making new r+d pointless.

IF - and this a big IF - 11m usage increases; THEN they (Uniden) will beat a new path to get a piece of the market.

If they were smart; they would listen to what users on forums have to say - since they are the ones running the gamut. Great place for R & D to start with - IMO. If such a decision is made; then be prepared to see new Unidens with the entire chassis utilizing SMT. They will have to in order to keep the cost low and to realize enough profit to even get seriously into this game. So long as they can make a quality radio that has the USB/software features that incorporates better than previously done; then they just might go there.

<Sigh> It would be great if they made a radio that could be w/o SMT; but that seems impractical and unprofitable to them if they want highly competitive future products that one would expect from them.

 

[jazzsinger]

If such a decision is made; then be prepared to see new Unidens with the entire chassis utilizing SMT.

check out the president jackson 2 schematic.

<Sigh> It would be great if they made a radio that could be w/o SMT; but that seems impractical and unprofitable to them if they want highly competitive future products that one would expect from them.

using smt is nothing to do with practicality or profitability, its down to the fact that the electronics markets that matter, hifi,tv,computers,mobile phones etc have moved onto this technology and the manufacturers of components cater to them, not radio, which on the grand scale of things is pretty insignificant, radio makers have to use whats available. these more significant markets wanted/needed components of a smaller scale to satisfy the demand of the public wanting everything miniturised.

 

[Robb]

Ranger and RCI radios have also gone with the SMT builds as well. Got a RCI 2995 DX that is built in such a fashion.

I discussed the USB option and DSP with Magnum over a year ago. Seems like they don't want to take the lead and want to learn from other companies success/failures before they jump into it themselves.

The Optima radio is the first step; but others are now sure to follow their lead.

The first one that has DSP and decent software will be the one that I will buy. Gotta see better TX/RX bandwidth to really sell it to me. Otherwise, Ham rigs still take that prize. Although I must admit that the 2995 DX has pretty sweet TX audio - IMO . . .

Yes, I just looked at the President Jackson II radio.
Now; if I could just find one available here in the states.

 

[jazzsinger]

Yes, I just looked at the President Jackson II radio.
Now; if I could just find one available here in the states.

if you do buy one make sure you don't use it on a imax/a99 or similar, the finals in these don't like static and blow for fun on these type antennas.

sooner or later all new radios will be smt, which will be a curse/blessing, a curse for decent techs to work on as the components are minute, a blessing because it might keep some fuckwits out of them.

DSP isn't all that, a simple analogue passive noise filter can be just as effective and a lot easier to listen too. the lake nrf2 was a classic example of a cheap and cheerful analogue noise filter that worked superb on ssb and only cost about 16 quid new.




Magnum not taking the lead and waiting for others,

Sounds to me like they don't have the capability to design whats needed, preferring to rip other people's designs off, not exactly a new concept for them, ie, just about every radio they've ever released.

I'm still curious why Sam Lewis confides all this with you Robb, yet doesn't come on himself to put his point across. Would be very interesting to hear first hand the things you repeat, i can't help thinking you are being used to blindly promote Magnum products that leave a fair bit to be desired.

the optima may well be the first step, but its down to the drive of Dave wanting to sell better products, not the manufacturer doing it because they realise their previous products were flawed.

 

[Robb]

I'm still curious why Sam Lewis confides all this with you Robb, yet doesn't come on himself to put his point across. Would be very interesting to hear first hand the things you repeat, i can't help thinking you are being used to blindly promote Magnum products that leave a fair bit to be desired.

I pressed Sam L for this info. You would be surprised all of the questions I asked him. It was done at that time as an effort to put some journalistic quality into what I wrote - when I was still writing reviews.

I like to write but have no reason to do it - as far as radios or forums are concerned.

Mfr's and end users need to have a contact point to make any product better - IMO.
Should happen more often. The thing is, radios aren't a high demand item. Certainly not like a car or a computer that has constant mfr/user input.

Guess we will need to bite a bullet and get the equipment to do SMT work.
Don't think my eyesight is up to it though.

 

[jazzsinger]

I pressed Sam L for this info. You would be surprised all of the questions I asked him.

I doubt i'd be surprised,lol.

It was done at that time as an effort to put some journalistic quality into what I wrote - when I was still writing reviews.

No harm in reviews if they are honest and unbiased.

I like to write but have no reason to do it - as far as radios or forums are concerned.

Again i don't see why not, as long as they are YOUR views and not been implanted. Which i fear many were in the past as i made clear at the time, but thats MY intuitive opinion and may not be fact.

Mfr's and end users need to have a contact point to make any product better - IMO.
Should happen more often. The thing is, radios aren't a high demand item. Certainly not like a car or a computer that has constant mfr/user input.

I agree, but its all too easily manipulated by a shrewd manufacturer, especially if they are supplying free stuff for review, it's only human nature to feel you owe them something in return, which inevitably leads to them leading the debate and the mass of useless gimmicks we are now seeing being released..

Guess we will need to bite a bullet and get the equipment to do SMT work.
Don't think my eyesight is up to it though.

personally i despise smt components, but thats the future and you either move with the times or get left behind, like you my eyes ain't all they used to be and smt stuff ain't exactly easy to work on whilst stoned, which quite frankly appeals to me more than dicking around inside radios with a telescope, i'll stick with my leaded component radios as long as i can or till i run out of now discontinued spare parts whichever comes first. thankfully i rarely use my components on my gear (wish i could say the same about others,although in fairness if it wasn't for them frying the shit out their rigs i probably wouldn't have learned many of the things i have) because i run all my equipment at sensible levels. infact in 30 years of owning/using radios i've never had to replace a final in any of MY radios as anyone who has bought a radio from me will testify, as they all had the original components in them.

Good luck to you if you decide to take on smt ROBB, i'm getting too old for that shit. i tell you this much ROBB, if you manage to fix smt radios as fast as you reply to my posts, you got it made mate,