new vs old galaxy radios audio?

[phantom309]

I have two old galaxy radios, a dx 44 v and a dx 33hml. The audio on both of these radios are LOUD and clear. Never an issue.

Then when I got the new truck I decided to buy a new radio, first was a galaxy 959 b (comes factory with blue display and meter) never really got great reports though it did get out well. Just not loud, not being happy with a typical cb and also trying to get my ham license I decided to get the galaxy 99v2. Again the audio not very impressive.

3 of these radios were bought from bells cb in Florida, the 44 was 10-12 years ago the 959b and 99v2 were within the past 6 months. Power is there but a cobra 29 is louder.

Kinda disappointing when I think of the money spent.

And yes I've had other people talk on them. I would say the new radios are only 60-70% as loud as the old ones.

I'm I the only one that is having noticed this? Is it just my radios? What's your experience?

 

[unit_399]

you might try using the mics from the older radios on the new ones just to see if it makes a difference.

- 399

 

[binrat]

I think since the companies started using Mosfets in the radios the average tech has a harder time to tune them up. Its more than twisting a few pots and snip snip now.

 

[phantom309]

I use the same mics on all my radios older rk56 or my ranger sra 198.

I am wondering if the radio is being tuned different or if there really is a difference.

 

[Robb]

The state of any radio's tune will always change the way it will perform. . .

 

[phantom309]

Rob I understand that. As I said before though that 3 of these radios were bought and tuned from abd by bells cb in Florida. Those would be my dx33hml (old radio) and my 959b and 99v2 (new radios) same a shop same tech 10 years apart.

 

[wavrider]

Bells has a good reputation of performing/tuning radios.

With that said it could be different antenna systems you have used in the past that made the radio "sound" louder.

 

[phantom309]

I am not sure if I should dignify that comment with a response but I'm going to anyway.

All the radios I just spoke of are in the same truck, same microphone same coax same power same antenna same operator and same day.

This is the very first time I have ever heard anyone say an antenna can make a radio louder. EVER!

Care to explain that?

Now an antenna and coax have alot to do with reception and transmitted distance. But makes ZERO difference onhow that rradio sounds once the signal is heard, it only effects how far it heard.

 

[fourstringburn]

Now an antenna and coax have alot to do with reception and transmitted distance. But makes ZERO difference onhow that rradio sounds once the signal is heard, it only effects how far it heard.

If your reception is enhanced by a better antenna system, then the stronger received signal can sound "loud" and so should your transmit audio just like when your traveling and your getting closer to a distant station and their signal and audio gets louder.

A big amp and a over modulated radio mean nothing if the antenna system is less than adequate. For base stations, it's better to have a $10,000 antenna and a $100 radio than the reverse scenario.This logic pertains to mobiles as well but the dollar amounts are different.

You said you have a new truck, are you using the factory coax and antennas? Most of these in trucks today are multi-band antennas and even if you change the antennas, the factory coax is tied in to a multi-plexer box for CB, AM/FM, and some have cell phone integration. All of this is signal degrading for the sake of convenience.

As for your radio's, maybe your "loud" radio had the limiter clipped which is typically done to get that "loud" sound and your new one has the limiter intact. It's better to adjust your deadkey/swing ratio for that "loud" sound than clip limiters which can cause excessive harmonics and splatter across the band.

The lower the deadkey and the higher the swing will give you that "loud" sound. Do this easily by turning the RF power down to the minimum which should be at least 1 watt and the radio on AM should still swing upwards of 40 watts. That's plenty of swing.

Common agreement I have read many times on this forum on deadkey/swing ratios is at 4:1. for the best sound( but not necessarily the "loudest" ) without distortion and splatter and without clipping limiters. This means divide your radio's peak power by 4 and set your deadkey at the number. If your radio peaks at 40 watts, then set your deadkey at 10 watts.

 

[BigKahuna]

Id bet money those older radios are way more tweaked to the max than new ones. Techs tended to max out the older galaxy AM radios for truckers and AM talkers. They tend not to max out the SSB radios as often although always exceptions.

 

[Robb]

Id bet money those older radios are way more tweaked to the max than new ones. Techs tended to max out the older galaxy AM radios for truckers and AM talkers. They tend not to max out the SSB radios as often although always exceptions.

Yes; there are some that max out SSB radios for max AM performance at the cost of losing SSB functionality. I won't name shops; but this is generally at the request of the radio owner and preference . . . I always seem to get these radios and restore them as often as get one . . . which seems to be more of the rule than the exception . . .