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RCI-2950CD owners chime in.. new owner here

CB590

W9WDX Member
Jun 29, 2016
1,545
1,265
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Trenton Nj
www.590dx.com
What can I expect from a stock unit.

I bit the bullet and ordered one for it stable SSB ability..

Just ordered for $295 (shipped) brand new in box from dealer. He said all sealed units have the E-chip inside it.. (y)

So what can I look forward to??

Are the modulation pots needing a tune-up for good AM sound.. or just a better mic or power mic?

Do I need to unlock the clarifier right away or just leave it alone?

I am planning on running with my Texas Star 350. I saw video saying to run on lowest power (about 1w ) with front knob for AM and almost max when doing SSB..
 

Never owned a "cd" model but from what I understand it's just a dx with a new display. From owning a couple dx models and many old orange face 2950/70's through the years I would recommend NOT unlocking the clarifier. No need for it... the radio has a vfo. As long as the radio is spot on frequency no need for it. You stated you bought one sealed from a vendor. That's good and bad. Unfortunately RCI can occasionally have quality control issues so I would have recommended an alignment and mild tune before shipping. This is where unfortunately we open the door to the age old pissing match of "dont/do use that tech" & "it's a junk export why does it needed worked on when you buy it?" Figured I would just address that before it comes..

Since you bought it "sealed" I'm assuming it's not been touched. A Google search or YouTube will probably give you the answer for a slight "peek and tune". As for alignment... unless you have the proper equipment.. leave it alone. Hopefully yours will be close enough for 11 meters..

Stock mic will work but better options are available. I always had luck with the Astatic hand mic flavors... or my old cb stand by D104 (turned down).

Keep the dead key down on AM driving the TS and you can probably crank up the radio rf power for driving it on ssb without a problem.

Good luck, have fun & 73
 
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Never owned a "cd" model but from what I understand it's just a dx with a new display. From owning a couple dx models and many old orange face 2950/70's through the years I would recommend NOT unlocking the clarifier. No need for it... the radio has a vfo. As long as the radio is spot on frequency no need for it. You stated you bought one sealed from a vendor. That's good and bad. Unfortunately RCI can occasionally have quality control issues so I would have recommended an alignment and mild tune before shipping. This is where unfortunately we open the door to the age old pissing match of "dont/do use that tech" & "it's a junk export why does it needed worked on when you buy it?" Figured I would just address that before it comes..

Since you bought it "sealed" I'm assuming it's not been touched. A Google search or YouTube will probably give you the answer for a slight "peek and tune". As for alignment... unless you have the proper equipment.. leave it alone. Hopefully yours will be close enough for 11 meters..

Stock mic will work but better options are available. I always had luck with the Astatic hand mic flavors... or my old cb stand by D104 (turned down).

Keep the dead key down on AM driving the TS and you can probably crank up the radio rf power for driving it on ssb without a problem.

Good luck, have fun & 73

Thanks.

Read a DM-452 mic may help with modulation as well..

Going to try it after I do the EChip.

Any idea why in CB channel mode in videos I see like 19 and 19A (or some letter next to certain channels)?
 
Thanks.

Read a DM-452 mic may help with modulation as well..

Going to try it after I do the EChip.

Any idea why in CB channel mode in videos I see like 19 and 19A (or some letter next to certain channels)?
It can display frequency or channels, although I don't recall how you change the display, it's been many years since I played with one.

Oh, you were asking about the A channels. The cb plan skips some frequencies, so the skipped frequencies add an A rather than saying 19.5 or something.
 
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So for E-Chip I see alot of different things..

This is the CD and according to the person I got this pic from the EChip plugs in towards the left hand side next to the empty molex.. can anyone confirm this or pop there's and take a picture for me to verify..

fullsizeoutput_105b~3.jpeg

Screenshot_20190127-103409.png
 
Thanks.

Read a DM-452 mic may help with modulation as well..

Going to try it after I do the EChip.

Any idea why in CB channel mode in videos I see like 19 and 19A (or some letter next to certain channels)?

The A Channels were once known as the Business Band for the most part in the 1960's & 70's aka: The Good Old Days.

SIX-SHOOTER
 
The 5 alpha channels were set aside for 27 MHz radio control use you can still find a few rc cars that work on 27 MHz but not many.
It really did not work very well after cb became popular and users started increasing power levels.....
At one time a few frequencys around what is now the CB band were used for business band.
I have seen a 26 MHz repeater before but it was many years ago.
But the alpha channels were great if you wanted to step away from others that could not get there.
Opps
Did I say that?

73
Jeff
 
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Speaking of the "a" channels or as we used to call them the "rc" channels.. and 2950s... reminds me of years past when the small towns around my area had good groups of folks yacking on a nightly basis. Me and a buddy used to get away from the locals right in the cb band. We both had 2950s and would work split between 3A and 15A. I would transmit on 15A and receive on 3A and he did the opposite.. had the locals around us scratching their heads. Even the locals with the open clarifiers that could slide in between channels were confused..
 
Speaking of the "a" channels or as we used to call them the "rc" channels.. and 2950s... reminds me of years past when the small towns around my area had good groups of folks yacking on a nightly basis. Me and a buddy used to get away from the locals right in the cb band. We both had 2950s and would work split between 3A and 15A. I would transmit on 15A and receive on 3A and he did the opposite.. had the locals around us scratching their heads. Even the locals with the open clarifiers that could slide in between channels were confused..
How does one work split on a 2950? I must have missed that button.
 

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