I have an identical twin currently hooked up, but with a Turner Super Side Kick. 37 years old and still ticking!
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Realistic ssb radio what is the best one made?
- Thread starter sluggo
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I have an identical twin currently hooked up, but with a Turner Super Side Kick. 37 years old and still ticking!
Reading this forum is seeing things in a new light, and especially so on vintage equipment.
I've got a TRC-465 that my grandad gave me about 15 years ago. I really like that little radio and will probably never sell it. I would like to have someone go through it however.
I bought this NOS TRC-458, 4 years ago from a guy that bought out a old radio shop in South Dakota. He had it on ebay for buy it now $180.00. It had just been opened to take pictures of it. I had it peaked, aliened, and added a nice Turner +3. It talks and receives real nice. I opened up the clarifier, and just use a little RM-203 amp with it and it gets out just fine. I mainly just talk on SSB 1-5-50 AZ[photo=medium]5378[/photo]
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I'm going to jump back in with a bit of a wild card.
Radio Shack Realistic DX-302.
True, a receiver only but it deserves notice as a fine companion to any SW station.
The MHz gear problem is still easily solved by a trip to Hobby Town or the like. (RC Car gear replacement) .
DeOxit for the Potentiometers and switches. A drop of lube on the switches.
This receiver still has a devoted following that are under no illusions about it's shortcomings but aware of its abilities.
Last produced in 1984 it remains a great bang for the buck receiver.
The addition of another maligned and nearly forgotten accessory, The Radio Shack DSP 40 Digital Signal Processor , Makes this a setup that rivals receivers twice or three times it's MSRP.
You can have the second one I find (I have one) , I'll take the second one you find...
Radio Shack Realistic DX-302.
True, a receiver only but it deserves notice as a fine companion to any SW station.
The MHz gear problem is still easily solved by a trip to Hobby Town or the like. (RC Car gear replacement) .
DeOxit for the Potentiometers and switches. A drop of lube on the switches.
This receiver still has a devoted following that are under no illusions about it's shortcomings but aware of its abilities.
Last produced in 1984 it remains a great bang for the buck receiver.
The addition of another maligned and nearly forgotten accessory, The Radio Shack DSP 40 Digital Signal Processor , Makes this a setup that rivals receivers twice or three times it's MSRP.
You can have the second one I find (I have one) , I'll take the second one you find...
Those things are horrendous.
Back in the 90s 50% of my soldering iron injuries were from soldering RS microphone plugs.... lol
TRC-458 vs TRC-490
Well I have been doing some A/B testing on the TRC-458 & TRC-490 radios & am shocked at what I have found.I have a bone stock TRC-490 & one that has every mod possible that I put head to head against the TRC-458 that has lots of mods.The Two TRC-490's will hear what the TRC-458 will not.The receive is almost identical on both of the 490's.I also tested the 590's against my President Madison,a Cobra 148 GTL(Philippines model)& a Super Star 3900 & again hands down the 490's both heard what none of the others could & the receivers are also quieter than all of the others.I for sure thought that the Madison & 458 would be as good or better than the receive on the 490's but they are not even close.The 458 & Madison are about the same head to head as well as the 148 GTL.The 3900 was by far the worst of the bunch though it has great transmit audio.
"SIX-SHOOTER"
North Florida
I had a TRC 458, or 490 (forget which one, but I think it was a 458), back in the early 80s, and I am thinking of purchasing either a 458 or 490.
I am not interested in adding extra channels, but I would want the better of the two radios. Do you still stand by the 490 being the better receiver of the two ? Also, in your opinion, which is the better transmitter of the two ?
Could it be that Radio Shack, at that time, thought the chip in the 490 was better design and had nothing to do with tampering ? Not sure how long the 458 was in production before the 490 was released but one would think the 490 was in the planning state shortly after the 458 was released and the 458 has the better following because it could be more easily altered ? Unless of course, the redesign was to prevent tampering and the 458 was just better, however, if you compared the two head to head ....
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Shadetree Mechanic
Delaware Base Station 808
Maybe the difference is due to cost cutting because the CB market was on the decline? I am not sure of what the time line is here. I think Uniden went through a similar change.
The 457 and 458 were better transmitters. Apply unit_399's mods!
No! The 457 and 458 are better receivers! Again, go to unit_399's wix site and apply the mods listed (FET1 mod & extra crystal filter...) for the receiver and it will out perform anything built since.
73
David
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