Besides Cobra and the 148, is anyone making a good quality sideband CB Radio anymore?
Not talking exports, just a plain jane AM/SSB radio
Not talking exports, just a plain jane AM/SSB radio
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Sideband CB Radio
- Thread starter Happy_Hamer
- Start date
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
its my understanding the current 148's are crap . the few ive herd on sideband around here on SSB sounded like crap and drifted a lot .
That same Cobra 148 GTL I did a review of awhile back - came up real nice after I gave it a full alignment. Unlocked the clarifier with just a stock slide of ~1.5kc's to the left/right. No real drift. Tested with locals and they all gave it two thumbs up. Was stable and didn't get loose when I turned up the ALC a tad; about ~15w PEP/SSB. AM was OK; about 4-11 PEP. Put in some Shottkey diodes and replaced the AM IF transistor with a 2999e/Sanyo. The receive is sweeeeeeet. Bet it would work very well with a TS-350 - IMO.
Can't say enough bad things about that POC Cobra 148 GTL NW/ST though. Of that particular model, I had aligned 2 from some locals, and only one sounded OK/barely passable. Weak! You can't even get 12 PEP on SSB without them getting loose/unstable. Receive is nice; but I consider that model a non-starter.
GO figure . . .
Maybe the 148 GTL I had was an anomaly.
Hard to say.
Can't say enough bad things about that POC Cobra 148 GTL NW/ST though. Of that particular model, I had aligned 2 from some locals, and only one sounded OK/barely passable. Weak! You can't even get 12 PEP on SSB without them getting loose/unstable. Receive is nice; but I consider that model a non-starter.
GO figure . . .
Maybe the 148 GTL I had was an anomaly.
Hard to say.
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How do you Guy's feel about the Texas Ranger TR696FD1? I bought one awhile back, but haven't played with it much. Thx, Al
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
Bought one from Sparky's CB radio in IL. Was disappointed when I checked the alignment on it a year after I bought it, as well as the unlocked clarifier job they did. Not pleased after I checked it out! However, after I aligned it, the reports came back as 'clean and clear'.
The TR-696 FD-1 is an OK radio and has the same/similar chassis as the Galaxy 959. If you like the 959, you will like the TR-696 radio too. Just make sure they give it a REAL/FULL alignment if you want to use it as a daily user - IMO . . .
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one of the best underated radios around. i have 2 and absolutly love them i think they rival the cobra 148 and uniden grant xl on SSB, AM they have a little white noise and not as quiet as the 148 & grant xl but on SSB they shine. you can freq them out with added channels below ch1 and above ch 40 add a 10kc slide and unlock the clarifier with it having that 6 diget freq counter. and for crystal clear audio all yyou need is the stock mic. i used my tone,dim and ch19 switch for the mods. i like them as much as my RCI 2950 series radios. with the right person doin the mods & a proper tune you will have a great durible radio. i try to buy every one i see now you can catch new unused ones on ebay.
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
I have two of the newer 148 GTL' sand just sold an old side mic 148. I did some non technical "on the air" comparisons with a local ham here using the same D-104 on all three. I also did a/b comparisons switching two radios between one antenna and all three performed exactly the same. No drift, good audio and the same on receive. I think sometimes people(like me) who grew up with the older models will always beileve they are better because we have good memories of using them.
I'm sure you can find a lemon with any radio including high end ham gear but overall with CB's there's not a lot of difference. That's why the selling points for CB's are always things like big meters, back lit knobs, weather channels, chromed mic, ect and not anything related to the technical performance of the radio. Because basically they are all built the same, same basic components and chasis. Heck, they may even all come out of the same Chinese factory..who knows.
The present am/ssb single final radios don't impress me. A real radio is one you don't have to add a power mic to get any audio out of.
I own one and I love mine
. However the other day I didnt realise I had the Mic gain all the way up and the gain on power mic turn almost up got asked to turn it down was too loud. It recieves pretty good still gotta get atround to installin recieve kit and unlock clarifier. The only thing I can think that i dont like about this radio is all the red that is on the front of the radio.
Galaxy 959 is THE straight SSB CB today. Easy mod to get load of extra channels, roger beep and talkback, freq. counter. I don't see anything better out there.