(this is the first review I've seen on the new Magnum One export. - 399)
THE NEW MAGNUM ONE
Well it finally arrived and has been bouncing around the desk for some time on 10m only mode cos I don’t have the skills to do the solder work necessary to convert to it’s proper mode of 24.5 to 30mhz!! It is easier to convert an Icom 718 or a Kenwood 590 than it is to convert these. If I order any more they better be open from the factory !! While I am on the topic there are two expanded modes and they are quite different. Band 3 has 5 bands (A to E) of 40 ch following the normal CB band plan and band F which in Strykerish manner covers from 24.5 through 30mhz using either the Channel Selector or the clarifier with the channel selector following the step chosen by the clarifier.
What a great idea!
Why doesn’t it do that in every band?
Band 2 gives 6 bands of 80 channels per band covering from 24.5 to 30mhz.
I think I prefer band 2 but for those who live mostly on the normal 40 channels seeing 27.385 come up as ch 78 may be a bit confusing. Fortunately the ch number is pretty tiny and out of the way so it doesn’t get in the way too much ala Anytone.
Out of the box it is way better than the AT-5555 ver 6 anytone I was comparing it to. More power, better audio and a quieter receiver. But the transmit audio of the Lincoln 2, AT-6666 and Stryker 955 is a tad richer. Pity the receive on those radios can not compare with the Mag 1 though the new Lincoln ver 3 comes close. The Mag 1 certainly does not exhibit the AGC problems inherent in the other radios.
Does it have problems? Yes it does but they are not deal breakers and I believe can be sorted in software. My biggest bitch is the way the clarifier works; it changes the channel it was used on!! If you use the clarifier for any reason and change the channel, when you return to that channel the clarifier offset is waiting there for you still…if you went for a long walk up the band using the clarifier you can be several megahertz away. That feature needs to be tamed…needs to be selectable. It is of great use if you want to manually program the radio…(use the clarifier instead of a computer), or set up a split…great stuff..but for everyday use it sucks big time. Hope they can get that function into software with the default being that changes to the clarifier will not remain when the channel selector is moved.
The spectacle look and the colours will not appeal to everybody. I don’t mind them but then I am pretty easy to get along with anyway…As long as the radio works great I can live with the facials; and it does work well as a radio.
The S meter also needs some dampening as it jumps about way too much. Backing the RF gain off somewhat helps out some.
It has way too many features nobody in their right mind uses but what the heck. Don’t want them? : then don’t use them.
It is not too much different to the old Max log M8800 we have tested and liked in the past but it does have some changes to the board and is rock solid on frequency.
Best thing about this radio is the receiver and lets face it that’s what counts. It is way sensitive but still quiet enough especially with the Hi Cut engaged. It puts out a nice 40w PEP on SSB and does not get overly hot doing it and the nothing wrong with the TX audio at all even when cranked right up.
It is a fine radio but I don’t know if magnum is going to sell a lot of them in today’s market. They could have sold a bunch of them though…
had they stuck this radio in an S9 case with the round S meter.
Would have looked a little like the stryker 955 perhaps but magnum S9 was there first!
THE NEW MAGNUM ONE
Well it finally arrived and has been bouncing around the desk for some time on 10m only mode cos I don’t have the skills to do the solder work necessary to convert to it’s proper mode of 24.5 to 30mhz!! It is easier to convert an Icom 718 or a Kenwood 590 than it is to convert these. If I order any more they better be open from the factory !! While I am on the topic there are two expanded modes and they are quite different. Band 3 has 5 bands (A to E) of 40 ch following the normal CB band plan and band F which in Strykerish manner covers from 24.5 through 30mhz using either the Channel Selector or the clarifier with the channel selector following the step chosen by the clarifier.
What a great idea!
Why doesn’t it do that in every band?
Band 2 gives 6 bands of 80 channels per band covering from 24.5 to 30mhz.
I think I prefer band 2 but for those who live mostly on the normal 40 channels seeing 27.385 come up as ch 78 may be a bit confusing. Fortunately the ch number is pretty tiny and out of the way so it doesn’t get in the way too much ala Anytone.
Out of the box it is way better than the AT-5555 ver 6 anytone I was comparing it to. More power, better audio and a quieter receiver. But the transmit audio of the Lincoln 2, AT-6666 and Stryker 955 is a tad richer. Pity the receive on those radios can not compare with the Mag 1 though the new Lincoln ver 3 comes close. The Mag 1 certainly does not exhibit the AGC problems inherent in the other radios.
Does it have problems? Yes it does but they are not deal breakers and I believe can be sorted in software. My biggest bitch is the way the clarifier works; it changes the channel it was used on!! If you use the clarifier for any reason and change the channel, when you return to that channel the clarifier offset is waiting there for you still…if you went for a long walk up the band using the clarifier you can be several megahertz away. That feature needs to be tamed…needs to be selectable. It is of great use if you want to manually program the radio…(use the clarifier instead of a computer), or set up a split…great stuff..but for everyday use it sucks big time. Hope they can get that function into software with the default being that changes to the clarifier will not remain when the channel selector is moved.
The spectacle look and the colours will not appeal to everybody. I don’t mind them but then I am pretty easy to get along with anyway…As long as the radio works great I can live with the facials; and it does work well as a radio.
The S meter also needs some dampening as it jumps about way too much. Backing the RF gain off somewhat helps out some.
It has way too many features nobody in their right mind uses but what the heck. Don’t want them? : then don’t use them.
It is not too much different to the old Max log M8800 we have tested and liked in the past but it does have some changes to the board and is rock solid on frequency.
Best thing about this radio is the receiver and lets face it that’s what counts. It is way sensitive but still quiet enough especially with the Hi Cut engaged. It puts out a nice 40w PEP on SSB and does not get overly hot doing it and the nothing wrong with the TX audio at all even when cranked right up.
It is a fine radio but I don’t know if magnum is going to sell a lot of them in today’s market. They could have sold a bunch of them though…
had they stuck this radio in an S9 case with the round S meter.
Would have looked a little like the stryker 955 perhaps but magnum S9 was there first!
...runna pile-up on 6m SSB