Walkie Talkie Base Station

[Rick330man]

Anyone using a walkie talkie as their base unit? The Cherokee AH-100 in my photo frequently gets used in that capacity with a little Radio Shack headphone mic set. I've also used my Realistic TRC 234s, 226s and 216s as base units. I've got an old Turner +3 base mic wired up so that I can plug it into the Cherokee, the 234s or the 226s. The Cherokee doesn't need it. The 234s need it the most.

Anyone else operating a w/t for their base unit?

 

[ForestRunner98]

The TRC-216 is a nice HH that makes a nice base. I have one but it’s a paper weight now. Can’t find anybody to fix it.

 

[Rick330man]

The TRC-216 is a nice HH that makes a nice base. I have one but it’s a paper weight now. Can’t find anybody to fix it.

I've got three. I bought the first one at a Radio Shack in Tallahassee, FL in the mid-80s. It worked great. I bought a second one off of Ebay dirt cheap because the antenna was broken. With a pile of spares in my closet, the radio went on-line about an hour after it came in the mail. Third was part of the same Ebay deal. The seller said it didn't work. A little tuner cleaner to the pots and it has worked flawlessly ever since.

Those TRC 216 are coming up on the 40 year mark since they were made. My three are still alive and kicking.

 

[Holydvr]

I have a pile of various Radio Shack handhelds. Too many models to list. One of my favorites belonged to a late friend of mine. His family gave it to me after he passed. TRC-231 is the model. Works very well. I also have a 23ch Courier that has a power supply support that facilitates using it as a base station. Pretty neat stuff!

 

[nbsr]

I've been putzing around with a President Randy II on a Sirio 2016 just for the hell of it. Talking local I get "hey you sound different" and when I tell them it's a w/t they say "no it's not". And then of course an argument ensues and just shake my head.

 

[AudioShockwav]

I've been putzing around with a President Randy II on a Sirio 2016 just for the hell of it. Talking local I get "hey you sound different" and when I tell them it's a w/t they say "no it's not". And then of course an argument ensues and just shake my head.

It's a radio, like any radio. Much better if you can hook it to a external antenna.
I have talked to a forum member here, Bill, HH from CA to Illinois, I was on a base station, he was talking on a Cherokee SSB hand held hooked to a external antenna.
They used to build 27 MHZ Handhelds for Amateur use when 11 meters was a Legit Ham band.

73
Jeff

 

[AudioShockwav]

Here are a 11 Meter AM hand held, and a 15 meter hand held.

73
Jeff

 

[sp5it]

No. I don't wipe ass with a glass.
AH-100 is crap radio. Audio, drifting issues.
Poor even as portable.
Mike

 

[BigLou]

I have always wanted a WT with SSB and extra channels never found one with a price I could live with .

 

[H1driver]

My President Randy is almost useless in the mobile using the supplied antenna. Unless the other guy is right beside/in front/behind, no one will hear you. At that range you can hang your head out the window and talk. I have never gotten an external antenna and connected it, that would make a huge difference I’m sure but also defeats the purpose of having a handheld.

 

[Rick330man]

I actually keep 3 CB walkie talkies in the boat: a Cherokee AH-100, a Realistic TRC 216 and a President Randy II. With appliances and marine electronics off, the Cherokee is a blast for shooting skip. It also gets pretty good range for talking house to boat and reaching any locals (very few) that might be on. The TRC 216 is used similarly. The President Randy II has FM. When I've got marine gadgets on, FM is great because it isn't as affected by all of the electrical interference that spikes my noise levels on AM and SSB.

Other than export radios, there's no CB out there yet with AM, SSB and FM. I saw a post somewhere that Uniden discontinued the current 980 so they could come back with a new version that would have all 3 modes of operation. That would be perfect.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I have a Randy 2 and agree, the stock antenna is a dummy load. I want to try a telescoping antenna sometime. I used it with a 9 foot whip on my umbrella at the beach, works fantastic.


People keep saying that the 980 has been discontinued, I have heard this for several years now. It's still for sale on the Uniden website.

When they do come out with Fm, it would be our luck that the 880 would get Fm and not the 980.

Bearcat 980 SSB CB Radio

Bearcat 980 SSB CB Radio with a 7" Color Digital Display Product Overview 40 AM CB Channels Plus SSB 7-Color LCD Display Weather Alert PA/CB Switch Wireless Mic Compatible Features Prop 65 Warning WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which is known to the State of...

uniden.com

 

[43Echo695]

As a 10 year old my first cb radios were a pair of 100mW Pocket Com walkie talkies. Had a lot of neighborhood fun with them, but they gradually fell into disrepair including broken telescopic antennas.

I attached my crystal radio antenna to the antenna base of one of them, and was amazed to contact someone a couple of suburbs away!

Now it's world wide DX !!

73's

 

[Rick330man]

On the left are three TRC 226s. These are great units which I have used repeatedly as either base or mobile units. To the right starting from the center you see a TRC 234, a TRC 222 and another TRC 234. The TRC 222 was used more on my boat, where the 4' center loaded telescoping antenna has regularly gotten me 8 to 10 miles range. The two TRC 234s have weather as well as the 40 CB channels. They've seen their fair share of duty both as base and mobile units. The 226s and the 234s work well with headsets.

There are a few more in the collection. I'll have to get picture of the TRC 216s.