Post by oldgeezer on Jan 12, 2021 21:39:30 GMT -5
Used CB sets can have reliability issues. Your hard earned money can be wasted and then you're out of luck. New CB sets can be bought for under $60. This includes the Uniden Bearcat PRO 505XL and 510XL, but no noise limiter in the 505 that would be about useless in a noisy area. The Cobra 19 Ultra and Midland 1000Z are also available, but neither of these radios have an automatic noise limiter labeled 'ANL'. As stated a CB not equipped with an ANL can be useless in some areas with man made noise. Thus, those CBs are out. The Uniden PC-68 and PC-78 are reported to have poor reception, so skip those CBs. The Bearcat 800 is reported for screen failures. The Midland 5001Z is fairly good, but reported to have poor close channel selectivity by one user. Could have been a damaged new radio though as others have not reported such. Anyways the Midland 5001Z does have a good noise limiter and good reception. About $75 with careful shopping. It is the only new CBs radio worth buying in the $70 range.
Many of these mobile radios will be used as a base. A 3 amp DC power supply can be bought for little cost. Your best buy is a NOS CBs with 40 channels. Best years are 1990 to 2000 as earlier can have issues even if new in box due to capacitors age if used or not. 2001-2009 can have bad capacitors inside (see capacitor plague) so avoid those years. 2010 to present capacitors are good. You can get a better value vs new 2021 year CB radios and newer NOS is about guaranteed to operate correctly. For NOS, look for the automatic noise limiter (ANL), RF gain control (the better models) and some have a mic gain control. Looking for a year of manufacture can be found looking at the Allied Knight, Radio Shack and Lafayette catalogs on line. They sold more brands than the catalog brand name too.
I found a NOS Radio Shack TRC-482 made in 1995 for $59 shipped It has ultra clear receive audio and the transmit audio quality is good. My tube CB is not better compared to the TRC-482- go figure. Tube CBs are known for great audio clarity The TRC-482 has a good low noise receiver and better noise wise vs the tube CB. I did install a 33uF cap across the large 3" internal speaker for lowest receive noise and cutting the higher frequency response. Avoid NOS ultra compact CBs without an RF gain or automatic noise limiter. A noise blanker does not work on man made noise like an ANL (automatic noise limiter).
BTW- if you buy a TRC-482 it modulates to 15 watts. Clip diode 208 at rear area of circuit board, it modulates over 20 watts PEP.
Many of these mobile radios will be used as a base. A 3 amp DC power supply can be bought for little cost. Your best buy is a NOS CBs with 40 channels. Best years are 1990 to 2000 as earlier can have issues even if new in box due to capacitors age if used or not. 2001-2009 can have bad capacitors inside (see capacitor plague) so avoid those years. 2010 to present capacitors are good. You can get a better value vs new 2021 year CB radios and newer NOS is about guaranteed to operate correctly. For NOS, look for the automatic noise limiter (ANL), RF gain control (the better models) and some have a mic gain control. Looking for a year of manufacture can be found looking at the Allied Knight, Radio Shack and Lafayette catalogs on line. They sold more brands than the catalog brand name too.
I found a NOS Radio Shack TRC-482 made in 1995 for $59 shipped It has ultra clear receive audio and the transmit audio quality is good. My tube CB is not better compared to the TRC-482- go figure. Tube CBs are known for great audio clarity The TRC-482 has a good low noise receiver and better noise wise vs the tube CB. I did install a 33uF cap across the large 3" internal speaker for lowest receive noise and cutting the higher frequency response. Avoid NOS ultra compact CBs without an RF gain or automatic noise limiter. A noise blanker does not work on man made noise like an ANL (automatic noise limiter).
BTW- if you buy a TRC-482 it modulates to 15 watts. Clip diode 208 at rear area of circuit board, it modulates over 20 watts PEP.