Pearce Simpson Bengal SSB CB radio

[Raccoon]

Hi everyone , it's no secret that I like to buy/collect older CB radios ... which drives my wife crazy from time to time . I usually get older tube equipment , but this time around I was looking for a Solid State Pearce Simpson . So I bought a Pearce Simpson Bengal , and it's in fairly nice cosmetic condition for it's age . It has the original stock mic , everything seems to be working as it should . I haven't taken the lid off it , and inspected the inside of it yet . Aside from an unlocked clarifier , it seems to still be all stock , because the locals keep telling me how "Stocky" it sounds when I'm on it , and want me to get back on my regular radio ... lol

The receive on it is amazing , and so is the audio tone coming from it's built in speaker . It definitely impresses me for being a 46 year old radio . Now if I could just get it to stop sounding "Stocky" ... lol . I put an Astatic Gray Base on it ... but it didn't really help much . Although I've had the mic for quite a few years , I haven't really used it much . So I'm not 100% sure on it's performance level , and it's a much older Gray Base as well .

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what mics might work best with this model , or how to bring it's audio up to par ? I can see on my meter that the audio level isn't going very high ... and that was with radio's mic gain all the way up , an the mic's as well .

[oldgeezer]

You did not state if you used an amplified Astatic mic or non-amplified mic. Amplified should help. Look inside the radio and cut diode D45. It should 'bark' now.

[Sandbagger]

Jan 14, 2021 12:44:21 GMT -5 Raccoon said:

Hi everyone , it's no secret that I like to buy/collect older CB radios ... which drives my wife crazy from time to time . I usually get older tube equipment , but this time around I was looking for a Solid State Pearce Simpson . So I bought a Pearce Simpson Bengal , and it's in fairly nice cosmetic condition for it's age . It has the original stock mic , everything seems to be working as it should . I haven't taken the lid off it , and inspected the inside of it yet . Aside from an unlocked clarifier , it seems to still be all stock , because the locals keep telling me how "Stocky" it sounds when I'm on it , and want me to get back on my regular radio ... lol

The receive on it is amazing , and so is the audio tone coming from it's built in speaker . It definitely impresses me for being a 46 year old radio . Now if I could just get it to stop sounding "Stocky" ... lol . I put an Astatic Gray Base on it ... but it didn't really help much . Although I've had the mic for quite a few years , I haven't really used it much . So I'm not 100% sure on it's performance level , and it's a much older Gray Base as well .

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what mics might work best with this model , or how to bring it's audio up to par ? I can see on my meter that the audio level isn't going very high ... and that was with radio's mic gain all the way up , an the mic's as well .

Sounding "stocky" on a stock mic shouldn't be surprising. If the transmitter audio still sounds anemic on an amplified mic, there are a few things to check. Radios that old can have electrolytic capacitors that are starting to lose value, which can change the gain and tone in the audio chain. I would not recommend cutting D45 or 46 as they also rectify the audio for the modulation meter circuit. If everything is working properly, that radio should sound great. One of our locals had one, and it had great audio.

[Raccoon]

Have no fear , I am not a believer in cutting the audio limiters ..... lol

[cbrown]

Jan 14, 2021 12:44:21 GMT -5 Raccoon said:

I put an Astatic Gray Base on it ... but it didn't really help much . Although I've had the mic for quite a few years , I haven't really used it much . So I'm not 100% sure on it's performance level , and it's a much older Gray Base as well .

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what mics might work best with this model , or how to bring it's audio up to par ? I can see on my meter that the audio level isn't going very high ... and that was with radio's mic gain all the way up , an the mic's as well .

First off, which Astatic? There was the unamplified G base, the unamplified UG base, then the amplified TUG-8 and then the TUG-9 TUP-9 bases. The amplified bases would be the better choice for you.

Now for me, I have a deep voice, so I prefer using the Turner mics. My first choice would be the Plus 3, followed by either the Super Side Sidekick or the Expander 500. I sound great on those. The Plus 2 is also good.

let me know which microphone base you have and we'll get you sorted.

[Raccoon]

I have an amplified T-UG9(Gray Base)that I'm using on it ... and I'm thinking that my locals just like hearing me on my main radio . Because my wife was on the Bengal the other night , and I was in the mobile .... and I thought that the Bengal was sounding really good .

[cbrown]

Jan 21, 2021 21:08:29 GMT -5 Raccoon said:

I have an amplified T-UG9(Gray Base)that I'm using on it ... and I'm thinking that my locals just like hearing me on my main radio . Because my wife was on the Bengal the other night , and I was in the mobile .... and I thought that the Bengal was sounding really good .

I'd stay with what you have, then.

[Raccoon]

Thank you cbrown

[Raccoon]

Ok , so here's an update on this topic . I brought the Bengal back out , and then wired an Astatic Silver Eagle to it , and now it's audio is screaming . The locals say that the Silver Eagle really woke that Bengal right up . I'm definitely impressed since it's a 46 year old radio .

Thanks for all the info and advice everyone .

[cbrown]

The Astatic's are great microphones, but because the D104 head is very sensitive to moisture and heat, they tend to go bad. They are crystal microphone heads that are made with Potassium Sodium Tartrate (Rochelle Salt)crystals. Rochelle salts do not like shock, heat, moisture or any kind of abuse like being dropped (which causes 'G' shock) because they all cause the crystalline structure of the salts to beak down.

But as long as you take care, the Astatic heads will last a lifetime.