| Author |
Message |
    
Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Friday, January 23, 2004 - 11:59 pm: | 
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Hi all,
I'm really glad I found this web site as I have been wanting to get my teeth into radio for a little while now. I haven't had a CB for years, but got a new one pretty cheap a few weeks ago.
I have a Radio Shack TRC-446 - please don't laugh :-)
Can that radio be tuned and peaked?? I would be interested in getting it fixed up. Also where would I find the mods for that model - if they exist :-)
Is it worth a darn?
Any suggestions of an amplifier to use with it (under $100 please) I was thinking about the KL-300P -Thoughts, comments, criticisms?
Thanks in advance for any helpful info!
~mark
p.s. Also wanting to get my tech license as there is a pretty little 10 meter sitting down the road with my name on it :-) |
Marlboro_Man
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 6:00 am: |
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Model Modulation AM Power
TRC-446 Cut D110 L106 L104 L102 |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 8:58 am: |
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Welcome back to radio. I got back in last year and love it. Learn from my mistakes, ok.
First, get that ham ticket and get yourself a good 10 meter rig that can easily be converted to cb. If you can stand the ugly s-unit meter, the President Lincoln can cover 10,11,12 meters with the chip switch. There's 10 meter rigs that can convert (sold right here) that have built in amps.
The new Galaxy 95T is powerful little thing. The RCI 2950 is another. There's a few 10 meter rigs under $200 that can be expanded and do wonderfully on the air. Just ask around here.
If you buy a low wattage 10 meter rig then get the KL-300p. Good amp. On the products reviews section of this site there is a good review done on it by a Tech.
When you get a 10 meter rig converted to do cb, you don't want to be changing out antennas in order to move about on the bands. The mobile antenna I've found to have the broadest band usage is the Anttron 1700, sold right here on copper. It will cover almost everything my President Lincoln will cover except the top part of the 29 mhz. It covers the main part of 10 meters with low swr and far below cb and below 26 mhz. It is a good performer too. But do your homework and make up your own mind.
Get the best you can up front. You'll end up spending the money anyway later on when you upgrade.
Good luck.
mikefromms |
Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 10:11 pm: |
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Thanks for the feedback folks!
Marlboro_Man: Thanks for the mod info for my radio Shack CB. Now, if someone could explain this a little to me I would appreciate it. What exactly do I need to do? When you say "Cut D110 L106 L104 L102" I know you mean to get the schematics and and find these points, and cut?? Cut what? Forgive me, but I'm really very new to this and most prob won't start cutting on my radio any time soon. BUT, what does it do for the radio? How does it make it better?
:-)>
mikefromms: Thanks for all the great info on 10 and 11 meter radios, amps and antennas. I'm looking at the rigs you mentioned and they look pretty nice. I would definitly want to get a new radio, amp and antenna that could deal with both 10 and 11. I'll keep you posted on what I end up doing. I may go with the amp first and see what it will do with my radio shack radio. Then when I get a little more cash, go for the radio and new antenna. Thanks!
Mark |
Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:09 pm: |
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Well I found the L102, 104 and 106 but couldn't find D110.
I know that these points need adjusting (turning) with a (scrwedriver?) but what needs to be hooked into them to know where thay are being turned to?
What am I looking for when these points are being adjusted?
If anyone could provide a runndown of the steps to accomplish this, I would appreciate it very much!!
By adjusting the L102 - L106 (the AM power adjustment), am I providing the CB with more wattage?
By cutting the D110 (for Modulation) what am I accomplishing by doing this?
As you can probaly tell, I'm not quite ready to get into the radio and start making cahnges :-)
Any advice or info welcome! Thanks.
Mark |
Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:25 pm: |
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Also, If anyone could tell me what other radio the TRC-446 is similar to, that would help a lot!
mark |
Tech808
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 12:24 am: |
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Blackmountainme,
Clipping / Cutting D110 will disable the AMC (Automatic Modulation Control)
Personally I do not recommend this or see any reason to do this to a radio.
With a good mic you can get 100% good clean Modulation without Clipping or Cutting.
You will need a Good SWR / Watt Meter then adjust L106, L104, L102 in this order for maximum Forward Swing on Power.
I always suggest to Adjust for Maximum and then back them down a little rather than having them wide open.
Hope this helps.
Lon
Tech808 |
Skilletlicker
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 7:27 am: |
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i looked for the antron 1700 in the catalog and on
the web page but was unable to find it ,anyone have any suggestions
skilletlicker
Forum Master Note:
You were probably looking under Antron like I normally do, it is actually spelled Anttron. I keep forgetting is spelled with two t's.
Anttron 1700
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Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 10:00 am: |
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Thanks!
~mark |
Skilletlicker
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 11:31 am: |
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you were right iwas looking under the name of antron
thanks skilletlicker |
Tech671
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 7:43 am: |
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If you decide on the KL300p, you will either need to have a qualified tech suppress the carrier level of the radio to match the amp or run the amp on LOW power. |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:49 am: |
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BlackMountainme, if you really don't know what you are doing in the radio don't touch it. Leave well enough alone, as someone indicated. Also, if you are running an amp you don't need to peak the radio anyway. Low watts and clear modulation is what you need out of the radio. The amp can then do the work for you. The KL-300 can shut your computer down in your car or truck if you overdrive it; so, be sure you are not driving that amp with more than 4 watts. I saw one cause ABS light to come on and the electronic shifter quick in a Cavaliar car. It did it three times and the owner went to his mechanic and got it all figured out. The computer reset by turning off the engine and starting the engine again. Too many repeats of this and you're out $700 for a new computer per mechanic. Don't put too many watts into that amp. Also, the Anttron 1700 is a very inexpensive antenna. It'a around $18 here at Copper. It is the broadest banded antenna I've ever since without a tuner. It's a good performer as well, and swr is not a problem. (If the Solarcon Imax 2000 is as broadbanded as this antenna I'll get one in the future for my base).
Well, keep asking questions and do a lot of thinking and looking around before you buy any equipments and especially before you put "the golden screwdriver" into your rig.
Learn from my mistakes.
mikefromms |
Blackmountainme
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 4:44 pm: |
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Thanks. All good advice :-)
I will leave the TRC radio as is. I will probably get the amp, but will get a new radio (10/11 band) to go with it. Then I can have a tech turn down the power on that one.
Thanks for all the advice. I have heard good things about the anntron antenna. Sounds like the one I want.
Mark |
Blackmountainme
New member
Username: Blackmountainme
Post Number: 7
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 5:28 pm: |
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Hi Folks,
I'm going to order the kl-300p amp. What should my radio be turned down to? 1 or 2 amps? Can this be done using the watt/swr meter as was mentioned above? And adjusting the L106, L104, L102 pegs? What order should they be adjusted in and what are the results I should see on each adjustment? Any additional info would be great!! :-)
Thanks.
Mark |
Crafter
Advanced Member
Username: Crafter
Post Number: 901
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 6:36 pm: |
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Check your mail Mark. |
Ryan
Junior Member
Username: Ryan
Post Number: 61
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 6:44 pm: |
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i would suggest getting a low pass filter and hooking it up between the radio and meter so you get a true power reading, not a higher reading consisting of harmonics |
Skilletlicker
Junior Member
Username: Skilletlicker
Post Number: 125
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 11:38 am: |
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it has been my experience with radio shack radios
thatthere is so much that can be gotten out of them,regardless of what you do, i have a trc 431, and it doesn,t compare with a galaxy or super star 39oo,or other 10 meter radios
skilletlicker |
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