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Im4jc
Intermediate Member
Username: Im4jc
Post Number: 202
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 2:11 pm: | 
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Last week I picked up a 2970DX. I have owned dozens of radios, and this is by far my favorite for SSB. Before I begin, I'm sure that some of you are going to say "why not just pick up a real HF rig". Well, because I want a strong radio on AM as well, and my budget doen't allow for a high dollar HF rig.
The 2970DX solicits excellent DX reports on SSB. When I call for a CQ DX, I have people fighting/clamoring to get back to me to tell me they are flat amazed that this is a mobile setup. They are certain that it is a base power station with a massive antenna. I am constantly being asked if it is a Kenwood, Yeasu or Icom. When I tell them what it is, some don't believe me. Last night I was driving across Nebraska and the skip rolled in, and I made a contact in Montana (as well as Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington). He was so impressed with the audio and signal quality that he had me call him so that I could listen to myself. He said that I had to hear it to believe it. When I called, I was truly amazed. He was using a Yeasu something or other.
Anyway, aside from the near pro-audio quality on SSB, the features are awesome as well. The VFO has selectable resolution from 1 MHz down to 100 Hz, which makes it very easy to quickly QSY to any non-"channelized" frequency, like, say, 27.4000 to get away from the QRM.
AM reports are great. Since I am a trucker, this is important to me as well. However, I love that it doesn't sound like a billy-big-rigger over-modulated splatter box, but yet competes with the best of them and does what I need it to do. It's kind of a "sleeper", lol. It doesn't sound like a big radio, but when they can still hear me when we get 15 or 20 miles apart, I just chuckle.
The receive is excellent as well after a proper alignment. I was very pleased to find that it didn't have the white-noise in the background that everyone keeps warning me about with this series of radio. I can easily copy distant stations at less than one bar on the meter, and this is while driving in a semi truck down the road at 75 MPH.
By the way, I paired it up with an Astatic 575 M6 with adjustable tone control...a match made in heaven. It doesn't pick up background noise when I set it properly, but it picks up all the lows and highs in my voice much better than a non-powered mic. By the way, I don't like the Astatic Road Devil...too many mixed reports and makes the voice sound high-pitched and tinny.
Another thing I was concerned about was the usability while bumping down the road, but was pleasantly surprized to find that is it one of the easiest radios to operate in a mobile environment. The greenish-yellow display is very easy on the eyes and is extremely readable in any light conditions. The controls are very easy to use and seem to be just where I'd put them if I could custom design a radio to my liking. For the first time, I don't find myself saying, "Man, I wish this radio has such and such a feature", or "if only they did this differently". I simply can't find a single thing to complain about regarding the 2970DX. Some say they wish that the display would indicate the mode, but it doesn't bother me at all. After a couple of minutes getting to know the radio, you know what mode you are in, even in the dark. Some also say that the only downfall if this radio is the signal meter/bar display. I disagree. Once you get used to it, it's great! It's not just one bar on top of another. Each individual bar has varying intensity, and will go from faded to solid. I actually enjoy the meter.
Anyway, I hope this helps anyone who has been trying to decide between this radio and some other radios.
I have most definately found my favorite radio for mobile AM and SSB use. |
Splbass17
Junior Member
Username: Splbass17
Post Number: 37
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 06, 2007 - 4:21 pm: |
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Ok, I have my 2970dx, wilson 5000, and astatic 636L all hooked up in my truck. I have two bars of SWR according to my radio (thats as low as I could get it). Now it seems to be transmitting good but every one who comes back at me with good reports I can barely hear them. Any suggestions? Maybe a pre-amp ? |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 722
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, April 06, 2007 - 8:45 pm: |
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check your swr with a regular meter.meter in radio is very off at best.as far as you hearing
others how loud ya have your volume up.turn it up
more if ya can.is your speaker buried?if so
relocating your radio is a suggestion or a external speaker.when ya did swr check what
channel ya use.should use 1,and 40 that will
determine weather to lethen or shorten antenna.
ive owned wilsons the past 15years and they seem
to be about a 1/4 inch-1/2inch too long for around ch.40.id check swrs
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Hyperno_1979
Advanced Member
Username: Hyperno_1979
Post Number: 562
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 6:26 am: |
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This subject has been sitting for a few months but i LOVE my 2970. I put it in the same ballpark as my Magnum 357DX. Both are super loud and crystal clear. I have to agree with you Erik...these things are awesome radios. More grunt than a pig farm and that's standard. Can't wait to try it with a desk mic.
CEFFFCEF
Bob
CEF703/CVC26
269 Hunter Valley
NOT allowed to hold a passport....
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Hyperno_1979
Advanced Member
Username: Hyperno_1979
Post Number: 563
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 6:28 am: |
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Oh i should have said i only use SSB....no matter what radio i'm on. Be it Ranger, Icom, Madison or Yaesu. Or sundry others....lol.
CEFFFCEF
Bob
CEF703/CVC26
269 Hunter Valley
NOT allowed to hold a passport....
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Hyperno_1979
Advanced Member
Username: Hyperno_1979
Post Number: 573
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 6:49 am: |
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My review of my Ranger 2970DX will be finished this week. All i can say so far is....
CEFFFCEF
Bob
CEF703/CVC26
269 Hunter Valley
NOT allowed to hold a passport....
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Johnbrowning
Member
Username: Johnbrowning
Post Number: 72
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 3:22 pm: |
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I owned a 1 st adn 2nd generation 2950. Just about any mod you have heard of for them I performed to them. In addition I had a single transitor linear that bolted to the chasis and was controlled and powered by the chasis. Mine where stolen. I always got great reports on air on AM and SSB. People always thought I was a base station or running insane amounts of power. I never had more then 65 watt's RMS on AM and about 120 or so on SSB. As long as the radio is aligned properly and the limiters are left inplace and modulation is not excessive they always sound nice. As things would break or wear out I would have my technician upgrade them to higher end milspec. componets that had more gain less bias and better signal to noise ratios etc....
I know thier is no such thing as a perfect radio but the RCI29XX DX series is as close as one can come to a one size fits all. I mean this as it relates to CB,Freebanders,10 & 12 meter user's ie hams etc....... Nothing else that copper sells even comes close. All the other stuff is just smoke and mirrors or has more power. They really are not any better. The Magnum 257 is also impressive and is a great value and also sound great on air but I do not think it is as flexable as the RCI29XX DX series.
I would never call them sleeper's. In my mind it is common knoldge that they offer great overall performance the only real question is why so many people choose other options that offer less technical performance for greater cost.
I think these new super power rigs are not very good for most people unless they are useing them as a base. They are huge and space is getting harder and harder to find in vechiles where one can still reach the radio to operate it. They draw massive amounts of power and most vechiles today do not have alternators anymore powerful then they did 10 years ago. They have to be heat soaking all the componets inside so life cycle of parts has to be an issue especialy if one lives in a hot state. If the built in linear goes out you have to send the entire radio in even if the rest of the radio like the built in dual final portion is still working.
If one wants more power and can actualy power the linear I think a great combo is the 2950+a TS-667 or like set-up. The 2970 with a TS-HD500 is also a fine set up. Add a speech compressor not a modulator and you have one heck of a talking rig on SSB that will punch through pile ups like you would not believe.
I have a SP1-A speech processor from a few years back that is going to go in my 2950 when I get it. That is the same one that was available in the origanal Ranger 3300's and 3500's from a long time ago long before the RCI2950. |
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