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  • TapRackBang

    Cheaper Than Diamonds
    Jan 14, 2012
    1,919
    Bel Air
    I never had the money to buy the Heath Kit stuff in the 70's & 80's, but I love building kits like that.

    We are living in the heyday of kit building. There are more kits to do more things from more people for less money than ever before, IMHO.

    Just a small sampling of kit makers and parts suppliers:
    https://www.electronics123.com/
    https://www.qrpkits.com/
    https://qrp-labs.com/
    https://qrpguys.com/
    https://www.adafruit.com/
    https://www.sparkfun.com/
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Wow. So much potential. I hope they can execute.

    What do you think about their pipe antenna?

    For 2M/440 there are a lot of vertical antenna DIY plans, Jpole, slimjim, or even the 1/4 wave antenna with sloped radials that basically takes just a SO239 or type N bulkhead connector and some stiff wire. The Jpole and Slimjim antennas don't require radials like their pipe antenna either. Technically, the Jpole or Slimjim is only a single band antenna but there are plans for dual band Jpoles and some Slimjims I've seen sold have traps built into them to make them dual band. The Slimjims are so cheap and easy to build though that you can make one each with little more material. The draw back to the Jpole and Slimjims are that they tend to radiate at a bit more perpendicular angle than the 1/4 wave with sloped radials. My guess is that pipe antenna behaves the same.
     
    Last edited:

    bkuether

    Judge not this race .....
    Jan 18, 2012
    6,212
    Marriottsville, MD
    I sure wish Heathkit electronic kits were available now. I’d love to build some of the kits now that I had the time and money... fred55

    Tell me about it... When I was a teen, I looked at those kits and said "no way". Now that I can do basic soldering, I could put one together no sweat. If I can fix a pinball machine I can certainly have put together a CB radio.....
     

    motorcoachdoug

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    I built my first heathkit when I was 16yrs old and away at a private christian academy in Fletcher,NC 25 miles south of Ashville,. I took all my tools that I needed with me and would spend every free moment that I could building it. If i needed a part i could call my dad and ask him to send it to me, he worked at NIST in Gburg at the time in building 233 sound and had a wonderful large lab that when i went to work with him i would have a grand time playing in that lab and the 50 by 50 anacoaic chamber where the floor was steal mesh wires with foam padding all away around it top, bottom,sides even on the door a total dead sound proof room, anyway Here is a link of my first one and i wish I had kept it today...
    https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/SW-717.htm
     

    TapRackBang

    Cheaper Than Diamonds
    Jan 14, 2012
    1,919
    Bel Air
    I have a Cobra 75 WX ST "remote mount" CB that I've used a few times. Works just fine for me. Puts out full rated power. Audio reports says it sounds fine. I have not tried to use it as a base station or for DX.

    It's not really "remote mount", since the entire radio is in the handset. The only thing remotely (permanently) mounted is a little box (AC-701) that brings power to the radio and takes the RF out to the antenna. I like that because the box is ~$20, so with a couple of those the head/handset can be used in more than one car.

    I bought it maybe 6 years ago for $75. Looks like it's significantly more expensive now, but I'd still probably buy it again for my purposes.

    I bought it over the similar Midland 75-822 because at the time is was much cheaper, had cleaner mobile installation, and the little remote-mount installed box was half the price of Midland's "DC adapter". The Midland does have the advantages of slapping an optional battery on it and using it as a handheld and being cheaper than the Cobra, but then both of those needs are really covered by a VHF/UHF BaoFeng. Nonetheless, either could be useful in a "bug-out" scenario as the are both compact and portable with full legal power input, with advantage to the Midland for being able to be used as a handheld.


    Cobra:
    iu


    Midland:
    iu
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I did some research. Amazing what you can find if you Google "best cb radio" :D

    It seems that most sites put the Cobra 29 as top basic AM rig. There are a couple of different models from the Classic to a more modern LED display. $120 - 140 on Amazon.

    For AM/SSB there is the Cobra 148. It seems to be a 29 with SSB. BTW, the power limit for SSB is 12 watts.

    For the "high end", there is the Galaxy DX-959B. $195 on Amazon.

    For compact sized radios, the Uniden 510 seems to be the choice. $38 on Amazon.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    For 2M/440 there are a lot of vertical antenna DIY plans, Jpole, slimjim, or even the 1/4 wave antenna with sloped radials that basically takes just a SO239 or type N bulkhead connector and some stiff wire. The Jpole and Slimjim antennas don't require radials like their pipe antenna either. Technically, the Jpole or Slimjim is only a single band antenna but there are plans for dual band Jpoles and some Slimjims I've seen sold have traps built into them to make them dual band. The Slimjims are so cheap and easy to build though that you can make one each with little more material. The draw back to the Jpole and Slimjims are that they tend to radiate at a bit more perpendicular angle than the 1/4 wave with sloped radials. My guess is that pipe antenna behaves the same.

    Slim Jim looks like an interesting antenna, but LONG for 11 meters. Almost 30 feet.

    I have found some commercial verticals with ground planes. They seem to cost more than the radios. :D
     

    willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,337
    I have a Bearcat 880 in my 'Taco and finally got the modulation to peak @ 100 percent by turning up the AMC pot in it. Using a Wilson 1000 antenna on top of the roof.

    DSCN0765-1.jpg
     

    BeoBill

    Crank in the Third Row
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 3, 2013
    27,064
    南馬里蘭州鮑伊
    Skipland, skipland, skipland...

    Exactly! I had a big, clunky RS; when it died I replaced it with a diminutive GE. No SSB; I couldn't see the need.

    I rigged a fiberglass antenna on a bracket off my rear bumper mount; reception was never as good as with my roof mount. I theorize the metal roof makes a dandy ground plane. I also patched in an SWR adjustment box to attain optimal output.

    KQK 0410
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Slim Jim looks like an interesting antenna, but LONG for 11 meters. Almost 30 feet.

    I have found some commercial verticals with ground planes. They seem to cost more than the radios. :D

    The antenna he was asking about was a 2M/440 but I've seen pictures of big J-poles.
     

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