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Ranger AR 3500 100w help

HouseForsaken

New Member
Feb 16, 2018
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Hi Guys/Gals,

I am new (as in just signed up new) to this forum. I stumbled on this box of goodies my dad left to me and started google-ing the AR 3500 and this site came up with posts about it.

My Dad was an avid CBer when I was a kid and I have a box of a few other cb's he owned. I believe this is the base unit he had in the house. If so, I know it was an amazing device back then. My dad kept a list of everywhere he talked to with this. I recall one Christmas he was talking to a guy in Poland! (Sorry for the trip down memory lane) I do know this radio and its components worked at some point. I'm hoping it still does.

20180215_182257.jpg 20180215_182336.jpg 20180215_182319.jpg

What I do know so far is this is a 100w with the 4 pin Ranger mic so this is an early 80's version. There is a serial number on the amplifier/cooling fins (I don't know if that will be helpful)

I am looking to get schooled on this unit (i've read quite a bit about it over the last 6 hours). I believe there is an amplifier and power converter also in the box that I found the radio in.

I have no idea if it works or even how it all works together. I run the newer President McKinley in my daily driver, so I'm not a complete noob to this...but this sounds like it's more than just a 40ch off-roading toy.

Obviously I'm looking for any help getting it powered up and testing the unit.

The back of the Ranger shows 13.8v where the power cord goes...I assume I can't just use the power cord from my McKinley to see if it fires up...can i? There were some wires in the box...I didn't see if the actual power cord was there.

Thanks in advance for the help!!!!!!
 

I just wanted to update. The Ranger does power up, but that's as far as I can seem to go. I hooked the Ranger up to my truck cb antenna, but due to my lack of knowledge of these radios, I can't tell if everything is working.
I also removed the cover to see where this toggle switch was attached to. Here are some photos, maybe someone can give me some insight. The grey wire goes into the metal box in the top left of the photo and the purple wire is soldered to something.
20180219_114034.jpg
The same purple wire seems to have been used under the other cover as well.
20180219_113306.jpg

I also tried to program channels into the memory and can't seem to get it to work.

Any and all help is appreciated!!!!!!
 
There is a lot of info online so I'd recommend continuing to do the searches and research on the radios. There were the AR3300 and AR3500 and they came in 25 and 100 watt versions. They were considered very good radios and had some neat technology in them in that day and age.

Service manual and info - http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/clear_channel_corp/ar3500/index.htm

Modification info - http://www.qsl.net/kf2tz/rangerar.html

I did a video overview of one a long time back - http://www.cbradiomagazine.com/Radio Reviews/AR3500/Clear Channel AR3500 Video Review.htm

Great article here on the history and some of the technology -http://cbworldinformer.com/a_little_history_on_the_ccc_people.htm

I can't see the images for some reason but it's possible the switch is to disable the internal amplifier so the radio could be run with an external amplifier if desired.
 
There is a lot of info online so I'd recommend continuing to do the searches and research on the radios. There were the AR3300 and AR3500 and they came in 25 and 100 watt versions. They were considered very good radios and had some neat technology in them in that day and age.

Service manual and info - http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/clear_channel_corp/ar3500/index.htm

Modification info - http://www.qsl.net/kf2tz/rangerar.html

I did a video overview of one a long time back - http://www.cbradiomagazine.com/Radio Reviews/AR3500/Clear Channel AR3500 Video Review.htm

Great article here on the history and some of the technology -http://cbworldinformer.com/a_little_history_on_the_ccc_people.htm

I can't see the images for some reason but it's possible the switch is to disable the internal amplifier so the radio could be run with an external amplifier if desired.

Thank you!

I've downloaded the service manual, operating manual and tips/tricks/mods for this radio. As you said, there's a lot of good info out there on them.

In the same box as the radio, my dad also had a 12v power supply and an amplifier. So your theory of the switch sounds right. I'm not sure why you can't see the photos, i'm sure that would help identify the use of the switch as well as what else may have been done to the radio.
 
Unlike a dumb cb you have to use the toggles to manual input the freq. for the channel you want to talk on. You also need to make sure you are on am. Not sure if you need mic plugged in for receive audio I doubt it. I wish more radio's had that sort of input.
 
Unlike a dumb cb you have to use the toggles to manual input the freq. for the channel you want to talk on. You also need to make sure you are on am. Not sure if you need mic plugged in for receive audio I doubt it. I wish more radio's had that sort of input.

Thanks for the reply! I've found frequency to channel charts online (that was a huge help). The toggle switch I'm questioning is the silver one on the outside of the unit. I've circled the switch and traced the grey and purple wires on this photo.
Inked20180219_114034_LI.jpg
I'm thinking @Big Kahuna might be right regarding it disabling the internal amp. In my first post, there's photo of a g300 amp. (I have no idea how it works)

If this radio wasn't modified, would it only be able to select 10 meter frequencies? I ask because I know I can manually enter frequencies in the 11 meter range and I think lower.
 
Thanks for the reply! I've found frequency to channel charts online (that was a huge help). The toggle switch I'm questioning is the silver one on the outside of the unit. I've circled the switch and traced the grey and purple wires on this photo.
View attachment 22697
I'm thinking @Big Kahuna might be right regarding it disabling the internal amp. In my first post, there's photo of a g300 amp. (I have no idea how it works)

If this radio wasn't modified, would it only be able to select 10 meter frequencies? I ask because I know I can manually enter frequencies in the 11 meter range and I think lower.


looks like its a shutoff for the sp1a speech processor.
 
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Yes when I bought the radio I had it added. The processor adds some punch to your audio.. They work very well. as far as I know you have to have it added to your radio..
 
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Yes when I bought the radio I had it added. The processor adds some punch to your audio.. They work very well. as far as I know you have to have it added to your radio..

no the ar 3500 came stock with sp1a on the 100 watt version
 
sometimes you dont need the processor. its nice to be able to turn it off. for local talking

Thank you for helping me solve that mystery!

Does anyone here have a functioning AR3500 who could help me figure out what works and what doesn't? Or help me see if it's working like it should?
 
It does indeed look like the speech processor wiring and switch. It wasn't a stock item on the 120W or the 30W model, but it was easy to add them. They sound great with no processing, but it can help when in a pileup. Don't forget to check the Yahoo group because they have some extra files (including the right test points and the infamous D77 error) that will help you or others really align them perfectly.

Here is one 120W model that I repaired recently. Note no speech processor. Enjoy that radio!



 
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