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Old School vs New School CBs: Which do you like ??

unit_399

unit_399

EL CAPO
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Jun 17, 2008
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ALEJANDRIA, COLOMBIA SA
I bought a Cobra 139XLR new in 1978, and ran it for years.The best receive (with mods), loud clear audio, and super expandibility. Best of all, the Service manual w/ schematic made repairs and mods easy. I've always said it was the best type-accepted CB radio ever made. However, after reading the reviews and hearing them on the air, I bit the bullet and purchased an ANYTONE AT6666PRO. Wasn't too crazy about it at first. Harsh-sounding receive wasn't comfortable listening. My big fingers didn't get along with its tiny pushbutton controls. no service manual or schematic. AND . . . after having a full-size base station on my bench, it looked totally out of place. But it had things my Cobra never had: wide freq range, superb noise reduction, "zero" channels, and higher power. Most of all the price was right. I finally fixed the harsh receive issue, and learned to live with the other drawbacks. It's my go-to cb for the time being.
I'm mapping out the circuit on the Q6PRO, but it's slow going. If I finally come up with a schematic, I'll share it. But don't hold your breath. I wish I could turn back the clock and look forward to a Sam's Manual on the Q6Pro.

So, how many of you guys like and run old school radios ?? Why ?? What are you running ?? I miss my old Cobra and wish I could bring it (circuit-wise) into the 21st Century.

J.J. 399
 
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I wasn't active when the change went to 40 channels so my nostalgia is for the older 23 channel rigs that I drooled over back then. I wouldn't collect but a very few of them. I would rather actually "use" the 40 channel models especially if they include SSB. A 23 channel SSB rig doesn't do much since no one is on channel 16 anymore.
I don't have much interest in the export models even though I have been a ham for 53 years. I wouldn't get much use out of them for what they cost even used. Sometimes I pick up a CB radio at a swapmeet for $5 to $15 that is a better quality rig than most. I only have 5 CB radios.
Comstat 25B with original mic and the huge mounting bracket.
Midland 13-880
Midland 13-861
Midland 77-861
Uniden PC66XL
All but the 77-861 are in excellent cosmetic and working condition. The 77-861 has some cosmetic issues with the chromed plastic. Both the Midland portables have the leather cases etc. in very good shape. The Uniden is the only one I would use very much. Mostly, I just listen around a lot.
If I were to buy a new radio it would have to have SSB, the weather frequency and be able to scan all the channels on AM since there is little activity around here.
 
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I run the Anytone 5555 + in the truck, but I prefer the old school rigs overall for ease of use and serviceability. Well, as long as I can find parts.

I do see DDS solutions becoming more popular in the future for old school rigs as a way to be able to operate more like the newer rigs. Best of both worlds for tuning and audio quality. Worst of both worlds for fixing when it goes boom.
 
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Because of my lack of ability to do radio repair ( No Training ) and lack of local repair shops in a reasonable distance I have to say I lean towards New radios. But I've had my share of troubled New radios also. And time will tell all tales !
 
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I love the look of the old school radios, especially the 148GTL. I love the nostalgia of running those old rigs. But I really value function over form, so my Anytone 5555N2 has become the radio I use daily. My old Cobra, President and Navaho radios are all put away in a cupboard.

The new radios just blow the old ones right out of the ballpark when it comes to performance and features. More sensitive and quieter receive, high power right out of the box, multiple bands and frequencies, multimode including FM and even CW sometimes, sideband that stays bang on frequency with no drift, and DSP noise reduction that we could only dream about a few years ago. All in a smaller more efficient package.
 
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I may be the exception, I never found a radio that I just loved above any other. I have found a few that I loathed. I have mostly old school rigs, not by choice really but by chance, as those were cheap or free and the locals here cherish theirs, mostly what I work on here but occasionally a smd Stryker or similar goes across the bench, taking some of my finer hairs with it. I bought an icom for 2 meter a few years ago that was recommended by a friend, but I acquired all my 11 meter rigs as payment or donation for repair work. I use a Cobra 2000 as my cb base which replaced my uniden Washington, which replaced my cobra 142. I try export radios sometimes, but always end up back with the oldies. Never cared for the ssb performance of those. When not working 11, I have a yeasu 757gx for hf, but it's old too. I never cared for menu driven interfaces or hidden menus or multipurpose tactile buttons, putting the icom at odds, so maybe I do prefer old school with a knob for everything and everything on a knob. Give me an analog meter over digital any day.
 
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I have been a die hard Magnum Radio fan for just over 25 years now. Ran every radio they had and still own a Delta and two Omega Force radios. I have a Uniden Madison as well. My current mobile is a hard to find Magnum 1 radio.

I messed with an Icom 718 off and on for several years but always switched back. After getting my ticket I bought a mint Yaesu ft991a that has been my go to base radio. Forced myself to learn a complex menu driven radio. Still put a Magnum in line from time to time but I really love the991a.
 
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Depends on what we are talking about. For cheap price and out of the box features I like the Anytone and other cheap Chi-Com 10m radios.

If we are only talking about CB radio then I like the old gear all day long and twice on Sundays!

Down sides of old gear for many is cost to maintain and repair and lack of parts availability.

The older gear is easier to use, easier to look at, has better singal rejection and more sensitive recieve. It also does not sound as harsh. Also no menu to go through all features are on the front with a switch!

What I want is the feel and sound of pure analog with the feature set of digital with a user interface that is vintage! For anything deeper a phone of PC interface would be welcome!
 
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Old school always.
Sure, I like new stuff—hell, my job depends on dealing with the latest tech and all the chaos that comes with it. But old gear? That’s my escape. It’s my release from the constant churn of updates and problems.
When I flip on my 101ZDmkIII, the displays glow, the tubes warm up, and everything just feels right.
...
 
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Old school.

For the CB band, I prefer to use the CB radio that my mom bought for me, a skyline SM 2010. With 22 Channels FM and 0.5 watt using a cybernet board (pbtm117aox). It was broken badly by some idiot teenager about 40 years ago.
That idiot was me.

About a year ago I repaired it, then fitted a DDS into it and now it runs from 26.795 until 27.995 MHz, so it's been brought back to more modern times. Also fixed the squelsh plop and now gives about 300mW, which is plenty. Talked a couple hundred miles with it when it was only 80mW.

This is the radio I use most. Also got a AnyTone Q5N2, which is truly great, but it misses out on being a really old analog radio.

Like the previous post, one higher. I already have to worry about the most modern computer systems and their ailings on my day to day job. Don't need that for my hobby. The DDS was the exception ;)
--
Skyline
 
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