My brother just gave me a Galaxy 959 DX still in the box it has a manu. date 2010 I like it but not familiar with it. Now I use a Cobra 148 GTL with a KL-503 amp for a base station Malaysia built side mic it has been adjusted up for modulation output and turned down to 2 watts great on SSB but the clarifier is still locked. The modulation Is truly unbelievably loud on the 148 which is great talking back and forth with my 2 trucks with 29LTD's with KL-203 amps which is my main concern. With my 148's super loud audio you can keep the volume level way down so the engine noise and power pole noise is nearly unheard this noise can be very very annoying. I have always wanted to do some mods such as extra channels, unlock clarifier and with the 959 frequency counter it seems like this radio would be better suited for this. I am going to send one of them to Snake Radio's I really don't know anywhere else to go and he seems to have a great satisfaction rating. IF YOU HAD THESE 2 RADIO'S WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO THE MODS ON AND MAKE YOUR BASE STATION?
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DO MODS ON A CLASSIC 148GTL OR A GALAXY 959 DX?
- Thread starter hammer0630
- Start date
I have 2 959's and I did the mods as necessary, especially the clarifier mod is almost a must if you are going to use sideband, which I do. You can use either as a base, I switch around all the time with different radios as I suppose lots do.
If you have the equipment and are at all good with a soldering iron you can do the clarifier mod yourself, but then if it needed realigning you would still need to send it off and it probably would need realigning. I turned up the modulation on both of my 959's and they are both loud and I left the limiter in place.
Some will say use the Cobra 148 GTL and some will say use the Galaxy DX-959 , but really it's your preference of what you want to use and the amount of money you spend on this hobby.
73's
If you have the equipment and are at all good with a soldering iron you can do the clarifier mod yourself, but then if it needed realigning you would still need to send it off and it probably would need realigning. I turned up the modulation on both of my 959's and they are both loud and I left the limiter in place.
Some will say use the Cobra 148 GTL and some will say use the Galaxy DX-959 , but really it's your preference of what you want to use and the amount of money you spend on this hobby.
73's
Well this is generally what I have heard about the Galaxy 959 DX pretty good radio but I have actually heard people talking while on my 148 to a 959 radio on SSB a little frequency wobble with the 959 seems to react with higher tones but I have not payed much attention if any to the 959 since I never owned one until now I like the adjustable output the built in echo and the roger beep and the freq counter all feature the 148 does not have. I know everyone hates those roger beeps but I could actually use it because sometimes when the wife is in the mobile with varying signals and skip she sometimes does not know when I have stopped transmitting and keys up while I am still talking. I am just trying to get peoples input on which radio is better and which one would you have modded to my liking. I know the 959 needs less mods even though I am not wealthy I am trying to ignore the cost and see what people would prefer. Honestly I really like my 148GTL and wish I still had the one I owned back in the 80's with a Digi-Scan 400 hooked up to it I think that gave me a total of 200 frequencies. If the 959DX can equal the same loud audio with the clarity I have on the 148 I'm leaning then towards the 959.
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I think the secret to the 959 for the sound you want is to use a good external speaker with the tone on Lowest sound and I don't mean the speakers they sell for external speakers I mean like a bass speaker around 10" or so, some of the people come in loud and proud and sound real good with the minimum amount of static for the receive audio and a good power mic preferably a cr-577 as they sound real good and they are loud and clear so everyone that reports to me says when talking to them.
Your mileage may vary..
73's
You're right the 959 only has talkback. On my 148 I am running an Extreme 2018 which has talk back, echo, and switchable noise cancelling.
Both good rigs.
The 959 can me modded to perform great.
Change the voltage regulator, the audio amplifier. Both are transistors and easy enough to do.
LESCOMM has the board that plugs in and will give 120 channels.
The radio will need a full alignment.
I did not do any of the power mods to the two I have. I did not see any need.
Leave the limiter intact and just do a good alignment, radio will sound great.
The 959 can me modded to perform great.
Change the voltage regulator, the audio amplifier. Both are transistors and easy enough to do.
LESCOMM has the board that plugs in and will give 120 channels.
The radio will need a full alignment.
I did not do any of the power mods to the two I have. I did not see any need.
Leave the limiter intact and just do a good alignment, radio will sound great.
A side mic 148 all done up is a great radio, no doubt. But, a 959 does twice the power with more features, easy P5/P6 xtra ch. mod. Galaxy doesnt tune their radios though, out of the box its gonna be low on power & most likely off freq. once you get that 959 all tuned, peaked & aligned, then make your decision on which is more fun to talk on. Being on a major budget, my 959 can out talk any big black base, even a 2990/Turbo.