Fine Tune CB

[M0GVZ]

After seeing a few of this guys videos, I think he is just a little proud of his gear setup and his ability to use it.

Mark Sherman? He clearly doesn't have the first clue how to use his oscilloscope.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

His work speaks and hears for itself.
would you mind explaining what you think he might be doing wrong?
If he was doing something wrong, the spectrum analyzer would be quick to show his mistakes.

Mark Sherman? He clearly doesn't have the first clue how to use his oscilloscope.

 

[M0GVZ]

would you mind explaining what you think he might be doing wrong?

In the other video from 2 months earlier he seemed not to know how to do the Time/Div scaling properly. He was also bleating on about the signal being dirty and the radio being overdriven when it was showing a perfect sine waveform with no clipping.

 

[Robb]

If he was doing something wrong, the spectrum analyzer would be quick to show his mistakes.

True

 

[543_Dallas]

If he was doing something wrong, the spectrum analyzer would be quick to show his mistakes.

That depends on how he sets the analyzer and he only shows it for a second. BBI uses a spec analyzer in his videos too...form your own opinion about that. You can find the sweet spot where any amplifier is somewhat linear with the right amount of drive. Does he have any videos about linearity that involve a trapezoidal pattern on the scope?

 

[543_Dallas]

Looking at the spec analyzer again it looks like it's focused in pretty tight on 27mhz. You couldn't see the 54mhz harmonic if it was off the scale. The harmonics are always present, especially with cb equipment. Rather than explain this and show how he's tuned the radio for minimum harmonics he just keeps it off screen. His expensive toys obviously impress his customers.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Toys don't impress me much as other techs have similar toys. Propagation is what impresses me more than anything. Maximum distance while using minimum power is what impresses me.

Looking at the spec analyzer again it looks like it's focused in pretty tight on 27mhz. You couldn't see the 54mhz harmonic if it was off the scale. The harmonics are always present, especially with cb equipment. Rather than explain this and show how he's tuned the radio for minimum harmonics he just keeps it off screen. His expensive toys obviously impress his customers.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

If that theory was true, I don't think he would have made this video. He generally makes a video after he gets finished with a radio, but here is one he made before he got finished.
Watch "vanishing harmonics" on YouTube

That depends on how he sets the analyzer and he only shows it for a second. BBI uses a spec analyzer in his videos too...form your own opinion about that. You can find the sweet spot where any amplifier is somewhat linear with the right amount of drive. Does he have any videos about linearity that involve a trapezoidal pattern on the scope?

 

[543_Dallas]

If that theory was true, I don't think he would have made this video. He generally makes a video after he gets finished with a radio, but here is one he made before he got finished.
Watch "vanishing harmonics" on YouTube

That's assuming he never changes any settings, assuming there's no monkey business like a low pass filter behind the desk, ect.... I'm not saying this guy is doing anything shady but he works on CB radios at a truck stop, so naturally I'm a little suspicious.

As far as CB techs go he might be ok. The point I'm trying to make is that a video usually doesn't prove anything. There can be a lot going on that we can't see.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Watch "A little out of the ordinary and by request." on YouTube


No hocus pocus here

That depends on how he sets the analyzer and he only shows it for a second. BBI uses a spec analyzer in his videos too...form your own opinion about that. You can find the sweet spot where any amplifier is somewhat linear with the right amount of drive. Does he have any videos about linearity that involve a trapezoidal pattern on the scope?

 

[543_Dallas]

Not even going to watch it. Keep on trucking Scotty.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Not even going to watch it. Keep on trucking Scotty.

that video negates your theory about the setting on the spectrum analyzer being used to conceal hidden harmonics that are not displayed on the screen. I thought you would find it interesting

 

[543_Dallas]

Not at all. I really do enjoy a good debate but you've admitted you don't really know anything about technical "mumbo jumbo"

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Not at all. I really do enjoy a good debate but you've admitted you don't really know anything about technical "mumbo jumbo"

How about the ability to Faithfully reproduce the hissing sound (5300 hertz) at the end of the letter s to distinguish it from the letter f?
I don't know anyone else capable of doing this type of work.

 

[LeapFrog]

The man is well versed and talented, he is not the only one in the world who can perform these repairs/mods though.

I have a feeling, many technicians who routinely work on high end amateur transceivers are on his level or beyond it.
Only they would not be repairing "export type" citizens band radios, they would be getting payed by fixing "more expensive" equipment for hams.

(Not the same crowd I get it. Heck the c.b. lingo takes a minute to grasp and get a good understanding of, this coming from someone born after the c.b. Craze had died. It is a real skill to be able to interface with various cultures and sub-cultures and to be honest I know some hams could not fit into the c.b. World if they tried)

But this is a C.B. Discussion, so I would say he is one of the few guys that are really good at what they do, even if he toots his horn a lot. I agree with clean is mean, but come on Mark you are no radio God (who is?). To be honest many more hack shops exist than quality repair shops.
Fine Tune CB shop is a place I would trust, even if the advertisement in his videos are in-your-face. It comes across as a little condescending to other techs, and I think that is his point.

I believe he does outstanding work. If I swallowed my pride and gave up on learning I would send my export type 10 meter rig to him to make sure it was clean. But man his ego shows, and I don't blame him if I had that equipment and the time to learn what he knows (or appears to know) I would have a big head on my shoulders too.

Only two or three other places I would consider sending my gear to. I have never done business with him though so I would consider my options.

Generally speaking when someone thinks they are one of the greatest they tend to charge like one of the greatest, and rightfully so. To say no one else can do it is far from the truth, I believe most of the capable ones are focused in on other areas of radio. Perhaps that is one of the reasons we do not see many really good techs in c.b. The radio tech with skills to pay the bills, is doing just that (& then some)

IMHO
-Sam aka Leap