Found me a Kraco radio

[Dirty Duck]

I found an old Kraco SSB Deluxe. Super dusty and been sitting for years in a Michigan basement.

I’m Expecting the worst but, I’m picking it up because the unit just looks really cool. “It’s free”

I’m just curious on the history behind this radio. I’ve never heard of Kraco before until now.

Anyway, I figured it might be a fun topic.

 

[Cable Guy]

I found an old Kraco SSB Deluxe. Super dusty and been sitting for years in a Michigan basement.

I’m Expecting the worst but, I’m picking it up because the unit just looks really cool. “It’s free”

I’m just curious on the history behind this radio. I’ve never heard of Kraco before until now.

Anyway, I figured it might be a fun topic.

One of these? I can't speak on the history, but this one is an audio monster. I was quite surprised, however, the crystals were a little off, and while on am that won't be noticed, ssb would suffer. I haven't made any ssb contacts yet as ssb traffic is rare on those channels. Thought of doing some crystal work to include the higher channels, but I put a pin in that idea and it got lost under a cluster of post-it notes.

 

[TM86]

I’m just curious on the history behind this radio. I’ve never heard of Kraco before until now.

Kraco is a automotive aftermarket accessories manufacturer. They started with rubber products and kept expanding their offerings as time went on. Eventually they got into automotive electronics, and CB's were a natural extension of that.

People used to deride their electronics offerings as cheap crap. I don't know, I've never owned any. Although I would like to get my hands on a "Super Deluxe Model 2555FM."

As far as I know, they're still based in Compton, CA.

 

[BayouRadioAmplifier]

People used to deride their electronics offerings as cheap crap.

.
Yes, I remember back in the Los Angeles area as a kid in the 1970's.
Kraco auto electronics was sold at K-Mart. Maybe also at White Front stores.
Maybe Zody's. (the memories of them places!)
That there gave their products a stigma right from the start.
Us kids would get our fake "waffle stomper" boots at them
above mentioned stores also.

but that would be fun to get that Kraco SSB Deluxe going.

 

[sunbulls]

At this time this is the best factory manual I could find on the Kraco KCB-2340. The resolution on the schematic I saw on the CB tricks version is not high enough.

It's also listed in Sam's CB 162. A volume that I don't own.

 

[crappykraco]

i heard they're crappy

 

[nomadradio]

They hired the same vendor as Midland, a Japanese outfit called Cybernet. Didn't see a big quality difference between different brands supplied by the same factory. Reminds me of conversations I have heard on the radio between OTR drivers. One says "I'll never buy another Connex, it's just a cut-down Galaxy."

Next time it's "I'll never buy another Galaxy. It's just a cut-down Connex."

Makes me want to scream:



73

 

[SuperLid]

I found an old Kraco SSB Deluxe. Super dusty and been sitting for years in a Michigan basement.

I’m Expecting the worst but, I’m picking it up because the unit just looks really cool. “It’s free”

I’m just curious on the history behind this radio. I’ve never heard of Kraco before until now.

Anyway, I figured it might be a fun topic.

I thought they were uglier than the other offerings that were made by Cybernet at that time. For whatever reason, I don't find them less appealing now. But they worked every bit as good as any of them.

I had a 23 channel AM mobile, that used the 02A PLL. I installed the 40 CH retrofit that Hy-Gain had, which worked really well.

I have been looking for a 40 CH SSB base radio from them, but it seems to be very rare.

 

[secret squirrel]

It will look great under the dash of a 1967 Buick LeSabre. Put the big whip on the bumper. If I remember correctly Kraco was a big name at K-Marts.

 

[Wire Weasel]

I always liked the looks of that radio in the '70's, the 23ch Base also with similar design. On the mobile the bottom mic mounting seemed weird. I wish they continued with the aesthetic design when they changed over to 40 channels but they didn't.

 

[BC Coyote]

Kraco was a very common bottom of the barrel brand in Canada. The market in the late 70's early 80's was flooded with cheap 23 (and later 40 channel) Kraco radios. They had a terrible reputation and I don't ever remember seeing a SSB version though I had heard they exist.
The only CB brand sold up here that was worse than Kraco was the dreaded "Learjet" brand. Did that crap get sold in the USA too?

We also had a lot of "Citizen" branded radios up here. The one I remember was a cybernet/PLL02A based sideband rig called an MPL-5. It was an amazing performer but not the prettiest radio! A friend had one with a D-104 on it.......talk about killer AM audio! That thing was a monster! And it held it's own on SSB as well... no drift, good audio, and lots and lots of extra channels.

 

[dave457]

In my opinion.... Spark O matic radios where bottom of the barrel

 

[TM86]

Kraco was a very common bottom of the barrel brand in Canada. The market in the late 70's early 80's was flooded with cheap 23 (and later 40 channel) Kraco radios. They had a terrible reputation and I don't ever remember seeing a SSB version though I had heard they exist.
The only CB brand sold up here that was worse than Kraco was the dreaded "Learjet" brand. Did that crap get sold in the USA too?

We also had a lot of "Citizen" branded radios up here. The one I remember was a cybernet/PLL02A based sideband rig called an MPL-5. It was an amazing performer but not the prettiest radio! View attachment 72707A friend had one with a D-104 on it.......talk about killer AM audio! That thing was a monster! And it held it's own on SSB as well... no drift, good audio, and lots and lots of extra channels.

Ive seen the MPL-5 on fleaBay. I've got one of the MPL-6 base stations on one of the shelves in here. Bog standard PLL02a SSB chassis.

I don't think LearJet made it south of Saskatchewan, but then I'm always surprised at the names that do pop up.

 

[Pez]

My first SSB radio as a kid was the Kraco KB-2355. 23ch crystal chassis. I still have it, and also this really nice one that I managed to find recently. Kraco was fairly popular here in Oz.

 

[hpssb]

Love my Kraco base, my first real base (all in one with power supply) radio about 40 years ago. Sold it back in the day, regretted it for decades. Found another one in nice cosmetic condition a few years back, sent it to techs for a partial recap (10V electros) and channel conversion. Now has 40 dial and 40 high / 40 low with 5 and 10KC droppers. Works really well, use it as my daily driver base radio with a KLB-240 amplifier. Pics of the mods below for those who understand these things (internals way above my level of understanding though!).