I had a FD1 and loved it, always got great reports and it is very easy to mod. Did all my own.
I sold it and should not have. I am thinking of getting another.
AP
I sold it and should not have. I am thinking of getting another.
AP
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B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
My experiences with Sparky have been great. I have bought several radios from him and they work as expected, have sent some units in for repair and he was able to fix one and was honest with me about another being junk and not worth fixing (ebay buy-stupid me). I bought an antenna rotor and control that didn't work properly when it arrived and he had another one on it's way and told me to check it when I got it in before I ever sent to bad one back to him. He is a man of his word and great honor IMHO. That hard to find in todays world. I won't do business with anyone else if I have a choice.
John
western Kansas
Bronco 812
John
western Kansas
Bronco 812
Gave the SparkMan -aka 'Sparky'- a call this AM and ordered/paid for the radio. Asked him to u/l the clarifier ($25 extra) and tune it as he would include the alignment (free) and shipping ($23~) for the sum of $148~. It is my first time doing business with him, and I am anxious about getting it. Sounds like this ought to be a great radio at a great price - no complaint there. He said that it should be shipped out sometime after Monday on next week. With so many orders and so much work, I hope he can get it to me as he said.
Theres no doubt he is super busy right now. However if he gave you a time frame, he will likely be able to stick to it. I'm sure you will be happy with the outcome though.
696FD1 is a great radio for the price great receive not a power house but thats nothing we don't know what to do about. mods out really well had my done using the tone dim & ch.19 button. did not have to drill any holes in the case. tone & dim give me my upper and lower channels and the ch.19 button is my 10kc slide. also have my clarifier unlocked. using a 575-m6 mic get great reports on SSB * AM. this little radio reminds me of the Cobra 148F-GTL but with a 6 digi freq counter.
Sparky is my tech also
The TR-696FD-1 will be my fifth radio that I've got from Sparky. I am getting both top gun mods put in and the clairifer unlocked. This will be the first time I get those top gun mods in a radio, I thought I'd try them out in this one. All the radios I have got from him are top notch, and the deals I got on them were smokin' too.
The TR-696FD-1 will be my fifth radio that I've got from Sparky. I am getting both top gun mods put in and the clairifer unlocked. This will be the first time I get those top gun mods in a radio, I thought I'd try them out in this one. All the radios I have got from him are top notch, and the deals I got on them were smokin' too.
I got my TR-696FD-1 from Sparky's today. Arrived just as he said it would - right on time! I got to get some dacron tie-down rope for the antenna on the shack. Then I can fire this sucker up.
So, it's off to the Ham Radio Outlet for me!
So, it's off to the Ham Radio Outlet for me!
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Booty to answer one of you original questions...
No it is a 1969 final radio, not a Mosfet. Thats why Sparky is getting them so cheap and selling them so cheap. They are on close out.
No it is a 1969 final radio, not a Mosfet. Thats why Sparky is getting them so cheap and selling them so cheap. They are on close out.
If you are going to get this radio get it from www.customcbradios.com This is one nice rig for 100.00 just got mine and it is fantastic!!!
Custom is good too. Same radio at same price with the same mods. Doug is a former Sparky tech who has a good rep.
I like the fact that the clarifier can be modded to slide more than 10kc down, so a person don't need a 10 kc switch.
I can't remember, but do these radios have the RCI8719 PLL in them? I think they do...if that is the case, a person could also mod it with an old MB8719 PLL and get more channels out. Come to think of it, I think the RCI8719's can be modded too like the old MB8719's. I'll have to look in my notes in my file cabinet and confirm this.
This is part of the reason why I was looking for a used one on the SwapShop forums here on this site.
Cheers!
-Exit
I can't remember, but do these radios have the RCI8719 PLL in them? I think they do...if that is the case, a person could also mod it with an old MB8719 PLL and get more channels out. Come to think of it, I think the RCI8719's can be modded too like the old MB8719's. I'll have to look in my notes in my file cabinet and confirm this.
This is part of the reason why I was looking for a used one on the SwapShop forums here on this site.
Cheers!
-Exit
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
People I will tell ya this is one nice CB radio. Mine dead keys 2 watts and swings to 20. AND the best thing is there is NO DRIFT on SSB!!! 
Very stable radio. This is the best 100.00 you can spend...
MHO....
Bobby
Very stable radio. This is the best 100.00 you can spend...MHO....
Bobby
It only took me and my lightning fast mind 3 days to realize that you actuate the ANF by pulling out on the mic. gain knob and boy does it make a differance in receive quality. I think it's a great radio at a great price and your missing out if you pass on it IMHO. 
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