• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

President Richard stock mic substitute

Eldorado828

8-2-8 in the Lonestar state
Feb 21, 2016
3,836
7,204
523
The Lonestar State
Here I am again asking for advice. I've acquired a new president Richard for my work truck and I have to say I don't much care for the stock microphone. Like any of the qixiang made radios it's small, light and leaves much to be desired so now I'm looking for a suitable alternative. I haven't owned an astaic road devil in years but that's the first one I thought might do well. Any of you gents own the Richard and have a good substitute?
 

There’s a menu function to choose either electret or condenser type microphones.

BELLS CB offers the radio with an optional ASTATIC 636L wired for six pin jack. (I’m always pleased to use that mike).

The RANGER SRA-198 famously is built with a weight attached inside. The addition of weight might be enough to sway one’s feelings.

In the big truck and the pickup I use a GEAR KEEPER retractable mike hanger. This — again — changes one’s perception in use as one isn’t any longer lifting it off of a hanger (“too light” and I may fumble it), instead, the grasp is used only to bring it closer.

(I usually have to limit oscillation & swing of the suspended mike with Velcro straps around the “joints” of the assemblage).

Weighted and suspended is a pretty fair change from stock and untethered. The Peterbilt comes with a mike hanger. The change from that use to use of the Gear Hanger is significant. There’s no lag involved in reaching and using, that’s now a combined operation versus one of several steps.

(Test: Tie some string around the mike button and the rearview. Go for a ride after dark and pretend Undertaker is out in his white ‘64 Cadillac hearse looking for customers . . haul azz and cut the corners on the lease roads).

If the audio reports are what you favor with the $34.95 stock mike, break out the tackle box for some split shot.

6B08B698-26E0-417D-8D30-1F9F9E1D362F.jpeg


Here’s our buddy Riverman runnin’ the roads now that the sideburns and Fu Manchu are growing out, giving him that complete 1973 “look” in a Salvation Army-sourced uniform shirt. All the right pieces in play. Chromed chain to hold the 108” on the rear bumper.

440DE3C7-A971-4582-A05A-146336BAC997.jpeg

The Gear Keeper comes in two sizes: Light & Heavy (duty). The difference experienced in “pull” isn’t great, but the HD will snap the mike back harder.

There are competitor retractable mike hangers I haven’t used, as well.

And I’ve never had one wear out. Must have 4-5 of them.

There’s a traffic jam on 40 across the Armadillo, then the GK is just the thing to help stir the s-pot on 19 with lightning timing.

.
 
Last edited:
I appreciate your reply slowmover, I went through all the functions before putting it in the truck and in the dynamic mic mode with the sra-198 it doesn't come to life like it does with the stock el mic. As far as the gearkeeper goes, I've always used them but in this new truck (kw t880) there's no roof screw locations to mount it to. I've had the last 2 generation kw t800's that I came out of and that wasn't an issue as with this one but for now I first need to address the mic situation. I would have just moved over my mirage mx36hp3 but guess what.... the 880 doesn't give enough room to accommodate the heatsink so is why I got the president. I'm already hearing from everyone that the mirage was a much more powerful radio and it is because man that thing would swing really nice without any hacks done to it. I went with this president because of the size, features, and advertised power but it doesn't play well with the 198 mic. A stock galaxy mic sounded really nice but it's not noise canceling and you know noise is a thing in these trucks and another reason the stock mic just won't cut it. Can anyone here confirm the road devil plays well with the president radios before I fork over the dough to get one. If not the road devil, any other suggestions?
 
...with the sra-198 it doesn't come to life like it does with the stock el mic

I have Lincolns which use the same stock mic. Haven’t seen a mic yet that is as “hot” as the stock one. The stock shows the best power on SSB over every other. Sounds good, too (though I slightly prefer a 575 or modified D104).

But...with the sensitivity of the stock mic, it picks up a lot of background noise.

I DX from my pickup. Taking notes and etc, I can’t set the stock mic on my lap without it falling to the floor. It feels like a Fisher Price toy.
 
I have Lincolns which use the same stock mic. Haven’t seen a mic yet that is as “hot” as the stock one. The stock shows the best power on SSB over every other. Sounds good, too (though I slightly prefer a 575 or modified D104).

But...with the sensitivity of the stock mic, it picks up a lot of background noise.

I DX from my pickup. Taking notes and etc, I can’t set the stock mic on my lap without it falling to the floor. It feels like a Fisher Price toy.
That's it, exactly my thoughts as of yet. Have you tried the road devil? The 198 really dulls the audio, everyone says it's too quiet and I can really tell it doesn't awake the radio. The mic manufacturers need to up their game as I can see the future going to prefer electret condenser mics and not many are easily found.
 
That's it, exactly my thoughts as of yet. Have you tried the road devil? The 198 really dulls the audio, everyone says it's too quiet and I can really tell it doesn't awake the radio. The mic manufacturers need to up their game as I can see the future going to prefer electret condenser mics and not many are easily found.

I bought one and had issues with it. I see potential in the mic...but using an adaptor the mic tends to change the freq on my Lincoln randomly, and the battery dies overnight.

I think mine, which is brand new, is faulty...so please don’t take that as an indication of what will or won’t work for you.

I have some recordings of several mics in another thread.
 
I bought one and had issues with it. I see potential in the mic...but using an adaptor the mic tends to change the freq on my Lincoln randomly, and the battery dies overnight.

I think mine, which is brand new, is faulty...so please don’t take that as an indication of what will or won’t work for you.

I have some recordings of several mics in another thread.
Aside from it being faulty, how well did it work with your president?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Slowmover
If it's like the Ronald, the modulation limiter is way too aggressive.

An electronic engineering friend of mine that has a radio shop part time in the evenings traced out how to disable the limiters on the Ronald, Richard, and Andy. His top seller is the Richard.

I have not spoken to him specifically about whether or not the limiter is too aggressive in the Richard or not.

 
If it's like the Ronald, the modulation limiter is way too aggressive.

An electronic engineering friend of mine that has a radio shop part time in the evenings traced out how to disable the limiters on the Ronald, Richard, and Andy. His top seller is the Richard.

I have not spoken to him specifically about whether or not the limiter is too aggressive in the Richard or not.


That was one of my other thoughts too. When checking it over on the bench and after turning up the modulation in the service menu you'll can see it start to swing when the limiter catches it and brings it back down. Maybe a resistor swap in that location rather than just removing it would liven it up. These new radios from Stryker, president and other clones are new to me. I'm much more familiar with the cobra and ranger made boards. It's a new adventure. I'm not sure how helpful tech support it from president but maybe it's worth sending them an email. Maybe your engineering savvy friend can give you some more feedback as well. It's definitely a feature rich little radio and build quality is superb inside and out as well. If I could mate it well with a good microphone and if it would come to life in the transmit department!
 
1DDEB954-AF73-49C9-AA87-98859FBF7DC2.jpeg I was in a T880 three years back. But I’ve had the hook since living in Corpus Christi. Got it at a marine supply house.

In the 579 Pete I have it attached where overhead console meets roof liner.

Use a calibrated fingertip to determine hook mouth size.

As to radio size, I fit whatever radio I want. If I have to cut a panel, I buy a new one from dealer to keep until I get out of that truck.

Good as new.

.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eldorado828
4292360D-5C08-48E2-9463-9C6CD01607C4.jpeg Running hard thru Alabammy today.

Cover panel thrown somewhere in sleeper (ha!). Radio sticks out with Palomar coax filter behind it. Bandpass filter and KL203P back up in there somewhere too.

Mr Velcro holds it together.

Coax needs fixin’, etc, before I button it back up. (Sorta).

Take a 1/3 roll of dimes to attach to the back of your stock mike. Or a gladhand lock. Or a hose fitting. (Ha!)

.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • dxBot:
    Tucker442 has left the room.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    LIVE 10:00 AM EST :cool:
  • @ Charles Edwards:
    I'm looking for factory settings 1 through 59 for a AT 5555 n2 or AT500 M2 I only wrote down half the values feel like a idiot I need help will be appreciated