Newbie to the group. I have an old ranger Ar3300, with the optional 100 watt kicker basically makes it. Ranger ar3500. I used it for about 4 years back when I bought it and has been stored away for over 40 years still works. But was wondering what would be a modern equivalent radio to the ranger
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Ranger Ar3300
- Thread starter Steve isler
- Start date
Absolutely nothing. You can't even buy any 10 or 11 meter radio that uses real linear rated RF output transistors, no matter how much money you spend. To put it simple, everything made for this application today is total junk.
The quality went out, but the name lives on!
You’ll find something new that works.
Or, rebuild something old.
You’ll find something new that works.
Or, rebuild something old.
So, uh... While you were away, a phenomenon called "ROHS" came about. It's an acromym for Reduction Of Hazardous Substances.
It's a set of european-union rules that prohibit a list of toxic materials. Can't sell a product in the EU if it contains:
Hexavalent chrome. Nasty stuff.
Cadmium. Toxic heavy metal.
Polydimethyl bromide ether. PDBE flame retardant and cancer risk.
Beryllium, or beryllia ceramics. Your favorite RF linear transistors had a layer of this to insulate the circuit inside, and carry heat to the heat sink efficiently. But not any more. Alumina and nitride ceramics are used now. Almost as good.
And lead. As in, lead solder. Bear in mind that EVERY electronic component would have lead inside it, or on the lead-wire surfaces. Makes it easier to solder.
Upshot was that EVERY SINGLE electronic component on the planet got discontinued.
No way the component factories would run two production lines, one regular and the other lead-free.
Anything that would not sell enough units to justify the expense of redesign as a "lead-free" part got ditched. Just don't make them any more. The familiar final transistors used in every CB and "10-meter" bandit radio didn't make the cut. Some genuine substitutes exist, and many, many more counterfeits. Telling them apart has proven to be a challenge.
This has produced no lack of chaos in electronic manufacturing. And the quality of lead-free solders has been a disappointing step down. Soldering faults in some new equipment have become a rule, not an exception. And some manufacturers have got it dialed in. But not all of them by a long shot.
Upshot is that new radios are built with shitty solder, and fake substitutes for real parts.
Welcome back. And don't let anyone talk you out of the older radios. You'll regret it.
73
It's a set of european-union rules that prohibit a list of toxic materials. Can't sell a product in the EU if it contains:
Hexavalent chrome. Nasty stuff.
Cadmium. Toxic heavy metal.
Polydimethyl bromide ether. PDBE flame retardant and cancer risk.
Beryllium, or beryllia ceramics. Your favorite RF linear transistors had a layer of this to insulate the circuit inside, and carry heat to the heat sink efficiently. But not any more. Alumina and nitride ceramics are used now. Almost as good.
And lead. As in, lead solder. Bear in mind that EVERY electronic component would have lead inside it, or on the lead-wire surfaces. Makes it easier to solder.
Upshot was that EVERY SINGLE electronic component on the planet got discontinued.
No way the component factories would run two production lines, one regular and the other lead-free.
Anything that would not sell enough units to justify the expense of redesign as a "lead-free" part got ditched. Just don't make them any more. The familiar final transistors used in every CB and "10-meter" bandit radio didn't make the cut. Some genuine substitutes exist, and many, many more counterfeits. Telling them apart has proven to be a challenge.
This has produced no lack of chaos in electronic manufacturing. And the quality of lead-free solders has been a disappointing step down. Soldering faults in some new equipment have become a rule, not an exception. And some manufacturers have got it dialed in. But not all of them by a long shot.
Upshot is that new radios are built with shitty solder, and fake substitutes for real parts.
Welcome back. And don't let anyone talk you out of the older radios. You'll regret it.
73