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SSB and exports

roadrage

roadrage

Active Member
Aug 3, 2011
497
109
38
In the middle of nowhere. Central/northern Maine
I have always been led to believe that most export type radios were poor performers on 27MHz SSB (with a few exceptions like the RCI 2290, etc.) I listen more than I talk but I heard a couple guys this weekend that sounded phenomenal on 38LSB. One guy was on a Stryker 955. I don't quite recall the model, but I believe the other said he was running an older Galaxy DX73? But it definitely gave me something to think about. I've been steering hard toward some of the older CBs over the export lines. I run a Madison, Grant XL, and I just picked up a Cobra 146 GTL and Cobra 138 XLR. I've been thinking, lately, that exports were fairly useless on SSB when compared to some of the old school Uniden and Cobra radios. I am thinking that my idea may not be as absolute as I thought.

Looking back, I wish I had given them a shout and asked who tuned their radios. I'm not saying they sounded like a Cobra 2000, but they were some of the better sounding radios I heard in the past few days of having good conditions. They had a good strong signal. But even when they were starting to fade out, they still sounded very clean and full. I'm not going to run out and buy one, but I was pleasantly impressed with those two radios.
 

Most exports can be "made" to sound good but thats the rub, you need to send more money on something just to make it work right. It's like buying a car that runs fine but will only go 30mph. You want to go faster so you need to spend more money on it and you need to find someone that wont hose it up in the process.

If I was going to run just SSB there is no way in hell I would purchase an export radio. Give me an older ham rig and it will smoke just about any of the so called exports or an older CB model like my old Grant! Now if you want to talk AM well that might be a bit different.
 
I just couldn't believe it when they said what they were talking on. It wasn't what I expected to hear. I always hear people say that "they sound ok but not great." I just expected that all the guys running the radios that sound like someone talking into a metal culvert, were exports. I guess a lot of the time they are.
 
I've never had any complaints, and several compliments on my orange magnum 257 on SSB. it's never been tuned, just turned my pots for max power with 98 percent audio with my road devil mic.
 
I think it depends largely on what export you have. I have a Magnum 257HP that does good on SSB, and even my Magnum S45HP does well from what I've seen and I have a little talk time with it.

However as someone said a true ham rig will run circles around any export or basic CB on SSB. I've had folks comment that my Magnum radios are loud and punchy, but my Kenwood radio is smooth and clean. But also my Kenwood has a full VFO so I can go anywhere on the frequency easily; the Magnums take a few pushings of buttons to get where I want to go.

Also most Ranger chassis radios are not always stable on SSB. That includes Galaxys.
 
roadrage said:
I have always been led to believe that most export type radios were poor performers on 27MHz SSB (with a few exceptions like the RCI 2290, etc.) I listen more than I talk but I heard a couple guys this weekend that sounded phenomenal on 38LSB. One guy was on a Stryker 955. I don't quite recall the model, but I believe the other said he was running an older Galaxy DX73? But it definitely gave me something to think about. I've been steering hard toward some of the older CBs over the export lines. I run a Madison, Grant XL, and I just picked up a Cobra 146 GTL and Cobra 138 XLR. I've been thinking, lately, that exports were fairly useless on SSB when compared to some of the old school Uniden and Cobra radios. I am thinking that my idea may not be as absolute as I thought.

Looking back, I wish I had given them a shout and asked who tuned their radios. I'm not saying they sounded like a Cobra 2000, but they were some of the better sounding radios I heard in the past few days of having good conditions. They had a good strong signal. But even when they were starting to fade out, they still sounded very clean and full. I'm not going to run out and buy one, but I was pleasantly impressed with those two radios.
Click to expand...

Of the two radio's you are talking about the new Stryker 955 is probably one of the best SSB talking radio's out. It's right there with the 2950/70 and the Uniden 2510/Lincoln radio's. It has a USB port for computer programming and other features.

The Galaxy 73V is a much older radio and will perform much like a Galaxy 88 & 99. They are great AM talkers and average at best on SSB, expect some SSB drift from a 73V.

Many export radio's respond well to the SP-1A speech processor and the Top Gun modulator MD-1 & CP-1 compressor. Just make sure a good tech does the install.
TGT Modulator

TopGun Technologies Home Page

I have said this many times, you will only sound as good as the tech is that tuned your radio. If two truck drivers are 200 yards apart both running say a General Lee radio, one bought from Copper's and one from say DTB Radio. You will understand the difference when they are both say 8-10 miles out and one radio is still walking the dog. The DTB radio will still have some punch, the Crapper radio will be a mudd duck.
 
That is what I mean. That guy with the Galaxy must have had a real good tune on his radio. His radio sounded real good. Conditions have been pretty good the last few days and I've heard a lot of traffic. And those two radios really stood out amongst the rest I'd been hearing. I was really impressed.

I've heard the 257 Magnums were pretty good talkers on SSB. I haven't heard someone specify when they were talking on one.
 
Been talking a lot on ssb on my magnum 257hp and get great reports. I only performed the 11 meter mod and turning up the mic gain pot in the mic itself. Radio does pretty good, I wish you could still get them. I would get another just to have.
 
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w9cll said:
Most exports can be "made" to sound good but thats the rub, you need to send more money on something just to make it work right. It's like buying a car that runs fine but will only go 30mph. You want to go faster so you need to spend more money on it and you need to find someone that wont hose it up in the process.

If I was going to run just SSB there is no way in hell I would purchase an export radio. Give me an older ham rig and it will smoke just about any of the so called exports or an older CB model like my old Grant! Now if you want to talk AM well that might be a bit different.
Click to expand...

Uhhhhhhh you might want to revise that statement. I have a Stryker 955HP and this radio has never failed to get good reports, and great audio. When I tell them I'm running it in my pickup they can't believe it. They are running giant towers and beams and this 955 sounds as good. I don't run run a amp just barefoot. I talked to Japan yesterday. 6,000 mikes from my house. It stayed on frequency and never drifted.

The 955 HP can hold its own in SSB, or the Ham bands with no problem at all.
 
Fogdog,

Thanks for the comment. I never said they don't work, they clearly do as many many people are using them. My point was you spend money on a radio and you need to spend more money to make it work the way you want it to. If that is ok with the buyer then that is fine.

I also said that if I were to venture back into CB and run SSB only I would not buy an export. Not that they are bad but a good ham rig will most likely have better RX and TX. I know that my Yaesu 101ZD MKIII and Icom 706 hear better than my old Uniden Grant did (and that had an excellent RX). I can add filtering easily to make the RX better.

If you're happy with they rig your running then great! To each his own.

Congrats on working Japan but your contact had very little to do with the radio used and everything thing to do with band conditions. 11 and 10 meters have been very open the last couple of days and just about anything that can get a signal in the air will talk long distance. To do it on 11 meters is bit harder because of all the interference. Not slamming anyone here it's just nature doing what it does.
 
I have to agree fogdog, I run a magnum 257hp in the mobile and I always get foot clear audio reports as well as being asked if I'm on a base station. I have also been told in am dead on frequency as well. no peak and tune crap, just the 11m mod and close the lid. I have heard nothing but good things about the stryker 955hp as well, heck it's my 1st in line for a new radio. Everyone has their opinion, and there are a lot of haters of "export radios" because of the bells and whistles, like echo and roger beeps, a lot of ham operators don't seem to care for either. It is annoying at times I guess, but to each his own. I always ask this as it puzzles me, but where do most people that get into this hobby start?? What radio and setup, I bet you will find that most have had exports and are really closet export owners. Anyway have a great one , maybe I will hear you on 38lsb. 222 in the mobile around the sand pile Daytona beach standing by. God bless.
 
I think that "generally" exports tend to not be the greatest performers on SSB. There are exceptions. I hear pretty good reports from the 257 line of Magnum for SSB performance. I have been hearing a few 955 Stryker radios that really sound good on SSB. I think that Stryker put some time into designing a solid radio that performs well on AM and SSB. I know the drift issue can get a bit exaggerated with the export market, but there have been a few radios hitting the market, lately, that seem stabile. The Stryker 955 and I've been hearing good comments on the new Galaxy 99V2
 
222DBFL said:
I always ask this as it puzzles me, but where do most people that get into this hobby start?? What radio and setup, I bet you will find that most have had exports and are really closet export owners.
Click to expand...
Never owned an export but I will give you my past in 11 meters.

Started on 11 meters in '78 and the list of rigs in order:
Pace 166 - 23 channel
Pace 8046
Midland 76-858
Cobra 1000gtl
Cobra 135xlr - moved to SSB
Uniden Grant
ICOM 720a
Left CB for Ham in '91
Still own the Grant.

Antenna were in order:
Radio Shack 1/2 wave
Shakespeare BigStick
Tower goes up
Avanti PDL-II

All taken down (except for tower) for VHF ham antennas in '91.

Closest I came to having an export is when a friend lent me his Grant DX and later a Lafayette 2400FM but only used them for about a week at a time.

I don't "hate" exports just feel there can be better out there for nearly the same price.
 
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