As bad as I hate, I decided to take out my General Lee radio and possibly put it up for sale on Ebay. It's alittle too big for my small SUV. I want to get a smaller unit, got my eyes on a Cobra 25 LTD classic. I only use Ch.19 for trips and talking to some locals on Ch.40 all citizen band. I guess what I am trying to say and ask is the radio suitable for at least 8 watts of talking power if tuned properly? Also, I had heard about putting modulation kits for an audio boost, any feedback from operators using these swing kits? Thanks
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swing kits?
- Thread starter General Lee Want-a-Bee
- Start date
Swing kits over modulates the carrier power varies (swings) with the audio rate. Not to much to gain by adding these except more spurious transmissions.
Thanks Mr. Heat, I had heard from a local tech that he could put one in for 25 dollars but suggested I could go 5 dollars cheaper and just get a power mic.
I personally like them when it comes to running power ,and as far as over modulation goes , most radios have a mic gains on them to turn things down if need be,especially a Cobra 25 . If your not looking to run any power ? a simple tune up will do . Power mic would surely help there after ,but with the right tune on one of those radios and for what your looking for ,the stock mic would even work just fine. They have other ways of beefing up the power in those radios , they can put bigger finals in them and basically get them to do 40 to 50 watts pep !! if need be. Those mod's usually run around 60.00 dollars. Unless you can do it yourself and then you would just be looking at parts. Last but not least , Hopefully you will be running a decent antenna with a good match on it , for without that , I doubt any radios going to help you very much in anyway ,shape or form. General Lee to big for the SUV ? Hmmmm Good luck to you.
Turning down the mic gain to cure overmodulation from a clipped limter or "swing" kit will get rid of the overmodulation at the expense of lost audio. Lose the kit, set the AMC correctly, get the power mic (a GOOD one[Astatic], not some cheapo!!!), and the radio will do wonderfully by itself or on an amp. With the Lee, just open both AMC controls all the way, tune the radio normally, and it will be just about perfect.
Swing kit.........
New Stryker 440HP with this clipped and some BS swing kit installed= shaty sound and 60 watts.
No swing kit or clipped this and that.....................
Fantastic sound with loud and clear modulation. 45 watts.
Verdict.
That extra 15 watts with the over modulation sucked big time and i have the watergate to prove it!
To heck with turning the mic gain down,if you radio is set up right you should not need to.
New Stryker 440HP with this clipped and some BS swing kit installed= shaty sound and 60 watts.
No swing kit or clipped this and that.....................
Fantastic sound with loud and clear modulation. 45 watts.
Verdict.
That extra 15 watts with the over modulation sucked big time and i have the watergate to prove it!
To heck with turning the mic gain down,if you radio is set up right you should not need to.
Thanks guys. I ended up getting rid of the General Lee for 170 dollars on Ebay. It was just too bulky for my Honda CR-V. I bought me a Cobra 25 this week. Tech says it does 4.5 swinging 18. Is that too much drive for a Texas Star 400?
It wont be blaring loud with that high of a key but it WILL have a good clear sound and no i dont think willl be to much.
sorry to disagree with king mudduck, but i think 4.5 is too much dk on any texas star. i have a 500 and she likes a 1.5w dk, that gets me 100dk and swings to 500pep. nothing but great reports on it. a 4.5w dk would be too much dk and not enough swing, it will heat up that texas star in a hurry.
no expert here , but I like 1 to 2 watts max on any Texas Star for that matter. There hot running amps to begin with...but hey hey hey ....I like swing kits too (-: I've said it once and I'll say it again , I don't talk to machines !! I talk to people .......believe it or not , there's a big differents there. I totally understand the quote on qoute "experts" feeling on the matter , I've heard them and liked them to many times not to. Oh I know .....I wouldn't know a good radio if I heard one ? That's far from the truth !! I think after 20 years , I know a good one from a totally balls to the walls over modulated one. Swing Kit or NPC or not !! DTB , I respect what you have to say man , but cb radio for me is about having fun , and if I can't have fun in this hobby ? that's when it's time to hang it up for good. IM sure the machine would say IM not doing very well , but I honestly can't remember the last time I got a bad radio check ? It may be rocket science for some , but it's just about having fun for me. If you took the radio to a tech and he tuned it and he knew you were running a TS 400 ? He would have never set your DK that High , A good to do tech would have told you to bring your amp in so he could make both your radio and amp sing in harmony . I would highly suggest you have the DK turned down .......and while your at it .....make sure you got a good match on your antenna system 1.5 or less. Good luck to you.