Your Favorite Radio & Why

[sp5it]

PC-122 - small AM screamer with great RX.
DNT Carat - suberb receiver. Dual gate mosfet on first stage, fet mixer, than channel guard from factory
Mike

 

[dave457]

Silver face President Jackson

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Sonar 2340 and d104.

 

[Wildrat]

Cobra 2K ans my Ancient Magnum S9, I have lots of other radios but these are my goto radios. My Browning Mk3 is set up, but being 23 ch it's useless where I talk.

 

[L2]

Cobra 2000 & 148, Uniden Grant.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

I feel like I’m missing something not being on the Cobra train here.

 

[TM86]

President Madison with the uPD858c PLL. Had one of these in high school, modified it for more channels and more "slide". Talked to AUS and NZ pretty regularly with that thing.

Traded it for an SBE Console V. Still have the SBE. Bought another Madison, it's awaiting a recap.

 

[EricExtreme]

Magnum 1012 walkie talkie. It does 7 watts on SSB and I talk DX around the world with it using a ⅛ wave bnc telescopic antenna that A ham radio operator in the UK made for me.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

To quote the Snowman, “honey hush”.

That’s nifty right there.

 

[Robb]

I feel like I’m missing something not being on the Cobra train here.

IMO - its the Cobras and all of the other radios made by Uniden that make them solid radios. Good design, quality parts, and assembly.

I got a Uniden PC-244 from eBay last year that didn't work; but I bought it for $20 including the shipping (so I basically paid $10 for the radio and $10 for the shipping). Recapped it, cleaned up any bad solder joints ( a few), re-greased all of the heat sink IC's, sprayed all the pots and switches with DeOxit, and then aligned it. Worst case of bad caps than I'd ever seen in any radio - to date. Even replaced the meter light with an led.

For a cheap radio, this is now the most stable SSB radio that I own. Remarkable. Barely shifts freq a couple of hz in a 25f temp spread. Nothing fancy; but solid.

But this story can be told for all of the Uniden radios I own and the ones that I worked on for local operators. They work well and are dependable.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

IMO - its the cobras and other radios made by Uniden that make them solid radios. Good design, quality parts and assembly.

I got a Uniden PC-244 from eBay last year that didn't work; but I bought it for $20 including the shipping (so I basically paid $10 for the radio and $10 for the shipping). Recapped it, cleaned up any bad solder joints ( a few), re-greased all of the heat sink IC's, spranyed all the pots and switch with DeOxit, and then aligned it. Even replaced the meter light with an led.

For a cheap radio, this is the most stable SSB radio that I own. Remarkable. Barely shifts freq a couple of hz in a 25f temp spread.

But this story can be told for all of the Uniden radios I own and the ones that I worked on for local operators. They work well and are dependable.

Yeah I’ll agree, Uniden radios are probably the best there is far as receiving. I imagine the stability is there as well, I’ve just never been a fan of them or Cobra. I probably should give them a try and jump off the export wagon. I won’t even open the drifty sideband issue in this thread... maybe I’ll try one out and see what I’ve been missing.

 

[Redbeard U812]

My all time favorite.....

If I still had these I could communicate with our "Space Force" and immediately be a honorary member. We could shoot imaginary space aliens and use the secrete code printed on the front to plan our attacks.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

Shine yeah!! I remember those.

 

[CB590]

Had a Cobra 19 in 1988 or so.. first radio.. talked from NJ to ME with skip with mag mount from second story House window with ground to radiator.. always wanted a 148.. never happened..

Currently rocking just a new McKinley.. works pretty well, everyone says I'm on freq on SSB with it..

 

[Van Lifeson]

Cobra 87 GTL. Still have mine from 78 and it still works flawlessly.