On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 00:47:23 GMT, "Data Flux" -spam
wrote:

Dave Hall wrote on Fri, 13 Aug 2004 11:06:16 -0400:

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 23:08:48 GMT, "Data Flux" -spam
wrote:

About a decade ago, I owned one of the original RCI-2970 radios that
permitted TX/RX from 26.0 MHz to 32.0 MHz by moving J2 from P3-P4 to
P1-P2, along with a "CB channel mode" -- complete with channels "3A",
"7A", "11A", "15A", and 19A" -- by moving J1 from P1-P2 to P2-P3.

My understanding is that Ranger re-engineered its RCI-2950 and 2970
models several times, and that with each new version, modifications
became more difficult. (I.e., the second generation lacked the "CB
channel mode" and required shorting all of J2's pins to ground for
continuous 26-32 MHz coverage; and that the third generation needed
some kind of add-on module to obtain said coverage; and that alas,
the fourth generation, for US retail, was totally unmodifiable.)

Here's my question. Are there any 10 meter ham rigs around today
that can easily be modified for 26-ish to 32-ish MHz TX/RC coverage,
AND that feature all the RCI-2970's important bells and whistles,
such as:

- AM/FM TX PEP at least ~50-75 watts, SSB TX PEP at least ~100-150
- variable TX power knob (versus cheesy "high/medium/low" switches)
- AM/FM/LSB/USB modes on any frequency
- discrete tuning ability (i.e. 27.4150 MHz, 27.4151 MHz, etc.)
- roger beep (very useful for extreme DX on SSB)
- SWR display
- split frequency TX/RX
- direct frequency access for entire coverage range (i.e., I don't
want something that behaves like a "slider" modification where you
see one channel/frequency on the display but are actually somewhere
else according to an add-on switch; I'd like to simply be able to
tune to 27.4150 MHz, and actually be there)
- finally, I'd prefer a mobile rig versus a base

Anything like this still exist, under $500 new?

If you looked at the spectral output of a 2970, you wouldn't be so
quick to want another one.

You are MUCH better off looking for a used HF ham rig for that $500,
and you'll be far happier, than using a hacked up CB design.

Isn't that what I just asked for? Another HF ham rig? The RCI-2970
was technically sold as a ham radio. I'm trying to find another 10
meter ham rig, with the aforementioned features, that can be modified
easily to cover at least 26.0-29.6999 TX/RX.

The RCI-2970 may have been marketed as a 10 meter rig, but its design
is little more than a "souped up" CB rig. The 2970 especially, was of
such a poor design that there were numerous reliability issues as well
as transmitter spurious emission problems. If you want to live in
harmony with your neighbors, that is not the rig you want.

When I refer to a "ham" rig, I'm talking about a REAL ham rig, such as
an Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood, or other such full coverage H.F rigs. Rigs
like this are much better designed, and will meet technical emissions
specs.

Used Icom 735's can be had for $400. Yaesu FT-757's can be had for
$400. Kenwood TS-440's can also be had for around the $400 range. All
of them will blow the socks off of the so-called 10 meter only radios.

Dave
"Sandbagger"
http://home.ptd.net/~n3cvj

"Steveo" wrote in message
...
"Dr.X" Dr.X@null wrote:
"Steveo" wrote in message
....
BTW, I see in another thread that you live in Medina. When I was a kid
living in Cleveland, my parents had some close freinds living there.
Ever
heard of Andy's Gun Shop? His wife was Hungarian. She made the very best
stroodle. :-P
And their daughters were knockouts. :-D

-Dr.X

Yes I'm in Medina, Andy's doesn't ring any bells..What part of
Cleveland were you from?

I was raised on the near east side between Superior and St. Clair on E.61
st. Then when I moved out of my parents house, I moved to the west side
around Lorain Ave.

-Dr.X (missin' Cleve.)

"Dr.X" Dr.X@null wrote:
"Steveo" wrote in message
...
"Dr.X" Dr.X@null wrote:
"Steveo" wrote in message
...
BTW, I see in another thread that you live in Medina. When I was a
kid living in Cleveland, my parents had some close freinds living
there.
Ever
heard of Andy's Gun Shop? His wife was Hungarian. She made the very
best stroodle. :-P
And their daughters were knockouts. :-D

-Dr.X

Yes I'm in Medina, Andy's doesn't ring any bells..What part of
Cleveland were you from?

I was raised on the near east side between Superior and St. Clair on E.61
st. Then when I moved out of my parents house, I moved to the west side
around Lorain Ave.

-Dr.X (missin' Cleve.)

Hrm, no kidding..I went to Wilber Wright jr high in the early 70's,
that's right off Lorain and W 115 or so..small world.

--
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change ready.

On 16 Aug 2004 13:30:18 GMT, Steveo wrote:

I use an HR2510 on CB in my truck, big deal.

I use an HR2600 on CB in my truck. I love it!

Braggart! :)

I'm using an Icom IC-706MKII and a 102" steel whip in my car. It works
great. It's a bit of an overkill, but it does everything I want, and it's built
like a ....... Beats the crap out of everything else I've owned. I'm not
bragging - really. I just got tired of the problems and limitations of my
previous converted radios and got serious. There are lots of them available used
and cheap. I've seen them as low as $300 used and for less than $800 new. You
have to exercise restraint though. Transmit on the ham bands any they will come
looking for you. Fake calls signs don't work as 99% (well, it's most likely
less, but you get the idea) of the hams check online to see if it's legit. It's
not the FCC you have to worry about most of the time. Stay off the ham bands and
they pretty much leave you alone.

Steve

Steve wrote:
On 16 Aug 2004 13:30:18 GMT, Steveo
wrote:

I use an HR2510 on CB in my truck, big deal.

I use an HR2600 on CB in my truck. I love it!

Braggart! :)

I'm using an Icom IC-706MKII and a 102" steel whip in my car. It
works great. It's a bit of an overkill, but it does everything I want,
and it's built like a ....... Beats the crap out of everything else I've
owned. I'm not bragging - really. I just got tired of the problems and
limitations of my previous converted radios and got serious. There are
lots of them available used and cheap. I've seen them as low as $300 used
and for less than $800 new. You have to exercise restraint though.
Transmit on the ham bands any they will come looking for you. Fake calls
signs don't work as 99% (well, it's most likely less, but you get the
idea) of the hams check online to see if it's legit. It's not the FCC you
have to worry about most of the time. Stay off the ham bands and they
pretty much leave you alone.

Steve

A real good point, Steve. Stay the hell out of the 10 meter band. I
use an old S-Line Collins in the house, SSB only..sweet audio.

I have a 102" whip also, but I hate the tree pruning it does so
I put a Wilson 1000 right in the middle of the roof of my truck.

--
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change ready.

"Steveo" wrote in message
...
....
Hrm, no kidding..I went to Wilber Wright jr high in the early 70's,
that's right off Lorain and W 115 or so..small world.


Hmm, I don't remember that school. Perhaps it's no longer there. I went to
high school in the 80's (I'm only 37). Graduated from St. Joes on E185 &
Lakeshore in '85.

-Dr.X

Well I'm glad you were ok, Dr.X. It seems to me that a mobile home is
one of the last places I'd want to be in those circumstances. I've seen
what a tornado does to them..shredded like they went thru a wood
chipper.
Hope Twist is ok.
--
Hello Mopar! As Dr. X said, we dodged one hell of a bullet. Crazy thing,
many folks evacuated and went to Orlando and got spanked. Ditto for
those who went south. As for me, I did what I always do on the
weekends,,,I went fishing and had some wet fun, man did it rain and rain
and rain. When they had the eye of the hurricane projected to come
straight into the actual mouth of Tampa Bay (the BAY itself, the actual
body of water), I would have been the first in the country to greet in
when it came ashore, as it would have been at my front door before
anyone elses. An expected 16 to 24 foot surge and I may have been
looking to buy a mobile home after the storm, as my block home would
have been carried off on the crest of a wave.
When they said class IV, I thought this was it.
That last little shift and bobble to the east saved hundreds, if not
thousands of lives. The Tampa Bay area is now the most populated
metropolis in Florida, surpassing the Miami-Metro Dade area. We were
just about to toss the emergency bags and supplies into the truck after
hearing it was a Class IV, when Charlie took a stumble and fall to the
east. Thanks for the good thoughts.

From: Dr.X@null (Dr.X)
"Steveo" wrote in message
...


heh-heh... I'll have to admit I made a very

stupid decision to stay. When they said it was

cat 2 and heading north and to evacuate here

in Pinellas county, I stayed. I live in what they

call "Zone A", the first to evac., lowest

elevation.




You're down there in Kool Aid's area. I'm down with some of the
southside radios, but in north Pinellas.



My reasoning was that I have never seen a

hurricane head in a straight path north.



Elena did in '85 after doing some loops


It will

always curve off to the right once it has a

northerly direction.



Most of them seem to gravitate toward Texas or other panhandle states.


Also I feel that my building

can withstand cat 2, especially since it would

curve off just south of us and we wouldn't take
the direct hit.

But after seeing what Charlie did, I think next

time, I'm outta here. Charlie didn't just curve

off to the right, it turned then accelerated, then
strengthened all at once. It seemed to skip cat
3 and went right to

4. That's a lot of erratic behavior all at once.

I'm thinking, it was a very short hop to get to

Punta Gorda, and in that very short time it did

all that. I'm positive that if Charlie continued

north in my direction, and did all that

strengthening in that long distance to get here,
it would have been a cat 5 and my gambling

on the weather could have been the last bet I

ever made.



A category 3 from a direct hit is equal to one hundred atomic bombs. I
believe is the announcement was made another country was dropping 100 A
bombs on our city, it would be a ghost town and everyone would have been
clawing over each other to evacuate. Ahh, the undermining of mutha'
nature's power..



Yep. Next time, I'm seeking higher ground and
better shelter. I'll be taking pictures of the

storm from over thata-way ----.

-Dr.X (getting a little OT ;-)




You and me both. You can caravan with us as we head to South Beach for
the next one.


-
(Well I'm glad you were ok, Dr.X. It seems to me that a mobile home is
one of the last places I'd want to be in those circumstances. I've seen
what a tornado does to them..shredded like they went thru a wood
chipper.
Hope Twist is ok.)


Do you know what handle he uses, what freq?
Maybe I can yell for him. I can talk to Tampa

anytime from St. Pete.

-Dr.X


I'm in North Pinellas. What's your home frequency? Send me an email and
tell me if you don't want to display it on the group.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 17:38:30 GMT, Steve wrote:

On 16 Aug 2004 13:30:18 GMT, Steveo wrote:

I use an HR2510 on CB in my truck, big deal.

I use an HR2600 on CB in my truck. I love it!

Braggart! :)

I'm using an Icom IC-706MKII and a 102" steel whip in my car. It works
great. It's a bit of an overkill, but it does everything I want, and it's built
like a ....... Beats the crap out of everything else I've owned. I'm not
bragging - really. I just got tired of the problems and limitations of my
previous converted radios and got serious.

I also run an ICOM 706 (the older MK1) in the mobile. I'm not
especially happy with the performance though. For one thing the
squelch is not a true FM noise gate type of squelch, and it pops open
on the slightest static or hash noise on FM. The other major sore spot
is the noise blanker. For some reason the fine folks at Icom cannot
make a noise blanker which works effectively on all modes. On SSB it
works so-so. On AM and FM it does absolutely nothing. I'd hate to have
to use this rig on CB, as the noise and hash are far worse than on my
old Uniden radio.

I also have a 706 on the base. Without the noise issues of a mobile,
it's a far better performing radio.

Dave
"Sandbagger"
http://home.ptd.net/~n3cvj