@@davidaix5771 I may have to check it out. Last time I keyed up on a CB radio was probably 25 years ago. It was a total shit show on the airwaves at that point. People having sex, death threats, playing live music, running 10s of thousands of watts amplified systems, you name it. This was in the US at the time, I wonder what the scene in Europe was like?
@@davidaix5771nah it's been booming well before FM was included by the FCC. Also FM has always already been a thing, it's more the cheap Chinese bases like anytone 5555 and handhelds like QYT CB58 and great portable antennas like HYS 16 inch whip and also HYS 51 inch telescopic.
I got my Midland Portapak somewhere in the loft.. Loved it that's where it all started with radios for me! Our ice cream man back in the early '90s had a CB and I use to call him up... Looking back think I've had one too many 🤣 but seriously good fun. Best quote "I've got the Randy between my legs" 🤣
I had a similar idea to make my Midland M30 CB rig portable for hours banging out at 4 watts, powered by a single Halfords 12v (12ah) lithium (3L) car jump-starter pack. The obvious advantages being the built in charge/discharge/protection circuits and the added bonus of phone charging from USB sockets and an integrated LED torch. 😉👍
I really like the way FM sounds on CB in this vid. FCC recently approved FM for the States. I also looked at vids for the FCC Randy. Impressive little radio. The Midland Portapack is something I have wanted to see for decades. Hopefully soon it will be available over here. Great work.
a great video and two great cbs and lots of good info just like it used to be started Am and Fm And still at it this will bring them out lofts and boxes
My Hand held CB radio took 12 AA batteries back in the day looks like a brick like you said. The Randy III looks like a good piece of kit some good testing guys.
Really wish you could have done it in a buttoned up vehicle. The difference between outside and buttoned up in a vehicle is much different of a test. But, at least this is a test of sorts. If you'r in the business, do one on the highway all buttoned up in vehicles. Open air radios work well, but when you get interference like car metallurgy interference really obstructs your signal. Easy to do when paying attention to mile markers like we have in the US. Thats the real life test I was looking for. Love your work, Chaps. Appreciate the test!
Car bodies create a faraday cage, which is what blocks the majority of radio signals. They are not perfect though as the wavelengths are smaller than the aperature of the windows, so they become very directional. In a car I'd run an external antenna of 1/4 or 5/8 wave.
Nice collaboration video and the audio on the two radios sounded good 👍 There's an upgrade TNC available that's about 53cm long (Knights CB do them) which works great on my Maycom AH-27 although, having said that, the standard antenna on that radio does look particularly poor! Regarding the old portapack, it does have a long centre-loaded antenna which works very well, but is fragile, so probably why they're like hen's teeth to get hold of now!
Having recently got back into this lark after 40years I got a TTI H100. What I didn't expect was such a rugged little handheld build around a metal chassis giving full 4W only slightly larger than my PMR's. On receive the battery lasts for about 3 days and comes with a handy little charging station you can plug into the car. I took it to Scotland in Sept and one eve could here a group in Tunbridge Wells, I tried to respond but the were a bit disrespectful and didn't believe I was actually in Corpach. So something's about C haven't changed ha ha, but things have come on. So I bought another with an ear piece and a clip on window antennae as my car roof is plastic.
Ive been on and off CB since 1979. (Mainly on) Im using a PNI Escort 6500 (CRT Millenium clone) in my van with a 40 year old modulator knock off antenna Im good for around 10 miles on 4 watts. I still have my 80's Rotel 240 and Audioline 341 but hiding an 80's rig in a modern vehicle is no joke. Ive never been interested in DXing, the little PNI rig recieves great, there seems to be an awful lot of alligator stations... You know the ones, pushing out 500+ watts, RF gain off and squelch up, talking to their mates 2 miles away.
I did a pl259 Bnc right angle to telescopic ht whip and my swr was 3.1 added a 9 foot counterpoise to the rigs chassis and it was 1.2. I got a 12 mile contact from table height in a 200 foot deep valley. Potential.
I think both radios are great! The PRESIDENT is quite loud, and could be boardering on being distorted. The MIDLAND is very clear sounding without the extra noise.
Thanks for making CB COOL again! I just modified(snipped blue wire) my Alinco 10 meter...now 11 meter(and now using with my cross band repeater(UHF), don't tell the ham Nazis!)👍 I'm currently waiting on my Anytone 5555N for mounting in my Peterbilt. ....have sunglasses, cowboy hat, and a modified radio, doing my part at making it cool again!😎 All I need now is a black Trans Am.
Not a bad set of radios, ive just got the new thunderpole TX and love it. What battery pack and connectors is on the midland? Did you not need a counterpoise for it that small setup on the midland. Thanks
I’m literally just about to buy a CB, I’ve had a scanner now for a few years and always wanted one as a kid but my mum and dad would never let me have one. I do miss the 90s when the police could be picked up on a scanner
I have the same CB as your Midland Mini, but it's branded a PNI escort hp 6500, they can be hi powered to 8 watts. Then I have to give my call sign of course. Interesting, thanks.
Will any of the CB radios stop on channel 40 at the end or channel 1 of the beginning? I am blind and I do not expect these radios to talk to me but would be nice to know if the menu was wrapped around again and again and again otherwise I’ll never be able to tell what channel I’m on damn I hate all the screens!
@@andykirby Yes, about time was saw something modern with a LiPo pack. I wouldn't expect miracles with any practical aerial portable on 11m though. It's not even that great a format on 4m. I believe the PortaPack had an antenna matching circuit so the antenna mount was matched for the supplied aerial rather than 50 Ohms,
The 11 meter band (26,27 MHz ) isn't very good for a walkie talkie for range. Here in the US you can use FRS which can give you good range on 400 MHz. The hand held CB is still fun to play with. just not a dependable source for constant communications.
@@andykirby they were back then. mind you, I then sold that rig and went to a walkie talkie powered by a 9 volt batter that had two channels (14 and 30 if my memory is correct) at a TX of 0.2 watts ! surprisingly good as it was really portable. I used that a lot even though it only had 2 channels
Done 15 miles on a pmr 446 argos special at 0.4w (I think) but I did build a very long 2 mtr yagi with 9 elements.ita all about hight though you can cheat with a rediculas extention arial
In USA cb radio is slow to come back to nightly tag chews and people don't use handheld cb "s . It would be nice to have chats I instead of sporadic are skip.
I've tried the same antenna on my icom 705. The SWR is below 1.5 with no ground... not bad for a portable antenna. It's always going to be a compromise but it isn't bad. Loading it up with about 25W it seems fine too.
I've got the Randy 3, love it, can you let me know where you got the telescopic antenna from, the rubber duck is ok but I'd like to have the option of the telescopic
the president randy radio is ok, but the antenna falls apart. I have six radios and all the antennas they are not soldered welded or crimped. I had to buy tnc to bnc adaptors and use Midland antennas on each radio.
Maycom AH-27 wasn't so massive... and after a but adjusting modulation was ok. Audio sent from Randy was clean and clear, and on telescopic antenna noise level decreased very notceably. (transmitted signal was stronger) I allways wonted a handheld SSB CB radio but it was too expensive for me that times. Miss my Jackson... stolen.
Youse don't seem to realize how superior world AM ( Eu CEPT) is compared to FM. We run with the squelch off and modify reception with the RF gain knob if necessary. I've talked 160 miles ground wave with Polytronics Labs Polycomm 1's. Transistor sets can give similar results. A PDL2 or Moonraker beam? Fuhgeddaboudit. cheers.
If I understand correctly, you guys are surprised you can communicate over a flat long distance with no obstacles which are ideal conditions? Did I miss something?
I was thinking about getting either of these or poss both maybe!!! But, i don't find them available on AMAZON WHY NOT ? As i deal with Amazon a fair amount & wasn't thinking of having to go elsewhere to get them & having to pay a lot, lot more for them 👎😠 EEERRR!!!! NO THANKS!!! So, Andy can you find out as to why Amazon don't sell these sets or at least find a cheap place that does have them at a nice cheap price ( or what you would call cheap). That would much appreciated. 🙄🤔
