Helping CB friend

[arudlang]

@Ensnared definitely take a look at the President Johnny III as that's something I forgot about until my previous post, its in the "compact" class but definitely way better speaker and volume than the President Bill FCC and the other sub-compact radios. I think it meets all the other wants you had listed, it's not horribly priced for what you get.

I have to eventually (this spring) pull my P. Bill FCC out of my car and put it into my wife's car (our main road trip vehicle). The P. Bill is about the only radio that will work for us in her car due to very, very limited space constraints. The type of application where nothing but the sub-compact chassis radios will do. The P. Bill I expect to be the best sounding of the sub-compact class with its only real downside being that lack of RG gain control.

Once I swap that to her car, I am going to need another radio for my car again. I was leaning towards the Luiton LT-298 (because I want the ch changer on the mic vs the Uniden PRO520XL) but since my car is electrically noisy and the LT-298 has no ANL I'm unsure if its the best option. I'm thinking the President Johnny III would definitely be a much better sounding radio with less noise, but at double the price I will have to think on it a while. I also kind of don't want to give up weather now that I have it currently with the P. Bill in my car, its pretty nice and the P. Johnny III would give me weather, scan, roger beep, and much clearer sound so I think that could be a winner for me. Maybe it would be a good option for your friend as well.

 

[K5TUE]

Just a head's up on the ANL (automatic noise limiter) function. In every low priced CB I have ever owned or worked on, the ANL is a simple diode circuit that passively limits random natural static-type noise, and is present even in CBs that don't have a switch to turn it off. Virtually every modern CB will have that noise limiter.

Am I saying they ALL do? NO...but most modern name-brand CBs, even the basic, cheapest models will have the ANL active...you just can't turn it off. This is not a problem for 99.9% of casual users.

The NB (noise blanker) is a slightly more sophisticated, active noise suppression circuit, and there will (or should!) always be a switch to turn that off. If there is no NB switch, there is no NB circuit. These are designed to remove repetitive type man-made noise, ie, ignition pulses and sometimes alternator whine.

Sometimes these functions are combined or linked on a single switch, sometimes they are separate switches.

Most of todays modern gasoline engines (spark ignition) don't make a lot of ignition or alternator noise on a nearby radio, but some of them do, and a lot of older gas cars and trucks can certainly make a lot of ignition noise, and the NB function can help suppress that noise.

 

[slowmover]

Just a head's up on the ANL (automatic noise limiter) function. In every low priced CB I have ever owned or worked on, the ANL is a simple diode circuit that passively limits random natural static-type noise, and is present even in CBs that don't have a switch to turn it off. Virtually every modern CB will have that noise limiter.

Am I saying they ALL do? NO...but most modern name-brand CBs, even the basic, cheapest models will have the ANL active...you just can't turn it off. This is not a problem for 99.9% of casual users.

The NB (noise blanker) is a slightly more sophisticated, active noise suppression circuit, and there will (or should!) always be a switch to turn that off. If there is no NB switch, there is no NB circuit. These are designed to remove repetitive type man-made noise, ie, ignition pulses and sometimes alternator whine.

Sometimes these functions are combined or linked on a single switch, sometimes they are separate switches.

Most of todays modern gasoline engines (spark ignition) don't make a lot of ignition or alternator noise on a nearby radio, but some of them do, and a lot of older gas cars and trucks can certainly make a lot of ignition noise, and the NB function can help suppress that noise.

The amount of noise (hash) isn’t well-controlled by CB radio functions. It’s a very inexpensive radio-type and not at all in the league of amateur gear (where a $4,000 radio is common in a discussion; some are less than this, are more).

CBs are far cheaper in real terms than they were forty years ago (to understand why some radios of that era were “better”).

Installation is what matters, and, details pertaining to each radio system, — power, antenna-mount, and coax — how one addresses “noise”.

There are devices from simple to exotic aimed at the amateur crowd which can help with noise (clearer reception of vocal audio is primary over absolute noise level), but tend to be expensive versus less money and a little more effort expended on radio systems details.

I’ve found it helpful to regard radio choice as simply a question of which one to plug in to an optimized set of systems.

Lesser radio + superior systems is a better performer than a high-dollar radio + mediocre systems.

Plan the permanent antenna mount over all else (in mobile). The rest falls into place rapidly.

One can start work before that decision with RF Bonds (distinct from DC Grounds) of the vehicle as the vehicle itself needs help regardless of type, design or condition. Horizontal panel bonding has precedence over vertical.

Moving the starting point backwards even farther is inspection of existing DC Grounds (find vehicle diagram); R&R every ground (and add more).

Engine Starter Cabling is the “natural” starting point for a radio installation, IMO. Radio is a good excuse to examine the vehicle electrical system high amp draw components cabling + wiring.

Most of all: Plan the installation that it can support a deeper range of radios, etc. There’s no good reason to work from a dead-minimum when material upgrades are nothing in comparison to labor expenditures.

Noise Abatement is fundamental across the spectrum of radio types, use, and measured performance.

Mobile Install Bible

I’ve spent a great deal of time reading and re-referencing Mr Applegate bible of great generosity in the five or six big trucks into which I’ve installed subsequently better radio systems than the one previous. Big steps first then devolving to smaller steps as use proved need for improvement.

This online forum has depth with a WIDE variety of types. Pay attention to pro-level installs.

.

 

[K5TUE]

Just for clarification, my brief article about ANL circuits and NB circuits was aimed at the comment about buying a CB without an ANL switch.

A $50 CB and a $4000 HF radio are two different products for very different uses.

 

[slowmover]

Just for clarification, my brief article about ANL circuits and NB circuits was aimed at the comment about buying a CB without an ANL switch.

A $50 CB and a $4000 HF radio are two different products for very different uses.

And mine was that they really don’t do much on a CB.

But do the rest of the noise abatement and those controls change the tone sufficiently that cutting them in as the sun climbs (or you’ve entered a metro) and listening is aided by cutting off the sharper edges.

A typical poor-to-average mobile install barely reacts to NB/ANL.

On my DX-959b a yet further refinement is a HIGH-MEDIUM-LOW Tone Switch that I use w/w-o the NB/ANL on AM-19.

SQ off
RF Gain at max

— Night: Hi Tone only (greatest distance).

— Nearer dawn, cut in NB.

— Past sunrise: switch to Medium and cut out NB. (A little later, cut in NB).

Etc.

The “quiet” of the antenna system is the key to altering audio at the radio.

The days I’m forced to use SQ & RF Gain are a few hours on 1, 2, maybe 3 in 12,000-miles of monthly driving (radio on 10-12 hours daily, sometimes more).

— This level of detail has to do with DSP + BPF use as well as other external filters & ferrites. (I’m told without asking — and, repeatedly — that my TX is clear & sharp though I use minimal extra power compared to a great number of others).

A quality CB is better than many think. The problems aren’t different than with Amateur. But the CB radio hasn’t their sophistication. Thus, “Xtra Care” goes a long, long ways to prep the environment.

The radio just needs help: install plus outboard gear.

Addition of gear aimed at Amateur is also helpful for CB. Once the install details are tested and modified as needs be.

The goal is the same.

.

 

[arudlang]

A typical poor-to-average mobile install barely reacts to NB/ANL.

I don't know, it's made a huge difference in my old 1999 CRV. I've had two different basic no-frills radios in there that were almost unbearable amounts of engine noise and even fan noise from the HVAC system. Then I swapped in the P. Bill FCC with ANL + NB + Hi-Cut and its much, much better. Not eliminated, but way better then the other two radios.

K5TUE's comment about most radio's having basic ANL was helpful to me, it makes sense that if the Uniden Pro510XL has ANL then the Luiton clone probably has the same circuit too, even though it lacks the switch.

Not sure on my Uniden Pro505XL though, that is one of the ones that picked up engine noise the worst in my old car that I was talking about above. Of course ANL is not for engine noise so I guess it makes sense, NB is what I really need.

And just to throw it out there, yes I use the $10 "noise suppression filters" on my powerline for the radios and yes the power lines are dedicated 12 gauge runs right to the battery. Still have issues with noise but the P. Bill is way better than my other ones without NB.

 

[slowmover]

President (brand) is simply a better radio.

 

[K5TUE]

Back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, almost all President, Uniden, and Cobra CBs came off the same assembly lines in Japan and then Taiwan and China.

Today...who knows.

 

[slowmover]

Back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, almost all President, Uniden, and Cobra CBs came off the same assembly lines in Japan and then Taiwan and China.

Today...who knows.

Same factories but different specs. Prez better than others mentioned.

 

[K5TUE]

There was little to zero difference in them back then. Parts were the same, 100% interchangeable other than the front faceplate. Repair procedures, the same. Circuit boards, the same. Meters, the same. Standardized 3 pin power plugs and 4-pic 'cobra wiring' on the mics, the same. Receiver specs, the same. Tune-up and alignment procedures, the same. I still have a collection of Sams Photofact service manuals...schematics and parts lists are nearly identical on some models across several of these brands.

President radios always cost a bit more back then, and they did have some premium (and expensive) mobile radios so we didn't sell as many compared to Cobras and Unidens. Again, this was back in the mid to late 70's and early to mid 80's...the 'peak' of the CB craze.

We serviced as many Presidents as Cobras, Unidens, Midlands, some models of Realistics etc...all rolling off the same production line overseas.

Today I peeked inside the President Lincoln II that I own now and there is nothing inside that says 'uniden', and the circuit boards look a bit different than they did years ago. So I assume they found a new vendor/supplier/factory for those.