Radio Shack TRC-485

[SmileySixguns]

My birthday is fast approaching so I decided to get myself this radio that I found on eBay. The seller said it worked but they didn’t know anything about it. It had the original mic and mounting bracket with it. The power cord simply ends at some bare wires. Just for listening purposes, I crimped on some eyes and sat the boat battery in the back seat of the truck so I could connect to the antenna in the truck. I powered it up and all the features seem to be functioning. I was able to listen around on sideband and heard a guy talking in Missouri (I’m in Georgia). The power cord doesn’t have a fuse in it yet, so I was hesitant to do much transmitting. I only transmitted a couple times very briefly to see that it functioned. It all seems to be working. It’s pretty compact in size, so it can work as a base or mobile unit.

 

[slowmover]

AM/SSB

RigPix Database - CB, "Freeband" and more - RadioShack TRC-485 (21-1577 and 21-1577A)

Sold new 25-years ago for $180.

 

[SmileySixguns]

AM/SSB

RigPix Database - CB, "Freeband" and more - RadioShack TRC-485 (21-1577 and 21-1577A)

Sold new 25-years ago for $180.

Oh wow, that's a pretty good bit of money 25 years ago

 

[slowmover]

About like this:

RADIODDITY QT60 10 METER RADIO. FM /AM /SSB with TX/RX NOISE REDUCTION | Scott's Radios

Stock optionRadios will ship in 10-Meter only.No video is supplied with the stock option. A short video will be supplied via YouTube when time allows when purchasing with Alignment option.As of 2/22/24 videos are not being offered due to them causing delays in processing orders.More info 👇See...

www.scottsradios.com

Except that the Q5/QT60 is miles ahead in performance with both brand-new.

By the time ones bought an antique, paid someone else to re-cap, align & tune plus whatever else is needed after two-way shipping — a quite old radio with lesser performance isn’t a bargain. (Didn’t say you bought it with this angle foremost).

I own a few old ones out of sentiment. Put to work where TX/RX performance doesn’t matter much. Put to pasture.

One is able to do his own radio work (with test equipment) to get realistic performance.

The two supporting systems matter more, granted.

Maybe yours performs well (here's hoping).

 

[SmileySixguns]

Oh yeah, those look like really good radios. I’m hoping to use this one primarily as a mostly base unit, and sometimes mobile, primarily among friends and family. I know talking skip is kinda popular, but for the most part I don’t need to chat with anyone further than about 25 miles away. The fun part will be exploring every dirt road in the local counties to see where it works and where it doesn’t. And then with the more minor repairs, I have the kids watching and learning too.

 

[slowmover]

Sideband is where Dad calls in from seventy miles out and sets the kids to monitoring Upper 15 to note time when Dads TX comes clear.

Landmark-to-Landmark.