First Mini SSB-capable CB

[KR4NIV]

...and now back to our regularly scheduled program...

I have the Luiton LT-310SDR mounted here on the ham bench so I can get familiar with it before I shoot a review video.
I hooked up a watt meter and checked the AM dead key output on the 3 power levels that are menu selectable.
1 = 2.4 watts
2 = 4.5 watts
3 = 9.2 watts.
So, for people like me that want to stay close to "legal" CB 4 watt power (if nothing else just for the challenge) level 2 is a good fit.

It doesn't take long to get familiar with the functions. The important ones are front buttons. Once you get menu driven functions set, there's little need to go back into them. Like most menu driven radios, you can just leave the NR menu active so it shows when you press the menu button. Easy access. As for is it bad/good for mobile? The answer is an individual decision based on needs. The smallness is an advantage. It can be mounted in close proximity to where your eyes are already looking, which should be at the road, not the center console.

 

[niceguy71]

...and now back to our regularly scheduled program...

I have the Luiton LT-310SDR mounted here on the ham bench so I can get familiar with it before I shoot a review video.
I hooked up a watt meter and checked the AM dead key output on the 3 power levels that are menu selectable.
1 = 2.4 watts
2 = 4.5 watts
3 = 9.2 watts.
So, for people like me that want to stay close to "legal" CB 4 watt power (if nothing else just for the challenge) level 2 is a good fit.

It doesn't take long to get familiar with the functions. The important ones are front buttons. Once you get menu driven functions set, there's little need to go back into them. Like most menu driven radios, you can just leave the NR menu active so it shows when you press the menu button. Easy access. As for is it bad/good for mobile? The answer is an individual decision based on needs. The smallness is an advantage. It can be mounted in close proximity to where your eyes are already looking, which should be at the road, not the center console.

you're the first one to get 9 watts DEAD KEY! Fantastic!!!

I've seen a quite a few videos... sadly, most just read the box / instructions and say it's 7 watts
some say it can get up to 7 watts then they whistle into the mic... whistling into the mic is not usable watts...

others have said it was just over 6 watts.... I know every watt meter is a little different... I always try to get a digital watt meter as they seem to be more accurate.

I was really on the fence about taking the perfect fitting Radioddity CS-47 with 6.90 watts AM out of the jeep and putting in a radio with less watts ....( it does 15 watts on FM ) the CS-47 works great.. but the 6.90 watts gets the same range as stock 4 watt CB's ... when we try a 10 watt CB like the Radioddity 606 PRO and several other new radios that do 10 watts or 10 plus watts, it has made a very noticeable difference... and a much more enjoyable time for us using them... but the only one that really fit nice was the CS-47... the mic has all the controls on it and a huge crystal clear display.... we mounted the mic as high up on the dash as possible so as you're driving the display is right in your line of sight and the speaker is almost the height of your ear... great designed radio
so I'm very happy about the 9 watts.... I'll miss the 15 watts on FM... but most of the people in my age range still have the same AM only CB's they've had for the last 20 years... ( lot of old Cobra's bumped up to 10 watts and getting the job done ) so no one goes on FM as my whole gang of friends mostly still have AM only CB's

the difference between the legal 4 watts and the 9 watts will hardly be noticeable.... but use the 9 watts ..it's like having a phone that crackles when you talk VS a clean clear voice.... no one wants to listen to someone that is not as clear as they could be, my opinion

funny you mentioned location... I was thinking of putting it above the rear view mirror in my friends Jeep... but Ive seen videos of radios over head and people look up to change channels and it seems to be more difficult to get your vision to focus back on driving???? VS under the dash .. in the dash or on the console, people seem to be able to glance down make an adjustment and look back up and be just as focused as they were?????
hard to explain, but I wonder where it would be better.... I'll have to make a post on best location for the CB someday and take a survey
I've never had an overhead CB to judge it by... but back in the 80s and 90s I had a radar detector on my visor... and looking up was a little disorienting for me.

I'll miss how nice the CS-47 fit in line of sight... I don't want to put the Luiton on the dash in the sun... he doesn't have a garage and leaves the top off most of the summer... so thieves will be tempted.. the CS-47 allows him to take it off the mic clip and lock it in the console. ( only the mic cord sticks out )

this video should start where I showed the CS-47 .... this video is NOT DONE ( don't ask ) do not watch the whole video... just take a look at how perfect the CS-47 sits at the top of the dash... then please stop watching ... I have a million things to correct and re-shoot.

 

[EAFrizzle]

whistling into the mic is not usable watts...

That's why I have a harmonica...

 

[niceguy71]

That's why I have a harmonica...

a Harmonica would make you very popular at parties in my area

come to think of it...
I'VE HEARD YOU ON SKIP!!!!... I was wondering who that jerk was, playing the Harmonica on the CB

 

[EAFrizzle]

I used to hate when a harmonica player would show up to any open mic I hosted. Tortured-cat-screaming, car-wreck sounding, "blues" cacophony. I'd rather listen to a half-hour bass solo than that noise. Hwee-hurr, honk-honk, hee-haw noise.

Can't even play any Ornette on the dumb thing.

 

[WSAC829]

you can just leave the NR menu active

Even easier is the decicated NR button on the mic. Easy on, easy off.

 

[WSAC829]

When it start getting crammed down someone's throat, that's where it stops for me

I wish i could do the same, but i cant. I don't ignore anybody here, and i read every single post. I give advise or answer questions from my own personal experiences with radios, antennas, troubleshooting, etc. I’m just tired of the “cramming”, or the “don't bother because it didn't work for me” posts. It also irks me when people say “ you should have bought a better antenna, or got this radio instead of that cheap crap, etc to new members. We should be happy new people are even getting in to the hobby this late in the game. Help them out without belittling their choices. Everybody has different budgets, needs, expectations, etc. With that said, i own up to the fact i’ve also made some crude posts in the past. Some have humbled me, some had merit. It is what it is. Life goes on.

 

[K9KLC]

...and now back to our regularly scheduled program...

I have the Luiton LT-310SDR mounted here on the ham bench so I can get familiar with it before I shoot a review video.
I hooked up a watt meter and checked the AM dead key output on the 3 power levels that are menu selectable.
1 = 2.4 watts
2 = 4.5 watts
3 = 9.2 watts.
So, for people like me that want to stay close to "legal" CB 4 watt power (if nothing else just for the challenge) level 2 is a good fit.

It doesn't take long to get familiar with the functions. The important ones are front buttons. Once you get menu driven functions set, there's little need to go back into them. Like most menu driven radios, you can just leave the NR menu active so it shows when you press the menu button. Easy access. As for is it bad/good for mobile? The answer is an individual decision based on needs. The smallness is an advantage. It can be mounted in close proximity to where your eyes are already looking, which should be at the road, not the center console.

I'll be "that guy", did you check any modulated wattages or percentages? A 9.2 watt carrier is great but without appropriate modulation, it's a different story. Just curious.

 

[K9KLC]

I don't ignore anybody here, and i read every single post

I read every single post without a doubt, what I filter (ignore) is the information in some of the posts.

We should be happy new people are even getting in to the hobby this late in the game. Help them out without belittling their choices. Everybody has different budgets, needs, expectations, etc

Absolutely!

With that said, i own up to the fact i’ve also made some crude posts in the past. Some have humbled me, some had merit. It is what it is. Life goes on.

Likewise.

 

[KR4NIV]

I'll be "that guy", did you check any modulated wattages or percentages? A 9.2 watt carrier is great but without appropriate modulation, it's a different story. Just curious.

I did not. I'll probably show that in the review video I do though. I think I have a harmonica around here somewhere. 😂

 

[EAFrizzle]

It's the only way to get 100% modulation across the audio spectrum.

 

[K9KLC]

I did not. I'll probably show that in the review video I do though. I think I have a harmonica around here somewhere. 😂

From here on out, only harmonica modulation will be acceptable for all radio checks!!!

 

[prcguy]

From here on out, only harmonica modulation will be acceptable for all radio checks!!!

With the modulation increase measured in dBh.

 

[StoliRaz]

Luiton 310- Very cool radio, I would probably just velcro it to the side of my center console. The one thing it appears to be missing is WX channels. Kind of a bummer, but I think I would give that up for SSB though. Wish I could order one off of Amazon.

 

[KR4NIV]

Finally getting around to making a video on the Luiton LT-310SDR.
I had it powered up and the NB (noise blanker) function was active. I reset things to start the video and now I can't seem to reactivate it from buttons or menu! To be clear, not NR which is menu or mic button, but NB, noise blanker. Any ideas?

 

[niceguy71]

Finally getting around to making a video on the Luiton LT-310SDR.
I had it powered up and the NB (noise blanker) function was active. I reset things to start the video and now I can't seem to reactivate it from buttons or menu! To be clear, not NR which is menu or mic button, but NB, noise blanker. Any ideas?

I looked at YouTube and on line... didn't see anything.... glad you let us know.. when it's set up... to just leave it alone.

I googled how to reset it ... I'm surprised it has to be reset with the software? that's disappointing

obviously it's nothing you did.. the NB should be able to turn on and turn off
all the "new" stuff has issures ..hopefully they will come out with an update to fix known problems... but for $129 they probably won't bother.

found the reset procedure on line.... hard to believe you have to do all that to "hopefully" get the NB back on
good luck, keep us informed.


For the Luiton LT-310SDR, factory resets are typically handled via the device's PC programming software rather than a simple button sequence.
Standard Procedure:

1. Connect the radio to your PC using the dedicated programming cable.
2. Open the official Luiton LT-310SDR software.
3. Select the "Factory Reset" or "Initialize" option and write the default data back to the radio.

 

[EAFrizzle]

Reset only through CPS is a big red flag for me. All of the Chinese SDR based rigs are liable to get squirrely for any number of reasons, and a reset/initialization is often the only way to straighten them out. Having to go home/pull out the laptop to fix something kinda takes a chunk out of the "emergency" utility of the radio.

I have to reset my G90 sometimes after storms. Quick and easy two-finger salute, then about a minute and a half to get the settings back where I want them.

As with many CCRs, if the menu or CPS refers to a reset as "initialization" it  may switch the language back to Chinese.

 

[KR4NIV]

Thanks. Not that big of a deal really. If you do a proper install you don't really need the noise blanker.

 

[niceguy71]

Thanks. Not that big of a deal really. If you do a proper install you don't really need the noise blanker.

really?
I've always found the noise blanker to quiet things done a little more... the more quieter the radio the more it can be enjoyed.

I know they say if you have a whine you need to replace your alternator ... but I have seen guys replace the alternator to try to get the noise down and still have it... but with the NB it does a heck of a job

I've found the noise blanker to be an essential function... this is a test of the Radioddity CS-47 I did ... I was showing it didn't have a noise blanker ... only thing I don't like about that little radio.
but with and without it is night and day to me.

this will start right at the noise blanker part of the video

 

[smithdoor]

really?
I've always found the noise blanker to quiet things done a little more... the more quieter the radio the more it can be enjoyed.

I know they say if you have a whine you need to replace your alternator ... but I have seen guys replace the alternator to try to get the noise down and still have it... but with the NB it does a heck of a job

I've found the noise blanker to be an essential function... this is a test of the Radioddity CS-47 I did ... I was showing it didn't have a noise blanker ... only thing I don't like about that little radio.
but with and without it is night and day to me.

this will start right at the noise blanker part of the video

Nice thank you

I think most do not know the CB'S in 1970’s the receiver was more sensitive.
I read some where to sensitive and get to mush background noise.

Dave