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Galaxy 979?

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jdobbs2001

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Apr 20, 2005
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I order one I figure better radio than getting the Cobra 148GTL since its not the old GTL anyhow.

Primarily for general AM and LSB on the upper channels, no tune just barefoot 4/12PEP operations.

What do you guys think of the 979? Seems like a good deal for 144 dollars.
 

RC286

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Oct 25, 2013
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Not familliar with the 979, though my friend has the 949. I did a quick comparison to the schematics, It looks like it is exactly the same circuit in there as the 949, with slight changes to the controls.

I run a 959, which is essentially the same radio as the 949. Same PLL, IF, Audio etc.

My friend and I get great reports on our radios and I have personally done 2500+ kilometer contacts mobile at stock power with a power mic.

Also keep in mind the cobra 148 is the same radio, the circuit is identical, as is the Uniden grant XL and the texas ranger (dont recall the part number on that one).

I would say $144 is about average since if you want a frequency counter you will spend another $50.
I got my DX-959 for $180CDN from an ebay store. Did the mods for the extra frequency counter digit, clarifier unlock, 10khz shift, PLL channel mod, etc.
 

jdobbs2001

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Interesting I did not know the 148GTL is the same board as 949/979. Well it would make sense since there is probably only 2 or 3 real CB radio manufacturers.
 

jdobbs2001

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Apr 20, 2005
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Well I got the radio. Mike right out of the box was defective, it generated a squeal that sounded like RF feedback. I switched to a Cobra M75 Microphone and it worked fine.

AM works great, SSB its off by 250hz checked against my SDR. I guess I can tune it and align. I wonder if all CBs are out of alignment like that, compared to ICOM etc.. gear which is spot on.
 

wa1nic

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I've got a 979 as well. I've only had it installed for a few weeks but so far I like it.

The size was important to my installation. It's not huge like a radio with a frequency counter in it, but it's big enough to have useful features besides volume/squelch and channel selector.

I played with a few different mikes myself. The stock mike was not all that terrible, but on the air reports told me that the Astatic RD104 (Road Devil) sounds better, so that is what I left on it. When I first plugged the Road Devil in, I asked for an audio report first on AM and then on SSB. The first guy to get back to me on SSB was in Canada, about 500 miles away, which I thought wasn't too bad for a stock radio in a mobile installation.

Rick
 

Skeith

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Feb 25, 2013
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The sqeal is usually caused by the mike activating rx and tx at the same time. Could be a short somewhere. Or if it doesn't switch the RX off when you key up allowing the radio to be in rx and tx mode at the same time.

250hz off for voice is no big deal.
The amateur rigs are usually more accurate for more than just being an expensive rig, but they can also operate CW, which requires a near spot on accuracy. I wouldn't worry about that, the radio will drift more warming up than 250hz.

these radios are tried and true, the circuit they use has been around for a dogs age. So long as no one takes the golden screwdriver to it, you will get great reports. Also keep in mind if you are aiming to shoot skip, 12w PEP on SSB is all you need. You can have all the power you want, but if mother nature wont play nice with your signal, you wont get anywhere. When your shooting skip, you are at the mercy of mother nature, so if conditions are favorable, 12w is lots. I have done 1500+ Km on AM before. Rare, but if mother nature plays the cards right, it can happen.
 

RC286

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Oct 25, 2013
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wow, id buy a new radio! , no time here for warm up and babysitting clarifiers

Nothing wrong with the radio

Its more than likely just a drift resistor or cap, do I care? No, is it a problem? No Takes a minute to warm up, and after that its rock stable. The DX959's are know for frequency drift. Cheap components made by the lowest bidder.

Listening to any SSB signal. be it CB or HF i see the signals drift, even on my SDR, and I have injected stable signals from my function generator monitored by my frequency counter as reference.

Radios drift, certain modes are more prone to it. you could be a fair ammount out and not even notice unless you hook up to test equipment. you may not notice yours drifting if your classifier isn't open, no frequency counter, or you don't ask the second party how stable you are. How do you know he wasn't fiddling with his classifier.


This is the 9th radio I have owned, and all ave been very similar. The mobiles more so due to more extreme temperature differences. Nothing wrong with them.
 

ChetsJug

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Apr 19, 2014
Messages
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I have 2 DX979's. One I got from a T/A truck stop for $139.00 on clearance. SLP is around $270. I found another one for $70 at a Petro Truck Stop on a Managers Clearance sale at Christmas. Two DX 959's were sitting there for the same $70, but I didn't have enough money to pick them up two. I could have doubled my money without opening the box lol.

You got a very good sale price. If you are at a small shop or truck stop, I've seen them sell for $200+

From what my friend who is a Ranger Communications Dealer says. Ranger owns a big factory in a warehouse. Super Star, Galaxy, Connex etc, all use the same plant. Ranger makes the boards to each company's specs. So to say that Super Star became Ranger or whatever is not exactly correct. Each is its own company, sporting their own proprietary bells and whistles. And none of the Galaxy CB's have a 148 board in it. People twist things around and pass along incorrect information. I have a Texas Ranger that people tell me is a 248... Sorry Charley, Close but no cigar.
 
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