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Modulation kits & Antenna 'lights'? (separate Qs)

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jassing

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I am looking at a cb that has a "modulation kit" installed -- If this were used with a power mic, would that over-power the rig? (either inside or somehow drive the watts over 4?)

And I saw something that reminded me of 'the old days' -- A light on the top of the antenna that lights when you key up -- Isn't this just a neon light using radiated power?
I found one on a site:
Lite Talker Red - Palco Electronics
 

LtDoc

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"I am looking at a cb that has a "modulation kit" installed -- If this were used with a power mic, would that over-power the rig?"
Most of those "modulation kits" are pure B.S. and will cause over modulation even if done correctly. Using that 'kit' with a power mic is just more of the same.
Having more than 100% modulation is a waste of effort because it causes distortion. Using a power mic can do the same thing if it's run at too high of a setting. Add the two together and what do you think you get?
Will doing either raise the output power of a 'stock' radio? Probably, but that increase in power isn't going to be noticeable. What you will notice is a difference in how the user 'sounds', and that's usually not 'better' by any stretch of the imagination. For an increase in power to be effective it means you have to at least double the output power. Unless you want to do a lot of modifying, a stock radio just isn't capable of producing that doubled power, the manufacturer isn't 'giving' you something for nothing. Those just looking for 'bigger numbers' don't understand those 'numbers' to start with so think they've really done something useful/beneficial and it doesn't mean a thing.
You can 'push' almost anything to some extent, but you have to know when to quit before you mess things up. Most of the modified radios you will hear are totally messed up...
- 'Doc
 

jassing

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Thanks Doc -- that's what I thought - I passed on buying it -- it was a nice older base station -- but they had installed a modulation kit and ran a power mic -- what I heard was aweful; and I skipped buying it because when I used a stock mic, it still sounded like ****; so I suspect they blew something out inside of the cb.

Why people want to f**k with things to gain small improvement is beyond me (ie: "tweaknig to get 5 watts") I have had the same cb for almost 20 years, bone stock; and still works and sounds fine.

cheers
-josh
 

sdeeter19555

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Thanks Doc -- that's what I thought - I passed on buying it -- it was a nice older base station -- but they had installed a modulation kit and ran a power mic -- what I heard was aweful; and I skipped buying it because when I used a stock mic, it still sounded like ****; so I suspect they blew something out inside of the cb.

Why people want to f**k with things to gain small improvement is beyond me (ie: "tweaknig to get 5 watts") I have had the same cb for almost 20 years, bone stock; and still works and sounds fine.

cheers
-josh



If you can buy it cheap enough, a good tech can put it back to original...I've bought a lot of hacked radios and had a local guy put them back to original. Most often, there isn't too much inside one that can't be fixed.
 

jassing

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Well; a "cheap second radio" becomes "not so cheap" once I start tossing in tech charges. I hit up a bunch of shops to see if they could check alignment on my TRC485 -- Everyone said "no, we don't work on that" except one shop -- but their website devotes several pages to "defending" others attacks -- and in the process attacking other techs.. Result is I distrust anyone who has to trash another -- the point here is that I already have one radio I can't get someone to tune; to get another that might have blown or burned up parts + needing an alignment; well; the radio stops being "cheap".
 

sdeeter19555

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Well; a "cheap second radio" becomes "not so cheap" once I start tossing in tech charges. I hit up a bunch of shops to see if they could check alignment on my TRC485 -- Everyone said "no, we don't work on that" except one shop -- but their website devotes several pages to "defending" others attacks -- and in the process attacking other techs.. Result is I distrust anyone who has to trash another -- the point here is that I already have one radio I can't get someone to tune; to get another that might have blown or burned up parts + needing an alignment; well; the radio stops being "cheap".


I can give you the name of a reputable guy (a tech, not a hack), but you would need to ship your radio. I've only found one thing he wouldn't touch, and it was an all-in-one handset (Midland version of a Cobra 75).
 

jassing

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I can give you the name of a reputable guy (a tech, not a hack), but you would need to ship your radio. I've only found one thing he wouldn't touch, and it was an all-in-one handset (Midland version of a Cobra 75).

Please do!

-josh
 
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