• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

my handheld CB addiction.

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
863
Location
Massachusetts
You need help.

:)
it is an addiction .. I call it a hobby.. but it's really an addiction... and killing and recharging these batteries every couple months is a royal pain..... but i'm not spending hundreds of dollars and let them go bad..... so I have a ton of candles I put them in and they come on for 8 hours a night.... and it's amazing they last for about 3 months!!!!
 

Attachments

  • my Battery Collection 8.jpg
    my Battery Collection 8.jpg
    151.9 KB · Views: 9

FPR1981

Active Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2021
Messages
621
One of the things that I wish that we had back in my younger days of handheld CBing was high-capacity rechargeables. I remember spending a damn fortune on those purple nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries from Radio Shack and having to trickle charge them inside the unit. I seem to recall those suckers were like $5 per 4-pack back in 1992 dollars. With tax and all, it was about $50 to outfit your handheld with rechargeables, and they weren't all that impressive from the longevity standpoint.

I've bought a ton of those Amazon 2.8-amp AA's and my old Realistics will run forever on them before I need to charge them.
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
863
Location
Massachusetts
I’m glad of a resident expert per models, performance and regular use.
EXPERT???? I get all my info from you guys!!! And I only remember half of it.... And when I repeat it to someone else I get it all wrong... But I am going to make 100 walkie talkie range test videos on all my handheld someday and hopefully that will helpful to someone some day
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
863
Location
Massachusetts
View attachment 182401

Gonna see if the resident handheld expert has come across this one.

Lab599
TX500-MP


.
that's quite a handheld!
I was going to say I only do the CB band as I don't have my ham license yet... but it does .05 to 56 MHZ????? pretty amazing stuff.... I'll stick to the traditional handhelds.

I have bid on the Cherokee 100 a few times ...but I'm not spending $300 to $600 on it just to get sideband... I really don't care about Sideband on a handheld..... and the specs say it only does 2 watts on side band anyway... so for me that's my only unattainable handheld that I'd be interested in....

someday some company will make a side band handheld again and they will sell like hotcakes
 

niceguy71

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2023
Messages
863
Location
Massachusetts
I don't really want to start a new thread but need some advice.

my girlfriend wants to get in on the CB hobby because I like it so much..... with her out of the car I can fit a small CB in her car.... but with her in it, I just can't seem to find a location or small enough CB for her and the car... the CS-47 I can put under the seat and have the mic on the dash... but she said she still can't reach it????

looking at the interior of her car... anyone have any idea how to "wedge" a cb in there she could use?
 

Attachments

  • girlfriend.jpg
    girlfriend.jpg
    30.1 KB · Views: 5

slowmover

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
3,382
Location
Fort Worth

WSAC829

Jack of all trades. Master of none.
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 13, 2024
Messages
282
Location
EN64ak
Judging by the $1,200.00 price tag of their QRP radio, and the fact the 500MP will also do the same 10 watts, i’m guessing it’ll be very pricey. I’ll stick with the Xiegu X6100 for around $600 (new), as it can also be used in “handheld” mode without the need for external mic as it has one built in, along with built in PTT switch. Attached is a picture of mine with telescoping antenna.

x6100-handheld-mode.jpg
 
Last edited:

slowmover

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
3,382
Location
Fort Worth
IMG_4052.jpeg

My Dad had a pair of these “handheld” in the 1960s. Playing with them as a kid brought the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department around. Or was it DPD? Can’t remember now.

Damned heavy for a nine year old to boost himself onto a roof to help run the latest “war” between the neighborhood action heroes.
.
 

WSAC829

Jack of all trades. Master of none.
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 13, 2024
Messages
282
Location
EN64ak
To me, it’s amazing so small a package can do so much.
Agreed. Technology certainly has come a long way. Except for cell phones. Remember in the early 2000’s the smaller the phone the more popular it was? Like the Motorola Razr. Now the phones are huge again. Damn near 10” tablets in peoples pockets.
 
Last edited:

merlin

Active Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
3,446
Location
DN32su
I seem to have this thing for old school radios. Heathkit I have some of and parts. That HMM-15 SWR meter sits on top of my station and the HD-1410 keyer I still use. Maybe another place with more real estate, I get another TX1 Apachee and RX1 Mohawk.
I still have the SSB converter for the Apachee.
My other thing is old military stuff, like Watkins Johnson receiveing equipment, the old Navships Collins transmitters, junk, but working junk.
I have a 240 foot T3FD antenna in a box, no whwere to erect it. A refugee from Kodiac naval station.
 

merlin

Active Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
3,446
Location
DN32su
it is an addiction .. I call it a hobby.. but it's really an addiction... and killing and recharging these batteries every couple months is a royal pain..... but i'm not spending hundreds of dollars and let them go bad..... so I have a ton of candles I put them in and they come on for 8 hours a night.... and it's amazing they last for about 3 months!!!!
They call that a hoarder.
 
Top