slowmover
Active Member
It’s an AM radio and a newer AM/FM.
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New President Randy FCC handheld/mobile CB
- Thread starter BigDaddy419
- Start date
slowmover
Active Member
arudlang
Member
No, you must have misread something. There is no SSB version of the randy and no handheld SSB CB radios that any of us know of, period.
Possibly someone misread and/or "mis-wrote" but probably not the one you replied to. See the second post in this thread: Randy II AM/FM FCC.
Again, the person that wrote that above post may have been confused or in error in some way (possibly a completely different radio model?) but they still did at least claim they had SSB in that radio so the readers including the one you are replying to are not in error in stating so ("someone did say").
-Mike
surfacemount
Member
bearcatrp
Member
Here is one I used to own. Discontinued now. It was a great handheld with SSB.
DeeEx
Member
And that looks nearly identical to a Cherokee AH27/27F.
I had the Cherokee AH50 and it was a great 6m HT.
Experimentation and hamfest parts bin scavenging led me to discover that it shared the same battery design as many Standard (HX series) radios as well as Cobra, RS, and other Cherokee HTs of the era. Thus quality batteries and chargers abound.
BUT, that *isn't* a Randy.
slowmover
Active Member
Looks very appealing overlooking the $330 price, but not so much that’s it’s without a rechargeable lithium battery as standard.
The Randy plus a battery bank (term?) carried is an all-day affair as I see it. FM is nice, but not a deal-breaker if it’s missing, either, as AM is what folks have.
Investigating, what is the best long-range antenna? for walk-about is the key to portable CB “success”, IMO.
bearcatrp
Member
Would rather have SSB than FM. I emailed them on adding SSB but said no future plans at this time.
From what I've read, FM is pretty much dead. SSB is way more useful. I really would love a Randy but no SSB makes me reluctant. If I ever decide to get into CB,the McKinley is the way to go. Gorgeous radio
surfacemount
Member
I think most all of them in that form factor came out of the same factory. I had a couple of the other HX series, it was ok. So I never jumped into the CB realm with them.
I didn't say that it was. I *did* say that I had read there was a combo FM/SSB version, replying to:
That's because FM CB is a brand new thing in the US. If you're going to invest the coin, why not future-proof it?
That topic is literally long as it is wide; and totally dependent on what your immediate goal is. Working skip on a bicycle is going to have different mission parameters than having a portable to walk around a truck lot running errands on-call, for instance.
Perhaps if enough of us show an interest?
FM CB? How can it be 'dead'. It's never existed here before.
The best unit would be one that would be pretty robust, but allow a skilled technician to modify the channel plans and change out other parameters; you could honestly get a lot of the stuff you'd want in a manpack configuration squeezed into a handheld footprint; something that's been pretty difficult to do until the last ten years.
*Especially* if you could wideband it similar to many military and public safety radios; there's a large untapped consumer market there. Search and rescue, hikers, jeep / overlanders, preppers...
But, this is a Randy thread. Sorry to clutter it up. Ok, so no FM/SSB handheld Randy. I'm out then. lol
bearcatrp
Member
FM CB existed back in the 80’s if you had the bucks and knew where to get a for export only radio. Had a couple. All FM did was make transmissions clearer and harder for those who did not have fm. Had more fun on higher channels like 27.555 to get away from the crowds. SSB was always fun shooting skip to get the longest hit. My current Randy, being am only sits in my truck for a backup comms for areas with no cell service. Not to many areas like that but there are a few.
I still have the upper part of my Cherokee cb. Wish I could find the AA pack for the bottom.
I still have the upper part of my Cherokee cb. Wish I could find the AA pack for the bottom.
"Dead" as in no one is really using it. SSB sees a lot more action than FM does.
DeeEx
Member
Check eBay, yard sales, hamfests, etc.
It will work with the Cobra and RS versions of that similar HT.
If they could make the Randy the handheld version of the EU market McKinley, it would be a no brainer.
slowmover
Active Member
Why is it I have the impression you don’t now have a CB base station with serious antenna (define that how you will), nor is every car in your family CB-equipped (AM/SSB with permanent-mount antennas), and regularly — daily — in use.
Your other posts on other topics show a wide interest. And I’ve no reason to disagree with the sentiment expressed by the quoted post. I agree, in main. So you can read my opening as one which finds that most people lose interest quickly once complication appears. CB Radio is tradition-bound and I don’t see that changing. Not for the majority of users past & present.
CB is great. I truly enjoy it. But it can’t cover all bases even though it should be the first base covered in radio. (IMO).
Eleven-Meter has roots, it’s true. From AM-only then stretched farther in capability sounds great. FM a nice addition, but it’s nothing in comparison to AM.
The Randy is a great little portable AM Radio.
SSB is not going to matter for the Randy to be a success. The Randy is always going to be an accessory radio: Accessory to a Mobile or Base.
Radios need power. That is the Achilles Heel.
The size & charge-life is a nice step forward. Addition of FM, same.
Sideband from PRESIDENT in a portable is possible — and maybe your wish list — but it won’t be the Randy.
An even bigger battery, for starters, I’d hope.
.
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surfacemount
Member
I've been around since 23 channels. I swear I don't remember a Class D with FM capabilities, and I was pretty heavily invested at the time.
I agree with your sentiment then, if you can concede that even people in the communications industry doesn't know FM Children's Band exists now. lol
.... perhaps because you could also easily say that you know few, if any people with working CB radios in every vehicle they own. With regards to my current home use of Citizen's Band, you'd also be correct. Ish.
I attribute it to being a wide kinda person lol
It doesn't have to be. Your use case is not the only way these can be utilized; CB and LMR have largely died in popularity as time goes on; however, it is seeing a resurgence among user groups seeking less reliance on fixed infrastructure.
Properly apportioned, the 'Randy' could develop a cult-like following, finding its way into the hands of partisan fighters, deep-woods and overlanders, and others that can appreciate what semi-HF frequencies can offer, but without the headaches the amateur bands contain.
.... Or, it could simply be the bridge in between the house radio and the car radio, fading into obscurity like so many other handheld CB radios over time. The magic of FM is that it opens the door to digital modes. I am excited to see what non-hams do with FM, who otherwise wouldn't experiment with HF ham digital. Who knows what this may bring? But, without Single Side Band, it simply isn't a device to be taken seriously.
Having talked around the world on a few watts, and pushing the limits of what manpack/portable/handheld units can do for a long time now, I'm going to disagree. CB is always going to be a few watts. You can get further with SSB than you can FM or AM. And, with the advent of rare-earth battery formulations, it's not power to the plate, either.
The Achilles heel of portable radios is, and always has been the antenna. More specifically the (lack of) a counterpoise; which only worsens as the frequency gets lower and lower. When radios lost the metal touch-panels on the sides, they lost the ability to honestly capacitatively couple to the user, which was still like bringing a pistol to a cannon contest.
Anyways, I've derailed this Randy thread enough. I sent them an email, also; they may not listen, but I made the effort.
bearcatrp
Member
Surfacemount, these were 10 meter radios with adjustments for 27 meters. You needed to know someone who knew what they were doing. Been around since 23 channels myself.
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