NRC Radios?

[kc2asb]

This term frequently appears in many threads on this forum. As I understand it, NRC in the modern CB radios discussed here is noise reduction circuitry which is done through DSP at the audio frequency level.

Just speaking in general terms, receivers and transceivers existed for decades before DSP came along and many of them were quite capable of digging out signals in noisy conditions. A receiver's ability to dig out tough, faint signals is determined by a number of factors, including its sensitivity and selectivity.

I have read claims that non-NRC radios "have no ears" compared to even the cheapest NRC rigs. Granted, I do not own any NRC CB rigs, but I do have an Icom R-75 HF receiver equipped with DSP. I have done A/B comparisons on the same antenna with some of my older HF receivers, such as a JRC NRD-525 which does not have DSP. I never found any signals that the R-75 could hear which the older NRD-525 could not. It was not a night/day difference.

So, given equal specs for RX sensitivity/selectivity and using the same antenna, would an NRC radio really run circles around an old school CB rig? Just curious.

 

[WSAC829]

In my experience, generally yes. It’s kind of sad that a $200 10/11 meter (CB) radio w/NRC can hear stations a $1000 Yaesu FT-710 and Icom IC-7300 can't. Their receivers are hotter, but softer sounding with NRC enabled allowing me to hear distant local stations the expensive HF rigs couldn’t even pull out. (Same antenna, same coax, switching back and forth with an antenna switcher.)

Now here’s the weird part, my 40 year old Icom IC-735 can hear those same stations that the FT-710 and IC-7300 couldn't and it doesn’t have DSP/NRC. I have since sold the FT-710 as it didn’t live up to the claims made by the Sherwood report for my needs. I’m also selling my IC-7300 as its receiver is noisy as hell and it’s NR is horrible when compared to my Xiegu X6100 and AnyTone 5555n2.

So i guess its subjective depending on which radio is used. Some older radios seem to have better receivers compared to some of the newer SDR rigs, but even then a DSP external speaker is a must as it really cleans up those weak signals. Now if we are talking just CB radios, then yes, the newer NRC enabled rigs run circles around the old analog stuff on receive all day long. You’ll hear stations on a NRC enabled CB radio that the old analog cobras, galaxys, rangers, etc would never know existed.

 

[slowmover]

In my experience, generally yes. It’s kind of sad that a $200 10/11 meter (CB) radio w/NRC can hear stations a $1000 Yaesu FT-710 and Icom IC-7300 can't. Their receivers are hotter, but softer sounding with NRC enabled allowing me to hear distant local stations the expensive HF rigs couldn’t even pull out. (Same antenna, same coax, switching back and forth with an antenna switcher.)

Now here’s the weird part, my 40 year old Icom IC-735 can hear those same stations that the FT-710 and IC-7300 couldn't and it doesn’t have DSP/NRC. I have since sold the FT-710 as it didn’t live up to the claims made by the Sherwood report for my needs. I’m also selling my IC-7300 as its receiver is noisy as hell and it’s NR is horrible when compared to my Xiegu X6100 and AnyTone 5555n2.

So i guess its subjective depending on which radio is used. Some older radios seem to have better receivers compared to some of the newer SDR rigs, but even then a DSP external speaker is a must as it really cleans up those weak signals. Now if we are talking just CB radios, then yes, the newer NRC enabled rigs run circles around the old analog stuff on receive all day long. You’ll hear stations on a NRC enabled CB radio that the old analog cobras, galaxys, rangers, etc would never know existed.

Well-said.

Accuracy is that I am — as are some other folks — still alive & uninjured solely from my experience in use of DSP. NRC-integrated versus outboard levers it up again.
The whole reason for the thread linked below is to encourage readers here to enable themselves as well as family & friends to make the jump straight to high performance.

Best Mobile 2025

A general: what should I recommend to friends who want high performance in Citizen Band? Let’s ballpark it at $500 entry. Will last longer than the time they own the automobile. Seatbelts, Concealed Carry, and CITIZEN BAND. This thread aimed at YOU, not the guy who knows even less. However...

forums.radioreference.com

There’s a saying that it’s easier to fool a man than to convince him he’s been fooled. This is at heart of resistance to new gear past Hollywood and others don’t want men communicating without an intercessor. “I knows what a CB is!”

No, . . you don’t.

.

 

[EAFrizzle]

NRC/companders are game changers for CB on receive and transmit. The S/N ratio is improved on receive and the transmit audio approaches FM quality on SSB. Signals cut through on the other side, even at wattage that would be considered "low" on CB.

Probably an unneeded function for local AM/FM work, but for SSB and DX work, it's amazing the difference it makes.

 

[K9KLC]

Now here’s the weird part, my 40 year old Icom IC-735 can hear those same stations that the FT-710 and IC-7300 couldn't and it doesn’t have DSP/NRC

Ought to sit in front of my Yaesu FT102... if I didn't like to band hop so much that's likely the only radio I'd run on HF.

 

[slowmover]

NRC/companders are game changers for CB on receive and transmit. The S/N ratio is improved on receive and the transmit audio approaches FM quality on SSB. Signals cut through on the other side, even at wattage that would be considered "low" on CB.

Probably an unneeded function for local AM/FM work, but for SSB and DX work, it's amazing the difference it makes.

All well-said until we hit, “. . unneeded for local”.

1-mile under good conditions with a non-DSP radio can be intelligible, but not heard with the clarity & depth possible.

Old radios may soldier along, but there’s not much point given what’s possible at such a low price.

Even at a shipper/receiver where directing traffic and the range is under one mile, the nuances of the spoken word matter. Put it with non-native English speaker problems and the difference is crystal clear.

In a room where someone is speaking, but none, really, can see him . . a different effect is made once he stands and can be seen.

This is the NRC difference. We hear easily how things are spoken. Correct Audio Speaker a non-negotiable addition to achieve this end.

Tension is alleviated. One cannot emphasize enough the importance of this in situations where stress is already present.

This may not be obvious to the home hobbyist or casual road traveler.

We can’t assume good faith and we haven’t the visual clues indicating possible true/false.

Relying on one’s ears increases the brains capabilities in this. NRC is almost a godsend for the average man in other-than-average situations.

 

[K9KLC]

This term frequently appears in many threads on this forum.

To the point there almost can't be a CB thread without it. People can ask questions that have nothing to do with it, yet it always seems to crop up.

I have read claims that non-NRC radios "have no ears"

Wrong, but then again we're talking CB here or at the very best case 10 meters. I have a LOT of radios that receive fine.

In my experience, generally yes. It’s kind of sad that a $200 10/11 meter (CB) radio w/NRC can hear stations a $1000 Yaesu FT-710 and Icom IC-7300 can't.

I can't comment on this, to me the 7300 was junk when it was built. My experience with the FT710 was on Field day, during crowded conditions in a building with multiple transmitters going. The 710 performed well given the conditions we were operating it under. The 7300 we had tried the year before lasted 15-20 minutes and was taken out of line in favor of a FT-991A which actually held its own. Again however, not CB. I would have liked to have been there to look at the width of the signals you were trying to receive during this test. I'm not trying to debate, however I would have just like to have been there, you know what you heard. .

Accuracy is that I am — as are some other folks — still alive & uninjured solely from my experience in use of DSP. NRC-integrated versus outboard levers it up again.

Lots of us have saved lives, with out radios that had NRC, DSP, AGC or any other other cool 3 letter names. Mine dates back to a Drake TR-4 radio and a wire only 15 feet off the ground that worked for that time for that location to the vessel in trouble.

So, given equal specs for RX sensitivity/selectivity and using the same antenna, would an NRC radio really run circles around an old school CB rig? Just curious.

You and a you alone not me, not anyone else in this forum, nor the man in the moon can answer that. You alone knows what you need to hear, and if you feel it's good enough it's good enough. I don't do much CB any more these days but I do a TON of 10 and 12 meters. I had occasion to put a couple radios (borrowed) up against my FT-450D yaesu, my FT-1000 yaesu, my FT-991A yaesu and my pride and joy my FT-102. Only the FT-450 didn't sound as good on receive during crowded band conditions. The other three made the CB type radio sound poorly by comparison. While it will cost a few bucks, get one of the new radios with NRC and try it. Put it against whatever you think receives "good enough" and see if the other radio hears better. That's the only way you can tell.

As I said to @kc2asb Only he knows if it will work for him and what he hears during any testing. Just as I and I and I alone know what I heard during my testing.

The term NRC has been used and thrown out Ad nauseam here at Radio Reference. People need to make their own decisions about what works for them.

 

[slowmover]

To the point there almost can't be a CB thread without it. People can ask questions that have nothing to do with it, yet it always seems to crop up.

Wrong, but then again we're talking CB here or at the very best case 10 meters. I have a LOT of radios that receive fine.

I can't comment on this, to me the 7300 was junk when it was built. My experience with the FT710 was on Field day, during crowded conditions in a building with multiple transmitters going. The 710 performed well given the conditions we were operating it under. The 7300 we had tried the year before lasted 15-20 minutes and was taken out of line in favor of a FT-991A which actually held its own. Again however, not CB. I would have liked to have been there to look at the width of the signals you were trying to receive during this test. I'm not trying to debate, however I would have just like to have been there, you know what you heard. .

Lots of us have saved lives, with out radios that had NRC, DSP, AGC or any other other cool 3 letter names. Mine dates back to a Drake TR-4 radio and a wire only 15 feet off the ground that worked for that time for that location to the vessel in trouble.


You and a you alone not me, not anyone else in this forum, nor the man in the moon can answer that. You alone knows what you need to hear, and if you feel it's good enough it's good enough. I don't do much CB any more these days but I do a TON of 10 and 12 meters. I had occasion to put a couple radios (borrowed) up against my FT-450D yaesu, my FT-1000 yaesu, my FT-991A yaesu and my pride and joy my FT-102. Only the FT-450 didn't sound as good on receive during crowded band conditions. The other three made the CB type radio sound poorly by comparison. While it will cost a few bucks, get one of the new radios with NRC and try it. Put it against whatever you think receives "good enough" and see if the other radio hears better. That's the only way you can tell.

As I said to @kc2asb Only he knows if it will work for him and what he hears during any testing. Just as I and I and I alone know what I heard during my testing.

The term NRC has been used and thrown out Ad nauseam here at Radio Reference. People need to make their own decisions about what works for them.

Non-NRC can’t make the grade despite protestations to the contrary.

“Real World”, is mobile-to-mobile.
Where the vast majority of users are present.

Take any new Cobra 29 or Uniden 880 to use as comparison. Amateur gear is an irrelevancy, as are fixed location Basement Barney opinions.

Stepping up to an NRC AM/SSB mobile unit is to cover that base as well as have adequate wattage to perform the job “promised” by Citizen Band as concept.

One wants to run a Yaesu ft891 mobile he should explain his 11M only application (after Mars Mod?) and what benefit he receives by the high added expense versus QT80 (and similar).

He’ll also want to add continental United States as his operating area 24/7/365 in every condition of climate & weather over about a decade or million-plus miles of use 12-14/hours daily. From NYC metro to central Nevada. And having a direct effect on his annual income to use 21st Cen sub-standard equipment, past disregard of safe vehicle operation.

If a C29 or U880 could do it, we wouldn’t be here. It’s cheap & easy to make the test. Fuel, lodging and daily miscellaneous is where it’ll add up.

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[K9KLC]

Non-NRC can’t make the grade despite protestations to the contrary.

“Real World”, is mobile-to-mobile.
Where the vast majority of users are present.

Take any new Cobra 29 or Uniden 880 to use as comparison. Amateur gear is an irrelevancy, as are fixed location Basement Barney opinions.

Stepping up to an NRC AM/SSB mobile unit is to cover that base as well as have adequate wattage to perform the job “promised” by Citizen Band as concept.

One wants to run a Yaesu ft891 mobile he should explain his 11M only application (after Mars Mod?) and what benefit he receives by the high added expense versus QT80 (and similar).

He’ll also want to add continental United States as his operating area 24/7/365 in every condition of climate & weather over about a decade or million-plus miles of use 12-14/hours daily. From NYC metro to central Nevada. And having a direct effect on his annual income to use 21st Cen sub-standard equipment, past disregard of safe vehicle operation.

If a C29 or U880 could do it, we wouldn’t be here. It’s cheap & easy to make the test. Fuel, lodging and daily miscellaneous is where it’ll add up.

.

I didn't post to argue. Long ago prior to all this "new stuff", we got around just fine, getting the information we needed, some using the very radios you mention. You are welcome to your opinion and obviously welcome to run what works for you. I know what worked for me since 1971 Long before all this NRC stuff came about. We got the job done then, getting help, saving lives and whatever with Tube type CB's. To imply anyone not running one of these new radios is somehow subpar or "lesser", is a little bit arrogant to me and quite possibly incorrect. Not everyone has the same communication requirements on 11 meters you seem to have, and that's ok. I respect your opinion.

As I said above, didn't post to argue, only my opinion which just like you, I'm entitled to. Carry on promoting on every post you wish. It's ok, some of us like the new stuff, and some of us don't. I spent my time on 11 meters and once in a great while still do but I think I'll just stay with what I have either mobile or base. Thanks and 73, mobile safe.

 

[kc2asb]

Thanks for all of the interesting and informative replies. As @K9KLC said, the only way to know for my own purposes is to acquire an NRC radio and compare. Too many variables between antennas, locations, propagation, etc to accurately compare with the results others are seeing.

My main CB/10m radios for years were Cobra 142GTL, a Realistic TRC-30A, President HR-2510, and a Uniden PC-122. I found all four to have excellent receive, limited only by the antenna I was using and RFI in my location. Later, I acquired a Uniden Grant with the backlit panel. Also a great performer. I may have to acquire an NRC radio and do some A/B comparisons.

@slowmover , certainly a mobile environment will be more demanding than a typical fixed/base station.

@WSAC829 - your comparison of a 10/11m radio to the FT-410 and IC-7300 certainly yielded interesting results.

 

[EAFrizzle]

What NRC does on receive is improve the S/N ratio and smooth out transients. It doesn't do a thing for the radio's "ears", it's all for  your ears. You'll only get what ever signals the radio can receive, but intelligibility is greatly improved in marginal conditions.

On transmit, NRC is a digital compander. It boosts the weak transients and compresses the amplitude peaks, giving more equalized and cleaner audio to the listener.

The big difference between CB NRC and what is on some ham rigs is that it's digital AND the effect is applied much heavier than on a ham rig.


And when I said "local" earlier, I was thinking along the lines of the AM/FM only CBs. I just don't see a lot of people using those being very concerned about performance on the fringes. SSB users tend to want every single inch of distance they can get. I can see it being useful in heavy industrial areas; parts of the Houston Ship Channel area would benefit with it.

 

[kc2asb]

What NRC does on receive is improve the S/N ratio and smooth out transients. It doesn't do a thing for the radio's "ears", it's all for  your ears. You'll only get what ever signals the radio can receive, but intelligibility is greatly improved in marginal conditions.

On transmit, NRC is a digital compander. It boosts the weak transients and compresses the amplitude peaks, giving more equalized and cleaner audio to the listener.

This is an excellent, concise explanation. Thanks!

A trick I learned from reading Popular Communications back in the day was "exalted carrier SSB" reception (ECSS). As you likely know already, it's tuning in an AM signal using SSB to improve intelligibility. It helped me pull out a number of weak DX stations on HF. ECSS also works to improve readability of a signal plagued by adjacent channel interference.

 

[slowmover]

A CB may have an excellent receiver. On paper. But if it can’t filter the result, it can’t hear.

It literally doesn’t have the ears.

This is made worse & worse by vehicle and local environmental noise.

Tech description or lab test is only a stand-in.
Inadequate both as description or to mirror reality.

.

 

[slowmover]

I didn't post to argue. Long ago prior to all this "new stuff", we got around just fine, getting the information we needed, some using the very radios you mention. You are welcome to your opinion and obviously welcome to run what works for you. I know what worked for me since 1971 Long before all this NRC stuff came about. We got the job done then, getting help, saving lives and whatever with Tube type CB's. To imply anyone not running one of these new radios is somehow subpar or "lesser", is a little bit arrogant to me and quite possibly incorrect. Not everyone has the same communication requirements on 11 meters you seem to have, and that's ok. I respect your opinion.

As I said above, didn't post to argue, only my opinion which just like you, I'm entitled to. Carry on promoting on every post you wish. It's ok, some of us like the new stuff, and some of us don't. I spent my time on 11 meters and once in a great while still do but I think I'll just stay with what I have either mobile or base. Thanks and 73, mobile safe.

Don’t claim what you can’t do.

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[K9KLC]

Don’t claim what you can’t do.

.

Bud, I didn't claim I could or could not do anything. I stated what I have done. I have been courteous and stated you have a right to your opinion. Now, what you don't have is the right to cram your opinion down mine anyone else's throat. I'm done with this thread.

 

[slowmover]

Thanks for all of the interesting and informative replies. As @K9KLC said, the only way to know for my own purposes is to acquire an NRC radio and compare. Too many variables between antennas, locations, propagation, etc to accurately compare with the results others are seeing.

My main CB/10m radios for years were Cobra 142GTL, a Realistic TRC-30A, President HR-2510, and a Uniden PC-122. I found all four to have excellent receive, limited only by the antenna I was using and RFI in my location. Later, I acquired a Uniden Grant with the backlit panel. Also a great performer. I may have to acquire an NRC radio and do some A/B comparisons.

@slowmover , certainly a mobile environment will be more demanding than a typical fixed/base station.

@WSAC829 - your comparison of a 10/11m radio to the FT-410 and IC-7300 certainly yielded interesting results.

Get one worth having (QC).

I’m a fan of PRESIDENT thus I’d recommend AM Harrison or AM/SSB George (given you already have a KL-203).

The lower price look-alikes aren’t the same circuity. Will they last as long becomes the expensive question.

DRX-901 speaker.

As @jcrmadden has his in prototype.
Left ear dominance.



The second factor is an install worthy of the radio. Antenna by design & location that can’t really be improved as in 2025 thread.

www.kobg.com

One can go to this trouble with an obsolete transceiver and performance is great. But it’s NRC that puts it over, not just DSP in the audio chain.

FWIW, I’ve outrun base stations with verticals of 30’ feedpoint. Can still hear and be heard when he can’t. Old radio ain’t got what it takes despite greater wattage, etc.

.

 

[slowmover]

Bud, I didn't claim I could or could not do anything. I stated what I have done. I have been courteous and stated you have a right to your opinion. Now, what you don't have is the right to cram your opinion down mine anyone else's throat. I'm done with this thread.

Get the gear. Do the comparison. Equip family cars and home station with same. This ain’t about “opinions”.

.

 

[WSAC829]

I would have liked to have been there to look at the width of the signals you were trying to receive during this test. I'm not trying to debate, however I would have just like to have been there, you know what you heard.

Long story short, i ran a Texas Ranger 696F for 20-ish years. Didn’t think i was missing out on much. Loud AM rig and was tolerable on SSB. I’d talked lots of worldwide DX on that radio over the years. Then last year i bought a Radioddity QT40 (AnyTone Ares II). That’s when i found i had tons of long distance locals on SSB (all roughly 40 - 65 miles away) that i could now hear. I never knew they existed before that because i couldn’t hear them at all. I now use them as my radio test subjects as they are all on fixed base stations. If i can hear and talk to them i then consider the rig “good". If i can’t hear them i sell the rig because it doesn’t do what i need it to do and i consider it “deaf". Any rig can do DX and general local rag chewing, and most people wont notice the weak distant stations if they can’t hear them and think their radio receives “fine”. To me “fine” isn’t good enough. No debating from me either. Those are just my personal findings with various rigs and my base set up.

 

[K9KLC]

Thanks for the explanation. Your explanation shows it's a "use case" situation. You wish to talk 40-65 miles on SSB CB from your base. That's a fair test, not what some paper shows, but what you found out in your use case. I accept that as valid for you. I never ran a 696F, nor did I ever bench test one that I recall. BUT, if you heard it with your own ears (which is honestly the only thing that matters) then obviously you know what you heard and did with the two different radios.

Again thanks for the explanation.

 

[kc2asb]

Long story short, i ran a Texas Ranger 696F for 20-ish years. Didn’t think i was missing out on much. Loud AM rig and was tolerable on SSB. I’d talked lots of worldwide DX on that radio over the years. Then last year i bought a Radioddity QT40 (AnyTone Ares II). That’s when i found i had tons of long distance locals on SSB (all roughly 40 - 65 miles away) that i could now hear. I never knew they existed before that because i couldn’t hear them at all.

That is quite a difference, about as close to a night/day difference as you can get. Thanks for the explanation.