• 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.

President mobile CB radios - Professional, polished and serious radios for the 11-meter band

ClemsonSCJ

Member
Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
227
I have a McKinley on a RM Italy 203P amp and a Laird CB27 antenna mounted center of the roof and I have gotten tons of compliments about my audio.

I’m putting a Pres. Bill in my dad’s truck today with a Mississippi antenna mounted to the center of the roof. Looking forward to seeing how it sounds.
 

sloop

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
339
Location
Lewisville, NC
I have a President Johnny III in my truck for travel (more activity on CB than 2 meters). Just got a President Randy FCC for use in my wife's car (she wont let me mount anything). These radios are built just as solid as my Kenwood and Icom. Looking forward to getting a President McKinney for the radio shack.
 

press1280

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
107
Got a Jackson here, haven’t had a chance to use it much. Channel 33 LSB in the “D” band is constant Morse code
 

sloop

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
339
Location
Lewisville, NC
The President Jackson is a 10 meter amateur radio that is sometimes converted to CB (illegal to use on CB). According to Presidents frequency chart "D" band are the CB frequencies from 26.965 to 27.405. Who ever put the "golden screw driver" to the radio to 'expand' its frequencies apparently did not do a good job as you have bleed over from the ham band. 10 meter beacons are usually found from 28.1 Mhz to 28.3 Mhz.
 

cralt

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
88
Ham radio beacon most likely, in the 10m band.
There are 11m beacons. I sometimes hear them on ch40. I think they are popular in South America.

press1280,
Do you live near an airport? Maybe a long wave beacon bleeding in?
If you have a smartphone there are apps that can decode Morse just by holding it near the speaker.
 

radsmachine

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
59
Location
Mississippi
Will I get completely eaten alive here if I dare refer to modern President radios as "ham grade CB radios," or will you be able to see where I'm coming from when I say it and appreciate my point? LOL

I use that description half loosely, but half not. Every single President mobile I've heard on the air has the most pristine audio quality of any type-accepted, politically-correct CB radio on the market. Galaxy's often earn the reputation of being "loud" radios, but I've heard three different President radios on the air, and every one had crystal clear modulation.

My wife, who is NOT a CB aficionado, has taken notice of two local guys who run them. She yelled in from the other room the other day when a guy I was talking to was asking about how his President Bill sounded to tell me it was one of the best sounding stations she has ever heard me talk to. Another guy I know has an Andy or Andy II, and it's the same situation, crystal clear and balanced.

Newer Presidents aren't for your noise-toy-loving, whip-on-the-rusted-out-Delta-88-bumper redneck CB crew. They're laid out like a piece of equipment with just the right extras, intelligent controls, they look professional and they sound good.

Heck, even the way they make a handheld CB is a cut above ANY company that has tried making a handheld CB to date. Rechargeable lithium battery pack on board, charging cradle, belt clip with mic holder conformation, roger beep, display colors you can change, audio quality adjustments, external mic jacks and a real antenna jack.

Try to find a President Randy handheld today. Most of the places I look, they're sold out.

Anyone here own any of the modern President mobiles?
Do you or anyone know how to add talkback to this radio?
 

FLA727

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
51
Location
Tampa Bay, FL
Do you or anyone know how to add talkback to this radio?
While keying your mic down long press the F/MEM button. "Talkback" will then display in the upper right portion of the display.
To adjust the level, key down the mic and turn the channel knob, it ranges from 0-9.
To turn off Talkback just repeat the steps that turned it on.
 

krokus

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
5,964
Location
Southeastern Michigan
I have been debating whether to put my PC-122XL in my current Jeep, or get a McKinley. (I would need to check out the 122, as it has been sitting around for awhile.)
 

slowmover

Temporarily Banned
Timeout for bad behavior
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
1,853
Location
Fort Worth
I have been debating whether to put my PC-122XL in my current Jeep, or get a McKinley. (I would need to check out the 122, as it has been sitting around for awhile.)

FWIW, I “retired” my Uniden PC-76 (converted to dual finals after 1998 purchase) after buying a better radio in 2014. Same tech repaired a board crack and agreed with plan.

Still sounds great. From home. The 122 has a nice reputation. Why not keep things as they are?

You’ll enjoy the McKinley. All things considered I’d doubt the 122 is “better” in any meaningful sense.

Neither old radio belongs in my Peterbilt.

.
 

sjm83651

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2020
Messages
18
I think President builds the best CB's today. I use an unmodified McKinley with an Antron 99 and get great signal reports on SSB. I went back to CB after getting my ham radio license. Too many rules and not enough fun in ham radio. That and every ham that I met wouldn't even speak to me because I'm only a lowly technician class ham. Plus, there is ALOT more traffic on 11 meter than any of the ham bands. I will proudly say I got my start in CB and intend to stay there!
 

KEWB-N1EXA

Acushnet Heights Radio 740
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
Messages
416
Could I start adding stainless steel washers around the antenna base, where it threads, as a means of lengthening and trying to get it down more at the top of the band?
And hey, I really enjoy being the token intellectual CBer of the board here. I swear I'm getting my amateur license this year, LOL.

Honestly, I love that I've pulled so many of you guys back down here into the CB gutter, hahaha. So many of you got your start there and it's nice to see people serious about the radio hobby come back and go down memory lane. I really enjoy breathing life into this forum.

I was a commercial radio talk show host once upon a time. I have the gift of gab and can get a dialog going like nobody's business.
Good Idea to get your Ham radio Ticket.. Ive had mine since 1986 it does not make you a super hero but its broken the ice on Job Interviews
and covers your A$$ in New York State.
I Admit , still use CBs...AKA Former KQX-9282...For some reason I still Get A kick leaving the Galaxy Saturn on Ch38 LSB and listening to
the Skip Running the Pan Adaptor on the SDR for no reason But I can...

Enjoy the hobby.. Glad to see another Radio Guy bring the Job into the hobby...I used to Be An engineer for WMYS-FM/WNBH-AM in
New Bedford MA Providence RI DMA...

Pete N1EXA
 

jhooten

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2004
Messages
1,735
Location
Paige, Republic of Texas
Good Idea to get your Ham radio Ticket.. Ive had mine since 1986 it does not make you a super hero but its broken the ice on Job Interviews
and covers your A$$ in New York State.
I Admit , still use CBs...AKA Former KQX-9282...For some reason I still Get A kick leaving the Galaxy Saturn on Ch38 LSB and listening to
the Skip Running the Pan Adaptor on the SDR for no reason But I can...

Enjoy the hobby.. Glad to see another Radio Guy bring the Job into the hobby...I used to Be An engineer for WMYS-FM/WNBH-AM in
New Bedford MA Providence RI DMA...

Pete N1EXA

I went from a GS-5 correctional officer to a GS-11 Comm Tech because I had a Radio Operator license plate.
 

KEWB-N1EXA

Acushnet Heights Radio 740
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
Messages
416
I went from a GS-5 correctional officer to a GS-11 Comm Tech because I had a Radio Operator license plate.
Silent Key N1SW hired me on the Spot at a TV Station In Providence RI because I had A Ham Ticket.

First thing he said was why arent you an Extra !
Answer because you cant get the Advanced Ticket anymore - Why follow the Pack.
I didn't change the call Because I liked what Uncle Sam gave me !

Hard to stand there with A plastic Wal Mart FRS radio and call it A Badge on Honor !

GET THE DAMB TICKET !

Remember its pretty Hard for a CBer to pretend to be a ham but its real easy for A Ham to pretend to be a CBer !

Seen too many Guys became Ben Hurr When you ask them for there Call Sign !


Pete N1EXA
 
Last edited:

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
There is not a single minute of any day anywhere in this country where this is even remotely true. Even on the best 11m skip day there are many times more amateurs on the air you can easily talk with compared to CB. And during that heavy skip day you can only talk to a few on 11m because they are probably running huge power that you can't match plus the interference is so bad nobody can hear you. Get on an amateur HF band and talk to lots of people clearly without the interference or stupidity or how bout using a tiny hand held on 2m or 70cm through a repeater. Can't do that on CB.



Plus, there is ALOT more traffic on 11 meter than any of the ham bands.
 

slowmover

Temporarily Banned
Timeout for bad behavior
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
1,853
Location
Fort Worth
Three-million truck drivers in US. 750k OTR most weeknights.
Maybe something more than 500k license holders, alternatively.

The thread is about a brand of radio.

I get it that people to talk to “may” be greater for license holders (on any given day in any given area), but what is the use of talking to them?

Take the one-third of drivers (only) and multiply it by their family or simply people in their vicinity. We’re up to 5-6/million instantly. Can your little boy use your Amateur gear?

If society takes off the mask of law — of compliance — many bets are off, but it’s a sure thing CB radios will always outnumber licensed gear in any sense.

This isn’t about right/wrong nor is it either/or. To fit it to the thread subject: PRESIDENT-brand radios are best choice given the brand-new radio choices of today is one I agree with.

The top of the line model does more than just Eleven Meter.

From there it’s Amateur Gear. A good price if bought used.

Rightly understood, either/or has to do with the installation. Mobile or Base: is it of sufficient quality one could swap antenna & radio from CB to the most-capable Amateur gear?

A mag-mount ain’t gonna cut it. (Etc).

Hobbyist —or for one dependent on radio to get the job done —
the specific radio isn’t at issue. It’s whether one could use it. At home or on the road. A CB Radio installation can be far better than the minimum required: I believe it worth the extra time & trouble as CB Radio performance is also increased.

President being “best” won’t overcome the systems it is plugged into. Same for Yaesu, Icom, etc.

Who can be reached and Why I want to reach them is a tree with branches. No one answer will suffice.

.
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
A comment was made that was incorrect and I answered it. BTW it was a CB enthusiast that posted the off topic statement and I, the fuzzy licensed hamster countered it.

The thread is about a brand of radio.

I get it that people to talk to “may” be greater for license holders (on any given day in any given area), but what is the use of talking to them?
 

KEWB-N1EXA

Acushnet Heights Radio 740
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
Messages
416
A comment was made that was incorrect and I answered it. BTW it was a CB enthusiast that posted the off topic statement and I, the fuzzy licensed hamster countered it.
I Hope that Fuzzy Hamster is me Someday - I do need a shave !

Now who stole the knobs off my Connex Big Betty ?

Pete N1EXA
 
Last edited:
Top