• 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.

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

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    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).

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The fun of buying and fixing parts or repair radios cheap.

WSAC829

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So i was browsing the Bay of E’s and came across a ton of radios cheap that were listed as parts or repair. Not much caught my eye except for a Galaxy DX-959. The listing showed it powered up without much else tested. I took a chance on it. I got it this week and tossed it on the bench. The face plate and exterior was in pretty nice shape, inside was untouched. Nothing clipped, removed, or jumped.

The obvious issues i spotted:
SO-239 antenna connector was cross threaded and loose. This caused the “hot” wire to become unsoldered from the board.
Mic connector lock ring was very loose and the board was spinning around in the case.
All the main boards ground screws were quite loose.
3 of the front panel controls were very loose and wobbly.

Once i dug through my spare parts box i found another SO-239 i pulled from another radio. Replaced it and resoldered the bad connection. Tightened up the mic plug board and checked that the connections were still good. Tightened up every screw i could find. Pulled the face plate off and tightened every nut on all the controls. Powered the rig back up and adjusted the RF power for 2 watt dead key on low and 8 watt dead key on high, and adjusted the AM and SSB ALC for 90% modulation (i did NOT clip the limiter). The radio now swings 2w-15w on low and 8w-25w on high on AM (according to my meter). TX audio is spot on now with my Superstar DM-1000 power echo mic attached. I left the clarifier alone as unlocking it usually causes issues on SSB and the radio was surprisingly pretty much dead nuts on RX and TX. Then since i had it apart i did the “ghetto” channel mod by adding 2 switches for uppers and lowers. You gain about 25 channels above 40 and 25 below 1 with this simple mod.

Cut P5 and install a SPST switch inline (lower channels)
Cut P6 and install a SPST switch inline (upper channels)

I did have to modify my mounting bracket because of where i put the switches though (brain fart) and use a smaller thumb screw on that side. Put it all back together and i now have a really nice DX-959 i spent less than $100 on. For now i think i’ll use it in the garage as my Frankstein 5555n2 needs some more love as it keeps falling apart. Then maybe i’ll eventually sell it for a nice profit. Haven’t decided yet.

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slowmover

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I think of mine as a keeper.

The overall “best” of the previous era in terms of popularity & performance. DDS-VFO candidate with W-M DSP audio board. A real Frankenstein if one adds a RFX-series.

Problems noted (external) are common. SO-239 & Mic. Finding parts easier than some others. I’d have several parts chassis if I went as far as above.

Bringing one into 21st Century will give some Stryker HPC fans a heart attack (might be worth the trouble, then).

I haven’t compiled prices, but I’m thinking it could be done for less than the easy-to-spend $600 at Walcott:


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WSAC829

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I’m tossing around the idea of picking up a RM Italy AD-203 and installing it in the 959. Generally they do an honest 50-ish watts, but with one small modification can easily do 100 watts (it's the same board that’s used in the KL-203). I’d put the modification on a toggle so it’d have both the regular lower power for general use and the extra bump on high when needed. These boards can be found online for about $65 on average.

As for the Strykers… I will never spend that kind of money for a CB. Plenty of great used HF rigs with 100 watts and DSP/NRC in that price range that offers more, and have much better build quality and will outlast any of these cheap Chinese radios. Other than the extra 20 watts, the 955hpc+ is no different than the QT60 Pro / AT 5555n2 short. Same board inside, same cheap flimsy knobs, same crappy skippy encoder, etc for twice the price. They are nothing special. You could buy 2 QT60 Pro's for the price of 1 955hpc+ and have the same radio minus 20 watts. The 7 changeable display colors are not worth the extra $160.
 

slowmover

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Men buy Stryker for the distinctive audio.

Galaxy has that in spades.

A 959 with upgrades above has better DSP filtration (tone controls also) and being able to hear better is a significant cheat (what’s in the other guys voice). DRX-901 would make it obvious.

Yeah, 75W or maybe more if it can be extra-clean.

A BPF, too, don’t forget.

They won’t be able to credit their receive audio, ha!

Stryker rep is like drinking the Ford pickup blue Koolaid.

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slowmover

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There are some decent discussions on WWDX re Schottky diodes.

If all that great, why not OEM?

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WSAC829

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OEM’s in the last 20-30 years have cheaped out on a lot of things sadly. It’s even worse now than it was 20 years ago when this 959 was made (2006). I’ve put these kits in some other radios over the years, and they do make quite a bit of difference on those distant/weak stations, and these diodes do cut down on the “white noise” as well. Well worth the couple dollars and 45 minutes of my time.
 

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Yes, if you're handy with a soldering iron and are willing to take a chance, restoring/repairing a second-hand (yep, that's what we used to called used items) radios is fun. My last resto required lots of complicated surgery and a complete replacement of all the condensors. It's a Zenith SuperFringe from the early '60s.
 

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WSAC829

Mike Oscar 225
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Scored another good deal. Picked up a MARS modded Alinco DX-77T that had a skipping/bad encoder with a winning bid of $177.50. Pulled the radio apart, carefully cut open the glued plastic encoder casing, cleaned up the contacts and put it back together. Works great now.

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