Advice needed please

I have recently joined the CT group after a break from using a CB for many years.   i am looking to get into DX again but not sure which would be the best set to purchase. I think a set with AM/FM/USB/SSB would be ok but which make or model

The most popular multi mode radios seem to be the superstar 9900, superstar 6900 and the new President Mckinley the latter being the most expensive and the cheapest being the 6900,they all do pretty much the same as each other so it`s all down to personal budget really.

all the best

John

As above but i liked the 6900 best.

I went for the 9900, it was ultimately the slightly higher power output that swung it for me I think as aesthetically I  think I prefer the other one.

I got the New Lincoln 2+, for my 1st ssb radio, after a few years break of the radio.

Thanks for all the advice have just purchased the 6900 as advised

Looking forward to getting it set up and making new friends

Tigerpaws wrote:

Thanks for all the advice have just purchased the 6900 as advised

Looking forward to getting it set up and making new friends

I think you'll love it, I am enjoying mine  

I do suggest having a squiz through the manual before pressing too many buttons or twiddling knobs though. A lot more functions and settings on it than many of the imported SSB units from back in the day, and it remembers the setting for each channel, e.g. if you're on Channel 1 band A and you turn on the roger bleep, turn on the ANL, press the 10KHz shift and turn the clarifier by a few KHz, all that will stay like that just on that channel until you go back to that channel and set it differently. So imagine fiddling with the settings on a number of channels, turning it off, then turning it back on the next day with many channels set on odd frequencies and different settings... Yes I did that at the start  All good fun though.

The clarifier especially read up on, if nothing else. It's not just a clarifier, or even just a kc shift. It can be set in menus to adjust just the receive, just transmit, or both together, and has 10 or 100HZ, and 1 or 10KHz tuning options.

Plenty of vids on utube that will explain all that though.

Great job by everyone for the help and suggestions offered to a fellow member of CT. I applaud you all as always.


Alan, Tigerpaws - I hope you enjoy your new 6900 when it arrives and as you've already experienced here, if you need any help there are plenty of members more than willing to help out.

Enjoy your radio, your radio interests and indeed the positive aspects of Charlie Tango membership.


All the best,
Victor

Many thanks to all. I have got my 6900 now and looking forward to trying it out. Can anyone recommend a battery power pack for use away from my car

Not sure what the power output is on that radio but a 8-10 amp power supply should be more than enough.

all the best

John

Have looked for a rechargeable portable battery pack but can’t find a suitable one. Would appreciate advice from someone who uses one

Tigerpaws wrote:

Many thanks to all. I have got my 6900 now and looking forward to trying it out.  Can anyone recommend a battery power pack for use away from my car

Hi. If you want to use your 6900n at home, it depends on what version of the 6900n you have, there are two versions, almost identical but have different FM power outputs, 12 watts or 40 watts. I have the 40 watt version and use a 30amp PSU and that runs it brilliantly on the 10m band frequencies. I have tried it on a 20 Amp PSU and it works OK. I am legally able to run 40 watts output of the 6900n as a licensed radio ham (Intermediate Level).  I would recommend a 20Amp PSU such as the QJE https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363258343956?hash=item5493e27214:g:gqoAAOSwO6BfobaG which is one of the ones I use.

In addition to the above advice, if it is actually a 'battery' pack you are looking for, that's not something I have used as yet (the car battery excluded) but am also looking for one too. After watching many videos and reading up what other people have been using I am looking towards a LiFePO unit. Just trying to decide on a size now.

The below video is a presentation to a Ham club on Bioenno batteries. About 25 mins in it looks to have some good info about sizes and their estimated run times..



Just to note, I have the 40W FM version 6900, have a 10amp fuse in line and hasn't popped yet, so I don't think the unit pulls mega current even on full power.

This looks like a home based PSU and not a portable one which is what I am looking for at present

Is there any club members that have a set up they use out in the field such as up un a hill where they take their own power supply

Hi. If you look through the CTX part of the forum you will probably find some links to CTX members videos which some of show what they use.

I would urge you to re-check the video link I posted in my previous post though as it is all about portable battery packs, not home PSUs. I will be buying one these types of lithium batteries soon to do some walkabout hill topping.. Just need to save a few more pennies first so that I don't get grief from my better half.

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Edit: Just going through some of the CTX videos myself again and found THIS ONE from CTX2500 that shows all his kit. He uses a Tracer pack which looks pretty good. Pricey though. A very long vid, Tracer is at the 1h 20min point.