President Grant II CB radio

[Lightspeed]

the President Grant II is a CB radio that has recently been released and which is claimed to be compatible with UK regulations for the soon to be permitted SSB mode. If correct, this will be one of the best license free radios available and legal for use in the UK.

Here's some stuff I found about it on the web...

Video Review:
US REVIEW OF THE EU SPEC RADIO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcxyaKMKs0k

REVIEWS BY A STOICALLY DEPRESSIVE BRITISH HAM, (WITH ALL THE PRESENTAIONAL CHARISMA OF THE BRITISH WEATHER) :-) :-(

BUT GOOD REVIEW WITH SOME LIVE TESTING ON AIR….

...if this guy's indicative of who we'll be talking to on radio after the big event, I think I'll stop prepping now and save myself a death from terminal depression...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFBZ7V0JTSs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyrLiRs--EU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgREsn95NI0

Example seller £ 185
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/PRESIDENT-GRANT-I...36;_12.JPG

★Example Seller specification ( explained)NEW PRESIDENT GRANT MK 2 AM/FM/SSB RADIO★
★Example Seller specification ( explained)NEW PRESIDENT GRANT MK 2 AM/FM/SSB RADIO★

40 channels AM / FM / SSB: Packaging states ALL European Norms: so 40UK, 40EU

Manual squelch and ASC: Automatic Squelch (ASC) very effective in motor vehicles

Frequencies display DISPLAYS CHANNEL AND FREQUENCY AT THE SAME TIME. GOOD
S-meter A NORMAL FEATURE ON A RADIO OF THIS TYPE
Vox function (Hands free) EXCELLENT FEATURE.
ANL filter , NB and HI-CUT RADIO NOISE FILTERS TO MAKE LISTENING EASIER
Local DX key THIS IS TO REDUCE RECEIVE SIGNAL WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH A VERY CLOSE STATION
Clarifier: TO FINE TUNE SSB SIGNALS
Channels and memories scan USEFUL… FAST SCANNING OF CHANNELS AND MEMORIES
5 Memories USEFUL. MEMORIES STORE BOTH FREQUENCY/ CHANNEL AND OPERATING MODE

Beep Function/Roger Beep ANNOYING BLEEP AT END OF EVERY TRANSMISSION, BUT SOME LIKE IT
Dual watch GIMMIK, JUST MONITORS CURRENT CHANEL AND CHANNEL 9 OR CHANNEL 19

SWR (Power Reading /SWR) EXCELLENT. SAVES MONEY, SAVES COMPLEXITY AND GIVES GOOD VISUAL INDICATION THAT YOUR SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY EVERY TIME YOU TRANSMIT

Preset 9/19 FAST ACCESS TO STANDARD EMERGENCY / CALLING CHANNELS
TOT (Time out timer) CUTS OFF TRANSMISSION AFTER A CERTAIN TIME. CANNOT SEE THE POINT ON A STANDARD CB RADIO LIKE THIS.

External loudspeaker jack USEFUL BOTH MOBILE AND IN BASE STATION SITUATIONS. SHAME NO HEADPHONE SOCKET, BUT THIS COULD BE EASILY RIGGED.
Dimensions: 56(H) x 185(W) x 205(D) mm
Modulation modes : AM / FM / LSB / USB
Frequency ranges : from 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz EU NORMS
Antenna impedance : 50 ohms STANDARD
Power supply : 13.2 V

Accessories supplied in a box : microphone UP/DOWN with support UP DOWN BUTTONS LET YOU CHANGE CHANNEL FROM THE MICROPHONE.


Transmission:
Frequency allowance : +/- 300 Hz
Carrier power : 4 W AM / 4 W FM / 12 W USB-LSB AM,FM AND SSB MODES. EU LEGAL

[Steve]

Hopefully the availability of mobile phones will keep the kids off the air this time. Back in the 80's when UK FM was introduced every 14yr old wanted to be a DJ which rendered the system useless.

[Lightspeed]

Hi Steve,

I think that economics, branding,peer approval, and technology advances will ensure that there is little extra stupidity on air

For the thick end of £200, a far more fashionable mobile phone can be had......

If Apple decide to make an iCB we could have a problem.... but they won't.....

Breaker breaker 1-9 is super un-cool, so not much of a draw there either......

The new radios have at least twice the number of channels and 3 times the number of operating modes, so there is much more ground to cover if being a pain in the ass is the objective. It just won't happen. Look at PMR446, just 8 channels and I have never experienced all 8 of them being in use at the same time...

[Steve]

(20 April 2014, 11:02)Lightspeed Wrote: Hi Steve,

I think that economics, branding,peer approval, and technology advances will ensure that there is little extra stupidity on air

For the thick end of £200, a far more fashionable mobile phone can be had......

If Apple decide to make an iCB we could have a problem.... but they won't.....

Breaker breaker 1-9 is super un-cool, so not much of a draw there either......

The new radios have at least twice the number of channels and 3 times the number of operating modes, so there is much more ground to cover if being a pain in the ass is the objective. It just won't happen. Look at PMR446, just 8 channels and I have never experienced all 8 of them being in use at the same time...

Good points, although 446 has such limited range you're unlikely to see all the channels used unless you live in a city. I sometimes scan the 446 channels with my UVR5, round here you rarely get anything at all.

I'm up for a comms test if anyone buys one of these new rigs.

[Lightspeed]

Hi Steve, yes, PMR's range does indeed limit the effect of the motor mouths.

An SSB enabled CB will have approximately 100x the coverage of a PMR.

Testing: There's a good chance that there will be a QSO party on CB SSB frequencies on the first day, or first weekend that they are legalised.

[Ian Haines]

I got myself a "President Jackson 2" and I love it, but there're almost no folk on CB in my area - which could be seen as being just as good as bad, in a way. CB's resurgence will be slow. I'm using only a bedroom 7 feet Firestik and I've talked to somebody 38ish miles away, in Macclesfield (on Upper Side Band), which isn't bad.

I've also bought the "Midland 42" handheld CB and put 8 x 2900mAh AAs in it, charged fit to burst. It has the first 40 FM and the Mid-40 FM, and also Mid 40 AM, for the use of. Through the built up area near to my house, I've managed a 7 pounds, radio 4-5 to a parked up mobile. That's on only an 8 inch rubber duck (flexible) aerial. I also have 2 of the old Radio Shack 40 channel FM handhelds, each with a 10 inch rubber duck on.

On Knights CB site, you can even buy a handheld CB with Upper/Lower Sideband on it.

[Devonian]

(21 August 2014, 04:27)Ian Haines Wrote: I got myself a "President Jackson 2" and I love it, but there're almost no folk on CB in my area - which could be seen as being just as good as bad, in a way. CB's resurgence will be slow. I'm using only a bedroom 7 feet Firestik and I've talked to somebody 38ish miles away, in Macclesfield (on Upper Side Band), which isn't bad.

I've also bought the "Midland 42" handheld CB and put 8 x 2900mAh AAs in it, charged fit to burst. It has the first 40 FM and the Mid-40 FM, and also Mid 40 AM, for the use of. Through the built up area near to my house, I've managed a 7 pounds, radio 4-5 to a parked up mobile. That's on only an 8 inch rubber duck (flexible) aerial. I also have 2 of the old Radio Shack 40 channel FM handhelds, each with a 10 inch rubber duck on.

On Knights CB site, you can even buy a handheld CB with Upper/Lower Sideband on it.

OK, I understood the first paragraph, but then you lost me...........

[Lightspeed]

Nice set-up Ian,

From what you describe, its performing well.

[Skean Dhude]

LS, I've had a look there is a few of these presidents. Do you think this one is the best of the bunch and value for money? I was going to buy the President Obama but it was wind powered and only had a 10M range.

[Devonian]

(22 August 2014, 09:58)Skean Dhude Wrote: LS, I've had a look there is a few of these presidents. Do you think this one is the best of the bunch and value for money? I was going to buy the President Obama but it was wind powered and only had a 10M range.

Apparently that model is also subject to a lot of chatter/interference as well.