Connex 4300, how does this operate?

[coadman]

My son purchased this used cb to put in his truck. Last time I had a CB was over35 years ago, and my have they changed!(lol) He didnt get any manual with this, but what are all the "bands" for? There is like A-D or so, which band is a person to use? I remember channel 19, obviously, was where most of the truck traffic was, but back in the old days, there wasnt all these differant "bands" to choose from. There is also a switch for Am/FM, and something else. Anybody shed some light on this for me?
thanks,
coadman

[Turbo-T]

Thats because what you really have isn't a true CB radio but an "export". It's illegal to own, operate, buy, or sell....because they are not FCC approved. Raids at scale houses have been known to happen where the radio becomes confiscated.

So which band to operate off of? To be honest you will first off have to make sure it's been converted to have an 11 meter band. Those exports are made as 10 meter radios, which means they run primarily on the ham bands...which means if you get caught using it on the ham bands you could be looking at some very hefty fines....upwards of $10k if not more. No I am not kidding. And no it doesn't matter if you do have a ham ticket because as I mentioned those radios ARE NOT FCC approved...which means nobody is allowed to use them.

Now if it has been converted, then from what I've seen, it's usually the D bad. BUT before you go keying up and jaw jacking MAKE SURE! You'll need a plug in frequency meter to do this and there's a place on the rear of the radio to plug it in. Then get you a CB radio frequency chart off of the internet and run thru all 40 channels on the D band and ensure they're the CB bands.

Keep in mind when I say "converted", it's usually only for one band....meaning for example the D band might be converted to 11 meters, but all the rest of the bands are still ham bands....and are still illegal to be on with an export radio.

Traditional CB radio runs on AM. The FM mode is just another mode of the radio. I believe it's because these radios came from Europe and I believe in Europe FM is the mode for CB use. Just leave it on AM.

That radio also has an echo control on it....it's used to make you annoying over the radio. As well as the roger beep which i believe this also has.

[coadman]

Hmm, well that's nice to know! Guess I should have done more research before I told him to pick up a used CB? I can probably put it back on Ebay and get what I payed for it, as it did come out of a truckers truck. Thanks for the info!
coadman

[FriedTater]

No Sir,it is NOT ILLEGAL TO OWN an EXPORT Radio in the United States.
Its Illegal to Operate outside the designated 40 CB Frequencies,therefore its the "use" of.

Coadman,send me the details on that radio.
Pics,asking price etc I may have a buyer for it.

PM SENT!

[Rat]

coadman, put it on "D" in the AM mode and all should be good. Turn the TB off, this is for talk back and it is way too loud on the connex radios and you get too much squeeling (feedback). Leave the 10 kz switch in the off position as you will never use it unless talking to someone that also has it. I turn the RF power all the way up, turn the mic gain to about 12:00 or so and leave the RF gain at max and use the squelch to tune out noise.

It is a good idea to make sure the antenna system is up to the task as these radios put out some pretty good power.

Now for the illegal part. Yes it is actually illegal to own and export radio (this connex is an export. I would not worry about it though as long as you stay on the regular CB 40 and watch your Ps and Qs. Your chances are better at winning the lottery jackpot then they are at getting in trouble for owning and using it.

[Gadfly]

Originally Posted by FriedTater

No Sir,it is NOT ILLEGAL TO OWN an EXPORT Radio in the United States.
Its Illegal to Operate outside the designated 40 CB Frequencies,therefore its the "use" of.

Coadman,send me the details on that radio.
Pics,asking price etc I may have a buyer for it.

PM SENT!

Fried Tater is correct. "Export" radios are illegal to USE in the United States by CB operators ON 11 Meters and are illegal to use by UNLICENSED persons on the actual amateur bands. One statement farther up the thread alleged that it was illegal to be used by even by licensed amateur operators. That part is NOT correct. Amateur radio operators CAN use an "export" radio ON their own authorized bands; they can even use a TOASTER if they can get it to transmit within their own bands! I noticed recently a renewed emphasis on FCC enforcement now that Ms. Laura Smith has gotten her "feet wet" so to speak. She replaced Riley Hollingsworth as Amateur Radio Special Counsel up at FCC and she has been issuing warnings and citations to CBers for operating ON the ham bands or otherwise interfering with the hams.

While I personally don't LIKE the "fake" amateur radios (such as the Connex series, et al), if a person STAYS on the CB channels, doesn't act a fool, stays OFF the 10 or 12 Meter bands (careful to STAY on the CB channels), he probably wouldn't get too much attention from FCC. Roaming around on 10 Meters (28 MHZ) WILL get you noticed!


Gadfly

[coadman]

I will not be on anything but the correct CB frequency for sure. There is an old single antenna on one mirror on this truck, we hooked up the radio to it just to test it out, but it's not working properly. We can hear people talking in a distance(most likely skip), but nothing local. When I tried another CB in another truck, the one with the connex receives static when I key the mic, but nothing else. Same way as when he keys the mic with the connex, I can hear static in my other radio, but nothing else. We have 2 Wilson 2000 antennas that came with the radio, and am just waiting on some coax to arrive to install the antennas that came with it. Hopefully, that will correct the problem.
thanks,
coadman

[FriedTater]

Export Radios are very similar to Switchblade(Automatic) knifes
You can buy them/own them etc. you just cant legally carry(use)them in all the lower 48.

Just run the radio as Rat described and don't sweat
the FCC Legal Eagle BS.

[Rat]

Originally Posted by Gadfly

Fried Tater is correct. "Export" radios are illegal to USE in the United States by CB operators ON 11 Meters and are illegal to use by UNLICENSED persons on the actual amateur bands. One statement farther up the thread alleged that it was illegal to be used by even by licensed amateur operators. That part is NOT correct. Amateur radio operators CAN use an "export" radio ON their own authorized bands; they can even use a TOASTER if they can get it to transmit within their own bands! I noticed recently a renewed emphasis on FCC enforcement now that Ms. Laura Smith has gotten her "feet wet" so to speak. She replaced Riley Hollingsworth as Amateur Radio Special Counsel up at FCC and she has been issuing warnings and citations to CBers for operating ON the ham bands or otherwise interfering with the hams.

While I personally don't LIKE the "fake" amateur radios (such as the Connex series, et al), if a person STAYS on the CB channels, doesn't act a fool, stays OFF the 10 or 12 Meter bands (careful to STAY on the CB channels), he probably wouldn't get too much attention from FCC. Roaming around on 10 Meters (28 MHZ) WILL get you noticed!


Gadfly

Funny thing is that the FCC says it is illegal to have in your posession any radio that can possibly transmit on the CB 40 with more then 4 watts.

Since the exports can easily get on the CB 40 and they most always can do more then 4 watts carrier then it should be illegal for ANYONE even the ham ticket holders to own one.

The way I understand it is , that if it you own it and have it in your equipment lineup and then just owning it is intent to use it. Not even hams can legally operate on the CB 40 with more then 4 watts carrier.

But then only the hams think they should have more power then others and that is why they get so upset about exports being used.

I was up on the other bands listening the other day and actually chatted with a couple operators. They were pretty nice to chat with. They did not care that I was not a ticket holder. But then I did not go cursing on the radio or trying to upset their comunications either.

I love my connex as it has just enough juice to get me heard on skip. Was up in southern manitoba last week and was on skip and made contact in Ohio, Indiana, Kentuky and Louisiana. They said I was coming in just fine.
The day before I was chatting with a CB shop in eastern Illinios.

[FriedTater]

Where in "their" Bible does it say this ?
If you have it handy ? Its all totally irrelevent to me anyway

Originally Posted by Rat

Funny thing is that the FCC says it is illegal to have in your posession any radio that can possibly transmit on the CB 40 with more then 4 watts.

Since the exports can easily get on the CB 40 and they most always can do more then 4 watts carrier then it should be illegal for ANYONE even the ham ticket holders to own one.