Walcott Radio peak and tune

Don't fall for the peak and tune crap.

The radio is 20% of the system, the antenna and feedline is the other 80% and I would focus on that first with any radio you can use to tune the antenna system.

Others can answer your question about the radio to use.

 

They used to be good. Now, I don't trust some of them

Bought a new Anytone Quad 6 from them. It's a 10m software driven radio, user programmable. 40w AM. There's a setting in the software to allow transmit on 11M. It's a simple user mod, needs no golden screwdriver.

Well this kid (early 20's assume it's the owners son...) brings the radio off the shelf and starts taking it in the back. I stopped him and said it doesn't need any peak and tune. He gets a snarky attitude and goes on a 5 minute diatribe about how it won't work on CB unless he "cuts a diode".

I explain to him how it's a software driven radio and the software takes care of that. He gets more attitude and says "that's just internet ########. It needs a peak and tune to work on CB and thats gonna be $60"

I tell him ok, let's take it out of the box and I'll show you in the manual. He says "Oh, there is no manual with the radio. They ship them without manuals now". I know this to be ########.

I tell him OK, before you take it in the back, let's just make sure it power on. He wasn't happy and said he couldn't do that. I told him I'm not paying a penny til I see and hear the radio work before you tune it. He tried to say no but he couldn't see a way out when I pulled my cash out of pocket.

He pulls the radio out of the box and hey guess what, there's a manual. He just grabs that real quick and stuffs it back in the box. He puts the plug and mic in and hooks up the coax to the antenna. Turns it on and it's on 10m. He says "see it works" starts to unplug it. I stop him and say, let me do a test transmit. "No can do, you need a ham radio license to transmit" He gets rather irritated when I pull my Extra ticket out of my wallet.

I take the mic, set it on 28.375 and toss out my call sign. Right off, I get a reply from a California station.

I said, yep it works.

He then says "well it won't work on CB without the snip and it needs the power bumped"

They have/had a power meter on the sales counter to show the customer how much power the radio puts out. I said let's hook that up to see what it's doing. I switched it AM and gave it a short key up. 40w. Told him it doesn't need a peak

I then turn the radio around to him and start getting into the menu. 30 seconds later, I put it on ch19 and ask for a radio check. Guy over at the petro says it's loud and clear. Told him it doesn't need a tune.

The kid is hopping mad at this point. I can tell he knows about the software mod but was bucking for that extra $60.

The manager (possibly the kids das?) was watching the whole time but held his tongue.

I plunked down my cash, took the manual out of the box, disassembled the radio and put it back in along with the manual while looking the kid in the eye.

I told the kid that Never assume you know more than the customer. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.

The thing that really pissed me off was hearing the manager telling the kid " don't worry, we'll get the next one" before I even got out of the door.

If you go there, don't deal with the kid. Try one of the older sales guys...

And DO YOUR RESEARCH before you even step in the door of that place or they'll rob you blind!

 

What a shame that they treat their customers that way. I personally don't care to deal with dishonest people.
I think as soon as he started to reach out for the cash, I would have put the money back in my pocket. Then I would explain to him that I don't deal with dishonest people. Then I would probably say to him that I will buy the radio from someone like Anderson Radio Supply.

Anytone AT-6666 All Mode 10 Meter Transceiver

Plus tell this kid that they are $50 cheaper too. Just to rub it in a little. I don't have any experience with Anderson Radio, but it would serve as a good reference in this example. Thanks for letting others know about your experience with Walcott.

 

Walcott was the place I stopped at to buy a replacement radio a while back, and was told by one of the "sales techs" they will peak and tune the radio for maximum 'bird watts'. I just about lost my mind over the term, what a cluster******, clueless and stupid to say that.

I won't get into the conversation other to say I was not nice about what I thought about his salesmanship and the lies he was telling.

Since then I recommend people seek out techs who don't use the term and know how to properly align a radio's proper performance.

 

Just FYI - there is a big difference between a so called peak and tune, and a good transmit and receive alignment. If you want a little better performance out of a new radio, don't get the peak and tune. Basically all that is, is crank up power and modulation all the way up. Plus a worthless mod adds to the problem, because now you have a radio that splatters all over the band. Then drivers wonder why they can't talk very far after spending all that money. A proper radio alignment by a good tech is the only way to go. This is about the best advice I can give to someone new to CB radio. The main thing to remember is that a good antenna system is even more important than beefing up the radio.

 

Well after a couple of posts with negative reviews, I'm surprised you still want to buy from them. Maybe you live in the same town and don't want to wait for a radio in the mail. Of course your welcome to do whatever you want with your money. I've had a great experience buying from CB World and Bells CB. Just FYI.

 

If you're smart you'll stay away from Ranger/Galaxy radios! They're not what they used to be and overpriced old technology.

JD