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This made me mad!

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by Sequoia, Feb 14, 2011.

Page 1 of 6
  1. Feb 14, 2011 #1
    Sequoia

    Sequoia Road Train Member

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    I took my radio in to the CB shop here in Orangeburg SC (I-26 at the Pilot). The meter light had gone out on it (for awhile now) and I was looking to get it replaced. $12. Ok fine whatever no problem do what you have to do.

    So he opened it up and while looking at the board asked me where I got it tuned at. I told him it was at a CB shop at a TA down in Tampa FL. (Seffner, actually) He told me that the guy who tuned my CB didn't know what he was doing. He pointed to two solder marks and told me that the guy who tuned it took out a diode that shouldn't have been taken out.

    I asked him if it's something that can be fixed and he said yes, so I told him to go ahead and do it. That was another $18, I guess for him to tune it and to replace the diode that was removed.

    He then told me some of these CB shops don't know how to properly tune a radio and they hook it up to a meter (I think that's what he said) and start taking some things out until the needle drops below a certain point. He said that's probably why I didn't have very good range and most likely I wasn't very easy to understand either because of this diode being removed.

    I haven't tested the fixed CB out yet since I'm down for my 10 but it made me mad that I spent hard earned money to get this CB properly set up and it turned out the guy who did it did more harm than good.

    At least now it should be working correctly. I asked the guy if there's anything else I should know or be aware of and he said no. Keep this knob turned up. This knob turned up and then squelch it down to whatever you prefer.

    He also said he's one of 4 CB shops in the country that know how to properly tune a CB. I don't know if that's true or not but who am I to judge. I liked that he had a BBB plaque on the wall , too.
     
    Sequoia, Feb 14, 2011
    Sequoia, Feb 14, 2011
    #1
    Blaskowitz and spuddatruckdriver Thank this.
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  3. Feb 14, 2011 #2
    DirtyDirt

    DirtyDirt Bobtail Member

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    I hope for your sake this person knew what they were doing to your radio and not just exercising their salesperson skills.
     
    DirtyDirt, Feb 14, 2011
    DirtyDirt, Feb 14, 2011
    #2
    Blaskowitz Thanks this.
  4. Feb 14, 2011 #3
    delta5

    delta5 Road Train Member

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    Maybe he removed the whack-pack mod?? LOL
     
    delta5, Feb 14, 2011
    delta5, Feb 14, 2011
    #3
    Blaskowitz and rabbiporkchop Thank this.
  5. Feb 14, 2011 #4
    Turbo-T

    Turbo-T Road Train Member

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    Sounds like he was referring to the modulation limiter diode. Some golden screwdriver CB techs remove or clip it to make the radio put out more watts on their feel good meter or, the meter that swings to 100 watts to make you all warm and fuzzy, thinking your radio is actually putting out that many watts, and causing your arm and hand muscles to quickly reach for your wallet.

    When this diode is removed, the output will sound distorted. Never remove the modulation limiter. It's there for a reason.

    How some CB techs sleep at night knowing they took your money and messed up your radio is beyond me. Must be the extra Pabst Blue Ribbon they keep stocked in their fridge in their mobile home.
     
    Turbo-T, Feb 14, 2011
    Turbo-T, Feb 14, 2011
    #4
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  7. Feb 14, 2011 #5
    Flying Dutchman

    Flying Dutchman Road Train Member

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    Sounds like the limiter was removed, and if he replaced it, he did you a favor. Less clean watts go a lot farther than more dirty watts.
     
    Flying Dutchman, Feb 14, 2011
    Flying Dutchman, Feb 14, 2011
    #5
    darthanubis, Blaskowitz and rabbiporkchop Thank this.
  8. Feb 14, 2011 #6
    Sequoia

    Sequoia Road Train Member

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    Ah ha! I remember that part of the conversation he and I had.
    Actually it was more of him explaining and me nodding my head just trying to follow some of the technical jargon he was using.
     
    Sequoia, Feb 14, 2011
    Sequoia, Feb 14, 2011
    #6
  9. Feb 15, 2011 #7
    WA4GCH

    WA4GCH Road Train Member

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    Fact is when they build a radio they don't put in extra parts :biggrin_25513:
     
    WA4GCH, Feb 15, 2011
    WA4GCH, Feb 15, 2011
    #7
    darthanubis, rabbiporkchop, handlebar and 1 other person Thank this.
  10. Feb 15, 2011 #8
    handlebar

    handlebar Heavy Load Member

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    Sequoia,
    It's a shame you ran across the first butcher.....errr, "tech".... who killed off the modulation limiter in your radio. As has been noted, it's a cheap (for the "tech") moneymaker that's done all too often.
    And even though it's generally a bad practice in business to badmouth any colleague or competitor, the one who replaced your meter lamp and found & fixed the limiter did you a great service. Your signal will be much cleaner, and you'll be heard more clearly over a longer distance than you were before he restored your radio to stock.
    I always remember that a happy customer will tell four other potential customers about his/her experience; an unhappy customer will tell ten.
    When you get a chance, you might pass the word to your brethren/sisteren(?) on the road about where you got your radio hacked, and where it was fixed correctly. They'll all benefit at some point from one piece of info or the other.
    -- Handlebar --
     
    handlebar, Feb 15, 2011
    handlebar, Feb 15, 2011
    #8
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  11. Feb 15, 2011 #9
    delta5

    delta5 Road Train Member

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    Thats why the hackers add those "high power" modulation swing kits LOL
     
    delta5, Feb 15, 2011
    delta5, Feb 15, 2011
    #9
    handlebar Thanks this.
  12. Feb 15, 2011 #10
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    My original CB worked fine for 20 years, WITHOUT having it peaked and tuned.
     
    Allow Me., Feb 15, 2011
    Allow Me., Feb 15, 2011
    #10
    darthanubis, rabbiporkchop, celticwolf and 1 other person Thank this.
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