Thank you, for this very clear video about the bill2. It is an awesome little radio. And I learned a, for me, new Funktion. Pressing the f key for 2 seconds to shift the frequency.
Hi Klarta, Thanks for watching and for commenting. It is a surprisingly good little radio with far more scope than I initially thought when opening. Glad there was a little function in there which you now know about. All the best and Happy New Year
@@NLKMediaGroupi watched a few more of your Videos and decided to buy a President Washington and a President Randy 3 ! The Washington is not mounted yet but with the Randy i can hear out from my Appartement!
First time watching your channel I'm so impressed you don't hold back when doing modifications. Please do more of these videos it really helped massively and thank you 🎯💯‼️
Thank you for the feedback, really appreciated, got the George 2 coming soon and will be seeing what it is capable of :-) All the best and thanks for watching
@@NLKMediaGroup you're one of the best channels I've watched so far and totally love the part where you take apart the radio and go full swing in getting the max output and tested 👍 Keep this coming bro 🎯💯‼️
Hi Mikey, the President Richard is a brilliant radio (i have two of them) I just wish President would come out with a Richard 2 and include SSB. That would make it a killer radio. Its simple to use, powerful and packed with everything needed except SSB. Thanks for watching, all the best
QUESTIONS: In the video you made 2 changes - 1. Changed the Jumper Position and 2. cut the wire. Did changing the jumper increase the power? Did Cutting the wire allow for the the Band Blocks? SO---the real question is, If I only want to increase the power without adding the additional band blocks, what action is required?
Hi Mike, the jumper sets the radio into expanded mode in software but it is a two stage process. If you cut the wire and set the jumper then you get the power increase and the frequencies. If you then set the jumper back again the radio returns to standard mode and standard power. You can adjust the power output in standard mode via the factory services menu but the maximum it will go to is about 5W. I have not tried but suspect jumping the jumper and not cutting the wire will set into expanded mode but the power will not increase. So, there isnt an option to bump the power but keep the radio in standard mode that I am aware of. Hope this helps and thanks for watching
Hi Mike, it certainly does get hot when used for longer periods of TX as the case is used as the heatsink. Expanding and pushing the power up to 15W increases the heat problem. If its being used for RX with occasional TX its fine. It is something that needs consideration when deciding on where to mount and to ensure there is some airflow. A nice compact and capable unit but if the portability is not a key buying reason then other radios in the range would be a better choice. All the best and thanks for watching.
Another great video. Some of the radio shops in my area said that the bill 2 and the thomas were no good and not worth the money. I think they are all use to the older style radios with adjustments on the boards. I will be able to tell with some long term testing.
Hi Robert, I think the problem is that most of the action on CB is on SSB these days, well it is in the UK. Some people say that any radio that does not have SSB is just an expensive paper weight. I still have lots of fun with non-SSB radios especially hunting for skip (DX) but having a SSB radio just gives more optionality supporting all modes but they are more expensive. The Bill 2 was a bit of a surprise with its full expandability and not only being limited to the 120-channel mode that some others in the range can only do. It's ideal if you don't need SSB and just want a very small unit which can be pulled out in the case of an emergency. President makes lovely radios but you are unlikely to shift the old school breakers over to new-fangled chip based radios. There is nothing wrong with either preference and what's important is that the pool of breakers gets larger and not smaller. Thanks for watching and for commenting. As mentioned in another comment, hope to have the next video uploaded in a week or two.
This little thing does fit in every car or portable equipment perfectly. For shack its too small in my opinion. The President Bill has many features inside but some similar small others like the Albrecht 6110/ 6120, Team Minicom, CRT Millenium, PNI HT 6500 are much cheaper and do their job as well. All in all those small CB-radios arent my taste because of their small display. I also wouldnt modify to more power as the allowed 4 W because often these little cb-radios get too hot inside if 10 or 15 W. However, thanks for the video and your opinion about the little Billy Boy.
Hi Gordon, for a shack the Bill 2 is far too small. The advantage of the Bill 2 is its size and portability and power consumption. If you want a very small radio that takes up little room and can be setup quickly on the occasion its needed then the Bill 2 is ideal, an occasional radio if you know what I mean. The fact that you can fully expand it was also a nice surprise. Heat is always a concern and I wouldn't run it over the legal limit unless in an emergency (life or death) situation where the additonal power was needed. It handled 15 watts well and didnt turn into a firey inferno within a few seconds. I keyed up for 2 minutes straight and it hit 45 degrees. Lincoln 2+, McKinley, Walker 2 or Richard are much better suited for a shack. I really wasnt expecting much when I opened up the "Billy Boy" and it turned out to be a far more capable radio than expected. 73's and thanks for watching and commenting.
Maybe I missed it, but on your power test at 22:45 minutes into the video, you didn't actually set the PL setting lower (it was still at 145 when you went out of the factory service menu), so the output still would have been at its max. Maybe you did it off camera though and I missed it. Are you certain the PL setting won't control the power output when it's in expanded mode? Thank you for your video. It helped me prior to purchasing one last night.
Ah the Bill 2, this radio has been out of its box more than any other radio in the collection. I have tried so many things on this radio so can't remember as it was a long time ago now. President are a bit strange with their factory services menus. On some radios the lower the number the higher the power output and on others its the other way around. I just can't remember on the Bill 2. If memory serves me correctly, we didnt get a P2 mode which is the normal high power mode. Maybe the Bill 2 needs revisting sometime soon to see if we can find it again with fresh eyes. All the best and thank you for watching MJ7NLK
Hi Simon, yes it certianly surprised me that it can be fully expanded outside of just the 120 channel expansion mode. You can also perform another modification to enable high power mode but that involves soldering a wire on the PCB. I will be doing a video on that when I get the time. Unfortunately the PCB will have to come out to do that and that means de-soldering the antenna and detaching the VRM's as you cannot get to the underside of the board without doing so. I am defo up for potentially sacrificing the radio to see what challenges arise in performing the mod. Stay tuned for that one, fingers crossed it goes well. Its just so small to work on. The normal sized radios are much easier to modify. All the best and thanks for watching
Great video! Very educational. Thank you. I'm in the USA and the version here of this radio does not have the white wire and jumper. I think I will pick up the European version. Do you know of any reputable online CB shops in the UK and Europe? Thanks again.
Thank you for the feedback BeingWolfy, much appreciated. You could try www.kcb.co.uk. Knights are really good and Doug is really helpful. He does have options for shipping to the US and Canada on his site. I have purchased a lot of radios from Doug and he has always been very reliable and offered great service. You could also look at the Radioddity CS-47 which is a very similar radio and Radioddity have a US store on Amazon and their site www.radioddity.com. The CS-47 is easier to expand and is a lot cheaper. I posted a video on the CS-47 if your interesting in checking that out. All the best and thanks for watching MJ7NLK
Band blocks are just sets of 40 channels with different freqencies. Block A has 40 specific channels starting at 26.965 and ending 27.405 (in EU its the CEPT Norm which also matches the US). Block B is whats known as Superior which starts at 27.415 and ends at 27.855 and Band Block C is Inferior starting at 26.515 and ending at 26.955. All of these frequencies are shown on screen in my President Truman video. When expanding a radio, some just open up to the Normal, Inferior and Superior blocks and other fully open up with Band Blocks covering 10 Meter band, 11 Meter Band (which is CB as mentioned above) and 12 Meter Band. These are reflected in blocks D, E, F, etc. Just to confuse even further, you can also switch the radios (well most) into either T5 mode or T0 mode when expanded. All this means is that all the frequencies in the band blocks are decremented by 5KHz when in T0 mode. Normal expanded mode is T5 and switching to T0 just knocks 5KHz off. Band Block A, Channel 1 in T5 mode is 26.965 and when switching becomes 26.960, etc. Hope this helps and thanks for watching
A very nice video about the new Bill 2, thank you for your excellent explaining, one little remark, in the video at 20.49, your saying it is starting up in TS, that's actually T5 for frequencies ending in 5, like 27.195, you can also change that to T0, for frequencies ending in 0, like 27.190 , as far as I know, they use those in Poland for example.. It also gives someone the opportunity to go in between channels, as in 5khz difference from the "normal" channels in your region.. Please keep up the nice videos! 73' Geurt PD4GB /19CT032
Hi and thank you for commenting. Yes, its the +5KHz and I have been asked this on various occasions from people in Poland on how to activate the T0 mode. Its always difficult on an LCD screen to distinguish between 5 and S. Have just posted a new video on the all new George 2 AM/FM/SSB radio which is worth a look. Happy new year and all the best for 2024. 73's MJ7NLK
I checked your channel out and there is some great content listed there, well worth viewers checking it out. I am just as facinated with the equipment in the background as the video topic. I am a recent Bird Thruline convert so if you havent watched my RF Power Meters video then worth a look. I saw 9 Thruline slugs in the background which are not cheap to buy in the EU, I think I was paying about £75 to £120 each for mine second hand. I have a 4314 which is serial 987 so an early one. I don't imaging you get to use that 5000A very often :-). All the best and thanks for commenting. MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup I watched the Bird video, I have made similar video showing PEAK power differences and they are really different then. Your videos have a nice production quality to them sir, great work. Your right I only use the 5000A about 6 times a year. LOL. 73's 𝑺𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 🔔 𝘾𝘽
Hi and thanks for watching. The radio is fine under normal operation and seems to manage the heat well. The case is solid mental and used as a heatsink and works well. It does get hot with extended use but nothing to be worried about. All the best, 73's, MJ7NLK
Hi, is there a big differences in audio quality and size vs the Barry 2? I have a difficulty to choose between the Barry 2 and the Bill 2. Radio would be used for occasional overlanding communication between cars and double as a emergency communications when shtf. Would run it out of a gel battery or portable powerbank. Any recommendations on the more suited radio? Thanks for the extended reviews.
I would choose the Barry 2 out of the two if your mounting in your car. I have just reviewed the Radioddity CB500 on my channel which is worth consideration and has NRC built in and super easy to modify. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
Good question, AE-6290 vs PB2, hmmm. Both are good radios but I would have to say that out of the two I would pick the PB2. I am not a fan of the RJ45 style microphone plugs which the Albrecht uses, but both are decent units. All the best and thanks for watching.
Hi, I think you can engage RU mode by holding the corner buttons when turning on. I just cant remember what the combination was. Try holding the left two and turning on, also try the same with the PTT button held. If your really stuck let me know and I can break out my Bill 2 and see if I can help. Sorry for the delay in responding, was a little behind on comments. All the best and thanks for watching
Hi Kamaitachi, first of all thanks for watching and for commenting. I do not have any of the FCC approved versions to be able to test them. I am told that the US/NA versions have been restricted and dont have an expanded mode like the EU versions. I think its an FCC requirement but am only going on info supplied by viewers. I do not know if there are PCB differences, component differences or software differences to restrict them or not. A viewer followed my Randy 3 tear down and reported back that the wires to expand were not there but I am unsure if that is the case on all radios. I guess you could try and get hold of an EU version radio but have no idea if there would be problems shipping it into NA. Sorry I could not give you a definitive answer to this. All the best
Hi and thanks for watching and for commenting. No this is not a software defined radio SDR. You cannot connect this up to a computer. The USB socket is for charging devices and is not an interface allowing SDR software to connect. Happy New Year and all the best. Привет и спасибо за просмотр и комментарий. Нет, это не программно определяемое радио SDR. Вы не можете подключить это к компьютеру. Разъем USB предназначен для зарядки устройств и не является интерфейсом, позволяющим подключать программное обеспечение SDR. С Новым годом и всего наилучшего.
Thanks Dope_Clips, I will check that out when time permits. Usually with President Radios its a 1k resistor that gets soldered in but will check for this. Thanks for sharing and for watching. All the best
Generally, moving the jumper only will enable the expanded frequencies but not the increased power. You do get a little more power on some of the radios when just moving the jumper but to enable full power the wire needs to be cut or on some radios moved to a different via. If you just want the expanded frequencies then jumping the jumper will do this. Thanks for the feedback and for watching. All the best MJ7NLK
I don't have one sorry. I can't get Cobra radios in my location unless I import them which is expensive. I have seen that radio but don't have one to test. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
Would be nice to have a good portable power for that wee beauty Wow lovely What a fantastic review and upgrade/expanding it's capabilitys the doing several tests very thorough imho Thanks very much 108
Hi Dave, the Bill 2 comes with the DNC-520 up / down microphone that comes with nearly all President radios. its a good microphone but does feel light and a bit plastic. Never had one fail on me yet. President have come out with a new DIGIMIKE part number ACFD600 which has 5 levels of NRC which might be worth a look. All the best and thanks for watching.
This radio has been opened more times than my fridge :-) I have tried so many combinations that I can't remember what I have tried. It would be nice to find out how to enable the menus with the high power mode, if that is possible. It's so small that it might not have one. Mind you, its been fun looking for it. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
President make much better radios than PNI in my opinion. The tiny antenna that comes with the PNI is good for cleaning the treads on your boots :-) With anything CB the rule "height is might" comes into play. It doesnt matter what radio you have, if your antenna is poor or badly tuned its not going to work well. A Bill 2 with a nice Wilson 1000 antenna would be the way to go or possibly a K40 antenna.
It is the same as most President radios. The wire enables the higher power mode and the jumper expands the frequencies. If you dont want higher power then just move the jumper. All the best and thanks for commenting. MJ7NLK
The more recent President radios are SOC and software based. The only way to adjust the modulation is to get into the factory services menu and tweak what settings they make available. Options were AM and AL if memory serves me correctly. I haven't had the Bill 2 out of its box for some time now. All the best and thanks for watching MJ7NLK
Hi, cutting the wire does give a boost in power but to unlock high power mode it needs to be moved. If you cut the wire and then later on decide you want high power mode you will have to use another bit of wire. I have a second video on the channel for the Bill 2 and removing the board to enable high power mode. Happy new year and all the best for 2024
Thanks happy new year to you too, is that the teardown video? And did you end up finding a p2 menu, I'd like to power mod it and dial it back to 4w so I have that extra power if I needed it for let's say emergency use, when the white wire is cut what happens when you turn down the PL I see you have it at 145 what happens if you turn it down to let's say 100 do you still get 15w or does it go down?
So I received mine today, seems the jumper also needs to be jumped and the wire needs to be cut for the extra power and extended mode, seems you don't get any of the extended mode or power without doing both, I gave it a try and turned down PL to 100 and power stays at 15w, such a shame there is not an option to tweak the extended power mode, I guess you could put a little switch on the jumper wire and flick it over when you want more power
Hi Glen, You need to cut the wire and move the jumper to expand the radio and there is another mode to fully expand the radio. PL is power low and relates to the unmodified state. Please let me know how you get on. I have a second video on this so please check it out ua-cam.com/video/yQ1LEJHrPzM/v-deo.html @@glennearnshaw842
are you selling these with all the modifications if so ill take 3,, please let me know the details ,, i have been looking for so long a radio smaller then the 510 pro xl ,
Sorry, I don't sell radios, just have lots of fun playing and reviewing them. The Bill 2 is a little fiddly to mod vs the other radios due to its size. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
Its like watching a re-run of Karate Kid from the 80's :-) How your supposed to press and hold everything is sometimes a bit of a struggle. Happy new year to you and all the best for 2024
@@NLKMediaGroup likewise to you on the New Years well wishes. Enjoying the channel. Like you my dick is also one of my top 5 favorites amongst the radios I have. 💪😂👍
Hi Tony, the President Thomas is the US equivalent of the EU President Barry 2. I have a few videos on the Barry 2 and what its capable of on the channel. However, I think the Thomas does not have the same ability to modify it vs the Barry 2 as most of the US versions have had it removed. I don't know this for sure but that is what other viewers have told me on other radios. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.
You can't expand the channels on the Thomas FCC that I know of. If you follow the same instructions for the barry 2 for the hidden menu, you can access the Thomas's hidden menu. I would have the video for the Barry 2 ready to go along with paper and pencil. I wrote down factory settings, and I didn't mess with the settings that I was told to leave alone. I was on a dummy load, so I was not bothing anyone. I was happy to see that the big heat sink is there for a reason. As I was adjusting it, I was being mindful of the heat being generated and watching to see if the power was holding steady. I tried to use those 2 things to determine the right amount of output and life of the electronics. If you play with it I think you will like it even more. I need to consult with someone who knows more than I do to see if a power mic will help boost the modulation to match my voice.
No, the Bill 2 does not support SSB. Check out my latest video of the all new George 2 if your interested in a really nice SSB radio. Happy new year and all the best for 2024
It's such a small little radio and when compared to the likes of the Richard or Lincoln 2+ you can really see it. Thanks for watching and all the very best
Its not a very nice radio to take apart due to its size but if you want a compact unit then this is a good choice. They packed lots into it. All the best and thanks for watching
Hi Greg, there certainly are similarities especially at the back of the radio and the heat sink. The front is completely different but as seen in the teardown that is just two screws to remove. Maybe it was jointly developed or is a stock housing. Thanks for pointing this out, interesting. All the best
@@NLKMediaGroup It was the "Radio Slide Out' that pulled me to the Midland. Strange no other company has use this. As for CB, I really gave it a try. But in my area, it is so dead. Mite try FM/CB someday., Enjoyed the video.
Actually that Richard is still smaller than the likes of a cobra 29 classic, so that bill ll would look like a bug next to something like a galaxy 959 😂😂
Hi Bob, yes the Bill 2 would look like a Coke can sitting next to a beer barrel compared to the Galaxy 959. The electronics are so small in the Bill 2 you need a microscope. All the best and thanks for watching
If you watch the next video in the series, the Bill 2 tear down, it increase the power output more. There is another power option for this radio on top of the tear down video which enables a high power mode but I havent got around to doing that yet. Similar to the mod in the Harrison 2 video on the channel.
Hi Robert, if your after SSB then in the President range your limited to the Mc Kinley for CB or the Lincoln 2+ if you have a HAM license. Both radios are double the price plus but SSB is definately worth spending the extra money for. All the best MJ7NLK
Hi John, not everyone has the same use-case or wants a full blown SSB radio which costs double the price of a basic unit. FM is used frequently in the EU and UK but has only recently been legalised in North America. If your use-case is long distance coms then certainly a SSB radio is the way to go. All in all I would recommend buying a SSB radio over a DSB radio as most of the action these days is on SSB but for those who just want a cheaper basic vehcile to vehicle setup for the likes of off-roading then a DSB radio is a good option. Thank you for watching and for commenting. All the best MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup what is dsb? I was into CB and talking skip 30 years ago. I was just asking. I modified my own radios with crystals and jumping certain chips. It was fun back then the late 80's and early 90's. Thanks. 😁
There is no room in the Bill 2 for a fan but maybe they could use heat pipes. When modified and after prolonged use it does get very hot but have not had any issues so far even if you could cook an egg on the case :-)
You have an excellent broadcasters voice. Thank you for your in-depth tutorial
Hi David, your most welcome and thanks for your kind words. All the best and thanks for watching
Thank you, for this very clear video about the bill2. It is an awesome little radio. And I learned a, for me, new Funktion. Pressing the f key for 2 seconds to shift the frequency.
Hi Klarta, Thanks for watching and for commenting. It is a surprisingly good little radio with far more scope than I initially thought when opening. Glad there was a little function in there which you now know about. All the best and Happy New Year
4:17 "Oh my goodness, that is tiny" So well said ! And so true !
The Radioddity CS-47 and CB-27 are exactly the same size. They are tiny radios :-)
@@NLKMediaGroupi watched a few more of your Videos and decided to buy a President Washington and a President Randy 3 ! The Washington is not mounted yet but with the Randy i can hear out from my Appartement!
First time watching your channel I'm so impressed you don't hold back when doing modifications. Please do more of these videos it really helped massively and thank you 🎯💯‼️
Thank you for the feedback, really appreciated, got the George 2 coming soon and will be seeing what it is capable of :-) All the best and thanks for watching
@@NLKMediaGroup you're one of the best channels I've watched so far and totally love the part where you take apart the radio and go full swing in getting the max output and tested 👍 Keep this coming bro 🎯💯‼️
‼Greetings from Toronto 🇨🇦
👍😉😀
Greetings to my Canadian viewers. All the best and thank you for commenting. MJ7NLK
President Richard is my favourite radio,soild build,and ive got an riginal President Richard mk1 basically a mark 2 Cobra
Hi Mikey, the President Richard is a brilliant radio (i have two of them) I just wish President would come out with a Richard 2 and include SSB. That would make it a killer radio. Its simple to use, powerful and packed with everything needed except SSB. Thanks for watching, all the best
Great video and Happy New Year :D
Hi Jason, thanks for watching and for commenting. Happy New Year to you as well. All the best
Thanks for the review. Once it’s in High power mode, is it possible to limit the output power to 4w & 10w (as per Harrison 2 & George)?
QUESTIONS: In the video you made 2 changes - 1. Changed the Jumper Position and 2. cut the wire. Did changing the jumper increase the power? Did Cutting the wire allow for the the Band Blocks? SO---the real question is, If I only want to increase the power without adding the additional band blocks, what action is required?
Hi Mike, the jumper sets the radio into expanded mode in software but it is a two stage process. If you cut the wire and set the jumper then you get the power increase and the frequencies. If you then set the jumper back again the radio returns to standard mode and standard power. You can adjust the power output in standard mode via the factory services menu but the maximum it will go to is about 5W. I have not tried but suspect jumping the jumper and not cutting the wire will set into expanded mode but the power will not increase. So, there isnt an option to bump the power but keep the radio in standard mode that I am aware of. Hope this helps and thanks for watching
@@NLKMediaGroup i was wondering if you solder a potentiometer or resistor on the wire ...maybe you could control the amount afterwards--- ?
your channel is really a mine of very interesting information, thanks from France
Thank you for the feedback and I am glad you enjoy the content. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
You do an awesome job !!! Thank you 🙏
I really appreciate that, thank you. All the very best and thanks for watching
Only thing about this radio even at 4 watts during QSO it gets so hot you could cook a egg. Thermal camera capture. Nice touch.
Hi Mike, it certainly does get hot when used for longer periods of TX as the case is used as the heatsink. Expanding and pushing the power up to 15W increases the heat problem. If its being used for RX with occasional TX its fine. It is something that needs consideration when deciding on where to mount and to ensure there is some airflow. A nice compact and capable unit but if the portability is not a key buying reason then other radios in the range would be a better choice. All the best and thanks for watching.
Another great video. Some of the radio shops in my area said that the bill 2 and the thomas were no good and not worth the money. I think they are all use to the older style radios with adjustments on the boards. I will be able to tell with some long term testing.
Hi Robert, I think the problem is that most of the action on CB is on SSB these days, well it is in the UK. Some people say that any radio that does not have SSB is just an expensive paper weight. I still have lots of fun with non-SSB radios especially hunting for skip (DX) but having a SSB radio just gives more optionality supporting all modes but they are more expensive. The Bill 2 was a bit of a surprise with its full expandability and not only being limited to the 120-channel mode that some others in the range can only do. It's ideal if you don't need SSB and just want a very small unit which can be pulled out in the case of an emergency. President makes lovely radios but you are unlikely to shift the old school breakers over to new-fangled chip based radios. There is nothing wrong with either preference and what's important is that the pool of breakers gets larger and not smaller. Thanks for watching and for commenting. As mentioned in another comment, hope to have the next video uploaded in a week or two.
This little thing does fit in every car or portable equipment perfectly. For shack its too small in my opinion. The President Bill has many features inside but some similar small others like the Albrecht 6110/ 6120, Team Minicom, CRT Millenium, PNI HT 6500 are much cheaper and do their job as well. All in all those small CB-radios arent my taste because of their small display. I also wouldnt modify to more power as the allowed 4 W because often these little cb-radios get too hot inside if 10 or 15 W. However, thanks for the video and your opinion about the little Billy Boy.
Hi Gordon, for a shack the Bill 2 is far too small. The advantage of the Bill 2 is its size and portability and power consumption. If you want a very small radio that takes up little room and can be setup quickly on the occasion its needed then the Bill 2 is ideal, an occasional radio if you know what I mean. The fact that you can fully expand it was also a nice surprise. Heat is always a concern and I wouldn't run it over the legal limit unless in an emergency (life or death) situation where the additonal power was needed. It handled 15 watts well and didnt turn into a firey inferno within a few seconds. I keyed up for 2 minutes straight and it hit 45 degrees. Lincoln 2+, McKinley, Walker 2 or Richard are much better suited for a shack. I really wasnt expecting much when I opened up the "Billy Boy" and it turned out to be a far more capable radio than expected. 73's and thanks for watching and commenting.
Have one setup as a field/camp radio. Poor cell sevice around the cottage here in Canada.
Maybe I missed it, but on your power test at 22:45 minutes into the video, you didn't actually set the PL setting lower (it was still at 145 when you went out of the factory service menu), so the output still would have been at its max. Maybe you did it off camera though and I missed it. Are you certain the PL setting won't control the power output when it's in expanded mode?
Thank you for your video. It helped me prior to purchasing one last night.
Ah the Bill 2, this radio has been out of its box more than any other radio in the collection. I have tried so many things on this radio so can't remember as it was a long time ago now. President are a bit strange with their factory services menus. On some radios the lower the number the higher the power output and on others its the other way around. I just can't remember on the Bill 2. If memory serves me correctly, we didnt get a P2 mode which is the normal high power mode. Maybe the Bill 2 needs revisting sometime soon to see if we can find it again with fresh eyes. All the best and thank you for watching MJ7NLK
Great radio. All them bands and 15 watts for the money is a bargain. Plus its so small and neat you can take it anywhere.
Hi Simon, yes it certianly surprised me that it can be fully expanded outside of just the 120 channel expansion mode. You can also perform another modification to enable high power mode but that involves soldering a wire on the PCB. I will be doing a video on that when I get the time. Unfortunately the PCB will have to come out to do that and that means de-soldering the antenna and detaching the VRM's as you cannot get to the underside of the board without doing so. I am defo up for potentially sacrificing the radio to see what challenges arise in performing the mod. Stay tuned for that one, fingers crossed it goes well. Its just so small to work on. The normal sized radios are much easier to modify. All the best and thanks for watching
Great video! Very educational. Thank you. I'm in the USA and the version here of this radio does not have the white wire and jumper. I think I will pick up the European version. Do you know of any reputable online CB shops in the UK and Europe? Thanks again.
Thank you for the feedback BeingWolfy, much appreciated. You could try www.kcb.co.uk. Knights are really good and Doug is really helpful. He does have options for shipping to the US and Canada on his site. I have purchased a lot of radios from Doug and he has always been very reliable and offered great service. You could also look at the Radioddity CS-47 which is a very similar radio and Radioddity have a US store on Amazon and their site www.radioddity.com. The CS-47 is easier to expand and is a lot cheaper. I posted a video on the CS-47 if your interesting in checking that out. All the best and thanks for watching MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup - Thank you, sir. Will check it out!
You mentioned a video about explaining band blocks. Any chance you could link to that? I’m probably just not up to date on the lingo.
Band blocks are just sets of 40 channels with different freqencies. Block A has 40 specific channels starting at 26.965 and ending 27.405 (in EU its the CEPT Norm which also matches the US). Block B is whats known as Superior which starts at 27.415 and ends at 27.855 and Band Block C is Inferior starting at 26.515 and ending at 26.955. All of these frequencies are shown on screen in my President Truman video.
When expanding a radio, some just open up to the Normal, Inferior and Superior blocks and other fully open up with Band Blocks covering 10 Meter band, 11 Meter Band (which is CB as mentioned above) and 12 Meter Band. These are reflected in blocks D, E, F, etc.
Just to confuse even further, you can also switch the radios (well most) into either T5 mode or T0 mode when expanded. All this means is that all the frequencies in the band blocks are decremented by 5KHz when in T0 mode. Normal expanded mode is T5 and switching to T0 just knocks 5KHz off. Band Block A, Channel 1 in T5 mode is 26.965 and when switching becomes 26.960, etc.
Hope this helps and thanks for watching
@@NLKMediaGroup thank you so much for the info!!!
A very nice video about the new Bill 2, thank you for your excellent explaining, one little remark, in the video at 20.49, your saying it is starting up in TS, that's actually T5 for frequencies ending in 5, like 27.195, you can also change that to T0, for frequencies ending in 0, like 27.190 , as far as I know, they use those in Poland for example.. It also gives someone the opportunity to go in between channels, as in 5khz difference from the "normal" channels in your region..
Please keep up the nice videos!
73' Geurt PD4GB /19CT032
Hi and thank you for commenting. Yes, its the +5KHz and I have been asked this on various occasions from people in Poland on how to activate the T0 mode. Its always difficult on an LCD screen to distinguish between 5 and S. Have just posted a new video on the all new George 2 AM/FM/SSB radio which is worth a look. Happy new year and all the best for 2024. 73's MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup yes it is, I will check out your new video, thanks an all the best for 2024, keep up the nice videos 👍 73 Geurt PD4GB /19CT032
I smashed the subscribe button right after the well placed Dick joke. ROFLMAO.🤣
I checked your channel out and there is some great content listed there, well worth viewers checking it out. I am just as facinated with the equipment in the background as the video topic. I am a recent Bird Thruline convert so if you havent watched my RF Power Meters video then worth a look. I saw 9 Thruline slugs in the background which are not cheap to buy in the EU, I think I was paying about £75 to £120 each for mine second hand. I have a 4314 which is serial 987 so an early one. I don't imaging you get to use that 5000A very often :-). All the best and thanks for commenting. MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup I watched the Bird video, I have made similar video showing PEAK power differences and they are really different then. Your videos have a nice production quality to them sir, great work. Your right I only use the 5000A about 6 times a year. LOL. 73's 𝑺𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 🔔 𝘾𝘽
Danke fur das Video.
Your welcome and thanks for watching
Thank your for the great video. How are the temperature conditions during unmodified operation? Greetings from Germany, 73 de dh6pf
Hi and thanks for watching. The radio is fine under normal operation and seems to manage the heat well. The case is solid mental and used as a heatsink and works well. It does get hot with extended use but nothing to be worried about. All the best, 73's, MJ7NLK
Hi, is there a big differences in audio quality and size vs the Barry 2?
I have a difficulty to choose between the Barry 2 and the Bill 2.
Radio would be used for occasional overlanding communication between cars and double as a emergency communications when shtf.
Would run it out of a gel battery or portable powerbank.
Any recommendations on the more suited radio?
Thanks for the extended reviews.
I would choose the Barry 2 out of the two if your mounting in your car. I have just reviewed the Radioddity CB500 on my channel which is worth consideration and has NRC built in and super easy to modify. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
6110 ? 6290 ? Or the pressident bill ?
What should i buy ?
Good question, AE-6290 vs PB2, hmmm. Both are good radios but I would have to say that out of the two I would pick the PB2. I am not a fan of the RJ45 style microphone plugs which the Albrecht uses, but both are decent units. All the best and thanks for watching.
I came across the RU mode but can't get out of it ...any ideas to get back to multi norm
Hi, I think you can engage RU mode by holding the corner buttons when turning on. I just cant remember what the combination was. Try holding the left two and turning on, also try the same with the PTT button held. If your really stuck let me know and I can break out my Bill 2 and see if I can help. Sorry for the delay in responding, was a little behind on comments. All the best and thanks for watching
Will this mod work on the models sold in the North American markets? Thank you. Found the video very well done and informative.
I am wondering the same as well
Hi Kamaitachi, first of all thanks for watching and for commenting. I do not have any of the FCC approved versions to be able to test them. I am told that the US/NA versions have been restricted and dont have an expanded mode like the EU versions. I think its an FCC requirement but am only going on info supplied by viewers. I do not know if there are PCB differences, component differences or software differences to restrict them or not. A viewer followed my Randy 3 tear down and reported back that the wires to expand were not there but I am unsure if that is the case on all radios. I guess you could try and get hold of an EU version radio but have no idea if there would be problems shipping it into NA. Sorry I could not give you a definitive answer to this. All the best
Just tried on the FCC model, and it does not work, no power increase or special menus.
@@fecheverriaIt worked on mine. I have the FCC model and the factory setting mode upped the watts about a watt and a half.
I seriously doubt they care just as long as its near 4 but you still have those A holes out there blasting thousands of watts saying swear words.
Спасибо за видео!
С Новым годом вас!
Хотел уточнить: это SDR радио?
Hi and thanks for watching and for commenting.
No this is not a software defined radio SDR. You cannot connect this up to a computer. The USB socket is for charging devices and is not an interface allowing SDR software to connect. Happy New Year and all the best.
Привет и спасибо за просмотр и комментарий.
Нет, это не программно определяемое радио SDR. Вы не можете подключить это к компьютеру. Разъем USB предназначен для зарядки устройств и не является интерфейсом, позволяющим подключать программное обеспечение SDR. С Новым годом и всего наилучшего.
Brilliant intro buddy!
Thanks for the feedback and for watching. All the best
How many wattts out put ???
Very informative. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful and thanks for watching. All the best MJ7NLK
You can get even more power out of it. You just need to connect the two contacts right next to the loop that you will cut.
Thanks Dope_Clips, I will check that out when time permits. Usually with President Radios its a 1k resistor that gets soldered in but will check for this. Thanks for sharing and for watching. All the best
I have tried this, what combination are you referring to?
i did enjoy the video good explain! but ask myself if you only move the jumper no cut what happen than?
Generally, moving the jumper only will enable the expanded frequencies but not the increased power. You do get a little more power on some of the radios when just moving the jumper but to enable full power the wire needs to be cut or on some radios moved to a different via. If you just want the expanded frequencies then jumping the jumper will do this. Thanks for the feedback and for watching. All the best MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup thank you for the reply!
Do you have a video for the cobra 19 mini review and expansion
I don't have one sorry. I can't get Cobra radios in my location unless I import them which is expensive. I have seen that radio but don't have one to test. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
Would be nice to have a good portable power for that wee beauty
Wow lovely
What a fantastic review and upgrade/expanding it's capabilitys the doing several tests very thorough imho
Thanks very much 108
Your most welcome and thank you for the feedback. Happy new year to you and all the best for 2024
does the president 2 come with the power mic?
Hi Dave, the Bill 2 comes with the DNC-520 up / down microphone that comes with nearly all President radios. its a good microphone but does feel light and a bit plastic. Never had one fail on me yet. President have come out with a new DIGIMIKE part number ACFD600 which has 5 levels of NRC which might be worth a look. All the best and thanks for watching.
I think it a little bit more over, maybe you have to cross the blue cable like in the Harrison II to get the extra P1 P2 etc in the menu
This radio has been opened more times than my fridge :-) I have tried so many combinations that I can't remember what I have tried. It would be nice to find out how to enable the menus with the high power mode, if that is possible. It's so small that it might not have one. Mind you, its been fun looking for it. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
I'm interested in the FM deviation out of the box and whether you needed to increase it? Many thanks
Hi, deviation was fine out of the box and didnt need any adjustment on my unit. Happy new year and all the best for 2024
Is this much batter thank pni 7120 or not? As the pni costs 65 euros antenna included....the billy boy 145 euros
President make much better radios than PNI in my opinion. The tiny antenna that comes with the PNI is good for cleaning the treads on your boots :-) With anything CB the rule "height is might" comes into play. It doesnt matter what radio you have, if your antenna is poor or badly tuned its not going to work well. A Bill 2 with a nice Wilson 1000 antenna would be the way to go or possibly a K40 antenna.
Thanks for the Info, Cheers
Your most welcome, thanks for watching
wish you would a done two tests one change the plug one clip wire ...all in all the same as all the others???? i like low watt settings..
It is the same as most President radios. The wire enables the higher power mode and the jumper expands the frequencies. If you dont want higher power then just move the jumper. All the best and thanks for commenting. MJ7NLK
Nice video, thanks!
your most welcome, thanks for watching and commenting, all the best MJ7NLK
For modify modulation?
The more recent President radios are SOC and software based. The only way to adjust the modulation is to get into the factory services menu and tweak what settings they make available. Options were AM and AL if memory serves me correctly. I haven't had the Bill 2 out of its box for some time now. All the best and thanks for watching MJ7NLK
Hi thanks for your videos great infomation well presented, if you just cut the wire would this give you the power gain?
Hi, cutting the wire does give a boost in power but to unlock high power mode it needs to be moved. If you cut the wire and then later on decide you want high power mode you will have to use another bit of wire. I have a second video on the channel for the Bill 2 and removing the board to enable high power mode. Happy new year and all the best for 2024
Thanks happy new year to you too, is that the teardown video? And did you end up finding a p2 menu, I'd like to power mod it and dial it back to 4w so I have that extra power if I needed it for let's say emergency use, when the white wire is cut what happens when you turn down the PL I see you have it at 145 what happens if you turn it down to let's say 100 do you still get 15w or does it go down?
So I received mine today, seems the jumper also needs to be jumped and the wire needs to be cut for the extra power and extended mode, seems you don't get any of the extended mode or power without doing both, I gave it a try and turned down PL to 100 and power stays at 15w, such a shame there is not an option to tweak the extended power mode, I guess you could put a little switch on the jumper wire and flick it over when you want more power
Hi Glen, You need to cut the wire and move the jumper to expand the radio and there is another mode to fully expand the radio. PL is power low and relates to the unmodified state. Please let me know how you get on. I have a second video on this so please check it out ua-cam.com/video/yQ1LEJHrPzM/v-deo.html @@glennearnshaw842
Thanks I watched that video on the teardown and you say its not got the p2 menu
are you selling these with all the modifications if so ill take 3,, please let me know the details ,, i have been looking for so long a radio smaller then the 510 pro xl ,
Sorry, I don't sell radios, just have lots of fun playing and reviewing them. The Bill 2 is a little fiddly to mod vs the other radios due to its size. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
#NinjaMoves 🎙️🎙️🎙️
Its like watching a re-run of Karate Kid from the 80's :-) How your supposed to press and hold everything is sometimes a bit of a struggle. Happy new year to you and all the best for 2024
@@NLKMediaGroup likewise to you on the New Years well wishes. Enjoying the channel. Like you my dick is also one of my top 5 favorites amongst the radios I have. 💪😂👍
Can I run a external amp on this cb??
Yes, you can run a burner on the Bill 2. All the best and thanks for watching. MJ7NLK
Would love to see this with a President Thomas
Hi Tony, the President Thomas is the US equivalent of the EU President Barry 2. I have a few videos on the Barry 2 and what its capable of on the channel. However, I think the Thomas does not have the same ability to modify it vs the Barry 2 as most of the US versions have had it removed. I don't know this for sure but that is what other viewers have told me on other radios. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.
@@NLKMediaGroup thanks I figured as much, still enjoy your vids regardless
You can't expand the channels on the Thomas FCC that I know of. If you follow the same instructions for the barry 2 for the hidden menu, you can access the Thomas's hidden menu. I would have the video for the Barry 2 ready to go along with paper and pencil. I wrote down factory settings, and I didn't mess with the settings that I was told to leave alone. I was on a dummy load, so I was not bothing anyone. I was happy to see that the big heat sink is there for a reason. As I was adjusting it, I was being mindful of the heat being generated and watching to see if the power was holding steady. I tried to use those 2 things to determine the right amount of output and life of the electronics. If you play with it I think you will like it even more. I need to consult with someone who knows more than I do to see if a power mic will help boost the modulation to match my voice.
@@roberthoffman4713 thanks 👍
@Tony Sexton I just did mine 3 hour's ago.
It is time that all CB transceivers are based on the PowerSDR standard.
Will this radio do ssb?
No, the Bill 2 does not support SSB. Check out my latest video of the all new George 2 if your interested in a really nice SSB radio. Happy new year and all the best for 2024
LOL... comparing the "Richard"..
It's such a small little radio and when compared to the likes of the Richard or Lincoln 2+ you can really see it. Thanks for watching and all the very best
the designers had the instructions to make it fit in a sigar box.
they succeeded
Its not a very nice radio to take apart due to its size but if you want a compact unit then this is a good choice. They packed lots into it. All the best and thanks for watching
@@NLKMediaGroup I thought the designers had Bill Clinton on their mind and thought let's honor him by making it the size of a sigar box🤔
Sure looks like a midland MXT115.
Hi Greg, there certainly are similarities especially at the back of the radio and the heat sink. The front is completely different but as seen in the teardown that is just two screws to remove. Maybe it was jointly developed or is a stock housing. Thanks for pointing this out, interesting. All the best
@@NLKMediaGroup It was the "Radio Slide Out' that pulled me to the Midland. Strange no other company has use this. As for CB, I really gave it a try. But in my area, it is so dead. Mite try FM/CB someday., Enjoyed the video.
Actually that Richard is still smaller than the likes of a cobra 29 classic, so that bill ll would look like a bug next to something like a galaxy 959 😂😂
Hi Bob, yes the Bill 2 would look like a Coke can sitting next to a beer barrel compared to the Galaxy 959. The electronics are so small in the Bill 2 you need a microscope. All the best and thanks for watching
So you got a what power increase using the service menu? Like half a watt! Lol
If you watch the next video in the series, the Bill 2 tear down, it increase the power output more. There is another power option for this radio on top of the tear down video which enables a high power mode but I havent got around to doing that yet. Similar to the mod in the Harrison 2 video on the channel.
no ssb no want.
Hi Robert, if your after SSB then in the President range your limited to the Mc Kinley for CB or the Lincoln 2+ if you have a HAM license. Both radios are double the price plus but SSB is definately worth spending the extra money for. All the best MJ7NLK
Wow hook a redeo up to a good old American 😅
Who would want a radio that only does am and fm? Who uses FM. No ONE. No usb or lsb or upper or lower channels. Not worth any price to me. thanks.
Hi John, not everyone has the same use-case or wants a full blown SSB radio which costs double the price of a basic unit. FM is used frequently in the EU and UK but has only recently been legalised in North America. If your use-case is long distance coms then certainly a SSB radio is the way to go. All in all I would recommend buying a SSB radio over a DSB radio as most of the action these days is on SSB but for those who just want a cheaper basic vehcile to vehicle setup for the likes of off-roading then a DSB radio is a good option. Thank you for watching and for commenting. All the best MJ7NLK
@@NLKMediaGroup what is dsb? I was into CB and talking skip 30 years ago. I was just asking. I modified my own radios with crystals and jumping certain chips. It was fun back then the late 80's and early 90's. Thanks. 😁
as a newby, the modification is that not giving you the USB and LSB?
Isn't it wonderful that One has choices?
It really does baffle me isn't it time these radios come fitted with quality cooling fans 😳
There is no room in the Bill 2 for a fan but maybe they could use heat pipes. When modified and after prolonged use it does get very hot but have not had any issues so far even if you could cook an egg on the case :-)