Back when I started in radio, (40 years ago) channel 14 was the "kids channel". It was where you first learned to make contacts with others in your age range. When your group grew, you would pick a channel to congregate and free channel 14 for the next generation of "kids".
I remember nets in ch35 in Raleigh.. Mr fred... Moped Honda Kid... Flyswatter.. World Wide Ice Cream,, Road Runner... Maintence Man.. Knew them all... Had a guy sell me a Robyn 240D out of a parts store near Apex...I worked next door at an appliance store working on washing machines... That Radio Talked! Still have it too...
Back in the 70s, my next door neighbor had a Navaho base station. My dad didn't want an antenna on the roof so I was relegated to using a mobile antenna on a piece of steel that was bent to clamp over the window sill in my bedroom. I also only had mobile radios with power converters. I've had a couple of Realistics, but I think the first CB I had was made by a company called Lake.
I like when CBs have the P.A. Selector. I can Moo at the cattle in the fields that I go by. 😂😂👍👍 I'd say Treasure. If it still runs good use it. If not, it can be on a shelf as a display - conversation piece. As for CB Channel 9 - It's No More. All one will hear is skip with spanish comms. Channel 6 is the "Superbowl Channel" where CBers use those "Footwarmers" (Linear Amps) for "Keydowns" (To see who can shut the others down with more power.) There are videos on UA-cam and you can see what RF can do to a cam-corder when someone keys up and starts talking.
You're describing a Messenger One, commonly called a "whiteface Johnson". Five channels, crystal controlled. Johnson's first 23 channel base was the Messenger 223, a legend in its own time.
Here in the Seattle area, we have a Saturday night Net for old radios only - on Channel 16 lower sideband. I have three different SSB radios for that net - a Cobra 139, a Midland mobile 23ch, and a Sears SSB. It's really fun hearing the old radios on the air! I agree that 23 channel radios still have a place in the hobby, because most of the AM traffic is on frequencies they have. Definitely a cost-effective way into the hobby. Thanks for sharing!
When is that net on Saturday nights in Seattle I would like to at least listen it I’ve got my hand technicians license but I think my Internet is horrible! It’s all learning! Thank you!
I meant I think my antenna is horrible sorry text to speech I’m blind and third to change it! So when is that on Saturday nights in Seattle unfrequent see you mentioned of which are going to have to go back! Thank you!
@@chadvandam7179 There is a Net on Channel 16 LSB at 6:30pm Seattle Time - 23ch radios only. At 7pm on Ch40 LSB there is the Puget Sound 11 Meter Sideband Net also!
The problem with those old 23 channel units is not only possible capacitors being bad but also many of them are rock bound (crystal controlled) which introduces a unique problem in itself where the crystals age and change property over time which causes the crystal to drift out of tolerance and the end product is a dead channel or a channel being off frequency.
I have a few of these that I’m going to try to fit a DDS VFO, pop a crystal and inject the signal into the crystal socket. The other thing, is you can get 20MHz crystals cheap and make a transverter for 40m. 7025 is our aussie CW call channel and 7125 is an AM net frequency. They’re on the list of things to play with, but I have a massive repair queue at the moment, the latest being my oscilloscope that died last night.
channel 6 is the "superbowl" powerhouse base stations and mobiles. channel 11 is the AM calling channel. channel 28 is the DX SKIP calling channel. then after that different communities have there own rachet jawing conversation channel 22 in northers New Jersey. 31 in Brooklyn and the Bronx and so on...
I have a 23 ch Midland 13-882B that was made in Oct of 1975, and still works as good as the day my uncle bought it brand new. I had it tuned up and used it till I got a Cobra 25 off Ebay. The off-roaders around here use ch 4 & 16.
They are a radio you can get for near nothing, and can get you on the major AM channels-1,6,9,11,15,19,and 20. They tend to have real quiet recievers. Watch out for any weird wiring bracket systems, or a crusty mic cable. They often have a modulation light which quickly disappeared after 24-40 were added to the band.
I still have a Johnson TelSat crystal tuned 23 channel with vacuum tubes. My family used it for our base station which monitored channel 9 on the Northern California coast. We would act as a relay station between fishermen in distress and the US Coast Guard.
Thank you Eric... I bought my little Pace 144 for only a few dollars, well after 40 channels we're established. Compared to the bigger chassis Cobras, Unidens, etc... The smaller Pace 144 fit in my old Chevy Luv Mikado perfectly. Plus it was just a darn good radio!! Glowing reports were commonly shared from other CBers. As you mentioned, its a very worthy, inexpensive choice for any CBer on a tight budget.
I regularly pick up old 23's and upgrade to 40 using an NCO, shaft encoder, and a PIC. I add in 2 7-seg digits if not already there, and drive them with a pair of 595 shift/latch/drivers.
Great video! I have a small group of 23ch radios. I recently gave my nephew a cobra 139 base. (23ch ssb) we're piecing a base together for him. He's 10 years old, and excited to get into radio. I picked up a super penetrator antenna second hand recently. I was told it worked good. I'm going to get it up and look it over. It more than likely will end up with him. I already have an omni here so a beam is next on my list. On the subject of capacitors. There is a seller on ebay, who sells cap kits. They're from Canada and have kits for many radios. I haven't looked into the cost of their kit vs buying them individually but I'm a simple man. I'd rather give money to the person who put in the work already. I'll end up buying a few kits here eventually. I have a couple Realistic trc-451s, that I'm planning on recapping. All in all.. an old 23 ch is a great start. I typically don't go much higher than 17 on AM unless, I'm running sideband.
I've been collecting and restoring the older radios for many years. I've never had to replace a capacitor in a transistorized radio. I've had a few tube sets go up in smoke but that's just part of the game. If you turn a mobile on and the dial and meter lights work then the radio doesn't have many hours on it. I always begin by opening the covers and spraying the switches and control with a plastic-safe cleaner. DO NOT use brake cleaner! WD40 will work in a pinch. Do this with the power off and disconnected. For a tube radio, remove the tubes one at a time and spray the sockets. Rock the tubes back and forth when you replace them to clean the sockets.
You’ve been lucky. I’ve had old caps go noisy and crappy in old transistor hear from the 70s. Not so much from the 80s unless they are tantrum (tantalum) capacitors that often go short circuit. My old tektronix cro just took a dive last night. Yet another tantrum gone short circuit
I’ve seen people convert old CB radios to work on 80-meter amateur radio, which is the most based of all the ragchew bands. That could breathe new life into an old CB as well.
I still got my grandpas old Midland 23 channel. He had it in his old Pontiac when he traveled. I got a cobra model 29LTD classic in my pick up truck. I work in logging, so when it’s parked, I’ll turn it onto the PA speaker. So if we are out of our equipment and a truck driver calls in that he’s coming in, we can hear him
I still have my 23 from the 60's someplace in the shop.. I run into it now and then and keep wanting to hook it up and see if she still has it! Maybe I will go and dig 'er out now.. Thanks brother..
In 1973, my Dad bought me a Pearce-Simpson Bearcat 23C. The cost was $229 from Bennett Brothers Blue Book wholesale. (A tremendous amount for us back then). I recently bought one in working condition for $10 at an estate sale. The one bad thing about these vintage CB rigs is that they didn't have fold back protection circuitry on TX. If you didn’t run them with a very resonant antenna, or you accidentally transmitted into ground with an unhooked feedline, they were toast. I still enjoy listening to Citizen’s band on my HF Ham transceiver.
Hey Eric we had a 23 channel Gemtronics back in the 70's. Or, my Dad did anyway. I was only 15 or 16 but I do remember Dad griping about "bleedover", he was getting on that radio. It picked up bleedover worse than any other radio he ever had. He traded it for a Pearce Simpson 23 channel and the bleedover wasn't nearly as bad. Pearce Simpson was a great radio Hooked to a large Super Slammer ground plane, 4 long radials, on top of his house. Talked GREAT! Great videos! Keep em coming! The "Groundhog", or "Triple 3", in the Show-me -State. Old 60's and 70's license number KSS-2012
I already said this about a CB radio that I owned. Yes it's a 39 channel not a 23. It's still cool & vintage! I had I owned a 1977 Courier Spartan PLL 40 39 Channel. I paid $30 at a swap meet for it. I never did get it hooked up to my Car Battery I really wanted to. It didn't come with a Mic or Antenna. I liked it & am very sorry to all the CB folk's I didn't know it i was gonna use it ever, so i threw it out Ya I still wish i kept it dang. Please don't hate me for that thank's guy's & gals trucker's & other CBer's. Keep talking on those Sweet Air Waves! If your in the Nanaimo Vancouver Island B.C. Area my Handle is Yamaha Rider if ya wanna talk on CB!
Gemtronix made the coolest base stations back in the day !! Great video Erik 👍 There’s still some super nice clean 23 channel radios out there . Despite the age , I’ve QSO’d with several the last few years and you’d though they were talking on a hi dollar radio !!
Really nice for budget radio for neighborhood watch, fishing campout, etc. You get 9, 14, 19 18 plus local chit chat. Your group can find lots of empty chan for quasi- private use. 73
Worked for a small local (Mom and Pop) CB "provider" when I was in HS (mid '70s). Had a big clientele among boaters. Had a variety of replacement crystals that were outside the normal range. At the time I didn't know they were "illegal", just little things I had to read the numbers off of and stock them. Of course, back then you were "supposed" to have an FCC license for CB. I had one of the last ###.#### in my area. KRK-###7 BTW channel 14 was the standard one for all the cheap walkie talkies at the time. And as it happened was the "local" channel here! 🤣
You guys may be able to answer a question that I've had for some time. I'm trying to figure out when I started using the CB. My dad gave me a used Fieldmaster 23. I don't know the model number, but I still have it. Because of my age he had to get a FCC license in his name and I was supposed to use it. So, here's where you may be able to solve this. Everyone I've read that talks about their old license number has 7 digits. His has 8. I was next to him as he read it off the FCC letter and typed it out on a label maker. He stuck it to the top of the radio and it's still there to this day. So, do you know what year it switched to 8 digits? His starts with KBEM.
Thank you for your channel, I'm just getting into the hobby and have alot to learn. Just picked up an sbe console 2 ssb, but has been modified for 40 channel with a 40 channel dial And extra crystals.
There was a guy on Craig's list that had 2 cobra 29s for sale. One was an old 23 channel model. I bought them both just because the older one is a neat piece of the old days.
Recently came across two Sharp brand 23 channel radios in my shop I had forgotten about. Both very bare bones. Neither seemed to work, although I am in the process of setting up a base antenna and may try them again later. You also mentioned Gemtronics. I have a Gemtronics GTX-5000 40 channel transceiver base CB that has tubes. Picked up for 10 bucks along with a couple Astatic D-104s. It had worked in the past, but not on recent test. Trying to figure out the base antenna! Appreciate you videos as they are very helpful to me in setting things up!
When I got goign in the early 90's, my local channel for some reason was channel 19. We had several people with 23 channel radiso and I being a kid at the time, got what I coudl with pocket change and the radios in my parents' cars, my father worked in Boston so liked to listen on his way in, the mobiles I used were dirt cheap 23 channel radios. If you find one in good shape, there's nothign wrong with that now. I miss those days, there's no one left in my area unfortunately, I don't know if any are still active but not living around my area or if they all went out but we had probably a couple hundred people if you figure in the part timers and the nightly people, I find it hard to think me and one other person are the only ones left.
i dont have anything too impressive but I do have 2 exceptional mobile radios, sporting SSB and I use then with a FREQ-SHIFTER to listen to HAM 14 MHZ and 7 MHZ.. The sound is awesome and clear and non-digital..
Great video. My first CB I purchased was a Realistic TRC-10 "Mini-Six" back in 1975 back when you had to apply for a FCC license to operate a CB. Later I upgraded to a Pace 123A which was a great operator. I tried a Pace 144 in my pickup, but it never seemed to perform as well as the 123A, as far as distance. Later I got a Pace 2300C 40 channel. Went from a 102" whip to a set of duel mirror mounts. Wish I had kept them. Let them all go during the late 80's. Mid 90's bought a Cobra and put in my pickup, but not many people around my are use them now.
I remember using old Midland crystal tube sets at a college I worked at back in 1970, and they did the job for our security patrols and maintenance departments!
Lol I'm still running a tube Raytheon Ray-tel TRW-2 with 5 channels. Same goes for a Hallicrafters CB-3A and CB-7. Back in the 90's if we wern't on sideband we were all at 23 or below most of the time. I think part of this was there were a lot of us running yard sale 23 channel sets. 11 has always been my standby channel since the mid 90's
I have my dads 23 channel midland mobile radio and I there 23 channel SBE Trinidad base station. The dial had a pa spot I think and they were able to add one more channel that activated on the pa spot. If you don't have a 40 channel they are better than nothing for sure. Back in the day cell service was very sketchy and it was nice to call and ask someone to call someone to help you.
Gemtronic's was big in the Marine Band radio market. Their CB radios were great. I had a mobile and tube type base Gemtronic's radios. Both were great performers. Built like a tank.
Love the old 23 channel radios! I am a Pace Collector...Something about them is just cool, I mean the Bandit and Snowman had Pace cb's...can't get cooler than that!
@@FarpointFarms bandit had the Pace 166 paired with the Pace 10-4H/10-4U scanner, I believe Snowman had the Pace sidetalk1000m...in the bar fight scene where Snowman gets beat up, I believe there's a Pace 76 base station behind the bar...
I still have and use my 23 ch Browning Brownie, it's a talker! And still use an old Midland, excellent radio! I have an old Johnson base but it needs work. Really enjoy the video's Eric!
Eric, I have been watching many YT videos with people using CB’s. I hear that they are using a three digit number to identify themselves. What is this? When I first started using CB’s in the late 60’s, I had a CB license (KIT4492) and we all used “Handles”, or a nickname to identify yourself (Snowman, you got your ears on? This is the Bandit).
I've got a few old radios. > Cobra 139 GTL Base AM/SSB > Cobra CAM 89 Base AM > Cobra 138 GTL AM/SSB Mobile > Siltronics Cherokee AM/SSB Mobile > Royce AM mobile > Fourier AM mobile/base.
If the crystals (even in the oscillators) haven't degraded and changed frequency, then yes an older 23 channel radio can be very useful. Most of the latter year models were PLL synthesized but there is still a master oscillator crystal. If that has stayed in spec with aging, then the radio should be ok to use. I have an old Browning golden Eagle MKII and most of the crystals have gone off frequency. They are not worth replacing because of cost and even availability. Hopefully, any radio people buy used hasn't been mollyhawked by the "Golden Screwdriver" and put way out of spec.
Hi Eric! Found this video, and it got my attention because I have an old Cobra 29LTD that if my memory serves me right I bought in the early 1970's. Around 1975 I think. It's just been traveling from place to place with me. I have not used it since 1977. I can't seem to find anything on the radio on the web as it is the non-classic model. Any tips on where I can find more info on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW great video.
The nice thing about 23 channel radios is that they're the lowest common denominator. They're not the ideal radio compared to a 40 channel with SSB, but any radio out there can talk to one of these radios. That's the benefit. And it's not like you run out of open channels these days.
My father had passed a few years ago and was going through some boxes the other day( been puttin that off for awhile) but came across a box of his cb radios! Two cobras that look to be almost new, a 25 and 19 plus. a Realistic mini twenty three that is basic but knda cool looking and the one i remembered from a long forgotten memory a Robyn wv-23. Idk why that one stuck out as a child but it did. Idk if its a good radio or not but for some reason as a kid i thought it was the coolest thing around!
Be sure all the 23 channels are there if really old with 1 or even 2 crystals needed for each channel. Nice vid channel you have. On PA; your kids are paddling a canoe out in lake and food is ready. They don' t hear xyl (wife) yell. PA with good external spker solves it.
Back in the 80s I had an Icom 22S 2 meter rig stolen from my car. The 22s was channelized with a 22 channel switch. I think the thief thought he was getting a 23 channel CB.
This is a very timely video! I was just "gifted by the universe" a Robyn T123B 23 Channel radio. It powers up and briefly receives and then fades out. As soon as I figure out what tubes need to be replaced, I am going to be having fun trying to use it as part of my base station set-up. BTW, if you have any suggestions to check about why it receives and then fades, I would be interested in hearing them. Take care.
I wouldn’t immediately suspect the tubes being the problem, tho it is possible. I’d check the power supply voltages, it’s possible one of the circuits has a paper capacitor leaking and a slower warming tube causes a delayed heavy voltage draw-down silencing the receive. *shrug* good luck with it.
X2 on checking the voltages. Be careful around the main filter caps as theres 350 or more volts in there, and if you touch it you'll dance. All the tube gear I run has mostly ceramic caps and only a few wax / paper caps. The ceramic caps are likely all good. Check the tube sockets and wiggle the tubes around it could be a bad connection at a tube pin. You could buy a full set of tubes if you're planning on keeping it then you can set them by substitution if you don't know anyone with a tester.
Thanks for the trip down memory lain. My grandfather once had a CB in his car that was an all in one AM/FM radio and CB. Not sure if it was 23 or 40 channels, but I thought it was a neat radio. It had the old style of push button tuning from the early 80’s and the buttons themselves lit up green. The car he had this unit in was a take home police car from work that was unmarked, and he had that car from 1982 through 1986. Out of all his cars he had over the years this one was my favorite. Does anyone know what model of CB I may be talking about?
Some vehicles back in the day offered factory CB radios that used the AM/FM radio antenna as the transmitting antenna. Don’t know what the car was so I can’t say more
@@tylerdean980 I was just a child, so I couldn’t tell you. I know that when he got this car and radio I asked about setting up in the house but he said he couldn’t as it was all built in the dash. Later in college, I worked at the repair shop that outfitted police cars with all of the gear and it’s unbelievable on the amount of wiring, and the ways you can take the car a part in general. That car may hav been a ford, but am not sure on what the city gave him, and what model of car it was. For a time, when you transmitted all that would go out on the air was a carrier, and I couldn’t tell you if my grandfather got that fixed or not.
@@jeffk7734 amc Ambassador wus used by a lot of police department N thay had cb- am fm for years My dad work at amc my mom concord dl had one in it Be for that we had a Ambassador With one in it the mike thay were a bit different as concord mike plugged in under the dash n the ambassador plugged in from of the radio I think I still have one out the shop thay were in jeeps to I know I have one the stock amc antennas for cb n fm that for a cj 73 n good d's
1978 Cadillac Seville available option in dash am/fm/cb radio. On my 1979 Honda I have a am/fm/cassette with cb radio. The cb operation is all on the microphone, that plugs into the rear of the unit, so that the cb can be removed and put away. The cb uses separate metal antenna mounted on the full fairing, ground to the motorcycle frame.
the absolute BEST 23 channel CB to ever exist was the Motorola Mocat. that is not an opinion, that is objective fact. wanna fight about it? you will lose.
now they want a fortune for them as "collectors items" 100 and up I am a ham operator but started out on cb with a lafayette comstat 25 B crystal tuned to 25 watts back in the late 60s and early 70s I could talk to a friend in Italy with no problem using a s
Channel 19 locally still remains the trash mouth channel. Some of these can be modified to 10 meters and I have seen a few made into 6 meters. Some folks like using these with "sliders" for frequencies. REACT (Channel 9) is still rarely still monitored, so I would not call it out just yet.
I still have a few 23 channel CB's floating around, a Cobra 26 (black face), a sister to that one, a Cobra 29X (silver face), not the 29A with the TX and RX lights, and a Sharp CB-800 with an LED display. I'll hook up the Cobra 26 in the car once in a while when I'm feeling nostalgic. Most have never heard of or seen a Cobra 26.
Radio will save lives in the future I believe, particularly the non solid state type as they apparently won’t be affected by substantial solar flare or electro magnetic pulses that could maybe be ahead. I’m getting off topic, sorry, just responding to the title of this video.
it is a good topic to go off on, solar flares are no joke- Look at the Carrington Event in the 1800's- I could only imagine what it would do to us today
Hi I know it's out of topic, but may I ask the title of the song you always play in your introduction. Been watching (also a subscriber) of your program for quite some time especially topics about cb and short wave. Thanks
@@Captain1717Q On the normal 40 U.S. channels, USB generally is not used. Get up into the Freeband and you'll hear foreign-language stations on USB. The ham radio convention is LSB below 10 mhz, USB above.
The really old 23 channel radios had more power. The FCC changed the rules becuse Cb radios were interfering with over air analog tv signals, then later on cordless phones. Now tv is ditigtal it wouldn't make as big a difference Ecpt the bandwidth is used by telecomucations.
Is there anything on the market that will allow me to listen to the CB on the highway without the exterior antenna. I dont even want to talk just listen in ?
Back when I started in radio, (40 years ago) channel 14 was the "kids channel". It was where you first learned to make contacts with others in your age range. When your group grew, you would pick a channel to congregate and free channel 14 for the next generation of "kids".
I remember nets in ch35 in Raleigh.. Mr fred... Moped Honda Kid... Flyswatter.. World Wide Ice Cream,, Road Runner...
Maintence Man.. Knew them all... Had a guy sell me a Robyn 240D out of a parts store near Apex...I worked next door at an appliance store working on washing machines... That Radio Talked!
Still have it too...
Back in the 70s, my next door neighbor had a Navaho base station. My dad didn't want an antenna on the roof so I was relegated to using a mobile antenna on a piece of steel that was bent to clamp over the window sill in my bedroom. I also only had mobile radios with power converters. I've had a couple of Realistics, but I think the first CB I had was made by a company called Lake.
my dad has a 40-channel Lake CB that I'm working on restoring for him. Decent little unit!
I like when CBs have the P.A. Selector. I can Moo at the cattle in the fields that I go by. 😂😂👍👍 I'd say Treasure. If it still runs good use it. If not, it can be on a shelf as a display - conversation piece. As for CB Channel 9 - It's No More. All one will hear is skip with spanish comms. Channel 6 is the "Superbowl Channel" where CBers use those "Footwarmers" (Linear Amps) for "Keydowns" (To see who can shut the others down with more power.) There are videos on UA-cam and you can see what RF can do to a cam-corder when someone keys up and starts talking.
I started with a Johnson Messenger 23 ch.Just a gray box,with a volume,squelch dials.
You're describing a Messenger One, commonly called a "whiteface Johnson". Five channels, crystal controlled. Johnson's first 23 channel base was the Messenger 223, a legend in its own time.
I still use my Royce 23 ch ssb radio in my workshop. Made a contact in Rochester NY this morning in fact.
Cheers!
Here in the Seattle area, we have a Saturday night Net for old radios only - on Channel 16 lower sideband. I have three different SSB radios for that net - a Cobra 139, a Midland mobile 23ch, and a Sears SSB. It's really fun hearing the old radios on the air!
I agree that 23 channel radios still have a place in the hobby, because most of the AM traffic is on frequencies they have. Definitely a cost-effective way into the hobby. Thanks for sharing!
When is that net on Saturday nights in Seattle I would like to at least listen it I’ve got my hand technicians license but I think my Internet is horrible! It’s all learning! Thank you!
I meant I think my antenna is horrible sorry text to speech I’m blind and third to change it! So when is that on Saturday nights in Seattle unfrequent see you mentioned of which are going to have to go back! Thank you!
That's pretty awesome you have a net in Seattle! I need to get my CB out and see what's going on here in Portland!
@@chadvandam7179 There is a Net on Channel 16 LSB at 6:30pm Seattle Time - 23ch radios only. At 7pm on Ch40 LSB there is the Puget Sound 11 Meter Sideband Net also!
The old 23's are great for "sharpening your claws" on some basic repairs.
The problem with those old 23 channel units is not only possible capacitors being bad but also many of them are rock bound (crystal controlled) which introduces a unique problem in itself where the crystals age and change property over time which causes the crystal to drift out of tolerance and the end product is a dead channel or a channel being off frequency.
Yes, Crystals will physically grow over time. Requiring them to be trimmed to frequency again, but those particular ones cant be recalibrated.
That's the fun of it
I have a few of these that I’m going to try to fit a DDS VFO, pop a crystal and inject the signal into the crystal socket.
The other thing, is you can get 20MHz crystals cheap and make a transverter for 40m. 7025 is our aussie CW call channel and 7125 is an AM net frequency.
They’re on the list of things to play with, but I have a massive repair queue at the moment, the latest being my oscilloscope that died last night.
channel 6 is the "superbowl" powerhouse base stations and mobiles. channel 11 is the AM calling channel. channel 28 is the DX SKIP calling channel. then after that different communities have there own rachet jawing conversation channel 22 in northers New Jersey. 31 in Brooklyn and the Bronx and so on...
I have a 23 ch Midland 13-882B that was made in Oct of 1975, and still works as good as the day my uncle bought it brand new. I had it tuned up and used it till I got a Cobra 25 off Ebay. The off-roaders around here use ch 4 & 16.
They are a radio you can get for near nothing, and can get you on the major AM channels-1,6,9,11,15,19,and 20.
They tend to have real quiet recievers.
Watch out for any weird wiring bracket systems, or a crusty mic cable.
They often have a modulation light which quickly disappeared after 24-40 were added to the band.
I still have a Johnson TelSat crystal tuned 23 channel with vacuum tubes. My family used it for our base station which monitored channel 9 on the Northern California coast. We would act as a relay station between fishermen in distress and the US Coast Guard.
Thank you Eric... I bought my little Pace 144 for only a few dollars, well after 40 channels we're established.
Compared to the bigger chassis Cobras, Unidens, etc... The smaller Pace 144 fit in my old Chevy Luv Mikado perfectly. Plus it was just a darn good radio!!
Glowing reports were commonly shared from other CBers.
As you mentioned, its a very worthy, inexpensive choice for any CBer on a tight budget.
I had a 23 channel Teabeary radio in the 70's, was really proud of it but someone stole it out my car!! live and learn!!
My 1st CB was a 23 channel Teaberry T Charlie One from the 70's. Great radio. It got stolen out of my car too!!!!
I regularly pick up old 23's and upgrade to 40 using an NCO, shaft encoder, and a PIC. I add in 2 7-seg digits if not already there, and drive them with a pair of 595 shift/latch/drivers.
Great video! I have a small group of 23ch radios. I recently gave my nephew a cobra 139 base. (23ch ssb) we're piecing a base together for him. He's 10 years old, and excited to get into radio. I picked up a super penetrator antenna second hand recently. I was told it worked good. I'm going to get it up and look it over. It more than likely will end up with him. I already have an omni here so a beam is next on my list.
On the subject of capacitors. There is a seller on ebay, who sells cap kits. They're from Canada and have kits for many radios. I haven't looked into the cost of their kit vs buying them individually but I'm a simple man. I'd rather give money to the person who put in the work already. I'll end up buying a few kits here eventually. I have a couple Realistic trc-451s, that I'm planning on recapping.
All in all.. an old 23 ch is a great start. I typically don't go much higher than 17 on AM unless, I'm running sideband.
I've been collecting and restoring the older radios for many years. I've never had to replace a capacitor in a transistorized radio. I've had a few tube sets go up in smoke but that's just part of the game.
If you turn a mobile on and the dial and meter lights work then the radio doesn't have many hours on it.
I always begin by opening the covers and spraying the switches and control with a plastic-safe cleaner. DO NOT use brake cleaner! WD40 will work in a pinch. Do this with the power off and disconnected.
For a tube radio, remove the tubes one at a time and spray the sockets. Rock the tubes back and forth when you replace them to clean the sockets.
You’ve been lucky. I’ve had old caps go noisy and crappy in old transistor hear from the 70s. Not so much from the 80s unless they are tantrum (tantalum) capacitors that often go short circuit.
My old tektronix cro just took a dive last night. Yet another tantrum gone short circuit
First CB radio I ever seen was in 1976. My dad bought a 23 channel Hygain. Every channel was crowded with operators.
ah the good old days where every one was on them
I’ve seen people convert old CB radios to work on 80-meter amateur radio, which is the most based of all the ragchew bands. That could breathe new life into an old CB as well.
I still have my Cobra 21, 23 channel rig I bought 40 years ago. Haven't used it in a while, but will never let it go. :)
I have a mint condition 23 channel cobra 29 classic that I play around with sometimes. It’s stock but I use it when I want to talk barefoot.
I just recently inherited my fathers radios. Most are 23 channel. One Midland SSB, and 2 Lafyette mobiles.. An old Johnson and a citifone base units..
I got some 23 channel radios
I still got my grandpas old Midland 23 channel. He had it in his old Pontiac when he traveled. I got a cobra model 29LTD classic in my pick up truck. I work in logging, so when it’s parked, I’ll turn it onto the PA speaker. So if we are out of our equipment and a truck driver calls in that he’s coming in, we can hear him
I still have my 23 from the 60's someplace in the shop.. I run into it now and then and keep wanting to hook it up and see if she still has it! Maybe I will go and dig 'er out now.. Thanks brother..
Excellent! Still got my TRC-52 I bought at a swap meet in '86.
I enjoy your vids, Eric! Looking forward to meeting you at Shelby, 2022. I’ll be wearing a call sign badge.
In 1973, my Dad bought me a Pearce-Simpson Bearcat 23C. The cost was $229 from Bennett Brothers Blue Book wholesale. (A tremendous amount for us back then). I recently bought one in working condition for $10 at an estate sale.
The one bad thing about these vintage CB rigs is that they didn't have fold back protection circuitry on TX. If you didn’t run them with a very resonant antenna, or you accidentally transmitted into ground with an unhooked feedline, they were toast.
I still enjoy listening to Citizen’s band on my HF Ham transceiver.
Hey Eric we had a 23 channel Gemtronics back in the 70's. Or, my Dad did anyway.
I was only 15 or 16 but I do remember Dad griping about "bleedover", he was getting on that radio.
It picked up bleedover worse than any other radio he ever had. He traded it for a Pearce Simpson 23 channel
and the bleedover wasn't nearly as bad. Pearce Simpson was a great radio
Hooked to a large Super Slammer ground plane, 4 long radials, on top of his house. Talked GREAT!
Great videos! Keep em coming!
The "Groundhog", or "Triple 3", in the Show-me -State. Old 60's and 70's license number KSS-2012
I have a 1975 midland 23 channel .
With built in upper and lower bands. It works great ,bought at flea market for $5.00. Really has great range
great flea market price for sure-
My friends dad had a stack of 23 channel cb's when I was a kid. The local channel moved around from 13 to 16 etc but fun days with those things
I already said this about a CB radio that I owned. Yes it's a 39 channel not a 23. It's still cool & vintage! I had I owned a 1977 Courier Spartan PLL 40 39 Channel. I paid $30 at a swap meet for it. I never did get it hooked up to my Car Battery I really wanted to. It didn't come with a Mic or Antenna. I liked it & am very sorry to all the CB folk's I didn't know it i was gonna use it ever, so i threw it out Ya I still wish i kept it dang. Please don't hate me for that thank's guy's & gals trucker's & other CBer's. Keep talking on those Sweet Air Waves! If your in the Nanaimo Vancouver Island B.C. Area my Handle is Yamaha Rider if ya wanna talk on CB!
I drive dump truck and we use 19 all the time and at a selected pit, quarry we 31,23,27,3,5 depends on what pit, hot top plant or quarry u at
After watching a few of your videos, I found a TRC-465 SSB CB for practically nothing. Amazing values out there!
I used my PA function at Scout Campouts and some other outdoor functions to make announcements or call to assemble for some purpose.
Gemtronix made the coolest base stations back in the day !! Great video Erik 👍 There’s still some super nice clean 23 channel radios out there . Despite the age , I’ve QSO’d with several the last few years and you’d though they were talking on a hi dollar radio !!
Really nice for budget radio for neighborhood watch, fishing campout, etc. You get 9, 14, 19 18 plus local chit chat. Your group can find lots of empty chan for quasi- private use. 73
Agreed. They are a good bargain.
Still have a Radio Shack 23 channel that works wonderful and still like to listen to it often !
Worked for a small local (Mom and Pop) CB "provider" when I was in HS (mid '70s). Had a big clientele among boaters. Had a variety of replacement crystals that were outside the normal range. At the time I didn't know they were "illegal", just little things I had to read the numbers off of and stock them. Of course, back then you were "supposed" to have an FCC license for CB. I had one of the last ###.#### in my area. KRK-###7
BTW channel 14 was the standard one for all the cheap walkie talkies at the time. And as it happened was the "local" channel here! 🤣
Lol i still remember my fcc license call numbers too😆 been a long time since i used it
You guys may be able to answer a question that I've had for some time. I'm trying to figure out when I started using the CB. My dad gave me a used Fieldmaster 23. I don't know the model number, but I still have it. Because of my age he had to get a FCC license in his name and I was supposed to use it. So, here's where you may be able to solve this. Everyone I've read that talks about their old license number has 7 digits. His has 8. I was next to him as he read it off the FCC letter and typed it out on a label maker. He stuck it to the top of the radio and it's still there to this day. So, do you know what year it switched to 8 digits? His starts with KBEM.
I have two old 23 channel . One is. Radio Shack and the other is a Pace
Even though I am a HAM radio operator, I still love a CB !
Same this way I've been on the CB since 1978 am still on CB now and am Ham operator it hard to kill the old habit.
I've been on CB since 1970, ham since 1980. I started collecting because people were giving me radios they planned to throw away.
back in the day ch 14 was the walkie talkie channel
My first radio was a Kris23xl with a Turner+2 Power Mic. It had been modified, coupled to a 102 inch steel whip, it was a monster!
102 whip! That will make any radio shine!!
I've got an old Robyn T-123b tuber CB that works just fine, receives good and transmits good as well.
I worked for pace when I was much younger…
Had my share of 23 channel radios.
Awe, how cool was that.
Thank you for your channel, I'm just getting into the hobby and have alot to learn.
Just picked up an sbe console 2 ssb, but has been modified for 40 channel with a 40 channel dial And extra crystals.
There was a guy on Craig's list that had 2 cobra 29s for sale. One was an old 23 channel model. I bought them both just because the older one is a neat piece of the old days.
Those old 29's are classics!
Recently came across two Sharp brand 23 channel radios in my shop I had forgotten about. Both very bare bones. Neither seemed to work, although I am in the process of setting up a base antenna and may try them again later. You also mentioned Gemtronics. I have a Gemtronics GTX-5000 40 channel transceiver base CB that has tubes. Picked up for 10 bucks along with a couple Astatic D-104s. It had worked in the past, but not on recent test. Trying to figure out the base antenna! Appreciate you videos as they are very helpful to me in setting things up!
Love the old radios from the late 70's!
I have an old Royce 230...it lives in my daily driver pickup wired to the key...has outlived several 29's and 78's...
When I got goign in the early 90's, my local channel for some reason was channel 19. We had several people with 23 channel radiso and I being a kid at the time, got what I coudl with pocket change and the radios in my parents' cars, my father worked in Boston so liked to listen on his way in, the mobiles I used were dirt cheap 23 channel radios. If you find one in good shape, there's nothign wrong with that now. I miss those days, there's no one left in my area unfortunately, I don't know if any are still active but not living around my area or if they all went out but we had probably a couple hundred people if you figure in the part timers and the nightly people, I find it hard to think me and one other person are the only ones left.
Gemtronics came out with a tube type 23 channel base station. Man that radio was sweet. I wish I had one.
Very cool. This was a brand I had not heard of until I picked this up.
i dont have anything too impressive but I do have 2 exceptional mobile radios, sporting SSB and I use then with a FREQ-SHIFTER to listen to HAM 14 MHZ and 7 MHZ.. The sound is awesome and clear and non-digital..
Great video. My first CB I purchased was a Realistic TRC-10 "Mini-Six" back in 1975 back when you had to apply for a FCC license to operate a CB. Later I upgraded to a Pace 123A which was a great operator. I tried a Pace 144 in my pickup, but it never seemed to perform as well as the 123A, as far as distance. Later I got a Pace 2300C 40 channel. Went from a 102" whip to a set of duel mirror mounts. Wish I had kept them. Let them all go during the late 80's. Mid 90's bought a Cobra and put in my pickup, but not many people around my are use them now.
I remember using old Midland crystal tube sets at a college I worked at back in 1970, and they did the job for our security patrols and maintenance departments!
Lol I'm still running a tube Raytheon Ray-tel TRW-2 with 5 channels. Same goes for a Hallicrafters CB-3A and CB-7.
Back in the 90's if we wern't on sideband we were all at 23 or below most of the time. I think part of this was there were a lot of us running yard sale 23 channel sets.
11 has always been my standby channel since the mid 90's
23 channel radios still make great setups. The vintage units you are running likely work better than some of the new stuff!
I love seeing your cb & your SW radio videos. You always wear cool t shirts. I noticed your Midland shirt. That was really cool.
Thanks!
I have my dads 23 channel midland mobile radio and I there 23 channel SBE Trinidad base station. The dial had a pa spot I think and they were able to add one more channel that activated on the pa spot. If you don't have a 40 channel they are better than nothing for sure. Back in the day cell service was very sketchy and it was nice to call and ask someone to call someone to help you.
My favorite 23 was a Surveryor (not sure of model #) which has a tunable pot inside for the power output.
Those are some vintage radios.
@@FarpointFarms If I could find one working, I'd buy it in a minute. That thing would blast out a solid signal every time.
Gemtronic's was big in the Marine Band radio market. Their CB radios were great. I had a mobile and tube type base Gemtronic's radios. Both were great performers. Built like a tank.
Love the old 23 channel radios! I am a Pace Collector...Something about them is just cool, I mean the Bandit and Snowman had Pace cb's...can't get cooler than that!
I forgot! Yup That movie was heavy on Pace radios.
@@FarpointFarms bandit had the Pace 166 paired with the Pace 10-4H/10-4U scanner, I believe Snowman had the Pace sidetalk1000m...in the bar fight scene where Snowman gets beat up, I believe there's a Pace 76 base station behind the bar...
I still have and use my 23 ch Browning Brownie, it's a talker! And still use an old Midland, excellent radio! I have an old Johnson base but it needs work. Really enjoy the video's Eric!
They go a long way we still use them 🤠
Eric, I have been watching many YT videos with people using CB’s. I hear that they are using a three digit number to identify themselves. What is this? When I first started using CB’s in the late 60’s, I had a CB license (KIT4492) and we all used “Handles”, or a nickname to identify yourself (Snowman, you got your ears on? This is the Bandit).
those are their "dx" long distance call numbers for identification when talking "skip" across country or around the world
I've got a few old radios.
> Cobra 139 GTL Base AM/SSB
> Cobra CAM 89 Base AM
> Cobra 138 GTL AM/SSB Mobile
> Siltronics Cherokee AM/SSB Mobile
> Royce AM mobile
> Fourier AM mobile/base.
Those sound like some oldies but goodies.
Love the shack setup 73
If the crystals (even in the oscillators) haven't degraded and changed frequency, then yes an older 23 channel radio can be very useful.
Most of the latter year models were PLL synthesized but there is still a master oscillator crystal. If that has stayed in spec with aging, then the radio should be ok to use.
I have an old Browning golden Eagle MKII and most of the crystals have gone off frequency. They are not worth replacing because of cost and even availability.
Hopefully, any radio people buy used hasn't been mollyhawked by the "Golden Screwdriver" and put way out of spec.
Delta Tune is on all modern Cobra 29 radios. Had a 29LTD Chome that had it, I traded it for a Galaxy DX959 with an echo board
Great video ! I just cant pass up a good old 23 channel cb radio. They are too good of a bargain. Love my Realistic TRC-47 ssb. Great radio !
Right on!
Hi Eric! Found this video, and it got my attention because I have an old Cobra 29LTD that if my memory serves me right I bought in the early 1970's. Around 1975 I think. It's just been traveling from place to place with me. I have not used it since 1977. I can't seem to find anything on the radio on the web as it is the non-classic model. Any tips on where I can find more info on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW great video.
Nicely Done, Eric! I picked up a Midland 13-895 recently and did a video on it. 73's, 311 Northern Indiana.
thanks, keep making the videos!
The nice thing about 23 channel radios is that they're the lowest common denominator. They're not the ideal radio compared to a 40 channel with SSB, but any radio out there can talk to one of these radios. That's the benefit. And it's not like you run out of open channels these days.
Nice to see a gem tronics....I bought my in early 90s from my cousin.....they seem to be unusual/Hans umeå sweden
Good channel mate keep the CB going, you guys should be hitting the south uk very soon with Autumn falling.
CT3969 listening...
My father had passed a few years ago and was going through some boxes the other day( been puttin that off for awhile) but came across a box of his cb radios! Two cobras that look to be almost new, a 25 and 19 plus. a Realistic mini twenty three that is basic but knda cool looking and the one i remembered from a long forgotten memory a Robyn wv-23. Idk why that one stuck out as a child but it did. Idk if its a good radio or not but for some reason as a kid i thought it was the coolest thing around!
They are still great radios. Enjoy them and who knows, maybe you'll pass them on someday.
Be sure all the 23 channels are there if really old with 1 or even 2 crystals needed for each channel. Nice vid channel you have. On PA; your kids are paddling a canoe out in lake and food is ready. They don' t hear xyl (wife) yell. PA with good external spker solves it.
Thanks for the tip!
I have a Cobra cam 89 sweetheart of a 23 channel. ❤️👍
Back in the 80s I had an Icom 22S 2 meter rig stolen from my car. The 22s was channelized with a 22 channel switch. I think the thief thought he was getting a 23 channel CB.
This is a very timely video! I was just "gifted by the universe" a Robyn T123B 23 Channel radio. It powers up and briefly receives and then fades out. As soon as I figure out what tubes need to be replaced, I am going to be having fun trying to use it as part of my base station set-up. BTW, if you have any suggestions to check about why it receives and then fades, I would be interested in hearing them. Take care.
I wouldn’t immediately suspect the tubes being the problem, tho it is possible. I’d check the power supply voltages, it’s possible one of the circuits has a paper capacitor leaking and a slower warming tube causes a delayed heavy voltage draw-down silencing the receive. *shrug* good luck with it.
X2 on checking the voltages. Be careful around the main filter caps as theres 350 or more volts in there, and if you touch it you'll dance.
All the tube gear I run has mostly ceramic caps and only a few wax / paper caps. The ceramic caps are likely all good.
Check the tube sockets and wiggle the tubes around it could be a bad connection at a tube pin. You could buy a full set of tubes if you're planning on keeping it then you can set them by substitution if you don't know anyone with a tester.
35 is the local channel for Raleigh? Never knew that, I'm 30 minutes east in Nash County. Thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for the trip down memory lain. My grandfather once had a CB in his car that was an all in one AM/FM radio and CB. Not sure if it was 23 or 40 channels, but I thought it was a neat radio. It had the old style of push button tuning from the early 80’s and the buttons themselves lit up green. The car he had this unit in was a take home police car from work that was unmarked, and he had that car from 1982 through 1986. Out of all his cars he had over the years this one was my favorite. Does anyone know what model of CB I may be talking about?
Some vehicles back in the day offered factory CB radios that used the AM/FM radio antenna as the transmitting antenna. Don’t know what the car was so I can’t say more
@@tylerdean980 I was just a child, so I couldn’t tell you. I know that when he got this car and radio I asked about setting up in the house but he said he couldn’t as it was all built in the dash. Later in college, I worked at the repair shop that outfitted police cars with all of the gear and it’s unbelievable on the amount of wiring, and the ways you can take the car a part in general. That car may hav been a ford, but am not sure on what the city gave him, and what model of car it was. For a time, when you transmitted all that would go out on the air was a carrier, and I couldn’t tell you if my grandfather got that fixed or not.
@@jeffk7734 amc Ambassador wus used by a lot of police department
N thay had cb- am fm for years
My dad work at amc my mom concord dl had one in it
Be for that we had a Ambassador
With one in it the mike thay were a bit different as concord mike plugged in under the dash n the ambassador plugged in from of the radio I think I still have one out the shop thay were in jeeps to I know I have one the stock amc antennas for cb n fm that for a cj
73 n good d's
1978 Cadillac Seville available option in dash am/fm/cb radio.
On my 1979 Honda I have a am/fm/cassette with cb radio. The cb operation is all on the microphone, that plugs into the rear of the unit, so that the cb can be removed and put away. The cb uses separate metal antenna mounted on the full fairing, ground to the motorcycle frame.
the absolute BEST 23 channel CB to ever exist was the Motorola Mocat. that is not an opinion, that is objective fact. wanna fight about it? you will lose.
Believe it or not I have found over 40 CB radio's at my city dump, Shortwave all kinds of models.
Wow! That's crazy. I hope you are keeping them! I'd hate to think of all those going to the dump.
@@FarpointFarms Believe Me there not going anywhere.
now they want a fortune for them as "collectors items" 100 and up I am a ham operator but started out on cb with a lafayette comstat 25 B crystal tuned to 25 watts back in the late 60s and early 70s I could talk to a friend in Italy with no problem using a s
Nice blast to the past
Channel 19 locally still remains the trash mouth channel. Some of these can be modified to 10 meters and I have seen a few made into 6 meters. Some folks like using these with "sliders" for frequencies. REACT (Channel 9) is still rarely still monitored, so I would not call it out just yet.
Another plus is 0ut of the box 23 channel radios have 1 more watt of output power than 40 channel radios
When does the second half of midnight cafe start??
Big news coming soon!
Exciting!!!
Hey if I wanted to holler at you on my Base station when are you on there? And what channel do you normally talk on?
Nothing wrong with a older radio, if it meets what you want. Why pay high price for a radio where you don't use 90% of what's in it.
I still have a few 23 channel CB's floating around, a Cobra 26 (black face), a sister to that one, a Cobra 29X (silver face), not the 29A with the TX and RX lights, and a Sharp CB-800 with an LED display. I'll hook up the Cobra 26 in the car once in a while when I'm feeling nostalgic. Most have never heard of or seen a Cobra 26.
Radio will save lives in the future I believe, particularly the non solid state type as they apparently won’t be affected by substantial
solar flare or electro magnetic pulses that could maybe be ahead.
I’m getting off topic, sorry, just responding to the title of this video.
it is a good topic to go off on, solar flares are no joke- Look at the Carrington Event in the 1800's- I could only imagine what it would do to us today
Still good radios for hunting and road trips trucks and they are cheap. Ironman in Alabama 73s
Hi I know it's out of topic, but may I ask the title of the song you always play in your introduction. Been watching (also a subscriber) of your program for quite some time especially topics about cb and short wave. Thanks
It was a song made for my by fellow UA-camr Marky Shaw- Please check out his channel.
@@FarpointFarms Thank you sir.
Are you going to the Shelby Hamfest again this year?
Eric, what channel do you talk on sideband, and upper or lower?
CBers use lower sideband.
@@spaceflight1019 So the upper side band is generally used for what?
@@Captain1717Q On the normal 40 U.S. channels, USB generally is not used. Get up into the Freeband and you'll hear foreign-language stations on USB.
The ham radio convention is LSB below 10 mhz, USB above.
Did they have 5 watts. Then 4 watts when 40 channel came out
That's what I've heard as well.
The really old 23 channel radios had more power.
The FCC changed the rules becuse
Cb radios were interfering with over air analog tv signals, then later on cordless phones. Now tv is ditigtal it wouldn't make as big a difference
Ecpt the bandwidth is used by telecomucations.
Yup, they want all the airwaves, but I think CB will stay put as there are just too many of them already out there to regulate.
Is there anything on the market that will allow me to listen to the CB on the highway without the exterior antenna. I dont even want to talk just listen in ?
I probably have 2 or 3 of those.
Anyone tell me what the spot on channel selector is between 22 and 23 is for????
PA mode?