Is this a little high?

#196423

I found this on craiglist (Dallas) but cant post the link as I have not been a member long enough.

Seems a little high to me??

"I have a complete base station. Consist of Texas Ranger 696F SSB radio been peaked and tuned and has the channel mod which gives you 80 extra channels, D&A Maverick 250 amp just replaced all tubes with new ones, Astatic 700 5000 watt meters with all functions, Sadelta echo master plus desk microphone and a antron 99 base antenna with 75ft of coax. The radio and amplifier are pretty heave would prefer you pick up instead of shipping. Will sell all for $700"

#196426

I would pass on that deal

#196428

Thanks J!

#196515

Okie wrote:I found this on craiglist (Dallas) but cant post the link as I have not been a member long enough.

Seems a little high to me??

"I have a complete base station. Consist of Texas Ranger 696F SSB radio been peaked and tuned and has the channel mod which gives you 80 extra channels, D&A Maverick 250 amp just replaced all tubes with new ones, Astatic 700 5000 watt meters with all functions, Sadelta echo master plus desk microphone and a antron 99 base antenna with 75ft of coax. The radio and amplifier are pretty heave would prefer you pick up instead of shipping. Will sell all for $700"

This ad?: [Please login or register to view this link]

Not a "bargain" or a "steal". But to be fair that's not THAT unreasonable----and really pretty typical. If things are working good it's not really a BAD price, and it is a complete station already assembled together. Unless you're set on "no-reserve Ebay bargains", IMHO it's not that bad.

For instance, some guys will not pay $300 for a nice Galaxy DX99V. "Cheap-skate-itus" will cause them to feel anyhting over $150 is a rip-off for that unit. $300 is no bargain for a DX99V, but is still a fair market price if the radio is decent.

Buying things separately, one item at a time can consume time and additional money as well. Separate phone calls, separate trips to meet the seller, separate shipping etc etc all really adds up in search of "bargains". If the items look as if they really have been well cared for it may be prudent to buy them togehter, as opposed to making individual purchases of used equipment----each item with an unknown owner & history. If he were willing to come down a little, it would be better yet. Many set prices with the idea of coming down a little anyway.

At least in my area, and in many others-----seldomly do you see a modern stock RCI Base Radio going for under $200. If properly modified, add cost of upgrades.
Looks like a nice radio: [Please login or register to view this link]

Just to "ballpark"-price these USED items:
Ranger Base Radio (stock)---$200
Extra Channels w/peak & tune---$100
D&A Maverick *w/new tubes*---$200
Astatic 5K Meter---$100
Sadelta Desk Mic---$50 (good/favorable reviews) [Please login or register to view this link]
A99 w/ (unknown type) coax---$50/$75

The price should always be lower in a "package deal" than they could be sold for separately. See if he'll take $600 as a package deal purchase. If not, providing they are in good condition, it's still not a rip-off

Just my .02

#196559

Foxhunter:

That is the same set I was talking about.

I was going to buy a new RCI-2995DX bass and a used Maverick Dual Power tube amp that swings 550 watts but Clays told me the new RCI-2995DX had to high of a dead key for a amp. Every time I think I figured out what to buy something wont work lol

Would the 2995DX,barefoot,out perform the craigslist package?

Thanks

Jon

#196623

Okie wrote:Foxhunter:

That is the same set I was talking about.

I was going to buy a new RCI-2995DX bass and a used Maverick Dual Power tube amp that swings 550 watts but Clays told me the new RCI-2995DX had to high of a dead key for a amp. Every time I think I figured out what to buy something wont work lol

Would the 2995DX,barefoot,out perform the craigslist package?

Thanks, Jon

To answer your question directly, I'd think not. I believe the radio & amp package would get twice the PEP output wattage that the barefoot RCI2995 could do alone. I can say however that ANY "RCI 2995DX" I've heard on the air sounded good & strong. I don't own one so I can't say I'm not familiar with the radio entirely. Perhaps any RCI 2995DX owners will comment, but according to Ranger's spec-sheet:

Quote: "Variable Power Output: from 150 watts to 2 watts"
OUTPUT:
50 Watts RMS: CW / AM / FM
150 Watts (PEP): SSB
[Please login or register to view this link]
It would appear from the above desciption that the radio's variable output power could be turned low enough to provide proper input level into a low-drive amplifier. I'd hate to tell you "for sure", if I'm not. However, Ranger's link above appears to clearly say so.

One of our sponsors, "***Censored***" claims to modify this radio for 185W-225W output. Once again, maybe another member with firsthand experience would chime-in.
[Please login or register to view this link]

D&A Maverick....I have never even seen one in-person myself, only online pic's and forum posts. From what I see in "a nutshell":

Quote:
The D&A Maverick

"Those amps where built for radios that didn't do more than 5 watts or so am and 12 watts ssb

the driver tubes for that amp are 6jg6 (x 4)
the final tubes for that amp are 6lq6 / 6mj6 / 6je6c (x 4)

If its gray in color it has a keying tube in it.
If its biege or 2 tone brown it has a electronic keying.

you have to remember that when these amps where built, CB's only did 5 or so watts.
if your radio swings more than 12W~15W, you will wipe out your 6jg6's !
10 watts input would swing about 475W to 525W on high. Some claim even a little more.
Most Mavericks will key 250W and swing to 500W+ with stock tubes.

*How to tune a maverick*
-Turn on amp wait for it to warm up ( 10 to 15 mins ).
-Key amp with it on hi top meter should be working.
-Use the meter on the amp----NOT your watt meter.
-Tune so all load and tune knobs max the meter out (as high as the meter will read) on the back of the amp is a tune knob do the same but you ONLY need to this one once ADJ for max meter reading ( unless you change radio's ).
-Take the top left Load control knob and turn it clock wise so meter drops back about 3 to 4 lines on meter ( milliamps ).
-This is called "over coupling", it cleans up the audio and lets the amp swing."

Follow these few links here for some additional info or pic's on the D&A Maverick:
(Video demo): [Please login or register to view this link]
[Please login or register to view this link]
[Please login or register to view this link]
[Please login or register to view this link]

I will say wherever you read, that the tubes & sockets in the Maverick alone are worth a few bucks! The Craigslist seller claims that NEW tubes were just installed, and if that's true its value is good. I personally have learned, when someone has claimed to have changed the tubes in an amp or radio, I usually will ask to see the old tubes for comparison. The seller may or may not have kept them, but many guys do. Like ANY purchase of ANY used equipment, buyer beware and I guess should go without saying really. It sounds like the seller on Craigslist is either upgrading or getting out of CB entirely.

I would worry about over-driving almost any amplifier. I personally like taking lower-power radios and running them into amplifiers. Others prefer the simplicity of an all-in-one unit. I'd think the Texas Ranger 696F and D&A Maverick combination would give you an edge over the stand-alone RCI 2995DX.

#196660

Now thats the kind of information that helps,very informative.
Thank you kindly!!

Jon

#196696

You're welcome and let us know if or what you decide...

#196702

Foxhunter wrote:You're welcome and let us know if or what you decide...

Will do. I am off on the weekend and will try and get everything needed to start this Saturday.

Clays does have a Galaxy 2547 in stock.He said the 2547 can have its dead key set to 4 watts on the low power side so that it can be matched with an amp.

Reviews on the 2547 are very mixed.Seems like there have been some problems with that model.

I have about decided to give up on the sideband stuff.Seems like evertime I figure something out on a package locally something wont work.

May just get a Connex 4400-300 and a 11 meter bass and amp.

Jon

#196710

I don't have any Ranger base radios myself. For base station radio "RCI products" I have the Galaxy DX2517 and the Galaxy Saturn Turbo.

The Saturn is in the shop currently because I bought it with blown pills. The DX2517 was doing me right until last night, when I started to get "muffled" transmit audio. I have no clue what just happened with it.

Decisions decisions. Keep looking and post what you finally end up settling on. People here will always try and help provide some input when weighing your options.

#202145

just get you a base pill box and be done with it,a straight 4 or 6 would work great with the 2995

#202146

or just get you about a 25 amp power supply,and run the 2970 in the house.

#202159

sweet tube boxes such as all d&a have sweet tubes there are no new tubes for them unless they have been converted then they r no longer a d&a product most of the original tubes for those amps have not been made for 25 yrs even though it may perform well as stated what r you going to do when it breaks?......i think fox hunter gave you the right way to go use low wattage radio's and leave the driving to a amp good luck ........coach

#202184

The 2970 is going in my Ford...The 696F is a really good talking base behind the D&A.
I now have 2 D&A 250s.Both have tubes which can be bought in Oklahoma.They have been converted.

721HACKSAW · #202186

My 2995 will not adjust the varible RF power down enough to have a low dead key. It is a RAR SWPed radio and I was told that it would not perform good with a low DK. Mike at RAR suggested a straight 8 pill but I will probably go with an Ameritron tube amp instead, as these amps can tolerate a much higher input wattage.
Stagecoach they are "sweep" tubes, originally designed for televisions and yes they are all old and very expensive, there are much better tubes available for RF.

#202192

Okie wrote:
Foxhunter wrote:You're welcome and let us know if or what you decide...
Will do. I am off on the weekend and will try and get everything needed to start this Saturday.

Clays does have a Galaxy 2547 in stock.He said the 2547 can have its dead key set to 4 watts on the low power side so that it can be matched with an amp.

Reviews on the 2547 are very mixed.Seems like there have been some problems with that model.

I have about decided to give up on the sideband stuff.Seems like evertime I figure something out on a package locally something wont work.

May just get a Connex 4400-300 and a 11 meter bass and amp.

Jon

Don't know if you've done anything yet...but the Galaxy 2547 is the same basic radio
that the Ranger 696 base is. The Galaxy may have a mosfet final now...but the output
needed for that Maco doesn't require that. Both are made by ranger anyway.

The old Maco's are still decent amps. A bit more upkeep than a solid state amp,but
hard to beat that tube audio.
preacherman

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