New CB'ers and Old Radios...What Gives??

[Jester]

This is kind of a rant, so strap in and hold on tight!

Lately, I have noticed a lot of "new breed" CB'ers knocking the old-timers, and even worse, the vintage equipment that some of them still use. What gives? I know some people like transistors over tubes ( I do for the most part), but they think that any radio not made by Galaxy in the last 2 years is junk.

This is where they are wrong. Its seems too many of these guys (You will hear them all day on Channel 19 here in the Chi-town area) never had any exposure to CB other than what the truck stop sells: A few GL's, a Connex here and there, and the same Galaxy radios everyone else has. What fun is it if you have the same radio and the same setup as everyone else? Also, these guys are so damn dumb, they don't even know what SSB is! Our airwaves are being overrun by morons!

I lost it when a guy said the Browning Golden Eagle was a "40 year old piece of crap". WRONG! The other night I was talking on 18, and a guy says to me " Wow, that radio sounds nice, what is it, a 98VHP?". I said "Nope, its a Tram D201A" his attitude completely changed. He then said "Oh, I can't understand you, that piece of crap is feeding back"...I knew he was full of it, but these guys are way too common out there. They are CB's new wave of idiots..

Before they start knocking my radio and other people's setups, they need to learn that our gear goes back to an era where people took time to build a CB set. Many of my gear is made in the USA or Japan. I won't knock their radios, but if they want to start an argument, I will talk for hours about how much their Galaxy/RCI knockoff is a piece of crap!!!!!!

Tram D201A+ 350 watts= Angry truck drivers

[ksphotoguy]

I hear ya on this one Jester. I see all the posts about how this brand is better than that brand blah blah blah...... it really gets old in a hurry. It really comes down to a simple point , as long as the radio is tuned properly and running clean , it really shouldn't matter. I have not had the pleasure of hearing a Browning or any other older radios here where I am at because , other than truckers driving thru, virtually no one uses CB's here anymore. I think I am the lone duck. I have heard some good skip but honestly couldn't tell you if someone was on a Cobra2000 or an el cheapo piece of junk. I figure as long as what you have gets heard clearly it doesn't matter to me what the hell your using. What I have trouble with is the noise toys and overuse of echo. With the southern accent some folks have compounded with too much echo, sometimes I can't make heads nor tails of what is being said. Now I am just a simple Kansas guy and maybe in time I will be able to decipher it, but backing down that echo would sure make things a whole lot clearer.

[beebuzzbee]

So, what's new ................ and I can give rats azz what other thinks about my radio, car, house or whatever I have. If you are confident of whom you are the rest is just substance.
People are entitle to what they believe, if you don’t like the way they have to say, talk to some one else. There is no sense arguing with a moron and I know you are too smart for that.

[403]

[Approach]

Jester - I agree with you too. I think ignorance is the issue here. The thing is -- this technology hasn't changed a lot -- I mean it's still AM --- not digital or some other technology.

Part of what makes CB's unique is - the history, and background, etc.... I agree with you comments.

[TX_Dj]

far as I'm concerned, if it gets the job done, stays in tune, sounds clean, and keeps on working... why knock it? And more to the point, why worry what anyone else thinks about it.

If you get a lot of folks who say you sound great until they find out what you're running, just tell 'em it's a 29 and be done with them. They'll let it go, and you'll know better than them.

[TwentyTwo-Zero]

People tend to be influenced by what they are exposed to. They are probably repeating something that they heard from someone that heard it from someone else, etc, etc. Obviously, they are forming an opinion about the older equipment without any first hand experience. Your radio sounded great until you mention a brand or model...then it becomes a P.O.S.? You know how much credibility I'd put into that person's opinion... Some people are just that way. You know that you have not only a piece of CB history, but also a great performing radio...so let the uninformed say what they will...you know better...

[THE WATCHMAN]

WHEN THOSE OLD TRAMS AND BROWNING'S ARE RUNNING THE WAY THAY SHOULD THAY ARE THE BEST SOUNDING RADIOS OUT THERE. I WISH I HAD THE ROOM TO PUT ONE AND THE MONEY TO KEEP IT UP. MAYBE I WILL SOME DAY.

[slydog]

I own a General Lee but I have to concede the older Cobras, Midlands, and Unidens are better. The newer Unidens and Cobras suck and not all exports are impressive. In my opinion the high output exports are a complete waste of good money.
I know someone who owns a Tram, Eagle, and a Uniden Washington and unless the Eagle's pinger is turned on you can't tell the difference.
I would never want a older vintage tube type radio because they are high maintenance.

[Slim Jim]

So, what's new ................ and I can give rats **Censored** what other thinks about my radio, car, house or whatever I have. If you are confident of whom you are the rest is just substance.
People are entitle to what they believe, if you don’t like the way they have to say, talk to some one else. There is no sense arguing with a moron and I know you are too smart for that.

that pretty much sums it up. Those that believe the new ones are superior obviously haven't been around or had any experience with the older radios. Same principle applies to cars and trucks. People think that just because my truck doesn't need a computer telling it when to deliver fuel to the cylinders, that it's a piece of retro crap. Anyway, to each his own.

[super20dan]

there is a browing mk3 on ch 21 in jax here that sounds better than any one elses radio. and its barefoot!

[TX_Dj]

Exactly.

It reminds me of when I was in High School, and I didn't understand why other kids didn't like the same music I did.

My pops (who is a very brilliant man, though he'd never admit it) informed me that the reason was solely because I did my research and found music that I liked... whereas they only knew good music because their friends told them it was good. Their friends undoubtedly told them my music was bad, because their friends had never told them my music was good. My music was good, they just didn't know any better.

[Foxhunter]

Yeah what you guys are sayin' is interesting for sure. I haven't personally heard anyone declare their use of a tube-type CB radio here on the airwaves in NEW JERSEY--they are swamped as it is. I do think some good transistor products ARE being made today and are quite good----IF INSTALLED AS PART OF A PROPERLY CONFIGURED SYSTEM ! As a truck driver I have never heard so much misinformation, disinformation, folklore and oldwives tales in my life---- regarding radio theory and performance. I do like old vintage equipment (I own an old 4x 8950 tube Palomar amp) but also run the new solid-state as well.
One of the biggest, "shocking" revelations that have been met with disbelief is when I try and tell drivers that most of their export radios are made by the SAME COMPANY----Ranger Communications. And Ranger does make some fine products.
As far as your point about the vintage radios, it's akin to those factions of auto enthusiasts who take sides over Ford vs. Chevy, or American made vs Imports or original condition vintage cars vs. cut & chopped street rods. Much of it is personal taste combined with (sometimes erroneous) personal-belief systems and "pet" preferences.
I'd tend to think that many HAM radio operators would tend to side with you, while on the other hand there are alot of HAMS that have gone totally digital, pc or satellite. Do you know what I'm saying?

[kg95]

My old Royce base is probably the best cb I've got.
I got a half a dozen now.
Probably one of the best I ever had.
I don't think Royce has made cb's for a long time.

[Foxhunter]

I'm not sure how old that Royce is, what era but you must like them with so many. There is something to be said about owning/using vintage equipment of which there are either so few around or that no on in this solid-state world cares for. Keeping something alive.....Most young guys view the tube radio/amp thing akin to still watching an old tube TV set versus watching on a digital HDTV. It's still alive but dying slowly. Availability/expense of the tube are a factor too

[PONY EXPRESS]

I keep my new old 30 year old radios left in the box....I don't want them to hear things that are being said on the radio now days.... They haven't heard of Galaxy ,Connex , but they know about HY GAIN ,ROYCE , MIDLAND ,COBRA ,ROAD TALKER, ROBYN and a few others like TRAM , BROWNING ,General Electric ,President ,

Let alone all those new words being said on the CB

I gotta get ready for work and go deliver the mail. Good morning all
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[Av8r1]

Yes most of the radio bashing is just from sheer ignorance. I'll put my old Sonar FS-23 tube radio up against any radio for quality sound and craftsmanship!.

I don't think there's a better radio ever built then that one! And I use both new and old equiptment.

[Bartender]

Anyone who says that the older radios are just junk are, at best, sadly misinformed and at worst, just another idiot.

I've owned a Tram D201 and a really nice Browning Golden Eagle Mark IV, and these were some of the absolute BEST sounding radios I've ever had or heard.

On the other hand, I've also owned an RCI 2527, RCI 2517, an Excalibur SSB, and both a 2950 and a 2970 with a power supply used as bases. While these were all good radios for me, they never sounded quite as good... as RICH as those old tube radios did.

Nothing sounds like glowing glass. Just ask any die hard CBer, or any hard core guitar player.

[231]

There is no sound more awesome than the ping of a Browning Golden Eagle (to me anyway). I get a kick out of the guys who tell the Golden Eagle operators, "Hey, you have a squeal in your radio." It's beauty to my ears though. As Watchman said, when they are running like they are suppose to, they usually have an audio of their own.

[PRO151]

I personally like it that most of the new CB'ers consider all of the old radios junk. This keeps the prices low so I can scarf them all up for my own!

Therefore, I agree with them. Old radios are JUNK! Don't buy them, they are no good, and if you own one send it to me for proper disposal.

[Foxhunter]

Yeah unless you go to hamfests (where everyone know their value) or get lucky at a flea market or yardsale those pieces are getting scarcer. Mostly the HAM crowd likes the tube equip. and honestly perhaps running tube radios/amps are a little "too complicated" for the average CBer? I like the guy who doesn't want his radio's to "hear" the RCI products--heehee---that was funny. I'd like to have that box "just lying around" on his floor like that....