New piece of CB gear - purists are gonna cry

[N8YX]

Managed to find a couple of Stoner Pro-40s out in Never-never-land. For those unfamiliar with the rig, it's an SSB-only 11M set with an audio notch filter ("whistlestop") and passive mixer front end - as the Drake 7-lines employed. They're pretty popular with the die-hard collector and command big money.

One of these is likely a parts/project rig - I think the synthesizer microcontroller is bad. Thus, I'm going to design a new one for it.

Here's where the purists will cry:

That radio just begs for additional features - bring the Mic Gain out to a front panel control, do something with selectable AGC time constants and selectable IF RX filters. Fortunately, they're 10.7MHz and I can find a variety of bandwidths...including a roll-your-own "variable" design.

If I have to create a synthesizer computer from scratch it'll offer dual logical channel selectors and a way to use them in split mode for TX/RX. Extended frequency ranges, albeit RX-only with a transmitter lockout. A "busy/free" scan function. Improved power supplies. All this without changing anything to do with the TX signal chain - from oscillators through PA. The front panel will remain untouched except for the addition of some concentric knobs - the ones I have in mind look better than the OEMs.

Currently on the hunt for accessories for the radio - SPK-40, OSC-40, SOC-40 and anything else which goes with it.

STONER-PRO-40-CB.jpg

[N2NH]

Stick that baby on 10M and have a ball with Ham purists. What's your radio? A Stoner PRO-40. A WHAT?? ;)

She is a beauty. A bit of overkill on 11M though. I'd think of a crystal filter myself. Maybe a rock with some low-end DSP to deal with static crashes.

[W2NAP]

no excuses on da bowl.

[NY4Q]

For some reason, that CB rig reminded me of some lyrics that were posted on USENET back in the 90s. I found them funny. So I present them here for you...

Sang to the tune of The Highwayman                       Written By M.F. Luder
                       I was a codeless "ham"
                       Along the coach roads i did ride
                       With dual band HT by my side
                       Many a young maid ran from my tirades,
                       Many a repeater contact I had made
                       The League grandfathered me in the spring of o-one
                       But still I want more, my whinings never done

                       I was a sailor,
                       I was born upon the tide
                       On 14325 did i abide
                       I sailed a schooner 'round the horn to mexico
                       I went aloft to furl the Outbacker in a blow
                       And when the mast broke off,
                       They said that my signal was killed
                       But i am living still

                       I was a damn CBer
                       Across the South deep and wide
                       Where shooting skip was my only pride
                       A place called New Orleans on the Mississippi low
                       I bought an amp that would let me bellow
                       They DF'd me by listening for the crackling sound
                       But i am still around
                       I'll always be around and around and around...

                       I'll talk on 10 meters
                       'Cross the Continental divide
                       And when i reach the other side,
                       I'll find a place to rest my Budweiser in a can
                       Perhaps i may become a highwayman again
                       Or i may simply be a single jamming pain
                       But i will remain
                       And i'll shoot skip again and again and again...

[NY4Q]

no excuses on da bowl.

That passive mixed can handle da bowl...

[N8YX]

That passive mixed can handle da bowl...

That radio is SSB only. Da Bowl been flushed by its designer, none other than W6TNS.

[NY4Q]

That radio is SSB only. Da Bowl been flushed by its designer, none other than W6TNS.

Oh I know, but with that mixer, the mobile super bowl could drive right by your QTH while in a "radio race" and you'd still be able to conversate, methinks.

What's it got DBDR?

[N8YX]

Oh I know, but with that mixer, the mobile super bowl could drive right by your QTH while in a "radio race" and you'd still be able to conversate, methinks.

What's it got DBDR?

HP hot-carrier diodes in a quad. Not sure of the device numbers. I'm going to do some BDR and close-in IMD testing, and may end up experimenting with a matched quad of 1N5711s if the OEM parts aren't quite up to the job.

No 'bowlers in my immediate area so I don't have that problem to worry about.

[NY4Q]

HP hot-carrier diodes in a quad. Not sure of the device numbers. I'm going to do some BDR and close-in IMD testing, and may end up experimenting with a matched quad of 1N5711s if the OEM parts aren't quite up to the job.

Yeah, that's gonna be a fun project. That front end sounds bullet proof.

[WØTKX]

It's so darn Ten Tec looking... ;)