Little Uniden 68 help!

[420Snowman]

I am trying to turn up the dead key on a friends Uniden 68 and for the life of me I can't get it. I have followed the mods for the cobra 25 because they are supposed to be the same but this one is different I believe. It does have weather if that make a diff and its the uniden version of the "night watch" also. Any help is appreciated! The dk is at about 2 or 3 watts right now....

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

[TheCBDoctor]

I am trying to turn up the dead key on a friends Uniden 68 and for the life of me I can't get it. I have followed the mods for the cobra 25 because they are supposed to be the same but this one is different I believe. It does have weather if that make a diff and its the uniden version of the "night watch" also. Any help is appreciated! The dk is at about 2 or 3 watts right now....

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

Hi,

Does it use a Bi-polar transistor or a MOSFET for a Final?

Respectfully,

[420Snowman]

Pretty sure its a mosfet, but I will check and let ya know later. Any ideas either way?

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

[nutcracker]

Did you try turning the little slug in the pot right back by the final? Thats how my old 68 was atleast.

[Sporty Mike]

A 68 , like a Cobra 25 or 29 does not have an adjustment "so to say" for deadkey. You can raise the deadkey along with overall swing by turning the slug by the final as was mentioned earlier. But , to lower the deadkey properly on these radios it's done by the dreaded "swing kit"....I know CB Doctor hates to hear it , but if you want to lower the deadkey on a 25/29..Uniden 68/78 it's the best way to go.


Mike

[420Snowman]

Thanks guys, I will just turn up the slug, I thought there might be another way.

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

[TheCBDoctor]

A 68 , like a Cobra 25 or 29 does not have an adjustment "so to say" for deadkey. You can raise the deadkey along with overall swing by turning the slug by the final as was mentioned earlier. But , to lower the deadkey properly on these radios it's done by the dreaded "swing kit"....I know CB Doctor hates to hear it , but if you want to lower the deadkey on a 25/29..Uniden 68/78 it's the best way to go.


Mike

Hi Sporty Mike,

I understand why someone would want to turn down the carrier on a radio when using an amp. Many times the amp will produce more carrier than peak power so the proportion of carrier to the sidebands is incorrect. My issue is a shop lowering the dead-key of a radio to 2 watts and letting the peak power go to 25 watts.

The "shop" then calls this a "swing kit" and charges $65. Let us call it what it is.....a dual sideband suppressed carrier envelope. AM is 25% efficient; a true dual sideband suppressed carrier is 50%; sideband is 100% efficient, minus any loses of course.

The question was how to increase the Dead-Key. The answer is adjust L-14 for overall power and VR-4 for carrier modulation.

Let's call a swing kit on a bare foot radio for $65 what it is........A ripoff..........Unless you are trying to get an amp to perform linearly, then there is no benefit to dropping the carrier to make you louder; a good power Mic will do the same thing.

I know many do not want to hear it, but it is a dirty little secret that most CB shops do not want you to know or do not understand. There is no such thing as a "swing kit."

If you want to get out and you are not using a amp, then get the antenna system right first. A fair radio will work fine on a great antenna system. A great radio will not work on a fair antenna system. A "Swing Kit" will not help you on a poor antenna system. I can think of a lot of other things I could spend my $65 on......

Respectfully as always,

[420Snowman]

Good info as usual doctor! I adjusted l14 and got it up where I need it, thanks a lot to both of you!

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

[Sporty Mike]

A 68 , like a Cobra 25 or 29 does not have an adjustment "so to say" for deadkey. You can raise the deadkey along with overall swing by turning the slug by the final as was mentioned earlier. But , to lower the deadkey properly on these radios it's done by the dreaded "swing kit"....I know CB Doctor hates to hear it , but if you want to lower the deadkey on a 25/29..Uniden 68/78 it's the best way to go.


Mike

Hi Sporty Mike,

I understand why someone would want to turn down the carrier on a radio when using an amp. Many times the amp will produce more carrier than peak power so the proportion of carrier to the sidebands is incorrect. My issue is a shop lowering the dead-key of a radio to 2 watts and letting the peak power go to 25 watts.

The "shop" then calls this a "swing kit" and charges $65. Let us call it what it is.....a dual sideband suppressed carrier envelope. AM is 25% efficient; a true dual sideband suppressed carrier is 50%; sideband is 100% efficient, minus any loses of course.

The question was how to increase the Dead-Key. The answer is adjust L-14 for overall power and VR-4 for carrier modulation.

Let's call a swing kit on a bare foot radio for $65 what it is........A ripoff..........Unless you are trying to get an amp to perform linearly, then there is no benefit to dropping the carrier to make you louder; a good power Mic will do the same thing.

I know many do not want to hear it, but it is a dirty little secret that most CB shops do not want you to know or do not understand. There is no such thing as a "swing kit."

If you want to get out and you are not using a amp, then get the antenna system right first. A fair radio will work fine on a great antenna system. A great radio will not work on a fair antenna system. A "Swing Kit" will not help you on a poor antenna system. I can think of a lot of other things I could spend my $65 on......

Respectfully as always,

Yea , that's what I said.


Mike