Trying To Decide...

[MightyWhitey]

Yesterday afternoon, after rolling my motorcycle back into the garage after a good cleaning, I noticed a box on a workbench that was caving in. I grabbed a piece of the box to lift it up, only to have it come loose from the rest of it. I guess cardboard wasn't designed to last as long as this one has been around. Here is a piece of the box before I put it in the trash.


This is the manual I pulled out of the box:


And finally, the radio as it sits on my desk today after being rescued from the garage:


I was pleased to see that it fires up, all the lights work, the meters swing and I'm able to change channels. I connected to a dummy load and checked modulation and power. It dead keys @ 4 watts and swings to about 12 and I was pleased to see 20 watts peak on SSB. The SBE amplified microphone is the one that came with the radio and it appears to work fine. The D-104 Silver Eagle is similar to what I used to use on this radio, but I recently purchased this one on eBay. It would be REALLY cool if I could find a Golden Falcon 600 amplifier in working order and have my station setup just like it used to be.

Now I need to decide if I want to take the time to clean it up and have it tuned so I can leave it on my desk to use, or just store it again. It's likely been 25 years since I used it much.

[231]

Congrats' on the find...even though it had been in your possession so long. I love the old SBE radios, especially the consoles. With the D104's their audio tends to be a little tinny...but the old mobile SBE I have sure has worked well. I bought it used back in 1990 if memory serves? The receiver's sensitivity still doesn't hold a stick to my Philly made Uniden Grant nor 148GTL, but it still is a great radio.

Follow your conscience...if it were mine, I'd shrink wrap it and display it for now. Or, have it gone through to make sure all the caps are in good shape. I can't remember the model of the mobile I have but those old Console radios are a rare one in good shape. Should be displayed right next to the old Golden Eagle, Tram, and Cobra 2000's if you ask me. LOL

Good luck on whatever you decide.

231

[southwind]

I have to agree with the op, wrap this baby up in shrink wrap for preservation. After you hooked a dummy to it and everything seems to work, tells me NO ONE has probably never had a scredriver in it, which is great. I don't know if I would let anyone mess with it if even I was standing there watching, it's a jewel and preserve it.
These things only come by once in a long time, good luck and enjoy it. 3's to you/yours and good evening.

[MightyWhitey]

I've always had good reports with these radios. I had their Console II that I ran with a Hy-Gain amp in 1974 on a Cushcraft 11 meter Ringo antenna. I remember going into my local electronics supply store in San Jose and buying that amp right off the shelf in their HAM/CB section.

I still have another SBE mobile, a Sidebander IV with the non-amplified hand mic:



This is not mine, as mine has a few miles on it and looks a little more battle-weary. A smaller dial made it a little more difficult to see what channel you were on, as this was prior to digital displays, but they had great audio without the need for an amplified mic like the Turner + 3, which was probably the hottest ticket at the time.

I'm likely to take the Console to my local tech (local here is 45 minutes away) and have him check it out. More of a preservation that a "peak and tweek", but I'd like to get in on the air before I "shelve it". I certainly don't need for another radio with a desk full of much newer, more versatile radios.

Thanks for joining me in my little trip down "memory lane". I had great times with these radios. CB radio was in a peak period back in the 70's and 80's. There were a lot of us that hung around together, from all walks of life, just having a great time, and sometime causing a little mischief.

[Tweetybird]

Your SBE's bring back memories for sure. My first SBE was a Console II, then I added a Siltronix Model 90 VFO. Spent a lot of hours with that radio. Thanks for glimpse into the past.

[MightyWhitey]

Yea, Gary, SBE was making some really good radios back then. They had to be good to even TRY to keep pace with the great sounding Swan, Siltronix 1011B, Yaesu and other 10 meter SSB that had AWESOME audio.

I miss those days. Up on the radio BSing until 1 AM, then scanning the band looking to see if there was some trouble I could get into, but mostly just having a good time. Can't keep up with that kinda stuff today, but then where I live, you don't hear much on the radio anyway, except a little bit of 2 meter on a local repeater.

[dirtyjob]

wow, that console VI is a very rare model, try and find one, chances are you wont, if you decide to sell you will get a pretty penny.

[MightyWhitey]

Yea, Mark, I've not seen them for sale. Maybe there weren't many that survived over the years. I've been trying to remember when I bought mine, and it seems like maybe 1983-84. It always did me well with a Golden Falcon amp and a Moonraker IV mounted on a 55' utility pole in my front yard.

[southwind]

Yea, Mark, I've not seen them for sale. Maybe there weren't many that survived over the years. I've been trying to remember when I bought mine, and it seems like maybe 1983-84. It always did me well with a Golden Falcon amp and a Moonraker IV mounted on a 55' utility pole in my front yard.

Just had to add, aren't moonrakers fun to put up ? In late 60's, we had a antenna raising, six (6) of us spent probably all morning getting it up, seems like we used an AR2 rotor. Good evening.

[MightyWhitey]

Yes, David, the Moonraker was a real thrill to build and put up. I had a co-worker come help me. We built it in my driveway and he climbed the pole to install it in the rotor. I put a 2" water pipe on the side of the utility pole to mount the rotor (some flavor of Hy-Gain) and then just stabbed the antenna into the rotor with another 10' of water pipe. It worked really well.

I think the PDL II was a little easier but I liked the F/B performance of the 4 elements better.