In the 80's I did micromin soldering and multilevel board repair. I later got into computers and network engineering. I had no idea people still looked at schematics and did this stuff you do. I thought hardware skills were history. This is awesome stuff. Great videos.
Great Video Mike! I started doing surface mount repairs on hearing aids made in Switzerland in 1986. Been a radio hobbiest since way before then so I used my experience on CB and Amateur equipment. Great find on the mods. It's probably what President had to do to get certification. Great Technicians will always figure out a fix/mod. :-)
Mike, I just wanna say I've been watching a ton of your videos and they are spectacular. I love, not only how simplistic they are, but informative as well. That's the reason you have a new subscriber! A+ Brother!
Thanks for the legwork in figuring out the unlocked clarifier mod. It is great to know that the newer radios still have some magical mods that can be done.
Hi @mikesradiorepair , this is why it is preferable and more judicious to have a CB station with a "Clarifier" device dedicated to reception (Rx), and another dedicated to transmission (Tx). When using a CB MOBILE station (Rx and Tx) in driving, we cannot clarify both at the same time, normal because it is up to the (QSO) receiver to clarify its reception (Rx)!😉 In summary, do not to buy an MC KINLEY to use it at home (QRA), An MC KINLEY is designed to be used in MOBILE CB. Buy a GEORGE 2 or a Washington 2 instead!😁 Sincerely
Thank you for sharing . I live in the UK , I have a President MC KINLEY also , but the strange thing is their completely different radio's inside insofar as the main PCB mother board is completely different , the operational software on the menu is quite different too , it's most strange , I guess there's different radio types for the U.S & Europe .
I recently unlocked my clarifier rci 2950dx but its slightly out of exact alignment between transmit and receive by about 75 hertz .... Adjusting lsb can, just moves both transmitt and receive together Lmk if there is another adjustment to calibrate xmit and receive after unlocking clarifier.
Thanks for your excellent video! I'm wondering why the radio wasn't supplied with your necessary modification? I'm currently considering the new "II" version, so I wonder if the new version is supplied with your improved circuit so that the clarifier works properly?
With just moving the two through hole resistors, how much movement was in the coarse clarifier, and was it so far off on rx that the fine couldn't pull in the received signal?
That's not a problem. If RX and TX are still factory with only the RX being adjustable from the clarifier on the other persons radio when they transmit you adjust your clarifier to "tune" them in. Then when you transmit on that same exact frequency (because your clarifier has been unlocked) the other person adjust their clarifier to "tune" you in on RX. There's never a problem with 2 people when either both or neither have modified clarifiers or only one has a modified clarifier. The problem occurs when you have 3 or more people talking. With factory locked clarifiers you end up chasing each other around with the clarifier every time a different person talks.
Hi @@mikesradiorepair, this is why it is preferable and more judicious to have a CB station with a "Clarifier" device dedicated to reception (Rx), and another dedicated to transmission (Tx). When using a CB MOBILE station (Rx and Tx) in driving, we cannot clarify both at the same time, normal because it is up to the (QSO) receiver to clarify its reception (Rx)!😉 In summary, do not to buy an MC KINLEY to use it at home (QRA), An MC KINLEY is designed to be used in MOBILE CB. Buy a GEORGE 2 or a Washington 2 instead!😁 Sincerely
I'm not aware of another version. Probably been over a year since I had one in for warranty repair so I really don't see them very often. LOL, they seem to never break.
The McKinley would be my choice. Better warranty, they actually have customer support (a phone number with a real person in the USA that answers it) and my opinion a better radio. I use 3 of them. One as a bench radio and two of them mobile in different vehicles.
Out of the box all CB radios have clarifier locked. Only the RX frequency is adjustable with the clarifier, the TX is only adjustable from inside the radio. Unlocking the clarifier ties the RX and TX frequencies together.
If I bought one of these transceivers (which I am going to) and send it to you what would you charge to do ALL the procedures you would recommend to do to this radio? Why would you want to unlock a clarifier. Sorry, new to SSB CB radios. I just subbed and rang the notify bell!
+Kurt Peckenschneider Your transmit and receive frequencies are then locked together. From the factory the clarifier only effects the receive signal. The transmit signal is only adjustable inside the radio. Unlocking it locks (kind of a contradiction of words) the RX and TX frequencies so they are the same. Factory is fine if only two people are talking. One person talks, you clarify them in and when you talk that person clarifies you in, all is well with the world. The problem is if a third person enters the conversation. You end up continuously adjusting your clarifier to tune in one person or the other. If everyone had their radios with RX and TX locked together it wouldn't be a problem. You want to enter a conversation, you clarify that person in and when you transmit it's on the same frequency. Amateur radios generally are selectable. You can make independent RX and TX adjustments or select to have RX and TX locked together with the push of a button.
Freelancer FRLNCR Because the FCC has stupid rules that say they can't do that. Back in the mid-70's, I had a Radio Shack TRC48 (I think) 23 channel SSB radio. It's clarifier tracked xmit and rcv together. I think when the new 40 channel radios came out in 78, the new FCC type acceptance rules required a fixed xmit with the clarifier only tracking recieve. As Mike correctly noted, this causes all kind of problems with conversations involving more than two people.
Cost, reliability, performance, stability to name a few. Pretty much all modern electronics use surface mount parts. They have been around for over 50 years. Production cost of them is now much less than comparable thru hole parts.
In the 80's I did micromin soldering and multilevel board repair. I later got into computers and network engineering. I had no idea people still looked at schematics and did this stuff you do. I thought hardware skills were history. This is awesome stuff. Great videos.
God bless people like yourself who figure this stuff out for the rest of us!
Mike, we need you back buddy....
Great Video Mike! I started doing surface mount repairs on hearing aids made in Switzerland in 1986. Been a radio hobbiest since way before then so I used my experience on CB and Amateur equipment. Great find on the mods. It's probably what President had to do to get certification. Great Technicians will always figure out a fix/mod. :-)
Soldering can be a tricky thing to master. I got started by adding lights to my motorbike.
Mike, I just wanna say I've been watching a ton of your videos and they are spectacular. I love, not only how simplistic they are, but informative as well. That's the reason you have a new subscriber! A+ Brother!
I enjoy watching your videos Mike. Keep up the good work for us CB/DX guys! Thanks.
Nicely done Mike. I for one could not have figured that out on my best day. Thank you for sharing. Joel
Love the videos Mike. Really love the Simba video!!!!! Awesome radios they are and you make them even better.
Thanks for the legwork in figuring out the unlocked clarifier mod. It is great to know that the newer radios still have some magical mods that can be done.
Mike....we need you back!!!!!!!!!
Hi @mikesradiorepair , this is why it is preferable and more judicious to have a CB station with a "Clarifier" device dedicated to reception (Rx), and another dedicated to transmission (Tx). When using a CB MOBILE station (Rx and Tx) in driving, we cannot clarify both at the same time, normal because it is up to the (QSO) receiver to clarify its reception (Rx)!😉 In summary, do not to buy an MC KINLEY to use it at home (QRA), An MC KINLEY is designed to be used in MOBILE CB. Buy a GEORGE 2 or a Washington 2 instead!😁 Sincerely
why is the Clarifyer locked in the first place? Shurly you only need to change the receive frequency to hear the incoming signal better!
Thank you for sharing . I live in the UK , I have a President MC KINLEY also , but the strange thing is their completely different radio's inside insofar as the main PCB mother board is completely different , the operational software on the menu is quite different too , it's most strange , I guess there's different radio types for the U.S & Europe .
How do I bump up the transmission, I don’t think my McKinley is reaching out. My FRS radio’s reach out farther.
we need mike to come back!!!!!
Will this also work on McKinley II
great job Mike and Mark..Seems that President is coming back, should do something with President..
Please show how to use desolder and solder SM equipment.
I recently unlocked my clarifier rci 2950dx but its slightly out of exact alignment between transmit and receive by about 75 hertz .... Adjusting lsb can, just moves both transmitt and receive together
Lmk if there is another adjustment to calibrate xmit and receive after unlocking clarifier.
what is difference between McKinley from USA and from EU ?? In price - around 40%
Great video! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your excellent video! I'm wondering why the radio wasn't supplied with your necessary modification? I'm currently considering the new "II" version, so I wonder if the new version is supplied with your improved circuit so that the clarifier works properly?
Thanks Mike, great review!
With just moving the two through hole resistors, how much movement was in the coarse clarifier, and was it so far off on rx that the fine couldn't pull in the received signal?
Is this circuit similar to that used on the Lincoln II+ ? Therefore, can the Lincoln's clarifier be modified for TX as well as RX?
Hi, good video! Can this clarifier change be done on the President Grant II? Thank you
After unlocking does the clarifier slide down 5 khz?
nice cb radio like this radio and 980ssb the clarifier double control both radio it remind of the 2000gtl with clarifier double control mike
that's strange! its diffract inside to my radio , lol I'm in UK
I got a vintage mckinley like to have it alined how much cash u need to do it
Sweet work dude!!
What happened to mike ????
Why do people want the fine (rit) unlocked? Surely just use the coarse (xit) control? What if the other persons tx and rx are misaligned?
That's not a problem. If RX and TX are still factory with only the RX being adjustable from the clarifier on the other persons radio when they transmit you adjust your clarifier to "tune" them in. Then when you transmit on that same exact frequency (because your clarifier has been unlocked) the other person adjust their clarifier to "tune" you in on RX. There's never a problem with 2 people when either both or neither have modified clarifiers or only one has a modified clarifier. The problem occurs when you have 3 or more people talking. With factory locked clarifiers you end up chasing each other around with the clarifier every time a different person talks.
Hi @@mikesradiorepair, this is why it is preferable and more judicious to have a CB station with a "Clarifier" device dedicated to reception (Rx), and another dedicated to transmission (Tx). When using a CB MOBILE station (Rx and Tx) in driving, we cannot clarify both at the same time, normal because it is up to the (QSO) receiver to clarify its reception (Rx)!😉 In summary, do not to buy an MC KINLEY to use it at home (QRA), An MC KINLEY is designed to be used in MOBILE CB. Buy a GEORGE 2 or a Washington 2 instead!😁 Sincerely
Why can't they just manufacture radios with factory unlocked clarifiers???
Mike what ever happened to you man 06/01/2022 MIA
Hi there have you tried the president grant 2 unlock please ?
Unfortunately I don't have a Grant 2. They don't carry them in the US.
How much to unlock if I ship it in??
Hi Which gen or revision is the radio ? will this work on the latest version ? year now 2018
I'm not aware of another version. Probably been over a year since I had one in for warranty repair so I really don't see them very often. LOL, they seem to never break.
Debating between 980ssb and this radio. Your opinion?
The McKinley would be my choice. Better warranty, they actually have customer support (a phone number with a real person in the USA that answers it) and my opinion a better radio. I use 3 of them. One as a bench radio and two of them mobile in different vehicles.
I'm new to CB and I don't understand why the clarifier needs unlocking. Doesn't it work right out of the box?
Out of the box all CB radios have clarifier locked. Only the RX frequency is adjustable with the clarifier, the TX is only adjustable from inside the radio. Unlocking the clarifier ties the RX and TX frequencies together.
Sorry to ask, whats the advantage of this, isnt it best to leave tx frequency and just clarify the rx? Jim
I see now why they say do not make changes works great out of the box.
If I bought one of these transceivers (which I am going to) and send it to you what would you charge to do ALL the procedures you would recommend to do to this radio? Why would you want to unlock a clarifier. Sorry, new to SSB CB radios.
I just subbed and rang the notify bell!
Is Dad😢
Do you sell these?
What ever happened to Mikes channel?
I knew you could figure it out. Lets see if the warranty work increases now :)
I think this radio is find just as it is straight from the box
is there an option like this for the 980ssb? To unify the tx/rx clarifier voltage I mean.
Nevermind. found the new 980ssb clarifier video!
Can you share the schematic for that radio? been looking allover the internet without any luck.
What is the benefits from unlocking the clarifier?
+Kurt Peckenschneider
Your transmit and receive frequencies are then locked together. From the factory the clarifier only effects the receive signal. The transmit signal is only adjustable inside the radio. Unlocking it locks (kind of a contradiction of words) the RX and TX frequencies so they are the same. Factory is fine if only two people are talking. One person talks, you clarify them in and when you talk that person clarifies you in, all is well with the world. The problem is if a third person enters the conversation. You end up continuously adjusting your clarifier to tune in one person or the other. If everyone had their radios with RX and TX locked together it wouldn't be a problem. You want to enter a conversation, you clarify that person in and when you transmit it's on the same frequency. Amateur radios generally are selectable. You can make independent RX and TX adjustments or select to have RX and TX locked together with the push of a button.
Freelancer FRLNCR
Because the FCC has stupid rules that say they can't do that. Back in the mid-70's, I had a Radio Shack TRC48 (I think) 23 channel SSB radio. It's clarifier tracked xmit and rcv together. I think when the new 40 channel radios came out in 78, the new FCC type acceptance rules required a fixed xmit with the clarifier only tracking recieve. As Mike correctly noted, this causes all kind of problems with conversations involving more than two people.
Like mr. Mike always says....leave it stock...don't touch it.....
Please just leave the lock on. 😊
I'll keep mine Stock.
nice mike. im not afraid of smd's i just dont have the equipment for the job oh and the fee droping hilarious had me laughing for awhile
Scott Edick all you do is just tuch a chizle tip to the smd and lift it off
...Got it!
Why so small? to make it near impossible for us to repair? with this micro circuitry one scratch to the board and your screwed.
Cost, reliability, performance, stability to name a few. Pretty much all modern electronics use surface mount parts. They have been around for over 50 years. Production cost of them is now much less than comparable thru hole parts.
@@mikesradiorepair I love the President Richard CB radio I bought 2 of them.
Mike is DAD
Thanks. :)
lol. won't be doing that..
I'm starting to think these radios are no longer electronic, but rather an organized group of highly educated fleas.
Me too, and each one has a tiny little soldering iron. :-)
And a tail number for proper ID.
In my opinion not worth the risk just to unlock a clarifier and damaging a nice radio
Fly droppings... tee-hee, that's funny.
wow
Poco professionale... Avresti dovuto pulire, tagliere le unghie e cambiate il cerotto.