My parents bought me my first CB radio around 75-76...A Kraco KCB-1300 23 channel radio. I was about 12 or 13 years old. We lived only about 2 blocks off I290 in the Chicago area, and I would sit in the car and talk to truckers and my friends all the time. Kmart did carry Kraco radio's and this brand was hugely popular back then. I think my parents were worried I would drain the car battery. They bought me a 12 volt regulated power supply and a base antenna. Good times!!!
I did the same thing in California I think I was the only one that had to sit out my dad's pick up freeze in my butt off talking to my friends all night then my mom and dad for Christmas bought me A Base station Good times
Kmart sold Kraco CB radios and Kraco CB antennas, including a base station antenna that was a Ringo clone. The Kraco Deluxe CB radios were the single side band models I believe.
My grandmother had one that looked identical to that one. She got a lot of years of entertainment with it until she passed away in 2000. It was surprisingly a pretty decent radio. I don't know whatever happened to it or if another family member got it. Seeing this video brought back some distant memories. Thanks!
@@ericdee6802 🤣 cb wernt made legal in the UK till 1981 ,,,,and only UK FM band Am and ssb wernt made legal untill 2014 , being illegal never stopped the hardcore crowd over here it made it more fun , like I said Happy days
My Kraco has the original mic. 4 pin connector, red, white blue and shield. Look at the female end of the plug. With the indent at the 12:00 position the wires are, 1:00 red, 5:00 blue 7:00 connects with the 5:00 when mic is not keyed, disconnects when mic is keyed, 11:00 is the white wire. The PTT switch is a DPST, only 5 terminals are used. Wiring is blue from mic and red from mic are the common terminals. When not keyed the blue mic wire and the blue cord wires are connected. When keyed the blue mic wire and the white cord wire are connected as are the red mic wire and the red cord wire. There is a jumper from the blue mic wire to shield and then goes to the blue common switch terminal. Hope this helps and you can get the old rig running.
My brother lived next door in the 70's and 80's and had a Kraco base station, with a D-104 and beams. I had a Midland 13-882b with a D-104 and Solorcon A-99. Just for fun he would dead key me from being heard. Kinda miss those days.
I do remember that radio back in the day when I was big into CB radios that was a radio I seen some in hickory North Carolina. It is really cool to find one in that go to shape
Nice find. I have the same one in the 23 channel configuration. Picked it up at a thrift store a couple of years ago. Certainly didn't need it, but couldn't resist how cool it looks
Wow! I used to be big on CB base stations. I have small collection of tube based stations with Presidential names. We would argue over who could grow the best garden and the biggest tomatoes. Then the truck stop lot lizards and the truck wash/ wheel polishing people took over every channel. The internet came along so everyone went to that. But I miss those days
Back in the day Kracos were known as the budge radios on the market. But I’m sure they were fairly fine radios of the time. Those with Browning golden eagles, SBEs, Johnson’s etc we’re always cream of the crop. Beginners often flocked to Kracos as they were widely available at auto part stores and hardware stores.
My first CB was a Kraco 23 mobile back in the 70s, i do remember trying to use a different brand power mic and it had to be rewired to work with the Kraco! Very cool find, thanks for the video! Im 18 miles east of Raleigh NC, im using a President McKinley 40 channel SSB as a base in my home.
Love the McKinley. Skip has been rolling all day. Heard Western France, Germany into North Carolina, Northern Italy, Poland, Bavaria and a guy in Virginia, mobile, talking back to a California contact, all this morning from Central Virginia.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Wish I still had my Kraco mobile. That base is great !! I wouldn’t be disappointed if it didn’t work. I would admire it until maybe I could fix it.
Kraco radios were the cheaper line of CB radios that came out in the late 1970-early 1980's. They were good performers, especially for the price. A lot of stores sold them that didn't sell the big brand radios like EF Johnson, Midland, Cobra, Ect. I was a radio technician and repaired CB and Commercial radios back then. If you opened the Kraco radios, you would see that they has the same PC boards as some of the big names, with a lot of the same components, with spots on the boards that were empty for the features the other guys offered. Genave (General Aviation) also made CB radios way back then. That microphone looks like the one I had on my Genave tube type base station. Great find!
that was a nice radio. built by Cybernet in Japan. Went by many names. J.C. Pennys. Sears. Lafayette , ect. Solid build. I still use my :Lafeyette Telstat 140 that I recieved from my father in 1977. I was only 13yrs old.
I'm afraid that Kraco has a glitch in it. The radio was on when you first switched from PA to CB, the meter didn't move till you twisted the volume control around and then the s meter lifted off the peg. Later you switched the radio from CB to PA and then back to cb and again the meter had no movement. Not till you tapped the radio and jiggled the volume control did the s meter lift from the peg. It may need the switches and controls cleaned with an electronic cleaner spray. New old stock is still old stuff. I buy it, and try it, and often it works, but, sometimes they have problems, often deep problems, but like a moth to a flame, a pretty face on an old radio draws me in. Nice looking old rig, hope it is a good one. I like the old radios, keep showing them, reminds me of the some-what good old days.
That's a clean one. I have several of them I have the other base station with the 2 meters, also have the mobile and that is not the original Mike original Mike it's a little smaller skinnier and it says kraco on the front. but that is very very clean great find.
Anybody that sold Kraco car stereos had the Seabees. Used to see them in Kmart, Myer stores in Michigan. Think I even saw them in the old hills department stores and maybe even masons
My first mobile unit was a Kraco , 23 channel I believe , after I killed it, I got a Radio Shack , the hook was set b:) I’ll dig around in my spare mic box , may have something that work
Good video but I reckon it would be better for us retro electronic buffs if you open up the the unit and showed us all the electronic PCB boards, brings back some nastalga ECT, would be nice to see the the old PCBs from the day.
Time to grab the alligator clips and either that mic or another 4 pin and I’m guessing you’ll find the right combination in about five minutes. Then re-wire as needed. At this point I’m sure you’ve probably already done it
Kraco made different radios, both mobile, and base. I have had about all of them. If you wanted to insult someone back in the good old days of CB radio, you said their radio sounded like a Kraco. LOL! In all actuality, they weren't that bad. The top of the line mobile was called the Kraco Super Deluxe. Ha ha ha...
Last Kraco I saw was a 40 channel from Big Lots with digital display. The base is beautiful. I think it would probably receive better with a microphone that's matched to the wiring. Nice find.
I was just wondering if you still have that radio and if it is for sale. I have all the kracos except for that one. Would be a great addition to my collection!
Hello, I recently rediscovered a CB radio I bought in Highschool 1991 that is in mint condition. I used it in my car and had a group of friends who then did the same. We had a great time. How can I know which converter to buy to use this as a base station at home? I'm afraid to not know exactly what I need! Thanx!
Hi Eric..........................I would keep it A great piece of CB history .............. I don't think you will find another Kraco in this condition again............ best 73s
I picked up a Royce base station that was new in the box also a few years ago. Might be a little newer than that one as the channel indicator is a red number indicator not a dial. Seems to work fine. I just need a better antenna.
That radio looks like it has a receiver issue, or the mic has to be rewired to make it work, I think i have come across this issue many years ago. If not then that radio needs a complete service even replacing capacitors. But knowing u that will not get done and u will get rid of it lol. Anyway its only an AM radio, and dont cut the mustard in my books to waste time on.
I work at a local charity that runs a thrift store. No one is really interested in radio as much anymore. We get them donated constantly. I usually pick them up after being on the sales floor for a few days. The market is essentially flooded. I've never payed more than $20 for even a base station.
My parents bought me my first CB radio around 75-76...A Kraco KCB-1300 23 channel radio. I was about 12 or 13 years old. We lived only about 2 blocks off I290 in the Chicago area, and I would sit in the car and talk to truckers and my friends all the time. Kmart did carry Kraco radio's and this brand was hugely popular back then. I think my parents were worried I would drain the car battery. They bought me a 12 volt regulated power supply and a base antenna. Good times!!!
I did the same thing in California I think I was the only one that had to sit out my dad's pick up freeze in my butt off talking to my friends all night then my mom and dad for Christmas bought me A Base station Good times
Kmart sold Kraco CB radios and Kraco CB antennas, including a base station antenna that was a Ringo clone. The Kraco Deluxe CB radios were the single side band models I believe.
My grandmother had one that looked identical to that one. She got a lot of years of entertainment with it until she passed away in 2000. It was surprisingly a pretty decent radio. I don't know whatever happened to it or if another family member got it. Seeing this video brought back some distant memories. Thanks!
Glad it brought back some good memories.
Nice-looking radio
Definitely awesome
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My first rig was Kraco back in 1979 ,, they was illegal in the UK then ,,,,great days🇺🇸🇺🇸🇬🇧🇬🇧
Illegal??? You folks must have had some sort of trade embargo going on or something?
@@ericdee6802 🤣 cb wernt made legal in the UK till 1981 ,,,,and only UK FM band Am and ssb wernt made legal untill 2014 , being illegal never stopped the hardcore crowd over here it made it more fun , like I said Happy days
Best radio I ever had.
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My Kraco has the original mic. 4 pin connector, red, white blue and shield. Look at the female end of the plug. With the indent at the 12:00 position the wires are, 1:00 red, 5:00 blue 7:00 connects with the 5:00 when mic is not keyed, disconnects when mic is keyed, 11:00 is the white wire. The PTT switch is a DPST, only 5 terminals are used. Wiring is blue from mic and red from mic are the common terminals. When not keyed the blue mic wire and the blue cord wires are connected. When keyed the blue mic wire and the white cord wire are connected as are the red mic wire and the red cord wire. There is a jumper from the blue mic wire to shield and then goes to the blue common switch terminal. Hope this helps and you can get the old rig running.
My first CB was a 23 Channel Kraco Mobile. So Much fun.
They also made a Ssb version cool 😎
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I've got a NOS 23 channel Kraco base just like that. Puts out a little over 5 watts out of the box.
5w is pretty impressive
Nice find, I grew up on Kraco and Realistic.
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@@anthonyvincent7754 Unsure if you replied to me by mistake. If you do end up selling your Kraco -- I would be interested.
Awesome looking radio. Back when they still made things that looked cool. 😉
You got that right!
lets go brandon
Wow its like looking at a radio time capsule !
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Great looking classic radio.
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My brother lived next door in the 70's and 80's and had a Kraco base station, with a D-104 and beams. I had a Midland 13-882b with a D-104 and Solorcon A-99. Just for fun he would dead key me from being heard. Kinda miss those days.
Truly a sharp looking classic 👌
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Thanks Eric. It a nice radio for sure. Keep up the great work.
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I do remember that radio back in the day when I was big into CB radios that was a radio I seen some in hickory North Carolina. It is really cool to find one in that go to shape
Nice find. I have the same one in the 23 channel configuration. Picked it up at a thrift store a couple of years ago. Certainly didn't need it, but couldn't resist how cool it looks
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Wow! I used to be big on CB base stations. I have small collection of tube based stations with
Presidential names. We would argue over who could grow the best garden and the biggest tomatoes. Then the truck stop lot lizards and the truck wash/ wheel polishing people took over every channel. The internet came along so everyone went to that. But I miss those days
Back in the day Kracos were known as the budge radios on the market.
But I’m sure they were fairly fine radios of the time.
Those with Browning golden eagles, SBEs, Johnson’s etc we’re always cream of the crop.
Beginners often flocked to Kracos as they were widely available at auto
part stores and hardware stores.
My first CB was a Kraco 23 mobile back in the 70s, i do remember trying to use a different brand power mic and it had to be rewired to work with the Kraco! Very cool find, thanks for the video! Im 18 miles east of Raleigh NC, im using a President McKinley 40 channel SSB as a base in my home.
Love the McKinley. Skip has been rolling all day. Heard Western France, Germany into North Carolina, Northern Italy, Poland, Bavaria and a guy in Virginia, mobile, talking back to a California contact, all this morning from Central Virginia.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Wish I still had my Kraco mobile. That base is great !! I wouldn’t be disappointed if it didn’t work. I would admire it until maybe I could fix it.
Kraco radios were the cheaper line of CB radios that came out in the late 1970-early 1980's. They were good performers, especially for the price. A lot of stores sold them that didn't sell the big brand radios like EF Johnson, Midland, Cobra, Ect.
I was a radio technician and repaired CB and Commercial radios back then. If you opened the Kraco radios, you would see that they has the same PC boards as some of the big names, with a lot of the same components, with spots on the boards that were empty for the features the other guys offered.
Genave (General Aviation) also made CB radios way back then. That microphone looks like the one I had on my Genave tube type base station.
Great find!
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What a find
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My friend had that base station back in the day.
Nice, i had the kcb-4004 mobile rig many moons ago.
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Pretty cool cb is allowing fm soon in the US!
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I remember when i was 6 or 7 i found my grandparents base station in their basement, they had this same radio, very cool
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that was a nice radio. built by Cybernet in Japan. Went by many names. J.C. Pennys. Sears. Lafayette , ect. Solid build. I still use my :Lafeyette Telstat 140 that I recieved from my father in 1977. I was only 13yrs old.
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Probably needs the capacitors replacing?
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If you look closely you will find that it is a Midland 882c with a small pwr supply
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I'm afraid that Kraco has a glitch in it. The radio was on when you first switched from PA to CB, the meter didn't move till you twisted the volume control around and then the s meter lifted off the peg. Later you switched the radio from CB to PA and then back to cb and again the meter had no movement. Not till you tapped the radio and jiggled the volume control did the s meter lift from the peg. It may need the switches and controls cleaned with an electronic cleaner spray. New old stock is still old stuff. I buy it, and try it, and often it works, but, sometimes they have problems, often deep problems, but like a moth to a flame, a pretty face on an old radio draws me in. Nice looking old rig, hope it is a good one. I like the old radios, keep showing them, reminds me of the some-what good old days.
I had a Kraco 23 channel super deluxe mobile back in 1977 I used it as my first base station with radio shack 5/8 antenna and a D-104.
Good Times
my 2nd cb was a kraco 23 channel had to get license KHU 8626 Cheyenne wyoming
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Awesome survivor!. note: No 🚬 burns on the top face plate!. 🤣💨
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That's a clean one. I have several of them I have the other base station with the 2 meters, also have the mobile and that is not the original Mike original Mike it's a little smaller skinnier and it says kraco on the front. but that is very very clean great find.
Anybody that sold Kraco car stereos had the Seabees. Used to see them in Kmart, Myer stores in Michigan. Think I even saw them in the old hills department stores and maybe even masons
+1 for saying Seabees vice CB's.
That microphone looks exactly like the Mike on my old Kraco KCB-1300 23 channel radio, but it's labeled with a different name.
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My first mobile unit was a Kraco , 23 channel I believe , after I killed it, I got a Radio Shack , the hook was set b:) I’ll dig around in my spare mic box , may have something that work
I have the kraco ssb deluxe like new
I share your enthusiasm
Great retro looking radio, very nice. I love that clunking noise the channel selector makes.
I have been a cb nut since 1965 till current day
Good video but I reckon it would be better for us retro electronic buffs if you open up the the unit and showed us all the electronic PCB boards, brings back some nastalga ECT, would be nice to see the the old PCBs from the day.
Time to grab the alligator clips and either that mic or another 4 pin and I’m guessing you’ll find the right combination in about five minutes. Then re-wire as needed. At this point I’m sure you’ve probably already done it
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i know years ago there were Kraco radios everywhere we had a great k mart store
Kraco made different radios, both mobile, and base. I have had about all of them. If you wanted to insult someone back in the good old days of CB radio, you said their radio sounded like a Kraco. LOL! In all actuality, they weren't that bad. The top of the line mobile was called the Kraco Super Deluxe. Ha ha ha...
Kmart sold them around wisconsin here I never seen them sold anywhere else
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I'd keep it buddy! Put her on the shelf its so pretty. Pull it down and play with it from time to time.
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Ironman in Alabama I have one and a Mobil too back in late 70s they were good units
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Last Kraco I saw was a 40 channel from Big Lots with digital display. The base is beautiful. I think it would probably receive better with a microphone that's matched to the wiring. Nice find.
I was just wondering if you still have that radio and if it is for sale. I have all the kracos except for that one. Would be a great addition to my collection!
I'm sorry, it's sold.
the grille on the front of that radio looks like the grill on a 50s mercury
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Gneave made amateur 6 meter and 2 meter vhf transceivers in the mid 1970's might have been where the Microphone came from..
Why do you have such a high noise level?
Hello, I recently rediscovered a CB radio I bought in Highschool 1991 that is in mint condition. I used it in my car and had a group of friends who then did the same. We had a great time. How can I know which converter to buy to use this as a base station at home? I'm afraid to not know exactly what I need! Thanx!
Hi Eric..........................I would keep it A great piece of CB history .............. I don't think you will find another Kraco in this condition again............ best 73s
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I can remember fcc radio license was $5 dollar's
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I picked up a Royce base station that was new in the box also a few years ago. Might be a little newer than that one as the channel indicator is a red number indicator not a dial. Seems to work fine. I just need a better antenna.
I'm almost certain that the wiring diagram will show you how the mike is supposed to be wired.
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Hello there sir do you still have that Kraco 4045 base station would you like to sell it?
I'm sorry I sold it some time back.
Interesting classic, from 123 to 40 channel radio. Sad that the microphone didn't work.
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That radio looks like it has a receiver issue, or the mic has to be rewired to make it work, I think i have come across this issue many years ago. If not then that radio needs a complete service even replacing capacitors. But knowing u that will not get done and u will get rid of it lol. Anyway its only an AM radio, and dont cut the mustard in my books to waste time on.
Neat looking radio probably that mike can be rewired fot that set
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Nice Radio good find 👌this is ironman in Alabama please send me that 142 cobra gtl with 2 switches I can't wait to get it thanks 😀
You got it
@@FarpointFarms 10 4 thanks 😊
I am in possession of two General Electric CB ,s from the 70s One a 80SSB 40 AM Channel and on one 40 Channel PLL System are they worth anything?
Unfortunately you couldn't get anything out of it, you may be able to get a few buck by selling it at a yard sale or swap meet but, that's about it
I work at a local charity that runs a thrift store. No one is really interested in radio as much anymore. We get them donated constantly. I usually pick them up after being on the sales floor for a few days. The market is essentially flooded. I've never payed more than $20 for even a base station.
finding a kraco at a ham fest is like going to a car show and seeing a shiny pinto. both are a pos.kraco was bottom of the barrel in it's day.