The 858 pll has a wide range of possible frequencies in BCD. It makes sense to add an aftermarket channel expansion that just programs it. Better than rotary switches and toggles to fully command it. Can't find a working link to a kit here in the US unfortunately.
A neat mod but I don't know how well something similar would be worth installing into an old crystal radio. I bought a brand new Cobra 139 back in the day. My friends talked on channel 16 on sideband and all was great until the 40 channel radios came out and they all moved up to get away from the AM noise. A friend gave me a Siltronix VFO that worked great but that Cobra 139 wasn't a broadband talker at all. It would do only about 4 watts on SSB on channel 40 and if adjusted to get more power there the opposite end would drop down to almost nothing. I had to choose, which I was OK with since I usually just talked on 40 LSB anyway. I'm assuming many other crystal radios would have similar issues and this channel selector mod might be more work than they're worth. For an O2A or 858 chip though, or any other radio that was already 40 channels... awesome! 👍🏻
What you have a version 1 CB40, the ferris i got it and it had a box with thumb wheels on it, it was a test radio for the CB40 for the 858, the cb40 will work with 99% of PLL radios. it was a 18 channel with 2 thumb wheels, and yes i installed it. its designed by peter, it can be be put to 40ch using the switch on the board and it brings up a menu its in ham mode. the idea was to build a cb40 without butchering the radio, i can give you more info.
As far as the channel selector "feel" goes it all comes down to choice. It's a rotary encoder. You can get rotary encoders that have the rock solid click feel of a normal CB channel selector or you get the normal rotary encoder that has what I call a mushy feel. It all comes down to the specifications of the rotary encoder used. They even make a thing called a "rotary damper" that slides over the shaft of a encoder or potentiometer and adds rotary resistance. The number one thing to do is pick a top tier rotary encoder manufacturer like Bourns or whoever you like and to select one with the rotational force spec you want. Cheap Chinese encoders are just that, cheap. Sloppy, loose, channel skipping pieces of junk.
we have them installed in allot of radios 02a radios pc122 radios you name it we have done it, peter who designed it with me pestering him, its ment to work as a 40ch for radios , your one is a bill special has ham mode lol. peter is in china ATM he is working on the Version 4 of the CB40, and there is a sperate one being designed to give new live to 23 xtal radios
The 858 pll has a wide range of possible frequencies in BCD. It makes sense to add an aftermarket channel expansion that just programs it. Better than rotary switches and toggles to fully command it. Can't find a working link to a kit here in the US unfortunately.
A neat mod but I don't know how well something similar would be worth installing into an old crystal radio.
I bought a brand new Cobra 139 back in the day. My friends talked on channel 16 on sideband and all was great until the 40 channel radios came out and they all moved up to get away from the AM noise. A friend gave me a Siltronix VFO that worked great but that Cobra 139 wasn't a broadband talker at all. It would do only about 4 watts on SSB on channel 40 and if adjusted to get more power there the opposite end would drop down to almost nothing. I had to choose, which I was OK with since I usually just talked on 40 LSB anyway. I'm assuming many other crystal radios would have similar issues and this channel selector mod might be more work than they're worth.
For an O2A or 858 chip though, or any other radio that was already 40 channels... awesome! 👍🏻
What you have a version 1 CB40, the ferris i got it and it had a box with thumb wheels on it, it was a test radio for the CB40 for the 858, the cb40 will work with 99% of PLL radios.
it was a 18 channel with 2 thumb wheels, and yes i installed it.
its designed by peter, it can be be put to 40ch using the switch on the board and it brings up a menu its in ham mode.
the idea was to build a cb40 without butchering the radio, i can give you more info.
As far as the channel selector "feel" goes it all comes down to choice. It's a rotary encoder. You can get rotary encoders that have the rock solid click feel of a normal CB channel selector or you get the normal rotary encoder that has what I call a mushy feel. It all comes down to the specifications of the rotary encoder used. They even make a thing called a "rotary damper" that slides over the shaft of a encoder or potentiometer and adds rotary resistance. The number one thing to do is pick a top tier rotary encoder manufacturer like Bourns or whoever you like and to select one with the rotational force spec you want. Cheap Chinese encoders are just that, cheap. Sloppy, loose, channel skipping pieces of junk.
nice
in menu mods using the dipswitch you saw on the board you can choose what PLL you want to use, as well as choose between CB 40ch or ham mode
of the scan works n open squelch scan as well as closed squelch, no other kit does this, and if you do a deep look into it its well filtered also.
Nice mods good job
we have them installed in allot of radios 02a radios pc122 radios you name it we have done it, peter who designed it with me pestering him, its ment to work as a 40ch for radios , your one is a bill special has ham mode lol.
peter is in china ATM he is working on the Version 4 of the CB40, and there is a sperate one being designed to give new live to 23 xtal radios
Is this for sale Brenton?
Drop me an email at brenton@posnav.com.au Cheers brenton vk3cm