I was licensed in 1979 & discovered CB when good buddies started bringing radios to me at my 2-way radio shop I had at the time. It goes without saying that Luscious Lips, Metal Mickey & Banjo Boy were all sent packing with their FCC AM illegal radios & we started accepting service work on approved sets from Nov 81 as soon as it was legal. I immediately realised that Woolworths, Boots & Argos should not have been selling CB radios as they had no technical staff. At that time we started charging a £6.50 (generous even then) "New rig optimisation tuneup" fee. Richard, G0OJF, UK
I used to think these things were hideous, but now we're in the days of mostly bland styling, I really like the individuality of the green and it's got a few unusual features too - like it!
I always assumed they were some billy-no-mates inside & I was so wrong. Much higher case quality that I was expecting too. I must try & find the Danita Mk3 I've had kicking about new in a box for 10 years without opening! Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 - I was of the thinking that if Noddy and Big Ears had a CB in their car, this would be it! Look forward to future Danita videos 👍
Nice set never seen 1 in the pass it better than 27/81 radio we have lots of amateur radio chaps comes on mid block on every Saturday's we have lots of people swearing and playing music on 27/81 in Staffordshire.
Had the 27/81 version back in the 90s I think it was. The fascia was black with green backlighting. Loved it. Am I remembering right that the Maxcom 30E and Danita's own 640 were more traditional looking versions of the same radio?
Roger on that, the Maxom 30E & Danita 640 (We've covered them both) were traditional looking. I've a sneaking suspicion that the 27/81 version of the Danita Mk 5 was an illegal conversion....along with the Midland PowerMAx. HOwever, I've not seen a Danita 5 yet that purports to be 27/81. Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 I think the UK version was a conversion by Pama. It had a sticker on it to show it had the UK channels. Always fancied a Powermax.
I could probably work with that set, but to me the meters and the controls are the wrong way round to what I am used to, however, if you were on a left hand drive car it would be fine. At least it had a proper meter, not a black background on it either and it reads the RF output (to a fashion) but at least you know if something has changed if your RF out drops or goes off the scale! These were mostly sold into the lorry/truck market. That is the only place I saw a 27/81 set and anther that was a 27/81 but had CEPT channels in it as well. Naughty but nice as he ran abroad all the time with his load of beef usually. I can't remember if it had also AM in it, but i imagine it would have had on CEPT channels, but at least it was easy to change from UK to CEPT channels, flick of a switch. I am sure his had two meters as well, but maybe I am remembering what was being advertised at the time. It was still that funny green colour though! Both drivers worked for the same firm. Which I think has stopped trading, not gone to the wall, but they all retired. There must have been money in lorry driving then as they all have big expensive cars! They had expensive lorries back than as well, but I always thought they were still owned by the bank! When they started they were given their first lorries and trailers by a firm that shut down. Nice start to a business if you can get it.
When I worked as service manager at Nottingham radio in the 80's & 90's, the boss had a very good start to his business. There was a military surplus place at Nottingham (other than Anchor Surplus) operating from under a railway arch, scrapping fruit machines as well! One day, the boss had spotted something in the yard as he drove by which caught his eye, so returned later on for a closer look. I think they had some oscilloscope CRT's brand new in their boxes for about £7 each & he wanted to have a look through. Anyway, whilst there he spotted a yagi aerial all trodden into the muddy ground. He enquired of the price & it was £10 so he bought it. He was convinced it was made of platinum. He brought it back & cleaned it up, then went to the specialist metals scrap place at Nottingham, where they gladly gave him £12 grand for it. Richard
It's clear to me it was a 'new - returned as faulty', that's just sat back in it's box for 33 years. That detector coil mis-adjusment would have been so far out as to make the radio too distorted & garbled to be of any use. Richard
@@quotagious Mmmmm good idea. might cram that in during this lockdown. Anyway, it's sh1t set Sunday tomorrow so I'm sure to be able to dig out another version of the Great GT868 tomorrow. T21
love it, I like dxing on fm mid band, depite having a ham licence and hf set.
I was licensed in 1979 & discovered CB when good buddies started bringing radios to me at my 2-way radio shop I had at the time. It goes without saying that Luscious Lips, Metal Mickey & Banjo Boy were all sent packing with their FCC AM illegal radios & we started accepting service work on approved sets from Nov 81 as soon as it was legal. I immediately realised that Woolworths, Boots & Argos should not have been selling CB radios as they had no technical staff. At that time we started charging a £6.50 (generous even then) "New rig optimisation tuneup" fee.
Richard, G0OJF, UK
Unusual radio I don't remember those but performs very well.
Great receive as expected and probably one of the best CEPT tests you have done
I reckon too.
Richard
I used to think these things were hideous, but now we're in the days of mostly bland styling, I really like the individuality of the green and it's got a few unusual features too - like it!
I always assumed they were some billy-no-mates inside & I was so wrong. Much higher case quality that I was expecting too. I must try & find the Danita Mk3 I've had kicking about new in a box for 10 years without opening!
Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 - I was of the thinking that if Noddy and Big Ears had a CB in their car, this would be it! Look forward to future Danita videos 👍
I like that radio
Nice set never seen 1 in the pass it better than 27/81 radio we have lots of amateur radio chaps comes on mid block on every Saturday's we have lots of people swearing and playing music on 27/81 in Staffordshire.
Leave it to the Danes for the Design of this beauty
Had the 27/81 version back in the 90s I think it was. The fascia was black with green backlighting. Loved it. Am I remembering right that the Maxcom 30E and Danita's own 640 were more traditional looking versions of the same radio?
Roger on that, the Maxom 30E & Danita 640 (We've covered them both) were traditional looking. I've a sneaking suspicion that the 27/81 version of the Danita Mk 5 was an illegal conversion....along with the Midland PowerMAx. HOwever, I've not seen a Danita 5 yet that purports to be 27/81.
Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 I think the UK version was a conversion by Pama. It had a sticker on it to show it had the UK channels. Always fancied a Powermax.
I could probably work with that set, but to me the meters and the controls are the wrong way round to what I am used to, however, if you were on a left hand drive car it would be fine. At least it had a proper meter, not a black background on it either and it reads the RF output (to a fashion) but at least you know if something has changed if your RF out drops or goes off the scale! These were mostly sold into the lorry/truck market. That is the only place I saw a 27/81 set and anther that was a 27/81 but had CEPT channels in it as well. Naughty but nice as he ran abroad all the time with his load of beef usually. I can't remember if it had also AM in it, but i imagine it would have had on CEPT channels, but at least it was easy to change from UK to CEPT channels, flick of a switch. I am sure his had two meters as well, but maybe I am remembering what was being advertised at the time. It was still that funny green colour though! Both drivers worked for the same firm. Which I think has stopped trading, not gone to the wall, but they all retired. There must have been money in lorry driving then as they all have big expensive cars! They had expensive lorries back than as well, but I always thought they were still owned by the bank! When they started they were given their first lorries and trailers by a firm that shut down. Nice start to a business if you can get it.
When I worked as service manager at Nottingham radio in the 80's & 90's, the boss had a very good start to his business. There was a military surplus place at Nottingham (other than Anchor Surplus) operating from under a railway arch, scrapping fruit machines as well! One day, the boss had spotted something in the yard as he drove by which caught his eye, so returned later on for a closer look. I think they had some oscilloscope CRT's brand new in their boxes for about £7 each & he wanted to have a look through. Anyway, whilst there he spotted a yagi aerial all trodden into the muddy ground. He enquired of the price & it was £10 so he bought it. He was convinced it was made of platinum. He brought it back & cleaned it up, then went to the specialist metals scrap place at Nottingham, where they gladly gave him £12 grand for it.
Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 Bonus! That would be like getting a tenner for it now. Profit
The Uniden 400 also has a modulation meter function...no use no ornament unless u want to test mics with...but its a lovely radio
Roger, I didn't know that. I have a Uniden 400 lurking. I suppose I'd better do a few more CEPT sets whilst there isn';t S5 of interference!
Richard
A very nice tidy un screw driver to hell radio not seen allot on eBay these days
It's clear to me it was a 'new - returned as faulty', that's just sat back in it's box for 33 years. That detector coil mis-adjusment would have been so far out as to make the radio too distorted & garbled to be of any use.
Richard
Have you ever had any acquaintance of the Danita 3000 Multi sets Richard?
Yes & there are two versions & we have both.
Richard
No European skip today then?
No, very unusual for here! Only S2
Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 remember in the early 90s this band had s9 - s10 of skip coming in 16 - 20 hours a day on every channel
I quite like the look in that set, nice and rugged. Shame it wasn’t 80 channel and doing full 4watts. Almost looks like a base station it’s so big
Well I was on 31 all the way from A52 to Sleaford at 3 and I shouted and nobody was on
What a shame we were on CEPT doing this. We're on CEPT about 3 times a year. Typical.
Richard
Well there you go you have that many channels to choose from ,
Are you going to do the Midland Power Max on PR27GB at any time ?
@@quotagious Mmmmm good idea. might cram that in during this lockdown. Anyway, it's sh1t set Sunday tomorrow so I'm sure to be able to dig out another version of the Great GT868 tomorrow.
T21