Astatic D104M6B vs Ranger SRA-198 microphone test.

[@davevalencia8856]

I used the Astatic D104 m6b for many years and I will keep using them. My suggestion is use the D104 it's louder. You can barely hear the noise cancelling mic. What I've learned is that if you have the right tech . You can get the radio to have more audio punch. Lower your Dead key to around 2watts and turn the modulation up inside the radio. Do not clip the modulation limiter for and reason. But you can replace the limiter for a lesser value resistor Wich will boost modulation without messing up the radio. A good tech will know what values to work with can make your radio get better forward swing by doing other mods. Also I would invest in an amplifier. This will definitely increase your talk power in both rf power and audio watts. Also check the antenna and where it's mounted. Top dead center of the cab provides a good ground place for your signal to shoot off, it's a higher elevation on your truck and choose the right antenna. Big coil antennas are good but if you live in the mountains like me they can get damaged by trees. The best antenna ever, and it's been proven is a 102 inch stainless steel whip. It's a quarter wave, taller than all the others and it can take a beating, just be sure to use a ball mount and spring. This requires drilling holes in the roof if your okay with that. And with that you will be amazed at how much your signal and audio will improve. I also suggest turning the radio mic Gain All the way up and run the D104 about 3 or 4 or just on the threshold of before it feeds back. You'll be loud and you will get out great. Cool radio you have. Have fun modulatin. Tattoo man Dave in the high Sierra mountain range round Yosemite national Park.

[@14KiloWhisky]

👍

[@FloryJohann]

Thank you for your reply.

[@freddie3159]

I have the Sra 198 that came with my Ranger RCI-X9 radio. I constantly had to speak so loud and of course keep the mic close to your mouth. It was more of a hassle than anything else. I replaced it with a basic mic (CM4) and everyone can hear me fine. I will not use noise canceling mics anymore. More of a hassle than anything else.

[@Fox250R]

My m6b sounds great on my 955 but I have the gain on the mic all the way down to one and the 955 wide open! No rf squeal not even from the talk back! Great mic

[@244-badnews2]

This is the only Connex that I’ve can’t find to complete my Connex collection. I just found the 366

[@yankeetrucker5438]

It's the only connex I own so far. I got thus about a year ago never used still in the box from a small shop out of Ohio.Its been a good radio very stable on SSB

[@macmiles278]

The 198 microphone will work wonders if the radio is modified. I use the 198 on a modified Uniden 980SSB and the talk back is incredible along with radio checks. Amazing mono like sound on talkback and on the radio checks. Otherwise the 198 will be useless for a an unmodified radio.

[@ToolsTechOutdoors]

If the Ranger mic is too low, there’s a resistor on the mic switch. Just remove it. Put a ranger echo board with the noise canceling mic and you’ll have a lot of punch

[@nashvilleoutlaw]

Try a Ranger SRA-158-4H. They are actually louder than most stock mic's. There's a reason Ranger brought them back into production a few years after stopping production of the SRA-158-4H and the 198.

[@EdzashedFudwinkle]

I have friends around the World & with some serious kit, but Tx/Rx on 10m they swear down on the Quad6/SS9900. And tbh I have both 6900N/SS9900 CRT sets, I have Power & desk microphones for them, but the standard (albeit small microphone hole, the front cover unclips) it does a cracking job. Love the Connex & some Galaxy brands, but Uk/EU so Fm over Am, Ssb too. I had the Astatic, swapped that for a KPO Power Mic NM532 & DMC110-P6 Dynamic, and a Zetagi M93 Pre-Amp Mic as others, European brands mainly but they work. Great video buddy, 73's. 407 Mcr 👋

[@rodlink6258]

Why toy with any Mic gain other than 100% with the 198. Astatic is understandable to be tweaking its controls. Let the radio do its work

[@cdlthelion6034]

When he is talking into the sra-198 he's got to talk into the mic. I took off my power mic put on the sra198 open my mic all the way maybe cracking just a hair back and I've got good reports good clear audio and loud enough!

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I've finally have it dialed in sounding great.I have it in my big truck now

[@bradh74]

After that test I think I will be getting a power mic for my General! I thought that $35 mic it has should be good enough but after this it's obvious it cancels to much of your voice as well as "noise". It's like you're yelling through a seat cushion!

[@yankeetrucker5438]

It depends on the radio also this connex is not a loud audio monster it's on the quiet side.On my stryer the ranger sra-198 does great.I this this is the worst radio connex ever made a failed attempt at having sideband

[@bradh74]

@@yankeetrucker5438 I've always had a "quite" voice. I got a reply with a bad Ant. set up to see if this radio works but they were only a mile away. This radio should get out farther than that. I'm sure the ant. was the problem, but there could have been others I couldn't pin point yet. I really need to get it set up with a good ant./coax and mount either on my house or in my car. Do you think Wilson RG58 coax with the clear sheathing is good enough?

[@yankeetrucker5438]

@@bradh74 It should do the job

[@generalingwer4341]

Wow i wasnt expecting that.i been trying to find one of the old ones labled as the minuteman 2 or 6 not sure? boy there getting scarce out there.thanks for video.

[@randyguay7115]

I think the d104 did best . I love the 198 and they are normally sufficient to the task. In this case tho the d104 shines. I have 2 i got new and they were garbage out of the box after some experiments i was able to get rid of the noise when key an dis key and with the addition of a 1m.ohm resistor and a surface mount variable i was able to take control of the tone ... not so tinny sounding now. They added some punch to my 955 an galaxy radios tested on cobra 29 an uniden 66 68 78 an a pc122 big difference.

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I will have to give that a try

[@arielalvarez24]

D104 for the Win 🎙️

[@FloryJohann]

Would the Astatic 104 work for a Pro510xl radio?

[@cindys1819]

A noise canceling Mike can easily be an amplified Mike also. It's the pick up pattern and the audio freq range of the Mike. After you filter out the background then you can in a second or third stage Amplify the audio. The older astatics had a Crystal Mic. Which was then amplified. You could light up L.A. with that mic.'s output!!!! Wonderful, punchy, and deliberately aggravating if you wanted audio.....from the golden Era of CB lTec60's to lTe 70's

[@JustAnumbr]

Did you have the ranger close to your mouth. A noise cancelling mic should be close, hence the lip guard. A dynamic or powered mic should be held about 10-12 inches away. Nice rig!

[@yankeetrucker5438]

Yes I did

[@Fox250R]

Road devil has a lip guard and it’s a power mic :)

[@EdzashedFudwinkle]

I use the Q6/9900 for 11m Ssb/Fm here in England too, but I can Ssb 38LSB across the pond daily, considering a D104 or Road Devil Mic, although the standard M9 Mic it came with works great, just after that little punch in audio like yourself. 73's, thanks for the video. 407, Mcr Uk 👋

[@yankeetrucker5438]

Either one of them microphones are good choice.Im not familiar with the Q6 will have to look that up.73s to you

[@frankgellormino-tm5hb]

Ranger SRA-198 is a solid mic i use it and the RD104E Road Devil

[@KE6DOA]

I have a friend that has a new ranger rci 2995dxcf any recommendation for a amplified desk mic.. Or a amplified hand Mic, but I’m sure he would prefer a desk mic

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I'm not a huge fan of amplified microphone however I own the d104 hand mic it does a fine job. As far as a desk microphone silver eagle works great I have that on my Teaberry stalker base station.

[@locascioantonino]

A technician can match up any microphone, but might have to put something in it or may have to take something out of it no matter what he’ll tell you what microphone fits for that radio you’re gonna go crazy for what microphone that you want to put then I read no microphone I got a L636, but I’m really on the CB channel. I’m a ham operator tech good luck my friend.

[@yankeetrucker5438]

Thank you

[@user-su5sq5ib3i]

Why are you trying to compare powered microphone to a dynamic noise canceling microphone? It's apples and oranges the ranger Mike is not designed to give you more drive into the radio. So this comparison is kind of useless

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I totally agree with you.It was more about what mic sounded better for that radio. I don't use that radio anymore was junk, in my opinion.

[@user-su5sq5ib3i]

@@yankeetrucker5438 as far as tone I believe the ranger mic sounds more pleasant for normal conversation and the d104 is a tinier sounding mic, good for ssb dx. Not so much am in my opinion

[@NathanielSr]

These two mics can't be compared, Ones a power mic and the other is a noise cancelling mic. It's like day and night.

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I was trying to see what was best for that particular radio.I have moved on from that radio.Now running Stryker 447hpc2 and a Anytone 6666

[@Hammerjockeyrepair]

and the noise canceling mic honestly was almost as loud as the d104 but didnt sound distorted

[@butterbean4195]

astatic has gone down hill bad. the d104m6b`s are junk the cords rot after 3/4 years the ptt always sticking or scratchy always spraying contact cleaner in it and if you want service forget about it.. they wouldnt even sell me a replacement cord for the m104 mics yea i have 2 thats the black cords have rotted off now there junk. Ill never buy a astatic mic again looking for old turners thats still going

[@tommiller9230]

Turn the mic gain all the way up and put a box behind it

[@Sui778]

In all honesty, it really makes no difference which mic is being used - sorry, but that radio just sounds bad across the board.

[@jimnunya1253]

All I heard was D104

[@hazmathauler4536]

Ugh…no offense they both side like crap…. I know you got a 447hpc. I have one and it’s been modded and I run a 20 year old Telex Turner RK 56 with it. The trick is have the radio tuned to a noise canceling mic. Hope you are enjoying your new Stryker 🤘🏻.

[@yankeetrucker5438]

Yes the stryker is the best radio I gave used to date.Thet don't make microphones like they use to anymore

[@James-l4v4i]

Noise canceling mics not only reduce background noise, it reduces your voice also. Since everyone is into loud and proud, just skip the noise canceling stuff and get a power mic.

[@09DARKORANGEJK]

Is it just me or do the both sound horrible. Must be the radio 🤷‍♂️

[@yankeetrucker5438]

My external speaker at the time was crap

[@johnhofer5893]

At those short distances they both sound lame

[@Mouthpiece985]

That was the biggest hunk of junk connex made

[@yankeetrucker5438]

I agree

[@zukispur5493]

The d104 is absolute rubbish. You're better off buying the kpo nm 532.

[@dr.zacharysmith1207]

D-104 is way better sounding !