President McKinley SSB CB Radio - Unboxing Review - Best CB in 2022

[@AEZAEZEL-187]

İ live in the Netherlands and i have expanded my President MC Kinley and i highly recommend this radio! And yes i snipped the wire and moved the jumper! You should too 😂 73's !!!

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi, glad your enjoying your Mc Kinley, all the best and thanks for watching and commenting. 73 MJ7NLK

[@richie152]

Hello again. Great upload and Just in time as I was ready to order the President Richard from Knights. Glad I didn't. As you may remember I already have the President Randy III. I managed to get my SWR to 1.1 on a Sigma mag mount on my vehicle using the PR III. Keep up the great work it's very very much appreciated. Thank you.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hey Rikardo, thanks for watching. Both radios are an excellent choice. If you need SSB then the KcKinley is the only way to go or possibly the Lincoln 2+. The President Richard is a joy to use, is cheaper and has a certain charm to it. The McKinley is a better longer term choice in my opinion although I wouldn't be without the President Richard, I do love that radio. Also good to hear you managed to get your SWR down to an excellently low level. Did you swap out the antenna to get it down or was there another issue. We keep trying to do a Randy III range test and have been rained off twice already. I have bits of footage all over the place. Going to be trying hard to get that done soon. All the best, 73 from MJ7NLK 🙂

[@richie152]

@@NLKMediaGroup I didn't swap out the Sigma antenna I just altered it's height with a grub screw. No need to cut a anything off. Works a treat now. Stay safe, stay well until next time.

[@jeffery6813]

I just bought this radio thinking I was getting an export but such was not the case. But this thing thunders through all the noise that we've been experiencing. I had my 955hpc in the truck for a few weeks, put McKinley in today and all my buds thought I supercharged it but nope it was all stock and standard McKinley. BTW, nice show you guys have some cool stuff across the big pond. Take care all!!

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Jeffery, glad to hear your enjoying the Mc Kinley it’s a nice radio. I believe the non-export version can have the clarifier unlocked but that’s all. However, as you say, it’s a great radio as standard so unless you need to, it works just fine out the box. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. All the very best. MJ7NLK

[@Ossie12pints]

Hi jeffery, now fm is legal in the USA you could order one from the EU and then you could expand it

[@mikeyf103]

McKinley FCC you can't do any mods unless you have the European version

[@simonclarke2198]

Yes was have a look around and was looking at the RM KL405V and the RM KL505V have just got the a ZETAGI R35 VOLTAGE REDUCER 24. 12V DC. 35AMP MAX. To run the one I pick to put into the lorry So Thank you

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Simon, the R35 Reducer is a nice unit. Did it work out for you and the McKinley? The EU model of the McKinley is 12 and 24V compatible so no reducer needed and the US version is also dual voltage. Its a lovely good quality radio but can be slighly fiddley to use. All the best and Happy New Year to you

[@roberthoffman4713]

I can't wait for the updated model with FM to get to the USA. I would love to see if the USA model still has the ability to open up the more power mode. I was disappointed with the SSB power of the stock Mckinnly it was only 7 watts. I don't know if it's a fluke or not. The other thing that seems messed up is out of 45 CB radios the Mckinnly is the only one that seems to get warm when it's turned on and just monitoring a station. My local shop said that is strange but they don't work on president radios. They noticed that it always makes a tiny noise when it's turned on. I don't know if I got a radio with a serious issue or not. Others don't seem to have any issues and they put out more power on SSB. Can anyone out there shed some light on this? What's your experience with this radio? Thanks for any information or for sharing your experience.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Robert, the McKinley I have does not exhibit the same behaviour as you mentioned. The EU models are different ot the US models with the former being locked down due to your specific regulations. I am sure the FM version will be appearing soon as the McKinley is a popular radio. I guess you could try and get an EU model but it wont have the required certifications. I wanted to try and get my hands on a Randy 2 FCC so that I could strip it down and compare the PCB's to see what the differences were. However, that is quite an expensive test to do so am a little undecided, you never know, I might bite the bullet at some point on this. I personally find the McKinley a bit fiddlie to use due to the front speaker taking up almost 50% of the available button area but once you get used to it, its a nice unit. If you need to mount in a enclosed DIN opening in your vehicle and dont want the hassle of an external speaker then the McKinley is the only option. President are supposed to be releasing the George 2 soon (believe that when I see it available as its been on the cards for ages) and will be an alternative to the McKinley or you could go with the Lincoln 2+ which is a mighty SSB radio but requires expanding to cover CB frequencies which is easy on the EU model. Its a HAM radio so not sure if its heavily restricted like the US CB radios. Thanks for watching, all the best

[@dusanstakic2741]

I have US model, here in Europe. It doesn't have same things inside, can't upgrade chanels or power or anything. Everything is micro size, no vires to cut...No FM!

[@NLKMediaGroup]

@@dusanstakic2741 Thanks for the info this is really helpful. It looks like the US models are locked down due to FCC rules. I noticed that the US McKinley doesnt have FM either when checking out the US website. That is a shame but they may well come out with an updated version now FM is legalised in North America, time will tell on that one. All the best and thanks for watching and commenting.

[@slapoutindixie7537]

I just recently bought a US version McKinley… it only puts out 2 1/2 watts on am and barely moves the watt needle on side band…. I paid extra to have it tuned and aligned… I think they messed up my wattage output 🙄… I’m going to take it to a shop to have checked out

[@danielpark2991]

The mckinley is a very difficult radio to use in the truck. But good for home base use. Screen and knob layout could have been better. The grant 2 is still my favourite radio.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Daniel, I would agree with you on that one. Having the front speaker has meant that button real estate is limited on the McKinley and it can, at times, be difficult to use. Setting the RF Power is a good example and a pain in the derrière. We are rather limited in legal SSB CB radios in the UK and EU. The President George 2 has been coming for a while now. It's even in the French President CB catalogue marked as "PROCHAINEMENT / PRÓXIMAMENTE" which means "Coming Soon" or "Approximately Soon" would be a more accurate translation. The Grant 2 was a lovely radio. If you don't need SSB then the Walker 2 is a great radio and easy to use one handed. All the best and thanks for watching

[@jerrypolverino6025]

Daniel, I wanted a radio with weather, and weather alert. They can be hassle savers, or even life savers in some situations. I would have purchased an AM, FM, SSB but could not find a President with those bands plus the weather functions.

[@cariboooutlaw4852]

​@@jerrypolverino6025President has many of their radios with the weather band's in them. Available at many dealers all across the USA and Canada!

[@jerrypolverino6025]

@@cariboooutlaw4852 president does not make an AM/FM with single sideband. I checked.

[@cariboooutlaw4852]

@@jerrypolverino6025 actually President USA released information about the McKinley ll FCC which will be out soon for the USA and Canada. It was on their website earlier this week but they've since taken it down from their website due to error on being too soon for anyone to know about it!

[@DaviddoesStuff]

Nice review. Just curious about the viewing angle of the display. It will be mounted overhead in Peterbilt. Some LCD screens I've had in the past are not viewable from below. Thanks again for the review.

[@warrenksanbornjr.6643]

I have a regular McKinney USA but I definitely want a EU version

[@NLKMediaGroup]

I have had viewers from US who have ordered EU versions. There is a new SSB radio hitting the stores in September. The President George 2. All the details are on the european President website. Looking forward to getting my grubby hands on one when available. Will be nice to have more than 1 CB SSB radio in the President line up. All the best and thanks for watching.

[@drsysop]

US/Canada not have that mod only mod is you can unlock the clarifier. I need to order one of those versions.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi DrSysOp, thanks for watching. You can probably order internationally from Knights Electocom in the UK or maybe Moonraker UK who also sell the McKinley. Thanks for letting me know the US/CAN version is different. 73 MJ7NLK

[@PrestonJSY]

Good Video! I can see your using your lumix G9

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Yes I am!

[@kisho2679]

is there a bluetooth adapter for the President McKinley to connect with smartphone?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

No there is no Bluetooth adapter for the Mc Kinley. The Lincoln 2+ has software and a cable and can be programmed via a computer so might be worth checking to see what additional functionality is available with that option. All the best and thanks for watching

[@flyfliker]

What is gained by snipping the wire and moving the jumper. Is reception improved with this modification?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi FlyCaster, snipping the wire and moving the jumper puts the radio into export modification mode. This enables more bands to be used outside of the standard CB 11-meter channels and also increases power output (if your licensed). If you want to make changes to modulation and deviation, then you have to use the pots on the PCB to adjust them. You will need the appropriate equipment to test and set but this is how it's done on the McKinley. There is no service menu to adjust these settings. Hope this helps and thanks for commenting, all the best

[@wallywo7392]

Hi this was really useful, just clarify you can access 27.555 on this without having to making any modifications, is it just the press of a button. If I wanted to power it from home what I would need? I'm also curious can you get handheld ssb as I'm struggling to find one. Thanks for your hardwork

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Wally, if you want to power from home then you can use a 13.7V switchable PSU which are cheap or go for a Linear PSU which have very little to no interference so are better in my view. I use an LM-30 by Sharman but you dont need 30A for the McKinley. Anything equal to or over 5A should do just fine. A 5A psu should be good for up to 30W output generally. You can connect the cables supplied with the radio directly to the PSU and turn it on, thats all you need. I dont know what region your in but if you type PS-08 into the search box at www.kcb.co.uk that would do nicely, 6A linea. Handheld SSB is more of a struggle. Albrecht used to make a radio (AE2990) which had SSB but dont know how easy they are to find. Xiegu X6100 has SSB receive for HF and can be modded to transmit on 27/28Mhz. The amazing Icom IC705 can also be modded (i think they call it the Mars mod) to RX/TX on 27Mhz as well but both are Ham radios and expensive. Maybe other viewers reading this can make a recommendation on a Handheld SSB CB. Thanks for watching and please let me know if you find a good SSB Handheld, all the best, MJ7NLK

[@wallywo7392]

@@NLKMediaGroup wow, thanks very much that's absolutely brilliant, I'll look into this it all seems a bit daunting especially any programming or mods to a CB. I'll let you know how I get on, thanks again very much appreciated indeed.

[@wallywo7392]

@@NLKMediaGroup sorry I think I misread you reply, can you use/listen to 27.555 out the box with McKinley president or do you need to program it. Thanks for your support.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

@@wallywo7392 Hi there Wally, No the McKinley covers from 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz as standard and does not cover 27.555. When expanded it covers from 24.715 though 30.105 inclusive. Band block B looks like it would be the one from 27.415 to 27.855. I happen to have my President Richard to hand which is expanded as well and in band block B at channel 12 it hits 27.555 in AM and FM no problems. The McKinley when expanded will be the same in block B and channel 12. If you dont need SSB then the Richard might be a good alternative and cheaper, love that radio, its amazing, check the channel for the review. I also have a Walker 2 for review which is basically a Richard pre defined to CB channels but can also be expanded. If your in the UK then Knights Electrocom can expand the radio for you if your not wanting to start tinkering yourself.

[@wallywo7392]

Brilliant sounds like just what I need thanks very much, you're a real role model for the CB community cheers, no doubt I'll be pestering you at a later date 😄

[@StevieB-jj9fz]

Thanks so much for the video. I have the American version so it does not have FM on it. I really like this UK version especially the expanded version really nice. Could I order the UK expanded version and have it sent to the US? Also how many channels do you get with the UK expanded version?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi StevieB, various of my viewers who are based in NA have said that they have ordered the EU model and got them delivered. I cannot verify this but see no reason for them to mislead anyone. When expanded the radio has band blocks covering everything from 24.715 - 30.105mHz. You could also try www.kcb.co.uk who I can recommend highly, they might be able to ship to your region. I recently ordered a Randy 2 FCC from Amazon so I can strip it and compare it to the Randy 3. estimated 6 weeks delivery to my region from the US if that helps give an idea. Its not arrived yet :-)

[@kisho2679]

Which telescopic antenna would be advisable to use for SSB?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi and thanks for watching. The general rule with anything CB antenna related is the longer the better. Hight is might. It also depends on your application. Handheld, vehicle, base station, etc. you can get some decent 27Mhz telescopic antenna on Amazon which are about 1.3 meters long. They work well but usually have a BNC connection so you might need converter dependant on your application. All the very best

[@rickosborn2070]

I could see the white wires good but is the next step like a on off switch? And you flipping it to the right?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Sorry am a bit behind on answering comments, appologies for the delayed response. There is a jumper on the right just past the bank of resistors which has 1, 2 and 3 written on the board. By default the plastic jumper is placed over 1 and 2 and needs moving to 2 and 3. Just pull it off and move it over and push it on so it covers 2 and 3 pins. Hope this helps. Happy new year and all the best for 2024

[@RogerBrenon]

The answer to your question is "YES" - you can put a DPDT switch to change options. :)

[@kisho2679]

What power connection options are there for AC socket, for solar panels, car batteries, car cigaret socket, power pank, ...?

[@rigsearch]

Great video thank you for sharing. I have subscribed 😊

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Thank you, much appreciated. Happy new year and all the best for 2024

[@wieslawpuzio8203]

Lubie twoj kanał, pozdrawiam !

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Dziękuję, bardzo miło, życzę szczęśliwego Nowego Roku Thank you, very kind, Happy New Year to you

[@WildMike111]

Hello, just bought a McKinley but I’m just getting 2 watts both in AM and FM..!!! It’s not expanded (yet) but I think it’s not normal to have such low values. What do you think?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

you can adjust RF power by pressing a key combination on the front of the radio. it's most likely been set to half power. I am not in the studio this week but you can download the manual from President and look for RF power adjustment. All the best and thanks for watching

[@WildMike111]

@@NLKMediaGroup thank you. Turns out I was dealing with a faulty power supply. Everything is fine with my McKinley, very powerful radio out of the box. Thanks again, I really appreciate your channel

[@robbyb]

I tried the "ninja move" (PTT + F + MODE -> Power On) on the McKinley (unlocked) and it did put the Radio in an "ru" mode. Can someone tell something about this mode ?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Ah yes, the RU mode, which is un-documented in any President material I have to hand. It is well known amongst McKinley owners but exactly what it does is not. I am also "all ears" if anyone knows exactly what this does. Without hours of testing, it's hard to say. Sorry I could not enlighten with more info on this. Thanks for watching, all the best.

[@PreparedCitizenSolutions]

Going to order one my bearcatt 980 has been pissing me off

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi, thanks for watching and for commenting. The Mc Kinley is a good quality radio I am sure you will be happy with it. All the best.

[@PreparedCitizenSolutions]

@@NLKMediaGroup thank you sir ordering one ASAP.

[@Davejazz]

Got A Q.can you turn the power down in menu or front screen to lower the watts ?? Instead of inside the radio

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Yes, on the face of the radio just to the left of the bottom dial (channel selector) it has RF Power printed. If memory serves me correctly you press and hold the PTT button, then press the MEM/ECHO button located to the left of the F key and use the channel selector knob to adjust the RF power up and down.

[@candemansfishtips636]

Can the US models be modified like you show in your video?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi, the US versions (usually with FCC in the name) are restricted and don't have an export mode like the EU versions. I do not have any FCC versions to play with but viewers have reported back that they are not the same. Might be worth sourcing an EU version. Some viewers have gone down this road instead. Hope this helps. All the best and thanks for watching.

[@roberthoffman4713]

Does anyone know when this is unlocked is there a bank of channels that line up with the USA CB channels? I would like to get one however if others use the radio it would be preferable if it only stopped on the channels used in the US also out channel frequencies don't line up with the channel numbers. I know many of the radios have a band that matches up and to access the other frequencies you change bands or is it banks. I need it to be simple enough for anyone to use but be able to switch if the need arises. Thanks for any information that you can provide.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Robert, yes the standard CEPT EU bands align with the US standard frequencies. When expanded band block A starts at 26.965 on channel 1 and ends on 27.405 on channel 40. Hope this helps and thanks for watching

[@Davejazz]

What's the difference with TXPA600 and TxUS600.?? Model numbers .

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi David, the EU model is TXPA600 and the US model must be TXUS600. The TXUS600 is the USA version and is AM only. They have now released a TXUS610 which has FM as well. Check the President website for US if that is your region. EU model will be more expandable as the US versions normally have the expansions removed. All the best and thanks for watching

[@wallywo7392]

hi thanks for this, I have just bought a the McKinley it seems grand but two questions it's expand but how do I get on 11m 27.555 and also I connected the antenna an orbiter mini but the swr internal swr was going crazy fluctuation from ,1-2 and sometimes higher, any explanations for this andbwhy it's so random. if exceeds 2 do I need to lengthen or reduce the antenna? it's advertised as pretuned so I assumed it would have been in range. thanks very much.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Wally. That is an easy one to answer. In expanded mode, next to the channel number is an alpha letter A, B, C, D, etc. Each letter relates to 40 channels so A-12 is one frequency and B-12 is another. Make sure your in expanded mode (in FM pressing F for 3 seconds switches to UK 40 and pressing and holding again switches back to expanded mode) When you see the alpha letter, could be A, B, C, D, E, etc short press the F key to switch band blocks. get the band block to B and then turn the dial until you get to channel 12. So your looking for B band block and channel 12 for 27.555. You can then press mode button to swithc between AM, FM, USB, LSB, etc

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Wally, to answer your SWR question. Please check out the video on my channel called "Tuning CB Radio Antenna" which will guide you through the process. I prefer to use an external SWR meter but you can use the built in option in the radio. Read the manual for how to operate this. You need to mount the antenna in a decent location ensuring it has a good ground plane. Mag mounting in the middle of the roof of a car would be good. Make sure your not close to any buildings or under cover, a nice open space. Then test your SWR and see what reading you get. My video gives you all the info you need including in the description on what to test for and how to know if you need to lengthen or shorten the whip. Most antenna that are pre-tuned need tuning. My SS Orbitor needed an inch cutting off and that was supposed to be tuned. Please watch the video carefully and read the description and as long as your under 2 your ok and preferably 1.4 or less. All the best and enjoy your McKinley

[@wallywo7392]

Hi thanks you very much indeed for your prompt reply and support, really appreciate it, after being CB for many years getting back into has seemed daunting. I don't recall my binatone having all those options on it :) it's gr at to know the CB community is full of helpful guys like yourself, thanks again. Do you have a video on how use USB/LSB and etiquette/language, I did my foundation license is it years ago is it basically the same? Thanks very much.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

@@wallywo7392 I will add USB/LSB to the list of requested videos, thanks for the suggestion. I have a video on my channel called Ham Exam which runs you through the process and what is covered which you might find useful. I hope you enjoy your McKinley, they are lovely radios. All the very best and thanks for watching 🙂

[@wallywo7392]

Thanks mate I have just tried adjusting the antenna, the swr is all over the place range from 1.6-3 but mainly about 2.4, channel 40 appears to slightly lower, I did take off about 3cm, to say I'm confused would be an understatement not sure if should take off some more, even though it seems slightly lower on 40. Sent about an hour this morning trying to adjust it and just seems random. Thanks for your support.

[@Davejazz]

What's the power output with rf power turned down ??

[@stefanog6132]

dai 3 ai 5 W circa in base alla modalità

[@Miyamitop]

I would like to buy it, but in the USA it comes without the heatsink, without FM and perhaps less power

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Adr, yes you are correct, the McKinley FCC version does not have FM and does not have the same expansion options as the EU version. I do not know if it will be updated like the Randy 2 FCC was to include FM at some point. I guess time will tell on that one. All the best and thanks for watching

[@Miyamitop]

thanks I think it is [due to local laws that restrict power etc. I was looking forward to it but I changed my mind@@NLKMediaGroup

[@kisho2679]

Which car cigarette adapter-cable is to be used, to connect to the McKinley over 12V?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

www.kcb.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d45.html look for K40 heavy duty. This is good for higher powered radios.

[@simonclarke2198]

Hi I have a President Mc Kinley output around 18W to 19.5W Test on a NISSEI R/S 70 digital SWR/Wattmeter. I am looking for a good LINEAR AMPLIFIER (WITH PRE-AMP) like the RM KL (100W) (200W) (300W) what would you suggest,any help would be appreciated.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Simon, yes I test using a Nissei RS-70 into a 100W dummy load. Probably the RM KL405V that has the none-variable pre-amp, cooling fan and ranges from 50W to 200W maximum for AM/FM. Also does SSB up to 400W. The 405V is the new model with updated internals and a cooling fan. The 405 is the older model without the cooling fan. The RM-KL300P also has a pre-amp but I would go for the 405V as its only £56 more. I hope your enjoying the McKinley, lovely SSB radio. All the best

[@simonclarke2198]

Hi looking to get a new Radio and have it down to the two below it is for the Road and the house any suggestions come help President McKinley President Lincoln II PLUS

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Simon, Now that is a difficult one as they are both excellent radios. I have a Lincoln 2+ which I havent got around to reviewing on the channel yet. It depends on a few things really. The McKinley is primarily a CB radio with SSB. The Lincoln is a Ham radio covering 10 meter and 12 meter bands (not CB bands) and includes SSB. In their standard states pick the one that your need, CB or Ham bands dependant on your license / requirements. When we get into modifying / expanding them it gets more difficult. Both radios can be expanded to cover the same ranges as each other 24.715 to 30.105. The Lincoln edges it on power output with about 10W more in FM but this really doesnt matter and shouldnt be a deciding factor. The Lincoln can be programmed via a cable which the McKinley cannot but the McKinley has a front facing speaker and is simpler to use. If CTCSS tones are important to you (they arent to me) then go Lincoln. If your primary use case is CB bands then on balance the McKinley. If your primary use case is Ham radio 10m and 12m then Lincoln. However, they will both server you well whichever you pick. President make some lovely radios. How about the McKinley in the car and the Lincoln at home, just a suggestion :-) Thanks for watching, all the best, MJ7NLK

[@stewartgamlin8517]

Hi , I've got a wouxun 1000kg it's locked for uk, can you unlock it for pmr 446, thanks.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Stewart, I do not know the answer to that one. As far as I am aware the KG-1000G is a GMRS radio which is based on the KG-UV980PL. The 980 covers 2, 4 and 6 meters and also 70cm. I dont have either radio so am not sure what is possible and if its down to programming. PMR is just above 70cm but it will be down to what hard and soft restrictions are in place. Sorry I couldnt help on this one. All the best

[@glasspaul101]

What is unlocked when you snip the wire and move the jumper?!

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Paul, that expands the radio and opens it up to a larger frequency range and higher power output level. The UK and central EU have comparable laws on power output and there is a general EU frequency range (adopted by most EU countries) with some additional variations for DE, PL and UK. When expanding the radio, you get band blocks of frequencies covering a much wider frequency range. So, band block A on an expanded radio will cover the EU (CEPT) 40 channels but you also have block B, C, D, E, etc. Power is limited to no more than 4 Watts output but when expanded can increase massively to 10, 20, 30, 40 watts dependent on the radio being expanded. This mode exists for countries with more questionable radio laws. It depends on what region you live in as to the legalities of expanding. It is helpful to know what a radios capability is especially in a disaster scenario. Use it within your country's laws on a day-to-day basis but in the event of an Armageddon situation it can be expanded for emergency communications. Thanks for watching and hope this helps.

[@xszl]

@@NLKMediaGroup Just curious : What happens if you only snip the wire ? And what if you only move the jumper ?

[@johnhall3827]

so that is way ham radio opp did not like cb when it started? no Rodger beep so sad .

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Ham radio operators may have looked down on CB radio in the past, but I don't think that is the case nowadays. Lots of Ham radio operators (like me) also use CB radio and enjoy both very much. The McKinley is a really good quality radio and President are supposed to be releasing the President George 2 soon (we have been waiting for ages, President dance to their own beat when releasing new radios) which is another SSB radio to join the McKinley in the line-up. All the best and thanks for watching

[@jamesjameson2161]

Does it have rf power? Variable power?

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi James, yes it does. It's a bit of a pain to set but the manual will help. If you look at the front face you can see RF Power printed below the channel selector dial (bottom left). To set, press and hold the PTT switch, press the DOT button (button with a dot on it) and press the Menu / Channel dial in and RF Power appear on the screen. Then release and use the Menu / Channel dial by turning to adjust the RF Power. Then press the Menu / Channel dial in for 1 second to set the value. You get used to it, but it's a pain to remember especially when you have over 30 radios. It's a drawback of having a front facing speaker and trying to cram all that functionality in with limited space for buttons and dials. Hope this helps. All the best and thanks for watching

[@agf7579]

Hi, thanks for your channel - well presented and very informative. I'm a complete beginner, and would like to hear your opinion on what the consequences could be (living in EU) if I did accidentally cut through that wire. All the best.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

It is illegal to use frequencies outside of the license free CB bands which are different dependent on your region unless you are specifically licensed to do so. CEPT band block is the usual in most EU regions, but DE and PL have their own band blocks to accompany this as well. Power output is also limited to 4W or 12W SSB in nearly all regions. Going outside of this opens you up to problems should you get caught. You may get the radio equipment confiscated or worse end up in court. I do not know what the likelihood of this is or would be. All my videos state to check the law in your region and ensure you remain within it. Some people don't care and run modified radios and some even have burners but it's not all about power, you can have lots of fun on SSB and can communicate thousands of miles when the conditions allow on less than 4W. It is my view that it is not worth taking the risk. If you want to transmit with more power on other HF frequencies, then consider taking your Ham radio license. You are allowed to transmit out of band in the event of an emergency, and I cover this scenario mainly for preppers, so they can purchase a legal radio for day-to-day use but in the event of an extraordinary emergency situation they know what to do and what the equipment is capable of. Fingers crossed that situation never happens. Thanks for watching and think twice before cutting :-) All the best.

[@agf7579]

@@NLKMediaGroup Thanks a lot!

[@roberthoffman4713]

FM on the CB radio frequencies really seems like a really waiste of time and money. I was told FM would sound better with less noise. I have to say the noise level is higher than AM. The sound quality is about the same as AM. In fact FM depending on the radios sounds much worse then AM. Range wise FM is less than AM but if you really want distance you can't beat SSB. I have found that on SSB mode the sound quality also depends on the radio's. I noticed that the 3 president radios I have with AM/FM sound much better when communicating between each other. I only have one that's not a president and when transmitting in FM the sound quality is not even close to the other president radios. FM is not very big at this point so I don't get to hear many other radios to compare. I really hoped by getting FM early on that it would be quieter and my friends and I for a while would have the FM to ourselves. However we really don't ever use FM due to less range and high noise levels. The funny thing is Cobra still doesn't have a FM radio out in the USA and I would be skeptical of anything they put out because their radios had dropped in quality so much that anyone that knows radios will not buy one. Uniden still mskes a few decent radios, but president has really been dominating the CB radio world.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Robert, Sorry to hear your FM experience has not been what you expected. It could be down to FM only just being legalised in the US and maybe the other radio companies not quite getting it perfect first time, I dont know. In the UK we have had FM since 2014. President Electronics are a French company and have been making FM CB radios for a long time so there implementation will be spot on which may account for why its good when using between their radios. I have 20+ CB radios from President, Midland, CRT and Alinco and they all work well between each other on FM. AM will have more range than FM as it has a narrower bandwidth and uses more power when transmitting so it depends on the use case. We don't have Cobra radios in the UK (well a very limited number, not mainstream at all) so I am unable to comment on them. I agree that SSB is certainly where its at on CB these days and is the king if distance is your main requirement. All the best and thanks for watching.

[@EdzashedFudwinkle]

As if September 2023 Knights will cease trading from the shop, as a retirement is due i believe. The online sales will carry on though, but Knights/Doug has always been a great seller, used him several times myself, evenbhad miney left on the books for 18mths, lovely chap, enjoy the retirement.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

You are correct, Knights being open to the public 7 days a week is changing. Doug is switching to a more online presence and the shop will only be open by appointment. Doug has serviced the CB sector in the UK for many, many years and is probably wanting to slow down a bit and go into semi-retirement. You can still get everything as before if ordering from the website. All the best and thanks for watching

[@alanbourn4039]

It would be nice if you focused more on the receive quality and sensitivity. An expanded radio is no good if you can't hear anybody. Other than that, good videos.

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Alan, thank you for your feedback which is much appreciated. The receive quality is excellent. It’s a dual conversion superheterodyne receiver with sensitivity of -112bBm for 20dB SINAD in AM and -117dBm for 20dB SINAD in FM. The audio output is 3 watts to the internal speaker. I find the Receive audio is excellent, crisp, clear and loud with little distortion. Both the Walker and Richard have less than 5% distortion @ 1KHz. I have not come across a modern micro electronics style President yet with poor audio. All of these new style radios (with a USB socket on the front) have good audio receive but the more expensive radios have better filters and options and this radio has double conversion the first at 10.695MHz and second at 455kHz. Very much appreciate your feedback and will take it onboard going forward. All the best MJ7NLK

[@flyfliker]

Receive quality is most important to me. Presently running a Cobra 25 LTD Classic. Will I notice improved receive quality with the McKinley vs the Cobra 25?

[@EA3ISH]

Muy buena informacion

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Luis, Thank you for watching and for commenting. All the best and Happy New Year Gracias por mirar y por comentar. Todo lo mejor y feliz año nuevo

[@mikeyf103]

Hi, was there a service menu for this set ? Regards

[@NLKMediaGroup]

Hi Mikey, no not on the McKinley, its a manual adjustment to potentiometers (or trimmers) on the board. I checked the service manaul and all alignments are done via pots on the board. Hope this helps and thanks for watching