LAFAYETTE URANO/PRESIDENT RANDY 2

[T2tim]

ive just bought the Lafayette multi standard CB handheld. Oddly the retailer has told me that the mode selection is backwards on Uk FM and that you must select AM. If you select FM you are just taken to the Cept band anyway. However ive discovered a problem with this. According to the user manual its only 3 watts in the AM mode, and although its actually using FM whilst showing AM on the uk 40, because the software thinks its working in the AM mode its only outputting 3 watts on uk Fm when its been advertised as 4 watt. I know this because when you key up its only showing 2 bars, which is 3 watts according to the manual. But when you select FM it shoots up to 4 bars. However, you cant select the FM mode while its on ukfm! Do they honestly think the average CB is so thick they wouldnt realise this? Yeah your right iam bloody annoyed because you need the 4 watts on ukfm not bloody Cept. Has anyone else got one of these? Because I suspect the President Randy 2 has the same problem, as its made in the same factory.

[T2tim]

I do realise this type of meter cant be very accurate but either way the output is a whole 2 points lower on UKFM when compared to CEPT/EU FM. if it is kicking out 4 watts on the Uk40 which is unlikely, then it must be kicking out more than 4 watts on EU FM which is also unlikely! because it would have never passed type approval. after all they dont give a dam if its less than 4 watts, but they would if it acceeded that!

[T2tim]

I thought I would update this since I never bothered 2 years ago! I returned the handset to Thunderpole because I thought it was only outputting 3 watts on UK FM.....but: Thunderpole rigged it up to a watt meter in front of me and it is giving out 4 watts on UK FM. anyone who thinks it isnt should ignore what the handset is displaying and what it states in the user manual.

[m0lsx]

I thought I would update this since I never bothered 2 years ago! I returned the handset to Thunderpole because I thought it was only outputting 3 watts on UK FM.....but: Thunderpole rigged it up to a watt meter in front of me and it is giving out 4 watts on UK FM. anyone who thinks it isnt should ignore what the handset is displaying and what it states in the user manual.

If Thunderpole used a good quality meter like a Bird & loaded it into a good quality dummy load, then the results will always be different to a radio's built in meter or a SWR/power meter.
The problem is almost all built in meters are only any good as a rough reference. And an inline SWR/ watt meter is again not going to be very accurate, especially if it's a CB quality meter. And unless a power reading is taken into a dummy load, then even with something like a Bird (or similar,) it's only ever going to give you a reading for power out on that antenna, not into 50 ohms.

Edited to add. A friend who is a professional RF engineer would say anything BUT a Bird into a dummy load is only a rough idea meter for what a radio really is putting out. He says that even meters like the Telewave 44 (About £350 - £400 secondhand) are inaccurate & not to be trusted for an accurate reading.