May Be the Last Radio You Buy.
Many will argue that the Connex 3300 has been the driver’s radio for decades. Hell, my email even has “3300” in it. Back in the day, and with the proper tune up, they were loud and proud. Add a “Telex” Road King mic (has to be embossed with “Telex” on the back), and you had a damn fine setup. There was a tendency for the golden screwdriver type, you know, your buddy at work who takes everything apart and always has “spare parts”, to turn them into over- modulated turds. But in the right hands, they were freakin awesome. The issue with these and the like (Galaxy, Ranger, General Lee, Cobra, etc.) is that they will talk until they burn. It’s not a design flaw; it was just how it was for decades. Anything wrong in the antenna system (antenna, stud, & coax) the finals, drivers and audio modulators would fry. With all the peak-to-peak power that they produced, if it didn’t get out, back in it goes, then poof. This was my main stay of repairs for decades.
Along came Stryker. The difference is like a 2-line vs a 3- line wet kit. I’ll get to the whys in a second, but first, my observations and recommendations. I carry the 955, 655, 447 all the time. I’m not ignoring the 497. This one needs a direct connection to the battery because of high current draw, so if you can’t, then don’t. Current starving bad, and the overhead CB terminals can’t carry what is needed. Focusing back to the others, the difference between the 955 and 655, I carry the 955 for the driver that walks in and says “Gimme a 955”. When they come in and ask, “what’s the difference between the two?”, I tell them to buy a 655 and save the 100 bucks or more. Why? The 955 is a side band (SSB) radio and you will be paying for features that you will probably never use in a truck. SSB use in a truck is as rare as lips on a chicken. There are a few of you, but how much of a pain in the ass is working the clarifier, aim, shift, coffee sip, text, grab the mic, and answer another text.
I’m kidding, there’s not that much mic grabbing going on these days.
Programed correctly, it might be the last radio you will have to buy. Some techs don’t touch the programing except for putting your name in the meter. Me, I lower the factory SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) parameters and if there is an issue, the radio will transmit for milliseconds then flash “HIGH SWR”. I’m trying to get into the software and want it to flash “ASSHOLE”, but Stryker said no. It can also be programed for low voltage or high voltage. where it’ll throw “Low DC or High DC”. I set the radios to rotate your name then supply voltage. Twice, I’ve gotten calls. “Hey Mark, something is wrong with your radio, it only says 10.1 volts”. Me, “hey, it’s not my radio, it’s yours. Then there’s those moments of uncomfortable silence, I laugh, then tell them that’s your truck, “Look at your gauges!” Both times they dropped the idler pully, and the radio caught their attention.
I continuously state that a programable Stryker is a self-preserving unit. The SWR shut down feature will make you have to have a properly tuned antenna! I repeat, it will force you to do it right. Notice a said “antenna” and not “antennas”. (I make money selling antennas, and I’m telling you to just run one). Stop kidding yourself, dual antennas don’t work. Duals on a truck make your radiation pattern shoot more side to side instead of front to back. On the road, that’s not doing you no damn good. Back to the story, the radios have such a decent internal SWR meter that I am able to talk to drivers across the country on how to “dial in” their antenna. If you get the doomed “High SWR” screen with a stainless antenna, try this:
- Band “D”, channel 19, key the mic, reads HIGH SWR.
- Go to band “C”, channel 19, key the mic, reads HIGH SWR.
- Go to band “B”, channel 19, key the mic and you start to get a SWR reading. This is telling you the antenna is too long.
- Start trimming the length.
How much you ask? Never more than the length you can insert it back into the coil. This will give you the room to fine tune it to the best SWR that your rig can produce. A footnote here, you are not tuning the radio to the antenna. You are tuning the antenna and the truck to the operating frequency (channel 19, 27.185 MHz)
AND, if you think dropping the mast all the way down, then bringing it halfway up is tuning an antenna? That’s like checking your tire pressure by putting your hands on the sidewall. Total bullshit. Just cause it worked in the past makes it luck and not skill!
Your antenna plus your rig gives you the SWRs. Get it to where you can be on band “D” and get a SWR reading.
- Band “D”, channel 1, key the mic, take note of the reading.
- Band “D”, channel 40, key the mic, take note of the reading.
- LOW on 1, HIGH on 40, the antenna is too long.
- HIGH on 1, LOW on 40, the antenna is too short.
Now I know you are looking for perfection and I don’t blame you, but you’re splitting hairs over getting 1.2 instead of a 1.3 on channel 19. It is truly an unnoticeable difference (0.9% difference of effective radiating power). You are not going to hurt anything and it’s truly a case of the juice might not be worth the squeeze. But it’s your time, have at it is you so desire.
If you have a fiberglass antenna with an adjustment at the top, the “HIGH SWR” might have to be handled in the opposite direction if the tip is screwed all the way in. Meaning:
- Band “D”, channel 19, key the mic, reads HIGH SWR.
- Band “E”, channel 19, key the mic and you get an SWR reading.
- The antenna is too short.
- Lengthen the tip, (yeah that’s what she said).
Smaller increments of adjustment will work better and may cut the times you climb the ladder down to 7. Suggestions: have an assistant either inside or outside. Also, loosen the antenna from the stud. This way, unscrew antenna, adjust, screw back in, test. Just remember to snug everything up. I hate when I wake up at 11:30 at night, open my eyes and go: “SHIT, DID I TIGHTEN UP THAT ANTENNA?” “Shit!” And remember, SNUG, not truck driver tight please!
The 447 can be programed to show the SWR every time you key the mic. If you get “E4”, that’s an error code for high SWR and the radio will stop transmitting. You can work the same process as mentioned above to tune your antenna (emphasis on the singular). Don’t even need a meter.
The 447 is a smaller framed radio and can be tucked into the overhead.
In conclusion, Stryker 955, 655, 447
- They can be programed to be self-preserving.
- You can tune your antenna without the need for an external SWR meter.
- You have low or high voltage protection.
- 2 year factory warranty.
- And adjusted correctly, you will have people saying:
“Hey, where’d you get that radio from?”
And for God’s sakes, turn your radio on! I know what a pain in the ass it is listening to Mud DICK in the desert, but if y’all are talking to drivers in your vicinity, you’ll cover him up and take him out of the box.
Also, I do business the old fashion way. Meaning my website is for information only and you can’t buy from it. You actually have to call me and talk. I’m good for about 3-5 texts before I get pissed off and eventually will tell you to call. My reasoning? To make sure you as the customer is getting exactly what you want. I treat your money like it’s my money and will even tell you to go elsewhere if you can save some. Just ask them out there, I do it all the time.