Connex vs. Galaxy

Customers will come in and say they have to have a Galaxy radio and will not accept another brand. The next customer will say his Connex is the best radio ever built and he will not accept another brand.

There are two new models that are burning their way off the shelves of CB shops. Again, I must say, I don't recommend these radios because they are for export only and are not supposed to be sold in the USA as CB radios. Still, they make their way into the CB market.

The first new model is the Connex 4300. This is the first of the 80-watt radios to come out. As with most of the Connex line, it is simple to use. It has echo and a silver face plate. Instead of using the 2SC1969 Final, which is the industry standard for most export radios, the Connex 4300 uses a 2290 pill. The 2290 is a transistor that looks like an aspirin. This radio is much the same as its cousin the Connex 4400, except for the high power it develops. It is loud and does splatter above and below the channel you are operating on. Truck drivers like to see the needle on the meter swing way out there--this radio does that. The only fault I could find was that there was not enough heat dissipation; the parts get hot and need air flow to cool them. Long-winded people may want to avoid this radio until this potential problem is worked out. One of the nicest things about this radio is that they finally got the "Blue Bug." The meter light and the channel selector are lit with blue LEDs. It makes the radios easy to use at night. All in all, this radio is pretty good. The gossip is that Connex is working on a dual 2290 radio to compete with the Galaxy 95T and the RCI 6900F150. Both of these radios top out at over 250 watts. More power..."ARG, ARG, ARG."

Now on to the Galaxy 93T. As with the Connex, this radio has an 80-watt Final. It also is a splatter box; the swing on the meter impresses the customer greatly. Galaxy is the name most truckers trust and the warranty service department is one of the best in the country. They did this radio right. Twin cooling fans on the backside will cool enough for any long-winded truck driver. Some of the controls will require you to read the instruction book. The frequency counter is a nice addition if you want to go free-banding. That means to use the dead air space between CB and Amateur bands. As a reminder, using these channels without the proper licensing is illegal. Still, lots of people do go free-banding. The echo is clear and precise, and the talkback, as with the Connex, is very exacting. What you hear is what others hear. This radio gets a Best Buy Award, at least for this month.

As with all else, something bigger and badder will be coming out next month. Don't forget what CB means. No, not Citizens Band--it means Constantly Buying.