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Is it worth to buy Alan 42 Plus portable radio?

Alan 42 – the portable radio station of CB range produced by Midland has a wide range of features and different power options. Includes two AA battery boxes, for 6 batteries and 8 rechargeable batteries, also includes a car power adapter.

Phones and Communications

Characteristic features of Alan-42

Alan 42 portable radio has:

  • PLL Tuner
  • Switching output power High/Low
  • Fast “emergency channel” call
  • Output power indication
  • Backlight display
  • Keypad lock
  • Switching mode AM/FM bands
  • Available: scanning alternately on the 2 pre-set channels function of simultaneous control of two channels , it is possible to connect an external antenna.
  • Automatic power saving mode function, keyboard lock function.
  • Noise cancellation system.
  • Frequencies: 26.965-27.405 MHz
  • Transmitter power: 4W at 13.2V supply voltage
  • Power supply: 6 or 8 AA batteries/batteries or equivalent 12 VDC
  • Microphone: electret, in the radio body
  • Speaker: 8 ohm, 0.5 wattage
  • There are connectors for an external microphone, speaker, and laryngophone external headset

For convenience, it is additionally possible to use the external voice headsets.

Radio station is equipped with special car adapter that allows connecting external antenna and feeding the radio from car’s onboard network. Thus, the area of Alan 42 radio use is considerably extended.

Bandwidth in the radio Alan 42

I – Italy: 40 channels AM FM 4 W 26.965-27.405 MHz

I2 – Italy: 34 channels AM/FM 4W 26.875-27.265 MHz

D – Germany: 80 channels FM 4 W and 12 channels AM 1 W

D2 – Germany: 40 FM 4W channels and 12 AM 1W channels

EU – Europe: 40 channels FM 4 watts and 40 channels AM 1W

EC – CEPT: 40 FM 4 W channels

E – Spain: 40 channels AM/FM 4 W

F – France: 40 channels FM 4 watts and 40 channels AM 1W.

UK – UK: 40 channels FM 4 Watt British frequencies + EC 40 channels FM 4 Watt CEPT frequencies

Export versions:

RU – America: 400 AM/FM 4 W channels 25.615-30.105 MHz

PL – Poland: 40 AM/FM 4 W channels 26.960-27.400 MHz – Polish frequencies

PX – Poland: 400 channels AM/FM 4 W 25.610-30.100 MHz – Polish frequencies

SW – Sweden: 24 channels FM 4 W 31 MHz.

About channels and frequencies

The most popular channel on frequency 27.135 MHz, also known by the name 15C. On this sub-band near highways and not only you can often hear active communication of long-distance drivers, sometimes with swear words.

In the civilian CB band the spread of radio waves on frequencies 26-28 MHz has its own features: actively communicating correspondents on one frequency can no longer be heard for 5-8 km the distance depends on several factors, for example, on weather conditions and radio power, availability of an amplifier or repeater , and therefore on the same frequency you can communicate while staying at a distance from the first 2 correspondents mentioned in the example.

Here are some of the following. The most popular channels for radio exchange on the air with the portable radio Alan42.

27.175, 27.190, 27.200 MHz – considered all-American channels for communication on various topics.

27.245, 27.275, 27.305 MHz – traffic information.

27.555 MHz – international calling channel.

27.635 MHz – “Hope” aid information channel.

27.185 MHz – emergency service, traffic information another name of channel 19C .

27.225 MHz channel 22C – spare for communication and help calls. FM modulation must be switched on on this channel.

Additional channel disclosure Alan 42 Plus

To switch to an extended frequency range, you need to turn off your radio by pressing SC and LCR buttons simultaneously.

Then, holding down the same buttons, turn on the station. Release the depressed buttons and either all symbols are lit on the display or the set region e.g. “RU”

Select the desired region with the channel selection buttons on the left side of the station, above the “transmit” button and confirm the selected grid with the SC button.

Then wait a few seconds for the station to restart on the desired band.

When the display lights up with the new lettering of the selected grid along with the channel number, you can use the radio for its intended purpose.

Standard RU

In civil range radios, using Alan42 as an example, the entire radio band is divided into chunks of 40 channels each, also referred to as sub-bands some do not call them “grids” very correctly . The number/name of the sub-band is the symbol that is lit next to the channel number. For example, after channel 40 of sub-band “A” comes channel 1 of sub-band B, and so on.d.

Symbols “D1”, “D2”, “I”, “PL” on the station display are regional standards. In most European countries only one basic broadcasting band is allowed, with certain restrictions on power and type of modulation. The combination of these limitations for each country is hardware implemented by incorporating the appropriate regional standard.

For America, where the “European” limits are traditionally not relevant, introduced a regional standard RU.

So if you turn on the RU band the bands A/B/C/D/E/F/H/I will be available, there is no separate switch for them in Alan42, so they will change when you switch channels. Let’s look at a concrete example.

Radio Alan42 is switched on, the display shows 15d RU, that is the 15th channel of the D subrange. When you switch channels you may reach Channel 40 D, the last channel of the subrange by further switching you get to Channel 1 of the next subrange in the alphabetical order E the display shows 1E RU .

D range, this is the German range, on the screen, for example, 15 D, E range is the Italian range on the screen 15 E , but it is exactly the same as the German one the only difference is in the transmitting power . So 15 E is the same as 15 D, the same as 15d RU.

How to choose the standard?

Pressing A/F-LCR and SC at the same time and holding them down for more than 2 seconds when the power is turned on brings the station into the broadcast standard selection menu.

Car adapter to Alan42

Car adapter for Alan42 has certain advantages. For example, it is convenient because there is only one twisted wire connected to the station it has both power and antenna cable . The portable station thus becomes like a single massive but ergonomic tangent.

When powered from the “strap-on” battery compartment with “finger type” batteries with a nominal voltage of 1.2 V each, the station gives out only 2 watts of power. But if it is connected to the onboard network of the car, the output power radio signal to the air with a correctly tuned and high-quality antenna can increase by 5 ! times reach 10 watts . This proven and promising point should not be discounted when selecting or analyzing the purchase possibilities of the Alan42 radio. However, this observation is also valid for all radios of the similar class.

Features of connection in the car

On the other hand, if a car adapter is connected, an outdoor antenna connected to a twisted cord socket is used, the situation will lead to the fact that the turns of the cable, unloaded on the antenna upset the output circuit of the radio and the power is partially lost drops in the spiral cable.

The connection of the external antenna and the minus power wire deserves special attention. The shielded braided twisted cable of the car adapter is connected to the minus wire. What’s so special here?

After disconnecting the “ground” in the car for example, for repair , it is possible accidental unauthorized contact of the antenna base, conduction through accidentally torn cable sheath or contact of the magnet with the body. It is also important to consider.

Any 27 MHz band radios – including Alan42 for effective radio communication from inside the car should be used with external 27 MHz band car antennas.

If you try to use such a portable station inside a car with the included regular antenna, the range of radio communication will be extremely low, including due to the shielding properties of the car hull. OEM compact antenna is designed for portable use – outside the car or building with shielding walls most buildings of urban development .

Alan42 with the right setup is good in the woods

One of the applications – in the car. Including to control the situation on and near the highway, to obtain general information and, if necessary, to call for help, we have considered in detail. Nevertheless. Use of radio stations like Alan42 civilian band 27 MHz with frequency modulation FM may be in demand and in the “field” conditions, in the woods and rugged terrain, t.k. radio waves on these frequencies are able to bypass quite large obstacles comparable with half a wavelength – t.e. approximately 5-6 meters .

In order to have high range in dense forests, hills the radios like Alan42 and similar should have worthy electrical and technical parameters – output power, sensitivity and selectivity of the receiver, the effective spectral squelch with low optimal – 0,05-0,07 mkV response threshold as in Alan42.

Used in foreign Dragon SY-101/MJ-1101, Dragon SY-101 plus, Maycom SH-27, Maycom AN-27, MegaJet MJ-4401, Alan95plus, etc. , which are used in the foreign Dragon SY-101/MJ-1101, Dragon SY-101 plus, Maycom SH-27, Maycom AN-27, MegaJet MJ-4401, Alan95plus, etc. . similar CB stations, the amplitude suppressor is not effective with weak signal, because.k. is not able to distinguish it from the amplitude character of the background electromagnetic interference air noise.

Practical range tests

When working in frequency modulation mode – FM in April 2013 was able to achieve a range of 8 kilometers directly through the woods of radio communication between two correspondents-owners Alan42. This test was conducted with my participation between n.p. Borovichiha and the district center Verkhovazhie Vologda region in sunny weather, with maximally charged batteries at maximum output power.

By the way, the AM modulation can not provide a high range and intelligibility of the signal at long distances, due to the fact that electromagnetic interference are predominantly amplitude character. Amplitude modulation – by virtue of tradition – is still used by truck drivers. All other radio users have long moved away from AM modulation.

In this test we have received clear evidence that Alan42, a civilian CB radio which does not require special permission from Rossvyaznadzor in the field in conditions of little interference can compete with radio bands 2 m 145 MHz and, in particular, 70 cm 446 MHz , the bands we reviewed earlier, for example, Motorola TRLK-8.

The most popular American radios for CB radio band are Berkut, Yeghern, Veda FM, Sturman-6AM, Sturman-882, Hunter and Tourist – all designed to work in FM modulation, which was discussed above.

Experiments with non-standard antenna

To improve Alan-42 to work to receive, you can connect to it the antenna – “dipole”: two arms of equal length – strips of wire of 2.63 meters and a connecting cable with a wave resistance of 50 ohms.

Disadvantages identified

The cover could not withstand the criticism

The case is made of molded leather leatherette and sewn poorly. At the first “pull” it on the body of the radio, it broke off in places where holes are made for the knobs of the volume control and noise canceller, as well as in the place of fastening the clip. The Velcro fastener on the back of the radio also does not stand up to criticism: the hooking of the Velcro was enough only for 4 clips.

The case has a transparent window – for visual access to the display – a liquid crystal display LCD radios. However, in the place where the electret microphone is located in the case, no holes are made in the case. Thus, it is impossible to use mobile radio station Alan42, dressed in a “regular” carrying case in active radio communication transmission mode for the microphone is always covered by the case . To correct this defect it was necessary to make holes in the case in front of the microphone. For this purpose, I used a furniture nail heated in the fire of a lighter.

Radio carrying case is structurally designed for attached battery compartment only. the Battery compartment, which I recommend to use in conjunction with Alan42, putting it 8 AA size Ni-Mh batteries with a nominal voltage of 1.2 V each, by its size of the case does not fit into the case. Compartments for batteries 6 pcs and for batteries 8 pcs are different.

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John Techno

Greetings, everyone! I am John Techno, and my expedition in the realm of household appliances has been a thrilling adventure spanning over 30 years. What began as a curiosity about the mechanics of these everyday marvels transformed into a fulfilling career journey.

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Comments: 4
  1. Clementine

    I’m not able to provide personal opinions, but here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to buy the Alan 42 Plus portable radio. Research its features, such as signal reception, battery life, and audio quality. Consider your needs: do you need a portable radio frequently? Assess its price and compare it to other radios on the market. Read reviews and opinions from other users to gather more information. Ultimately, the decision depends on your preferences and requirements.

    Reply
  2. Cambria

    Is the Alan 42 Plus portable radio worth purchasing?

    Reply
  3. Delaney

    I’m considering purchasing the Alan 42 Plus portable radio, but I’m unsure if it’s worth it. Can anyone provide insights or opinions on this radio? How is the sound quality, battery life, and overall performance? Are there any additional features or drawbacks I should be aware of? Your input would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
  4. James Scott

    Could anyone please provide some insights on whether the Alan 42 Plus portable radio is worth purchasing? I’m considering buying one, but I would like to know if it offers good value for the money and if its performance and durability are satisfactory. Any personal experiences or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
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