PNI Escort HP 6500/6550 compact multinorm CB transceiver

Technical description

These small mobile devices from PNI enjoy great popularity for a reason. Thanks to the extremely small size of the Escort HP 6500/6550, a suitable place can usually always be found for vehicle construction, even in modern passenger cars. Operation as a home station is also possible in a space-saving manner with an external power supply (not included).

The very simple operation is not only convenient for newcomers to the hobby, but also facilitates practical handling in everyday life. All device functions can be called up directly by pressing a button on the front panel; there is no menu-driven operation at all.

With a total of 8 adjustable regions, you are always legally on the move with these devices in many European countries, so that you do not have to do without CB communication even when traveling.

In addition to the basic Escort HP 6500 model, the HP 6550 has a roger beep/echo module already installed in the unit, which you can use to give your transmissions an individual touch. The roger beep is automatically played at the end of each of your broadcasts when you release the talk button on the microphone. Via Micro-USB socket, .mp3 or .wav audio files with a length of up to 1.5 seconds can be played in, there are hardly any limits to your imagination. Echo and reverb can be adjusted to your taste using 2 potentiometers.

Application description

With impressively small dimensions of just 110 x 120 x 28 mm, the PNI Escort HP 6500 or HP 6550 is one of the smallest CB mobile radios. Despite these compact dimensions, you don't have to sacrifice anything here, quite the opposite. The unit offers a full 4 watts of output power on all 80 FM and 40 AM channels. It has 9 levels of adjustable automatic squelch, and the manual "squelch" offers 28 levels of sensitivity. When band activity is high, the receiver's sensitivity can be lowered using the RF gain function, making it easier to receive stronger stations from close range.

The scan function searches for active channels at the touch of a button, allowing you to find interlocutors in seconds without having to press the up/down buttons on the unit or microphone countless times. Direct access to emergency channel 9 and trucker channel 19 as well as a key lock round out the features.

The loudspeaker located on the underside of the housing with an LF output power of 1 Watt ensures good sound, alternatively it is possible to connect an external loudspeaker to the 3.5 mm jack socket located on the rear.

The operating voltage is 13.8 volts with a maximum current consumption of 2 amps. The included DC cable has a suitable plug for the cigarette lighter or 12-volt socket in your vehicle, or a suitable 12-volt power supply.

Video in German, by Sascha, DO7SHN