The TCB-881 is TTi’s update on the popular TCB-880 CB radio that has now been discontinued. This new radio is similar in style to its older brother but features TTi’s DSS (Dynamic Squelch System) that can be found in all the new 2011 range radios from TTi. Another improvement is the DC input power handling of this radio. It can now be directly installed into vehicles with a 24V supply without the use of a voltage dropper.

The TCB-R2000 is the flagship model in TTi’s CB Range. News of this new radio was first announced back in 2010 but it has only just started to officially hit the shelves of dealers around the EU. The radio promises something different from other remote-head radios and the adverting literature promises no less than 5 different ways in which the radio can be installed and used.

I’m in the process of umming and arring over which remote headed CB radio to purchase. It’s currently a toss up between the tti TCB R-2000 and the Lafayette Venus. I’ve crossed the Albrecht AE-6890 off the list on the grounds that the supplied microphone is pathetic beyond belief. Who at Albrecht thought that cheap and nasty microphone was a good idea on an expensive CB radio?!?

In the meantime I picked up a 2nd hand Intek M-150 Plus for beer money to satisfy my need for listening to either nothing, Olga from the Volga, or locals abusing one another, as I travel.

The PMR-506TX is another new radio from TTi in Korea. Whilst there are many new PMR radios out there to choose from there are only a few that offer anything different. In this case the 506TX is one of the slimmest and lightest PMR radios on the market and certainly won’t weigh you down. There are two different packages available containing this radio. One is a standard PMR radio, the 506TX with desktop drop-in charger and the other, the 506MH is specifically aimed at Motorcycle riders as it contains the necessary hands-free kit for both rider and passenger and allows the radio to be used as an intercom device.  In both cases the radio contains a built in lithium-ion battery pack which is an excellent choice for long battery life between charges and doesn’t suffer from the memory effect of other battery technologies meaning you can “top up” the charge of this radio at any time you wish.

The Yeticom Optima is a new radio designed for use by CB and Amateur operators. Whilst the radio firmly has its origins as a  ”freeband CB” it will also be a welcome addition to any radio amateur looking for a reasonably priced all mode 12m/10m rig for mobile use.  Upon first sight you might be thinking that you have seen this radio before. I can assure you that this is not the case! It shares the same casing and form factor as the ever popular Magnum 257 or Albrecht AE-485 but that is where the similarities stop.  Unlike the other radios that look same this one is not made in Korea, it is made in Hong Kong by a company called GW Telecom. The mainboard is a redesign but the radio uses the same body shell and LCD display that the other variants have used for many years.