Notes on how I converted GE Phoenix-SXs to Amateur bands.

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® Phoenix-SX mobile

Tan (early) Phoenix-SX Scan model. Requires external speaker.

DISCLAIMER:
This document is for informational purposes ONLY! If you choose to follow the steps outlined herein, you do so at your own risk. I cannot, nor will not, be responsible for damage to equipment caused by modifications YOU make to the radio as a result of your reading this document.

Notes:

The Phoenix-SX's I have worked on (1-VHF Scan, 1-VHF regular, and 1-UHF regular) are 16 channel 35-40 watt units and come down into Ham frequency bands rather easily. GE also made a 2 channel Phoenix-SX (synthesized), 16 & 2 channel Phoenix-S's (synthesized narrowband, not recommended) and 2 channel Phoenix's (Crystal). GE made a kit (option) which expanded the Phoenix-SX to 32 channels but these are somewhat rare. The Phoenix-SX's could use (but don't require) RX section re-tuning for maximum receive sensitivity. The best I have been able to get is .15 micro volts RX sensitivity with some degradation in adjacent channel rejection. I have the GE Single Channel programmer and from start to finish it takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to program and convert (including looking up the hex codes for the frequencies in the THICK GE book). It takes me another 1/2 hour to play with the RX section. With the GE Single Channel programmer it takes 36 separate operations to program each channel.

In the above pictures:

Left: Older case (tan) 16 channel Phoenix-SX with optional DTMF microphone.

Right: Newer case (black) 16 channel Phoenix-SX SCAN.

ATTENTION:

The recommended in-line fuse is 15 amps (of any type you feel comfortable with). There is a "suicide diode" inside the radio to blow the fuse if you accidently reverse polarity. Without the fuse, this radio will seriously self-destruct, I have one in stock that was not fused and is unrecoverable (traces burned and blown off the main circuit board due to no fuse and reversed polarity) and - no I did not do it.

ALWAYS... PROPERLY FUSE ALL RADIO EQUIPMENT - PLEASE!

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Make your own programmer for this radio! It will cost around $20.00 in parts and about 1 hour of your time.
Go to HTTP://home.thezone.net/~marsh/phoenix. Please tell him K4MBE sent you...

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