Help finding a RIB box

[Anderegg]

Im in need of a RIB box for an ASTRO Spectra radio. I used to have a small one powered by a 9v battery, but cannot find it. Can anyone point me to place to get one cheap, maybe eBay?

Paul

[snjct2000]

Ebay does have lots of them. Some are original motorola and some are not. The moto ones are obviously the best choice. However, some claim that the aftermarket ones from sellers like Kawa Mall work fine. They are only a fraction of the cost of the real motorola ones but I guess you run the risk of them not working properly and possibly damaging your radio. One in a while you can find them on this site in the for sale forums.
Good Luck!!!

[Tom in D.C.]

I've used this aftermarket RIB and it seems to work just fine. It's the top item on the display.

http://stores.ebay.com/KAWAMALL/Program ... =967728012

[motorola_otaku]

Some of the KAWA RIBs are electronically identical to a Motorola RIB, but with SMT components used in place of the discrete components in OEM Motorola RIBs.

The important item is the CA3140 data inverter IC, and to a lesser extent the ICL7660 voltage inverter. If yours has both of those chips it's probably safe.

[N4KVE]

I have been using a Sandy Ganz Radio Stew rib for a few years now w/o problem. GARY N4KVE

[motorola_otaku]

Can you still order PCBs to build a Sandy Ganz RIB? I had heard they were discontinued.

[N4KVE]

Can you still order PCBs to build a Sandy Ganz RIB? I had heard they were discontinued.

I don't know. I ordered an assembled rib from him. GARY N4KVE

[Motradio]

I have not had any boards made in a long while. It's costly to do a batch in any sort of quantity that I could sell them at, so I have not had a run in a long as interest was slowing down and the HK ribs assembled cost about what my PCB was selling for. Don't know if still enough interest, but I get an email about ever other month so to make a batch would not be worth it unless a bunch of folks still need them. Also the CA3140 DIP-8 package may now be obsolete. I did some testing a long while back on a replacement OP-AMP for that part and found one that tested well with my collection of radios (but long since lost the part number as I had a rail of CA3140's at the time). I do own one of the HK RIBs (Might have been from Kawamall) and it works fine on all my radios (Maxtrac, various Jedi, MCS2000, Saber)

Sandy

[Will]

The Maxtron boxes work. The KAWA box is much the same as the Maxtron, and they work.

The Maxtron 0404 and 0707 RIB is close, but NOT the same as the OEM Motorola RIB. But then the OEM Motorola RIB has some design problems not matching the RS232 Serial port standards. I have the schematics and the modified schematics available for the Maxtron boxes.

The CA3240 is a comparator and the ICL7660 voltage regulator is not critical. I do use a low dropout 5 volt regulator in all my repairs and modifications that match the later serial ports correctly.

Some of the KAWA RIBs are electronically identical to a Motorola RIB, but with SMT components used in place of the discrete components in OEM Motorola RIBs.

The important item is the CA3140 data inverter IC, and to a lesser extent the ICL7660 voltage inverter. If yours has both of those chips it's probably safe.