A legend for several decades. Many OMs and YLs still use this portable. And most of them say those are the Best portables built ever for hamradio.
A real collectors-item. This robust and long-lasting hamradio-portable was built arount the 1990s. It was the worldwide first twinband-radio for 70cm and 23cm. New price was 1200 Deutsche Mark. Realy much money at this time. In 2016 this radio was offered used for around 350 Euro in german ham-magazines.
Many OMs and YLs still use this radio. Some even daily. In my opinion the line C-528, C-628 were on of the best hamradio portables ever built.
Let us have a short look on the specials of this radio. The STANDARD C-520 C-528 where follower of the STANDARD C-500. Since many years STANDARD has produced mobiles and portables for hamradio. The STANDARD C-620 C-628 was a innovation. Basing on the platform of the C-528 it was a scalable enhncenemt of proven technology adapted for 70cm and 23cm. The modular architecture was visible inside. And it led to an easy to repair radio. During the years 2006 to 2017 we had several of those great radios on our repair-desk. Customers wordwide called us for help and spare-parts. It was a real great time for sustaining hamradio world.
Technischer Einblick STANDARD C-620 C-628
This portable is designed straight forward. Inside TX rf-fronted had robust ICs from Mitsubishi. One for 70cm and one for 23cm. For RX a classical doublesuper was used. Clear leading of signals and power is visible on the board and in the manual. So those radios have a good selectivity and sensitivity. Squelchs opens between 80nV and 150nV. Before audioamp there are two poties from alps. Real survivor for use. After this a NJM2073 from JRC follows for amplification. On the outputs there are 220µF-caps for coupling. Those often cause trouble and have to be replaced. Speaker is made by Forser and makes strong audio witch max. 2W. So let me say in short words: The STANDARD C-620 C-628 is well designed and a a real survior.
Good to know
Bi-Bander have several advantages. For example you can make QSOs via satellite with the STANDARD C-620 and STANDARD C-628. By reducing the shift to 5kHz you can balance the Doppler-shift. SAT-QSOs are always a little challenge. It will work well with a small DuoBand-Yagi or a little LogPeriodic. For first tests you can try AO-51, AO-27, ISS or SO-51.
Second life with repair and refurbish
Nearly two decades later time has changed and more and more cheap and low quality ham radio portables are being produced. High quality portables are hardly to get. Even established HAM-Brands sell more and more low-budget portables. In addition modern portables are getting more and more smaller and there are barely portables for hamradio with good feelable and large keys. Of course they now have hundreds of features, software-controll and several menues. But a growing number of HAMs request for a more simple way of HAMRADIO. Many OMs crave for bigger portables and want for high-quality with easy usability and larger keys. And in addition more and more young HAMs learn to hold the C-620 and C-628 in high regard because they like the STANDARD as a collectors item. After a decrease of price for a used C-620 and C-628 from 600 Euro in 1990 down to 200Euro in 2006 the price began to rise. In summer 2010 on some fairs STANDARD C-620 and C-628 are being dealt for more than 350 Euro. In the year 2017 we have stopped service for repair. But this site remains so feel free to download the manuals and details about the STANDARD C-620 C-628.
Technical details
Long-lasting parts inside this radio: volume-poties from Alps. RF-amplifier from Mitsubishi. Audio amp from JRC. Speaker from Forser. Well selected parts. Easy to repair and to refurbish. That is STANDARD C-620 C-628.
| TX-range | 430-440MHz und 1240MHz bis 1300MHz (erweiterbar) |
| Receiver range | 30-440MHz und 1240MHz bis 1300MHz (erweiterbar) |
| Mode | FM, Hub max. +-5kHz |
| Crossband oparation | ja, Gerät als Crossband-Relais einsetzbar nach TX-Erweiterung |
| Sendeleistung max. | auf 70cm 4,5W; auf 23cm 2,5W bei 13,8V |
| power-steps | 3; low, mid, high |
| Empfindlchkeit | 70cm ca. 0,16µV at 12dB SINAD Rauschsperre öffnet ab ca. 100nV |
| Voltage range input | 6V bis 16V, DC Plus an Hohlbuchse außen |
| Current consumption RX | 70mA; im Energiesparmodus ca. 32mA das leise klack-klack dabei ist normal |
| Stromaufnahme Senden | maximal 1,5A |
| audio-output | 200mW an 8Ohm |
| Frequenzschritte | 5, 10, 12,5, 25kHz |
| tone-call | 1750Hz in EU-Version, US-Version benötigt Modifikation |
| DTMF | ja ab Werk, einfach beim senden die Tasten drücken |
| Display illimination | ja, zwei Mini-Glühbirnen |
| CTCSS | Optional über Modul CTN520 |
| Abmessung mit Akku CBT-151 BxHxT | 55mm x 157mm x 31mm |
| Geräterückseite | metall |
| Gerätevorderseite | Kunststoff |
| antenna connector | BNC |
| Anschluss für ext. Mike und Lautsprecher | Klinkenbuchse 3,5mm und 2,5mm |
| external supply connectable | ja, Hohlbuchse. Bitte aufpassen! Plus ist außen! |
| weight | ca. 500g |
table accessoires
| CBT-151 | Batteriefach für 6 x AA-Zellen, 7,2V | no longer available |
| CBT-152 | Batteriefach für 8 x AA-Zellen, 9,6V | no longer available |
| CNB-151 | Akkupack 7,2V NiMH | no longer available |
| CNB-152 | Akkupack 12V NiMH | no longer available |
| CWC151 | Ladegerät für 12V Akkupack | no longer available |
| CTN-520 r | CTCSS-Modul, remake | no longer available |
| upgrade-kit für C-520 und C-528 | Teilesatz Elkos und Taster | no longer available |
| CR2016 mit Lötpins | Speicherbatterie für C-520 und C-528 | no longer available |
| CMP-111 | speaker-mike | no longer available |
| Wendelantenne | Originalantenne für C-520 und C-528 | no longer available |
| kompatible BNC-Antenne 2m/70cm | hochflexibel, Länge 20cm | no longer available |
Technical documents
Comments and diskussion
Greetings from the USA!
I recently went to use my Standard C628A, and found that the keypad wasn’t working at all.
I read that this may be from a dead internal battery.
Also, I managed to lose the knob for the UHF volume/power control.
This is one of the reasons I stopped using it in the first place.
Are replacement knobs available?
Thanks,
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
thanks for your mail.
The problem of the keypad is well known and not that kind of tricky.
- Do a Reset
if problem is not solved then - open your STANDARD and take out the keypad.
clean the golden pads on the printed circuit boards carefully and put the keypad in again.
No it should work again.
It is not a problem of the internal battery.
Now let’s come to the knobs:
They are no longer available but you can help yourself:
Take them off
put them in pure alcohol
wait some minutes
then rubb them off as long as there is some „black glue“ on the knobs.
Now the knobs are black but good to use again.
Frequently we have STANDARDs from the US for service.
So if you have questions or if you want to send us your STANDARD just let us know.
Regards Matthias
