Make
Lafayette
Model
Comstat 23 Mark VI
Catalog #
99-3223WX
Year
~1971
Channels
23 crystal controlled
Mic Wiring
1 - Audio
2 - PTT
3 - RX
4 - Ground/Common
Sams #
CB-47
Overview
The Lafayette Comstat 23 Mark VI was a 23-channel crystal-controlled AM CB base station transceiver sold by Lafayette Radio Electronics around 1971. The radio was marketed during the early growth years of the citizens band radio industry and was designed for home or office use.
The Comstat 23 Mark VI featured a desktop cabinet with integrated speaker and analog meter, typical of early 1970s CB base stations. The radio operated from standard household AC power and used individual crystals for channel selection.
Technical Specifications
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Lafayette |
| Model | Comstat 23 Mark VI |
| Catalog Number | 99-3223WX |
| Type | CB Base Station Transceiver |
| Year | Approximately 1971 |
| Modes | AM |
| Channels | 23 crystal controlled |
| Frequency Range | 26.965 MHz – 27.255 MHz |
| Power Source | 117 VAC |
| Microphone Wiring | 4-pin |
| Meter | Analog signal/transmit meter |
| Speaker | Built-in |
| Construction | Solid-state |
| SAMS Photofact | CB-47 |
Microphone Wiring
| Pin | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 | Audio |
| 2 | PTT |
| 3 | RX |
| 4 | Ground/Common |
Physical Description
The Comstat 23 Mark VI used a horizontal desktop cabinet finished in simulated woodgrain with silver and black front panel trim. The radio included a large channel selector, analog meter, front speaker grille, and controls for normal CB operation including volume and squelch adjustment.
The unit was supplied with a hand microphone and designed for fixed-station indoor operation.
History
The Lafayette Comstat series became one of the company’s better-known CB product lines during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Comstat 23 Mark VI was introduced during the era when 23-channel CB radios were standard in the United States before the FCC expanded the service to 40 channels in 1977.
Like many Lafayette-branded communications products, the radio was likely manufactured in Japan for Lafayette Radio Electronics and sold through Lafayette retail stores and mail-order catalogs.
The Comstat line competed with CB radios from manufacturers including Cobra, Midland, Johnson, Realistic, Royce, and Tram.
References
- World Radio History – Lafayette Catalog Archive
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Lafayette_Catalogs.htm - CBTricks
https://cbtricks.org/ - SAMS Photofact CB-47 Listing
https://www.samswebsite.com/en/photofact/search/index/model/COMSTAT_23_MARK_VI
