This is the SBE Cortez, a fairly well apportioned AM mobile rig, which sold in the mid $150's in 1974. It featured 23 channels, Volume, Squelch, a switchable noise limiter, and a PA. A fairly good sized blue backlit S/RF meter and a red TX indicator rounded out its list of features. This model had great transmit audio, and a fairly robust receiver. The nose limiter was fairly effective at taking out pesky ignition noise, although not as well as a more advanced noise blanker circuit. Adjacent channel rejection and overload immunity was about average for a rig in this price range. One of the most annoying "features" of this radio, was the manner in which the Channel "22A" was defeated from the blank spot. While most radios had one jumper, or one or two spots missing on the selector switch, this radio had a total of 4 defeats! There was no way you were going to wiggle in the channel on this radio, no matter how careful you were. Part of this might be explained by a curious PC board stuffing option, which included a crystal, and associated components and was marked on the schematic as the "11A Option". Evidently, in some markets (Outside the U.S., I'd presume), this radio could be equipped to operate on 27.095 in the blank detent by installing this option, and the channel switch was set up to facilitate this option once wired properly for it.
I first obtained a Cortez new in the box in 1976, after another CB'er traded me for a 2 tube, 75 watt amplifier which I had built. I then used the Cortez as an alternate radio on the base, until I got my car in August of 1976. After that, it saw regular duty as my mobile rig until I traded it for a Tram XL5. I picked up another Cortez around 1979, and used it for a few years until I was forced to "clean out" my excess stuff. There were a few other people in my area who also ran a Cortez, including Blue Bandit, Cougar, and Money Man. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say the Cortez comes in at a 5. No, it wasn't a fancy SSB radio, but for what it was, it worked very well.