Re-branded Chinese FTM350AR??

[ShawnInPaso]

I recently noticed these showing up on eBay. Obviously a Yaesu FTM350 look alike. Makes me wonder if they bought the software from Yaesu, "borrowed" it, or just made their own rig?

VGC VR 6600PRO Mobile Ham Radio 144 220 430MHz 1000CH 50W LCD for Car Bus | eBay

 

[k6cpo]

For that kind of money, I'd add a bit more and buy a Yaesu FTM400 System Fusion mobile...

 

[MTS2000des]

what a piece of garbage.
I love this:


What kind of feces pieces excuse of a cooling system is that? Look, if you want a Yaesu, buy a Yaesu. If you want to give your hard earned money on some cheap crap from China, knock yourself out.

 

[w2txb]

There are companies in China that have been cloning a lot of Japanese and American equipment for some time now, then manufacturing and selling the stuff cheap. Support (if something goes wrong) is said to be less than acceptable for most folks, but then some will say, "it was so cheap to buy, I will just toss it out if it goes bad." Some dealers will replace bad units, but at least one has found that he was then stuck with radios that the "manufacturer" will not make good on.

There are some electronic devices made in China that are built to higher standards; Foxconn builds a lot of devices under contract for numerous companies... think iPhone, etc.

Then, there are companies such as Lenovo, which bought IBM's PC business a while back. Their ThinkPad line is still top shelf, and is supported by IBM. When I needed a replacement keyboard for my old T61, I called the 800 number expecting to speak with somebody in China, but was greeted by a very pleasant and businesslike, "Good morning. This is IBM in Atlanta, Georgia. May I help you?" She looked up the S/N of my computer and verified it was under warranty. The replacement keyboard arrive the next day. I doubt Pofung, Wouxun, et al would provide such service.
__________________

 

[mrweather]

Well no, if I paid $65 for a new laptop computer I wouldn't expect such service either.

It's pretty much common knowledge that these radios are more or less throw away. But hams are cheap so there is a market for these things.

 

[mikepdx]

I recently noticed these showing up on eBay. Obviously a Yaesu FTM350 look alike.
Makes me wonder if they bought the software from Yaesu, "borrowed" it, or just made their own rig?

Maybe it's VGC or their supplier who makes the FTM350 for Yaesu.
Can anyone verify where the FTM350 is made?

 

[KA9QPN]

I have one

I bought one of these on a lark. It's not your average Chinese POS. The audio is full and balanced, both transmit and receive. It doesn't have the typical Chinese radio disease where the PL/DPL takes half a second to catch up, leaving you missing the first word(s) of a transmission. Except for that afterthought of a cooling fan, it's fairly well built. The body is a hunk of aluminum just like my FTM-10 was. It has its issues. The programming software is pure crap. However, I've been dealing with similar crap since I bought my first Puxing HT. Perhaps the CHIRP developers will get to this one when a few more of these get out in the world. The APRS module is cantankerous to get into operation as the instructions are very vague. Once it's properly connected and programmed, it just works. However, there is no provision to turn it off from the control panel, leaving you to have to unplug the data cable. It also transmits on the 222MHz band, but I have not tested that, not having an appropriate antenna. The manual had someone involved who had a fair command of technical English.
It's not perfect. But, it's not a Wouxun or Powerwerx mobile either. Both of those are plagued by lousy audio and strange noises in the opposite receiver when tuning the band.
I did buy it directly from VGC in Hong Kong, and their customer service is excellent.
Devotion to accuracy: I don't have access to any more elaborate test equipment than a wattmeter, so I leave that testing for others. I suppose that you could spend a few more bucks and get the Yaesu, but getting into another digital mode before the landscape settles is not for me. I was curious. I bought one, and am happy with it. If you have other reasons such as an inherent prejudice against Chinese equipment, this is not the radio for you, and you can run along and spend more money elsewhere.

Tom KA9QPN

 

[MTS2000des]

so I have to ask:

does it really have the ghetto as heck looking cooling fan glued to a mounting bracket with a voltage regulator hanging off of it?

seriously?

for what you paid it should have at least been mounted to the radio itself.

IJS.

 

[XTS3000]

so I have to ask:

does it really have the ghetto as heck looking cooling fan glued to a mounting bracket with a voltage regulator hanging off of it?

seriously?

for what you paid it should have at least been mounted to the radio itself.

IJS.

The fan is mounted to the radio once you attach the 4 side screws. Lol[emoji38]

 

[NavyBOFH]

From the reviews and reports coming in around the web about it - there's some "teething" with the model - some issues being ironed out here and there. However, everyone is talking about it being a solid unit, accurate, great sensitivity/selectivity, and pretty much as close to the Yaesu as you can get without actually buying one. I am looking at buying one to throw in my Wrangler... because hell, $350 for a tri-band mobile sounds a LOT better than spending double on something that can be stolen out of a soft-top or left out in the rain accidentally.

 

[MTS2000des]

However, everyone is talking about it being a solid unit, accurate, great sensitivity/selectivity, and pretty much as close to the Yaesu as you can get without actually buying one.

anyone want to put one on a service monitor? I bet it's a typical WOC based POS. Numbers won't lie.

because hell, $350 for a tri-band mobile sounds a LOT better than spending double on something that can be stolen out of a soft-top or left out in the rain accidentally.

$350 is a ton of money for a knock off. A real MADE IN JAPAN FTM-100DR just cost me only $50 more. The authentic, real deal, C4FM digital/analog with APRS and built in GPS sold to me by a USA authorized dealer (actually picked it up in person, something you can't do with these road apple knockoffs) with a full 1 year warranty. A real radio with verified performance and firmware that can be upgraded.

but hey, if saving $50 bucks to have a knock off floats your boat, have fun with that.

 

[kg4ciu]

This is a copy of the discontinu3d analog only ftm350

 

[pttradio]

This is a copy of the discontinu3d analog only ftm350

On the outside it’s a close call. On the inside there are some similarities, but enough differences too. The VR-6600PRO isn’t a 100% copy of the Yaesu, a fact that was impossible to miss during tests. Some properties are in favor of the Yaesu, some things are in favor of the VGC. I’ll get back on that subject in the final review.

Well one thing is interesting right off the bat.
At least the VR-6600 incorporates a real NFM filter. Notice how the NFM filter position/slot (CF1452) in the Yaesu FT-350 is unpopulated,, So even if the Yeasu supports NFM on TX, it is passing the RX through the much wider M450E filter, which would degrade S/N on those channels,

Interesting…..


https://hamgear.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/vr-6600pro-and-ftm-350-inside/

 

[k6cpo]

anyone want to put one on a service monitor? I bet it's a typical WOC based POS. Numbers won't lie.



$350 is a ton of money for a knock off. A real MADE IN JAPAN FTM-100DR just cost me only $50 more. The authentic, real deal, C4FM digital/analog with APRS and built in GPS sold to me by a USA authorized dealer (actually picked it up in person, something you can't do with these road apple knockoffs) with a full 1 year warranty. A real radio with verified performance and firmware that can be upgraded.

but hey, if saving $50 bucks to have a knock off floats your boat, have fun with that.

HRO sells the FTM-100DR for $319.95...

 

[TheSpaceMann]

HRO sells the FTM-100DR for $319.95...

Most of the big ham retailers are selling it for that price as well.

 

[Citywide173]

HRO sells the FTM-100DR for $319.95...

and the post referencing the higher price was from last August, when the price was higher.

 

[paulears]

I thought the price was unbalanced too. For £250 it's a good deal for what it does.