Chinese Radios flooding DMR Market

[stantorres]

Looks like the APX's are made in Malaysia. Anyone have a top of the line Kenwood? Curious where those are made.

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[AK9R]

I hope you are not making a generalization based on one sample. That's an APX900. The label on my APX7000 says it was made in Mexico.

 

[stantorres]

That's why we're here, to seek knowledge and virtue.

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[dtx-120]

I used to work in the consumer electronics field and saw I similar situation when Samsung and Goldstar entered the market in the late eighties. These two companies flooded the markets with cheap tv’s and VCR’s. The major brands like RCA, and Zenith started to feel the pinch of declining sales and made it harder for them to compete and make a profit.
I believe that the influx of cheap Chinese DMR radios will affect the US two way radio markets in the same way. It is will be harder for the major radio manufacturers to make a profit and the margins will get slimmer and slimmer as time goes by. Trying to sit on brand name reputation is not going to get them through this in my opinion. They will have to be creative. All I can say is good luck.

In my humble opinion, the influx of CCR's are bringing new people into the hobby (myself included). Less than a month ago I knew very little about Amateur Radio, but owned a Whistler 1088 scanner for about a year and a half. Since then, I passed the Technicians exam and will be taking the General next week. I own a TYT MD-380 and a Yaesu FT-70.

 

[Mechanic1908]

In my humble opinion, the influx of CCR's are bringing new people into the hobby (myself included). Less than a month ago I knew very little about Amateur Radio, but owned a Whistler 1088 scanner for about a year and a half. Since then, I passed the Technicians exam and will be taking the General next week. I own a TYT MD-380 and a Yaesu FT-70.

Yes I agree. I had previously little interest in ham radio as the equipment was ( to my untrained eye) prohibitively expensive.
Now with the influx of just say 2 meter 70 cm dual band rigs for around 100$ why not get your license so you can get your feet wet so to speak?
Just my 2 cents.

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[mmckenna]

Looks like the APX's are made in Malaysia. Anyone have a top of the line Kenwood? Curious where those are made.

My TK-5210, TK-5410 and NX-410 are all made in Japan.
My TK-3180 is made in Malaysia.

 

[R8000]

That's why we're here, to seek knowledge and virtue.

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This "Made in XXX" horse has been beaten to death. This war has been discussed over and over and over again. W9BU is correct with his response to you.

Let's let the "Made in XXX" debate end and move on with the topic of thread.

 

[KC9KHN]

Here is my current lineup of DMR portables, arranged in descending order of physical size.

Left to right, the units are:

1. Motorola XPR7550 UHF
2. Ailunce HD1 U/V
3. TYT MD-2017 U/V
4. Radioddity GD7 U/V
5. Retevis MD380 VHF
6. AnyTone AT D868UV U/V

Of them all, in my personal opinion the AnyTone beats all of the rest in terms of functionality, features, memory expansion and battery life. It has all of the best functions and features of the MD380 with the "experimental firmware" but with both UHF and VHF and best of all, the smallest physical size! With the push of a single button the radio will receive any programmed TG in one or both timeslots. The CPS will export/import separate CSV files for Channels, Group and Private contacts, TGs, and all other sub-menu items making updating of these lists easy and fast!

Best of all, it is fully front panel programmable!

My second favorite is the Ailunce HD1, but it has a few quirks that make it less enjoyable to operate. It has none of the functions or features of the Ailunce HD1.

My least favorite is the TYT MD2017. That stupid trackball is a massive PITA and makes it difficult to navigate zones, bands and menus.

While I do like the Motorola XPR7550, being limited to UHF only makes it no more useful than the MD380 VHF mono-bander. I had an MD380 UHF for about a year, but I sold it to a friend who needed an inexpensive UH HT.

I have no problems with the TYT MD-2017 Radio. I have the TYT 380 and the 2017 radios. Both great radios.

 

[Golay]

As far as for the ham bands, the biggest attraction of CCR DMR radios for me is that they can be dual band.
The analog repeater I use the most is on 2 meters. My most often used DMR repeater is on 440.
Why carry two radios?

 

[wrath]

Why carry two radios? compare an entry level analog radio with the tin can Dual band DMR CCR and usually there's a night and day difference, in RST and audio quality, i carry two triband, dstar,APRS,email 2,220,70 cm ,one analog 2,6.70cm and one digital DMR,fusion,APRS 2,70 cm ,different radios do different bands or different analog digital mixtures ,then there's the dual band mobiles and HF mobiles on my rolling porcupine .Until you get past getting your ticket and your nifty little CCR ,you dont realize there is vast amount of spectrum and modes out there and one size may fit most in say socks , in radio just as in life there are different tools for different jobs ,trying to pound a bolt in with a hammer is tiresome ,just as trying to use a saw to hammer a nail. That's why there's different radios and multiple radios .
Any questions ?

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[AK9R]

...in radio just as in life there are different tools for different jobs...

And, for most folks, the radio they carry is just a tool. If the tool does the job for them, then that's the right tool. It may not be the best tool for you or the best tool for me, but whether or not a particular radio is the right tool is a personal decision.