TYT THU V88?

[bb911]

For at least 2 decades I owned a 2m Yaesu hanheld. It was still working great when I had to bury it last year. I was given a Baofeng UV 5R and it lasted about 18 months with near 0 transmissions. Is the TYT THU V88 just another Baofeng? It looks better, and bells and whistles are of almost no interest to me. I've found a source that has a good price for it. Of course, the fact that I'm asking this question says a lot about my budget.

P.S.- I checked out the Yaesu FT 25R but its' programming cable cost as much as the TYT radio. My early 1990's Yaesu mentioned above was well over $200.

 

[kayn1n32008]

You get what you pay for.

 

[jaspence]

Take a look at the FT-60R. It is a solid radio and is easy to learn. There is free software (FT-60 Commander) and a programming cable won't break the bank, about $18 on ebay. Mine is over 10 years old and still works well.

 

[Kaleier1]

I was looking to get a Baofeng UV-5R since the price was so cheap. How could I go wrong? Then as I looked into it I found more and more repeaters are going digital audio with DMR, D-Start, or System Fussion. The vast majority of them in my area are DMR. Some will do DMR and analog but the number of DMR only repeaters is greater than the analog only or DMR/analog ones.

I looked at several types of radios including TYT and gradually upped the price I was willing to pay to $60, $85, $100 as I watched and read reviews. I finally settled on the Alinco DJ-MD5T which cost $129 at HRO. It is normally $149 and most places charge even more. I considered the Anytone radios but $200 was out of my price range and the Alinco is very similar but smaller. It is dual band 2m and 70cm DMR and analog.

Do you have analog repeaters in your area? Around $34 for the TYT is cheap and I know you said you have a budget but if everything in your area is going digital it might not be money well spent. Also, the DMR radios require you to program code plugs and an understanding of DMR which some people find difficult.

 

[bb911]

Take a look at the FT-60R. It is a solid radio and is easy to learn. There is free software (FT-60 Commander) and a programming cable won't break the bank, about $18 on ebay. Mine is over 10 years old and still works well.

Boy, it has excellent reviews and a great reputation for durability. I came across the Alinco DJ-VX50T Dual Band while researching the FT-60R. It has good reviews and it's about $99. Then I came across the Icom IC-V86 VHF FM - 2m only. Bigger size and BNC connector - nice.

I have some thinking to do. Maybe I can dig something up to sell on ebay. Thanks!

 

[ai8o]

Your RR ID doesn't say where you are, so it is kind of hard to respond to your query.

Are you in a Big City like LA, or out in desert country?
Where you are makes a lot of difference in your choice of a new HT.

In the big cities, digital modes are becoming more popular, but in the boonies they are going to be a long time coming.

For instance;
I am in the boonies of NC.
All the nearby repeaters are Analog (VHF/UHF).
The nearest Digital (D-STAR) repeater is 60+ miles away.
So for me the choice is ANALOG VHF/UHF.
I would only have a chance to use D-STAR once every few months when I go down to the city.

73
Dan AI8O

 

[jaspence]

The IC-V86 has some quirks. The display is not easy to read quickly because letters are in a strange font. The programming/mike port has a cover held on by two small screws and very inconvenient, especially for outdoor use. Accessing the menu requires two keys to be held while pushing the on button. The keys are so close together that the fingers of a three year old are about the right size. When testing the radio, I got better signal reports from my Heathkit HW6205 (vintage 1981-2) on both transmit and receive. Nice size, easy to push PTT and a good set up to extend battery life, but too many negatives to rate it with the FT-60R.

 

[bb911]

Your RR ID doesn't say where you are, so it is kind of hard to respond to your query.

Are you in a Big City like LA, or out in desert country?
Where you are makes a lot of difference in your choice of a new HT.

In the big cities, digital modes are becoming more popular, but in the boonies they are going to be a long time coming...

73
Dan AI8O

Believe it or not, the radio will be used for monitoring VHF - High band and 2m. Little need for 440. 2m mostly during wildfires, floods, quakes etc... for intel. I'm about 60 miles E of LA, and 2m repeaters is usually very quiet, except for some use during commute times. Extremely quiet compared to the 1980's. There's still plenty to monitor on VHF - High. Rather funny that years ago I wisely held out before getting a scanner with analog trunking capabilities. Then most said to get a digital capable scanner. I'm still without a digital scanner, but since LE is now encrypted and County FD has VHF High band, in addition to their new 700/800 digital system, I haven't lost as much to monitor as one might think. Thanks, I wasn't aware that digital modes were becoming so popular with Hams. Maybe I need to reconsider even more.

 

[N4DJC]

The Icom IC-V86 has direct conversion RX, you’ll pick up all sorts of RF interference. Buy a Kenwood TH-K20A. Has great audio, high selectivity and sensitivity, the ARRL review gave it very high marks in every category. Full keyboard, even does narrowband, no AM, up to 174 MHz. Just a solid two meter rig, heads and shoulders above the Icom. Easy to program via the keyboard.

 

[bb911]

.. Buy a Kenwood TH-K20A. ..

Believe it or not, I bought one in late 2016, yet I never saw it. I've had many transactions on ebay without any problems except.. Yes, of all the luck. Some young guy was using his father's account to sell it and he got away with not making good on the sale. I did get my money back from Pay Pal.

I've owned only 3 radios since I got my license and they are all gone. My Yaesu HT, a Kenwood 241 mobile, and an ICOM 2100H mobile. Although it's like comparing apples to oranges, the Yaesu HT lasted the longest and was built like a rock, so I lean toward Yaesu in terms of durability.