Chinese Dual Band Mobiles?

[robertmac]

Alinco DR-635T
IC-2820
ID-880H
TM-V71A
TMD-710G
FT-8800R
FT-8900R
FTM-400DR
For these per $ your get much more.

AT-5888UV
KG-UV920P
For these you get less per $.

IC-7000, IC-7100, IC9100, TS-2000 series, FT-817ND, FT-857D, FT-897D again per $ you get much more than for CCRs.

 

[Darth_vader]

"Much like the I-Phone is made in China, but Apple have strict quality demands."

*laughs at 4CS*

And you thought Baofeng HTs were cheap throwaway crap . . . . . . . . . .

 

[WB4CS]

"Much like the I-Phone is made in China, but Apple have strict quality demands."

*laughs at 4CS*

And you thought Baofeng HTs were cheap throwaway crap . . . . . . . . . .

Darth! It has been a while since we've picked on each other

I've never owned an iPhone so I cannot speak for their quality. It was only an example that Apple (or Samsung, or any other brand) sets their quality specifications that the manufacturer must provide. Each brand has it's own expectation of build quality and (is supposed to) holds the manufacturer to that standard.

Something tells me that for the price, Baofang probably doesn't have a high standard of quality that they expect the manufacturer to produce. I'll admit that I have no facts to support this claim, only my experience from various name brand electronics that range in price. There's a reason why higher dollar electronics **usually** are better quality than their generic counterparts - even though they are often made in the same plant by the same workers.

 

[N4KVE]

Apple (or Samsung, or any other brand) sets their quality specifications that the manufacturer must provide. Each brand has it's own expectation of build quality and (is supposed to) holds the manufacturer to that standard.
There's a reason why higher dollar electronics **usually** are better quality than their generic counterparts - even though they are often made in the same plant by the same workers.

This is it in a nutshell. If the parent company demands quality built products from China, that's what you get. But if the parent company tells the mfr to build a $30 radio, then you get what you pay for.

 

[BDM123]

While I'm guilty of a couple of purchases myself of these Chicom radios, you make some valid points to consider!

You made two points that caught my attention. The first is copycatting and intellectual property. I heard this anecdote from a college professor in 1981 - amazing I even remember it, my story is probably the Joe Walsh warped record version, but it still makes the point: He was a gun collector and came across a rifle someone was able to get back from Asia (don't know how, it was the Vietnam era). Apparently the serial number was a duplicate. Then he realized it was a knockoff gun that was recreated down to the lettering. He made the same observation you did. Something like they don't know what it does or what it's used for, but they figured everything needed to be there. Guess whomever made it thought the serial number was integral to the rifle. Same thing with fashion stuff, except there we call it counterfeit. The software and user interface to these radios seems to be an issue, too. I've had friends tell me they are glad they only work one repeater because changing frequencies is "weird." Guess they haven't mastered the same degree of intuitive operation that the Japanese have had a few decades along with US feedback to work on.

Your other point that hit me - testing labs. 100% on the money! Anyone who wants to spend the money can have a product tested by a lab (who is working for the customer, BTW) and submitted for type acceptance. In fact, a few people were tossing the idea around that it might have been worthwhile for them to narrowband with certain circuitry changes and reducing deviation, than it would have been to do a wholesale replacement of equipment.

Something to ponder about Chinese radios since there have been discussions about their capabilities: 90.203 (e), (f), and (g) [spoiler: they aren't supposed to transmit everywhere right out of the box, the FCC's exact wording is a must-read]. Everyone who reads the forums knows how that ended. So how thorough were these third party testing labs that certified compliance?

Personally, I think two things: 1) the Chinese government is artificially subsidizing the cost of these things and saturating the US to either kill-off traditional competitors or somehow introduce less reliable communications equipment; and 2) every penny I send that way will come back someday in the form of an aircraft carrier.

 

[gewecke]

Actually I'm looking for a mobile dual band to use as a base.

Whoops, sorry. Yep, that might not fit the bill. :lol:

73,
n9zas

 

[KA9QPN]

Back to the original question: Had two Wouxun mobiles. One had such poor audio that I flipped it to a stranger. The second was a little better, but the PL decode is extremely slow, taking about a full second to open the squelch. Audio is still rough.

Bought the Powerwerx mobile, and I'm substantially pleased with it. No huge gotchas but small annoyances with panel button size and markings, and a PTT button that is somewhat particular in how it wants to be pressed. HRO had it for $20 off of Powerwerx's pricing and threw in a separation kit. You do need to buy the $40 software and cable if you intend to use it on anything other than amateur frequencies. It's a <$300 radio. It does what I expect it to do.

Both supposedly do cross-band repeat, although I've never seen that 'feature' in practical use.

 

[brndnstffrd]

Back to the original question: Had two Wouxun mobiles. One had such poor audio that I flipped it to a stranger. The second was a little better, but the PL decode is extremely slow, taking about a full second to open the squelch. Audio is still rough.

Bought the Powerwerx mobile, and I'm substantially pleased with it. No huge gotchas but small annoyances with panel button size and markings, and a PTT button that is somewhat particular in how it wants to be pressed. HRO had it for $20 off of Powerwerx's pricing and threw in a separation kit. You do need to buy the $40 software and cable if you intend to use it on anything other than amateur frequencies. It's a <$300 radio. It does what I expect it to do.

Both supposedly do cross-band repeat, although I've never seen that 'feature' in practical use.

Not sure if you know this, but the Powerwerx mobile is actually an Anytone UV-5888 in a different housing. It uses the same board and elctronics, but the case was custom designed and i believe they had some custom changes made to the firmware for them.

 

[ranger821]

The Chinese HT's are nice and I have two of them, but like most have said the mobiles from what I read is don't buy them. I own 2 V71A's and they are a great dual bander. One is my base radio at the house and one is in the truck. It's a work horse!!!

 

[KA9QPN]

Not sure if you know this, but the Powerwerx mobile is actually an Anytone UV-5888 in a different housing. It uses the same board and elctronics, but the case was custom designed and i believe they had some custom changes made to the firmware for them.

I knew that, and during my due diligence found that while the Anytone was marginal (the QST reviewer mentioned returning their test radio), there had been some positive changes in the Powerwerx version. One of my EMA operating freqs is 154.995MHz, so I'm sure that there is an incipient birdie at 150 that plays Hell with the receiver. There is the Clock Shift function, but it isn't very helpful. I work through it.

 

[brndnstffrd]

I have read reviews that do mention that changes and improvements have been made to the Powerwerx version, but i still do find it kind of funny that some people have nothing but positive things to say about the Powerwerx, yet they sit there and bash chinese radios.