Kenwood TM-281A Chinese knockoff?

[N4KVE]

I've handled numerous radios since I got into this hobby a few years back. They're all made in China. The big 3 has something called quality control. Even tho they're made in China, they're made to the mfg's specs & tolerances. Something the knock offs lack.

EXACTLY! The people who defend the $35 Chinese radio cry that Moto, Kenwood, Icom, & Yaesu also make some radios in China, or Malaysia. While that may be true, the radios are designed, & engineered in the home country, & while built in China, or Malaysia, are built to the factory OEM spec's. The cheaper Chinese knock offs are totally designed in China, to be built as cheaply as possible, with no care for QC. Plus Moto, Icom, Kenwood, & Yaesu will have US distributors who offer customer service. If you plan to keep your radio for a few years, the real radio might cost an extra 10 cents a day to own.

 

[LongRange308]

EXACTLY! The people who defend the $35 Chinese radio cry that Moto, Kenwood, Icom, & Yaesu also make some radios in China, or Malaysia. While that may be true, the radios are designed, & engineered in the home country, & while built in China, or Malaysia, are built to the factory OEM spec's. The cheaper Chinese knock offs are totally designed in China, to be built as cheaply as possible, with no care for QC. Plus Moto, Icom, Kenwood, & Yaesu will have US distributors who offer customer service. If you plan to keep your radio for a few years, the real radio might cost an extra 10 cents a day to own.

I agree with this. While I do own CCR's, I also own Kenwoods and Yaesus.. The CCR's have their place, but they are not something I would have total faith in, in terms of reliability..

Just two weekends ago, I was on top of a local mountain, testing my HT's out for range back to the house. While they were all hitting my base station just fine and full quieting, and hitting my neighbors Yaesu VX3r HT well enough for him to understand me, my Wouxun and Baofeng (even with real diamond antennas) were not able to receive what he was transmitting back to me well enough to make it out. My Yaesu VX7r on the other hand was able to receive more than well enough to understand everything he was saying and carry on a nice conversation.

I will use my Baofengs and Wouxuns around the house or in the desert for range coms while shooting and training, but will really only trust my Yaesu's for deep woods hiking or hunting.