search ebay for either of those 3 words and you will get a list of 2 way radios, Does anyone have any ACTUAL EXPERIENCE with these that they can comment on??? if not does anyone know someone with some actual experience??? i already know the ups and downs of those radios but i just want an actual review.......
quansheng/puxing/wouxun
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mitaux8030
Silent Key
Let me see if I can find a review I wrote for a local magazine for the Quansheng... general impression is they're pretty good, especially considering the prices. I'm using my experience based on mid to high-tier two way radios eg: Kenwood TK370, Philips/Simoco PRP80, Icom IC-F4GS, Tait Orca series etc. to draw this comparison.
mitaux8030
Silent Key
Darn it, I can't find the review I wrote over two years ago for the Quansheng VHF & UHF handhelds. But I'm a happy user of a UHF Quansheng. The receive audio quality is excellent, and the transmit audio is fine as well. The receiver is quite sensitive (circa 0.2uV for 20dBQ) and power output is per spec. Selectivity is adequate. The mute is fixed, and not adjustable - its factory set to be quite 'fine' and has little hysteresis, but not too 'knife edge' like in operation.
The user interface is the worst aspect - scanning is a pain - you can scan all channels only, not 'tag' your preferred channels for scanning, and the scanning is very slow. Channel selection is an unhelpful up/down pair of buttons only, there's no way to go directly to a channel.
No DTMF, but has CTCSS / PL tone.
One important note is that a standard speaker-mike will not work with the Quansheng units. The antenna connection is a SMA male - so your antenna needs a SMA female connection on it, which is opposite to the norm of many modern radios these days.
When you consider the price, they're very good value!
The user interface is the worst aspect - scanning is a pain - you can scan all channels only, not 'tag' your preferred channels for scanning, and the scanning is very slow. Channel selection is an unhelpful up/down pair of buttons only, there's no way to go directly to a channel.
No DTMF, but has CTCSS / PL tone.
One important note is that a standard speaker-mike will not work with the Quansheng units. The antenna connection is a SMA male - so your antenna needs a SMA female connection on it, which is opposite to the norm of many modern radios these days.
When you consider the price, they're very good value!
DickH said:
Then ask the FCC then.
mitaux8030
Silent Key
Since I'm not in the USA, I can't speak for FCC certification. I'm an amateur radio op (you guys call them 'hams' over there) and they're perfect for 146 & 438 MHz operation.
These radios definitely don't have official sanction here in Australia either - only permitted for amateur radio operations - but it doesn't stop thousands of people using them as receive only scanners (legality dubious even so) or as cheap alternatives to real two way radios (highly illegal of course, but then again so is speeding, and everybody does that...).
Its rumoured that the Quansheng is actually made on the same assembly line as the budget range of Kenwood two-way radios - they certainly bear a striking resemblence on the inside I'm told... so perhaps it wouldn't be a too great strech for these to be able to pass certification process - but then the very significant cost of doing that would have to be passed on to the consumer of course.
There's one local electronics chain store here that has taken one of these cheap Chinese brand radios, programmed them with VHF marine freqs and then submitted them for local certification - and selling them as budget marine handhelds. It makes a radio that you can buy here at $50 'bare bones' - and add in certification costs and the chain stores mark up, and that $50 radio can then officially legally be sold, but at $200.
These radios definitely don't have official sanction here in Australia either - only permitted for amateur radio operations - but it doesn't stop thousands of people using them as receive only scanners (legality dubious even so) or as cheap alternatives to real two way radios (highly illegal of course, but then again so is speeding, and everybody does that...).
Its rumoured that the Quansheng is actually made on the same assembly line as the budget range of Kenwood two-way radios - they certainly bear a striking resemblence on the inside I'm told... so perhaps it wouldn't be a too great strech for these to be able to pass certification process - but then the very significant cost of doing that would have to be passed on to the consumer of course.
There's one local electronics chain store here that has taken one of these cheap Chinese brand radios, programmed them with VHF marine freqs and then submitted them for local certification - and selling them as budget marine handhelds. It makes a radio that you can buy here at $50 'bare bones' - and add in certification costs and the chain stores mark up, and that $50 radio can then officially legally be sold, but at $200.
searchrescueff
Member
mitaux8030 said:
No kidding.. the Quansheng TG-K4AT is almost an exact replica of the Kenwood TH-K2AT. Stand them side by side, and with the only noticeable differences of the top knobs and buttons, they look alike.
chrismol1
P25 TruCking!
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Those radios are cheap impressions made in China.
Be CAREFUL if you are shipping to the US. These radios ARE on the black list and will get confiscated if your package is looked at by the wrong customs inspector who wants to check on the radios. The only reason why is becasue of the keypad programming. I guess they dont trust anyone with front pad as they can "interfere" with safety communications. Legally, the only people who can have them in the US are HAMS. The reason for that is becasue they HAVE the knowledge of the radio and the frequencies and they know what to do. But getting them into this country is another thing
Be CAREFUL if you are shipping to the US. These radios ARE on the black list and will get confiscated if your package is looked at by the wrong customs inspector who wants to check on the radios. The only reason why is becasue of the keypad programming. I guess they dont trust anyone with front pad as they can "interfere" with safety communications. Legally, the only people who can have them in the US are HAMS. The reason for that is becasue they HAVE the knowledge of the radio and the frequencies and they know what to do. But getting them into this country is another thing
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SkipSanders
Silent Key
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There has only been one of the chinese cheapies that had FCC certification that I've ever found, the Puxing 777 VHF model. NOT the UHF model.
If it doesn't have an FCC certification, it's not legal to use in the US for any service except Ham radio.
If it doesn't have an FCC certification, it's not legal to use in the US for any service except Ham radio.
b7spectra
EMS Dispatcher
I've got one of them. Field programmable, pain in the ass to do it, but it works great! I keep a UHF one in my console as a back up in case I need it. It's numeric readout only, but, I only use it on 3 frequencies. Battery life is forever! I actually forgot it was in my console, and after two months, I still had plenty of battery left.
Now everyone can spam me for using a non-FCC certified radio.
Now everyone can spam me for using a non-FCC certified radio.
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