InterceptRadio.com Forums

>I have seen those Wouxon radios. I've heard good things about them too

So how can they be so cheep compared to $300+ for Icom/Yaesu? Anybody making a (real) P25 ham rig yet?

-thanks
-m

They are doing their very best to separate Public Safety and Commercial radios from each other.
And to make one manufacturer incompatible with the other commercially...

I have to have a P.S. radio and a commercial radio in each band that I service if needed. It sucks!

I don't believe that p25 will be real high on the priority list of any amateur radio manufacturer for the simple reason that someone would figure out how to avoid the high cost of the P25 stuff already out there for P.S. by utilizing the amateur gear...

Luckily I know of no plans for anyone to go p25 on UHF nor lowband where I work. However Id love to be able to access Spencer's P25 UHF machine digitally... But I'm afraid that's not gonna happen soon...

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"A well regulated breakfast, being necessary to the healthy start of the day, the right of the people to keep and eat food shall not be infringed."

One word: China.

At this point I'm going back and forth between a Wouxon pair or the 7R. What's holding me back on the 7R is the .3 watt output on 220. What's holding me back on the Wouxon pair is just that -- I have to buy two to get a tri-band radio and we're back to Taco's configuration.

I just really wish my 3170 went below 450.

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.

I'd try out that china radio, only because some of my Yaesu stuff has crapped out at $200 a pop. My FT60 works good on 2 meters but the UHF side shows a low battery after 2 mins of transmitting and is fine on VHF.

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"I was installing un-programmed radios"

I got a wouxon 2m/70cm radio as well, and it's now in my wife's purse as her backup radio... light, functional, and even with the extra battery dirt cheap.

It has been a while since I have operated here with any regularity, but historically, my experiences on 220 have always been good.

Something to consider about 220:
Of course the bands are not as active as 2M, but then again that may also be the point. ANY HAM can get on 2M cheap and easy, but to get on 220 one needs to WANT to get there. As such, I have found those folks I meet on 220 are always at the higher end of the spectrum as far as being "good peeps".

I didn't realize Wouxan had a 220 band in one of their models. I may just have to do that...

Well - that "childs toy" F6A has served me well for the past 9 years. Solid performer, and does the full power 220. Though I like 6m, having it in a hand held seems like a waste of time (antenna inefficiencies).

If I wasn't doing D-Star, the F6A would still be my daily driver hand held. Hell, for 220, it still is my front line radio.

Brad.

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Whatever.....

The only reason I called it a child's toy is because of its size. I was hoping that there was a tri-bander out there that wasn't that size but I'm SOL. Oh well.... :beer:

I've been looking at Yaesu, (Icom doesn't make a tri-band radio), Kenwood, Wouxon etc.. all models everywhere and the only thing that I can find that most resembles what I'm looking for is the TH-F6A. Full power and wide and dual receive are my main points and Kenwood hits them.

Plus my uncle in Olympia has one and likes it a lot. Says it's reliable and has served him well.

I already downloaded the software that's FREE on Kenwood's site and will probably get the cable to go along with it, pending more research on the radio.

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.

If your getting into Amateur radio you will probably have more than one radio at some point. pull the trigger on one and have fun. Then start thinking of the next one you want.

Good question to topic. It's been a great thread to read everybodys thoughts on it.

The main reason that the cheaper HT makers are not doing P25 is the high cost of the DVSI patent on the "vocoder".
Its their cash cow.
And NO ONE can afford to be sued for the patent infringement by trying to get around it.
It probably amounts to five or six hundred dollars on every radio.
Anybody tries to come up with something to "vocode" in real time will be worn down by the DVSI lawyers.
As for the chinese HT'S I REALLY hate to say it, but I have checked a couple of them on my service monitor, and the darn things check out really well.
They may not be that durable, but with any care at all, they look pretty good.
Much better than the competitors at three or more times the cost...

The DVSI vocoder is like 25.00 a radio.

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Mt Wave SAR member
Support Search & Rescue: Get Lost!
http://www.mwave.org

I still like the MX360.
But you need to get the "S" model

One follow-up on the Wouxon radios - it could be the radio I own, or the battery, but I have found that even as short as 2-3 weeks the battery is dying when attached to the radio but the radio is off. Never had that happen on my Icom or Yaesu radios.

I sprung for one of those TH-F6A radios. It was small but the full power on all bands, dual receive, full spectrum RX and the fact it was a Kenwood, it was my choice. All I can say is oh my freaking damn -- I love this radio. The fact that I can scan on the A band and listen to the local Fox News broadcast (inserts snickers and grins) on the 1280 AM station on the B band is so freaking cool. I'll talk more after bit, but back to class for now. :puke:

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.