|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for Alinco DJ-596 |
|
Reviews: 19
|
Average rating: 3.9/5
|
MSRP: $219
|
|
Description: VHF/UHF TX/RX including cross-band split operation
<br>
100 memory channels, any mix of VHF/UHF
<br>
<br>
Alphanumeric channel labels, Direct frequency input from keypad
<br>
<br>
Large backlit display and keypad, CTCSS, DCS encode+decode
<br>
<br>
DTMF tones and autodial memories ,Tone bursts ,Three scan modes
<br>
<br>
Theft Alarm feature, Wide and narrow FM TX/RX
<br>
12VDC direct input (5w output)
<br>
<br>
High-power NiMH battery (4.5w output VHF/4w UHF)
<br>
Busy Channel Lock Out, Mosquito Repelling feature (experimental),External Terminal Control
<br>
<br>
Wire cloning capability, Optional digital mode (where permitted
|
|
More info: http://www.alinco.com/usa.html
|
|
You can
write your own review of the Alinco DJ-596.
|
N8EKT
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Jun 20, 2008 17:58
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Nice affordable dual
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
A real HT that has a BNC connector!
Good performance as well as features.
Easy to use right out of the box
|
|
N7TCF
|
Rating: 2/5
|
May 30, 2006 20:15
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
OK for casual, light-duty
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I'm not a frequent HT users, so I went for price alone when I bought this radio. The volume and squelch are keypad enabled! If you drop the radio on anything but carpet or thick grass, the battery comes loose.
This radio has become the back-up I take to public service events. I'll probably sell it this summer.
|
|
VK2UAO
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Feb 13, 2005 22:55
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good Radio, Antenna lets it down
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
I have only one gripe with this radio, the supplied duckie is a poor performer on 2m. I invested in a Diamond RH771 and can key up several repeaters which were impossible to key with the same radio with the supplied antenna, yet were easy to key on a icom 2m portable at the same location.
|
|
HB9JBD
|
Rating: 2/5
|
May 24, 2004 11:10
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Poor SW
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Had a DJV5 and my expectations were high.
The radio HW is fine but the SW is poor.
++ TX audio is reported to be good
++ BNC connector
++ 4-5 Watts output
- no AM air / FM broadcast receive
- dial through unused memory channels
-- repeator offset/frequ step does not change with qrg
-- poor battery condition meter
--- no REV key for working repeaters
(or does anyone know how?)
|
|
KC0ODY
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Mar 24, 2004 18:30
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Pretty good, some annoyances
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I just picked up this HT used, and have a few pro/con comments on it:
1- Biggest peeve: if you're on 2 meters, then use the keypad to enter a 70 cm. frequency, it will default back to 5 MHz steps when you go back to 2 meters. Big pain in the butt, because then you have to go and change the steps back, or you won't be able to transmit on 2 meters. Found this out the hard way last night.
2- Another peeve: I'm used to my Yaesu VX-5R's programmed +/- offset for repeater operations. With the Alinco DJ-596, you need to make sure you program the correct offset into the memory channel, as it apparently does not do this automatically.
3- Good points: solidly built, good transmit and receive audio. Extended receive range lets me listen to police/fire/other utility ops.
|
|
WD9CYI
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Mar 22, 2004 13:02
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Initial Impressions - Good
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
These are my initial impressions with this rig. I have had the DJ-596TMKII for a week now.
The reasons for choosing the DJ-596:
1. Size – I wanted a “full” size rig that I could hold on to.
2. Power – Able to deliver 4 watts with the stock battery.
3. BNC antenna connector.
4. MiMH battery (come on Icom, that is one of the reasons I didn’t choose the IC-T7H. NICADS!, get with the 21st century!).
5. Low cost for accessories (another reason for not choosing Icom).
As mentioned the volume is a bit cumbersome, and with only 20 distinct levels will not allow precise adjustment. The receive audio is very tinny although I am use to hearing audio from my FT-2600 mobile. One thing that I didn’t like was the click in the speaker each time a button is pressed. I disabled the beep for this reason. The transmitted audio seems to be good quality. Some of my regular contacts could not tell the difference from my mobile rig. The use of standard connectors (power and speaker/mic) is nice. I purchased a cell phone lighter adapter (at the everything is a buck store) and with some modification have a mobile charger/power cord. Some of the programming is a bit confusing at first. One undocumented feature is if you press FUNC while in memory mode and rotate the knob the channels will change in increments of 10. All in all the DJ-596TMKII seems to be worth the money.
|
|
N2SQV
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Jan 5, 2004 16:40
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Like it.
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
After comparing most all of the other dual-band HT’s and my positive experience with the mobile Alinco (DR-M06TH) I acquired the DJ-596T dual-band HT. It has all the features I needed and is very easy to use. This HT has a BNC antenna connection (no SMA please). Good price for a 2M/70cm HT and the accessories are affordable too compared to other manufactures. Opted to get an after market antenna (Larsen KD42/70) for improved performance on VHF and it works well. Extended receive on both bands (136-174 MHz and 400-512 MHz). CTCSS encode and decode (you can even program a different tone for TX and RX frequencies for those repeaters that use different tones on the input and the output). DCS is also there if you need it. Low power setting on both bands is 1 watt and high power is 3 to 4 watts on both bands (using the fully charged 9.6 volt Ni-MH 700 mAh battery). Can mix and match UHF and VHF frequencies in the 100 memories. Scans both bands, not just UHF or just VHF like my VX-1R. You can skip a memory in scan mode just like lock-out on a scanner. Scans a bit slow but what do you want, it’s not a scanner. It has 6 character alphanumeric tags for the memories. Also has the new spectrum efficient narrow FM mode but no 6.25 KHz channel step! Can do split-band operation but not cross band repeat. Runs on 13.8 volts directly into the side mounted barrel connecter so no voltage adapters needed for the car (maybe a noise filter if needed). With the supplied trickle charger, can only charge the supplied 9.6 volt Ni-MH 700 mAh while it’s connected to the radio in 12 hours or 24 hours for the 9.6 volt Ni-MH 1500 mAh battery. You can’t trickle charge the battery by itself. However with the optional EDC-97 rapid charger you can charge them by themselves or attached to the radio in 90 minutes or 3 hours respectively. Since Alinco accessories don’t break the bank, I’ll probably get the quick-charger in the near future. Audio is good and loud for a HT although treblely. Uses the standard speaker/mic connectors like some of the older HT’s (1/8” speaker and 3/32” mic plugs with the standard spacing). When summer comes, I’ll let you know how the mosquito repelling feature works. I also recommend the Clone Utility Software for programming the memories, it works quite well.
|
|
WA6EIK
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Jun 16, 2003 15:50
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good Radio w/some problems
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
I'd had this radio for a few months but sold it for the following reasons...
Volume adjust requires a keypad action first.
Squelch requires keypad action first, but not as bad because it's not adjusted as often as volume. Keypad is backlit, but in darkness all you see is blank buttons, all of the lettering is on the radio itself, all you see is the display but need light to figure out the buttons. Unprogrammed channels are shown while turning dial, not shown while scanning, cannot "mask" them like other radios. Side DC power plug rubber cover does not stay in place, keeps coming loose. Digital board was a $100.00 waste, besides, now they've changed it and the newer board is incapable with the old one. Slide on battery was loose, had to modify it to work better
Good points:
TX and RX audio seem good, alpha labels ok, power out was good. Uses common spkr mikes ie. Icom
|
|
KD4EHL
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Mar 28, 2003 22:57
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good HT But Forget Digital
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
It is an okay radio. Lots of features. Feels good in the hand. Not the quality of previous Alinco HTs. Wish I had kept my DJG5. FORGET THE DIGITAL OPTION. JUNK!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
KC2KEG
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 20, 2003 23:28
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Well made
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
This is my first Alinco rig. In my opinion the 596T is a well made HT. It has BNC conector (durable, which is very important to me) and a great stock antenna for 440mhz.
As other hams stated, the antenna is not a good performer for 2m...I havn't been work on 2m yet, but I notice I can't hit repeater that I used to be on with my VX-5
If you TX a lot...consider buying a spare 1500mah battery, it's worth for money. The stock battery, which is 700mah, allows to talk approx. 1hr on 440.
I have constanly get great signal report on the repeater, even with the rubber duck!
If you are shopping for another (or new!) HT...this is the one to go!
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
