Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202

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Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202

Created by on 2005-09-04

Don't ask me to sell you my Radio Shack HTX-202 because it isn't for sale

Don't ask me to sell you my Radio Shack HTX-202 because it isn't for sale! Sure, it's big and heavy and it looks a bit beat up from years of service but it's still favored over any other HTs. When I leave the house, the 202 goes with me and the others stay at home. Radio Shack may be called to task in many respects but this 2 meter handy talky is definitely a great radio.

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The Tandy Corporation conscripted Maxon in Korea to build them a radio based on a design they had previously purchased from Icom. The result is the Realistic HTX-202. It has few bells and whistles but what it lacks in features, it makes up for in longevity. Over the years, my 202 has been used as a base station with an amplifier, an APRS portable positioning unit, the usual belt clip communicator and recently a radio link to the IRLP network. There is something very satisfying about working Europe on 1 watt with a radio that has a cash value of about 50 bucks.

The bottom line being, if I drop it over the railing of my boat, I'm only out a fraction of the price of one of my other radios. (That's only one reason all the others stay safely at home.) The "mil-spec" rating given to many other handy talkies is almost laughable when compared to the robust construction of the venerable HTX-202.

Before you go out and spend big money on a new HT, you would be well advised to spend considerably less for a used 202 and to then use the savings on something else that you'd like to have for your station. There are just a few things to keep in mind:

Don't operate the HTX-202 without the belt clip. (It performs double duty as a heat sink for the final amplifier transistors.)
Don't operate on auxiliary power without removing the battery pack. (This will protect the Zener diodes from excessive heat.)
Don't buy a 202 with the intent of hacking it to increase its frequency range, as it doesn't lend itself well to such modification. (A good thing.)
Don't walk away from a good deal because the original battery pack has died. (The NiMH replacement cells will make this great radio even better!)

Here are a couple of links to find a replacement battery pack for your radio:

http://nicdlady.com/radio_pr-rt.htm

http://www.batteriesamerica.com/radio_shack.htm

Here is a list of Radio Shack links for support documents:

http://support.radioshack.com/support_electronics/15563.htm

If you have any other good 202 support sources, please share them with us. Some other equipment that has favorably impressed me include:

Ten Tec 538 Jupiter HF base transceiver
Ten Tec 555 Scout HF mobile transceiver
AmpKeyer interface from the Heathkit Shop
B+K Precision 1692 40 amp switching power supply w/digital meters
MJF 249 HF/VHF SWR analyzer

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Johnny, W4XKE

WAVERID3R	2020-01-20
Re: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I know, I know, it's an old post. But, well...I'm old, and so is my HTX-202. But like me it doesn't look old. It was my first piece of Ham gear. Have had it for 22 years. And just now am having to replace the memory backup battery in it. Just got it back together and I'm happy to announce that the operation was a success and it's recovering nicely. FYI, if yours ever need's a 'transplant' it takes a common CR-2032 Reply to a comment by : LNXAUTHOR on 2005-09-04 - nice pics and thanks for the info about this HT... - unfortunately, i haven't seen any of these at any swapfest, perhaps because they're still in use? :-)

K8UPA	2005-09-19
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Have to agree with the author all the way. I own three at the moment. The audio quality is very good and the durability of the radio itself is something else. I actually ran one over on my four-wheeler (quad), scraped off the muck, transmitted flawlessly. Wonder how many of the newer rigs would have survived that. The cost is somewhere around 50-60 bucks on swapsites so if lost or somehow broken it won't rupture the bank.

W4XKE	2005-09-18
Thank you all for sharing your experience.
I'm glad to see that a great number of you fellows share my impression of the HTX-202. Hopefully we will be able to keep our HTs operating for another 10 years. Don't you wish all radio manufacturers built their products to last and to create a loyal following of pleased customers? (I'm going to plug Ten Tec here because they do a heckuva fine job over there on Dolly Parton Parkway!) < http://radio.tentec.com/Amateur > I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Robert, KA1DFO, for his excellent tip on replacing the internal (memory) battery that creates the "ERR1" error. If you haven't already clicked the link he provided, I think you'll be very impressed at the information offered by Craig, WB3GCK. Craig has created a step-by-step guide with full color photographs to illustrate the tasks involved. Both of these gentlemen demonstrate the fourth paragraph of the Amateur's code: < FRIENDLY...slow and patient operating when requested; friendly advice and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit. > How many of you military men still remember your general orders? Note: In today's Army, there are only 3 general orders. I think we, as amateurs, should always be able to recite the 6 elements of the Amateur's Code. Keeping these principles in our forethought could go a long way to enhancing the enjoyment of everyone's station operations immensely. Thank you all for your kind consideration in commenting on the HTX-202 and sharing your experience with the rest of us. Respectfully, Johnny, W4XKE

KI4LIV	2005-09-18
Bought one...
... based on this article. I have to say that although it's an older rig, the audio quality on the receive and the speaker are absolutely top notch - rates right up there with the old motorola commercial/public safety HTs I've used in the past! Although I have a Yaesu FT-7800R in the mobile, and a pair of FT-50R's for HT use, I bought this and a brand new MAHA battery and hand mic (wow, those hand mics are horribly flimsy!) at the Melbourne, FL hamfest pretty cheap with the intentions of running it here in the house as a makeshift base until I can afford another 7800R and outdoor antenna. That idea got flushed down the toilet, as my Belkin Pre-N wireless router on the desk I was going to use this at drives this radio nuts. There seems to be a field of about 3 feet in any direction from the router that fills the signal meter up and I cannot squelch out the noise. Don't get me wrong though, I am NOT getting rid of this rig! They won't make them like this anymore! If anyone can suggest how I can shield the radio a little better, please feel free to email me at KI4LIV (at) gmail.com Thanks for the article, I'm happy I bought the radio!

N1LEU	2005-09-18
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I still have one of these classic handie talkie. they got it right with this radio. I like it and won't part with it. It will probably outlast my Yeasu (sorry to all the Yeasu folks).

KA1DFO	2005-09-18
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Nice report, and good comments.The internal battery needs replacement every 10 yrs or so. A link to a description is here: <http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/htx-202_err1.htm> The parts can or could be had at RS, they did have a battery holder (1+ yrs ago), the battery itself is common. 73

KQ6Q	2005-09-18
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Not only is the 202 a gem, so is the 404 - the 440Mhz model that matches it. Both were my primary radios for many years, now they both live in my 'go kit' for emergency deployments to hospitals. I replaced the batteries with NiMh's, but now just use the AA packs, they don't lose charge, last longer, and are easy to replace. Great sturdy radios!

W5LJM	2005-09-18
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Before I became a ham in 1995, I went shopping and bought 2 HTX-202s. One for myself and one for the wife, who is KC5YYP. I still have one and gave the other to a young ham after he got his ticket. The one I kept still works, BUT I put a dadgum telescopic antenna on it that evidently had a flaw, and singed the TX final or something. It only transmits low power even on high power setting. I sent it to RADIO SHACK for repair. After keeping it for several months, I finally got it back with a note saying there's nothing wrong with it. Funny, I only get 3 "S" units output on high setting when I was getting 9+ "S" units in the beginning. What do you think? I still wouldn't trade it for a modern HT! It served it's purpose very well and would still be working great if I hadn't put that stupid telescoping antenna on it. Reply to a comment by : K5JEP on 2005-09-18 I bought mine from a friend the day I got my license....I used it for everything from voice, packet, simplex repeater and in conjunction with a MFJ amp it also served as my simplex phone patch for quite sometime. It is still in service today and functions as my primary packet radio as well as a voice backup. You cant beat the audio both TX and RX. I will swear by this radio... Its one of the best radios I have ever had...in comparison to the ADI-600 HT...the HTX-202 is a great beginner radio to get your feet wet, not very hard to learn and operate. It didnt have all the bells and whistles but back then I didnt need them. I still remember the way I felt the first time I accessed a phone patch and made a phone call on a local repeater on low power.... thanks for the memories guys! 73's K5JEP Joe Pomponio Reply to a comment by : W5RMZ on 2005-09-17 ALSO KNOWN AS "TOY SHACK"!!!! Reply to a comment by : AC0H on 2005-09-07 <<"they took the radio out of radio shack">> They don't call it "cellphone shack" for nothing. Also used to be you could go in and talk to someone who knew the difference between a BNC, PL-259, and RCA connectors. No more, if they can BS their way through a cell phone sale their management material. Reply to a comment by : KB5SCK on 2005-09-07 this was a good ht, i remember buying one brand new, that was when you could actually buy radios at radio shack, i got out of radioing for several years, just got back into it not too long ago. i went to radio shack to get a 2 meter mag mount and found out they dont sell them any more, i got to looking and there is no radio gear, if you are lucky you may find a pl-259. the store here is mostly just cell phone stuff, what's up with that? at one time you could buy 10 meter rigs, 2 meter and 440 rigs,crystal radio kits, shortwave radios, freq counters, antennas, push up poles, connectors, bulk coax, all sorts of accessories, ham radio books, study guides, now mostly just cell phone stuff, they took the radio out of radio shack

K5JEP	2005-09-18
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I bought mine from a friend the day I got my license....I used it for everything from voice, packet, simplex repeater and in conjunction with a MFJ amp it also served as my simplex phone patch for quite sometime. It is still in service today and functions as my primary packet radio as well as a voice backup. You cant beat the audio both TX and RX. I will swear by this radio... Its one of the best radios I have ever had...in comparison to the ADI-600 HT...the HTX-202 is a great beginner radio to get your feet wet, not very hard to learn and operate. It didnt have all the bells and whistles but back then I didnt need them. I still remember the way I felt the first time I accessed a phone patch and made a phone call on a local repeater on low power.... thanks for the memories guys! 73's K5JEP Joe Pomponio Reply to a comment by : W5RMZ on 2005-09-17 ALSO KNOWN AS "TOY SHACK"!!!! Reply to a comment by : AC0H on 2005-09-07 <<"they took the radio out of radio shack">> They don't call it "cellphone shack" for nothing. Also used to be you could go in and talk to someone who knew the difference between a BNC, PL-259, and RCA connectors. No more, if they can BS their way through a cell phone sale their management material. Reply to a comment by : KB5SCK on 2005-09-07 this was a good ht, i remember buying one brand new, that was when you could actually buy radios at radio shack, i got out of radioing for several years, just got back into it not too long ago. i went to radio shack to get a 2 meter mag mount and found out they dont sell them any more, i got to looking and there is no radio gear, if you are lucky you may find a pl-259. the store here is mostly just cell phone stuff, what's up with that? at one time you could buy 10 meter rigs, 2 meter and 440 rigs,crystal radio kits, shortwave radios, freq counters, antennas, push up poles, connectors, bulk coax, all sorts of accessories, ham radio books, study guides, now mostly just cell phone stuff, they took the radio out of radio shack

W5RMZ	2005-09-17
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
ALSO KNOWN AS "TOY SHACK"!!!! Reply to a comment by : AC0H on 2005-09-07 <<"they took the radio out of radio shack">> They don't call it "cellphone shack" for nothing. Also used to be you could go in and talk to someone who knew the difference between a BNC, PL-259, and RCA connectors. No more, if they can BS their way through a cell phone sale their management material. Reply to a comment by : KB5SCK on 2005-09-07 this was a good ht, i remember buying one brand new, that was when you could actually buy radios at radio shack, i got out of radioing for several years, just got back into it not too long ago. i went to radio shack to get a 2 meter mag mount and found out they dont sell them any more, i got to looking and there is no radio gear, if you are lucky you may find a pl-259. the store here is mostly just cell phone stuff, what's up with that? at one time you could buy 10 meter rigs, 2 meter and 440 rigs,crystal radio kits, shortwave radios, freq counters, antennas, push up poles, connectors, bulk coax, all sorts of accessories, ham radio books, study guides, now mostly just cell phone stuff, they took the radio out of radio shack

W5RMZ	2005-09-17
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
WOW , Nice article about this often ignored HT. Also a great companion is the HTX-404!!! I have both and each one is like new and work that way . Always ready.

KB0GU	2005-09-16
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Ditto for the HTX-404!

KA9QWC	2005-09-16
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
AMEN on the old reliable HTX-202! I can echo all the plus comments for this HT too. I used to run mine on packet too and it just keeps on ticking after all that licking from being dropped along with other abuses. I have the charge paks along with the AA pack too. Yes, I do have other HT's, but will not part with this one.

WN2GTF	2005-09-15
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Picked up an '202 from a Rat Shack Dealer that had it as a return due to dead internal battery message. Gave him $10 and it was mine. Almost as good a deal as the ICF 2010 I got for $40.

KE7AKS	2005-09-14
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I have not heard one of the most important benefits of the older BRICK HT's is that at 5 watts they can let you carry on a reasonable QSO without needing an insulated glove to hold on to the radio. My W32A is a great radio but it is best suited for winter, when you also want a hand warmer. My grandson lives with me and the BRICK HT's are more in line with the teenage treatment of the 15 year old's activities etc. I seem to be continually looking for one of these old BRICKS, like right at this moment if I find one for sale at 50.00 or so, I'll buy it.

WB4QNG	2005-09-13
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Don't know about the 202 but its sister the 404 saved me a lots of money. I was thinking about laying out the money for a dual band rig when I found a 404 for about $40 I purchased it and found I could hit about six repeaters from my QTH. I also found out that there is no activity on 440 in my area. Glad I didn't lay out the big bucks for a dual band. As for as the rig itself. It has ten memories, has PL tones and puts out 5 watts. What more can I say. I think every ham should have an HT. You never know when the lights go out or there will be an emergency. Saying that I don't know many hams that use them. I know mine sits on a shelf except when there is a storm or I need something to hang on my belt at a hamfest. The HTX 202 would be the perfect radio for that. You can find them cheap and they work. My own HT is an Adi 201 that I have had for years. Terry WB4QNG Reply to a comment by : LNXAUTHOR on 2005-09-04 - nice pics and thanks for the info about this HT... - unfortunately, i haven't seen any of these at any swapfest, perhaps because they're still in use? :-)

AC7KZ	2005-09-11
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Hey AC0H! you forgot to mention they also push directv and dish network. anyway... My first ham rig was a 202. I liked it alot. Very simple to operate. I was too much of a newbie to know about intermod and all the other tech stuff.

K5TED	2005-09-11
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
The 202 makes my VX-7r look sick on 2m. My other favorite is the short lived HTX-204, which serves my packet and short range crossband needs. I made shuttle contacts on the 202 from my backyard, and it made a great packet radio for R0MIR back in the day. My first 202 died in a flash of lightning that made a football shaped chunk of aluminum out of the KLM 200w amp connected to it. I promptly bought another for $129 on closeout and at the same time an HTX-404 for the same price. The 202 definitely deserves a place in ham history. Can't say the same for the 404, as mine always had a lot of intermod problems, but was still an OK radio for the money. I'm in Louisiana for hurricane disaster recovery, and the first thing thing tossed into the 'ol radio travel backpack was the 202. It's been back and forth with me from Baton Rouge to New Orleans via Vacherie 6 times in the past two weeks, keeping me up to speed on the local emergency nets. The VX-7r, on the other hand, is relegated to use as a cheap spectrum analyzer and service monitor.

KD5RGJ	2005-09-08
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
THE BATTERIES THAT REQUIRE A CHARGER ARE THE HIGHER POWER BATTERIES...THE SMALLER BATTERY CAN BE CHARGED BY THE WALL CHARHER. KD5RGJ SPENCER HUDSON P. S. IT IS A GREAT RADIO...I OWN 24 OF THEM Reply to a comment by : K8MHZ on 2005-09-08 A few weeks ago I had one of these given to me. Before I even turned it on and knew if it worked or not, I had offers from many people to buy it from me. No deal, as the person I got it from gave it to me with the agreement that I not sell it. Upon inspection, I found that it had all aftermarket batteries which required a special charger, and no charger. I found a 12 volt 1 amp wall hog that powers it up even on high power transmit. It will be connected to a copper cactus that I built and serve as a 'base station' for my 12 year old in her room. The ol' brick is about to see new life. BTW, K0LEY's 'first radio' was a Radio Shack HTX-200, a fantastic little HT that is powerful beyond it's wattage, and not a bad looker either. Just when RS got the hang of designing and selling good radio, they threw in the towel. Oh, well. 73, Mark K8MHZ Reply to a comment by : K5MAR on 2005-09-07 Yeah, the 202 is the ham radio version of the HT-220, rugged and reliable. I own three HTX-202s and one HTX-404, a 202 and 404 are in my ARES jumpbag together with the AA battery cases, speaker-mics and aftermarket antennas. One 202 is a "hack" radio, carried anywhere I suddenly feel the need to monitor the local repeaters or for loaning to a new ham. The last 202 is hooked to a 12VDC 3amp power supply and twinlead jpole antenna and serves as my "bedside" rig, which I use to monitor the local widearea repeater. I've responded to several late-night motorist assist calls, and one genuine emergency call. Several mentions have also been made of the ADI AT-600, also a darn good radio. I have two of those for Skywarn activations as the NWS links are via 440. The new HTs are nice, but nothing beats my 202s for ruggedness and usefulness. Mark K5MAR

K8MHZ	2005-09-08
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
A few weeks ago I had one of these given to me. Before I even turned it on and knew if it worked or not, I had offers from many people to buy it from me. No deal, as the person I got it from gave it to me with the agreement that I not sell it. Upon inspection, I found that it had all aftermarket batteries which required a special charger, and no charger. I found a 12 volt 1 amp wall hog that powers it up even on high power transmit. It will be connected to a copper cactus that I built and serve as a 'base station' for my 12 year old in her room. The ol' brick is about to see new life. BTW, K0LEY's 'first radio' was a Radio Shack HTX-200, a fantastic little HT that is powerful beyond it's wattage, and not a bad looker either. Just when RS got the hang of designing and selling good radio, they threw in the towel. Oh, well. 73, Mark K8MHZ Reply to a comment by : K5MAR on 2005-09-07 Yeah, the 202 is the ham radio version of the HT-220, rugged and reliable. I own three HTX-202s and one HTX-404, a 202 and 404 are in my ARES jumpbag together with the AA battery cases, speaker-mics and aftermarket antennas. One 202 is a "hack" radio, carried anywhere I suddenly feel the need to monitor the local repeaters or for loaning to a new ham. The last 202 is hooked to a 12VDC 3amp power supply and twinlead jpole antenna and serves as my "bedside" rig, which I use to monitor the local widearea repeater. I've responded to several late-night motorist assist calls, and one genuine emergency call. Several mentions have also been made of the ADI AT-600, also a darn good radio. I have two of those for Skywarn activations as the NWS links are via 440. The new HTs are nice, but nothing beats my 202s for ruggedness and usefulness. Mark K5MAR

K5MAR	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Yeah, the 202 is the ham radio version of the HT-220, rugged and reliable. I own three HTX-202s and one HTX-404, a 202 and 404 are in my ARES jumpbag together with the AA battery cases, speaker-mics and aftermarket antennas. One 202 is a "hack" radio, carried anywhere I suddenly feel the need to monitor the local repeaters or for loaning to a new ham. The last 202 is hooked to a 12VDC 3amp power supply and twinlead jpole antenna and serves as my "bedside" rig, which I use to monitor the local widearea repeater. I've responded to several late-night motorist assist calls, and one genuine emergency call. Several mentions have also been made of the ADI AT-600, also a darn good radio. I have two of those for Skywarn activations as the NWS links are via 440. The new HTs are nice, but nothing beats my 202s for ruggedness and usefulness. Mark K5MAR

K5TUE	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Mine actually says MAXON on it...it came in a generic all white box, and I bought it new for $75.00 about 10 years ago. Not my first handheld, but one of my favorites, because it has good audio on receive and transmit, good range, decent battery life with the large extended capacity W&W pack, and...NOBODY WILL STEAL IT! N5RNY

AC0H	2005-09-07
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
<<"they took the radio out of radio shack">> They don't call it "cellphone shack" for nothing. Also used to be you could go in and talk to someone who knew the difference between a BNC, PL-259, and RCA connectors. No more, if they can BS their way through a cell phone sale their management material. Reply to a comment by : KB5SCK on 2005-09-07 this was a good ht, i remember buying one brand new, that was when you could actually buy radios at radio shack, i got out of radioing for several years, just got back into it not too long ago. i went to radio shack to get a 2 meter mag mount and found out they dont sell them any more, i got to looking and there is no radio gear, if you are lucky you may find a pl-259. the store here is mostly just cell phone stuff, what's up with that? at one time you could buy 10 meter rigs, 2 meter and 440 rigs,crystal radio kits, shortwave radios, freq counters, antennas, push up poles, connectors, bulk coax, all sorts of accessories, ham radio books, study guides, now mostly just cell phone stuff, they took the radio out of radio shack

AC0H	2005-09-07
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
KU4UV wrote: <<"It seems like a lot of the HT's being manufactured today just aren't all that great. A lot of them have intermod rejection problems, and generally can't really take some of the harsher environs that hams put HT's through out in the field. It seems like the general thinking among the top manufacturers like Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu, is that smaller is better.">> Exactly! When you try to cover DC -> daylight in a rig the size of a pack of smokes, costing $200, your going to get intermod, PERIOD. I have owned a 202 for 10 years. It's been rained on, sat on, dropped from ridiculous hights, and scorched on the dash of my truck. It just keeps going like the freaking energizer bunny. It may not be small and sexy like the "multimode" jokes foisted on us by the manu's these days, but the damn thing does one thing and does it well. IT COMMUNICATES! It's a hand held for crying out loud. If you want a scanner, buy a scanner. Please bring back the days of Ham bands only handhelds, and HF transcievers for that matter. Reply to a comment by : KU4UV on 2005-09-07 It seems like a lot of the HT's being manufactured today just aren't all that great. A lot of them have intermod rejection problems, and generally can't really take some of the harsher environs that hams put HT's through out in the field. It seems like the general thinking among the top manufacturers like Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu, is that smaller is better. I wish someone would go back to the old school way of making a good single-band HT with some heft to it, like the HTX-202/404 was. It seems like the manufacturers today want to try to make their HT's as small as possible, and then try to cram everything but the kitchen sink into them, while at the same time, the overall performance of the radios is lacking, and they cost an arm and a leg. I wish more of them would go back to designing radios like the 202/404 that were good single-band HT's that would actually hold up to years of operating, could be powered independently of batteries, and didn't cost an arm and a leg. About the closet thing I have seen so far is maybe the Icom T2H. It is a good single-band radio for not a lot of money, but it doesn't have a power adapter jack, and is somewhat more cumbersome to program than the HTX-202 was. I don't operate 2 meters or 440 all that often, not a lot on those bands to interest me as far as FM and repeater work goes, but just my two cents. I do wish more of these companies could go back to the drawing board and give us "sturdier" radios though. Heck, the Icom 02AT is about the ugliest radio you will find today, heavy, and doesn't have any CTCSS encoding, but it is built like a tank. Have the manufacturers lost their way when it comes to designing good HT's? I have to wonder. 73, KU4UV

W2BSA	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I have 2 and would love to have more. They are rock solid radios and work very well.

KB5SCK	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
this was a good ht, i remember buying one brand new, that was when you could actually buy radios at radio shack, i got out of radioing for several years, just got back into it not too long ago. i went to radio shack to get a 2 meter mag mount and found out they dont sell them any more, i got to looking and there is no radio gear, if you are lucky you may find a pl-259. the store here is mostly just cell phone stuff, what's up with that? at one time you could buy 10 meter rigs, 2 meter and 440 rigs,crystal radio kits, shortwave radios, freq counters, antennas, push up poles, connectors, bulk coax, all sorts of accessories, ham radio books, study guides, now mostly just cell phone stuff, they took the radio out of radio shack

KU4UV	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
It seems like a lot of the HT's being manufactured today just aren't all that great. A lot of them have intermod rejection problems, and generally can't really take some of the harsher environs that hams put HT's through out in the field. It seems like the general thinking among the top manufacturers like Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu, is that smaller is better. I wish someone would go back to the old school way of making a good single-band HT with some heft to it, like the HTX-202/404 was. It seems like the manufacturers today want to try to make their HT's as small as possible, and then try to cram everything but the kitchen sink into them, while at the same time, the overall performance of the radios is lacking, and they cost an arm and a leg. I wish more of them would go back to designing radios like the 202/404 that were good single-band HT's that would actually hold up to years of operating, could be powered independently of batteries, and didn't cost an arm and a leg. About the closet thing I have seen so far is maybe the Icom T2H. It is a good single-band radio for not a lot of money, but it doesn't have a power adapter jack, and is somewhat more cumbersome to program than the HTX-202 was. I don't operate 2 meters or 440 all that often, not a lot on those bands to interest me as far as FM and repeater work goes, but just my two cents. I do wish more of these companies could go back to the drawing board and give us "sturdier" radios though. Heck, the Icom 02AT is about the ugliest radio you will find today, heavy, and doesn't have any CTCSS encoding, but it is built like a tank. Have the manufacturers lost their way when it comes to designing good HT's? I have to wonder. 73, KU4UV

K6LCS	2005-09-07
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
It won't receive the 800mHZ band...it won't hold 1,000,000 memories...it doesn't do alpha-numeric labelling...(grin) But there wasn't a more solid two meter performer in its day! Some owners reported a momentary/correctable CPU lockup when using both an aftermarket antenna and an external 12VDC power source...But my '202s never exhibited this problem. Clint Bradford, K6LCS Reply to a comment by : K1LWI on 2005-09-05 yes i argee great i got 2 htx 202 not for sale hi a .classic get good audio report all the time .

KB2HSH	2005-09-07
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
ZZZZZZZZZZ

GILLIAM_LINEBERRY_EX_N4VOX	2005-09-06
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
N4ZOU wrote, " From what I have been hearing almost all amateur radio emergency communication from the disaster area has been via battery power CW with just a little SSB phone" There must have been bad propagation toward your locatin as SSB nets have been non-stop for almost a week. Reply to a comment by : N4ZOU on 2005-09-04 It was an IRLP link through a node. This sort of brings up another subject. Has Winlink been used in the disaster area? They have been touting Winlink as an emergency communication system. From what I have been hearing almost all amateur radio emergency communication from the disaster area has been via battery power CW with just a little SSB phone. Before Winlink is allowed to completely dominate the HF amateur bands we need a real discussion about its true worth to amateur emergency communications. As the ARRL has already embraced this questionable communications mode we can't take this serious debate into their forum.

N1KSN	2005-09-06
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I've been a ham since 1991 and own an Icom T2H, Kenwood TH-G71A, and a Vertex VX-150 (all excellent rigs). But a few months ago I got an old HTX-202 for an APRS tracker, and I've come to really like this rig enough that I've purchased a second HTX-202 and am just now acquiring a couple of HTX-404s. The major pros and cons of the rig have already been commented on, but I particularly like the combination of easy external power hookup and the audio pinouts. I can use a standard external speaker and I've easily rigged up an external mic, too. Also, it does a great job of rejecting intermod problems I have at home compared to my other VHF rigs. While at work I can monitor our club repeater using an old Panasonic switching power supply (originally for an ancient cellphone) and a homebrewed rollup J-pole hanging from the ceiling tiles. In this situation, the squelch adjustment is very helpful due to all the computer hash around. When using it mobile, it's the only HT I have that has RX audio strong enough for unaided use in my car. Finally, the battery packs are pretty easy to take apart and rebuild. I've upgraded three 7.2v units to 1100 mAh NiCd and rebuilt a W&W Associates 8.4v unit. Batteries America sells a pack called the IC-8 that can use alkalines or rechargeables, and has a built in trickle charging circuit (but you need a wall wart with more current available than the original that comes with the HTX-202). It's funny that this article appeared now, because this rig has been on my mind a lot lately.

KB2FCV	2005-09-06
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
It's not a 202, but my Icom 2AT is still alive and ticking. The nicad battery packs are long dead, so I use the alkaline packs with it. I'm guessing my 2at is at least 20 years old, but it still works good as new. Reply to a comment by : N3SOZ on 2005-09-06 The HTX-202 was my first rig back in '94. Anyone else remember that Maxon sold the 202 and 404 under their own name, with slightly different model numbers? Besides seeing one (2 meter) on Ebay once, the only dealer I know of that sold them was MCM Electronics. They don't carry ham gear any longer. I seem to recall that they sold Maxon mobile rigs as well. Reply to a comment by : N5YPJ on 2005-09-06 Well mine was a real work horse when it wasn't needing a new lithium battery to backup the memories. In seven years I replaced three batteries, and one battery pack. Then one day I got an error message indicating the PLL had malfunctioned. That HT now serves as a doorstop. Glad to have moved on to something a bit less troublesome.

N3SOZ	2005-09-06
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
The HTX-202 was my first rig back in '94. Anyone else remember that Maxon sold the 202 and 404 under their own name, with slightly different model numbers? Besides seeing one (2 meter) on Ebay once, the only dealer I know of that sold them was MCM Electronics. They don't carry ham gear any longer. I seem to recall that they sold Maxon mobile rigs as well. Reply to a comment by : N5YPJ on 2005-09-06 Well mine was a real work horse when it wasn't needing a new lithium battery to backup the memories. In seven years I replaced three batteries, and one battery pack. Then one day I got an error message indicating the PLL had malfunctioned. That HT now serves as a doorstop. Glad to have moved on to something a bit less troublesome.

N5YPJ	2005-09-06
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Well mine was a real work horse when it wasn't needing a new lithium battery to backup the memories. In seven years I replaced three batteries, and one battery pack. Then one day I got an error message indicating the PLL had malfunctioned. That HT now serves as a doorstop. Glad to have moved on to something a bit less troublesome.

KC7JDS	2005-09-06
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Ahh, yes.... I've had my -202 for about 10 years. It was used when I bought it at a swap meet. I love it, and won't part with it. Fairly simple to use, thick as a brick (that's a compliment), takes a licking & keeps on xmitting (with apologies to Timex). I've had to repair it myself twice for squelch problems, apparently some invisible corrosion got into an internal wiring connection. Replaced the battery pack once. My only "modification" has been to replace the dummy-load rubber-duck antenna with a 1/4-wave home-brew whip and rat-tail. Tastes great & lasts a long time. I finally was able to purchase on eBay a used -404 as a companion radio. The only problem with it was the F (Function) pad cover nub had slipped off the button. Easily disassembled, easily repaired and reassembled. Then I got the ER1. So now I have to reprogram the frequencies, and then find or build a better antenna. B Woodman, kc7jds Reply to a comment by : KU4UV on 2005-09-06 The HTX-202 was a really nice radio for the most part. I bought one about 7 years ago after I graduated from college and was wanting to become more active in the hobby once I didn't have to worry about school studies anymore. The only thing I didn't like about the HTX-202 and it's sister radio, the HTX-404, was the fact that the internal battery for the memories was hard to change. To change the battery, you have to remove about 5 small screws from the back of the radio, and then de-solder the small lithium battery inside the radio. Not the easiest thing in the world to do. I just recently sold an HTX-404 that I had to change the internal battery in. The internal battery had apparently gone bad, and for some reason this caused the radio to generally not operate well. After I changed the battery, all was o.k. It is difficult to remove the case screws though, as they are really snug in the case, and it's hard to get them out without stripping the heads. Luckily I had some replacement screws I ordered from Radio Shack. I sold both the HTX-202 and the 404 primarily because I hardly ever used them that much. Just a tip, if the rechargeable battery packs in the 202 or 404 ever die, they are fairly easy to repair. Just buy some rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries, solder them together like the ones inside the pack were, and you are in business. I went out and bought a couple of cordless telephone battery packs and simply used them. It's a little difficult to get the plastic battery pack case apart, but once you get the new batteries installed, it's not that bad. I just wish they would have made a slide-compartment for replacing that watch battery for the memories. Hope this helps someone out. 73, KU4UV

KC7JDS	2005-09-06
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Ahh, yes.... I've had my -202 for about 10 years. It was used when I bought it at a swap meet. I love it, and won't part with it. Fairly simple to use, thick as a brick (that's a compliment), takes a licking & keeps on xmitting (with apologies to Timex). I've had to repair it myself twice for squelch problems, apparently some invisible corrosion got into an internal wiring connection. Replaced the battery pack once. My only "modification" has been to replace the dummy-load rubber-duck antenna with a 1/4-wave home-brew whip and rat-tail. Tastes great & lasts a long time. I finally was able to purchase on eBay a used -404 as a companion radio. The only problem with it was the F (Function) pad cover nub had slipped off the button. Easily disassembled, easily repaired and reassembled. Then I got the ER1. So now I have to reprogram the frequencies, and then find or build a better antenna. B Woodman, kc7jds Reply to a comment by : KU4UV on 2005-09-06 The HTX-202 was a really nice radio for the most part. I bought one about 7 years ago after I graduated from college and was wanting to become more active in the hobby once I didn't have to worry about school studies anymore. The only thing I didn't like about the HTX-202 and it's sister radio, the HTX-404, was the fact that the internal battery for the memories was hard to change. To change the battery, you have to remove about 5 small screws from the back of the radio, and then de-solder the small lithium battery inside the radio. Not the easiest thing in the world to do. I just recently sold an HTX-404 that I had to change the internal battery in. The internal battery had apparently gone bad, and for some reason this caused the radio to generally not operate well. After I changed the battery, all was o.k. It is difficult to remove the case screws though, as they are really snug in the case, and it's hard to get them out without stripping the heads. Luckily I had some replacement screws I ordered from Radio Shack. I sold both the HTX-202 and the 404 primarily because I hardly ever used them that much. Just a tip, if the rechargeable battery packs in the 202 or 404 ever die, they are fairly easy to repair. Just buy some rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries, solder them together like the ones inside the pack were, and you are in business. I went out and bought a couple of cordless telephone battery packs and simply used them. It's a little difficult to get the plastic battery pack case apart, but once you get the new batteries installed, it's not that bad. I just wish they would have made a slide-compartment for replacing that watch battery for the memories. Hope this helps someone out. 73, KU4UV

KU4UV	2005-09-06
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
The HTX-202 was a really nice radio for the most part. I bought one about 7 years ago after I graduated from college and was wanting to become more active in the hobby once I didn't have to worry about school studies anymore. The only thing I didn't like about the HTX-202 and it's sister radio, the HTX-404, was the fact that the internal battery for the memories was hard to change. To change the battery, you have to remove about 5 small screws from the back of the radio, and then de-solder the small lithium battery inside the radio. Not the easiest thing in the world to do. I just recently sold an HTX-404 that I had to change the internal battery in. The internal battery had apparently gone bad, and for some reason this caused the radio to generally not operate well. After I changed the battery, all was o.k. It is difficult to remove the case screws though, as they are really snug in the case, and it's hard to get them out without stripping the heads. Luckily I had some replacement screws I ordered from Radio Shack. I sold both the HTX-202 and the 404 primarily because I hardly ever used them that much. Just a tip, if the rechargeable battery packs in the 202 or 404 ever die, they are fairly easy to repair. Just buy some rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries, solder them together like the ones inside the pack were, and you are in business. I went out and bought a couple of cordless telephone battery packs and simply used them. It's a little difficult to get the plastic battery pack case apart, but once you get the new batteries installed, it's not that bad. I just wish they would have made a slide-compartment for replacing that watch battery for the memories. Hope this helps someone out. 73, KU4UV

KC9GUZ	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
LOL!! I know this rig!!! A few of my fellow hams here were I live swear by these old warhorses. I know a guy that has two of them and they BOTH work! He got one at a yard sale for 10.00. The lady said she though it was a handeld scanner. I wish i could find a deal like that!!! Reply to a comment by : N0VUB on 2005-09-05 Good article. I have had a 202 for years and bought a second one, you never know someone might need to barrow one at a parade or other event. Good radios.. 73 Mark

N0VUB	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Good article. I have had a 202 for years and bought a second one, you never know someone might need to barrow one at a parade or other event. Good radios.. 73 Mark

N4LI	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I found one on QRZ (or somewhere) for $50 once and picked it up for a local young man with a new license but no money. I was actually pretty impressed with the thing, and he got good use out of it. Oh, BTW... looking at the picture. Gosh, please tell us you don't operate FM on 144.200, the weak signal SSB call frequency. :) Peter, N4LI Reply to a comment by : W1TXT on 2005-09-05 I was just looking at my HTX-202 earlier today. I have the complete radio, external speaker/mike AND a very (I assume rare) case for the radio that Radio Shack sold for a short time. Back in the early 90's, I was working outside and had left my HTX-202 on a tree stump over night. It rained and the HT was soaked. I dried the HT out slowly in the oven and it has never had a problem of any kind. Lots of emotion around the quality of this HT when it was produced, but plenty of them are still around where the others aren't. Good article and thanks for the memories.

W1TXT	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I was just looking at my HTX-202 earlier today. I have the complete radio, external speaker/mike AND a very (I assume rare) case for the radio that Radio Shack sold for a short time. Back in the early 90's, I was working outside and had left my HTX-202 on a tree stump over night. It rained and the HT was soaked. I dried the HT out slowly in the oven and it has never had a problem of any kind. Lots of emotion around the quality of this HT when it was produced, but plenty of them are still around where the others aren't. Good article and thanks for the memories.

N9XCR	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
My first radio was an HTX-202. I had other radios before then that I used to listen to HF with, but the 202 was the first radio I used to get on the air. I used it for packet, repeater use, and simplex use. I even connected the MIR Space Station on packet with that radio. It was a great HT and I regret ever selling it, along with a few of the other radios I've sold. I've had some neat ones. :)

NJJ	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Yeah, I have a HTX-202 for sale send me a email if you want it hamradio62@yahoo.com

K1CJS	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
K5UJ said: "......radio shack ham products have been vilified unfairly over the years......" Just an observation/opinion to this, I do believe the real target of this 'villification'--until recently--has been the company and the retail stores, not the radio/equipment. With all due respects, the equipment usually are name brand knock offs with less than the original name brands features, and also with a lower price--but with the original equipments ruggedness and longevity. It has just been the last 5 to 10 years that the prices had gone up to the point they were just lower or equal to the original name brand prices. It seems the quality has suffered slightly as well in recent memory. Radio Shack products, especially the older ones, are good, solidly built workhorses. Sadly, as with almost everything else, that has changed--for the worse. Now instead of selling the knock offs, RS sells the name brand stuff--along with the Shacks poor service and most of the time less than knowledgeable employyes. Reply to a comment by : K5UJ on 2005-09-04 Actually it has always been my understanding that the 202 receiver is less prone to interference from out of band because it was not designed to receive from 50mhz to 1.2 ghz like most of these multiband HTs can do. in that its performace is closer to what is found with commercial radios. radio shack ham products have been vilified unfairly over the years--coincidentally just this morning i was commenting on the 202 to some friends of mine--it is one of their great ham products. my only complaint is that to me the keypad controls are not all that intuitive. If i put mine down for a few months and forget how to set the HT back up, i have to get the manual to find out what something like "P-SC" means. Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

K3UD	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Several years ago I acquired a HT-202 for $50 on eBay. It came with the battery pack, charger, and the AA battery pack. This radio had a better front end than the Yaesu FT-1500 and was much better than the Kenwood TH-205 which it replaced. I think that it will never become a classic largely because it was made for, and sold by Radio Shack. At $50 in today's market, it is a real bargain. Aside: I had the Yaesu FT-101E and the Kenwood TS-520 in the same era they were produced. In my experience the TS-520 was the overall better radio, at least for my operations. The 101E was also pretty good but I thought that the ergonomics were not as good and the receiver tended to fall apart in high signal environment. On the other hand it had 160 meters which was a nice place. This was the subject of debate back in 1973 and apparantly still is today. 73 George K3UD Reply to a comment by : K4RAF on 2005-09-05 The biggest shortcoming of this & the other Radio Shack HTs was the intentional ommission of broadband receive. It would have been much more useful IF they had at least included the NOAA receive capability on VHF & public service on UHF. If you want to speak of a real legend, try the Icom IC-2/3/4AT. It didn't have a microprocessor but was the best radio for dependability, battery life & audio. They outsold everyone else with about a million sold during the production run. Reply to a comment by : N2NFG on 2005-09-05 I bought my 202 at least 12 years ago when the weatherman was promising that the mother of all blizzards was about to hit. It was kind of pricey, I got the 202, speaker mike and two sets or rechargable AA nicads and charger for around $300.00, and I was ready for the storm! It was beginning to snow as I left the store and the roads were slick on the way home. That night the wind howled as three feet of snow blanketed the landscape. I wasn't scared,I had all of my survivor stuff! Well, we never lost power, even for a minute, and the roads and my driveway were plowed and passable by the next afternoon. What was I going to do with all that bread and milk? (Glad I bought the bread from the bakery outlet store) I briefly thought about returning the 202 to Rat Shack, but then again, it WAS a new toy and I wasn't overly impressed with what Santa had brought. I've never regretted my decision to keep it. It has served me well in subsequent power failures. It nicely replaced my home or mobile 2 meter radios when they needed repair. It did a stretch of at least three years as my packet cluster radio. Thats THREE YEARS of 24/7 operation! Never missed a beat and still doesn't. RIght now, it sits in my kitchen monitoring the local repeater. My buddy Dave, WB4EDA has talked me into trying packet radio again, and as soon as I can find an old clunker computer, the 202 will be back in the shack. It's served me well for a long time, and I suspect it will continue to serve for a long time to come. 73, Bob N2NFG Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

KA0GKT	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
K4RAF Writes: "The biggest shortcoming of this & the other Radio Shack HTs was the intentional ommission of broadband receive. It would have been much more useful IF they had at least included the NOAA receive capability on VHF & public service on UHF." What you consider a shortcoming is indeed the biggest advantage to the older ham band only transceivers, mobiles and portables. If you were only to expand coverage to receive NOAA weather in the 162 MHz band, the bandpass of the front end of the receiver would need to be widened. Between 147.99 and 162 MHz lie paging transmitters in the 150 MHz range, a major source ot intermod interference to the receiver section in the typical broad-banded amateur transceiver. In my present QTH, I cannot use my brand new whiz-bang broad banded VHF/UHF transceiver because of all the interference. My old IC-25A works really well even though I have had to install an outboard CTCSS unit (Install an outboard...must be an oxymoron there somewhere) so I can get into local machines, but no intermod. The same goes for the old IC2AT. Receives beautifully, only all the machines within range are PL'd so, other than a few simplex contacts, the ol' brick doesn't get used much in the Tucson area. The receiver bandwidth falls down to one man's meat is another man's poison kind of thing, however from my work QTH, high atop Mount Bigelow in the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains, one of Southern Arizona's Sky Islands, (no, I'm NOT with the Tucson Chamber of Commerce)broadband receive isn't a good thing. 73 DE KAØGKT/7 --Steve Reply to a comment by : K4RAF on 2005-09-05 The biggest shortcoming of this & the other Radio Shack HTs was the intentional ommission of broadband receive. It would have been much more useful IF they had at least included the NOAA receive capability on VHF & public service on UHF. If you want to speak of a real legend, try the Icom IC-2/3/4AT. It didn't have a microprocessor but was the best radio for dependability, battery life & audio. They outsold everyone else with about a million sold during the production run. Reply to a comment by : N2NFG on 2005-09-05 I bought my 202 at least 12 years ago when the weatherman was promising that the mother of all blizzards was about to hit. It was kind of pricey, I got the 202, speaker mike and two sets or rechargable AA nicads and charger for around $300.00, and I was ready for the storm! It was beginning to snow as I left the store and the roads were slick on the way home. That night the wind howled as three feet of snow blanketed the landscape. I wasn't scared,I had all of my survivor stuff! Well, we never lost power, even for a minute, and the roads and my driveway were plowed and passable by the next afternoon. What was I going to do with all that bread and milk? (Glad I bought the bread from the bakery outlet store) I briefly thought about returning the 202 to Rat Shack, but then again, it WAS a new toy and I wasn't overly impressed with what Santa had brought. I've never regretted my decision to keep it. It has served me well in subsequent power failures. It nicely replaced my home or mobile 2 meter radios when they needed repair. It did a stretch of at least three years as my packet cluster radio. Thats THREE YEARS of 24/7 operation! Never missed a beat and still doesn't. RIght now, it sits in my kitchen monitoring the local repeater. My buddy Dave, WB4EDA has talked me into trying packet radio again, and as soon as I can find an old clunker computer, the 202 will be back in the shack. It's served me well for a long time, and I suspect it will continue to serve for a long time to come. 73, Bob N2NFG Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

K4RAF	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
The biggest shortcoming of this & the other Radio Shack HTs was the intentional ommission of broadband receive. It would have been much more useful IF they had at least included the NOAA receive capability on VHF & public service on UHF. If you want to speak of a real legend, try the Icom IC-2/3/4AT. It didn't have a microprocessor but was the best radio for dependability, battery life & audio. They outsold everyone else with about a million sold during the production run. Reply to a comment by : N2NFG on 2005-09-05 I bought my 202 at least 12 years ago when the weatherman was promising that the mother of all blizzards was about to hit. It was kind of pricey, I got the 202, speaker mike and two sets or rechargable AA nicads and charger for around $300.00, and I was ready for the storm! It was beginning to snow as I left the store and the roads were slick on the way home. That night the wind howled as three feet of snow blanketed the landscape. I wasn't scared,I had all of my survivor stuff! Well, we never lost power, even for a minute, and the roads and my driveway were plowed and passable by the next afternoon. What was I going to do with all that bread and milk? (Glad I bought the bread from the bakery outlet store) I briefly thought about returning the 202 to Rat Shack, but then again, it WAS a new toy and I wasn't overly impressed with what Santa had brought. I've never regretted my decision to keep it. It has served me well in subsequent power failures. It nicely replaced my home or mobile 2 meter radios when they needed repair. It did a stretch of at least three years as my packet cluster radio. Thats THREE YEARS of 24/7 operation! Never missed a beat and still doesn't. RIght now, it sits in my kitchen monitoring the local repeater. My buddy Dave, WB4EDA has talked me into trying packet radio again, and as soon as I can find an old clunker computer, the 202 will be back in the shack. It's served me well for a long time, and I suspect it will continue to serve for a long time to come. 73, Bob N2NFG Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

N2NFG	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I bought my 202 at least 12 years ago when the weatherman was promising that the mother of all blizzards was about to hit. It was kind of pricey, I got the 202, speaker mike and two sets or rechargable AA nicads and charger for around $300.00, and I was ready for the storm! It was beginning to snow as I left the store and the roads were slick on the way home. That night the wind howled as three feet of snow blanketed the landscape. I wasn't scared,I had all of my survivor stuff! Well, we never lost power, even for a minute, and the roads and my driveway were plowed and passable by the next afternoon. What was I going to do with all that bread and milk? (Glad I bought the bread from the bakery outlet store) I briefly thought about returning the 202 to Rat Shack, but then again, it WAS a new toy and I wasn't overly impressed with what Santa had brought. I've never regretted my decision to keep it. It has served me well in subsequent power failures. It nicely replaced my home or mobile 2 meter radios when they needed repair. It did a stretch of at least three years as my packet cluster radio. Thats THREE YEARS of 24/7 operation! Never missed a beat and still doesn't. RIght now, it sits in my kitchen monitoring the local repeater. My buddy Dave, WB4EDA has talked me into trying packet radio again, and as soon as I can find an old clunker computer, the 202 will be back in the shack. It's served me well for a long time, and I suspect it will continue to serve for a long time to come. 73, Bob N2NFG Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

N0TONE	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
The HTX-202 is a revised version of Icom's IC-02AT. With a tightly restricted front-end, the radio is blissfully absent IMD. The wide filter in the IF is perfectly fine for a handheld radio that gets occasional use in a car. Without being connected to a high gain directional array, you shouldn't have strong signals on adjacent channels anywhere around you anyway. However, I have ceased recommending it to beginners, primarily because I'm seeing too many fail nowadays. I have repaired probably 10X as many HTX-202s as I have Icom IC-2AT and IC-02AT together, despite the fact that there are more of the IC-2 series out there by a fair margin. The fundamental problem is that the design depends on good electrical contact between dissimilar metals inside the package. The results of the inevitable oxidation include the "famous Er1" problem (hint: if a radio has a "famous" problem, then it's got a weak spot), and up to and including blown driver transistors. That driver transistor, by the way, is no longer made. Rather than an HTX-202, I see many hams buying Yaesu VX-150s and Icom IC-T2Hs. Both can be had for under a hundred bucks and have just enough features. The Yaesu seems to have a more intuitive interface. I've not used either, but have heard them on the air, and the audio sounds fairly natural. If you can get a '202 with a guarantee for $30, that's about the right deal. AM Reply to a comment by : K1LWI on 2005-09-05 yes i argee great i got 2 htx 202 not for sale hi a .classic get good audio report all the time .

K1LWI	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
yes i argee great i got 2 htx 202 not for sale hi a .classic get good audio report all the time .

YI9VCQ	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
WA6BFH: Please compare apples to oranges here. The HTX-202 is reliable and cheap. No, it's not an all-mode radio and shouldn't be compared to one. Intermod is non-existent on this excellent little HT. I've owned two of them over the years. One of them developed the infamous "ER1" error message. The other one is still putting along after nearly twelve years of use. It's been used for packet and APRS at high duty-cycle. The case has been burning hot at times, but the addition of a small computer fan made things much cooler. The Realistic HTX-202 is a classic along the lines of the Icom IC-02AT and others IMHO. 73, Korey YI9VCQ/KA5VCQ Baghdad, Iraq Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

W1BAK	2005-09-05
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I too have one of these sturdy little 202's. At first I was hesitant to buy one because Radio Shack no longer provides support for them other than a poorly scanned PDF download of the owners manual. No service manual either, even if you write in and offer to pay for a copy. However...I was fortunate enough to run across a ham who provided me with a PDF copy of the service manual on CD...so I watched the auctions and flea markets until I ran across one that had "only been driven on sundays by a little old lady." These little rigs don't have any of the bells and whistles of the newer/smaller ht's but the nostalgia of owning/operating one if almost akin to working on an old tuber...so I say, "to each his own!" 73 to all....see you on the ether! Reply to a comment by : N5EAT on 2005-09-05 I still have my HTX-202. Audio is great, scan rate is very fast. It is my emergency radio when it gets stormy in Alabama (which is often). It's probably the best single band HT I've owned since 1984. However, after having owned a VX-5R for 3 or 4 years now, I can say that it's the best all-round HT I've operated. I also have an "old" Ten-Tec Scout. One of my all-time favorite rigs.

N5EAT	2005-09-05
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I still have my HTX-202. Audio is great, scan rate is very fast. It is my emergency radio when it gets stormy in Alabama (which is often). It's probably the best single band HT I've owned since 1984. However, after having owned a VX-5R for 3 or 4 years now, I can say that it's the best all-round HT I've operated. I also have an "old" Ten-Tec Scout. One of my all-time favorite rigs.

KV4BL	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Great article, Johnny! I enjoyed the read. When getting back into ham radio this time around (was Novice in early 70's but didn't upgrade then), my first radio was a 202 purchased at the Greenville, SC hamfest in 96 which I attended with my elmer, Dot Bedford (K4AOH / NY4S), now SK. She was my first contact on my new license via simplex. These were great little radios in that Radio Shack seemed to think of everything with regard to what a new or old ham would need. The radio came boxed with a ni-cad battery and charger, AA battery pack (so you didn't have to wait for the nicad to charge to get on the air), and rubber duck BNC antenna. Besides the necessery accessories, this radio came with CTCSS encode AND DECODE, something which many radios at the time had only as an "extra" when you ordered an expensive board for decode, DTMF squelch, something which sadly has become less and less common on radios, and scan feature. I noted that the 202's which had "Radio Shack" at the top of the face seemed to be of newer manufacture and had better TX audio than the ones which had "Realistic" across the top. I also later, purchased a HTX-404, same radio but for UHF at Shelby at a steal on closeout. While they definitely have a place, I will always feel like the 202's, Icom 2-AT's, and other larger radios are superior in many ways to the "micro-talkies" which, sadly, dominate the ht market nowdays. I like a radio which has a large enough speaker to generate some RX audio, will sit upright on a table without being propped up, has a keypad large enough to see and with keys spaced far enough apart to manipulate without using a stylus. Thanks for the article! 73, Ray KV4BL Reply to a comment by : LNXAUTHOR on 2005-09-04 - nice pics and thanks for the info about this HT... - unfortunately, i haven't seen any of these at any swapfest, perhaps because they're still in use? :-)

W8LV	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
It has been interesting over the years to see Radio Shack (begat from Allied and Tandy for those who are as old as I am) alternately get into, and back out of, the amateur radio business. Each time they have gotten back into the business I have held my breath for those 'amateur radio only' places that we have all done business with for years. So somehow, Radio Shack never really 'gets it' when it comes to ham radio. Maybe that is a good thing? Not that I have anything against Radio Shack. I will never forget Christmas time when my "Uncle Bud" Gerold bought for me the "300-in-one" Radio Shack Electronics Project Kit! Or the 9-volt transistor radio kit I built when I was a little older. Or my first electronics tools ("Archer" line of tools). I hope that there are many hams out there who obtained the HTX-202 as their "first rig".

WB8UHZ	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
great rig I agree

W6SWO	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
My HTX-202 was my first radio about 15 years ago. Still going strong and never had a problem with it. I just had the NiCd battery pack rebuilt by the Nicad Lady (she did a great job and turned it around in a couple of days) and now it's better than ever. No, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the newer radios, but it is dependable and relatively simple to use. Great radio, good price, a lot of accessories that were extra for other radios included in the box. I still see them on Ebay all the time. Well worth the money. Reply to a comment by : KE4ZHN on 2005-09-04 Good article. This is a classic little radio that really gave you alot of bang for your buck. Its a shame that Radio Shack doesnt sell these anymore. Im sorry I sold mine. This was my first amateur radio and I made many local contacts on 2 mtrs. with it. If I ever run across one again, I may have to pick it up for a cheap knock around HT. The funny thing about HT`s is, when you have one, it sits and collects dust, but when you sell it, you miss having one.

W5DCT	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
If batteries are too pricy try Kendoo or Batteries America they are pricier then the Kendoos but well worth it. 73 KD5JZN Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

KE4ZHN	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Good article. This is a classic little radio that really gave you alot of bang for your buck. Its a shame that Radio Shack doesnt sell these anymore. Im sorry I sold mine. This was my first amateur radio and I made many local contacts on 2 mtrs. with it. If I ever run across one again, I may have to pick it up for a cheap knock around HT. The funny thing about HT`s is, when you have one, it sits and collects dust, but when you sell it, you miss having one.

KF4BYA	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
HTX-202 was also my first radio and main 2m radio. To N4ZOU: Winlink is currently being used quite a bit actually. Reply to a comment by : N4ZOU on 2005-09-04 It was an IRLP link through a node. This sort of brings up another subject. Has Winlink been used in the disaster area? They have been touting Winlink as an emergency communication system. From what I have been hearing almost all amateur radio emergency communication from the disaster area has been via battery power CW with just a little SSB phone. Before Winlink is allowed to completely dominate the HF amateur bands we need a real discussion about its true worth to amateur emergency communications. As the ARRL has already embraced this questionable communications mode we can't take this serious debate into their forum.

K7VO	2005-09-04
My favorite Radio Shack HTs: HTX-200 and HTX-400
I have never been a fan of big, brick HTs since smaller ones became available. Radio Shack did indeed sell some very nice VHF FM ham gear. My personal favorite HTs they sold were their little ones: the HTX-200 and the HTX-400. They were small, inexpensive, reliable, and surprisingly rugged. 73, Caity K7VO

N0XMZ	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Excellent radio indeed. I keep mine hooked up to a j-pole at home and powered by my station supply. It's reliable, durable, and has plenty of features for a radio of it's age. I can't see myself ever selling it. I'll probably buy the 70cm version some day.

N6AJR	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I have use one of these on and off over the years, I would buy them on ebay for $50 or so and when a friend I was elmering I would give them a 202, extra battery, and a wall wart. Instant ham. I find the only problem common to the 202 and the 404 was a loss of lock on the pll, but this would only happen on high and could always be circumvented by going to low power.. thanks for bringing back the memories.. Reply to a comment by : AB0RE on 2005-09-04 Great Article! The HTX-202 was my first ham radio ever. A friend who worked at Radio Shack at the time talked me into giving the radio a try. Here's what made the HTX-202 a classic: - It used to be available to any Radio Shack store - Accessories (AA packs, speaker mics) also available at R.S. - Full 5W+ power output - Direct DC power connection (unlike the modern Icom 2M HTs) - It was big, it was clunky, but performance was reliable. - The design was terribly outdated, but RS held onto it because they knew they had a winner. Sadly, I sold my HTX-202 to get a "better" dualband HT and have regretted it since. I still see them around a lot at hamfests and online but have been hesitant to buy another as you never know what you're going to get. I think the Kenwood TH-G71A will be the next HT that should be put in the "HT Hall of Fame". It's design, also terribly outdated, has proved reliable for years. Programming is a snap, too! 73, Dan / ab0re

WA6BFH	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
<<Yes, I agree. I think the HTX-202 is destined to be one of the "legend" radios. Right up there with the FT101, TS-520, TS-830, IC-746, HW-101, (insert your favorite here)... >> Interesting comparisons! 1) FT-101 Excellent radio for the money (depending on which version). In fact it was so good, for such a low price, that it killed off the US manufacturers. 2) TS-520 A pretty radio, with low pricing, and a receiver that was highly prone to intermodulation. 3) TS-830 Excellent radio, which corrected the short-comings of the TS-520 4) IC-746 pretty good radio of this era and almost “state of the art” 5) HW-101 Cheap, both in terms of cost and performance. Primary short-coming -- receiver deafness. Reply to a comment by : K9ZF on 2005-09-04 Yes, I agree. I think the HTX-202 is destined to be one of the "legend" radios. Right up there with the FT101, TS-520, TS-830, IC-746, HW-101, (insert your favorite here)... 73 Dan-- K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269 Check out the Rover Resource Page at: http://www.qsl.net/n9rla List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books

AB0RE	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Great Article! The HTX-202 was my first ham radio ever. A friend who worked at Radio Shack at the time talked me into giving the radio a try. Here's what made the HTX-202 a classic: - It used to be available to any Radio Shack store - Accessories (AA packs, speaker mics) also available at R.S. - Full 5W+ power output - Direct DC power connection (unlike the modern Icom 2M HTs) - It was big, it was clunky, but performance was reliable. - The design was terribly outdated, but RS held onto it because they knew they had a winner. Sadly, I sold my HTX-202 to get a "better" dualband HT and have regretted it since. I still see them around a lot at hamfests and online but have been hesitant to buy another as you never know what you're going to get. I think the Kenwood TH-G71A will be the next HT that should be put in the "HT Hall of Fame". It's design, also terribly outdated, has proved reliable for years. Programming is a snap, too! 73, Dan / ab0re

N0MUD	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Well, I've never owned a Radio Shack HT, I have owned a ADI-600D dual band and it was a great HT. Because I have the Kenwood, TH-F6 and it is a tri-band rig and covers everthing I need. I have recently picked up two more ADI's the 201 and 401, and the Yaesu FT-470 which they all work perfectly. The 470 is the brick of them all and what a fantastic radio it is. Extremely easy to program and a buddy of mine also has one. I think everyone has a radio of this brand and that brand and they all live and die by their HT. Now it was said how he talked to Euro on one watt but sheesh I wonder how everyone else can put in two cents and say it was IRLP. Well if it was so be it, he was proud of the contacts. I've talked all the way across the entire state of Colorado using an HT and no it wasn't IRLP but using the Colorado Connection, a series of repeaters from Grand Junction on the West side of the state to Colorado Springs on the East side of the mountain range, using 5 watts. I talked from Las Vegas to Colorado Springs using a mobile rig and yes IRLP and it worked flawlessly, so quit putting him down for using one watt, if he said he did it then he did it. 73's Mike, NØmud

K9ZF	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Yes, I agree. I think the HTX-202 is destined to be one of the "legend" radios. Right up there with the FT101, TS-520, TS-830, IC-746, HW-101, (insert your favorite here)... 73 Dan-- K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269 Check out the Rover Resource Page at: http://www.qsl.net/n9rla List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books

VE7RWN	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I feel the same way about my Icom 2-AT. Older than dirt, simple to use, and better yet, NO MENUS! It doesn't come out and play very often, but then I never forget how to set it up. Thumbwheel tuning, with notches cut accross the fives, and I can qsy in the dark. This ht will probably outlive me, and maybe my kids. Rob, VE7RWN, jsut slightly north of the 49th.

KD4AC	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I don't know, I still think the best HT I ever owned was the Kenwood TH-215 and 225. The battery lasted forever compared to these small HTs. Yeah, it was a brick very similiar in design to the HTX-202, but it felt solid. I regret ever having gotten rid of my 215, 225 and 315. Reply to a comment by : OBSERVER11 on 2005-09-04 Johnny, good article, sound advice too. SO MANY NEW HAMS are caught up in the trap that they NEED to have a "dc to daylight, shack on a belt" box that is a waste of money and so often leads to leaving the hobby from boredom.

OBSERVER11	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Johnny, good article, sound advice too. SO MANY NEW HAMS are caught up in the trap that they NEED to have a "dc to daylight, shack on a belt" box that is a waste of money and so often leads to leaving the hobby from boredom.

WA6BFH	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
K5UJ, by "broadband" I am speaking in terms of the receiveers bandwidth, which is in excess of 16 KHz. That combined with the lack of noise limiting, and filtering (due to size constraint) makes up the bulk of the shortcomings I listed. Reply to a comment by : K5UJ on 2005-09-04 Actually it has always been my understanding that the 202 receiver is less prone to interference from out of band because it was not designed to receive from 50mhz to 1.2 ghz like most of these multiband HTs can do. in that its performace is closer to what is found with commercial radios. radio shack ham products have been vilified unfairly over the years--coincidentally just this morning i was commenting on the 202 to some friends of mine--it is one of their great ham products. my only complaint is that to me the keypad controls are not all that intuitive. If i put mine down for a few months and forget how to set the HT back up, i have to get the manual to find out what something like "P-SC" means. Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

K5UJ	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Actually it has always been my understanding that the 202 receiver is less prone to interference from out of band because it was not designed to receive from 50mhz to 1.2 ghz like most of these multiband HTs can do. in that its performace is closer to what is found with commercial radios. radio shack ham products have been vilified unfairly over the years--coincidentally just this morning i was commenting on the 202 to some friends of mine--it is one of their great ham products. my only complaint is that to me the keypad controls are not all that intuitive. If i put mine down for a few months and forget how to set the HT back up, i have to get the manual to find out what something like "P-SC" means. Reply to a comment by : WA6BFH on 2005-09-04 With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

WA6BFH	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
With some of the others who have responded, I too am a bit mystified at the overall exhilaration expressed for such a radio. I do think your first assessment is the best. That being about the radios main value, in that if you drop it into the ocean there is no great loss! Beyond that I would list these attributes. They are true of this radio, and many FM radios sold on the Ham market. 1) The radio is stuck on one single restrictive mode 2) It and other radios within this same market area have broadband low sensitivity receivers 3) Such receivers for this market have a minimum of FM noise limiting, which restricts the receivers range 4) Both front-end as well as I.F. filtering are at a minimum such that the receiver is subject to interference from out of band signals when connected to an efficient antenna 5) Transmitter power is similarly at a minimum, and if an external amplifier is used, the station configuration becomes one of a station that can transmit much farther than it can receive -- a QRM generator There are a few other conditions that make such a radio, nearly any Ham FM only radio, a poor choice. These though are the highlights. Reply to a comment by : K3EDB on 2005-09-04 I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

N4ZOU	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
It was an IRLP link through a node. This sort of brings up another subject. Has Winlink been used in the disaster area? They have been touting Winlink as an emergency communication system. From what I have been hearing almost all amateur radio emergency communication from the disaster area has been via battery power CW with just a little SSB phone. Before Winlink is allowed to completely dominate the HF amateur bands we need a real discussion about its true worth to amateur emergency communications. As the ARRL has already embraced this questionable communications mode we can't take this serious debate into their forum.

K3EDB	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I have owned a '202 for years now. I am very happy using it. It has gone trucking with me, and I have used it with a 50 watt brick as a base station. Still works great! I only wish that replacement batteries didn't cost so much. Oh well, may just have to splurge! Great back-up! As far as reaching Europe on 1 watt, I took it that he is on a ship( the dropping it over the rail comment says this to me) so he may be near Europe when he did this! Maybe the author can explain. Otherwise, that is some really long ducting!

K2ROK	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
In a world where HTs are approaching the size of modern cell phones (like the VX2R for example), there is something to be said for a big 'ol "brick." I always thought the ADI 600 fit the bill as a modern-day "brick." Nice little tribute article. Reply to a comment by : K0BG on 2005-09-04 I own a Tempo S1, and I feel the same way about it as you do about your HTX-202. I got it as a gift from my brother-in-law, circa 1973. Over the years I have put four battery packs in it, and one replacement final. It's about as basic as you can get, but it serves my purpose just fine. However, unlike you, I would be sad to lose it as much as I would a long-time friend. Alan, KØBG www.k0bg.com Reply to a comment by : K2NPN on 2005-09-04 A great article Johnny. I have two HTX-202 units I had purchased over ten years ago. They've gone fishing and biking with me many times. I have also used them on packet, continuously, for many years. They work as good as the day I purchased them. I wish they were still in production! Best 73 Phil "CW FOREVER"

K0BG	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
I own a Tempo S1, and I feel the same way about it as you do about your HTX-202. I got it as a gift from my brother-in-law, circa 1973. Over the years I have put four battery packs in it, and one replacement final. It's about as basic as you can get, but it serves my purpose just fine. However, unlike you, I would be sad to lose it as much as I would a long-time friend. Alan, KØBG www.k0bg.com Reply to a comment by : K2NPN on 2005-09-04 A great article Johnny. I have two HTX-202 units I had purchased over ten years ago. They've gone fishing and biking with me many times. I have also used them on packet, continuously, for many years. They work as good as the day I purchased them. I wish they were still in production! Best 73 Phil "CW FOREVER"

KG4RUL	2005-09-04
RE: Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Overall, an interesting article. BUT, a statement like "There is something very satisfying about working Europe on 1 watt with a radio that has a cash value of about 50 bucks." makes me want to throw up. YOU DID NOT WORK EUROPE WITH 1 WATT!! You used your 1 watt to access an IRLP node that was a couple of miles away to link to the Internet. And PLEASE, don't tell me that you proudly display QSL cards for these contacts? Dennis KG4RUL Reply to a comment by : K2NPN on 2005-09-04 A great article Johnny. I have two HTX-202 units I had purchased over ten years ago. They've gone fishing and biking with me many times. I have also used them on packet, continuously, for many years. They work as good as the day I purchased them. I wish they were still in production! Best 73 Phil "CW FOREVER"

K2NPN	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
A great article Johnny. I have two HTX-202 units I had purchased over ten years ago. They've gone fishing and biking with me many times. I have also used them on packet, continuously, for many years. They work as good as the day I purchased them. I wish they were still in production! Best 73 Phil "CW FOREVER"

KF6HCD	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
Yup... Great radio. I have had one for over 7 years without a glitch. It is in my vehicle; I carry it almost everywhere. Nice pics.

LNXAUTHOR	2005-09-04
Taking a Look Back at the HTX-202
- nice pics and thanks for the info about this HT... - unfortunately, i haven't seen any of these at any swapfest, perhaps because they're still in use? :-)

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