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Reviews For: Radio Shack HTX-202

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Hand-held

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Review Summary For : Radio Shack HTX-202
Reviews: 114MSRP: 199 c.1995
Description:
2 Meter Hand Held HT
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001144.7
KF5ENA Rating: 2010-12-15
bullet proof! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I recieved my 202 as a gift from a friend of mine when I got my ticket. It's had a very hard life since I've owned it and I'm sure it was the same when he had it. I don't know how many times it's been dropped, jarred, or otherwise beat around. I've even lost it off a tower and it knocked the battery loose! The ground man snapped the battery back in place and it worked just fine. This is a great radio for someone who's looking for a no-frills, bulletproof ht.
VA2MBA Rating: 2009-07-06
solide Time Owned: more than 12 months.
J ai acheté ce radio neuf voila plus d une dizaine d année. Je le possede encore et il fonctionne encore très bien. J'ai toujours été bien servi par se radio. Il est désormais en permanence dans mon véhicule en cas de bris de mon mobile.
KA4DQJ Rating: 2009-06-11
Tough little beast Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have an HTX-202 for about 20 years now. It's still ticking, slthough compliments of Southwest Airlines baggage handlers the LSC display is broken and needs replacing. Hope I can get the part!

Early in its life, the little 202 made two trips back to Radio Shaft to have the voltage regulator circuit repaird. On my model anyway, if you ran external cigarette lighter power extensively as did, it would eventually fry the voltage regulator circuit.

It's also not really user friendly,and you want to keep the he user manual handy in case you need to program something via the keys.
AE5TE Rating: 2009-05-15
Good rig, setting up a pain. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought the 202 maybe around '93 to replace my old IC-2AT that I carelessly left out and let get stolen. Taking a hiatus from Ham radio for the past 9 years it and it's companion HTX404 have been sitting in a compartment under the seat of my truck all this time, powered up only a couple times over those years while on road trips. Recently dug them out and wouldn't you know they picked up right where they left off after a battery charge.

As a mobile with a good antenna and 13.8V these rigs have enough power folks won't often need a brick amp, but even with an amp that I used at home to work one certain path, symmetry of TX/RX performance was as good as any mobile of it's day.
KI4YRH Rating: 2009-04-03
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine on 14 Jan, 1995. The only reason I remember this is because there is an extended warrenty sticker on the back with the date of purchase.Have NEVER had the first bit of trouble with it! It's been dropped soaked and anything else you can think of. The internal memory battery finally went dead today (4-3-09)a little over 14 years, not bad huh? To get this radio from me, you will have to pry it from my cold dead hands!
N7SGM Rating: 2008-12-03
GREAT 2 METER RADIO Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a pair of these radios complete with speaker mics, chargers, and dry cell battery cases about a year ago for $100. I have not noticed any intermod like I due with my Yaesu FT-470 on 2 meters. That's a big plus when you are trying to listen to a repeater for a QSO. The HTX-202 also seems to have a longer transmit range. Use caution when wiring the external power connector. The polarity is opposite of my Yaesu FT-470. The rechargeable battery pack replacements are somewhat expensive. I bascially use the dry cell case with high capacity rechargable AA batteries and it works fine. If the internal battery needs to be replaced, there are good instructions on the internet for replacing the (2032) battery. Lastly I have read that the HTX-202 was made by Maxon and another article I read said it was built by Icom. Either way it's a winner for sure. I would say a radio in good condition with the accessories should be found for about $50-$65. They are well worth the cost.
VO1GXG Rating: 2008-07-08
nice Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
An amazing little radio that sounds and looks fantastic!
WA5RR Rating: 2008-06-19
Solid Workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one of these little gems brand-new at Radio Shack in the 90's. It did portable and base operations, to include packet radio. At times it got very hot to the touch, but never failed.

Since it was built for 2-meters only and couldn't be modified to transmit/receive out-of-band, it is very resistant to IMD. I can't say the same about some of my 'wideband receive' HT's these days.

It's a great little HT that does a great job day after day.
N1WVQ Rating: 2008-06-19
Still have it 12 years later Time Owned: more than 12 months.
What can you say about your 1st? I bought the 202 as my 1st rig a few days after getting my license in March 1996. It's still with me 12 years later. The radio has to be powered by a power supply, the connector on the antenna broke years ago & had to be replaced, the audio amplifier doesn't power the speaker anymore & a speaker-mic has to be used. It doesn't have D.C.S.. With all that working against it, it's still a great rig & was great for its time.
KE5SWV Rating: 2008-05-26
Excellent!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one of these on eBay, for a song, and I'm using it more than my brand new Icom V82. What a wonderful "little" radio. The audio out of the speaker is nothing like you hear today with the modern and small HTs. My 202 is my 2m base station. I use plain old copper top alkaline batteries and plugged in a magmount antenna and BAM! This thing just keeps on going. I easily hit my local repeater and can talk all over the state on the Mega-link. I have great audio reports from mine.