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Reviews For: KDK FM-4033

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : KDK FM-4033
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
25W 222Mhz FM mobile transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024
KB8DNS Rating: 2018-03-25
Freebie - A work in progress Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Found this on a swap table with 'JUNK' written on it with a sharpie.... Took it home and found the CPU battery pack was corroded and dead. Repaired the damage and installed a CR2023 battery holder from a scrap computer, with a new coin cell it came back to life! Needs other work like new capacitors and the encoder switch is partially working at times. It does work and with a new 224 repeater here, it is going to be fun!
KU4QD Rating: 2002-04-23
Reliable, durable, inexpensive 222Mhz rig Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The KDK FM-4033 is the 222Mhz version of what was probably their most popular rig in the US: the FM-2033. I recently sold mine due to recent financial difficulties, and this is one rig that I really hated to part with. Despite it's mid 1980s vintage, it was still a reliable, durable performer.

The FM-4033 puts out 25 watts on high power, 5 watts on low. Transmit and receive audio are both excellent. I used the stock touchtone up/down mic. The rig features 11 memories, 5 in bank A, 5 in bank B, and a CALL memory. Both receive frequency and offset can be stored in each memory. Either or both banks of memories can be scanned, and you can setup an odd split repeater between matching memories in bank A and B if needed.

The display is an amber backlit LCD. I found it easy to read in most lighting situations.

The rig came with a PL (CTCSS) encoder from the factory set to 100Hz. The main flaw with this rig, much like the FM-2033, is that PL board. As was common in the mid '80s, it was designed for a single tone frequency. There is no way to change the tone from the front panel. The tone frequency is adjusted with a pot rather than dipswitches, and, far worse, the board is mounted in the rig with the pot facing down towards another board. The net result is that you cannot change the PL frequency with the tone board in the rig. Unless you have an external counter that can read accurately down to subaudible tone frequencies adjusting the tone is impossible.

If you live in an area where the 222MHz repeaters are carrier access, or if the tone encoder is already adjusted to the frequency you need, the FM-4033 is one of the least expensive rigs for this band on the used market, and it's a real sturdy (if old) performer. If you need to use a variety of PL tones you are much better off investing in a newer rig. If you can live with its limitations you really can't go wrong with an FM-4033.