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Reviews For: Santec LS-202A / Belcom LS-202E

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

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Review Summary For : Santec LS-202A / Belcom LS-202E
Reviews: 3MSRP: 229.00
Description:
2m SSB 3.5W handheld, thumbwheel and VXO controlled, made by Belcom and sold under the Santec name in the U.S.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/n2ckh/santec.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0034.3
AB0KD Rating: 2011-09-30
Fun and interesting unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The LS-202A came out around early 1984 and was fun to use. The European version is the LS-202E and may be found under the parent Belcom brand. There was supposedly a docking station for the unit. Heath listed the docking unit in their catalog for a time. According to a conversation with the importer in the late 1980s, the unit was not on the market long as a result of the lack of a touch tone pad and a volume control problem.

I purchased the LS-202A in 1984 to use as an IF; but, instead used it mostly mobile after pulling an IC-22U out from my vehicle. The three issues I had with the radio were the battery latch was weak, the noise blanker was only noticeable when squelch was almost fully engaged and the switch appeared to be wired or labeled backwards, and the volume control failed. The latter issue resulted in low volume and was caused by the plastic pin holding the wiper scoring the resistive element until it opened. This was repaired by opening the volume control, flattening the pin, then reforming the open in the think film with a rear window defogger repair kit. I made this repair in late 1980s and was still working when I sold the unit in the mid 2000s.

Operationally the radio was easy and fun to use and I would have kept it if not for obtaining an FT-817.
F4FAP Rating: 2010-12-18
Old but still good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've bought it for it's VHF FM and SSB capabilities and also because it is an old fashion rig.
Case is made of standard plastic material as well as batt case. Then moving the batt must be done carefully. That batt case requires 6 AA cells.
Turning the VXO, switching +/- 600 kHz shift or 1750 Hz call requires small fingers.
Yes it is not designed to be worked with ease, but all can be done almost like today's hand held rigs despite 5 kHz coding wheels.
Output SSB power seems to be very small (I've not made yet some measurements) - FM output is ok, up to 3 W.
I use this rig on fixed station for local QSO's everydays using 0,5W and OM's does appreciate its special audio.
SM6YOU Rating: 2004-09-08
Great handleld! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a Belcom LS-202E with the optional LS-207 Mobile/PA unit. I'm using this transciever for portable operations and it works great! Of course it does not perform like the best shiny VHF rigs that exists today, but concidering it's size and age, it's a really great machine.