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Reviews For: ADI AR-146

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

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Review Summary For : ADI AR-146
Reviews: 26MSRP: 179.00
Description:
7w/25w/50w 2-meter mobile
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.pryme.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00263.7
N3TU Rating: 2021-01-10
It Lasted This Long Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ok, it's 2021. The radio is still kicking with the display flickering. I still have the speaker on top as weight and the display is ok. The radio is working fine after all these years. Kenwood, Alinco and Elecraft Mics do work on this radio.
N0JY Rating: 2011-04-20
Built like a tank Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio in 1996 and it has been dedicated to indoor base station packet use, on high power, 24/7 for almost 15 years now. It beacons my APRS weather every 7 1/2 minutes. The display lamp(s) have ceased working but all else continues to work fine, and it still puts out 50W on high power. Now, I never had the opportunity to find out how it sounds using voice, but I think that the reliable T/R cycle it has been going through for 15 years is a testimony to the quality of the build and the audio must be good for the packets to still be "heard". If I just jinxed it, I'm not sure what I'll look for in a replacement!
NI8E Rating: 2009-05-31
Well worth the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought an AR146 used for $50, it needed the so239(?) connector repaired. I also had issues with the display but was able to fix it by finding a display ground was loose. (Wasn't too hard.)
Beyond those two problems, the radio has been great as a second radio.
I can lend it out to friends and not worry about it.
If you find one for sale for a good price, buy it, you won't regret it.
K3BEQ Rating: 2008-11-30
Not too bad, not too good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had an ADI AR-146 for many years but until recently, it has not been in use. The audio has too much bass. Also, the unit heats up so that you cannot touch it from the heat sink to the front panel. Small fingers are needed to program it. Just an OK (-) VHF transceiver.
W9WSS Rating: 2008-10-20
Works OK With Flaky Display Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio for $50 and that's what it's worth. It puts out 50 watts, sounds so-so on xmit, and I use it to monitor my IRLP node on a daily basis. Of course I have the flaky display issue, but it's easily correctable with a flick of the finger to the front panel. It's pretty much a no-frill's bare-bones rig and I think I got my money's worth. It's been about a year since anyone else reviewed this radio here on eham.net reviews.
KD8ATL Rating: 2007-10-28
good basic rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had one of these for about two years now, shuttling back and forth between my shack and my car as needed. It doesn't have a heck of a lot of bells and whistles, but it gets the job done.

Some of the controls seem a bit cheap, such as the volume knob, and the squelch is pretty close to the mic jack which gets in the way when making adjustments.

This radio has plenty of memories, but it is kind of a pain programming them in because you have do do it one at a time.

I was satisfied with this radio when I bought it, and it got me on the air on the cheap (about $50 used).
KI6FEQ Rating: 2007-09-30
No Complaints Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought it used from someone on eham.net and have had this rig in my truck for about a year and have no issues with it at all. I moved it into the house at times for base use and it has performed flawlessly. The lack of an alpha-numeric display is a drag but that is not a "flaw."
N5LZX Rating: 2007-09-02
Below Average Rig Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one used, as I needed a dedicated packet rig. Ran it fine for about 3 weeks, then the display issues started up (see other reviews). The display problems did not seem to affect operation, but then another problem started which did - the display heats up with the backlighting which causes TX to go out. Perhaps the high heating causes solder joint flexing? Anyway, the rig is currently unusable due to the TX going out.
KI8CX Rating: 2007-05-12
Have 2 would not buy one again Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought two about 4-5 years ago for mobile apps. Both displays go flaky, need to jingle the mic socket, drove my wife crazy. Recently the one mike is dead, just using the radios for aprs now, they still work. Audio is not as good as my other rigs. They were cheap when I purchased them.
K4VAV Rating: 2007-01-03
Comparing radios Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was searching for a 2 meter rig with better than average adjacent channel rejection on ARRL product reviews.This rig has 88 db figure. Haven't found another mobile 2 meter rig with that good a figure for adjacent channel rejection.