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Reviews For: Alinco DJ-C5

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

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Review Summary For : Alinco DJ-C5
Reviews: 16MSRP: 130
Description:
Small pocket size 300mW dualband HT
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.alinco.com/Products/DJC5T.shtml
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00164.7
N9ZEZ Rating: 2014-01-01
Great Performer! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio forever ago brand new at a hamfest. I bought this radio understanding its limitations and didn't expect it to perform like a 5W HT. This radio was a solid performer for many years hitting my local repeaters near effortlessly. However, after about 5-7 years the battery died and I couldn't find a replacement for anything. A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon the below site where I found a battery for $12 that said it will work. I quickly bought up the battery and awaited its arrival. About a week later, I received the battery in the mail and opened up my HT. The replacement battery was much smaller in size and fit with no problem. I connected the plug and boom, I had my trusty ole radio back.

http://www.bigupbattery.com/Alinco-EBP-49N-POUR-DJ-C5-Battery-p/bupb0176.htm
N4RAH Rating: 2013-06-06
Fantastic for Remote Base ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had a pair of these for almost 15 years now. Still running strong on the original, internal lithium batteries! I find that to be absolutely incredible! I use one or the other of them almost daily as a pocket radio set up to be a remote base at home with my Kenwood TM-742A Tribander. I also use them as a remote link to my Standard Radio C5900A Triple Band mounted in my vehicle. I can wander all through my house and property, and the entire neighborhood with perfect receive/transmit. I have done the same at the golf course using the mobile remote crossbander. I have dragged them literally all around the world as I travel quite a bit on business. I have spilled a wide variety of beverages on them and subjected them to severe abuse! I still have the original sort've cheesy clear plastic protective sleeve they came with! Crude, yet effective! Honestly, the entire, dual-band radio is much less bulky and much lighter than many speaker/mic's I have used on various HT's! I use stick-on Velcro on my ARES vest and the back of the radio to use it like a cordless lapel mic! After a move one time, I lost one of mine for a couple of years. It came on instantly and worked for two days before charging! If all ham gear were built with this degree of quality, we would never need to upgrade. (OK, I guess that's a negative!) If you ever find one in decent shape... BUY IT!
Better yet, buy two, they're small!
PE1KOX Rating: 2012-11-13
Perfect after all these years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my DJ-C5 in 1999 from HRO in Denver. Although I only use it occasionally, it has never failed me. Great battery life, even now after 13 years, decent reception on both 2m and 70cm, and airband coverage is a plus.

A modular antenna connector would have been even better, but the stock antenna does quite well for its size.
M3UJM Rating: 2007-03-16
For its size, unbeatable! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Superb little radio that I've owned for over 4 years now. I also own a DJ-V5, a T-22, a Puxing PX-777 and a Yaesu VX-150.

Best bits - Absolutely tiny and very light. Excellent reception of weak signals. Fast charge time. Very reliable. Superb for repeater work.

Bad bits - Antenna is a tad fragile i.e. gets bent at the base but has never broken. Audio is a little crackly sometimes. Needs special adaptor to use normal 2 pin LAinco speaker mics or earphones.

In Summary, highly recommended as an unobtrusive shirt pocket radio that you really can take anywhere. It's only 350mW so not a replacement for a full power handheld but great for local repeater work.
K5TUE Rating: 2006-08-16
fine shirt pocket radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought in nearly new condition off ebay, for $80.

Works great for a little pocket radio, but the one thing I dont like, is that you cant set the scan resume condition. It will only pause for 5 seconds, or stop completely, when it stops on a busy channel, you cant set it to resume when the carrier drops, meaning its not as useful for public service monitoring. However, one thing that is handy, is the lithium battery holds its charge when the power is switched OFF. My Icom Q7 will continue to draw a small amount of power from the AA batteries even when turned off, and so its not always ready to go when its been sitting un-used for a month or so.
WA8VBX Rating: 2004-11-01
Nice Time Owned: more than 12 months.

I like the radio and it is very very portable and easy to use. The only reason I did not rate it a 5 is like the other reviewer said, is that you need a adapter to use a different antenna, other then that, so local use I would recommend it.
GM4DHJ Rating: 2004-11-01
loved it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
superb little radio. good batt. life very small.
KF5XW Rating: 2004-08-22
Down Right Cool Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This radio is extremely small and will get you attention whereever you go with it. Audio is good. Operation is easy. Great for short range conversations such as HT to HT or HT to nearby mobile or HT to nearby repeaters. Great for monitoring repeaters before you fire up the bigger rig. Once you own this rig you will take it everywhere with you. Highly recommend. I just purchased this one at the Albuquerque NM Ham Fest on August 21, 2004. Love it !
N9GXW Rating: 2003-05-19
Needs More Info Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It is an interesting little radio. It needs more info in the manual or on their homepage about the details of the audio interface, the accessories and adapter cables. Mine does strange things when you plug an earphone direct in the speaker jack. Even though the rep in their booth at Dayton said it would work fine. Needs an option to interface to an outside antenna. I like it though.
N5LXI Rating: 2002-06-15
Cute! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It's VERY small and cute! The user interface is well designed and it's easy to set the parameters for the 50 memory channels, such as PL, etc.

At 300 mW with a short antenna it's not a powerhouse. But that's to be expected.

The receiver is very nice and has little inter-mod from pagers and such. In order to "open up" the receiver for wider coverage, you must open up the transmit as well. It's a simple mod. I needed extended receive to monitor the local police. FM RX (and TX) is 136 - 174 and 380 - 473 MHz. Plus 118 - 136 AM receive for air. I wish it had extended receive without having to open up the transmitter as well.

Major complaint: The volume setting has eight steps. It's either to loud or to soft.

You would not this to be your only VHF/UHF HT, but it's handy -- and darn cute.

joel Sampson / N5LXI
www.joelsampson.com