| KC0JUX |
Rating:  |
2012-12-03 | |
| It is okay for a second radio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Bought second hand, a few months later the microphone quit, if anyone has a microphone for the ADI AR-147 I would be interested in purchasing it. |
|
| KB2SEO |
Rating: |
2012-10-03 | |
| Its a mess with a Microphone |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The rig is a mess. I got one from Fry's a while back for 75 bucks, it was the display rig, the guy says they sold a lot of them, but were not stocking Ham radios anymore. Took it home, the radio sounded well enough on Simplex and repeaters. After a few months, the display started wigging out. A liberal WHACK on the case would bring it back. (I know- break out the solder iron)
A few months of modest use on the base, I noticed the rig was getting really HOT! In fact, Hot enough to melt the Krylon paint on the riser shelf on my radio bench! A LARGE CPU fan had to be added to the Heat sink fins to keep it cooler...BY THE WAY- Yes, I am using a Good antenna- ARX-2b Cushcraft, Up 45 feet SWR is less than 1.7 on the band edges.
After chatting with a friend, I started smelling a trace of the dreaded "Magic smoke" from something on the desk- Keying down the 147 into a dummy load, I could smell that acrid odor only a transistor can make- I also saw the power dropping off on High and Medium power. Inversely proportionally to the odor intensity!
Besides the above, had to use JB Weld to fix the microphone buttom, and then , the PTT switch started making a Squeak periodically that would sound like a demented CB rager beep when keying or un-keying the microphone 9WD-40 helped)
So what can I say? next to the FT-100 this has got to be the worse P.O.J produced and forced upon the budget minded Ham! (read the FT100 review I posted, You'll see what I mean,,,) |
|
| KG4FMQ |
Rating: |
2011-02-12 | |
| Throw away radios |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had one of these radios for years! It was okay until one day the display went crazy. It was scrambled, and never would go back to normal. I could hear and transmit, but I could not see where I was in the band. I tossed it in a box, and forgot about it. Well about a year ago, I went through that box, and I took it out. I took the radio apart, and behind the faceplate is a ribon cable that was loose. This cbale works its way out, and of you press firmly on the face the display will come back. So I reseated the cable, and tightend up all the screws, and I have not had much trouble since. Every once in a while, the display will go crazy, but if you push on the faceplate, it wil come back. Also, the mic cord is made of poor quality, mine is split, but the radio still works, and transmits clean audio. It is in my shack now, and I just need to get a new mic, or get a plug, and wire up my own mic. It would be a good tinker radio, not something to rely on. If you have some tech skill, it can be made to work.
73,
KG4FMQ |
|
| KJ4JDJ |
Rating: |
2010-10-01 | |
| No problems! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I purchased this radio for $20.00 from a seller on Craig's List. After reading through the manual, I did a system reset to clear anything the previous owner may have programmed. I programmed it for all the local repeaters, and connected it to a magnetic mount antenna stuck on the metal roof of a building, only about 10' up. The radio has no problem bringing up any of the local repeaters, and will hit a few of the more distant ones, even at the low power setting. Audio reports have been good. I haven't had any of the display problems reported by other users. Programming was straightforward and simple. I operate primarily in the HF bands and bought this radio on a whim, mostly because of the price. Since then I have been happily chatting with the good folks on a few of the local repeaters. |
|
| VE7NMB |
Rating: |
2010-04-29 | |
| excellent unit!! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| before I purchased this unit I was skeptical because I looked at the over-all rating here...let me tell you I'm glad I ignored them...the sound quality, lay-out of panel everything...has me impressed...I just recently purchased a Yaesu 1900R to put in my truck instead but I think I will put the ADI back in service |
|
| KI4SDY |
Rating: |
2007-10-29 | |
| THESE ARE GREAT LITTLE RADIOS! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
It is no coincidence that these radios have the controls in the same place of and resembles the Kenwood TM-241A in size and features. It is the same radio! Often people dog a product because it does not carry the most favored brand name. I am sure some Kenwoods have failed, but their rating remains high. If only 30 or so ADIs have had problems out of the whole production run, that is excellent! They are bargains to be sure.
I have not had a bit of problem with mine and it performs just as well as my Kenwood TM-241A. Receive and transmit is excellent and the operation, like the Kenwood, is very straight forward. I love the large well lit mike buttons. I wish my Kenwood had them.
Mine does not run hot, even at high power with long transmissions. It is a very good radio. |
|
| W2KIT |
Rating: |
2006-08-15 | |
| works fine |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have the AR-147 plus the 220 and 440 versions. All three radios have performed well. The only negative experience was a mike that became defective. |
|
| N9IXX |
Rating: |
2006-08-02 | |
| Works great if its not in a vehicle |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I own 2 of these radios one as a base (never had any problems with it) and one in my mobile(had sent in for repair, or replacement once already for display problems). They replaced it under warranty no cost except to ship to them and has been working in the mobile for 8 months now.
Recently some buttons on the mic quit working now, but not a real big deal they are not the critical ones.
On to the performance. This radio receives nothing but praise on its transmit audio quality, however it does run rather hot on long QSO's even at the lowest power setting (5 watts). That aside the finals have never failed due to heat related problems.
Receive is also very good some intermod problems on the mobile radio, but the base is just fine!
Radio is easy to program and just as easy to use.
If you are looking for a reasonable priced base unit go ahead this unit should do great for that!
Now for the mobile this is where you are quaranteed to have reliabilty problems would not recomend this radio for that even though I know it is built for that reason.
I really do like these radios though and will continue to use them and repair them as long as the company is still around! |
|
| KE5HCD |
Rating: |
2006-04-21 | |
| 1 month review |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I've had this radio for a little over a month now and I really can't complain about it.
Only issue is this morning the PTT button started to fail on me. I opened the mic up, and the rubber sponge cube that mashes into the microswitch had a rather pronounced dimple in it. See, I've got a bad habit of being heavy handed on the PTT button so it's my own fault and pretty easily corrected by reversing the cube.
I'd call it a 4.5 if that were available, but this is also only my 2nd radio, so I've not got much to compare it to.
But now that I've learned how to use it inside and out, I'm considering latching on to its 70CM brother.
Yeah, the face gets a little warm, but that's also the price of running the display on high 24/7. |
|
| N0MUD |
Rating: |
2006-03-09 | |
| Fantastic radio & company |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
When my ADI-147 went south on me instead of complaining I sent it back to ADI with the stipulation that I get it back before hunting season. Well when it started getting close to hunting season I called and they told me they couldnt figure out what was wrong and they sent me a brand new radio. Now mine was well over the warranty period when that happened. I never expected them to just give me a new one but they did and I've been very happy with the radio and the company ever since. I also have owned an ADI 600D dual band/dual receive. I still own two ADI's Ht's a 201/401 and have never had a bit of problem with either one. I say if yours isn't working then send it back to ADI/Pryme and get it fixed so your blood pressure will drop back down to where it is supposed to be.
73's N0mud |
|
