| N5YM |
Rating:  |
2012-06-15 | |
| Nice Little Simple HT |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought the MTD dual-display version from Main Trading Company because having done business with them in the past, I was confident that if there were any problems I could count on them to make it all good. It arrived the next day by Priority Mail and worked right out of the box. Having researched this radio extensively before purchasing, I pretty much knew what to expect. Wanting something small and simple and cheap that I could toss into my briefcase when travelling, this little HT seems to serve this purpose well. I read completely through the skimpy manual three times before trying to program the radio. The manual seems to cover everything, it just doesn’t explain anything. Even so, it took less than 2 minutes to set up the first repeater using the keys and menus, and surprisingly, everything worked on the first try. The week before I had reprogrammed my old HTX-202, and actually found that the Baofeng seemed just a little bit easier to use. So far I’ve loaded about 20 of the memories the hard way, and found that foremost was the need to be organized. Do all the VHF frequencies as a group, then the UHF to keep from having to change the offset menu value back and forth. Since then, I purchased the programming software and cable, which should make things a little easier.
This will not be my primary HT, but I am quite satisfied with this little radio for what I expected it to do. The loud audio is actually a blessing for my old ears. Its shortcomings are mainly from me not fully thinking through what I needed as a travel radio. Lacking DTMF, I’m pretty much hamstrung if I want to use it for Echolink. And, I already have the same repeater pair programmed twice, each with different PL tones for different cities. Without the ability to name memories, I already have difficulty remembering which is which. Nevertheless, after playing with this little HT for about a month, I think I have a keeper.
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| K7RFI |
Rating: |
2012-06-12 | |
| Works for me |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
A $45 dollar duel band radio?? works fine excellent receive and transmit audio. easy to program if you use the software program that is available. a mod is available to program it for 2 meters 220mhz and 440.
i really like the size and weight. |
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| AB1QX |
Rating: |
2012-06-12 | |
| excellent for price |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I was surprised at the quality; especially at the
bargain pricepoint. Tiny, light--something I always have with me but don't know I'm carrying it. |
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| K8SMD |
Rating: |
2012-06-12 | |
| hard to use |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| This is my second unit. Both worked fine out of the box. I can't get the volume low enough on receive and need to find an operating manual to properly use it. good unit for outdoor use. For the money spent it is great ! For a primary unit I would suggest another brand. Does anyone know where I can download a usable manual. The one that comes with it is about useless. |
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| WC2F |
Rating: |
2012-05-04 | |
| so far so good great little ht |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I won this radio from HamCity on a contest they did on facebook. I only have the radio for a few days now, but so far its working great. The manual is incomplete a bit, but with the users groups its easy to find features and more. Its easy to program, but I would order the cable and program it in one shut rather than one by one.
I get into repeaters that with other radios could not get in and get great reports... |
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| N8QMK |
Rating: |
2012-05-03 | |
| Still a superior value |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I think I've had my DualDisplay UV-3R about 7 months now, it still does exactly what it's supposed to. When the xyl uses it to call for me (simplex or repeater) the tx audio is STILL better than the TH-F6As and various Yaesus. I still like the Japanese radios, I just appreciate my $50 Baofeng, too. My Baofeng UV-3R is vastly superior in real-world use to my Yaesu VX-3R, which turned itself into a scanner when the ht mic quit working immediately after the warranty period. I got WAY MORE than I paid for with the Baofeng! Buy the yellow ones, they work better.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N8QMK on 2012-01-28
Update review: I had very favorable impressions of my UV-3R Dual Display in an earlier review. It's still a fantastic piece of technology. It's still quirky like an older Alinco (you old timers know what I'm talking about.) It still doesn't support DTMF...but which club kept their Autopatch this long into the era of the cellphone? None within earshot of my QTH. I can't imagine a bigger bargain in Amateur Radio today...maybe the guys who dislike theirs purchased ones of the wrong color... the yellow ones work just fine. Don't throw them out, send them to me! |
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| W2ZOU |
Rating: |
2012-04-22 | |
| Don't Expect Miracles |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| If you want a cheap radio to play around with, get it. If you think because of what you read or because of what someone told you that these radios are as good as the Japanese, YOU ARE NUTS! The Japanese radios are works of art, they have tremendous engineering behind them, attention to detail, and so on. History had proven, 20 years later, the Japanese radios still work fine and if you decide to sell it, you will get all or most of your money back--not to mention you can STLL get batteries for them. These Chinese radios are throw away items, you get tired of it, you throw it away, a year later when it fails, you throw it away, two years later, when the battery dies you throw it away becuase you cannot get another battery. The UV-3R is an ok toy. There is absolutely no comparison with the Yaesu VX-3R (which I have as well). You have to use both to know this. Don't look at the model number and shape and think its the same radio--ITS OT! The person who said, "you get what you pay for" and "there are no free lunches in this world," knew what they were talking about. The UV-3R is real proof of that. It was worth it for me to spent the $38 just to prove to myself that the Japanese(Yaesu/ICOM/Kenwood/Alinco) have nothing to worry about. |
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| 26JLH |
Rating: |
2012-04-06 | |
| field test,uv-3r |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
tested this on air to a local repeter 20 miles away people could not believe what i was useing.
when i told people it was a 2 watt micro people said they could not believe the sond i was making an i said it was a 27 pound radio with its own smal whip other hams were giveing me good reports.
as good as my 4 what ht-90 moonraker.
well its worth its monney all day long as far as i can see,as for the volume issue it is fine out doors can not see what the fuss is about.
thanks jeff .. 2e0glu .. |
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| NO6E |
Rating: |
2012-04-02 | |
| A game changer |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I own both a UV3G and a KG-UVD1P. For less than half the price, the UV3G is a remarkable value. It uses an inexpensive camera-type lithium battery. Volume control is a little annoying -- only discrete volume steps are available -- but at around $50 I can overlook that and any other shortcomings.
I've had the opportunity to use the radio on VHF and UHF ham and commercial frequencies, and it's always worked fine for me. The scanning is not particularly fast, but operation in channel or frequency mode is fine.
The UV3R is one of the most modern radios sold. Virtually all of the receiver and transmitter circuitry is handled by a SDR IC.
It has Part 90 FCC type approval. Really, what more would people want? If I were selling any of the major Japanese portables, I'd be very, very worried. It's available in colors, too, for added fun!
There's an outstanding Yahoo! group on the radio with nearly 3,000 members. I recommend that you buy the inexpensive programming cable, but look to the software on the group site rather than that on the CD packed with the radio.
Several people on the group are working with the radio on 220 mHz, with mixed results, but an intriguing possibility at very least.
A radio is only useful if it is handy when you need it. The combination of compact size and cheap price make the UV3R a good choice.
73,
Andy NO6E
Lafayette, CA
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| N6AJR |
Rating: |
2012-04-02 | |
| wORKS FOR mE |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
THIS WAS BOUGHT ON LINE FOR UNDER $50 SHIPPED.
That in itself is amazing. I was looking for a small radio to carry to to ham functions with out being a hassle. I took off the stock antenna and put on a small diamond "bullet" antenna (model SRH805S) that is only about an inch tall. this can go in my shirt pocket at pacificon or the Visalia DX convention and not be in the way.
I have many other HT's by Alinco, Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom but this one is small enough to actually carry. Too Bad they don't make a 900 mhz model.
So for the money it is a wonderful radio. I use the computer programming which is easier than doing it manually, but you can do it if you have too. it is easily the best valu for your dollar. and a spare battery is 12 bucks, and the programming stuff is 12 bucks, so get one as a spare. I like it. |
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