Wouxun KG-805G GMRS Radio

[SeldomSeen]

I just noticed this radio online and it looks like a winner. Does anyone here have any experience with it?

[FfxCo15]

I think it performs great, but I'm relatively inexperienced. Lots of power and people can hear me loud and clear on repeaters 10 to almost 30 miles away (the farthest I've tested). 

[wayoverthere]

Like FfxCo15, I have one, but still fairly new. That said, there's been some other discussion and hands on experience, though the thread title doesn't give it away.

 

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1663-right-under-our-own-nose/?view=getnewpost

[krvw]

I don't have experience with this model, but I do have a Wouxun KG-UV9P and a KG-UV950P. They're both excellent products, IMHO. Audio quality on TX and RX are fabulous. I expect the KG-805G to be of similar quality.

 

Cheers,

 

Ken

[kaz]

I just picked up a pair of the kg-805g. Feels like a durable unit. Have heard some chatter in the repeater channels from some considerable distances. I'm totally new so I don't know how to program my radio's for repeater use, but give me time I'll learn. FM radio is a plus.

[Soladaddy]

Just got one so I need some useage to make an informed opinion. The programming software was easy to use and I was able to add about 10 repeater pairs into memory. It has 128 memory slots so it should be enough for most users. 

[SeldomSeen]

I did get one of these and it is exactly what I needed/wanted. Does anyone know how much longer the optional hi-capacity battery lasts compared to the standard one?

[mbrun]

Ordered and received a pair this past weekend. So far it seems like a good radio. No repeater action just yet. The one nearest me is down for maintenance. In simplex I have been able to reach about 1-1/2 miles HT to HT on most level ground with mixture of trees, houses and fields in between.

 

 

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[jsouth]

I purchased one so I could recommend to family to get one/keep cost down since I can’t convince them to purchase a micro mobile. So far, so good. I carry in my work truck and scan from time to time and have had a few conversations. I like the removable antenna and will occasionally hook it up to my home antenna and can easily hit a repeater 30 miles away. Full disclosure... the repeater is perfect line of sight on top of a mountain.

From my backyard, I can reach my Mom 6 miles away on her Midland MXT-115 base station.

[mbrun]

What is the terrain and what kind of obstructions between the HT and MXT115 base?

 

I purchased one so I could recommend to family to get one/keep cost down since I can’t convince them to purchase a micro mobile. So far, so good. I carry in my work truck and scan from time to time and have had a few conversations. I like the removable antenna and will occasionally hook it up to my home antenna and can easily hit a repeater 30 miles away. Full disclosure... the repeater is perfect line of sight on top of a mountain.

From my backyard, I can reach my Mom 6 miles away on her Midland MXT-115 base station.

 

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[MIKEROD67X]

I have three of them and they are great radios can hit a repeater thats a few miles away from inside my house 

[Extreme]

Mobile:  Kenwood 880 

HT:    Wouxun 805

Simplex operation.

Terrain:  500' pine timbered hill obstructing at mobile end.

Once past the hill = 18 mi. LOS down hill into a valley and HT.

Perfect 5x5 TX/RX both directions.

 

Blown away that it reached.

[Lscott]

Blown away that it reached.

It just proves that if your LOS is obstruction free the distance can be very large. Ham's have been sending signals through their LEO, low earth orbit satellites, and the ISS, international space station, for years using nothing more than a 5 watt HT connected to a small handheld Yagi antenna. I made a few contacts years back using my mobile VHF/UHF radio with nothing more that a high gain vertical on the roof.

 

http://www.arrowantennas.com/arrowii/146-437.html

 

https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Work_FM_Sats-20131010.pdf

[wrfw431]

I really like it.  It's the closest thing to a ham HT that I've found.  Swappable batteries which can be charged in the cradle without the radio attached, larger batteries (2600mah) available for all-day use, 5w output, etc.  My only gripe is that it's got a voice announce function which you can't turn off, so you can't listen while fiddling in the menus.  Otherwise, very happy.  If you get one, I highly recommend attaching a 440 SignalStick antenna.  I had one laying around for my ham radios, and this instantly doubled my range.

[mbrun]

Voice can be turned off on the KG-806G. It is menu option 7 titled ‘Voice’. Once ‘Voice’ appears, hit Menu again and then use the up/down buttons till you reach ‘Off’, then press Menu again.

 

Michael

WRHS965

 

 

I really like it. It's the closest thing to a ham HT that I've found. Swappable batteries which can be charged in the cradle without the radio attached, larger batteries (2600mah) available for all-day use, 5w output, etc. My only gripe is that it's got a voice announce function which you can't turn off, so you can't listen while fiddling in the menus. Otherwise, very happy. If you get one, I highly recommend attaching a 440 SignalStick antenna. I had one laying around for my ham radios, and this instantly doubled my range.

 

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[Extreme]

Mobile:  Kenwood 880 

HT:    Wouxun 805

Simplex operation.

Terrain:  500' pine timbered hill obstructing at mobile end.

Once past the hill = 18 mi. LOS down hill into a valley and HT.

Perfect 5x5 TX/RX both directions.

 

Blown away that it reached.

 

 

 

Should have worded this differently "Once past the hill.."

The 18 mile 2-way communication was WITH the hill obstructing, in the immediate vicinity of the mobile unit with no LOS to be had.

[dwmitchell61]

Just got one so I need some useage to make an informed opinion. The programming software was easy to use and I was able to add about 10 repeater pairs into memory. It has 128 memory slots so it should be enough for most users. 

There are TWO PC interface cables for programming it. Watch the video on programming. I bought the cable "Rick" did not recommend, because the website DID infer it was the one to buy (PCO-001). All I get is "Failed connection." message when I try to read from or write to the radio. I have to call Monday and see if they can get it to work for me. The cable says it is for WIN 10, I installed the driver. WIN 10 says it is working properly (Silicon Labs UART) in device manager on COM4. It appears in the Devices listing with no errors, but won't communicate with the radio. I changed the software to use COM4 (it defaults to COM1), then tried setting the device to COM1 in the driver settings. I am a retired IT guy and can't find the issue. Trust me, buy the OTHER cable, the one Rick mentions in the video...

[mbrun]

 

The above cable I bought from “Rick” at BTWR. I use it on a Win10 machine. It works fine with the KG-805G units I have purchased.

 

 

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[dwmitchell61]

 

The above cable I bought from “Rick” at BTWR. I use it on a Win10 machine. It works fine with the KG-805G units I have purchased.

 

 

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Update: I managed to get mine to work... Had to push real hard to get it to make connection in the jacks. Not sure whether the radio's jacks are the issue or the PC interface cable plugs are the issue...

[wayoverthere]

Update: I managed to get mine to work... Had to push real hard to get it to make connection in the jacks. Not sure whether the radio's jacks are the issue or the PC interface cable plugs are the issue...

take a look at where the cable plugs into the radio..i noticed it when trying a baofeng speaker mic with the wouxun, there's a rubber gasket around the plugs and the cutouts may be a bit misaligned and in the way of the plugs going all the way in.

[mbrun]

Hello O-B-1.

 

I use the cable on my ham and GMRS radios. Both models of radio with have o-ring like seals around the two mini-phone jacks seals that need to be compressed, so that could be a contributor. I presume these are for some measure of moisture protection when using headset and speaker accessories outdoors. Perhaps that little o-ring is a contributor.

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

 

 

Update: I managed to get mine to work... Had to push real hard to get it to make connection in the jacks. Not sure whether the radio's jacks are the issue or the PC interface cable plugs are the issue...

 

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[n4gix]

The above cable I bought from “Rick” at BTWR. I use it on a Win10 machine. It works fine with the KG-805G units I have purchased.

 

Interestingly enough, that same programming cable will work with any radio that uses the same "Kenwood" accessory jacks.

[jerrytheyounger]

I just purchased the 805 myself. I was wondering if it uses CHIRP. I already have it for my Baofengs.

[mbrun]

I just purchased the 805 myself. I was wondering if it uses CHIRP. I already have it for my Baofengs.

Officially, No. Unofficially (partially), Yes. Use at your own risk.

 

Channels can be configured, radio settings cannot. You must read from the radio first as your starting point. Do not start a fresh file from scratch. Use the model with 816 in it (if I recall correctly) You cannot use offset settings of + or -. Instead you must use the ‘Split” option to establish Tx frequency. Failure to do this will program the radio incorrectly.

 

Make sure you have a factory backup of the original settings before you use chirp. You could do something that makes the radio non functional.

 

To date, I have programmed (4) KG-805G successfully using Chirp.

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

 

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[Extreme]

805G can be programmed from the control panel, or why not just get the correct software?