kg-935g KG-935G First Impression

[WROZ250]

Well, after watching many reviews on this radio, I decided to get one, actually two of them.  Both radios arrived intact, but oddly enough one (radio) box was moderately damaged, yet the bigger box that the two radios were shipped in was undamaged.  I can only surmise that somebody at the dealer packed a damaged, or actually damaged, the one radio box.  Enough about that, the radio itself was again, undamaged (Thankfully).

Shipping issues aside, my first impression of this radio is "WOW". 

I have owned many different radios in my days, but this one is extremely nice.  So much so, I wanted to see if Wouxun makes a version of this radio for amateur radio (they do!) and I am thinking about it.  To be sure, I have not been a fan of Chinese radios, but this one is, IMHO, a standout exception.  I dunno, perhaps after the big FCC stink about Chinese radios, Wouxun at least, seems to have their act together on this one.

I did do a power output check, but rather than say something stupid that isn't true, I'm going to rerun the test with better equipment before saying anything, as I don't trust the meter I used at the time.

Programming is straightforward using either the menu system on the radio or the software. 

I did however, find some quirks with programming.  Some items, such as the programmable function (side) buttons can be changed through the menu system on the radio.  However, those changes only seem to take with the PC software.  Some did take, but then could not be reverted back to their previous settings via the menu system. Not all the settings to be sure and, it isn't (to me) a big deal as I prefer the PC software to the menu.  But it is a quirk just the same IMHO. 

Additionally, and perhaps it is something with Windows, the PC software only recognizes/lets the user select com port 1, despite having a listing of choices of com port.  I don't know if it the software, or yet another Microsoft bug.  Nevertheless, this issue was easily overcome by manually changing the assigned com port in windows.

All that said, this is a damn good radio for the price!  I wanted a 'legal' GMRS radio, but this one's features leave me wishing it could transmit throughout the receiving range!  It really is that nice.

 

[mbrun]

I have extensive experience with the 935G and have put its menus through its paces quite hard. What specific menus are you perceiving issues with?

If you are new to Wouxun radios, there is a bit of a learning curve. One such nuisance is the fact that the ‘Menu’ key doubles as the ‘Enter’ key. If you do not press it after making a change, your change will not be saved. So your sequence is always [Menu], navigate to your desired menu function, then [Menu], then make your setting change, then [Menu] again. Also if you press [Exit] at any time, or if you wait too long before pressing menu again, your change is lost.

Also, the TX CTCSS and TX DCS are mutually exclusive, as are the RX CTCSS and RX DCS. If you press [Menu] when any one of these is selected, it clears the one that is not selected. So NEVER press [Menu] when any of the these is active unless you are intending to store what is currently displayed to clear its mutually exclusive counterpart. Every Wouxun model I have ever played with behaves exactly the same.

The amateur version of the 935G, the KG-UV8H, is not as polished. It also has an issue with the DTMF [1] button in that it will only chirp. It will not produce a DTMF tone for the duration of the press, perhaps making it useless for you. While the models look the same and have the same internals, the 935G provides the superior user experience. The UV-8H’s menus are more cryptic, and not as well organized.

Enjoy your radio.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[WROZ250]

Thanks Michael! 

Actually , I am pretty familiar with Wouxun radios.  While I only have one other, a UVD1P I picked up at a hamfest years ago, my other half, however, seems to collect them and really struggles with the programming. LOL!

I'm pretty sure I wasn't using the menu incorrectly, but I totally agree with your comments on entering data that way. 

Kinda funny, when I picked up the UVD1P, the guy selling them had no idea how to program anything into it and was stunned when after a few seconds I had figured out the menu system.  They really are not that difficult, but then I've been in radio for over 50 years (retired now).

Thanks for the heads up on the UV8D.  I have been reading through the manual and watching reviews.  Quite frankly, I really don't need another Ham HT, so it's not like I'm ready to buy one (yet).

I really do like the 935G though, it is a really decent radio for the money and, as I noted before, I wanted to have a 'completely legal' radio for GMRS. I am not one for doing the 'MARS' mods on my ham rigs. Besides, I have a couple of commercial HTs that don't need the mods anyway.

In any event, Thanks Again for the comments!

 

[Muzic2Me]

51 minutes ago, WROZ250 said:

Thanks Michael! 

Actually , I am pretty familiar with Wouxun radios.  While I only have one other, a UVD1P I picked up at a hamfest years ago, however, my other half seems to collect them and really struggles with the programming. LOL!

I'm pretty sure I wasn't using the menu incorrectly, but I totally agree with your comments on entering data that way. 

Kinda funny, when I picked up the UVD1P, the guy selling them had no idea how to program anything into it and was stunned when after a few seconds I had figured out the menu system.  They really are not that difficult, but then I've been in radio for over 50 years (retired now).

Thanks for the heads up on the UV8D.  I have been reading through the manual and watching reviews.  Quite frankly, I really don't need another Ham HT, so it's not like I'm ready to buy one (yet).

I really do like the 935G though, it is a really decent radio for the money and, as I noted before, I wanted to have a 'completely legal' radio for GMRS. I am not one for doing the 'MARS' mods on my ham rigs. Besides, I have a couple of commercial HTs that don't need the mods anyway.

In any event, Thanks Again for the comments!

 

I also own this radio. I love it!.. The one issue I have is that when you hit the FM option and save our channels(FM), there isn't a way to go straight to a channel. you have to Press the PTT2 and then scan to get to the channel you want to listen to, or I haven't figured a way otherwise.

[Muzic2Me]

17 hours ago, Muzic2Me said:

I also own this radio. I love it!.. The one issue I have is that when you hit the FM option and save our channels(FM), there isn't a way to go straight to a channel. you have to Press the PTT2 and then scan to get to the channel you want to listen to, or I haven't figured a way otherwise.

The radio station that is

[bobthetj03]

I have this radio as well. It is my #1 go to GMRS radio. If I had any complaints about it, it would be the PTT button is hard to keep pressed in if you are a long winded talker, as I've been known to be guilty, and the channel changing knob up top is easily bumped when using it in the field. I wish the knob was harder to turn so as not to bump it off channel. 

 

[OffRoaderX]

6 hours ago, bobthetj03 said:

the PTT button is hard to keep pressed in if you are a long winded talker

 

Thank goodness!

[WRPD566]

Well that does it. You talked me into it. 
 

Who did you order it through?

[Muzic2Me]

1 hour ago, WRPD566 said:

Well that does it. You talked me into it. 
 

Who did you order it through?

I purchased mine a BTWR. It was here in 2 days. 

[FarleyB]

I’ve never been a big GMRS user, mostly just had a license in case I needed it. I’d scan the GMRS channels. Anymore though it seems the GMRS repeaters are more active than the local ham repeaters, so I finally ordered a KG-935G. I travel quite a bit and figured an HT and this website would at least give me something to monitor in the hotel besides my DMR hotspot.