Wouxun radios

[gearjunkie]

Hello. Brand new license holder. Really liking the KG-UV9GX but don't want wait 15 weeks on backorder lol. May get the UV9G pro instead.  Thoughts anyone.  Both should be great radios I think.

 

[MichaelLAX]

If it were me, I would order the one you really like (especially if it is on Black Friday sale) and in the meantime pickup a CCR to use/play with in the meantime and then donate the CCR to a family member or friend when your preferred radio arrives.

[gearjunkie]

3 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

If it were me, I would order the one you really like (especially if it is on Black Friday sale) and in the meantime pickup a CCR to use/play with in the meantime and then donate the CCR to a family member or friend when your preferred radio arrives.

hahaha. I already did! Ordered the UV-9GX. what do you mean by ccr? A cheap radio till my good one gets here?

[MichaelLAX]

Yes, CCR means a Cheap Chinese Radio; some people exclude Wouxun from this definition.

[gearjunkie]

On 11/25/2022 at 10:31 PM, MichaelLAX said:

Yes, CCR means a Cheap Chinese Radio; some people exclude Wouxun from this definition.

oh, hahaha, nice!

[bobthetj03]

Is it worth the cost to have 900 preprogrammed channels, of which you'd have to weed thru to find any of them that pertain to your area? IMO, a KG935G would get the job done. 

 

[WRUU653]

5 hours ago, bobthetj03 said:

Is it worth the cost to have 900 preprogrammed channels, of which you'd have to weed thru to find any of them that pertain to your area? IMO, a KG935G would get the job done. 

I agree with the weeding through 900 channels, I’d rather put in what I want myself. That said the KG-935G doesn’t pick up the 108-136 AM/Airbands or UHF 700-960 like the KG-UV9GX if that’s important them. 

[gearjunkie]

It's the radio itself I was interested in because it's a superheterodyne radio. The added channels don't bother me. I was going to get the pro version as it was available but decided to get the best at this time, I believe. The KG935G from what I've read and seen videos on is a darn good choice as well.

[Sab02r]

On 12/4/2022 at 3:27 PM, bobthetj03 said:

Is it worth the cost to have 900 preprogrammed channels, of which you'd have to weed thru to find any of them that pertain to your area? IMO, a KG935G would get the job done. 

 

The KG935G has the ability to be programmed with several memory scan-groups. You don't have to scan all 999 channels, though you can.

You can set up a scan-group that includes only your local repeaters and only scan those channels while you are around home.  A second scan-group can be programmed for repeaters in a a different city or area, and a third-scan group for a region where you may like to go wheeling, or visit repeatedly such as a summer home...or the in-laws house.  A fourth scan-group can be added for a layover point along your travel route.  As you travel, you can simply select a different scan-group that includes the repeaters you pre-programmed for that area without having to reprogram the radio, and you are no longer scanning those repeater channels that are now out of range.

I don't know if other radios have that ability, but for that functionality alone I think the KG935G is well-worth the price for anyone who does any sort of traveling.

[Lscott]

11 minutes ago, Sab02r said:

I don't know if other radios have that ability, but for that functionality alone I think the KG935G is well-worth the price for anyone who does any sort of traveling.

I know the Kenwood radios I have will let me program up to 128 scan groups. Each group can be enabled/disabled from the front panel keys. Also each memory channel in each group can be enabled/disable too. That gives the me a lot of flexibility in what I want to scan for monitoring.

This feature comes in handy on an NX-200 VHF radio. I have a special code plug written with all of the VHF railroad FM analog and digital channels. There are a bunch.

https://www.radioreference.com/db/aid/7747

Each group the ID that shows up on the display, when changing groups using the group up and down front panel keys, shows something like "AAR 001-025" etc. That way I can quickly locate a channel I want in a group. Of course each memory channel is labeled too. Keeping the number of memory channels in each group limited to 20 to 25 means I'm never more that 10 to 13 channels away from the one I want in a group using the channel selector knob. The channel selector knob function is programmed to "roll-over" at the top or bottom of the programmed memory channels in a group.

[Sab02r]

That is good info, Lscott.   

I am not very familiar with the Kenwoods so i took a second to look at the NX-200.  The NX-200 and the KG935G bear some resemblance.  I am guessing some of the Wouxan engineers may have drawn their inspiration for the KG935G from the NX.

The Wouxan doesn't provide quite that much flexibility.  In the KG935G scan-groups are selected through the menu functions with just a few keystrokes.  Individual channels can be de-selected (skipped) without having to delete them from memory (with a few more keystrokes).   

Having a programmable label to indicate which scan-group is being scanned would definitely be a nice feature.  The way I handle that in the Wouxan is to add a dummy channel at the start of each scan-group with a name that describes the region I set the group up for, like "Alpine" or "Moab".  I see the region name scroll by on each scan so I know whether I selected the proper scan-group number.  Those dummy channels can be also de-selected so that they are no longer scanned, but they are still in the memory as reminders when you do feel the need to manually weed through all of the channels you have programmed...or add channels to a particular scan-group region, which I do in CHIRP.

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, Sab02r said:

That is good info, Lscott.   

I am not very familiar with the Kenwoods so i took a second to look at the NX-200.  The NX-200 and the KG935G bear some resemblance.  I am guessing some of the Wouxan engineers may have drawn their inspiration for the KG935G from the NX.

The Wouxan doesn't provide quite that much flexibility.  In the KG935G scan-groups are selected through the menu functions with just a few keystrokes.  Individual channels can be de-selected (skipped) without having to delete them from memory (with a few more keystrokes).   

Having a programmable label to indicate which scan-group is being scanned would definitely be a nice feature.  The way I handle that in the Wouxan is to add a dummy channel at the start of each scan-group with a name that describes the region I set the group up for, like "Alpine" or "Moab".  I see the region name scroll by on each scan so I know whether I selected the proper scan-group number.  Those dummy channels can be also de-selected so that they are no longer scanned, but they are still in the memory as reminders when you do feel the need to manually weed through all of the channels you have programmed...or add channels to a particular scan-group region, which I do in CHIRP.

Since you're primarily interested in GMRS then one of the Kenwood's analog only UHF radios might be a better fit. Personally I use the TK-3170. There is also a TK-3173, that has built in trunking, but otherwise they are the same radio. It's also Part 95 certified too if that's a big concern for you. Some of the commercial grade radios that will work OK on GMRS don't. That's a decision you have to make.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/

Keep in mind that radios will cover different parts of the radio spectrum. I only mentioned the NX-200 since it was a VHF radio and I needed a way to handle the huge number of memory channels. Being VHF it won't work for you on GMRS, which is UHF only.

The other radio in that series is the NX-300. It will also do digital NXDN, however NO digital voice modes are currently allowed on GMRS and likely not in the near future either. It is a nice analog only radio. Unless you need the extra digital features for another service I wouldn't recommend it since you're going to pay a lot more money for something you can't use.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/251-nx-300jpg/

Another one that several members use is the TK-3180, which I recommend you look at.

https://pdfs.kenwoodproducts.com/10/TK-2180&3180Brochure.pdf

The above radios are no longer manufactured so you will have to buy one used. If you shop around you can find some in almost like new condition for a reasonable amount of money.

 

 

 

[catbrigade]

I've been happy with the Wouxuns that I have. I got some of the KG-805M MURS radios and used them for family comms during a Scout camping event back in the fall. I figured the VHF might cover better with all the trees around. We had no coverage issues and the audio was very good on those radios. I did also catch the KG-935G's on sale around the same time frame and picked up a pair. I've been using them for scanning mostly.

I did get a couple Kenwood TK-3180 radios recently and like those as well. I might use them at the next Scout event since the limited keypad ones are simple and the LCD's are easier to read in the sun than the 935G screen. Also the wife might get lost with all those buttons on the 935G. I've gotten pretty familiar with the Kenwood programming software but need to work out configuring scan groups on those radios.

 

[Lscott]

17 hours ago, catbrigade said:

I did get a couple Kenwood TK-3180 radios recently and like those as well. I might use them at the next Scout event since the limited keypad ones are simple and the LCD's are easier to read in the sun than the 935G screen. Also the wife might get lost with all those buttons on the 935G. I've gotten pretty familiar with the Kenwood programming software but need to work out configuring scan groups on those radios.

 

Take a look at the example code plug. Shows how to setup the memory channels for zones.

I have two zones setup for GMRS/FRS. One is set for wide-band, normal GMRS. The other is set for narrow band to talk normally to those with FRS type radios.

It also has some Ham stuff in it too. Since the radio is not front panel programmable, and you don't have a real VFO mode. I sort of cheated by using one zone for Ham simplex and used the frequency as the channel name. That way when you flip through the memory channels it looks like you have a VFO with a 25KHz step. You don't need to enter in every 25KHz frequency step in the band because there are only several sections recommended for simplex only so that keeps the required number of channels down while providing good coverage.

The 450MHz-520MHz band split you can "push" down out of band to around 440MHz, maybe lower, and it will work. Two out of the three Ham simplex sub-bands are between 440MHz and 450MHz along with the repeater section. Now you have one radio that will work for most of the Ham 70cm band, GMRS and is Part 95 certified. Not a bad deal.

You'll also see I have some Part 90 frequencies in several zones for monitoring use. I like to go for walks at some of the local malls when not at the gym so I monitor the local shops and mall security frequencies etc. It's legal so long as you don't TX on them. The TX function is inhibited by leaving the TX frequency entry empty for those.

If you get the 400MHz-470MHz band split, harder to find and are not Part 95 certified either, are usable over both the complete Ham and GMRS bands if you aren't worried about the certification issue.

US Amature Band Plan 2020.pdf TK-3180 - Example Ham GMRS.dat

[catbrigade]

8 hours ago, Lscott said:

Take a look at the example code plug. Shows how to setup the memory channels for zones.

I have two zones setup for GMRS/FRS. One is set for wide-band, normal GMRS. The other is set for narrow band to talk normally to those with FRS type radios.

It also has some Ham stuff in it too. Since the radio is not front panel programmable, and you don't have a real VFO mode. I sort of cheated by using one zone for Ham simplex and used the frequency as the channel name. That way when you flip through the memory channels it looks like you have a VFO with a 25KHz step. You don't need to enter in every 25KHz frequency step in the band because there are only several sections recommended for simplex only so that keeps the required number of channels down while providing good coverage.

The 450MHz-520MHz band split you can "push" down out of band to around 440MHz, maybe lower, and it will work. Two out of the three Ham simplex sub-bands are between 440MHz and 450MHz along with the repeater section. Now you have one radio that will work for most of the Ham 70cm band, GMRS and is Part 95 certified. Not a bad deal.

You'll also see I have some Part 90 frequencies in several zones for monitoring use. I like to go for walks at some of the local malls when not at the gym so I monitor the local shops and mall security frequencies etc. It's legal so long as you don't TX on them. The TX function is inhibited by leaving the TX frequency entry empty for those.

If you get the 400MHz-470MHz band split, harder to find and are not Part 95 certified either, are usable over both the complete Ham and GMRS bands if you aren't worried about the certification issue.

Thanks, that's good info. I'm planning to go to an exam session Saturday morning to get my Technician license. I've worked as an EE for 15+ years now and the practice exams online that pull from the current question pool were easy for me. The 400-470 MHz range radios are hard to find. I'm kicking myself for not snapping up the one I saw at auction that had the full DTMF keypad as well.

I didn't think to put an all narrowband zone in for FRS but that makes sense. If we go somewhere where the kids have radios I'm giving them the cheap FRS only ones which are narrowband only anyway. I have a couple GMRS zones set up, one with just the plain channels, another with some tones, and a third with tones and Fleetsync turned on to show the radio ID's I assigned.

I did set up a zone that has some local freqs of interest (police dispatch, fire dispatch, and channels used by my kids' grade school and their transportation department for bus dispatch. For all of those I left the TX side blank so they can't be transmitted on inadvertently.

[Lscott]

41 minutes ago, catbrigade said:

Thanks, that's good info. I'm planning to go to an exam session Saturday morning to get my Technician license. I've worked as an EE for 15+ years now and the practice exams online that pull from the current question pool were easy for me.

Good luck on the test. I’ll bet you’ll find it easy.

If you can find the 400-470 band split radios they are definitely worth getting. I seemed to have better luck finding this band split with the digital Kenwood’s. Those would be for the big three, DMR-P25-NXDN. I think that band split were the first ones available so that’s what got sold mostly.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/255-tk-d300e-fmdmr/

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/254-tk-5320-1jpg/

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/251-nx-300jpg/

The VHF radios are even more attractive. They usually cover 136-174. That will work for the Ham 2M band, MURS, VHF marine, VHF railroad FM and the NOAA weather stations. That’s all in the above range. The asking price is significantly more than the UHF radios.

If you’re interested in Ham digital voice modes then look primarily for the UHF radios. Most of the digital voice operations for Ham are on the 70cm band. The DMR and NXDN radios aren’t too highly priced. Now the P25 radios are just plain stupidly high priced. Myself I’m still looking for a second TK-5220 VHF P25 radio. I have one now in my collection, I want a second radio if I can find one that isn’t price like it was Gold.

[WRTR557]

Can anyone recommend a GMRS HT i currently own a WOUXUN KG1000G 50 WATT mobile and i love it. and now i want to purchase handy talkies ive pretty much decided on the WOUXUN KG 935 G as im impressed with they're radios so my only deciding factor is output wattage. i think  the KG 935 G is a 5 watt radio correct me if im wrong. Are there other gmrs handy talkies with higher output power. im willing to sacrafice  the WOUXUN ease of use and functionality as a GMRS radio for more power.

thank you

greg

[WRUU653]

5 watt is the max for a GMRS HT.  I don’t think you will go wrong with your choice

[WRTR557]

thank you so much for your fast reply.

[Fernleaf]

16 hours ago, WRTR557 said:

Can anyone recommend a GMRS HT i currently own a WOUXUN KG1000G 50 WATT mobile and i love it. and now i want to purchase handy talkies ive pretty much decided on the WOUXUN KG 935 G as im impressed with they're radios so my only deciding factor is output wattage. i think  the KG 935 G is a 5 watt radio correct me if im wrong. Are there other gmrs handy talkies with higher output power. im willing to sacrafice  the WOUXUN ease of use and functionality as a GMRS radio for more power.

thank you

greg

My first radio was the Raddiodity GM-30. A lot of people don’t like them, but mine has held strong and worked for quite a while, even when taking a cross country trip. Picked up repeaters and other GMRS operators along the way. A lot of people in my GMRS group loved them as well and had no issues with distance or using repeater on our mountainous area in North Georgia. 
 

It’s not high powered by any means, but certainly does the job. 
 

Thought I’d throw that one in the mix. 

[MichaelLAX]

13 minutes ago, Fernleaf said:

My first radio was the Raddiodity GM-30...
 

It’s not high powered by any means, but certainly does the job. 

But it is 5 watts, which is the max GMRS for HT.  

I have the clone Pofung UV-15 and the GM-30 is a good choice especially for that price range.  I gave it to my grandson after I got the TYT-UV88 which is a ham radio clone of the GM-30, and can be "opened" for GMRS as well.

[Sab02r]

16 hours ago, WRTR557 said:

Can anyone recommend a GMRS HT i currently own a WOUXUN KG1000G 50 WATT mobile and i love it. and now i want to purchase handy talkies ive pretty much decided on the WOUXUN KG 935 G as im impressed with they're radios so my only deciding factor is output wattage. i think  the KG 935 G is a 5 watt radio correct me if im wrong. Are there other gmrs handy talkies with higher output power. im willing to sacrafice  the WOUXUN ease of use and functionality as a GMRS radio for more power.

thank you

greg

Another vote for the KG935G for their scan-group feature, ease of use, and user-friendly display.

[Sshannon]

35 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

But it is 5 watts, which is the max GMRS for HT.  

I believe that's probably the case, but I'm having trouble trying to find something in the regulations that limits handheld portable radios to 5 watts for GMRS.  I know that for the 462 interstitial channels there's a limit (as quoted below), but like I say, I'm having trouble finding the part of the regulations that limits all GMRS handhelds to 5w.:

462 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of mobile, hand-held portable and base stations transmitting on the 462 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 5 Watts.

[MichaelLAX]

54 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

I believe that's probably the case, but I'm having trouble trying to find something in the regulations that limits handheld portable radios to 5 watts for GMRS.  I know that for the 462 interstitial channels there's a limit (as quoted below), but like I say, I'm having trouble finding the part of the regulations that limits all GMRS handhelds to 5w.:

462 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of mobile, hand-held portable and base stations transmitting on the 462 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 5 Watts.

Check out the highlighted in Red text in each case:

I believe the absence of the term "hand-held" in the 50 watt subparagraph (a)(1) limits hand-helds to the 5 watt limitation in subsection (b) or 0.5 watts for 467 interstitial channels in (c).

[Sshannon]

To make it easier to discuss, rather than a screenshot here are the regulations:

 

Quote

 

§ 95.1767 GMRS transmitting power limits.

This section contains transmitting power limits for GMRS stations. The maximum transmitting power depends on which channels are being used and the type of station.

(a) 462/467 MHz main channels. The limits in this paragraph apply to stations transmitting on any of the 462 MHz main channels or any of the 467 MHz main channels. Each GMRS transmitter type must be capable of operating within the allowable power range. GMRS licensees are responsible for ensuring that their GMRS stations operate in compliance with these limits.

(1) The transmitter output power of mobile, repeater and base stations must not exceed 50 Watts.

(2) The transmitter output power of fixed stations must not exceed 15 Watts.

(b) 462 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of mobile, hand-held portable and base stations transmitting on the 462 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 5 Watts.

(c) 467 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of hand-held portable units transmitting on the 467 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 0.5 Watt. Each GMRS transmitter type capable of transmitting on these channels must be designed such that the ERP does not exceed 0.5 Watt.

 

 

Each regulation only means what it says, nothing more and nothing less.  The limitation 95.1767(b) for the 462 interstitial channels, only applies to stations transmitting on the interstitial 462 channels. Likewise, limitation 95.1767(c) only applies to stations transmitting on the 467 interstitial channels.  Nothing about those limits extends to the other two sets of frequencies (462 MHz main and 467 MHz main). Rules just are not written like that.

Neither does the lack of a listing for a power limit for a Hand-held Portable cause the lower limits listed in 95.1767(b) to apply to 95.1767(a)(1).  If it did that would be very tricky to determine whether to use the 0.5 w ERP limit of 95.1767(c) or the 5 w ERP limit of 95.1767(b).

The fact is, no output power is specified for hand-held portable stations in 95.1767(a) unless you consider a hand-held portable as a subset of the mobile category, in which case 95.1767(a)(1) applies, limiting a hand-held portable to the same limit as a mobile.  To me that doesn't seem right.  Now therre may be a higher level regulation somewhere that limits ALL hand-held transcievers to a 5 watt limit; I just don't know.

The definition of a Hand-held Portable may support that.  From Subpart A:

Hand-held portable unit.  A physically small mobile station that can be operated while being held in the operator's hand.

So, I still haven't seen a rule or regulation in part 95E that limits the output power (which is not the same as ERP) of a hand-held portable in the GMRS service to 5 watts.  I'm convinced I'm simply missing something, but the explanation you propose doesn't seem right to me.