TYT TH-9000 UHF Mobile

[SteveH]

A few months ago I purchased a TYT TH-9000 UHF mobile radio from Main Trading Co. in Texas. I settled on this model as I wanted a Part 90 radio covering the 70 cm ham band plus the GMRS and public safety frequencies. So far I am quite happy with it: the sensitivity seems good, power output (45 watts max) is good, audio (TX and RX) is fine, etc. The instruction manual is much better than the manuals for some other Chinese radios but a few of the instructions are a bit incomplete and require some trial and error. (Keep a notepad handy for writing down what you really have to do.) Programming with the cable and TYT software is quite straightforward.

 

I had considered getting one of the dual banders that are now out but I've been concerned about the mixed reviews plus I really don't need another daul bander - I already have two Kenwood D710s.

 

The one thing I don't like about this, and the other Chinese mobiles, is that there's no data port. While not an issue for GMRS, I do a lot of datamodes. There is a tipoff that the radio might be almost digital ready - there's a taped over DB9 connector hole at the rear of the radio, just like the Alinco mobiles have (except that the Alincos actually have the connector). I did some digging and stumbled on some information about an internal connector on the main board. This resides at
http://www.slvrc.org/220band.htm and is attributed to VA3OT. Here are the pin assignments:

Pin Function
1 Ground
2 Tx Audio
3 COS
4 Rcv Audio
5 PTT
6 + 5 Vdc

A mating plug with wires attached can be purchased from Digikey , Part # A100196-ND for $1. 39.

I purchased a few plug assemblies (the plug comes with 8 inches of wire) and opened the radio with a #9 Torx driver. As it turns out, the plug has a couple of tabs that have to be sheared off with a pen knife but otherwise it fits fine.

 

I've yet to wire it up for digital but it's good to know that I'll be able to. Also, the connections would also make it easy to wire up two radios in a repeater configuration.

 

Does anyone else here have a TH-9000?

 

Steve

[Iceburgh]

I have this radio and I really appreciate the info that you posted about the digital connections. The only thing I have done so far, is to wire a modified Cobra HG-M75 power mike to the radio which turned it into a beast. I keep the mic set at 4 and it is clean and loud. I talk in a very low voice and this mic and radio combination is a perfect match. If anyone needs any info about this, let me know.

[PastorGary]

Edward - Thanks for joining us here at the Forum... Welcome.  Thanks for the information.  As long as the radio FM deviation level is set correctly, that should work fine. Just make sure that the mic impedence is close to the factory original.

[tarnall]

Yes Steve,  I just purchased TYT TH 9000 from Amazon, I guess I did this before I read all the rules about what FCC requires for GMRS radios.  My first clue was it did not have an FCC ID # on the back....   :-(     If I hadn't ordered the cable and software from RT System at the same time, I might have returned it. 

 

After reading as much as I could understand from the Tech Forum, this radio is not compliant....I guess.

 

I also purchased a TH 9000 220 rig a while back, did some manual programming, instruction manual really hard to wrap around my head...  I will try the software when I get it.

 

Terry - WB6TA/WQUJ358

 

PS, I'm good in QRZ...